Nykol7

As I approached my one year mark 10/30 since having the surgery I have had time to think about how my life has changed!! I have been off caffeine for over a year stopped back on October 8, 2012. It was a lot easier then I thought. I went cold turkey after realizing that I was drinking 3-4 large mc Donald's cokes a day, which I still have no idea how much caffeine is in that let alone sugar. I started on oct 30, 2012 weighing 242.5lbs at only 21. I am now 22 and weigh 193.4lbs I am 1.65lbs away from being half way to my goal weight. I couldn't be happier! My mom got her weight loss surgery (bypass) in March 2013 and has hit her half way mark last week! It has been amazing going through this experience with her and I can't wait until we get to do the boulder bolder 10K next year together and for her and my dad to be around for many many more year and get to see my children grow up and be able to play with them (once I have kids) I jogged in the Memorial Day boulder bolder 10K and finished in less then 2 hrs which was better then I ever expected and such an amazing high. I have been hiking a ton and really found a passion for the outdoors! I also did the color run 5K this summer with friends and really enjoyed myself. Before I had the surgery I was busting out of my work uniform and with in two weeks after the surgery I had to go get new pants because mine were to big! I noticed recently that my pants now are starting to get really loose but I plan to wait to get new ones until later so I don't have to make the hour drive to the main office to get more in a month. I have went from wearing a very tight size 18 to a loose size 16 and have had to get several new shirts! The most amazing thing that has happened to me since this surgery is..... My PCOS is clearing up and I will be able to have kids now!! . I was told when I was 16 (shortly after I found out my best friend was pregnant) that I had PCOS and the effects may have caused me to never be able to have kids due to scarring. I was devastated as I have always wanted kids and have been around kids my entire life thanks to my moms daycare. My periods were so irregular that I would go 6-8 months without one and then get really sick due to blood poisoning and have to be hospitalized for 4 weeks. I have no side effects such as scarring and I am off all medicine for PCOS! Even though I don't plan to have children for a few more years I am so excited that it will be 80% easier to have them without treatments or adoption! Unfortunately over the past couple of days I have had a serious issue with waking up choking and coughing. It has gotten increasingly worse since I first noticed it and I have begun to get worried that I have a slip. I see my dr tomorrow. They seemed worried that with my sleep apnea (that has gotten better but not fully) combined with a slip could cause me not to wake up and cough but instead possibly choke in my sleep! I'm thankful that my mom will be staying with me tonight and keeping an eye on me until the dr can see me tomorrow. I can't wait to see what the next year and years after that bring for me! I hope to be closer to my goal weight by June for my college graduation! Nykol Jefferson (One happy banded person)

As I approached my one year mark 10/30 since having the surgery I have had time to think about how my life has changed!! I have been off caffeine for over a year stopped back on October 8, 2012. It was a lot easier then I thought. I went cold turkey after realizing that I was drinking 3-4 large mc Donald's cokes a day, which I still have no idea how much caffeine is in that let alone sugar. I started on oct 30, 2012 weighing 242.5lbs at only 21. I am now 22 and weigh 193.4lbs I am 1.65lbs away from being half way to my goal weight. I couldn't be happier! My mom got her weight loss surgery (bypass) in March 2013 and has hit her half way mark last week! It has been amazing going through this experience with her and I can't wait until we get to do the boulder bolder 10K next year together and for her and my dad to be around for many many more year and get to see my children grow up and be able to play with them (once I have kids) I jogged in the Memorial Day boulder bolder 10K and finished in less then 2 hrs which was better then I ever expected and such an amazing high. I have been hiking a ton and really found a passion for the outdoors! I also did the color run 5K this summer with friends and really enjoyed myself. Before I had the surgery I was busting out of my work uniform and with in two weeks after the surgery I had to go get new pants because mine were to big! I noticed recently that my pants now are starting to get really loose but I plan to wait to get new ones until later so I don't have to make the hour drive to the main office to get more in a month. I have went from wearing a very tight size 18 to a loose size 16 and have had to get several new shirts! The most amazing thing that has happened to me since this surgery is..... My PCOS is clearing up and I will be able to have kids now!! . I was told when I was 16 (shortly after I found out my best friend was pregnant) that I had PCOS and the effects may have caused me to never be able to have kids due to scarring. I was devastated as I have always wanted kids and have been around kids my entire life thanks to my moms daycare. My periods were so irregular that I would go 6-8 months without one and then get really sick due to blood poisoning and have to be hospitalized for 4 weeks. I have no side effects such as scarring and I am off all medicine for PCOS! Even though I don't plan to have children for a few more years I am so excited that it will be 80% easier to have them without treatments or adoption! Unfortunately over the past couple of days I have had a serious issue with waking up choking and coughing. It has gotten increasingly worse since I first noticed it and I have begun to get worried that I have a slip. I see my dr tomorrow. They seemed worried that with my sleep apnea (that has gotten better but not fully) combined with a slip could cause me not to wake up and cough but instead possibly choke in my sleep! I'm thankful that my mom will be staying with me tonight and keeping an eye on me until the dr can see me tomorrow. I can't wait to see what the next year and years after that bring for me! I hope to be closer to my goal weight by June for my college graduation! Nykol Jefferson (One happy banded person)

So I have noticed that a lot of you are posting YouTube Videos of your experience. I am not at all comfortable posting videos of myself I have decided to post a new blog on my blog site. I will be posting about my experience with the lap band and also with the research study I am apart of that goes with this surgery. Here is the link to my blog: My surgery is not scheduled until October 30 but I have posted about my process with getting my surgery approved and with the research Study. http://mynewlifeoct30.blogspot.com/ To see my other blog from when I spent 4 weeks at the Biggest Loser Resort in Ivins, Utah: http://mylifechangingexperience-nykol.blogspot.com/ P.S. I don't think you can post comments unless you have a blog spot account. Feel free to contact me on here directly or create an account!

Hello all, My name is Nykol (nicole) Im 21 and my surgery is scheduled for Oct 30, 2012 and i couldn't be more excited and nervous. I have struggled with my weight since i was 10 and now that I am in track in college and know what I want to do in my future I am starting my weights journey by getting banded. I like most everyone here has tried everything to lose weight. I am the youngest of 4 and only girl, my biggest motivation is my 11month old Niece, she is the center of my world right now and i want to make sure I am around for her. I don't have children of my own but seeing my bestfriend who is like a sister to me starting her family has also motivated me to take control of my life so I can not only have the children I want but be around and healthy until they grow up. I am nervous mainly because this will be my 5th surgery, i had my tonsils removed when i was a child, had my appendix removed by emergency surgery, sinus surgery, and also had my gall bladder removed. I also have NO idea what expect. i know one person who wad banded a year ago and another lady who had gastric bypass a yr and a half ago. But neither of them i am close to. I plan to read through as many of your guys post before my surgery to hopefully calm some if my nerves!