Bandster Brad

One Year Bandiversary Well, I’m about here. Next Friday will be my one year mark since receiving the band. <O:p</O:p In this first year, I achieved 77% of my weight loss goal, going from 307 to 244 pounds, for a total loss of 63 pounds, leaving 19 more to go. The weight loss period is not over yet. Since I still have up to 2 years of potential weight loss left to go, I am confident I will get that last 19 pounds off, and realistically, had I followed all of the Bandster rules religiously, I am sure I would have already taken those pounds off, too. <O:p</O:p How did the year go? I went from abject terror prior to surgery, full of fear from reading the various threads and claims about successes and failures, to an immediate sense that “everything would be alright” on the morning that I awoke from my really, not very invasive surgery. Sure, the incision from my port hurt a lot for the first two weeks. And the nausea I experienced for the first 10 was so monumental, that the memory still stays with me. But after that initial recovery period, I feel truly blessed to have had the opportunity to receive this life saving device. <O:p</O:p Other than the occasional bout of having food that I shouldn’t eat, or that I ate to fast, come back up, I don’t have any side effects at all. <O:p</O:p How did life get better, and what are those NSV’s that are always asked for at the one year mark? I have had many, many more than the ones listed below, but here are the ones that come to mind: <O:p</O:p 1) My wife and I delivered a healthy baby boy 2) My blood pressure went from around 154/100 to about 121 over 75 3) My pulse went from an average of 110 to about 65-70 4) My painful, swollen feet which were so bad that I couldn’t walk in the morning, are no longer swollen or painful. In fact, they’re just fine. 5) My shortness of breath, which left me red and stressed and gasping after walking only a few blocks, is completely gone. Now when I go running with my dog, the dog runs out of energy well before I do. 6) As my weight fell away, my physicality picked up to the point that I am much more active in my favorite sports, (i.e. karate, skiing, walking and running.) I can ski for 6 hours straight, and the only reason I get off the runs, is because the lifts close, not because my legs are tired, and not because I can’t breathe. Now I am planning on rock climbing, hiking, and biking. I would have never considered this before, and now I really look forward to it. In fact, I feel like I have to do it, because my other exercises seem to fall short in terms of trying to get my heart rate up, and trying to really get a good workout. 7) My knees no longer hurt. 8) At night, I used to gasp, and feel like I was suffocating. I had to lean up in bed in order to breathe. I used to snore really loud, and my dear wife just had to deal with it. Now, I don’t snore, and I don’t have any problem sleeping at night. In fact, I probably went from the worst, loudest snorer in my whole family, to the least, if at all. 9) My waist dropped from a tight 46 to a tight 36. My shirt size went from an XXXL to an XL. I can now go to any store, and am still flummoxed when I select clothes, that I pick it from the MIDDLE of the range of sizes, rather than searching for ANYTHING that might be big enough for me. It also means I can now buy a pair of walking shorts at costco for $15 rather than paying $65 for an inferior quality pair at the big and tall store. I can go swimming with my kids now and be seen with my shirt off, and not feel embarrassed. 10) My friends and co-workers tell me that I have never looked better. Old friends know that I look better now than I did 25 years ago. <O:p</O:p Most of all, I look forward to what I hope will be a longer, healthier life, that I can share with my family. And it just keeps getting better. <O:p</O:p My thanks to Doctor Layton Alldrege at the Sandy Medical Center</ST1:p, and to Vivienne Sullivan, his fill nurse, and the rest of his team. He has the most amazing practice, staff, and follow-through. I am thankful that I was fortunate enough to have chosen him and to receive his care.

Hi, I used to have terrific foot pain in the morning. Would get out of bed (gingerly) and painfully, barely be able to leave the room. It happened more days than most, and after about a half an hour, it would dissipate. Miraculously, after about the first 25 pounds of weight loss - the foot pain disappeared - never to return! Thanks for reminding me of this now, long forgotton major NSV! Best, Brad

My turning point occured on one of two chairs. While I was sitting on a white plastic molded resin chair, while in Haiti, on a beach, my daughter was getting her hair braided. The chair literally shattered under my ass, and I fell to the ground. My wife, and probably even my kids, were very embarrassed, as I hit the ground, and at least a dozen concerned Haitains came running to see if I was OK. Some time, not to long later, we had a new dining room set. Of course, my dear wife bought an armchair version for me to sit at. To my absolute chagrin, my ass stuck in the chair, so that when I stood up, the chair came up with me! To make matters worse, one day, as I squeezed in, the arm split from too many times of being pushed out. At that point, the whole arm came apart; and irreparably so. Of course, in both cases, I instinctively blamed the chair. But it wasn't the fault of the chair. Oddly enough, toilet seats were starting to break when I sat on them. After a while, you have to stop making excuses, stop sucking it up, stop being embarassed, and take responsibility for yourself. I knew I was dying ... slowly. But nonetheless, at some point, you just have to say "OK, just go ahead and kill me - I can't stand this anymore," or do something different - and dramatically so. As far as I am concerned, this band saved my life.

9 out of times, I can't eat bread. When I can, its an indication that it might be time for a fill. Not worth it anyway. Tastes Waaaaaay toooo good! Cheers!

Congratulations!!!!

Hi, I checked into sparkpeople.com It looks like a great site! What a great recommendation - hey, fellow lurking Bandsters, how about sharing what YOU do with the REST of us??!! Best, Brad

Please forgive my directness, but since this is a place where we help each other, I want to be candid. It sounds like he is using you for sex, and not giving anything back. He should be going out of his way to make it nice for you. Serving food, at his convenience, of his preference, means he is serving himself. Not taking you out suggests that he is not appreciative of you and appears to be lacking any consideration of you or your needs or desires. Not introducing you to his friends suggests that he does not view you as being relevant to his social circle; even temporary. I fear that he has enjoyed the benefit of your companionship longer than he deserves, and no longer should have the priviledge of your company. There are better out there than that. On Grey's anatomy the other day, I heard something really pure and true -It went something like this - if someone (person A) cannot love someone (person else the way they (person :huggie: deserve to be loved, then that person (person A) does not deserve the love of that person (person :huggie: Make sense? (I was afraid not!) Good luck, God bless, and know that there is someone out there that is worthy of you. In the mean time - Frog city!

Hi, I have had great success using a website called www.fitday.com. in many ways, its a little basic, and not terribly intuitive. However, it has the ability to look up and track the calories that you consume and expend every day; track your weight change, and a modest list of other reports. Since its free, and on-line, I find it useful. Here is my question for you, my fellow bandsters, for this poll: Do you use Fitday.com? What other sites do you use? Please share them with us, along with the features, benefits, costs, if any, and of course, their web address. Thanks!! Brad

OK, Here is a restatement of my goals from the beginning of the challenge: Starting weight - 256 (what I weighed when this challenge was issued, and I accepted -) Goal Weight on March 1, 2006 - 244 pounds = 12 pounds down or 1.5 pounds for almost 8 weeks - (Barely enough to keep me from being disqualified as a bunny, and just enough to avoid qualification to join the turtle club) Result: 245 current weight = 2 pounds short of goal, or 11 pounds down! With the little ups and downs that happen every day, one easily loses site of the fact that given time, the weight keeps dropping. It requires just peacefully dealing with the stress of watching what I allow to go in my mouth, while waiting for time to pass. Then, when you look back in retrospect, you see the scale moved, and reaffirm that the band is a great friend. When I did the math to figure out the goal at the beginning of this challenge, it was hard to imagine, let alone put down a committment. Why? Well, we all know - people with weight problems, for most of their life, have never even dreamed, and almost never achieved, any real weight loss. Just a few months ago when this challenge began, in the back of my mind, I was thinking "Ya, right" - lose that much weight in a quarter. But, oh well, I'll play along." It's amazing to see the weight actually continue to come off, even though I fall down on my "diet" all the time. I can always get back on, exercise more, and watch it. And the band continues to reward any/all good behavior. I am sure an 11 pound loss, reported a week after the challenge ended is not going to be any barn-burning, prize winning loss, but nonetheless, in my own life, it's been another great step. Biggest NSV - I have started skiing so much lately, that I finally bought a half season pass at my favorite ski resort. I have been averaging 2 ski days a week, and I really don't tire out after skiing hard all day. I just want more. Thanks for a great support community. You all help. Life rocks! Best, Brad :humble:

6" 1', 245 pounds, size 36 levi's, XL shirt. I have a pair of 34's in reserve at all times, not sure if I will ever make it back to a "L" shirt. Since losing this amount of weight, my clavicle and zyphoid process are prominent, :alien and I can easily feel three ribs on each side. My hip bones came back about 30 pounds ago!

Hi Scott! I was in another country about two months ago, and got a severe case of food poisoning. (Probably won't be able to imagine ever eating Thai food again). I was up all night, vomiting. It felt terrible. I was just careful to try to sloooowly let it out, and to consciously try to minimize the resultant convulsing which resulted from the dry heaves, once my lower and upper stomach was empty. It was not a pleasant experience, and it left me feeling ill for about ten hours. However, I have to say it was no better or worse than pre-banding. I did worry a terrible lot, but no damage. Certainly best avoided. Cheers, Brad

Congratulations! YOU LOOK MAWVELLOUS!!!!! 80 POUNDS!!!:whoo: :whoo: :whoo: :confused: :confused:

Thanks for the advice. I'll check 'em both out.