Lana24

:w00t:

159.2

yeah, that is 159.2!

i cried this morning, and jumped up and down and did a little dance!

i have never been this weight before. i dont think ever in my life. all i ever remember weighin in high school is 175. and then i gained and gained.

but i have lost! its been slow. sunday will be my 2 year anniversary for my band, but i am so excited.

i am thisclose to my goal! sweet!

:smile: You gave me hope, which has been in short suppy. I can't wait to see those numbers as well. I haven't seen 150 anything since I was 8 months pregnant 21 years ago! Congrats on your success, thank you for posting, you made my day!!!! Bless you

OT: Lana! Wow you’re only 11 Lbs from goal! You go sis! J

For me, well strange as this may seem my cravings have changed but in a bad way. Well not totally, but I’ve found that I crave sugar more than ever now. I never really did before. I really can’t call it. *shrugs*

But, I’ve grown some good cravings too that I never had before. I really love garden salad now, but before I never thought about them. Ever. Like a previous poster, I also have started craving bread. It’s kinda hard to eat, but I can eat it. I do choose whole wheat rather than white.

I think we get set on eating things that we know we can, so we start to crave them.

I am That is only goal one. I just don't think I have hit that sweet spot yet. Once I get done with the fills I should be right as rain. I'm getting there one friggin, slow losing pound at a time!!! :smile:

I too had cravings, but honestly as time goes on and with some new and improved eating habits cravings are not a huge deal. During TOM, I want chocolate just like before but the diff is I can eat two tiny ones and be totally satisfied.

Pre banding, I craved stuff like MCDonalds, cake, sugar soda and what not. Now that I cook for myself, that stuff really isn't any good. If I HAVE to have something I make it for myself instead of popping over to the sugar isle of a store. So basically, yes it does get better. It will be as hard as you make it, at least that is what I discovered about myself.

Lana, You have lost a lot of weight and only have a few pounds to go. I really appreciate your taking the time to give me some honest feedback. I am going for my stress test this morning and tomorrow I get my letter from my therapist. Then my doc will submit for approval. I would love to loose 50 pounds. I understand that it is a journey and the band is just a tool. The change must come from within me. I started riding my bike two days ago and that was fun. I already eat smart (I just eat too much of it!). Again, thanks for thinking of me and good luck to you. I will pray for you.

Thank you, I'm very happy...some days more than others. Thank you for the pray it touches me...

Have you had any nausea? Did your doctor talk to you about nicotine? Did you have to have any special diet before? If so, what was it? How did you have to prepare for the surgery? What was required? How long did you have to have Clear liquids? I know it's a lot. But I know nothing. Answer what you can and I'm sure your reply will spark more questions for me. Are you on any meds? Enough for now. Thanks for your help. I'm glad you're happy with your band.

Hi there and welcome to lapband talk. My name is Lana and I was banded 05/21/08, I remember being in your position. Curiousity, bewilderment and about to embark on the journey of a life time. I don't have any horror stories but I do have some eye opening stories with regard to the band. Pre-op, surgery and post op were all very uneventful and not really very pain for me, everyone has a different story.

I started very gung ho, with the full understanding that it was only a "tool" and without me it would in no way shape or form transform me into a gorgeous size 2. I understood that I need to exercise and agreed..

The one thing, that has me discouraged are the sheer amount of fills I have to have. So far I have had 10 and with each one I was sure I was getting closer to the spot. I'm just not there yet and it hurts emotionally a little. Exercise has given me a new body, I changed my eating habits, I no longer eat out nor can I tolerate that type of food..(I just can't stand the taste anymore). But yet and still 15 or so months later I'm still hungry and I just don't know if I even want to get another fill. The whole process just takes too much out of my day at this point. I haven't lost much weight as far as the scale is concerned but I do have a shopping list full of NSV. (non scale victories)

Even after all of that, I would do this over again. Those first few weeks without food were actually magical for me. I learned a lot about myself and wanted even more to be on this journey.

I guess the point is, the band is not a miracle. The actual weight loss could take longer than you think and without a real change in self (diet and exercise)there would have been no progress to speak of.

I wish you luck, this is a wonderful place to start. This journey is not without its bumps and bruises, lacks perfection and at times is down right ugly. But its till worth it, even on the days I doubt it (like today) its still worth it.

Hi redrum,

Like the other posters I too have been in a similar situation. The way I thought about it was like this, I have love for him, but I don't think I'm really all that in love with him. So its not fair to hold on to someone else out of fear for myself because its selfish. And not letting him have the opportunity to be loved by someone who really could was in my mind mean and more selfishness.

I would in no way encourage breaking up, but the truth is in your feelings for him.

I also in no way would encourage staying in any situation waht you were not 100% happy with, could work with or could change for the better.

Good luck,

Lana

okay, whatever i eat it doesnt taste the same like it did before surgery, it actually tastes gross...my tastebuds actually feel like they are raw or something...why?..does anybody have this problem or know what could be causing it?

Hi Erin!,

I can't tell you the technical term for what is happening but it really is a great thing! Before surgery I loved fast food, thought it was the end all be all of food. Then I had surgery and nothing is better to me now than a homecooked meal, made and flavored to my liking. When I eat at home I eat less and tend to experince fullness for longer periods of time.

I will dub this period of my life as HOMEGROWN GOODNESS! :smile2:

I'm in the same boat, my DH loves um large. But thankfully his love for me is larger! At first I thought, well maybe he'll leave and then it dawned on me. Only my body is changing not my personality, so if he leaves then it was meant to be.

He stayed and we are very happy!

Hi everyone,

I can totally feel you guys on this one. I had sugery 05/21/08 and to date I have not lost very much weight. 26 pounds to be exact, the first year I was hurt and frustrated but I kept in mind that I was exercising and eating right so something at somepoint has to change. I have had about 10 fills my last being last month, I finally have a decent amount of restriction.

If not for the NSV I would have seriously dove into a cupcake and taken up residence, but since I didn't I can cleary see that my body has changed. My cloths fit better, I am a lot...I mean a lot more comfortable. I can exercise comfortably without feeling like I'm going to die.

Everything in my life is better since I had the band placed. But I still look at the numbers and wonder if I'm really failing.

Not going to happen, enjoy your pregnancy worry about the weight after the kid comes.

to help how? To help who?

How: It varies with the who.

Who: Those who ask.

May I ask how God uses you as His instrument?

Again with simplicity, to help.

So, since you realize your purpose, what is it?

And, do you feel that this life you are living is a dream?

Yes, I realized I was living a dream, and now I am awake.

My purpose, is a statement a lot more complicated. So in the interest of simplicity I will say. I realized every event in my life has tuned me, every tragedy has fine tuned me, all to be an instrument of God. And for those things I am incredibly grateful. :thumbup:

Well put Restless...

:sneaky: WHY THANK YOU! :sad:

I am scheduled for surgery Sept. 22nd and have my pre-op meeting tomorrow. Until I joined this site I didn't know you had to be on a liquid diet prior to surgery. I've read some that say 4 weeks and some say 2 weeks. Or is this just additional liquids to your diet? I know I can get my answers tomorrow - but I want to sleep tonite and I'll be up all night wondering! Any help is greatly appreciated - also do you spend the night in the hospital?:sneaky:

Most of that info will be obtained during your preop, not everyone has to go on a liquid diet. I did spend 2 days in the hospital... they should tell you that as well. I know how nerve racking this can all be. But you are in the right place for questions. Feel free to message me and I will tell you anything you want to know, good luck and enjoy oyur journey!

Lana

Hi Pokes,

I had a few people try to discourage me along this journey as well. No one can mke the decision to get banded except for you.

I know that before the band i was never going to lose a signifigant amount of weight. I know now, or at least I strongly feel that my sensation of hunger is broken.

For me: the band changed my eating habits because along with Portion Control I am now hungry at the approprate times during the day. Pre- surgery I never had hunger pangs in the morning usually because I was always the hungriest in the middle of the night.

Again the band is only a tool, IT ON ITS OWN DOES NOT help you lose weight.

The only thing that can make you lose weight is you through proper diet and exercise. Again the band is only a tool, its not a magic tool and for a lot of us the weight doe snot come off easy. I have to exercise and watch what I eat. Even with the band if I eat at Mcd's every day (like I used to!) I will still be big..yeah I might lose fast at first but I will plateau and eventually gain it all back. As you can see some on her have.

The point of the band for me was control what was out of control...my portions and the literal amount of hunger I had. Again success is slow, I barely cleared 30 pounds the first year. but tha tis because I exercised hard. I lost few pounds but gained muscle, ability, agility and insight.

This is a journey not a quick fix. No matter how you look at it.

I wish you all the luck in the world with your decision.

Hi Wisteria and welcome. There is a wealth of information here left for newbies. Check out everything... Best wishes! Lana

I have been overweight for my whole life. There was like a year or something when I was 8 or 9 years old when I was not overweight. Other than that, I have been overweight for my whole life (and continuing to gain more weight every year pretty much).

I'm relatively new to lapband (about 2.5 months post op) but so far I have done pretty well! I'm frustrated because I just finished a liquid diet (my doc requires 3 days clear and 2 days full liquids after a fill) and lost SO much weight on the liquid diet (like 8-9 pounds or something in those 5 days), but have put back on like 4 pounds since. I'm hoping I'll start losing again soon. But overall, I have been successful. And if I can lose some of this weight, I think anyone can!!

Congrats on being banded! I personally think this is a wonderful journey and I am glad to be a part of it.

You will succeed, but remember those Non-scale victories those are just if not more important then what the scale says.

Of course you can be successful!

This process is a journey that can not necessarily be measured in pounds on a daily basis. A lot of it is about simple change.

Good luck, enjoy the journey and get up and out as much as possible.

Hi Joe and welcome,

This is a wonderful journey!

I have two big regrets with regard to lapband: One not doing it sooner and

Two the first six months I spent beating myself up because the scale did not reflect the work I was putting in. Now I can see how silly it was.

My advice, don't measure your success by the numbers on the scale. Get up, get out and move, enjoy your life.

Cowmommy,

Don't worry, it is a process that can not always be measured in pounds. It took me 14 months to lose 26 pounds I thought for sure I was a complete failure.

But with the exception of the scale, I am doing fantastic. I have never looked or felt better. Trust me your fine, eat and try to make better choices, exercise and enjoy your new life.

It was hard for me to understand weight because I thought the scale was the measurer or success. Now that I measure it for myself I am a superstar!

You'll do fine, don't worry...look at all those who have come before you, look at the success and the failures and simply decide which group you want to be in.

Good luck, this is a great journey.

Lana

What do you mean by 'we are living a dream within a dream'?

Buddism teach that when you realize your purpose, you also realize God.

To understand a dream within a dream you must ask yourself, Am I dreaming?

yep, I realized this is only as hard as I make it. Period. You go girl!