Your story..

[Woodys 0]

I am 54 and married to professional chef. I always battled a few extra pounds but in 99 we moved north and opened our own restaurant in cottage/tourist country. My husband always worked outside the home so his excellent cooking was never that much of a problem. But since 99 we live and work in the same building so I am around his food 24/7. I sell it, serve it, clean up after it and sometimes help with prep. Even our apartment above the restaurant stores restaurant inventory in the fridge and freezer....just can't get away from it

Our winters are very quiet...the restaurant is open but not so busy,so we have a lot of time on our hands.....this is a big obstacle for me.

So, over the past 7 years I have gained........lost........gained.......lost....several times....I started out at 125 in 99 when I arrived in Fenelon Falls.....I was 218 on a 5' frame when I was banded June 8th. (I was self pay)

I just got tired....I couldn't do it anymore. I'm really good at taking it off but I just can't keep it off...that's why I wanted the band...it will help me keep it off.

I hated stairs, I would avoid social engagements especially if it involved people I haven't seen in a while. I couldn't take the embarassment.

My health was failing dramatically, the Dr said my body was suffering from the yo-yo dieting and I needed to do something about it.

I was once a very confident corporate woman.....before the decision to be banded I didn't know who I was anymore....but I knew who I wanted to be.

It has only been more than a month for me since being banded but just knowing that I own it makes me feel so positive, so confident again.

I would do this again in a second.

Carol

["Just" Paul 1]

Great story, Carol. Now, who plays you in your life story?

[Kat817 19]

Meryl Streep huh? Better go buy me some Prada!!! You crack me up!!!

Kat

["Just" Paul 1]

Meryl Streep huh? Better go buy me some Prada!!! You crack me up!!!

Kat

Good one~!

[Telly 4]

I was never obese, but rather teetering from normal weight to slightly overweight. For my height, 145lbs is overweight by 10lbs.

Growing up, I was the most active kid in the household. I played Field Hockey (Capt. of the team 4 years), Tennis (3rd string), Track and Field (shot put and 55 yard dasher- sprinter), Drill Team (J.R.O.T.C.), then swim team in college. I was in the best shape of my life, even after I had my son right after highschool graduation.

Before I got pregnant with my son in 1994, my weight was in the 120's. I skyrocketed to 205lbs at my highest weight while carrying him. I lost all of my weight in 3 months, hitting the gym daily like clockwork.

For years the weight stayed off, till 2001 when I got pregnant again. In 2002, after I had my second child, my weight shot up to a whopping 240lbs. That's almost gaining 100lbs during pregnancy. After she was born I began to lose weight and went down to 209lbs. Somehow, during the 4 years post delivery, I gained every single pound back up to the highest weight of 240. It's almost as if my body remembered the weight and just wanted to go back there.

I think that the decision to have the lapband surgery hit me hard last December, after I turned the big 3 0. I realized that I could no longer say "I'm still in my twenties". I also realized that I could no longer use my daughters birth as an excuse to carry around the excess weight. I knew I needed to do something drastic, weight loss surgery was my only answer at the time. I began to research it. After 4 months of off and on interest in the lapband and gastric bypass surgery I contacted a bariatric surgeon's office. After the first conversation with the coordinator, I made a "Yes" decision.

I took out a loan to pay for half of my surgery costs and forked out the rest of the $$ from my savings. My husband is paying for half of my bills for the remainder of the loan which is almost paid off. He's great!

Currently

I had my surgery April 11, 2006 in Monterrey, Mexico and since have lost 61lbs...59lbs...61lbs. It's been up and down a bit lately but all is well. The downside, which in turn may be a major positive thing later, is that I am losing my hair due to the surgery. I didn't know that Hair loss was a side effect of losing weight so fast or hormonal imbalance. But I'm hopeful. I have received several PM's from members telling me that their family members or themselves have lost almost all of their hair after this surgery but have had unbelieve regrowth with full thickness (some thinner). I am taking in lots of Protein and Vitamins. I have an appt with a Dermatologist next week. Whether my hair comes back or not, I would do this again in a heartbeat.

[Woodys 0]

I think Sally Fields.....my nickname is Gidget because of my height.....I kinda look like her too...however, I don't whine like her, and I'm not a silly girl....LOL.....and she can't have anything at all to do with my husband....he's mine.

Carol

["Just" Paul 1]

Carol, we'll recast someone for your hubby!:clap2:

[Woodys 0]

Oh goodie.....took me 45 years to find him, I won't give him up without a fight....I might be tiny but I pack a good whallop!

He is an old hippie fart.....not sure who would be a good candidate to play him....he would have to wear leathers and ride a mean motorcycle.

Carol

["Just" Paul 1]

George carlin?

[Telly 4]

Willy Nelson

[barbara465 2]

I have been overweight my entire life. I lost lots of weight when I was 16 and again at 22. After that, it has not been as drastic. I went on every diet, lost and then regained. Although loved as a child, I always knew my parents didn't accept my heaviness. I always felt I had to prove myself in other ways.

I married at 25 and divorced at 32. I put myself through college and grad school while working full time and raising my only son. I proved myself at work and for the most part had a good life. I was out to prove that you could have a fulfilling life being fat. I learned to accept myself and found that by doing that, others did too.

When I was 58 I found the man that would take me to a new chapter in my life. I fell in love, real love, for the first time. It was so satisfying to know that this man loved me as I was, for who I was. He is a normal sized man who had never been attracted to large sized women. In the safety of this environment I found I didn't have anything else to prove.

My health has not been that great since 99. I was diagnosed with chronic fatigue, fibrolmalgia, thyroid, and other auto immune issues. To get up each day and exist was a major endeavor. I learned to exist, work, play by conserving my strength whenever I could. There had to be a better way.

I went on a few more diets, but always gained the weight back. Lapband surgery seemed to be the way I could extend my life and stay with this man a little longer. I wanted to be able to do things that I couldn't do now and enjoy our golden years together.

After much research I decided the band was good for me. My PCP gave me the OK, and away I went. I was banded on June 13th and immediately felt better. Every day is better and I now feel I have some control in my life. Although my journey has just begun, I look forward to the road ahead.

(Please have someone who has struggled all their life to play my part. I'm thinking Roseann Barr. )

["Just" Paul 1]

Yeah, old hippie type. Willie is good.

[Josette 2]

last summer I was taking care of my dying mother in the hospital and one day I saw Mohammad Ali's daughter on Montel and she was talking about how she had lapband and lost over 100 pounds and all the pluses of getting it and I thought "wow.. that sounds really good" but with all i was going through I didn't think of it again. During the winter I was very depressed because me and my mom were very close and I was gaining even more weight. Finally one night when i couldn't sleep I got online and decided to look it up. I read about it for hours and then I just couldn't get it out of my head. I found this website eventually so after reading and seeing all the before and after pictures I decided to go to a seminar. Then I went to another seminar and now I'm having surgery on August 3rd and I'm very excited to having something Good happening in my life.

Paul, I was thinking that if Chris Farley were still alive we could have slapped a dress on him and he could have played me before surgery. hahaha!!! Maybe Rebecca Roemyn for after surgery. WOO HOO!

[PhotoNut 7]

Wow, how cool would it be to see my story on Lifetime and Meridith playing me? Actually, Paul, I think James Brolin would be perfect for your part, with dark hair of course.

[ljones4521 4]

To be totally honest with you Paul I first became interested in WLS when I decided to have a breast lift. I knew I didn't want to spend money to have these things returned to thier original locations (breastfed 2 kids) and one day lose weight and my breast look totally stupid. I also had some concerns regarding my health but this wasn't what the motivating reason. So I used the money I would have used for the PS and am now saving up for the PS to be done one day...I hope.

Shallow, huh?