leo

WoW, it looks just like one of those pictures you see on postcards... You did a great job decorating that tree. Hang in there Penni!

Thanks for the great comments. When I first started I never would have thought I would be able to look so much slimmer. But I kept chugging along and I didn't get discouraged when I hit a plateau which lasted for 2 plus months sometimes. But during the plateaus, I looked at other loses, e.g. inches and how clothes seem to fit better etc. Actually the latest plateau I hit has lasted for at least half a year , but I treat it like a vacation, because I have been able to enjoy more of the food I love. Also I just wanted to give my body the time to adjust to all the weightloss. I have decided though to continue the weightloss journey and have scheduled a fill in january, hopefully I will be able to loose the final 20 lbs now! Look at all the bandsters that are on this site that joined a while ago, all of us have lost a lot of weight, and if we can do it, everyone can :rambo As you can see from below the weightloss came gradually and slowly. But I wouldn't have it any other way

use the attach feature, then browse to the folder you have your picture in. and then upload it.

This is me now

Hi here are 2 pics of me before and after.

:laugh Here is a most recent mug shot of me.

you look bootierific!!!!

I had surgery with Dr verboonen and Dr Ponce de leon. Andres was my coordinator at that time. I have nothing but good things to say about the above mentioned people. Not trying to start a flame or anything but please, what you see posted on whatever board you frequent is just that, post by other people. I am not going to say insurance fraud is a good thing but Dr Verboonen is a great surgeon and has helped many people battle with their weight problem, I am living proof of that. Every doctor has it's good and bad. I have "heard" of cases with the other doctors in Mexico where the bands had to be removed or no communication etc. p.s. I don't know dr huacuz, so I can't say nothing about him.... :rambo

I just had a career change recently. I used to work as a technical consultant, Great pay but no benefits what so ever. Everything was paid out 1099, so basically I was self employed. Well with the recent tech bust, I decided I needed to find another field of work. I now work in the Mohegan Sun casino, the pay isn't all that great. But I got full benefits, a 401 k and a retirement plan. 4 weeks paid holidays and 2 bonuses a year and Double pay on major holidays. Soon I will be a Dealer and be making around $20/$25 dollars a hour. The good part is that as a Dealer I only have to work 6 hours and get paid for 8 because I will get 20 minutes break every hour. I have much more fun working here and get to meet so many different people every day. I enjoy this life style much more then back when I was in new york.

If your insurance pays for the lapband procedure then ofcourse you should do it with a doctor in the states. But if there is no way you can get the procedure done here, having surgery in Mexico is a great alternative. But as everyone else is saying, do your research!!!! I had surgery in mexico and except for a minor ( well didn't feel like that back then ) infection of a incision, there where no other complications. I have had only 1 fill so far and have lost around 100 lbs. Going for my 2nd fill in january, have to loose the last 20 lbs A great resource is "mexicanbandsters" group on yahoo groups.

It's much cheaper in countries like costa rica and even Mexico. Just my 2 cents Do a search on google or goto the yahoo groups to find out more info.

Hi Margie, sorry for not replying for so long, I have been slacking a bit lately. Busy with my new job and career change and just finished buying a new townhome here in conneticut. I was never in poor health, but my doctor told me that weight related complications would be a problem if I didn't loose. I lost the bulk of my weight the first 8 months, average 2 lbs a week. Recovery took about 2 months due to a infection of one of the incisions. But it was managable. The journey wasn't tough at all, I stressed out quite a lot the first 3 months but I was able to research and find out what ever I was bothered with and from that point on it was just on auto pilot. Right now I am just keeping at a steady weight of around 170lbs and I have lost quite a bit of restriction. Its still there but not as much as before. I have enjoyed being able to eat a little bit more the last 5 months but it's time for me to loose the final 20 lbs. So I have scheduled for a fill, i am going back to Tijuana. If you got anymore questions feel free to pm me. I had a site before with my journals but I got lazy and let it expire.

I had hairloss 7 months into my weightloss also. if you do a search you might find some of my older post. It's perfectly normal and trust me, it will stop and your hair will grow back. The thing with hairloss is that it reflects back to what your body state of health ( not a medical term lols) was 3 or 4 months ago was. That would be the time you where post op and was on fluids. As long as you keep taking your vitamins and B12 or whatever is recommending, then within a couple of months everything will be ok. My hair was thinning to a point it seemed i was bolding But everything is back to normal now.

hope you are feeling much better now

You look awesome michelle!

I think endulging your self in a icecream or some junk food, once in a while, shouldn't be a problem at all. As a matter a fact, I have 2 or 3 mac donalds extra large milkshakes every week. I really crave them and the way I see it, hey I want it, so what the hell go out and get it and get it over with After that the cravings are gone and I can go on doing what I normally do.

This looks like a fun thread I weighed myself on wednesday and I was 169 lbs.

Yap, why use referral services? And only work for Coordinators if they work directly for the doctor, meaning they are on the staff. I went to Mexico without knowing a lick of spanish, and I had no problem getting around at all.

ok back to cheating... I always get a extra large mac donalds milkshake :cool: ... It really hits the spot

When my incision was infected , I kept putting extra strenght neosporin on top of it. Also in the beginning I used Hydrogen Perioxide... Have you tried that Delarla??

Yap I donated all my old clothes and at the end of the year I even get a tax break, its a win win situation. Well don't forget to keep one set of big clothes, just to remind yourself.....

I have only had one fill since having surgery and I don't plan on having any fills anymore. Being portless would be just fine with me , If I wasn't scaredof having more scars I would prefer to be portless too ..... Just don't touch my band!!

Nope, I am not at all offended, I didn't know you had a vision problems. So please don't mind me being so insensitive.

Hi, how are you doing, just wanted to give you a little friendly advice, Its easier for people to read when you don't write in CAPS. It's considered shouting in internet terms, lols the whole while when I was reading your post, I could hear you shouting write into my ear Welcome to the forum btw

Your have just set your goal a bit on the low side, If you set it about 10 lbs above your lowest goal. your actually very close to goal. For example, my real goal is actually around 145lbs. But I set it at 155lbs .... smart ehh??? You also have to understand that you didnt start at a very high weight, most people are a lot more heavier then you and thats why they loose large amounts of weight the first year. Look at me, I have been stuck around 180 pounds for more then half a year, thats about the same weight as your are at right now. Just keep plugging along and forget about the need to loose weight, and enjoy life. Once more thing, goto a supermarket and try to find something that weighs about 5lbs. Like a bag of dog food. Now grab 10 bags of those and put it on a pile. Thats how much you have lost..... A lot isnt it?? Congrats!!!