Thanks everyone for your site suggestions! Great to meet people so soon I definitely understand the wide range of opinions on forums (tried when I was first banded but left soon afterwards). I was banded on 3/5/08 and have fluctuated between a weight loss of 160-170 lbs (depends on how close we are to the holidays lol). I went from barely being able to put on a pair of pants to running 10k's It's such a great feeling to do "normal" things and be an active person.
Don't get me wrong, of course we all have those "ugh!" days but I would say I'm a pretty positive person who has definitely learned over time to love myself, inside and out, and to be happy with my results. I normally don't have my own opinion concerning what others should do b/c, I don't know about you guys, my stomach changes from day to day sometimes so who am I to say what others should or shouldn't do lol. Experiences? Sure! But not "don't do this, don't do that".
Thanks again for commenting on my first post and being so kind Looking forward to meeting others that have gone through a similar life change. None of my friends have had this surgery so I'm feeling like a lonely island in Raleigh, NC
Ali