April 2005 Bandsters where are you?

[Angeleyes 1]

Lets all check in! Please report the weight you have lost in the last year and how much you have left to lose. Also what have you done in the last year that has helped you lose the weight? What have you learned?

I have lost 31 pounds and it has been a hard year. I throught I would have the 60 pounds lost and be looking great.I have had 3 fills and with each one hope that this one will be the one to melt all those pounds off.

My weight loss has been slow so I can't really say what has worked and what hasn't. This board has helped me more than I can say. I don't always post alot but I read your posts.

Hope to hear from all of you!

[Alexra 0]

Hi there my fellow April 2005 Bandsters.

I have had a great year, I started off my journey at 353 pounds (a heck of a lot to lose) I am currently down 130 lbs and weigh 223 pounds. I want to lost at least 30 more before I go to see a plastic surgeon for a consult on a Tummy Tuck.

I have had 3 fills and I have what I consider to be moderate restriction. I Hardly ever pb and can eat about 6 - 8 oz at a time.

I have become really active in Lap-Band education, My surgeon considers me a star patient. I have enjoyed speaking at his new patient seminars twice a month, I co-moderate a support group with another bandster Alexandra from LBT. I am now beginning to speak at the surgeons pre-op classes and will be on his new web page in the future.

This board helps me in an amazing way, everyone here has been so helpful and supportive. I dont know if I would have come this far without it.

I look forward to hearing how everyone else is doing. We are all in this together and need each others continuned support.

[Jorjet 0]

Hi Have lost 67 pounds, but I have been stuck at this weight for the last two months. I thought I would have lost more within a year.

BUT .....:faint: I seem to always eat the wrong foods. :hungry: I am always hungry. I have had 7 fills.....and I am up to 2.25 cc with little restriction. I can still eat wayyyyy to much.

I have little will power.

I guess things could be worse, I could have gained.

Huggggsssss, e1

Keep up the good work.:ban:

[Alexra 0]

I thought I would share my before and after Pics with you guys/gals as well.

[S@ssen@ch 745]

I'm one year out as of today.........I was down 76 lbs at my lowest, which happened as my gall bladder got to it's worst. I had that out on 2/2/06 and I've gained 5 lbs since then. What can I say? I couldn't eat from October til the gall bladder surgery for fear of the attacks.......I didn't know what they were or what was causing them. Now I can eat (happy day!), but I've also been making some poor choices. Trying hard to get back on track.

I'm at 1cc in a 4cc band. When the gall bladder started acting up, I was 2.5cc in my band. Band doctor thought my gall bladder attacks were esophageal spasms and took out my fill. Because of the gall bladder attacks, I've had at least 4 adjustments. I probably need a fill, but I'm staying where I am. I'm upset with the band doc for letting me live in misery so long, then telling me to seek counseling. I'll get over it, I'm sure and go back with my tail between my legs begging for a fill.

Happy Bandiversary to me! :ban::purplebananna::party:

BTW, before my recent dietary demise all I did was follow the band rules. No real secrets. I wasn't good about exercising, but I stayed more active than the couch potato I was. I did Protein first then generally ate what my family ate. I watched my caloric intake, made sure I got the minimum Protein grams per day and drank my Water. No drinking with meals. Well, you know the rest. I was doing so well until those darn gall bladder attacks. I lost all faith in myself and the band. I thought something I was doing was causing the pain. I believed the band was causing my misery and was considering having it removed until I was properly diagnosed.

Now, I'm back to lovin' my band and I'm so glad I insisted on further testing (by another doctor) before having the band removed.

[one too many 1]

Nice to hear you have all done so well .I will also be a year by the end of the month and at present am 154 pounds with another 14 pounds to go.I have to say I have found this to be very easy for me as I have not taken up any more exercise and basiclly just reduced the food.The last few pounds will be the hardest and I think I will now need to pull my finger out and start to exercise.Look forward to what can be achieved in the next 12 months.My mums so impressed that she is going in on Friday for her band.

[Kelliebelly 13]

Hoy Crap Alexra!!!! Your transformation is amazing!!! What a huge change, you should be so proud of yourself, I am so happy for you. WTG!!!

As for me I was 1 yr out the other day. I posted about it so I will just copy and paste it here -

One year ago today I was wheeled into surgery at 10.45am with a very rumbly, hungry tummy for a rather simple procedure that would change my life forever. 1.5 hrs later I awoke minus hunger pains.

The next time I felt a hunger pain was about 2 weeks later. I struggled a little in the beginning putting some or most of the weight back on that I had lost immediately post op. I have the 10ml VG band and finding good restriction took 7 mths. I reached optimal restriction about 5 months ago but unfortunately reflux came along with it. I was reluctant to have some fill removed as it had taken me so long to get ot that point, so I went on reflux meds and havent felt it since.

This operation has changed my life in so many ways. I was fat. My DH suffered and my kids suffered. I was paranoid and self conscious. I couldnt go to a restaurant or a fun park...basically anywhere without thinking everyone was looking at me and talking about me. Alot of the time they were. People can be cruel, some would openly look and stare...nudging their friends and laughing. I felt like a freak. I hated myself, thought I wasnt worth the time of day. I ended up anti depressants and even though they helped, they also helped me pack on some more weight.

The crutch for me came when my Dh told me at times he was embarresed of me. You got to be cruel to be kind type of thing. I took it badly, I cried for days and withdrew into myself. It was then I decided to start researching things I could do. I came across the lap band and researched it till I was blue in the face. I had my mind set on it....as fate would have it a few weeks later I found out I was pregnant. I put banding on the back burner and when my bub was a few weeks shy on 1 I had my band.

I have overcome so many fears since losing weight, fears that I have had for life. I am healthy...I am not starving myself, I have energy, I have confidence. I am a new person.

Without this band I dont know where I would be. I really dont think I could have gone any lower than where I was pre op. I love my band and I think it is the best invention since sliced bread, even though I cant eat bread anymore :clap2: .

Life is good!!!

Hugs to all my banded and non banded friends.

[one too many 1]

Hey Kellie I saw your post on the tummy tuck..ouch however Iam interested if you managed to have it done on medicare? As Iam in Perth and need one after twin preganacy and 3 c-sections it's a bit of a mess let alone weight lose.To have it done privately with health insurance I shall still be out of pocket appro $4500 there abouts.What are your thoughts if you don't mind.Iam pleased you have done so well.

Many thanks Annette

[Kelliebelly 13]

Hiya Annette,

I didnt even look into Medicare but apparently Fee had hers done completely covered by Medicare. If I recall shes in Melbourne I think. Start a thread calling her out.

I paid privately and I am about $25000 out of pocket for all my procedures and hospital.

Good Luck

[one too many 1]

Many thanks Kel I shall go in search for Fee.My Mum had her band done today and she had her Tummy Tuck years ago so once she looses the weight she will look great.Are you still sore now or okay.I admire you getting it done as it is something I really want and it might be next year 2007 if Howard still gives us our tax rebate for having kids.HA HA

[Kelliebelly 13]

Annette,

I am not really sore at all anymore. An occasional twang and thats all. I am back to doing everything I was before besides hanging clothes out because I am going to push that as long as I can...I hate it!!!

Other than that I am fine.

Good Luck

[Teresita 0]

Alexra you look great!!!!

[j.s. 0]

Hi everybody,

I had my one year anniversary on Saturday and I was feeling quite proud of myself indeed. I have had a very good year. I didnt lose my personal goal (to be at 200#) but I am at 210 lb so that is close enough that I am satsified. I have had pretty conservative fills. I just got another fill last friday and this is the first time I actually "feel" restriction more than that first day of getting it so I am hoping this is the big one! I am so very happy that I did this. This is by far the best thing I have done for myself ever, short of marrying my husband (that was pretty good for me too!). I am looking forward to another year and another 60 pounds, the difference this year is that I know I can do it and it is not a matter of "if" I can lose the weight, its a matter of "when".

Happy band birthday everybody! Below is my before and after pic.

http://lapbandtalk.com/showpost.php?p=200089&postcount=281

[TrishS 3]

WOIW everyone has done a great job!!! My one year will be April 28th. I have lost 54 pounds, I had my port replaced on Dec 22 due to a leak... went for a fill on March 10th and found out I have a leak in my band. So I am getting my whole band replaced on May 25th. I guess I will have a NEW band date. but you all will always be my band family of April 2005! (((((((((((((((((((((((hugs))))))))))))))))) every and GREAT JOB!!!!