gowalking

Spectacular! I hope you come to our meet and greet in June. I'd love to put a name and face together.

Congrats betty. I can tell from your posts that you are dedicated to succeed. Can't wait till you are on the other side and start to post your own stories of life after being banded.

One day at a time. It's a lifelong battle friends and we know it. It's why I'm on this forum and it's why I'm so involved in the local support group experiment Alex has going. I know just like jamilyne, I can come here with my struggles and find the support and strength I need. It's a comfort, it truly is.

There's plenty of success stories out there Shelly. I've posted about mine several times but will be happy to share again. Per my ticker below, you can see that I was morbidly obese. I had limited mobility due to arthritis and was heading towards a life in a wheelchair. I had the surgery in January of 2013 and subsequent hip replacement in October of 2013. I am now off the cane and walking again. Yes, I have residual pain...I have alot more physical therapy in my future, but the difference is tremendous. Then there's all the other stuff. I buy pretty clothes again. I can fit anywhere. And I mean anywhere. I don't fear small spaces because I'm small myself. Yes...I'm a small lady again. I'm getting my life back. Before getting the lapband, I was on a cruise and couldn't get off the ship because I was in terrible pain. Even if I wasn't in pain, I couldn't do most of the excursions because I was afraid I couldn't fit into a life vest. Horrible, right? Well, I'm going on a cruise in July and my son and I are going on a deep Water scuba excursion. I have no concerns about keeping up or about fitting into any equipment. I'm normal sized now, and living life like a normal person. I'm happier about having the lapband than I ever expected. How's that for a success story? Oh, and I posted my before and after pics so you can have a visual. Yes...they are both pictures of me. Some difference, right?

Aw...gee Melinda. You did everything right and still came up short. Thanks so much for letting me know about this. This was a good lesson for me. I started to think that complications are the results of not following protocol and I see that I'm wrong. Good luck to you and keep us posted as to whether or not the plication helps or if you revise to another WLS. Liz

I have chronic lower back pain and associated nerve pain as well. The amount of weight I dropped has no impact on it. I've been told that much of the pain started while I was compensating for hip and knee pain and only strengthening exercises will make it better. Of course I'm happy I lost the weight but again, it doesn't seem to affect my pain at all.

Next year for sure!!

PM Alex. He and I discussed this as another way of folks meeting each other besides the local support groups. He can do a blast email so everyone on the site sees it. You can also let people know this will be an annual event.

You are super awesome!!

My daughter-in-law is big into cars and she's such a tiny little thing too. But the red muscle car in the driveway is hers, not my son's. In fact, that's how they met....on a car forum and then in person and they've been married nearly six years.

Damn!! We were talking about this on the bandsters 5 thread and I thought it was a great idea. Oh I wish I had more notice...I'd go in a heartbeat. I can't do it this year...I have other commitments but I would absolutely do it next year. Would it be too much to ask if we can make this an annual thing? I would love to meet up with my bariatricpal buds on the high seas.

I was going to post the same exact thing! I second what enjoy said. If you start to compare, you'll run into trouble. We don't post our tickers for folks to compare. We post so you can see the many ways we lose our weight. Some in a straight direction, but most of us take a much more circuitous route.

PM Alex.

Please do what you need to for insurance purposes. Just know this however. I went into banded life kicking and screaming. I didn't want to do it and mourned the whole idea of not being able to eat what I wanted when I wanted. Well...16 months later and I've done amazingly well and most important, no food out there tastes as good as normal sized feels. As long as you follow directions after your surgery...and I mean that...you MUST follow directions and not test the band and do your very best not to cheat, you will do well and enjoy the fruits of your hard work. Good luck!

Hi Paul. I'm 55 and banded. I also thought dropping the weight would be difficult due to my age and limited mobility. Well...no guarantees of course, but I lost most of my weight in one year. And you can see my ticker below. I had a BMI of more than 50. That's morbidly obese as I'm sure you realize and yet, I was successful. Honestly, I don't think age has anything to do with it. Good luck!

We have this. Under the local chapters thread is a subfolder for group leaders only. It's an area that Alex set up just for us. Let me know if you can't see it.

I thought I was a happy fat woman. I was kidding myself. I was miserable and quickly losing my mobility. I won't give you a blow by blow of my journey but suffice it to say, I am walking again, off the cane, and I look completely normal now instead of morbidly obese. I no longer fear clothes shopping, airplane seats, restaurant booths, or any tight spaces. No one stares at me and I'm no longer ashamed of my size. I swim, I bike, I climb stairs, I move. I didn't want to have WLS and fought it until I had no choice. I'm 16 months post banded and can say that it was the best thing I ever did for myself. Good luck with whatever choice you make...whether it's WLS or not.

I think having an email address is brilliant. I'll run it past Lisa...my 'partner in crime'..lol. Thanks again for letting me steal your signature idea.

Hi piercedqt78. I'm the co-lead for the NYC/LI chapter. I hope you don't mind if I take your idea and incorporate that information into my signature. Thanks. gowalking.

Take a look at my picture hon. It's a pretty and lightweight dress and the shrug is also lightweight even with long sleeves. It's a perfect type of dress to wear to your son's graduation. You don't need a skirt and top unless that's what you want to wear.

Whatever works for ya, baby. Good luck!

I can't imagine the pain of losing a child. Bless you my dear and here's hoping all goes well with your weight loss journey.

The second time around for me, we drove cross country to Arizona and were married on the south rim of the Grand Canyon at sunset. Only his best friend and family were there as witnesses. The wedding was lovely...the marriage, not so much. That story I will leave for another time..LOL. Good luck my dear and congratulations.

It will get better Cindi...I promise. The doctors at NYU are wonderful. I had Dr. Ren (Fielding's wife) do my procedure and I've had no issues and the weight has come off steadily. We're having our spring support group on June 14th. I hope you can attend. The details are in the Local Chapters thread for the NYC/LI chapter. Good luck and welcome to the banded life!