Jill10191130

I had my surgery on 2/11/09. As of this morning, I've lost 157 pounds. I started at 300 pounds and this morning I weighed in at 143. I am 5'7". My surgeons office told me I hold their current record for most weight loss with their lap band patients. My BMI that started at like 46 to 48 is now 22.4, which is in the normal range btw. I used to wear a size 26W/28W or 3x/4x. I just bought a pair of extra small scrubs pants and a small shirt. I also just bought a pair of size 6 jeans. NEVER IN MY LIFE WOULD I HAVE THOUGHT I COULD HAVE ACCOMPLISHED THIS! YOU CAN DO THIS TOO! IF I CAN.... ANYONE CAN! This tool has been a miracle for me. I love my life.... although it's been a crazy two years. You really learn who your true friends are. I am a different person..... inside and out.

Wow..... I'm overwhelmed by all the sweet comments. Don't feel like I deserve all that, but thank ya'll so much! To answer a few questions..... I don't really count calories or Protein anymore. I did very consistently for the first year. It got so I could eat so little that I didn't really see the point in counting calories, because I knew that I would be way under my proposed calories. I have problems with solid protein, chicken and steak mostly and eggs. I have lost lots of hair. I used to have really thick long hair. I can now see my scalp. I'm sure this is probably a protein issue. I don't really know what to say as far as secrets. I just can't eat very much. I've got 6.25 or 6.5, can't remember which, in a 14 cc band. I went every 6 weeks or so for the first prob 6 - 8 months. Then I began to get restriction and spaced it out. I've never had to have any unfills, although I thought many times that I would have to. I always waited it out and usually the extreme tightness will resolve within a few days. I've noticed that I did lose most of my weight within these extreme tight episodes. I've noticed I would lose say 4 -5 pounds and then nothing for a while then more then nothing. With that being said, I am, to me very restricted. I usually literally have bites and I'm done. Not full but uncomfortable and if I don't stop I'll end up being sick. I've learned that It's much more pleasant of an experience to just stop while you're ahead. Some days are better than others and there really seems to be no rhyme or reason to this. I have noticed it is tighter when I'm stressed and when my stomach is irritated. I honestly don't exercise a lot. I at one point was running about 3 miles a day, but have slacked on that alot. Plastic surgery..... I've had none. It's amazing what clothes can hide. I have the most issues with my apron and with my breasts. It's actually pretty extreme. When I show people they usually say "I would have no idea that you hid that under there". It's really amazing what I can tuck in those little jeans. lol I recently had a plastic surgeon consultation. I was hoping for insurance approval for coverage on my abdomen, but was denied. I was very disappointed. My skin hangs below my mons pubis. I know hard to tell from the pics, but trust me it does. Sooooooo since the abdomen alone is $5000 and the breasts are $7000. I think I'm gonna have to wait a while. Gotta save some money. Thank you all again for all the kind comments. If there are any questions that I've overlooked, please ask again. I'll do my best to answer.

Hey.... sorry just now checking back on the thread I started. Thank you all for such sweet comments. As far as secrets to my success, I don't really know what to say. I did what they told me to do at my doctor's office. I was extremely diligent with it for the first year. I have loosened up on it in the last 6 months in order to slow my weight loss a little. Beginning to get all the "you getting too skinny" comments and at times I have trouble maintaining my weight now. Depends on how much restriction I have in band in a particular week.. I haven't had any fills since Feb of last year, but have days where I have more restriction than others. Some days I have great difficulty eating anything and then others I can pretty much eat normally except for it's much smaller portions. I think I have about 6.25 cc's in my band. I went every 6 weeks or so for a fill for the first year. Spaced it out a little more toward the end of the first year. I was probably about 6 months out from surgery before I had any real restriciton. Good luck to everyone. If there is anything else you'd like to know, feel free to ask.

I understand what you're are saying, BUT like others could never give it up. I too have good days and bad. Some days super tight and can't eat anything. Other days, I can eat pretty much normally just smaller portions. I will admit there have been times when I have thought, "what I wouldn't give to have a button to be able to unfill myself for one meal a month or so to be able to remember what it feels like to be normal again." I remember on my honeymoon a few weeks ago, I lost four pounds while we were gone. My band was super tight that week. I think it was related to the stress of the event. I remember watching my husband eating and watching every bite he took like a baby longing to eat solid food. Was seriously considering getting a slight unfill too when i got back from honeymoon, but now I'm fine though. Got better almost as soon as i got home. I was so miserable though. I've never had an unfill btw and I haven't had anything added to my band since Feb of last year. I still have the tightness issues from time to time though. For me it's still so much better than the alternative though. Oh and I do think that we dont' deal with the mental aspect of it adequately before the surgery. I totally understand the still feeling like I'm a size 4x. I bought a pair of size 6 jeans. I still have difficulty believing that I fit into them. I still try to tell myself it is only because they have some stretch in the denim. lol Even though, I've tried on multiple size 6's since and they all fit. It's just very difficult to change the mental part of it.

YES! I was never cold when I was bigger. I was hot and sweaty almost all the time. I used to love cold weather and hated summer. NOW I am almost always freezing to death. I'm have to wear multiple layers. I also sleep under an electric blanket all the time. I can't wait for summer. I hate this cold weather. lol

Thank you!

Forgot to add that I haven't had any plastic surgery as of yet. I am currently looking into it though. I desperately need my abdomen and breasts worked on. So we'll see.

That's funny! I too am an RN but I work labor and delivery. All of my co-workers say I'm the skinny bitch of the crew now. lol Never thought I'd be happy to hear someone call me that.

As of Thursday, Feb 11th 2010, I was 1 year postop. I am now down about 107 pounds! The only regret I have is that I didn't do this YEARS ago. I wasted too many years being so unhappy. I feel amazing and I am so glad that I made this decision. I am only about 8 pounds from my original goal of 180 pounds. As I get closer to that though, I can see that I'm not going to be satisfied with that. My BMI doesn't fall into the normal range until 155. I didn't do this to still be considered overweight. I want to be at a healthy weight. So now that is my new goal....155. So that's about 33 more pounds. The weight is coming off much slower now but it's still coming off. Hopefully some time next year I will get to finish my journey with some plastics surgery. Think I'm gonna need an abdominalplasty and a breast lift. Oh and I'm running....ME running! Doesn't even sound right. I used to hate to run....now I'm doing it on purpose. I'm thinking about setting a goal to run in a 5K this summer.

LeighaMason...Haha! I didn't see the breast life typo until just now. I edited it, but yes, that statement is true as well. They do also need a life but also a LIFT. Haha! Thanks!

Thank ya'll so much!