LastOptionAtty

Well I had my surgery in Jan 1999 and now it is June 2012. I lost 102 pounds at my max and I have had lots of issues I did regain as much as 30+ pounds so I have been working on losing that extra weight. A lil reflection if I had it to do over again I would do a few things differently 1) I would not have waited until I was 299.5 pounds to do the surgery 2) I would have had the sleeve as my Doc suggested but I like a challenge lol I am currently 234.4 pounds as of this mornings weigh in last summer I got down to 219. Life has just been busy and I have been eating. I had some fill issues so I am slowly building back up and my goal is to lose 40 pounds by the end of the year! I will check back!

I wouldn't wait. I had a gain and was going to skip my appointment but I said no more running and my Doc gave me the swift kick in the pants I needed! I'll tell you what she told me "I do weight loss surgery NOT brain surgery" that was what I needed to hear and in July I went back on Weight Watchers and got a personal trainer I (still) go to twice a week and went back to my therapist. I went from 299.5 to 195 pounds in 14 months. Go in don't wait to lose the 20 pounds! The Band is hard work Doctors know that! Go back! :thumbup: You can do it!

On Jan. 29th, 2010 I had LAP-BAND® surgery. For yearrrrrrrrrrrssss I hated the idea of weight loss surgery! I saw it as the easy way out and something I just could not do. I lost over 40 pounds in 2006 and slowly regained all of it and the scale just kept going up. I gave myself until the Fall of 2008 to re-lose the same 40 pounds and if I did not I told myself I would get surgery. Surgery to me meant I had failed. Something I just don't do...but I looked at it in terms of raw data and taking my ego out of it. At the point I went to my pre-op appointment I was 299.5 pounds. I am 5'1'' I was floored! At that point I was on auto pilot and my paperwork went through pretty fast and I had the surgery maybe 2 or 3 months later. I actually pushed it back because I wanted to see Barack Obama sworn in least I died during surgery (lol) drama queen that I am. A/w it was a painless event aside from the port healing and I had some hard times early on trying to lose. Even though we all say I know its not a magic bullet deep down I think we all feel like suregry is a magic bullet. I live my life on a diet and do a lot of exercise. Its what I must do. I know some people can just eat less and lose weight but my body has never been like that. I am feeling great though and looking great I am down 75 pounds in 1 year and my goal was 100 but I am ok with 75 for now. I am an open book (aside from my identiy lol) for feel free to email or post questions! I opted to tell a select few people maybe about 8 people everyone else just knows I work out like a mad woman and in the end that is what is making the biggest difference. I am grateful for the LAP-BAND® but if i had more info I would have done the sleeve but time will tell. I like the long term accountability. Anyway I'll try and visit more often!

On Jan. 29th, 2010 I had LAP-BAND® surgery. For yearrrrrrrrrrrssss I hated the idea of weight loss surgery! I saw it as the easy way out and something I just could not do. I lost over 40 pounds in 2006 and slowly regained all of it and the scale just kept going up. I gave myself until the Fall of 2008 to re-lose the same 40 pounds and if I did not I told myself I would get surgery. Surgery to me meant I had failed. Something I just don't do...but I looked at it in terms of raw data and taking my ego out of it. At the point I went to my pre-op appointment I was 299.5 pounds. I am 5'1'' I was floored! At that point I was on auto pilot and my paperwork went through pretty fast and I had the surgery maybe 2 or 3 months later. I actually pushed it back because I wanted to see Barack Obama sworn in least I died during surgery (lol) drama queen that I am. A/w it was a painless event aside from the port healing and I had some hard times early on trying to lose. Even though we all say I know its not a magic bullet deep down I think we all feel like suregry is a magic bullet. I live my life on a diet and do a lot of exercise. Its what I must do. I know some people can just eat less and lose weight but my body has never been like that. I am feeling great though and looking great I am down 75 pounds in 1 year and my goal was 100 but I am ok with 75 for now. I am an open book (aside from my identiy lol) for feel free to email or post questions! I opted to tell a select few people maybe about 8 people everyone else just knows I work out like a mad woman and in the end that is what is making the biggest difference. I am grateful for the LAP-BAND® but if i had more info I would have done the sleeve but time will tell. I like the long term accountability. Anyway I'll try and visit more often!

I had to rejoin Weight watchers so in a sense I am on a diet ie. eating healthier, journaling, going to meetings, all "diet" like behavior buying low fat, non fat, sugar free foods in order to be sucessful. Some people wing it with the band I don't know how its been a struggle for me and I need structure.

Thats great! EXERCISE is key! I just had my third fill and I feel a bit better too at 1/2 a cup I am full and I have to really sip my fuilds and my premade protien shake is too think to enjoy but now I think my calories & protien are too low so please keep an eye on that too

Popcorn is a mainstay for me and I don't get gas from it. Maybe try switching up the brand?

I feel your pain! And yes to be honest I have felt like I wished I had taken the leap of faith and had the sleeve but I did go into this knowing I would have to give 110% meaning watching what I eat and working out a lot. I think although we all say it and mean it "It is just a tool" we are really hoping deep down wls is a magic bullet. I try to think of it this way the band offers long term help whereas gastric and the sleeve are a done deal. The band will allow us to kep the restriction that some people lose with the other wls so in the long run I think I will benefit from this choice. I think by your own admission you have not been on track with the diet and exercise and that has been my issue as well. I had to really just stop myself and go over my goal an set a plan of action and just do it. I kept waiting to be motivated to do things and it just didn't happen so I just had to take small steps and move forward. I got a personal trainer and rejoined Weight watchers for accountability. Ultimately, you have to look at it this way you must burn 3,500 calories to lose a pound if your BMR is 2,500 even if you do not eat that day you can't lose a pound that day. Most Dr.s recc about 1,000 calories so at best you break even, meaning WE MUST EXERCISE to get progress. Try using www.sparkpeople.com or www.thedailyplate.com We are all in this together and can get healthier!

I just hit my 6 months and this TOM is the worst I have had since I was a teenager! I took 2 midol yesterday:drool: at work! I could not believe it I had to leave early I came home and took some of the liquid pain meds from surgery and it just barely took the edge off. I was only able to have water and apple juice all day. Today I have not had anything and I took my pain meds. I was told to take iron supps to help and I was taking slow fe for a few months and stopped so maybe try that as well I know I will be back on them ASAP!:biggrin:

Its your body and your band most of us know these thngs b/c we ask the Dr would otherwise just move on to the next appointment. Call and ask don't be scared to be educated about what's going on! I just had my 3rd fill I was banded on Jan 30th so I am about over 6 months I have 6.75 in my band now and this is my 3rd fill I had one unfill so far. I am down 30 pounds not at all happy but its 30 pounds less and I know I am not working out like I should so I got a personal trainer and I am getting my self together better. I can't say I have found this magical sweet spot people talk about either its more like I don't really ever get hungry and when I eat I cannot eat as much as before. This last fill may be closer I can stop much sooner. Yesterday 1/2 a turkey meatball and less than 1/2 a cup of veggie Soup and I was full. But really 13 seems like a lot of visits! Keep checking in!

WOW! Awesome progress everyone! I am setting my goal of 50 miles for the month I am at 10 miles I better get moving! My goodness you guys are doing great! I will check in more:thumbup:

The goal is 1- pounds a week so you are on track we all want more so I undestand but that's a great loss! With the fill my Dr. started with 2 cc then added 2 more going from 0 to 5 cc isnt the right way to do it I had one overfill and it was awful o ask them to increase 1 cc at a time a .5 cc makes a world of difference!

I will join in! I have a treadmill at home that is being neglected and I set a goal of walking on it everyday I am not is the gym. This will help me keep up!

Well ladies I am going to start an online journal of sorts maybe I'll convert to a blog but right now I like the idea of keeping it here. Yesterday I went to my pre-op appointment. The scale said 299.5 :eek: At my highest Weight watchers weight I was 291.6 and I lost 45.6 pounds and as you can see I gained that back plus some. I had a good appointment. I like the Dr. she is funny and matter of fact. I am looking towards mid-January. I have a hernia that she will repair at the same time. She asked me to do an Atkins like diet and lose 10-15 pounds. She wants me to up my exercise to 3-4 times a week for 45 minutes again. I can do that and lose the weight I am sure. Just cuttng out the fast food alone should do the trick! My boyfriend went with me I am hoping somewhere along my journey he will consider this option. Even if he doesn't he has alrwady lost 130 pounds on his own wth just exercise and cutting back on food so he has said he will work on the food part with me and the exercise. We are going to get a personal trainer and work on having active dates vs. going out to eat and to the movies. :crying: As I mentioned in the intro thread this really is my last option. But that is a good thing I am comfortable with my decision knowing I have tried everything else. I am still a bit hung up on the fact that I was able to reach every single other goal I ever set for myself from graduating college, to getting into law school, to passing the bar on the first shot, to landing a good job and 4 years later an even better job to buying my first home when I was 30 and the list goes on and on but the one thing that should be 110% in my control escapes me. :crying::crying::blushing::blushing:As you can see by the faces I have mixed emotions about that. :frown: But this is it and its just another avenue to reach my health goals so I have to just move on. I know it is not the easy way out, I know I will have to 'work the band' and stay on top of things with my Dr. but if I can even lose and keep off even 50 pounds I will be in such better shape. I am ready to move on to the next phase of my life and I am thankful for a group like this for the information, first hand knowledge, and most of all the support! I had all my blood work done yesterday, I got my EKG whicc was abnormal :frown:my blood pressue was higher than normal so my PCP said give it a month and she may have to switch me back to the other pill :mad2: I am doing the sleep study Saturday night and the Nutrition class, CT scan, Xray, and barium on Monday. I am hoping for a Jan. 19th-ish date and I'll have 2 weeks off of work and return Feb 1st. We spoke about rushing it at the end of the year b/c my insurance is making some changes but in the end it was a minor change so at least everything will be set for Jan. besides I am going with my boyfriend to meet his family for Christmas and my Mom and sister and I have a trip planned in Janaury so that works out well. I'll keep you updated!

Hi Agnes I will admit that when I read page 1 I couldn't believe you were considering surgery your current weight is less than my goal weight lol BUT as someone who is also 5'1'' and weighed 299.5 the day of surgery you ARE doing the right thing. :thumbup:If I had it to do over again I would have done something about my weight sooner. I have always been heavy but in the last 10 years I gained almost 90 pounds and it is hard to lose even 10 pound much less 50-100. I just want to say it will not be easy so plan to have a workout routine in place and explore healthy food options and make time to get adjusted to the band almost 5months in I am still learning so be patient with yourself along this journey and keep us posted! Best wishes!

I am in the same boat and I am up to 6 cc after a slight unfill when I couldn't even get jello down. I agree with your statement b/c when I can eat and I rarely feel full I just stop on my own and there are times when I take small bites and get stuck one day then the next time that same item goes down fine. I have no idea why. For the most part I stop eating as much simply because it has gotten annoying lol not because I am full like I thought the surgery would cause. I do take Papaya emzyme as suggested on here when I get stuck and it does help also my Dr. gave me a Rx for something called Ondansetron an anti-nausa pill to prevent Like I said its a bit annoying I am down 26.5 pounds a little over a pound a week I am not pouting too much b/c I am sure without the band I would have kept on gaining. So I have mixed emotions right now. :tt2: :wub::tt2::thumbup::thumbup:

Helloooo my sistahs!:smile2: I have been trying so hard to get back on track really all summer and this fall. I know exercise is a huge part of a healthy lifestyle but with my new job and longgggg commute I have been slackin' big time. Soooooooooooooo who would like to join me in 30 minutes for 30 days of activity? It can be walking, swimming, ON Demand yoga, or any form exercise. You can split it into 2 or 3 times a day or do a full 30 minutes at one time. It's all up to you. :laugh: Join me please so we can help each other along this journey!:Banane53: My first day as today- I did 30 mins on the elliptical