Gunfighter9

I have struggled with my weight all of my life. Even during three years of active duty in the US Army my weight problem only got worse. By the time I had to surgery done in November of 2008 I weighed 301 lbs. I was border line diabetic, taking medication for acid reflux, high blood pressure, and cholesterol, and was recently put on a CPAP for sleep apnea. I had snored so badly for years that my wife could seldom sleep in the bed with me. Upon returning home from the hospital I was nearly 20 lbs lighter and my snoring had gone away. Within weeks I stopped taking my acid reducers which had been a daily necessity for years. My blood pressure is lower, my cholesterol, and blood sugars are now normal, and my CPAP is gone. I workout six or seven days a week now, and my physical fitness seems to grow at an exponential rate. In only a few months I am back to running a 9 min mile. My knee pain is gone, just completely gone. Prior to the surger my knees and feet hurt so badly after even short time frames, that it prevented me from being active at all. Instead of seeing the doctor about life threatening conditions I know go to see him for sports related injuries such as pulled muscles and shin splints. I will admit that having the lap band is not a cure all. You must be willing to do your part in order to achieve success. As of 6/26/2009 I now weigh 218 lbs. That makes a total of 83 lbs of weight loss in only seven months. I think the biggest reason for my success thus far has been my unfailing commitment to physical activity since the surgery. In my opinion this is key to being a true success with the band and achieving your goals. I can not stress enough the importance of being physically active. It makes all the difference in the world. You don't have to start by running marathons. I certainly did not. You just have to put one foot in front of the other and keep going. I started by walking half an hour each day, and now I jog for 50 minutes six days a week. Start slow, but start, and then keep going. If you are reading this and trying to decide if it is the right decision, I urge you to do it. It has not changed my life, it has given my life back to me. I feel more confident. I no longer shy away from photographs. I sleep better. I can wear clothes that have not fit me in years. I wish you the best of luck with your journey. Feel free to contact me if I can answer and questions for you. For your info, in the before photo I am the one on the left with the OD bandana on. 6/15/2010. My life has changed so dramatically since I had the lapband done. I am now down to 196.4 pounds. I can't wear any of the clothes I owned prior to the surgery. I know wear pants that are a 36 inch waist, and those fit loosely. I am soo happy with my results. I workout 5 to 6 days per week, and I feel great. I haven't been in this good a condition since I left basic training in 2000.