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My WLS Center (Swedish in Seattle) has reached out to me yesterday to participate in promotional material (web site and flyers) in addition to upcoming TV spot. What a wonderful validation of WLS as a solution for morbid obesity!! It will be so much fun and there is also swag and incentives that come with doing it.

Simplyfedup. I love your story. It so beautiful to hear as I'm not sleeved yet. You go girl!! I wish you great Successes. Merry Christmas and many NSV. Happy Sleeve recovery.

Today is a crucial day for my preop timeline. The last two pieces of the puzzle are hopefully going to be in place today so my surgeon can submit for insurance authorization. I am having my last weigh in at my PCP and my final appointment at my sleep center to pick up my clearance. Upon submission for insurance auth, I also get to choose my surgery date, which they told me could be as early as late May! To top it ALL off, I finally fit back into my spanx!!! The last time I tried to get them on, I pulled a muscle in my neck. Today I got them on without a struggle and feel like I can finally breathe. The support of my flabby belly is much needed. HW: 328 (02/22/17) SW: TBD CW: 288 Pounds disowned to date: 40

I think thats one of the nicest NSV's i have ever read on this forum ... ( NSV= non scale victory !) i am so pleased for you that really confirms how life changing this surgery can be for some people .. great news !

One of the major problems with losing weight and then regaining it is that all the cute smaller clothes hang in my closet taunting me!! I have been having "one of those" weeks. I've done very well losing the required 25# for the surgeon to schedule my surgery. However, this week I hit a snag! Now in my head, I know I have eating correctly and I even added in riding my bike, but when the scale pops up it just does something to you. Well that's what happened...stupid scale was up 4#...4#!!!! I KNOW it's water, I KNOW it's that time of the month, I KNOW alot of stuff but apparently my scale doesn't care. So take that, add in being bloated and irritable, and hot and sweaty! Now add in a special concert that hubby and I are going to (Third Day!!! Whoot Whoot) ...and enter the closet...it went something like this... I have to figure out what I'm going to wear so I go check out my closet. Well I have 2 pairs of jeans that fit but dang it, it's 90 outside and I'm already sweating. So summery loose dress?? Ugh...I look pregnant! Take it off! So I try some capris....ok, these fit but the shirt I want to wear is too short, and my belly hangs out (YUCK)! I take it off and try another shirt...nope to tight around the bra region (hate the back fat bulge!!). Try another shirt....ick! Back to looking pregnant! Get mad, and put on one of my baggy tshirts! Flounce back out of the closet to try to put on makeup...but I'm sweating....UGH!!! Go stand in front of the fan! Now, meanwhile hubby is showering and trying to be supportive. "Honey, you look good" "No that shirt looks fine" "It doesn't matter what you wear, I love you" You know, saying all the right stuff...but all I know is how I feel...and I feel like crap!! So I get to the point, where I'm not going!! But hubby, bless his heart goes and finds an old Third Day thirt....which actually fits, hangs low enough to cover the belly, and doesn't make me look pregnant! Love that man! OK, fine...I'll go! And off to the concert we go. And at the concert, after my little tantrum God showed me where I am making some progress....We actually got to do a meet and greet with Third Day and it was informal so we were sitting on the floor. Well I could get down on the floor, AND get back up under my own power. And then during the concert I fit in the seat, and didn't feel like I was pushing over on my neighbor. Little things, but I am making progress...slow progess...but progress in the right direction to get me my sleeve!!!! Now if only the scale would agree...unfortunately the doc doesn't take NSV...only numbers!!

So I'm at at this plus-sized store, name not to be mentioned, in their clearance rack trying to decide what to buy. Needless to say, this is the end of the winter season and I'm confused as to what to buy because I don't know what size I'll be next winter season. As usual, I buy this shirt that is all season, I live in the upper East Coast of the U.S.A and I want something that can work for me in the coming spring season. I'm trying to decide between a 18/20 and a 14/16. My mind is telling me to the buy the 18/20, I started this journey with a tight 26/28, but my other voice was saying there is not guarantee you'll be a 14/16 by the end of the summer. I say all this to say that I tried the 18/20 sweater-like shirt on and it fit so well. I was amazed!

@@Sajijoma - NSVs like that are my FAVORITES! Hang on to 1 pair to look at, when you are having "a moment".

I had my first NSV this week as well. We went to a college basketball game, I had been in the arena before and felt very crowded and stuffed into the seat, this week I sat down and slide right in, didn't feel stuffed at all, it was so nice and made the time so much more enjoyable!

I love these NSVs! Congratulations! It's such a good feeling, isn't it! We have a tiny garage in a 1 bedroom apt at the moment. When we put our SUV in there, there is about 1 foot of space between the wall and the front of our vehicle. To get into the passenger side you actually have to walk out of the garage and go around and then you have about 1 foot in to open the door and get in. My husband usually will back out and then I get in. A few times I have walked thru that space sideways just to see if I could. This week without even thinking I walked straight through that tiny little space with all my winter gear on, walked around open the door and got in. When I looked up my husband was staring at me. I said what's up James? He calls me Bartles (like Bartles and James wine coolers). He said "Bartles, I suppose you think you are all that! You are so skinny you think you can fit anywhere"! I swear this is my new thing, to squeeze through spaces I never could fit before. I am constantly finding things I can do with my new thinner body.

Great NSV Michelle..Isint it great?? I got a couple too.. 1. my hubby was folding the laundry and he got to my panties and aksed who's they were he was so shocked at how small they are now. Every time he folds the laundry he makes a comment now. 2. My hubby and I were doin the nasty and he was having a hard time concentrating and he had this funny look on his face I asked him whats worng and he told me I felt so different that he could feel my hip bones , my rib bones and my butt bone, he said it felt so different that he kept thinking he was with another woman and cheating on me.

Congratulations with your NSVs. Losing weight is a terrific accomplishment but you can not beat a NSV when the scale seems to not want to move. I too need to get a new belt. It took me 26 years to get to 330 so I do not get discouraged even though I have not reached my goal. The last six years have been quite the ride when I gain weight it is usually me at the root cause of the problem. I recommitted myself at the beginning of this year after it took 4years to get back to 250 and continue to make strides in my journey.

I had my gallbladder taken out last week, on Tuesday. I had only one pair or yoga pants and then one pair of leggings that were to big that I had not gotten rid of yet. I was doing laundry everyday so I would have something that was not rubbing the incision on my belly button. I was talking to my daughter this and she ran upstairs and brought me down a size Medium yoga pants. I held them up but was still very swollen so they looked like they were not going to fit. Today when I got up laundry never got switched so I had no choice but to pull them out. I started to put them on and I was very concerned. But I pulled them on and they FIT!!!!! I was so happy I did a little happy dance and it wasn't to try and get the jeans up!!!!! The BIGGEST NSV for me yet!!!! I can wear a size Medium and they are not like a second skin, I have some room in them!!!!!

NSV!

I completely understand. I dont know how I was able to lug around an extra 76 pounds for all those years. Im only 5'4 so no wonder my poor back would cuss me out every day. Not to mention my poor feet. I dont know if I could even lift what Ive lost. Its astonishing what we became used to. I used to go bike riding with my hubby pre-op and there was this one teeny tiny hill that I would struggle with right? So a couple of days ago I got back on the bike (I had to lay off the exercise due to having hernia surgery a month ago) and we did our same path and after the hill my hubby asked "so how was that hill?" I said "what hill?" cause I didnt know what he was talking about until he told me I used to huff and puff to get up that itsy bitsy hill. Plus my butt didnt hurt from the bike seat like it used to. I love NSV's!

I went shopping this weekend to take advantage of the bra sale at Lane Bryant (how can you pass up a buy 2 get 2 free sale on bras, right?) I also purchased a pair of jeans - size 14. I went on the website today to grab two more pairs in the online sale and then cut up my Lane Bryant card. Since size 14 is the smallest size they sell, I never have to shop there again. Bye bye, Lane Bryant, it was good while it lasted.

Great! That's an awsome NSV! Keep up the good work!

I went out to Wally's World (walmart) and got a new bra. I didn't want to pay a lot of money for it especially since I expect I'll need a new size soon. So, I purchased a 38B and it has a small band made of lace, maybe 1 inch in width. So anyway I am wearing the new bra and have it attached to the second or middle row (NSV 1) and it's lying flat against my back(NSV 2). It hasn't rolled into any creases or it isn't digging into my back, it's just lying flat. My back fat rolls are GONE!!!! All of my other bras have wide 2 1/2 inch or wider bands to cover fat rolls. This is awesome because I am always conscious of how my shirts look from the back. I have broad shoulders and that plus back fat rolls is not a good look on me. Now the empty space in the cups is a another story. Loving my sleeve!

Awesome NSV!!! Congrats : )

I'm sitting on a plane right now. I looked at the narrow seats, I ALWAYS have to lift the armrest to fit and ask for a seatbelt extension. I was so worried because this plane is packed. Anyway I fit in the seat and was able to buckle my seatbelt without an extension! Does that count as a Non Surgical Victory? I'm so excited and I just can't hide it!! This may seem minor to someone else but I actually have years in my eyes. I have not been able to sit in a regular airline seat for over 26 years!

We went to a restaurant last night, and i was able to fit in the booth comfortably, where as before I barely fit. I did not ask for a table this time, just to see if it would be OK, and it was, yay. I have been so depressed because weight loss is so slow, but i felt a little better. Even my husband commented on how before i would always ask for a table, and now the booth was just fine

One month out and I'm in Onderland today!! Down 41 pounds since preop diet, 27 pounds since surgery day. I am feeling good. Many NSV's also. I was real skeptical that anything would ever work for me but that is changing. I am feeling good enough to exercise and am really making progress with that also. Thanks to all on this site for ideas, information, encouragement and support.

Candy, way to think positive!! I so totally know what you're talking about with stretching the shirt out and tucking in the opening back into the pants!! Girl, I thought I was the only silly one who did that! I know you've been thru some ups & downs lately, and I'm glad things have worked out for you! Stress does so many horrible things to our bodies, now that things are a bit more settled I'm sure you'll be seeing many more exciting NSVs coming your way. I applaud your positive outlook! The things that are most obvious to you (but hard for others to see) are truly wonderful. It's a great way to confirm you are headed down the right track. Keep up the good work,

@rustbel4ti Love it! lol My latest NSV was when I had to take in the band on my shoes (two holes smaller round my toe area and three holes smaller on the instep). These are shoes I wear every day for work and it was only when my hubby said I was wearing them like lose flip flops, that I tightened them. I was VERY shocked. How can you lose so much on your feet in the space of a few short weeks??!!

Our normal monthly lap band support group meeting in New Haven was a good one this month...two new people who were looking for information, one lady who was newly post-op (about 2 weeks out from her surgery), one lady who is scheduled for surgery within the next 2 weeks, plus our session leader and myself. We stayed past the regular 8 pm stop time, we were having so much fun talking. :cool2: It's really cool to meet new people who haven't yet been banded and help them through their journey. The band is so individual and everyone's experience is a bit different, but having that support is so valuable. I really like sharing the ups and downs (mostly ups) with others...I learn something every time I go to the support group. I've told everyone who I meet there about LBT - hoping that they too will find their way here and get additional information that will help them on their banded journey. Some wonderful NSV's have been happening for me lately...I'm a fan of Lane Bryant's clothing, and my sizes keep dropping. I'm sitting here right now wearing a pair of Right Fit Jeans (taking advantage of Casual Friday) in a size Red 2. When I started my weight loss journey, I was wearing size Yellow 5's. That means not only am I down three clothing sizes, my body is reshaping and my waistline is gaining definition. Beyond the obvious aesthetic benefit, it also means that one of the determining factors in heart disease - carrying excess weight in the midsection - is going away for me. I've read articles that say the "apple" shaped body is one that has a higher potential for heart disease because the excess fat surrounds your vital organs and can affect your heart and lungs more than when you carry your weight in your hips and thighs. It is mostly men who carry their weight in the "apple" shape - more women are shaped like "pears" - at least that's the theory. I have noticed over the years that I am seeing more and more women with apple-shaped bodies rather than pear-shaped bodies and it scares me. I did not want to become a statistic, hence my becoming banded. Losing weight in my waist also means that I can experiment with belts more...I just bought a dress at Lane Bryant (on sale - I try never to pay retail!) that has an elastic belt that goes along with it. In the past (my pre-banded life) I would have just snipped off the belt loops and worn the dress without a belt - they never looked good on me.:crying: Now that I've lost 37 pounds, however, and because I am active and working out, I can wear that dress with the belt and it looks good -at least that's what my hubby has said! I'm thrilled that I think I look good in the dress as well - we are always harder on ourselves than anyone else in our lives. I'm just finishing up my lunch - one half of a turkey sandwich on wheat, with lettuce, tomatoes and provolone cheese. In my pre-banded life, I would have scarfed down that sandwich and been looking for seconds. It was an exercise in patience to finish half of the sandwich. I'm so happy I could just scream! :w00t: I am looking forward to summer for the first time in a LOT of years - because I know I'll be in better physical shape and be able to enjoy it more. I'm looking forward to traveling and having fun this summer without food being the major emphasis. It's funny in a way - I referred to my relationship with food in the past as an obsessive (and abusive) love affair. No matter how badly the food I ate treated me, I kept going back for more - I couldn't stand for someone else to get more of it than I did. I equated food with love - that started in my early teens, and funnily enough, so did my weight gain. Now that I must truly make choices with food that allow me to "eat to live, not live to eat", I am making better choices. I do sometimes mourn the comfort I used to be able to find in food - now I have to find it within myself. I am looking forward to finding out more about ME - all the things I wouldn't allow myself to experience because I was afraid I might stand out too much because of my weight and size...how much life have I missed? I can't get that lost time back, but I can commit to never hiding from life again! For those of you on this banded journey, take time to reflect on who you are becoming...your interactions with others, the "inner voice" you use to talk to yourself, and what you truly see when you look in the mirror. If you're not yet banded, I encourage you to keep up your search for information, but realize there will never be a perfect time to be banded - LIFE will always get in the way. Don't wait so long that your options are limited - do something for YOU, for your health NOW. As always, email me if you have questions, or just want to talk...I'm here for ya! :biggrin:

@@Hiraeth I was 3 wks. post-op as of Friday, so I'm a day behind you. My stall started 10 days after surgery, and I'm still stalled. I've lost nearly 2" from my waist and have had several other NSVs during this time though. Like you, my weight is fluctuating within 2 lbs.