Available Lap Band Buddy / Mentor 22 year old female from washington at goal

[sweetheart181 10]

Hey everyone! I'm 22 and in college. I had my surgery on 12/12/08 and I hit goal on 10/13/09. I'm now down 157lbs. My heighest weight was 324lbs and I'm 5'9. I had a really strict pre-op/post-op diet. If you need a buddy just let me know! I would love to talk!

[Electrawoman 5]

You are an inspiration and I need a buddy! :smile2:

[sweetheart181 10]

I would LOVE to be your buddy!!! hahaha

[Electrawoman 5]

YAY! Thats awesome. I will add you to my friends now!

[sweetheart181 10]

you know it's funny cause I was responding to your post the other day and it took me so long to write the answer that the computer wouldn't let me post it! so when I went back it was deleted! :smile2: I guess I will have to try again. So you are just in the process of looking into the band right? It's a hard choice. It took me about 2 or 3 years from thinking about getting surgery to actually getting it.

[lapbandgirl2009 0]

Hi I am need of a mentor/buddie please read my last post of what has been going on, Just needing a little support to get back on track and get to my goal of 70pounds in a year. I too live in Washington State, Please help me to achieve this goal.. with what worked for you. What helped you get back on track if you ever fell of the band wagon. Feel free to PM me as well. Thanks again

Hello Everybody~

Some of you may know or remember me but it's been a while since I've been on here so here it goes. Had Surgery April 2009 was doing what I would call as "fair", losing weight, eating correct portions, Protein first exercising 5days a week... and All.

Then in August go in for appt with surgeon for normal check up and I had been feeling nausea but I thought nothing big... well they always have you do pregnancy test if LMP was not within last 10 days since my fills are done with fluro come to find out I am Pregnant.. WOW !!! lets just say we were not expecting that what a shocker we are thinking so we decide to keep it then after 3 months found out it was an etopic pregnancy so I lost the baby... going through lots of emotions as some of you may imagine. Time heals everything so I have come to accept and move on..

I am ready to get back on track.. I have managed to lose and maintain 30 pounds loss and with me being 3 months of it pregnant I am okay with that...just feeling like I need some tips and rules anything with some inspiration that has helped any of you when you were on that feeling down bus.. just needing to know where to start I feel so out of touch...

I am hoping by my one year I can lose at least another 50pounds.. Help a sista out.. Thanks for letting me vent.

Edited November 10, 2009 by lapbandgirl2009

[sweetheart181 10]

That must have been rough! I'm so sorry about your loss. Did they take any liquid out of your band when you found out you were pregnant? Have you made an appointment to see your doctor? When was your last fill? Sorry that was a lot of questions in a row! hahaha

P.S. I have relatives in Marysville!

[lapbandgirl2009 0]

Hi

I am Shantell by the way. To anser the questions no they did not take any fluids out. I have a 10 cc bands with 4cc in and since getting back to normal I have found that some days I have pretty good restriction. But I could use more so I have made an appt to see my doc 11/18. My last fill was July? what are your thoughts I am started back working out tommorrow and hopefully I can make it 4days this week and get back on track with excercising I am trying to really watch what I eat and I will start my food journal tommorrow as well.

[sweetheart181 10]

I honestly think you are doing AMAZING with only having 4ccs!!! SERIOUSLY! If you are doing this well now think of how you will do with a little fill. You really sound motivated to get back on track. You went through something really rough I'm honestly surprised that you haven't gained. My doctor put in 3ccs in during surgery and my first fill was around 1cc if I'm remembering correctly, I remember being starving around this time and I could eat a ton! I really didn't start loosing a lot of weight until after my seccond or third fill. I think this fill will really help.

[lapbandgirl2009 0]

Thank you for your kind words I am too surprised I did not gain I think cause of me being pregnant and with little appetite that is why I most likely maintained. I am hoping that will a little fill I will get back on track and with my work I can start losing again. What did you think helped you to be so successful? How many CC's do you have right now ? and how much exercise did you do or do now? And how long did it take you to get to goal. Woo! there goes all my questions..lol and last one where is Washington are you

[sweetheart181 10]

First of all I'm in spokane. hahaha now let's answer your questions.

What did you think helped you to be so successful?

I had a lot of motivation to be successful. My grandmother died in 2007 and she wanted me to get this surgery and get healthy more than anything. She never got to see me this way but everything I do I do for her. Also My friends have been super supportive and have kept me on track. I had a really tough post-op diet and I remember talking to some friends and saying I just want a spoonful of Peanut Butter before going to mushies and they freaked out! hahaha They told me that there is no way they are letting me cheat even if it was only a day before I went to mushies! hahaha They have been like this every step of the way. Also my doctor helps me be successful, he is super supportive and reasures me every step of the way. When I felt like I disapointed him he always made sure to let me know how proud he was of me. I really got lucky to get such an amazing doctor!

How many CC's do you have right now ?

I have 6.75cc's in a 10cc band

and how much exercise did you do or do now?

ok so this is where I am really bad. I really don't exercise. I'm very active I just don't go to a gym and exercise. I hang out with friends a lot and just walk around town. Also my job is very physical, I'm on my feet for 8 hours doing a lot of lifting and we aren't allowed to sit while we are on the clock so it keeps me busy!

And how long did it take you to get to goal?

It took me 10 months and 1 day! hahaha This isn't what I expected at all. I figured that it would take me about 2 years.

I honestly think that once you get your fill you are going to get right back on track. You have to let me know how your fill goes!

[lapbandgirl2009 0]

Hi Again

Well I am going for my fill 2mor thanks for answering my questions and I also the last one I forgot to ask you was what types of food did you eat and how much. I will let you know how it all goes. Thanks again for your support

[justme6055 0]

Hi

It is wonderful to hear that you met your goal!!! You are a true inspiration. I live in Castle Rock, WA and would love to have you as a buddy. I was banded on 11/6 and just starting my journey.

[nlawlor341 0]

Hey there. I was just banded on 10/22 and my first fill isn't until 12/01. I live in Federal Way, WA and am worried about the slow weight loss currently.

I started my Pre-op diet at 400 lbs. I followed the pre-op diet to the T and only lost 10 lbs in 2 weeks. Since the surgery I have only lost 5 lbs!! I had a few days where I had gained 5 lbs, but then lost it again within the next few days.

I am currently working out 4 days a week in the pool at the gym before work for 45 mins. I still haven't lost any more weight! I have almost no restriction to what I can eat and that is disheartening.

I was scheduled for my first fill on 11/24, but the doctors office called me to reschedule because of the Thanksgiving Holiday. I was so disappointed that I cried for an hour!!

My sister passed away in 2007, like your grandmother sweetheart. My sister and I were extremely close. She weighed 750 lbs when she was 18 years old. She had the vertical banded gastroplasty twice. Once in 1988 and again in 1991. She got down to about 250 lbs, but then got pregnant and gained 200 lbs!!! She was in a car accident in 2006 and because of her weight, they couldnt operate on her ruptured disc and put her on pain meds. She was 1 month away from getting the sleeve procedure when she went to bed one night and never woke up. She had horrible sleep apnea and the pain meds restricted her breathing as well. When we found her the cpap machine was off her face.

Anyways, she was always my rock. She was 5 years older than me and we grew up homeless and in the foster care system. She was my mother in all ways. We lost our little sister in the foster system and swore to always be together.

We bought this house here in Washington in 2001 and we cried for days. It was the first house we had ever lived in!

I want her to see my weight loss that is to come (I hope) but I also feel guilty that she can't be here to do it with me.

Unfortunately, I don't have any friends. I don't mean that to sound bad, I just never needed any with my sister around. We had moved so many times growing up. (I had been to 41 schools by the time I dropped out to work full time when I was 15). So never really learned to make friends either.

My husband is supportive, but really doesn't understand what it is truly like to be obese. He cares, but I just need somebody who KNOWS. Does that make sense?

[cass3057 0]

I found you on the site and saw you were around my age, so I figured I would ask you some questions, if you don't mind answering them.lol.....

I have been thinking about lapband since 2007, yet I still havent made any moves towards having it done. I was about 240lbs then,and 3 years later I am now 270 lbs. so, I need to do something asap....What's your advice for someone contemplating surgery .....

-pros and cons?

-what was your diet like in the begining and what is it like now?

-how often do you exercise?

-did you have anyd difficulties?

-can you drink alcoholic beverages (not a big drinker, just curious)?

-did your insurance cover surgery, and if so what did you have to do for them to agree to cover the surgery?

Any extra info you would like to offer would be great! THANKS!