CowgirlJane

This too was my journey too Nashville and the Austin City Limits! I still like rock, but I know every word to every Miranda Lambert hit.

I think it is brave of you to share your story... I am sorry you haven't had more success, and i think it is good for preops to know that WLS is not a guarantee of a "fix" or rousing success. I don't know what you are doing and i guess you didn't really ask for advice... but all I can say is what has worked for me. I don't count calories, but I think most days I eat way less then you mention. I eat pretty low carb. My body does not give up the weight if I eat "normal" levels of carbs. I seldom eat fruit due to the sugar/carbs (I do have berries sometimes). I pretty much eat meat (just like you a lot of seafood, chicken etc mostly), low carb veggies and premier Protein drinks. Boring, i know - but I am at a headspace with all this that I am just OVER food. I am in no way implying you are doing anything wrong, I am sharing this information as I am sure many people reading this thread are preops and it might be useful info.

38 bougie size here a big one...loss 150 in just over a year and no complications! Risk of reflex goes up the smaller the tummy so it is a tradeoff. I am pleased as could be!

I am 2 pounds away from my goal! A friend asked me yesterday if I am planning a big celebration or party and it occured to me that I had put zero thought into how to acknowledge this HUGE milestone. On some levels, I think I have always had some doubt about if I would achieve it but now it is looking quite certain! When I get to goal, I will have lost 150# from the start of my preop diet. (I was actually heavier than that at one point but that is where i started counting). I have lost a whole freaking normal sized woman or two kids or about 18 newborns.... you can think of this alot of different ways - but i have lost alot of weight and it deserves some kind of recognition! Curious what others have done. Yes, i have been open about my surgery and have lots of friends and family as supporters.

I am hooked on spinning right now. I wish I could run.... Ruined knee. The difference is I can go a few days without cycling....lol.... coffee NOT

Maybe there is somekind of neck wrap that will tighten the skin. If there isn't maybe we should go in business together and sell it?!?

You have gotten great advice. I work hard to think about my overeating triggers. I have identified a few foods that just don't have a spot in my home - and oddly Peanut Butter tops my list. I seem to be able to eat large quantities, and probably all the carbs in it trigger me to overeat in general. Crackers or chips are another. I used to try to tell myself I could control it... not like was inhaling the whole bag or anything! But, I would, thriughout the day have more then I needed and lets me honest, what does it really contribute to your good health? I still love good tasty food, but, foods primary role is fuel and nutrition. I reserve the idea of a "treat" for something truly special - and I am sorry but crackers, chips and peanut butter simply do not meet my new, higher standards!!! Find your "gateway drug" food and just keep the crap out of the house! I also find that going moderate to low carb really helps. I still have 1-2 premier Proteins a day - high Protein and low carbs. My old way of thinking would be "oh, I am eating too much and those Protein drinks are adding even more calories!" My new way of thinking is "trust my body to respond.. when I feed it correctly it gives me better feedback and I eat less. I need the protein to get the carb cravings under control, so drink it!" I know this is controversial, but some people find that going hardcore for a few days can "reset" you. this is the 5 day pouch test or something similiar. I personally think it depends on your personality if that is a good idea or if it is just another crazy ass diet thing and a set up for failure. I only did it once and it honestly did help me reset on eating low carb. A final suggestion is to ask yourself if there is an emotional reason for sabatoging yourself. I found myself facing some fears about being thin... like.. hard to believe I could be scared of that but i really was. Some things came out about my past that I wasn't really consciously aware of. Facing those head on resulted in losing the last few pounds to get to goal. I don't know if that was a coincidence or what, but it happened that way!

I also think you look great! I should think the Keith Richards could get the best cosmetics fixes that money can buy and that guy is UGLY and has always been skinny (I am sure the heroin and cigs helped with that!).

I luckily have not had a big problem here. For a long time, I just didn't "go out". Now that I am at goal, pretty much anyone I know well enough to go out with knows I had surgery and they are totally supportive of my eccentric eating - I order an appetizer or share with others. so far, so good. Last night i was out at a very nice restaurant and went into the ladies room to be treated to the sounds of a bulimic making room for more. I just know i don't want to go down that path - I had 10 years with the stupid crapband, and even with all Fluid gone, certain foods made me vomit after one bite. Rice for example! the lapband was like medically induced bulimia and it was awful, maybe this is why i have such an aversion and will take extreme measures to NOT overeat...lol. That is just my experience, and i am new at maintenance so we shall see how things evolve.

Paul, I completely avoid beer now - carbonation etc. and i once had a cardiolgist tell me that the high carbohydrates make it less heart healthy - I have not researched that though. I have the occasional glass of wine at a social event, but if I go out for a drink I usually have a nice mixed drink - a cosmo or some other kind of martini, or maybe a gin/tonic - something like that. Here is my warning - only have 1 or if it is a long evening... maybe 2. Alchohol kicks my ass these days so I have it it very small quantities.

I personally think the band is becoming irrelevant... it just does not work as well as other WLS. Many docs have stopped implanting them except in specific cases. I recommend that you ask about 5 and 10 year stats - forget about weight loss - I mean how many people have to have the dang thing removed. I got the lapband in 2001 and found in my paperwork a statement that it was intended to be a "temporary" device. I had it removed in 2011 and mine lasted longer then most people I knew that had it. I had to have all the Fluid removed in winter of 2002/2003 and immediately regained everything I had lost. I feel that one of the many disadvantages of the band is that it tends to drive you toward "slider" foods since it is very hard to eat dense Protein and remain comfortable. With the sleeve, I am very comfortable eating protein and green veggies - the mainstay of my diet and how I lost 150+ pounds with the sleeve.

You look great! My thighs are about 100X worse then your before pix... The docs I consulted with recommend me doing the Lower Body lift plus breasts first, as I will get "some" thigh improvement. I will need inner thigh work next and the sad thing is they told me I will likely always have some thigh "touching" since it is so bad. Can you PM me your doctor - I live on the Eastside. Right now I am seriously considering Dr Mary Peters in Seattle. I still scheduled with a consult for Dr Rand on Bellevue but he is booked so far out... I am not sure if I will keep it.

annapatel, so sorry you are going through this. Do they have a diagnosis for you yet? I can't say that i know what you are going through as I was blessed with a straightforward recovery, but keep your chin up... others that have recovered from complications in the end get good results. Hang in there.

Okay, it is a valid concern... but... I look great with clothes on now. I looked like hell with or with out clothes before. I am going to have to have plastics but compared to being morbidly obese, a little extra skin is nothing!

Well, I have shrunk since my previous update! I am at goal since February 2013. current: Height: 5'5" Weight: 158 Pant size: 8 (fitted, not stretchy) Dress size: 10 Tops: Medium I started out at 308 day of pre-op diet start; 300 day of surgery. My all time highest weight (in 2004) was 332. At the time of my surgery I was stuffed into 26W wearing either 2x/3x depending on the top So, the scale weighs me heavy but I am a big framed person so everyone around me tells me to stop right here since I am bony looking even weighing in the 150s. The attached photos are when I was about 5# over goal.

I can only speak for myself - I am taking all this very lightly. There are things I would discuss more openly in a closed group... haha... but I also see the value of sharing things so others can read and maybe find something useful. I have really liked many of the threads where people share deeply about some aspects of being a vet. Alot of them do get taken over with silliness too, and that doesn't bother me. What I will say is this. Many many many years ago I was part of a yahoo group for lapband called "Bandsters" (then there were many others that followed). Well, there was a private veterans forum for people 1+ year post op. THAT wound up being the complications forum. With the lapband, you don't have risk of leaks etc short term, it is the long term problems (slippage, erosion, horrible reflux) that get you. If I had been able to read that vets forum pre-band, it might have changed my mind. I felt betrayed by that "support" group because if you were on the main list and had problems, it was pretty much blamed on your "lack of compliance". If you were a veteran, well, the truth came out. With the sleeve, you don't seem to get these long term complications so more of the issues are around the "head trip" of massive weight loss, and the challenges of maintenance. I can see the value of "newbies" having access to some of those thoughts and musings. I still do sorta wish for somewhere a little less public to talk about some things with a closer knit group, but i realize I won't get that on VST - so it is okay.

I was sleeved 12/12/2011 by Dr Landerholm at Puget Sound Surgical. I lost 150# and hit my goal weight in Feb of this year. Biggest problem I have had is so many people not recognizing me.

You don't have to drink it forever and there are lots of better tasting protiens out there, but, your point is a great question... is this worth all the changes needed for success? That is such a personal question, and i think it is wise to think about it a bit before committing to surgery because there are alot of things those first few months especially that kinda suck. All I can say is that my happy-o-meter has gone off the scale. Life is really good at half my former size. My only regret... is why couldn't I have been sleeved back in 2001 back when I had the crapband installed??? I am so happy with my sleeve, I feel like it saved my life.

It would be fun if everyone brought " before " photos!

I loves it, but have definately had some wild emotions at times. Lately, i have been feeling more normal, but occasionally have something happen that reminds me of this wild journey. I have been going to the office alot and been asking for different/new work assignments. It is really helping me feel better - like I am getting my life back. anyway, Friday I ran into a woman that I used to work with quite a bit - say 5 years ago. i saw her this summer, after I had lost probably 90-100# but I keep "reshaping". The LAST 20# I have lost have been more shocking to everyone then the first 100# somehow. I have lost about 140 now and I am a pretty solid size 10 now, and what I find surprising is that seems to be a huge leap from where I was even back in November when I was a solid size 12. I don't see much a of a difference but I am working out hard to and under that loose skin I am developing a pretty firm muscle base that probably makes a difference in appearance too. Anyway, I thought she was gonna have a break down. She has always been chunky, but she has really gained weight - don't know if that is what triggered it. I saw her and stopped to say hello. She didn't recoginize me so I made a joke of it and we started talking about work stuff. She interupted me and said "I recognize your voice and your laugh, but my mind can't believe that is really you talking." I thought she might cry... seriously.... she was emotional and I acting kinda nutty actually. I gave her a hug, showed her my badge again trying to be funny about it but she never really recovered. I got two things out of this encounter. 1. I am a lot more huggy then I used to be. I don't know why, never thought about it, but a few years ago I would not have been likely to hug someone that is a fairly insignificant aquaintance. I think I like this about the "new me" - I have always wanted to be a warmer person I just wasn't raised that way...lol. In general, people are friendlier to me now and I think alot of it is that I am friendlier as well. 2. I always thought people didn't get too wrapped up in how others look... I mean, seriously, who cares that much? I guess i was wrong. I have been feeling pretty good about my body image lately so the encounter didn't upset me too much, but at weaker times, it might have. Losing this much weight in just over a year - it is a shock to the brain that is for sure.

I had a similar thing happen - hip and back pain got worse for awhile there. I was told it had to do with changing center of gravity etc. I think keep moving, exercising and give it some time. Now that I am at goal, it is much better. I still have back issues (lifelong problem) but not too bad! Hope you feel better soon.

Congrats!!!! You are an amazing success story and I can't wait to see the final chapter - once your TT heals we need final "after" pictures. Yeah, my skin is "not as bad as I feared" but, pretty bad in many spots. i feel kinda doughy fat on most of my torso and inner thighs, but you can see ribs on my back and the surgeons say I have the right amount of bodyfat, just too much skin! I am planning on a lower body lift (tummy tuck with some flank work) and breast fixin' later this year.

I would like to make a gentle suggestion to the original poster, you might want to put some serious thought into your attitudes about this surgery. Would you really be disappointed if you lost and maintained a lose of 60+ pounds? Do you think you have influence over this outcome - the whether you get to the 180s versus the 150s? Is there a reason you need to pick a goal right now? The reason your doc gave you that number is because there are "averages" reflecting weight loss results and he is just communicating that to you. It is entirely in your control how long to "rock your sleeve" and keep losing. None of it is easy, but the sleeve makes it possible. I say even if you don't get to some artificial number on a scale or BMI chart, losing alot of weight will make your life so much better and you should embrace and Celebrate that. I have beat the stats according to my surgeons office. He also tells me this year is just as important because now i need to maintain it!

I have never heard of this being band related - and I would like to blame the lapband for everything! LOL I think you should keep pursuing a diagnosis.

How do you define failure? Anyway, the number one thing to do to be successful is follow the rules! Eat small quantities of healthy Protein several times a day. work in some veggies. Don't make room for junky, carby food. Don't snack. separate Water from food consumption. The opposite of those is what leads to poor weight loss. Portion control is the number one way to maintain that feeling of "restriction"