Paulax

Thanks for the encouragement Gerdi. I really had to work hard to get the last pounds off. I'd lose, then plateau, lose then plateau. Every time I stopped losing, I'd either up my exercise, change something that I was eating, go for a fill or all of the above. I have to emphasize that exercise is every bit as important as eating properly. I hated it, but always felt better afterward. I felt comfortable at a women's only gym. Made it my goal to get there every couple of days.

Well, I am here to encourage you. I am close to 3 years out now, sitting at goal, I feel beautiful, I feel vital again. Every once in awhile I think I would just love to chow down on a hamburger and fries. Somedays, I am frustrated that I can't. I can have bite at most. BUT then I go to my closet to get dressed. Slip into my size 10 jeans and all those moments, where I think I 'missed' something quickly slip away. I now truly understand the old addage. "Nothing tastes as good as thin feels." I am also happy to report, that I no longer have to think about what diet to try next. It pains me to hear my friends talk about joining Jenny Craig or Nutrasystem, those seem to have the best commercials on tv at the moment. I have a friend who just spend 800.00 on LA Weight Loss, only to gain it all back. If she wants to try again, she has to pay the 800.00 again. Yo yo dieting is a painful experience, also very dangerous to your health. You go girl, you get your band and join us. It is NOT easy. It is STILL a struggle for some of us to stay eating healthful foods. It is STILL necessary to exercise. It is STILL a struggle, but this time you will win. And this time it will stay off. That is the most amazing thing to me 3 years out. Hey, it is staying off! I don't have to worry, that in 6 months I will be right back where I started, only fatter and more depressed that once again I failed. I am exctatic that my lifelong struggle with that fat that covered my body is OVER. and Dr Leung, he is one of my life's heros. He helped me change my life. He helped me get skinny. Good luck with your surgery and follow all your surgeons directions and look forward to your life as a thin person. hugs Paula

Agreeing with all the above. I just want to say, I probably 'need' a tummy tuck. I have had 3 kids, have terrible stretch marks and lost over 100 pounds. But, some days, I think, you know what? I look good, IN CLOTHES. I don't think a tummy tuck would make me look much better IN CLOTHES. Maybe I'd lose an inch or two from the side. So I am wondering if an inch or two in clothes is going to be worth the 10 grand or whatever it is. I am still considering it though. Nothing saying I can't do it in a year, two or five. I guess what I am saying is once you get to goal, you will have time to consider all your options. Good luck with the rest of your journey. Goal is friggen awesome.

Well, isn't that the truth! I love your posts Jack. Glad to see you are still posting. hugs Paula

Wow Heather, it is wonderful to hear from someone 7 years out. It gives me hope that this can be for a lifetime. There are moments, when I fear losing the band. Because as I said, were it not for the band, I'd still be fat, miserable and dieting. Patricia, there are moments when I wish I could just eat a whole hamburger, therefore regretting momentarily I have this physical inability to do so. But I have said over and over, that feeling only lasts about 15 mintues, then I go put on my size 10 pants and I forget all about the hamburger. It is such a wonderful feeling being thin and feeling vital and beautiful again.

I remind myself every single day to be thankful for this lapband. If I didn't do it, I'd still be fat and miseralbe about it.

I went from a size 18 tight, to a nice 10, I am close to 6 ft tall. I lost just over 100 pounds. I did not lose it fast, just steady. The most and quickest weight you will lose with Dr L is the required 30 day clear liquid fast after surgery. The reason he insists on the fast is to let the band heal in place and to prevent slippage. I made my own broth out of chicken and beef. I boiled veggies in there for flavour, strained it and froze it. I kind of sipped it all day long. I drank Clear liquids, I did not do Protein shakes as a milk product is not considered clear. This was by far the most difficult part of the journey, but also the most rewarding as a pound a day dropped off. I went in for fills when my weight loss stopped and I could eat more than in previous weeks. He is very conservative with fills, again for reason of slippage. Advice for when you meet him? If you have questions, write them down, nod a lot. Agree with everything he says. ha! when I needed to complain or get empathy or ask questions, I came here to lapbandtalk or to his private board on yahoo. He is not exactly patient with questions or almost seems annoyed when answering. BUT DON'T TAKE IT PERSONALLY. I think we women read into people's body language too much and take it personally. That is his manner, he is ESL, very thick Chinese accent. But now having had other surgeries since, I realize that many of the good surgeons, have little bed side manner. I would try not to take your baby with you. Is there someone who could go with you and wait with baby in the waiting room? Good luck my dear, this will be life changing. I rarely come back to lapbandtalk. Your post must have 'called' me. I am happy to report that at goal, weight isn't something I have to worry about anymore. I don't have to think about what am I going to wear, what am I going to eat, what social event can I get out of because I feel too fat and embarrassed to be seen. I am focused on all of the other wonderful things in my life, my husband, my beautiful children, by wonderful life. But especially this beautiful body that has carried me through thick and thin. I now focus on what I can do to keep it healthy. Our body really is our our greatest gift in life. We must keep it well.

I'll answer you publicly as I am so proud. Tis true that Dr Leung does not have the best bedside manner, but he has always shown me the utmost respect even when he was 'telling it like it is' as Dr Phil would say. I followed his rules and have been a steady loser, which is probably one of the reasons I haven't gotten much guff from him. He has given me the same ol lectures he gives all his patients, eat only 1/2 teacup food, Protein first, veggies second, stay away from liquid calories. yadda, yadda. I have seen him for ?? 5 or 6 fills. No serious complications. It was one of the easiest surgeries I have undergone. And I must say at the next meeting, I am going to physically hug him for what he has done for me. He changed my life. I am at goal and have been for months. I go up and down about 5 pounds. I feel like a million bucks, I look like a million bucks and I have spent a million bucks replacing my wardrobe. My eating habits have changed drastically. I must eat low carb, I must eat small amounts. That is how this band works. I am at a tight fill due to other health issues, so eating huge salads and large amounts of fruit and vegggies is just not possible. I make up for it by juicing and taking a liquid Vitamins. I have a Protein shake every morning, I add 3 essential oils in it and I will have another if I am hungry at night. The protein seems to satisfy me, and the chocolate flavour satisfies my sweet tooth. lunch is protein and fats and some kind of fruit or soft cooked veggie. Supper, I eat whatever I make for the family, only in tiny amounts. If I make spaghetti, I have the sauce with cheese. WE eat a lot of chicken. I feed my family only wholesome good, home cooked meals. ie: We don't eat out and we don't eat packaged or prepared foods. Some days my body will tollerate a few carbs and some days it won't. Every day is different. The band can be a fickle friend. I hate eating out in restaurants. If we do, I never order a meal, or I order Soup or an appy. Some days I yearn to eat a whole hamburger or something like that. But the craving only lasts minutes and when I go put on my size 10 pants, I forget all about what I am missing in not being able to eat like I did 2 years ago. Any questions, I am happy to answer. Paula <---------- loves Dr. Leung I'll try to post a picture of me at goal. And BTW, I exercised my ass off. This didn't all come off with diet alone. I joined a gym, I did the Vancouver Sun Run training last year. I think you get out of the band what you put into it. And I figured that I paid good money for this, I will put my all into it, and it paid off. Edited to add. I reread my post and I made myself sound like the model patient. I was not. I confess to a few Blizzards, Cookies, ice cream, sweets, but for the most part. It is true that I have been a consistent loser, hit a few plateaus, but exercise and a small fill always broke those. OK, I will stop now. Good luck with your decision and let us know how you are doing.

To add to all the above. I love that I can forget about being fat, figuring out what to wear, what to eat, how to deal with uncomfortable social situations. I spent a bomb, happily I might add, on a new wardrobe and lastly. I feel beautiful again. Lots to look forward to. Life is beautiful.

OH me, me. I am just shy of 6ft. I used to be about a size 18+, now I am about a size 10. I shop at The Tall Girl, Vancouver. It is a Canadian company, but they have many shops in the US. ALL my pants, jeans and many of my tops come from there. Here is a link. The Tall Girl Shop Canada I also have luck at Ricki's, the Gap and my new favorite shop Mexx. Good luck, it is a relief to find clothes that fit. Tall girl has sizes from 6 to 18.

You look absolutely awesome. Looks like a completely different body. Congratulations on all your hard work! Paula

just venting here. I hate hearing this from people. "You've lost enough weight now." "You're not trying to lose any more weight are you?" and at the dinner table "Is THAT all you're eating?" My dear Mother in Law in particular. She also accused me of starving myself. Don't get me wrong, I love my MIL, but it doesn't feel complimentary. Now if I was within the 'average' or 'low' end of the BMI, I could understand and accept this comment from people. But I am still mildly overweight or whatever it says. So I brush it off, say, Yes and thank you. But deep inside it bugs the hell out of me.

And in some ways I feel that I am not tight enough. I haven't tried bread, but a bit of rice and a few bites of zuchinni bread hasn't bother me like I think it should. But the Proteins..... salmon or tuna with mayo - hard time............. steamed or broiled fish, salmon and halibut - hard time chicken - hard time.............. certainly beef (which I expected) - hard time................ meatloaf - hard time In fact, I might consider moving to Mexico, chili is the only thing that doesn't seem to bother me. Either that or embrace my inner vegetarian and eat tofu......... Yes, I might be taking too big of bites, and yeeeeeeeeeeeeeees I might not be chewing enough. So will watch that. Anyone else experience this?

Hey, do we get to see pics. I have been planning on a tt, but still thinking... Paula

I have been at goal for awhile now. I think my MIL and others, have just given up, thankfully. I rarely hear a comment now and I am slimmer than ever. Life is good.

Have you had chemo after banding? If so please share your story. I may be undergoing chemotherapy for breast cancer and need to know if you had your band emptied and how you faired with the imminent nausia that follows. Thanks in advance.

My goal was 15 pounds ago. I find myself declaring goal, only to drop another 5 or 10 pounds. It may take weeks or months, but I seem to maintain, then drop. I think it is important to check in every once in awhile. It shows this band is for life. And I am sure glad I have it in my life.

Update: I have dropped an additional 10 pounds. I am now 164 pounds with a BMI of 22.9. I never dreamed of getting this low, but it feels absolutely amazing.

Wow, this thread was a blast from the past! I must be living in a dream, because as of this morning I am 165. Dreamland is heavenly.

Silly question, but I really want to know.... I am just shy of 6ft. My goal weight is 180-190, any lower would just be a dream. You?

I agree with the comment to ride it out. Really it is all you can do and YOU will have the last laugh. I am at goal and have been there for many months. I am just quietly hoping that no one will notice anymore. It gets tiring doesn't it? Just carry on, nothing to see here.

Go girls go! Let me tempt you by saying that the last 20 were the most effective pounds in making one look fabulous! They are so worth it. I don't have any different advice than to go for the gold with exercise and eat clean. You can do it, if I can do it anyone can do it. hugs all around

He has since changed his fill policy. Those posts were from 2006. I don't mind paying for his time and expertise. I probably had to wait 6 months before I had the surgery. It is worth the wait. I am now almost 2 years out now, sitting at goal, feeling like a million bucks. Good luck and tell Leung his is my hero. The 39-35 days of liquid was HELL, but it was sure worth it. I survived 24 days, perfectly clear liquid. I made a lot of my own home made broths. There are about 9 grams of Protein in one cup of broth, little salt, very good for your healing. Good luck my dear. This will be life changing.

This sounds boring, but for some reason, yesterday I just thought it was the best thing ever. For lunch I had tuna salad with avacado slices and a few cashews on top....it was so good. And one night last week, I roasted a standing rib roast. :faint:

I almost always have a Whey Protein shake with a banana, a splash of flax seed oil and a Tbsp of psillium husk. It keeps me satisfied and gives me all the nutrients I need to start my day. Sounds as though you have a good repetoire....good for you.