Any old timers still around?

[Wheetsin 714]

It has been a few years, just seeing who might still be around from the good ol' days.

[Apples2 19]

It has been a few years, just seeing who might still be around from the good ol' days.

Hey Wheetsin...I remember you. Happy to see you pop back on. Last I remember you were a new mom??? How's the babe???

[Alex Brecher 10,515]

Hello!!!

I'm going to send an email to members that haven't been around in a while with a link to this thread. Would be great to hear from some of our old timers. I'm sure all of us are wondering how everyone is doing and where we're all holding in life as well as with our Bands.

I'd really love to get that sense of community and comradery back on LBT. Any suggestions from some old timers please ?

[Desi80 1]

Hello!!!

I'm going to send an email to members that haven't been around in a while with a link to this thread. Would be great to hear from some of our old timers. I'm sure all of us are wondering how everyone is doing and where we're all holding in life as well as with our Bands.

Please click on WATCH TOPIC at the top of this thread, in order to receive an email when s/o responds. We're planning to automate this feature shortly.

I'd really love to get that sense of community and comradery back on LBT. Any suggestions from some old timers please ?

Thanks for the email Alex, It's been a LOOOOOOONG time since I have been on here. I had my surgery 8/2005. I was 238lbs and am now between 120-125lbs I can't believe how amazingly happy I am. The lapband is the best thing I ever did for myself.

my before/current pics

Current

[Alex Brecher 10,515]

Thanks for the email Alex, It's been a LOOOOOOONG time since I have been on here. I had my surgery 8/2005. I was 238lbs and am now between 120-125lbs I can't believe how amazingly happy I am. The lapband is the best thing I ever did for myself.

my before/current pics

WOW! It's awesome to see that you've actually kept things off. What a dramatic change. You're a poster child for the Lap Band lol. I'm thankful on a daily basis, was the best decision I ever made for myself.

[dsk 1]

I'm still around. I've gained a little bit back but still down 100 pounds from starting weight. Getting the band was a great decision and I'd do it again in a minute. Got an adjustment just after the first of the year and the extra pounds are coming off. It's major 'tight' now. Hang in there everyone....

[gingerbug 3]

Been a while for me, as well. I am still pretty close to my final weight but I went up a bit because of the required inactivity after plastic surgery. I am supposed to be released for weight lifting beginning of april so the 14 pounds I need to lose will come off then. I still love my band!

[mommyx2 0]

Hi... i was glad to see a post started for old timers Im still here.. check in every once in while... my surgery was 8/09 and i am down 110 pounds... LOVING IT!!! Best decision i ever made!!!

[SunnyRachel 7]

Hi! I received an e-mail about this thread.

I suppose it has been a while since I've been active on the site here. Hello everybody!

[coltonwade 27]

Hi all. Thanks for the email Alex. I am still around hanging on !

I had my lap band in 2007 Got to goal 125 pounds , the day I hit goal I slipped my band ! I had my band totally unfilled got it filled again after a few weeks and slipped it again ( we think it was not totally healed from the first time )

Then had it totally unfilled again . I went all of last year with my band unfilled . Gained 40lbs ! During that year I started having some issues w/ my stomach , joint pain , muscle aches, because I do not have insurance I cant get proper treatment.

Some docs think I may have Crohns disease some think fibromialgia . So I went a long time w/ my band unfilled because I did not want to mess it up . Finally after gaining the 40lbs I decided enough is enough I cant do this anymore and went a few weeks ago to get a fill.

I am down 11 pounds so far.

I have always been sensitive to fills and I think what ever else is going on w/ me ( I Mainly have joint pain now ) is why I have always had sensitivity to fills .

I have a son graduating from high school and was recruited to throw discus and shot at college this fall so lots going on !

So anyway , I am still around !

Looking forward to catching up !

Mindy

[general_antiope 189]

i everyone! I was banded in 11/2005 and my band began leaking about a year later. I lost 100 lbs and halted. I maintained through very expensive $100/month fills for as long as I could, then gained 40 lbs, then lost 20, then was able to get the port fixed plus extensive skin removal surgery in Dec 2009.

I'm healed from that, but last week went in for a fill and found my old band is leaking. Through some miracle, my new insurance is covering it and I am being REBANDED in 30 days, and I am beside myself with joy. I'm holding around 200 - 205 now, I'm 5'7, and look strangely good for still being 50 lbs overweight.

There have been some major ups and downs but I have learned something....Hunger is my trigger. And for me, and I suspect a lot of people like me, that trigger needs to be completely decommissioned in order to have any sane/healthy relationship with food.

I absolutely love my surgeon, Dr. Christine Ren at NYU, who believes in me and is a real champion of not only beating obesity, but learning how to trust yourself, and what works for you. She's even rebanding me on a Saturday to accommodate my two hour drive from Philly.

I can't believe this isn't the end of my story - although I am in size 12 pants and XL top (and 13 lbs of skin lighter), I am humbled and thrilled that I get to finish this journey. I've had friends get banded and pass me. I maintained for a year with a new port, and now that my band has quit, I gained 5 lbs. but I'm keeping it at bay and going on a pre-op regimen. I can't even remember what it's like to live with a tight fill.

In my secret life, I've been trying to get to 150 since I started this journey. People have said to me, "Oh I would kill to be 200 lbs" or "you look fine the way you are" but I'm simply not satisfied being a "more normal pudgy" versus a super morbid obese. I don't accept being a 200 lb woman and I'm frankly sick of other people telling me what I should and shouldn't be. I will decide for myself.

Happy at 200 lbs...but man, I can't wait to post the150 lb picture.

[Mrs Husker 3]

I am still alive! And trust me, that is saying something. I was Banded March 2007, I was going to go for the RNY but changed my mind. I am so grateful that I did. April 6, 2009 I was diagnosed with Non Small Cell Lung Cancer Stage 3 A. Being able to be unfilled and able to take the meds that I needed, not to mention being able to eat what I could is what kept me alive. Granted, I put on 50 lbs during chemo and radiation. Some from food choices, but most was from going totally inactive. My oncologist tells me that it is going to be a long haul to get back to normal. I have not given up and I keep trying every day. One day I will be back to my old active self. I have started to get filled again and I have lost about 15 of the 50 that I put on. Since I am missing most of my lung, walking is about the only exercise I can do, so it is a good thing I love it so much. Hoping this spring/summer will see me back to at least 75-80% normal. I do believe in my heart and soul that if I would have gotten the RNY, I would not be here today. I was given less than a 15% chance of making it and this April will be my 2 year anniversary for kicking cancers ass!! So all is good in my world. Think when I get off here, I am going to make an appointment for a fill.

My favorite quote is - Courage doesn’t always roar. Sometimes courage is the quiet voice at the end of the day saying, “I will try again tomorrow.”

So have courage and never give up!!

Brightest of blessings,

[Ellisa 6]

It's been awhile for me also. I'm no longer a bandit, but am now a sleever since July. Long story.... but the reason was with regard to a very large hiatal hernia that would not hold if the band were in place. I'm nearly at goal and very pleased with this procedure. I didn't realize how much trouble my band was... or maybe just accepted the trouble as part of the process. But for my situation this has been the best solution. I almost forgot about PBing... things getting "stuck" that horrible feeling when something isn't chewed quite well enough and knowing it's coming up... not to mention no more acid reflux at nights; no more being too tight one day (or part of a day) and able to eat a barn the next. My sleeved stomach works just like a "regular" stomach... it just fills up with less...consistently. The weight loss is consistent and doesn't require much effort... eat balanced diet... eat when hungry, stop when full. I'm down 105 lbs from start weight, and still losing. Could go faster if I were to diet and exercise consistently... but this is okay.

[TSB 1]

It has been a few years, just seeing who might still be around from the good ol' days.

Haven't been on the site in a long while. Still maintaining @ a loss of 60/65 lbs a year and a half out. Would like to lose another 15 to 20, but am quite content where I am at. No problems whatsoever w/ a band that is about half full. Actually bought a pair of size 8 misses jeans a couple of weeks ago. Still have to take a 10 in petites, though.

[OH Juli 15]

I could stand to be involved again. I had surgery in 2007. Doing well but need to knock off some weight gain that I put on in the last year. I've had a crazy work-stress year.

How is everyone?