chocolate_snaps

Congrats on that -140lbs!

You are most certainly not alone. This has been one of the hardest parts, for me. Even still I cannot accurately gauge my size. And frankly I still think I am fat, just "normal" fat which is frustrating. Even though we may intellectually know the truth, our minds are creatures of habit and will sometimes choose to disbelieve the obvious.

Its gets better though. I must admit therapy and honest sefl-evals in the mirror have helped me with the head work but it is, for me, by no means done.

I just want you to know that you are no alone in this, it is a normal experience for WLS patients. It just feels incredibly surreal.

Congrats EVERYONE!! You all look so amazing!

I had always been fat. LB and regular vigorous exercise melted the lbs away. Keep your head and spirits up, it will happen the second you decide that it will.

I would do it over in a heart beat. I wish I had done it sooner.

My side effects have all been positive. Losing 130lbs, mental and spiritual lightening, I am stronger in body mind and soul all with the help of my band. It was the single best thing I have done in my life.

I hear the NYU Dr's are top shelf. My doctor i uptown at St Luke's Roosevelt, Dr. McGinty. Sure he hasn't been on Oprah, but that means he also has less patients. Plus he has a great bedside manner and he's funny.

Good Luck on your surgeon hunt!

Honestly, I do feel bigger than I am. I am told that I look normal but my mind just wont believe it. Most times I still feel fat but "normal fat" not hugely obese (like I used to be).

I'm sure this is an issue for me because, previously, I had always been overweight. Sometimes your mind can have a tough time catching up to your body. However, I certainly feel sexier than EVER. The mind is a weird place, isn't it.

I don't do pain especially at TOM. Mother nature demands Ibuprofen. Who am I to argue?

However, I have been given Maalox to take with them, as it coats the stomach.

First off GOOD JOB! Congrats! I can't wait to be in the flat lands myself.

No, I did not question myself regarding getting banded. And I haven't questioned my decision since being banded. I feel better about myself, my life, and my future than I ever have. Simply put, it was the best thing I have ever done.

Regarding exercise...I love it and I exercise regularly. But, the band didn't motivate me to exercise, my desire to be healthy did that. Not just regular healthy, optimally healthy.

Certainly, I wouldn't have lost 130lbs if I hadn't (to quote Jachut) "Shut my Gob and Move(d) My Ass". IMOP, losing weight was the bare minimum that I could do to improve my health, not the only thing. But then, Ive always been a "Go Hard or Go Home" kinda person.

I am lactose intolerant and it has not been easy. It isn't a milk allergy so you shouldn't need a Dr to treat it. But you should have to be careful with what you eat so as to minimize your reaction which varies person to person.

First I used Soy based products but found out quickly that I was also soy intolerant. The solution came in one word LACTAID. BUT I have found TONS of other lactose free Milk product lines.

As far as the queso goes, Cheddar is better because it is naturally lactose free. I too like cheese sticks as Snacks, I like either Sargento's reduced fat cheddar sticks or Weight Watchers' cheddar cheese sticks.

These are some ways to cope, but it started with me being watchful and mindful of how food effected my body.

I can walk up 6 flights of stairs nonstop several times a day! 130lbs ago I would've freaked at the thought half that. Its a good thing that I can because we are reno-ing the elevator in my building and we'll have to hoof it for the next 2-3 months. My thighs and bum are gonna be sooo tight by X'mas!

Thanks you so much Lindy! I had no idea how to find those things out. Im going to start searching asap!

My body is a lot curvier. Much sexier.

Awesome, I have my first PS appointment tomorrow and will definitely mention all of the boob related issues I've had. I have dealt with back and neck pain since I was a teenager and have been being treated with antifungals for my back rolls and under-boob area (technical term :smile:) for almost as long.

The tricky part may be getting my PCP to attest to this because he is usually unsupportive and has resisted giving my referrals to specialists to treat the back and skin problems. But he has to admit to the numerous pain and antifungal scripts he's written and to my recent emergency room visit for a severe pinched nerve in my back. Even though he's a jerk,he isn't tougher than me.

I know thats a huge long story...but its true. I really appreciate your well wishes and response. See ya in the flat and perky lands!

Thanks for the update! Im in the very beginning stages of the PS journey. I know that my insurance covers TT's now but its nice to hear an insurance success story.

My only question is how did you get them to pay for a boob lift? If I could finagle that I'd be in heaven!

Ive been banded for 2 years and just recently got to my sweet spot. I would suggest that you not completely depend on this next adjustment, it is an imperfect science.

Trust me exercise is the key to success for most successful bandsters. My surgeon confirmed what I believed all along, that I would never have lost as much as I have had I not been exercising.

You seem to be on to a pretty good start even though you havent lost as much weight as you want to, but you are asking the right questions. Good luck with your journey.

I mean vigorously. In order to really burn calories you have to get sweating. Walking wasn't enough for me either.

Adjustments help tremendously. But, really, who wants to wait around for an adjustment to lose a couple pounds when with exercise you can make that 2lbs loss into a 10lb loss.

Drew, just I saw you B/A pics and you look great! Way to go! I love when people tell me I'm disappearing.

To Celebrate my 2 year Bandiversary I have a couple of NSVs:

Last week I attended a local LB support group meeting and was completely ignored, including by the moderator who never asked me to introduce myself. I found out at the end that It wasn't until I started talking that people realized that I was banded and not someone else's support person.

The lady to whom I sold my last "fat" piece of clothing, a size 3x winter coat, asked "How did you wear this coat? You are tiny." I have NEVER been called tiny, ever. That made my day, week, and month.

This weekend I saw someone who hadn't seen me in a while. Her reaction was crazy, she just stared at me with her mouth gaping open for a full minute.

Are you exercising?

I love all of the new choices. I love to craft ensembles. Ive been an amateur stylist for years. But now I get to style myself like I used to style everyone else.

Stacy and Clinton are amazing, Ive been a religious viewer of What Not to Wear from the beginning. Its the best makeover shoe period.

me too. Thank goodness.

Looking good Dablueprint!

I have never been happier to be "the hairless wonder".

bump...bump...

Good Luck with you LBL!