Daisy Duke

[color=#FF6699][font=georgia, serif][size=3][b]Though my weight loss journey has been a lifelong battle, I was implanted with the Lapband in the summer of 2008. I was 18 years old at the time (now 22), and living on Camp Pendleton in California. My band was done by Dr. Janos Taller, USN. I was the first Military guinea pig to be implanted with the band, and therefore my surgery was completely covered. [/b][/size][/font][/color] [b][color=#ff6699]Flashback to the year of my surgery, I was at about 270 pounds at my heaviest and was completely unsatisfied with my body. As many of the diets and workout regimes I had tried, I figured by now I would look like a supermodel, only that wasn't the case. All those years of dieting weren't working for me, I needed a complete lifestyle change. When I was about 14-15 years old I had read an article on "Bariatric Binding" and decided to ask one of the Doctors about it on base. They referred me to Bariatric Specialists at the Balboa Naval Hospital in San Diego. There we discussed different options of surgery, from sleeves to gastric bypass. Neither of the surgeries was I comfortable doing as they are both "High Risk" surgeries... so I then came up the subject of the Lap-band. For the military, it was a fairly new surgery. After decided it was the best fit for me, we began all the pre-surgery tests (Upper G.I., Blood tests, Sleep Apnea, Psych tests, etc). All the tests and classes I had to go through made the following months fly by and before I knew it, August came and it was the day of my surgery. I had lost 24 pounds and dropped my weight down to 246. The night prior to surgery I couldn't sleep a bit, I was so overwhelmed with different emotions. The following morning I woke up bright and early and had arrived at the hospital at 0600 for my 0700 surgery. The hour prior to surgery went extremely fast and before I knew it, I was given an I.V. and some medicine to sedate me and relieve the stress. About 2 hours later I was waking up out of surgery and then began an entirely new chapter in my life. The day post-surgery was absolutely miserable for me. I was in such agony over my stomach, I couldn't even sip the protein shake or broth they had given me. By that night I was supposed to be up and out of bed, but I couldn't bring myself to it. I felt so sick and awful, the morphine drip didn't help so much with the pain as it did with knocking me out. There were 3 other female patients who had gone through the surgery after I did that day. 2 out of the 3 were about to get up and walk around, while ironically enough the other female in my room wasn't able to walk either. A corpsman came into my room and told me that I had to get up and attempt to walk, and those were his orders. He was a very sweet young man, and since he had pretty much sat by my side comforting me all day I figured I would try. I got about 5 feet out of my door and almost passed out. He picked me up from the floor (I collapsed) and took my sugar, it had shot up and I needed shots of insulin (I am not a diabetic). The following afternoon I was released and allowed to go home for rest. 2 weeks after surgery It was as if I was never cut into, I mean I was back to dirtbiking with zero pain around my stomach......... Soo, fastforward 4 years to April 2012. I am currently living in Rhode Island, and weigh 160 lbs! The weight loss was not easy, not was it fast. I honestly went through many heartbreaks and about 2 years of no weight loss. Because I had left the confines of the military, I no longer had access to military care (TriCare). Once I got back on track in 2010 and began getting my fills, I quickly started to shed weight. I began at 246 in the beginning of 2010 and slowly dropped a few pounds a month. The key to weight loss was watching what I ate and involving healthy activities in my lifestyle. I currently go to the gym at least 4 times a week, and run on my days off. These past 4 years have not been easy by any means, I have issues around every corner but I would not change my decision to get the banding. At any point in time I can have it removed, but I have not yet decided to take that route. If any one has any questions regarding the Lapband, please feel free to message me or email me at yell_belle@yahoo.com [/color][/b]