First year round up - all August All-Stars 2008 please check in!

[lellow 1,713]

It's been a year, and looking at this forum, it looks less and less inhabited all the time.

I thought it would be nice to see who was still lurking, how we're all doing, and to see if we can re-connect. We were all such amazing support to each other for those first 6 months that it would be a shame to see those friendships disappear.

So here goes, All-Stars! Let's check in a let each other know how we're doing!

As for me, I got to goal in 7 months, then had plastic surgery, and went on to lose another 19lbs. I have been the same weight now (plus/minus a lb or two) for close to 3 months.

I often forget I have a band, except when I eat. My band is more loose than a few months ago, but it's still good - I can tolerate most things now, and yet I'm not putting on weight and I seldom get stuck these days. I do feel like I've adapted to living with a band, and life is good in general.

How is everyone else? (assuming that all you all-stars are still out there? Lol!)

[heartfire 4]

Hi Lellow!

I'm still here! So glad to hear you're doing so well!

As for me, I'm a slow loser. At times I'm frustrated BUT then I remind myself of where I was a year ago and if I hadn't had surgery, I would still be there and in worse shape.

I had been playing with the same 4lbs for nearly a year before surgery. My BP was nearly out of control, on meds, and I was going to have to move up to more meds if I didn't do something soon. I've got major heart history on BOTH sides of my family so talk about being behind the eight ball!

My back hurt all the time. I had no energy. I didn't want to DO anything. My feet hurt. My asthma was getting worse. And in all honesty, I was EMBARRASSED! I hated meeting new people or doing new things.

My life is SO much better now! My back doesn't hurt very often. My feet don't hurt all the time. My asthma is better. My BP is so much better! I WANT to do stuff all the time now (okay well not ALL of the time! LOL!). I'm walking my neighborhood (very hilly as I live in the mtns.). I've gone on hikes and want to do more of them. I want to go camping again. I want to get on a horse again (haven't done that in over 20 yrs!).

With the limited amount of clothes I have in my closet right now, I'm wanting/trying to dress better. I'm putting powder on my face more often so I'm not so scary! LOL! I actually WANT to go shopping! I have always HATED shopping! Of course I don't really want to buy much, other than what I need b/c I'm still losing! I'm giving clothes away as they are falling off of me, instead of putting them in the dark recesses of my closet, just in case.

And even more important is that I can easily play with my 3 year old!

(((Hugs))) to everyone! Congratulations on our first year and many best wishes for our second year!

[fleminld 0]

I am still around. A lot has changed since i had the band done. I am down around 135 pounds with what i lost before surgery and after. I have gone from a pant size 28 to a 14-12. I still have another 30 pounds or so that i want to loose and hopefully in a couple years be able to afford plastic surgery to remove the excess skin.

i do feel better, and can do alot more stuff without getting so tired. Have been trying to get out and do new stuff that i wasnt able to do before. it is exciting to know that i dont have to worry about being to heavy to do something my friends are doing.

I still battle with getting used to the new way I look. I dont think my mind has caught up with that fact that i am no longer obese and am now a normal size person. I am hoping as time goes on my self confidence will improve more and more. I think it will just take me some time.

overall it has been a good year. I dont ever regret getting banded. I look forward to the day that i reach my goal.

[GaryB 0]

Hi Lellow,

Good to hear from you and great job in reaching your goal.

I'm still connected to the August All Stars, although not as often as in our first 6 months. It was a great first year for me, losing over 60 pounds. I feel great and exercise every day. Treadmill, sit ups and some lite weight lifting.

I love getting compliments from people at work and from family or friends who haven't seen me in a while.

My wife and I are celebrating our 25th wedding anniversary next month. We are going to Rome, Italy then the taking a Mediterranean cruise to florence, Nice, France and Barcelona, Spain... we are celebrating !!!!!

I am so grateful for my decision to have the band and for my wife's support. My goal is 25 more pounds in year two.

All the best to you and all the August All Stars !!!!!!

GaryB

[tutornmom 1]

I am right there with you. I haven't lost as quickly as I wanted to but I am STILL losing and SO much better off than I was a year ago. My doctor said yesterday that I have lost faster and more than the typical band patient but I have always known that I am not typical. I am truly only 7 lbs off where I really wanted to be at 1 year. My goal for next year is to lose hopefully about 40 more lbs and then I will have that last 25 or so for the last year and maybe by then I can afford some plastic surgery.

I have crossed so many hurdles this year that I could only call it a success. I am no longer on BP meds which I had been on for at least 10 years. I am expecting to be taken off my cholesterol meds soon. I can cross my legs again. I am getting ready for a trip to Six Flags to see just how easy it is to get into those seats now.

WE have come a long way! I am so happy with my decision to get this band. My family ate mexican for lunch and I ordered a small guacomole and couldn't eat all of it. That is incredible when just a little over a year ago, I couldn't get enough food!

I don't get out here on the site as often as I would like but I am still here. I wish everyone the best in losing more or maintaining (where ever you are). I believe that we have the tool to do that.

My 25th wedding anniversary is still a couple of years away but I am planning to be at goal by then. We are planning an Alaskan vacation or cruise.

[krtork 0]

Lellow, you look awesome! Wow! Thanks for starting this thread, it is nice to check in and see how everyone is doing! I miss chatting with everyone!

Michelle, you can ride my horse :sneaky:! I wish I had another mellow horse so we could go for a ride when you come up next week!!!

Gary~ WTG! Have fun on your anniversary trip! How exciting for you and your wife, sounds like the trip of a lifetime!

Flem~ I understand the head game. Sometimes I see myself in the mirror and wonder who that is???

Tutor~ Sounds like you are right on track and you have a plan for this year! Way to go!

I am feeling great and so glad that I am one year down. I love running, biking and swimming. My band has changed my life! I love being active and getting out to see the area where I live!!

I had been in a plateau, but I am now losing slowly again and I will take it! I am just glad to be healthy!

[RestlessMonkey 7]

Hi All! I'm still here and loving my band. No issues, no problems, although it took me FOREVER, it seems like, to get restriction. Once I finally "felt the love" in MAY of this year I'm doing well. I seem to be able to "diet" (atkins-ish) and drop 20 or so, then hold for a bit, etc. In the past, preband, if I "dieted" and dropped 20 then relaxed I'd gain back 30. That just doesn't happen any more.

Funny isn't it how differently the band works for each of us?

I will be working towards my goal for years to come, probably, but that's ok. I started out REALLY heavy and still weigh more than a lot of you did before the band, so I expect it will take a while. As long as I'm headed down, I'm happy!

I too feel better, I move better, my blood work is better (I'm no longer "borderline" diabetes, high cholesterol, High blood pressure etc) I'm backing away from that cliff!

So one year out I love my band. I love my almost 75 pounds lighter self. If at 2 years I am 150 pounds lighter I'll be able to levitate. Really! check back and see! :sneaky:

[Kaytaree 0]

Looks like everyone is doing great! Congrats!

I am just checking in. I am getting closer and closer to my goal of 138. Stayed the same for the past month and now the scale is starting to move again. Yay...lost 4lbs...and only 6 more to go to hit the big 100lb mark.

I am getting excited...have run into people recently that I have't seen in over 8-12 months and actually seen them do a double take...didn't think that would ever happen thinking back over a year ago when i was thinking about the band...people have been awesome with the encouragement and praise...

Thank you Lily !!!! (my name for my band)!!!!:thumbup:

[jandamom 0]

I'm still hanging around. I had my 1 year check up last week. I was feeling pretty defeated, as I wanted to be down 100 pounds by my 1 year anniversary. My doctor called me himself with my lab results because he was so excited: my glucose level is 300% improved; my a1c is a perfect 6; my blood pressure was excellent; my good cholesterol was 48...up from 33 a year ago; no more diabetes meds..haven't taken them since the day before surgery; I'm averaging 7-10 miles of walking per week; weight is down 45+ pounds; have moved from size 32 to size 22-24.

Overall, a terrific year! I've set myself some goals for year 2 and am living my new band life.

It's nice to see how many of the August bandsters are doing so well. Good luck in year 2!

[Azlife 0]

Wow!!! It is so great to see everyone's success stories!

I am down about 118lbs after my first year, I have had some ups and downs. I have discovered when I work to much or have an infection of some sort I tend to have a lot of issues with my band. I have two complete unfills and I am back to 2.5cc so I doing good.

I want to lose about another 40lbs, my doctor has told me this is very possible, however take my time at this last part.

As always still working on those good choices of food, dang I wish it was so easy to make the bad ones, but we just gotta do it.

Check out my profile I just added a one year pic of before and now. I just wanted to add the before pic was four weeks post surgery and I was already down 35lbs.

Good Luck everyone and thanks for all the support it does help!

[Irish76 0]

Hi

Everyone has done so well!! I too am rather slow at losing---but I did hit my personal 1 yr goal of 60 lbs. Then I went nuts and haven't lost since early Aug but now I am geting back on track. My blood work was WONDERFUL! Cholesterol is 119 (down from 230), A1C is 5.2 (don't from over 7), BP is 117/72 (down from an average of 145/89). ANd so far no abmornal heart rates. I do feel much better than this time last year. I have gone from size 24 to 16 pants (albeit they are a little stretch---that's ok they are still size 16).

Keep up the great work--EVERYONE! Take it one day at a time, right?

[ahsem2bme 0]

Well....after taking 6 months to get my 3rd fill (optaining my sweet spot)...I have lost 81lbs. thus far. I am really struggling with the sticking to excercise that I know is so important (especially while on this plateau). I do have to say it is a whole lot easier now then 80 lbs ago...but it is still a struggle. I have shrunk from a size 26-28 to a 12-14! Here's to a great year....one where I WILL MAKE MY GOAL!!!! Good luck to everyone still fighting the good fight with me - and Congradulations to all who have already met your goals - YOU INSPIRE US ALL THAT IT CAN BE DONE!

Edited January 13, 2010 by ahsem2bme
weight ticker

[rhondalou117 1]

Since being banded I did have to have one unfill, I had gotten sick and the sinus drainage had irritated my stomach causing inflammation to the point where I was unable to drink Water. I am back up to five in my band, I feel this is my sweet spot, and trying to get back to the gym. I had lost my motovation but feel it is returning. I want to succeed. My total loss is 120-130 with some flucuation, still have another 120 or so to go, which is a 18-24 month plan. Any support and tips are welcome. Good luck everyone. Looks like we have had some success stories here!:w00t:

[gilta 0]

I am still here as well but do not check in as much as I should.

In my many conversations with my MD, he said he would be very happy if I get down into the 150's. I wanted to hit the 130's, but I think he is going to be right!

I did get down to 151, but that was after some surgery for heart palpatations. I wasn't eating very much and had to fast prior to surgery.

I am not up to about 160 which I am not happy about. I need to get these 10 lbs off. I considered plastic surgery, but the cost is just outside my budget right now. I don't even really know if I need it.

I have had another fill, but I have to say I wonder if I have stretched my pouch. I am going to try and do liquid for a few days to see if I can get that pouch down. I can eat just about anything I want I since I just had a fill it has to be me. I need to get my eating under control versus it controlling me.

I do miss hearing from everyone!

Hope all is well and everyone is on the right track.

Gilta

[tutornmom 1]

Hi all,

Glita - I was down to 183 between Thanksgiving and Christmas but went up again to as much as 189. I am back down to 184 and my goal is 149. I am not giving up but I am also to the point that I think I have got to start doing the work and not just relying on the band.

I am not getting another fill right now due to GERD problems. I need to get back to exercising. My foot injury really set me back. I am going to start using the Daily Plate again to track my food. It is the easiest food and weight tracker I have found and really helps me see what I am doing.

I say HANG IN THERE. We have come a long way and who would have ever thought we would be here. We can finish this!