Sher1224

Hi Chimboree26 I am banded and have been for a year. God has blessed me abundantly through this process. I am 56 yrs old and have lost 42 lbs, but the most important part is not what I have lost but what I have gained through this. I have a complete peace of mind that God has blessed me with this tool for not only losing slowly but keeping the weight off. I have about 40 lbs to go to reach my goal which is health oriented and not "thin" oriented. If I lose 10-15 lbs a year from now on I am content because for years I steadily gained that amount each year. I feel God has honored my committment to Him to become healthier and helped me with this difficult process by this procedure.

I just visited this sight for the first time. What an inspirational place to visit! You all have an intense depth of faith and I admire your willingness to share and care. I truly hope God blesses you each for your willingness to give the glory where the Glory is due!

Dear Janet, Sorry I haven't been able to answer sooner. I know how the 100 Dr. Marathon goes....Luckily I had done almost all of mine before my appt. so I didn't have it quite that bad. I have a daughter-in-law who is considering this procedure and she is at the Marathon point also. I laughed when you said you lived in the desert. I could never do that. Although my parents winter in Phoenix and my dad had a heart attack there a couple of years ago and I flew in on my birthday (Christmas Eve) and swam in the pool at out hotel Christmas night. It was beautiful. I was the only one in the pool because the temp was only 70 and most of the people thought it was too cold. Of course it was 20 here when I left so that was a heat wave to me. (We live in Michigan---the state with four seasons...winter, spring, highway construction and fall). This morning was my morning to weigh...I only get on the scale once a week when I am not seeing the Dr. once a month. I have 3 lbs to go to get below 200 (I weighed 202 1/2). I think it is the mowing in the heat that helps. (Our heat is mid 80's) which is hot enough for me. I am so glad you liked your Dr. It does make a lot of difference if they are encouraging and helpful. I never smoked in my life but my husband did until last July. I know that is a hard habit to break. He just told me in January of that year that he was going to quit smoking on July 16th of that year. He kept saying that to everyone month after month. On July 15th he smoked his last one and never lit another one. I don't know if it was the months of talking himself into it or what but it worked. I do know that it helped his breathing a lot. It sounds like you have a wonderful family and friends who are very supportive of you. That too is a big help. You are doing this at a good time of the year. Hopefully it will cool off a little for you in the fall and you will feel like taking a walk now and then outside. Your initial months of weight loss will come just from the cutting back on calories then you will need to add the exercise to lose. One thing for sure....when I saw the Psych. Dr. she gave me a lot of support too. I had to take some big psych test to be sure I wasn't suicidal...it was pretty interesting. Hopefully you have had a nice weekend. We have had rain on and off all day today. Keep thinking positive about all of this....I know you will be happy with the results because you have a truly good idea of what it will take. I would be thrilled to be at 170 too...and you are taller than me so I understand how great the will make you feel. Take good care of yourself. Keep me posted. Sheri PS...if you want to email me directly use wench@locallink.net but keep posting here!

IndioGirl--HOW WAS THE APPT????? I didn't get a chance to get online last night as my husband spent several hours trying to resolve an issue online with something I know nothing about. In response to your questions...in October of 2005 I weighed 248 and was headed up. In Feb. of 2006 I was banded at 239 (My Dr. encouraged me to try to lose some weight before banding because of an enlarged liver...and you lose a couple of lbs. when you do the liquids the week of banding) but basically that is where I started. By Sept. of 2006 I was down to 203 and quit going for fills or dieting or exercising until March of 2007. I hate winter and I especially did not want to diet per say during the holidays...that is usually the time I gain 15-20 lbs. But during all of those months just because I was full faster...I went for my fill in April and checked in at 207 and have now gone down to 204 1/2. My goal for the summer is to get into the 190's. Hopefully the low 190's. If I lose 15-20 lbs a year for the next 3 years I will be happy. I am only 5' 1" tall and will be glad to be 140-160. I do eat bread occassionally...but did not the first three months. Most of the time you need to take the crust off if it is regular bread and usually one slice is about all I can do at a meal..if I eat it....Crackers work much better for me and I love Kavli which is low fat, and tastes great...especially the garlic flavored. Let me know your thoughts on your dr. and what he said. DynoMini gave you some good words....it is a tool...and you don't tend to gain back what you lose as long as you are careful...I don't eat chocolate much at all but I didn't before I was banded so I am not sure about that theory. I do eat several times a day..small meals...and try very hard to have nothing after seven at night. I had to laugh when you said you use sugar to put you to sleep. I used to do that too....and my friends all told me there was no way that would be true.....because sugar is supposed to be a picker upper...but because I never ate much sugar it picked me and then dropped me to sleep . We are a lot alike! Sheri

Hmmm...you do reason a lot like I do. However, let me assure you that there is NO easy way. One thing for sure, if you don't like it you can have it removed...if you don't try it...you will always wonder if you should have....all I know is today I mowed the lawn in the middle of the day for an hour and 15 minutes..it was 88 degrees and sunny and hot.....and I finally quit because I was over heated but not over tired....if you are anything like me, you have been playing with 10-30 lbs for the past several years...on and off on and off...as I said...I am only down 42 now but it has not come back on....tonight my husband offered to cook me some brats (my favorite grilled meat) I haven't had them in a year...but instead...I had a grilled portabella mushroom sandwich on an english muffin and it was more satisfying...after you are away from some foods you just don't crave them like you used to. And I find I crave cooked vegetables a lot. (Now that is strange for me). I do care because I was you a couple of summers ago....What was really strange to me was that I never had that "proverbial last meal" because I always knew I could still eat what I wanted...but not as MUCH as I wanted. If you eat your veg's, meat and sides first and still want a small dessert and if you allow time you can have two bites or a small amount and not be over full...I don't do a lot of sugar...never did...but if it is something I really want, I will allow myself a small amount....once in a while....I only lost 2 and a half lbs. last month but it is still 2 and a half lbs....I will be keeping you in my thoughts....I will not tell you to go through with it...I will only encourage you to at least go to the consult....for your own sake. Just remember...there is NO easy way....but of all the things I have done this helped me the most....Stay in touch....I really believe in you! Sheri

IndioGirl55! Only two days until your consult! How are you doing? I just thought I would check in. Are you excited? Scared? Keep thinking about the long term picture...good health, less pain, easier breathing! Hope to hear from you soon. Sheri

There is a roll on pain reliver called BioFreeze that helped me a lot. I used it every night and woke up every morning pain free. Eventually my Dr. let me take one Aleve a nght but it was after three months. I use the BioFreeze more. It is an OTC medication. Sher

Peaches....I agree with DynamoMini....the band is a tool...and not magic, but no matter what...if you get the fills...it does block the amount of food you can comfortably consume and you are not sick....and if you keep using sites like this, and get support, it gives you hope and a reason to keep trying....I hope you find some encouragement and the strength to give yourself the chance to overcome the negative....Sher

Janet, It did my heart good to see you with some hope! I wasn't able to get online this weekend as life was pretty hectic. I know that you made a positive decision for yourself. The point is that no matter how slow you lose, it is still coming off and not on, and YOU DO AND WILL feel better. I am a firm believer in the power of prayer and positive thinking and I will be keeping you in my thoughts and prayers this week. Saturday I mowed (push mower) our lawn for 2 hours. Two years ago I couldn't even walk to my car without pain. Trust me, you have the attitude that makes this work...(health being your primary goal.). It is great that you have someone close to you. I live on the west side of our state (Mich) and don't know any banders from here so this site has helped me so much. I go to my regular Dr. tomorrow for my one month check up and am sure that I am off my plateau. I have to admit I had to read a lot on this site and get back to the basics.....Let me know how you are doing! Sher

IndioGirl, We have much in common....but my childhood issues were not quite as bad as yours....or at least different than yours....I wrote a long answer to your post and it would not let me post it....the shortened version is this....I would never tell anyone they are depressed, or anything else, I don't judge. I can only tell you that even with just 40 lbs gone, I feel better. I did this because I could hardly walk without pain in my knees and back. I had trouble with stairs. I just wanted to feel better...I don't have to be thin and beautiful, I just want to be healthy and one day at a time that is happening...You are correct...it is easier to eat and watch TV....this is hard....I can only encourage you by telling you that every pain free step I take, every pound I lose, every time I sleep without acid reflux, and with just one pillow, I have no regrets....if the whole thing is too hard...take it one step at a time...call a Dr. and make an appt. Don't stress over exercise at this point. Just make the first call...and keep posting here and asking questions....

Relationships that are founded on solid ground...physically, mentally, emotionally, and spiritually should not be affected by weight loss...or gain....at least mine hasn't been....my husband loved me at 250...and 160 and now at 205....didn't make a difference....I just felt and feel better at a more decent weight....Prayer has always helped me a lot!

DynamoMini, Thanks for the encouragement...you sound like you have a great thing going there.....focusing on you.....as my life gets simpler, I find I can do that more....but it is still hard....to find the time to do what I need to do to take care of me.....you keep up the great work....it is worth it all in the end....thanks again....Sher

I just had to say I hope it went well for you...and my given name is SHERI LYNNE! I am 56! (It is unusual to see the first name spelled that way...and you are only one letter off my middle name....)....Hopefully all went well!

If you asked my mother...she would say...to this day...that I am fat because when I was 3 I was underweight and she started giving me Geritol for a year....I started gainging weight and kept it up for the next 15 years...(I am 56 now...I think the Geritol thing doesn't work any more)...I did the yo-yo....gained and lost 100 lbs three times....Twice I got married and gained ...got divorced and lost) had most of the same bad things from childhood (divorce, molestation, abuse etc)....buried most of it under food...after kissing the frogs, a toad or two, and couple of snakes and rats, I finally met the handsome prince...and stilll put on sixty pounds before I finally decided to deal with this all....(without divorcing the prince)..and all I can say is after 54 years, I feel blessed....

Lisa, I don't know if I misunderstood what I read but I thought you sounded like you are only eating once a day. That slows my loss a lot. It also does nothing for energy levels. I eat five or six small meals and do okay IF I don't cheat and if I quit eating by 7 p.m. I just recently started to lose slowly again this past week after a six month plateau. I also changed my form of excercizing from walking to lawn mowing. Seems to help some. You are early in the game. Don't give up! I put on 20 lbs a year for five years consecutively so I try to keep in mind that if I even only lose 10 a year, I am still headed in the right direction. This is a great sight for encouragement.

I think I also thought this would be magic and just because I ate less (a lot less) :hungry: then I used to I would automatically lose weight no matter what. But it is like my dr. told me....the band is a tool...not the answer. No magic. I remember doing Weight Watchers and thinking I am losing some weight, but I still OVER EAT. I just over eat on better foods. My problem has never been sugar which was one reason I chose the band instead of GB it has always been carbs (too many) and amount of food, This did help me limit the amount of food but it is easy to make the wrong choices since most of the wrong choices are quick and easy to get to and do go down better than the right choices. I have trouble with most meat but am just very careful chewing it. The worst thing for me is raw vegetables. Tomato skins and even leaf lettuce....I have found that "Shreds" (shredded lettuce) works best. I also need to excercise to lose. As I said I made it six months at the same weight without diet and excercise and normally I would have gained 15-20 lbs during that time. I ate pretty much what I wanted but just a lot less of it. Now I need to set my mind to a short goal...20 lbs this summer and then maintain during the winter...(sounds like a bear, huh?). I just hate exercizing on a treadmill all winter and even more driving to a place to do that. Maybe I will change by next winter? All I know is this site and all of you have inspired me to shoot for the short term goal and I hope none of you give up. It is worth it for yourself. I like that quote "Nothing tastes as good as being thin feels". I can't remember which one of you said you were ready to quit but I do hope you change your mind. You are not alone in this. Many people care and share your frustration. Why is it so hard to follow the rules? Because the end result is soooooo valuable! Funny, we usually encourage others because we see so much good in them and feel they are so worth the invested time...but we fail to be willing to invest that time and encouragement in ourself. Have a good day....One day at a time.....

I had some of these same things. I found it to be different at different times or even on different days, but I had to force myself to chew everything far more then I ever did before and not eat fast. I used to finish my meals far sooner than anyone else and now people usually have to wait for me. I am like you, in the activity department also. I take care of my three and four year old grandsons every day so I don't have time to be a couch potatoe either. I figured that was adequate excersize but I found out that unless I actually walk 2 miles a day at least 4-5 times a week I do not lose anything. I guess that is why I am a slow loser. I don't excersize (this doesn't look like I spelled it right..sorry) most of the winter and I just got back into the habit recently. I also had to go back to more protien...less carbs. The scale finally dropped for me a little this week. I have a friend who prays for me...I will do so for you! PS. I am also on thyroid meds.

I am new to the site also. I posted a couple of times yesterday. Especially on the slow losers site because I thought there was something wrong with me. I was banded in Ypsilanti MI in Feb. of 2006. My Dr. was Dr. Jon Schramm and he and his staff are absolutely wonderful. He also has an office in Holland to see his patients on this side of the state. It helped me so much to read some of the threads and realize that this can be a slow process. It also helped me to take a close look at what I am eating and how much and how much excercise I am really getting. This is a terrific site! Thanks. I have a goal to be in "Onederland" by August. That is about 12 lbs. for me from here. I was just grateful that after I lost the 40 lbs. I didn't gain through the holiday season and really didn't try to diet or excersize much. I just appreciate the support and honesty I have found here. What a great site!

Hurray! I found a site that helps me! I was banded a year ago in Feb. and lost 40 lbs. and have just been sitting here. :faint: Although I have to say this was the first holiday season I have been through without gaining 20 lbs! I was encouraged by that. I thought I was a failure for only losing that much the first year but reading all of these postings have helped me. I know I need to start counting calories again. Letting myself nibble too much on things I don't need. Thanks to all of you for your input. I truly need to be inspired to go at this again! :clap2:

I am brand new to this site. I really needed to read your story. I had my band done in MI (Ypsalanti) by a wonderful Dr. Jon Schramm. I lost 40 lbs. and then have just stayed with this same loss for six months. Reading all of these has helped me get my perspective back. I, like you, nibble here and there more than I should. I have changed a lot of my habits but in order to lose you really have to stick with diet, excercise and attitude. You really hit the nail on the head when you said all that you did. I am glad you are back to trying and it has inspired me to go back to the basics and to keep trying. It is a daily struggle but I, too, believe God never gives us MORE than we can handle. Thanks again for sharing.