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I just love reading these boards and hearing about everyones success. I applaud you all
I also love the fact that we all share so many of the same feelings and experiences (good and bad). These boards really are a great way to embrace the whole banded life experience. I am down 66 pounds as of today, with 45 more to go. I feel great, and I am back into clothes from my own closet that I haven't worn in years. Little things that have made me smile lately are streatching at my desk at work, seeing my reflection and noticing that I have collar bones again, who knew.....and my necklaces are getting longer, I can atually see my pendant when I look down now.....so strange.
I just went through a copule of difficult band weeks...I was a little tight through pms, then got stuck so was even tighter so I went to all liquids for about a week and half. During that time I dropped 6 more pounds and I've got to say it made it all worth while. I love love love how the band is helping me reach my goal, and for holding me accountable. My one year band-a-versary is July 22 and while I know I still won't be at my goal weight by then, I sure am happy about how this past year has changed me.

Allison, down 110 WOW! That is awesome!!!!!!! My loss has been much slower but it has been steady slowness!!

Well said Shoshanna. And I feel compelled to add (and I fully expect to be blasted for this comment by some)....if someone eats enough to throw up 5x a day for several years, and not only not loose but gain weight, you have to wonder how much that person is eating, and what they are eating.
I was banded last August, have good days and bad days, have learned to listen to my body and have changed my eating habits as a result. If I want to loose weight I have to limit my intake to 1000 calories or under per day. The reality of the band is you can't eat certain things, may have difficulty eating at certain times such as early mornings and if you ignore these things you will have problems. For that reason, because some people maybe can't read their body too well or don't understand the effort and commitment it will take to use the band effectively, the band is not for everyone.
To say that postings on success are false or are perhaps submitted by greedy surgeons is just nonsense, and is insulting to those of us who work hard making good choices to be successful!
I wish all fellow bandies, and all who take another path success in their weightloss journey.

I learned the lessons of public perception and the problem other people have with obesity at a very young age, and it was not easy. My "weight" history has been a roller-coaster! By age 10 obese, I was told at that time by the teacher in charge of the "pep squad" that nobody wants to see a fat cheerleader. By age 12 I morbidly obese - suffered countless hours of bullying from my middle school peers, likely the most painful period of time in my life. As a result between 8th grade and freshman year - with no viable self esteem I "aquired" bulimia and lost all excess weight down to 115lb. Same peers from middle school suddenly sought out my friendship. Not so politely, I told them all to piss off! I stayed a healthy weight until I was 18, I gained 85 pounds. I lost that eventually, but by age 22 I was on what would become a 12 year incline that includede many brief ups and downs in weight, "topping out" at age 32 at 286 pounds. Through pure self determination, I lost 145 pounds in about 10 months, promising myself I would never be obese again.....of course I continued to go up and down by 40 or 50 pounds for the next several years, but by age 42 I had ultimately regained up to 256. That was when I decided to have the lap band surgery.
I have gone into stores and felt invisible (in my obese body) because the sales clerks will not make eye contact with you, and what can be even worse that that is going into a clothing store that sells average sized clothing and have a clerk look you up and down and in a patrionizing voice say "uh can I help you" clearly communicating you don't belong there.
I don't know about the rest of you but in spite of having been thin at different times in my life, and even now that I'm down 60 pounds with only 50 more to go to reach goal, I feel much better physically and mentally however, regardles of my actual size, I will always be that 12 year old in middle school on the inside.
Not all people who have enjoyed an average sized life are rude, superficial, and ignorant....but I think that most all people who have struggled with weight have learned lesson in empathy, and compassion which the average sized world cannot even begin to comprehend.

I learned the lessons of public perception and the problem other people have with obesity at a very young age, and it was not easy. My "weight" history has been a roller-coaster! By age 10 obese, I was told at that time by the teacher in charge of the "pep squad" that nobody wants to see a fat cheerleader. By age 12 I morbidly obese - suffered countless hours of bullying from my middle school peers, likely the most painful period of time in my life. As a result between 8th grade and freshman year - with no viable self esteem I "aquired" bulimia and lost all excess weight down to 115lb. Same peers from middle school suddenly sought out my friendship. Not so politely, I told them all to piss off! I stayed a healthy weight until I was 18, I gained 85 pounds. I lost that eventually, but by age 22 I was on what would become a 12 year incline that includede many brief ups and downs in weight, "topping out" at age 32 at 286 pounds. Through pure self determination, I lost 145 pounds in about 10 months, promising myself I would never be obese again.....of course I continued to go up and down by 40 or 50 pounds for the next several years, but by age 42 I had ultimately regained up to 256. That was when I decided to have the lap band surgery.
I have gone into stores and felt invisible (in my obese body) because the sales clerks will not make eye contact with you, and what can be even worse that that is going into a clothing store that sells average sized clothing and have a clerk look you up and down and in a patrionizing voice say "uh can I help you" clearly communicating you don't belong there.
I don't know about the rest of you but in spite of having been thin at different times in my life, and even now that I'm down 60 pounds with only 50 more to go to reach goal, I feel much better physically and mentally however, regardles of my actual size, I will always be that 12 year old in middle school on the inside.
Not all people who have enjoyed an average sized life are rude, superficial, and ignorant....but I think that most all people who have struggled with weight have learned lesson in empathy, and compassion which the average sized world cannot even begin to comprehend.