justbeingme

Hi there dear! I was fourteen when I had my Lapband placed and would have to say it was one of the best decisions I have ever made. Not only have I lost 120 pounds, but I also have kept it off. My insurance wouldn't pay for the Lapband surgery for me so my parents took out a loan and paid for it out of pocket. It was a huge investment but I can't guarantee I would still be here today if they hadn't done this for me. I am here to talk to you if you need anyone to talk to or you'd like to ask some more questions. I hope you make the decision that is best for you and only you!

I went from 273 down to 155 and the only extra skin I have is a little bit in my lower abdomen. Other than that, everything went right back to normal.

I understand completly on that one. I am so glad that I am at goal and can go on to college without all that extra baggage. Good luck on getting it all off. I am sure you can do it!

Well my mom's friend's son told his mom this story and his mom told my mom. Then my mom told me. (follow that? haha) Toward the end of summer, after I had pretty much gotten to goal and I had changed a bit, I ran into the boy and a few of his friends. I had seen him frequently over the summer so he recognized me. I carried on a nice little conversation with him and then told him I would talk to him later and was on my way. After I left, I guess the boys interrogated him with things like "You really know her?" "Who is that?" "Man she is hot!". He replied telling them that I was Kylie. And none of them believed him. I mean this story did boost my self esteem a bit but it also made me realize, even though they might be attracted to the new me, they can't forget the old me. I hate how shallow high school is, but that is how it is. People who didn't know me before now definately show interest. It is amazing how I can get tons of numbers from guys out of town, but can't one to pay any attention in my own town.

I haven't been on in what seems like forever. I myself was banded at the age of fifteen. Since then, I have lost 117 pounds. I have a love/hate relationship with my band. I love what it has done for me. It has changed and saved my life. It has made me a happier more confident person. I hate that I hide such a wonderful tool. I would love to tell people but I was always so self concious of my weight. Discussing the drastic measure I had to use to obtain my new life, would bring those feelings back. But I probably am one of the (teen) bandsters that has had it longest. I am willing to help with what I can. Let me know. Good luck and congratulations to all! =)

I haven't ever been in a relationship either. Even now that I am so much smaller, guys around here don't show much interest. I kind of think that it is that they can't look past what I used to be. As hard as it is, I think what I must do is wait for college. Nobody will know how I was. They will just see the new me. Shallow, I know. But that's how it is.

The goal from the doctor was 175, but since it was so close to one hundred I decided that my personal goal would be 173. Currently, I am at 166. Somedays this feels great, but then I wonder how it would be just a bit lighter. I deffinately don't want to get down to low. The 160's keep me pretty satisfied so I would like to stay here. I never could have done this without the help of my lapband. I love it!

Oh I know how this one goes. I just bought new jeans for school, a pair of 9/10, a 12, a 13, and an 11/12. Yet, I still want to wear my sixteens. I go to pull on the new jeans thinking "These things aren't going to fit!" Then they do! I also have basketball shirts that are XLs. They swallow me whole but I don't want to part with them because they have all kinds of memories attached to them and they can't really be replaced. They are tournament jerseys and team shirts. Even my few Ls are a little big but not big enough to get me worried about having to get rid of yet. But I just think that I don't want to get rid of my clothes because of all the memories I have attached to them. I suppose I will just have to make new memories in new (small) clothes.

I am a bit younger than you, but I am around your age. I am sixteen. I have my band and have had it since I was fourteen. The band is a wonderful tool and I am glad that you are going to be able to lose the weight with such a wonderful tool. Don't be shy! I love to talk.

Well, I guess I am in the minority here. I think that it was a great idea to be banded. The girls mother may be clueless of some of the aspects of the surgery, but the girl seems to know what she is talking about. I was also young when I had my own band placed. I was fourteen but everyone says I am way more mature than that. Anyways, I think that this was one of the best things I have ever done. It changed my life. I was a healthy eater and I was on the basketball team. I was getting excercise atleasts six days a week. I didn't go around my parents to get food. I ate at meals and I was fine. Even though I did all of this, I couldn't lose weight. I was tested for thyroid problems, yet they found nothing wrong. They said my thyroid uptake was slow but it wasn't significant enough to be medicated for. I was never actually teased to my face about my weight and I had great friends. When I talked to the doctor, he asked me why I wanted to do this. My reason was that I wanted to be a better, faster, smaller, healthier basketball player. This was one of the reasons that he thought that I was ready for the surgery. I didn't want this surgery to look good or to fit into cute clothes. I wanted to be healthier. This is what I think makes the difference between teenagers. Woah, I am not quite sure what my point is here. I just got kind of defensive over the younger surgeries. I think that it is good for us. More time for us to become healthier. But I do agree, you need to be mature enough to understand what is going on and be willing to work WITH the band.

It's been a while since I posted, but I was pretty darn proud of what happened. I was at the doctor the other day for a check up. I hadn't been since March. I have lost thirty four since then. I weighed 188 on her scale and 187.5 on mine. Butttt thats not the best. I was curious and asked her to look back and tell me when was the last time I weighed that little, and to my surprise I was eleven. Its hard to imagine that. I was much shorter and the same weight. I am still pretty ecstatic. Just wanted to share how excited I am. Anyone else got any good news they wanna share?

Really? I am not the youngest. I know for certain that their are atleast two girls that were done at 13. I was done at 14 almost fifteen.

I was very private in my telling of people. I told my sister, and of course my parents know because they paid for it. My mom also told her close friend. She had gastric bypass and wanted to see how this went compared to her bypass. I wanna tell my best friends, but I don't feel they would understand. I think we are too young.

My one friend, who has been with me since we were in diapers, recently told me that she wished she was more like me. She said she was jealous that I was getting so skinny and she wasn't. I told her that she could run and such with me if she wanted, but she said no. Another two long time friends told my sister that they think that I have an eating disorder. They think that I don't eat enough to survive. Thankfully my sister and niece stuck up for me. They said that I can't eat too much because I have a bad stomach. My niece who looks up to me also told them that I wasn't dumb enough to not eat or to make myself throw up. None of my friends know about my surgery. I sometimes think I should tell them, but then I think they wouldn't understand so I just keep it to myself. Teenage years are hard enough without everyone knowing about my lapband.

Some people to be fine drinking sodas and such, but not me. I just look at a Diet Pepsi and I get those gas pains in my shoulder. I know the nutritionist at Dr's said NEVER again, but previous banders and the doctor himself said that once in a while isn't going to bother you. But don't start drinking them too much. I didn't drink it that much before, but I feel much healthier not drinking the pop because I know how much sugar and such is in those drinks.

I know that this goal was one of my main goals. I had been hovering on 203-202 for about two weeks. And when I crawled on the scales this morning, cause I had a feeling, I was 198! I was so excited. I made my mom come upstairs and see it. Now I have to find myself another goal. It might be to get under 190. I set reasonable goals for a long time off so that I am sure that I can obtain them. It usually works for me. Well I just wanted to celebrate my ONDERLAND! Go me!!!

This is a great thread. Up until three or four months ago, I missed the old eating habits. Now I don't. I like eating small portions. But I hate when people make me feel guilty for not eating much food. I just sit there and think that I will be better off in the long run, so I just tune them out. It is easier than explaining the surgery to everyone I ever go to eat with. I enjoy eating of saucers. I think it is kinda funny compairing my food to other people in my family's. My niece eats more than I do. Makes me laugh. But in short, I don't miss it.

At first I thought that, too. I was thinking, "You are young." "You haven't even finished growing." Although I was worried, after I started to lose the weight, become more healthy and see the great accomplishments I have made, it all went away. I am over a year. Sometimes I pretend I didn't have it done. I don't know if that is because I am ashamed that I needed this to make me lose weight or if I have just come to realize that it is part of me just like my spleen or my heart. My band is my friend and companion. I cherish it and hope I never need it out. But sometimes I wonder what it would be like to be normal again. I don't know what I tried to accomplish in writing this. Anyways, I had those feelings, too. Don't worry. You made the right decission.

My family orders the cheese and pepperoni, regular crust. I eat the cheese but not the pepperoni cause it bothers me and a bite or two of the crust. Any more and I may get sick. So pizza is just a once and a while treat.

You made that tote? Oh my that is gorgeous! I like it. Very very nice. Good job.

I have been getting gas pains for a while since being banded. I am pretty sure all the gas from surgery is gone, haha. But yeah I still get gas pains in my shoulder. Today they hurt so bad, I don't want to move. Anybody have any ideas on what is causing it. Or maybe something that will help me get rid of the pain?

Today is Easter and I am sad to say, I don't have my gift! Mary, you are so very welcome and I am glad that you enjoyed your gift. Hope everyone has an awesome Easter!

Thanks! And you too! Happy Easter to Everyone! Hope the Easter Beagle was nice to you all :eek:

I don't think that areas need to be locked. Most of the things that the older people talk about are nothing new to me. Honestly, most of the things they talk about are things that, surprising as it may be, people at my school talk about.

To get started, my mom emailed Dr. Ortiz. Side effects all I had was gas pains. The surgery is really really helping. I like having the lapband, because it helps me lose weight.