Kimmy in MD

I really wish there were more posts in this section as maintenance and goal weight is all that is on my mind lately! I am 9 lbs from my goal of 140. I am 46 years old and 5'7" tall. Currently I am mostly wearing size 6 and size 7. On Friday, I actually wore a pair of size 4 lucky brand jeans out in public. No one helped me pick the goal of 140, I have pretty much been on my own in this journey. I do know if I have one more person tell me that I am too skinny and they don't know where the last pounds will come from I am going to scream and choke them! When I take off my clothes I know exactly where it can come from and 9 lbs is nothing. I read somewhere that a BMI of 22 is the healthiest bmi. That at 22 you have the least sickness etc...so I used the calculators and figured out that at 140 my bmi is 22. That is how I picked my goal.

My most recent NSV is my last doctor appointment. I had to visit a new ob/gyn and of course I had to tell her I had the band. She told me my weight and blood pressure are "PERFECT" and when she was doing the breast exam she checked out my scars and was like ok so it was laproscopic and if you hadn't told me that you had lapband surgery I would have thought it was gall bladder surgery because the scars match and your skin is great, no excess, no stretch marks. She went on to tell me her father is a Plastic Surgeon and that he frequently does surgery after weightloss surgery but that i don't need it!!! I was SUPER happy because it just made me feel soooo good!

I am buying mostly 8s and 7s at this point and getting ready to start buying 6s. I shop frequently at TJ Max and Marshalls. I have started buying a few things at Victoria Secrts through their online store and catalogue. LOVE THEIR CLOTHES!! When I hit my goal -- only 14 lbs more -- I am buying something GORGEOUS from St. John.

100 lbs is HUGE!!! Congrats!! I would do a make-over of some type..New Hairstyle? New hair Color? Make-up? I am sure that you have had many significant changes in yourself and a new style would be appropriate to celebrate the new you! Of course pampering with the mini-milestones in between is highly enjoyable too! Way to go!

Maybe try to start treating people as you want to be treated. Before saying something acidic or cynical stop and take a deep breath and think about it for a few seconds before just blurting it out. If you are sending emails at work, try to re-read them and see if there is any content that could be misinterpreted. Finally, learn to let the small stuff go and really pick your battles and if everything is a battle, then that is probably another sign that you are not in the right place. Best of luck to you and I think it bodes well for you that you are seeking this information and have recognized that this is a growth area for your life. That is half the battle!

Hi Chandra, I probably won't be a big help as i have been fortunate enough not to have any issues with restriction. I think you should see another doctor and would suggest getting another fill under fluro. I have never heard that the band doesn't work as well for African American women. This sounds ABSURD to me! and i wonder if that point was made to you when you first started considering the band. If not, it should have been!! Maybe you would have made a different decision. You have done a great job with your weight loss as it looks to me as if you have lost about 70 lbs and kept it off for 18 months, so that is something to be PROUD OF!! I was banded in Mexico so i had to find a different doc locally to do my fills. I use Dr. Susan Brinkley in Frederick MD. She has been SPOT On with my fills, however she doesn't do them with Fluro, but she has access to fluro if needed. She does not accept insurance and a fill is $200. Here is the thing...she herself is also banded. So she is great to work with and really empathetic to our cause. Maybe it would be worth it to give her a call. 301-668-2800. Couldn't hurt. Just looking at the other stats on here, you should be able to lose in excess of 100 lbs. with your band and you aren't there yet, so you should be able to hit your goal. Finally, are you keeping a food journal? Going to weight watchers for additional support? i would suggest trying the food journal first and see if that works. I use Fitday.com but I have also heard good things about sparkpeople.com both are FREE! Best of luck to you!!

I believe there is a HUGE difference in the way you are treated as a fat person. I saw the change as I put on weight over time. Men less frequently held the door for me and certainly strangers stopped approaching me. Additionally, I lacked self confidence as I got heavier and maybe it was a self-fulfilling prophecy, but I don't think so. It was also easy to chalk it up to "aging" but today i am older than I was 2-3 years ago and miracuously things have changed again. The only thing that has changed is my weight has decreased or maybe my self confidence has increased. Whatever it is, to me it is real difference.

This is a good topic and one that has been on my mind lately. I date with the band. In general, i don't tell people I have a band. It is really none of their business, but with that said, there does come a time when you kind of need to reveal that you have the band or be seen as really odd because of your eating habits. So far it hasn't scared anyone off, just opens up some questions for them which I usually answer. I find that the 3rd or 4th meal is about when I feel I need to confess and clarify why it takes me an hour to finish an appetizer and why I never drink anything while eating or why I don't share their beer with them when offered. I guess the other worry is that they will feel my port when their arms are around my waist dancing, hugging. I know it would freak me out if I felt something hard on someones stomach!

I had 2 bidets in my home in the US. They were by Kohler, free standing and right next to the toilets.

I keep a package of turkey bacon in the refrig at work and nuke 3 strips most mornings for breakfast. I find it to be high protein, simple to cook, doesn't get stuck and tasty breakfast for me.

I am at 2.5 cc in a 4 cc band and have had 2 fills. I am scheduled for my 3rd fill next week. I know my doc is pretty aggressive with fills and did 1.5 cc the first time but only 1 cc the 2nd fill because she said I did so well with the 1.5 cc and thought if she did another 1.5 cc it would be too much for me. I really hope this 3rd fill goes well and that I don't end up on the fill/unfill rollercoaster ride!!

It was so good to read your post. I am at the point of my third fill too and I am a little worried about getting it. I still feel I have restriction and don't find myself hungry. I am not gaining any weight but not losing any weight in the last 6 weeks either so I probably do need a small tweak with a fill. For the most part, I think fills are over used by many and that some docs aren't as aggressive with the fills as they should be and that is why we see people on here with 5-10 fills. I guess the biggest reason I am scared of a 3rd fill is because i have had problems with PBing since being first banded and don't want to make it worse. I realize that since this is a constant issue for me and even with no fill, that it is probably due to my own issues such as eating too fast and too big of bites. I guess I will just have to watch closer this time. Good Luck!

I was banded May 23, 2008 and have lost 59 lbs so far. Have had 2 fills, considering a 3rd fill in February. I have 22 lbs. left to lose. Really hope I can do this before my 1 year anniversary date!! So happy because my BMI is now in the "normal" range!!

I would also like to meet up but closer to Washington or Annapolis is better for me than Baltimore. Kim

Hi, I too am from Calvert County, North Beach to be exact. Would really enjoy getting together for some local support. Was banded May 23, 2008 by Dr. Ortiz in Tijuana. Have lost 59 lbs and am using Dr. Brinkley in Frederick, MD for my fills.

Hello, I am a DC Area Bandster too. Was banded May 23, 2008 have lost 59 lbs. Would really enjoy joining your support group. I live south of the city on the bay, but work in Downtown DC M-F. Thanks! Kim