blanham04

Here is an article I was reading and thought I would share with you all: http://www.cnn.com/2012/07/14/health/father-son-bariatric-surgery/index.html?utm_campaign=Feed%3A+rss%2Fcnn_health+%28RSS%3A+Health%29&utm_medium=feed&utm_source=feedburner&iref=obinsite

What is Gastro?

Congrats!!!! I live in Florida the land of theme parks, and went to univerals studios a few months after surgery and was able to ride the rides where as last year I wasn't! It's big victory and congratulations!!!

I went to Europe when I was younger and really enjoyed it, and I have always wanted to go back but didn't think I would get as much enjoyment out of it as a fat person. So when I lose 150lbs then I am going to Europe. I am thinking about scheduling the trip a year in advance so I have a goal/reward to work towards!

I thought I would share a few NSV's I've had recently as I find these very motivating. I was banded May 10th but I count since I started the program in February. Since then I've lost 70lbs and continue to lose about 2 lbs a week. Anyway on the NSV's: 1. I was able to buy a new belt today at a normal store, I didn't have to go the Big and Tall store. I wanted to keep the old belt and I had been punching holes in it to keep using it, but I work in a professional office and the shabby look doesn't fly. Anyway I went to the store to actually pick up some socks and figured I'd try on a belt just to see and low and behold it fit!!!! 2. I am a guy and shave every morning for work. Shaving has actually become a lot easier believe it or not. I never expected this change, but I have noticed that my face shaves cleaner and I have a lot less razor bumps now. 3. This one is pretty exciting. I was the biggest person in my office of about 100 people for a long time. There was one other guy who was also large, but about 50lbs lighter than where I started in February. Well since I've lost weight and now I have passed him up he wants to join me in my fitness routine. I am happy to have a workout buddy, and I am really glad that I (the fatest (former) person at work) has inspired one of my coworkers to get into better shape!!! Thanks for all the support fellow bandsters and I look forward to posting more NSV's on here!

Ok I am impressed if you managed to go on a cruise and still lose weight if you say you ate like you were on vacation. I used to go on vacation just to eat, so I could gain 10 or 15 lbs in a week on a cruise ship. Are you excercising a lot or something? What's your secret for losing 10 lbs while on vacation, especially one that has a lot do do with eating?

This sounds great to me, that was kind of my fear as well, what happens if I get to the point where I can't do it myself anymore and need the band to do its job a little more. This sounds like a great plan. I am really glad I'm not the only one on here who is experiencing this. I have only been on it for 5 weeks, but the weight is dropping pretty rapidly. I am down about 60lbs including the 3 weeks presurgery diet. So the band is working well, but this will be the 4th time in my life I've had a significant weight loss and the hard part for me has always been keeping it off. I have definately changed my eating habits, but eventually if I go on vacation or "have a bad week" I don't want to put on 10 lbs because my band doesn't stop me from eating.

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So I went to my Dr. today 5 weeks after surgery for my first fill if needed. I had lost 14 lbs since surgery and was told I didn't need a fill. The Dr. also said that they noticed that patients who worked with their bands more, needed less fills. I have been doing this (eating healthy and working out a lot) in order to produce results. At this time I can eat whatever I want, and have had a bite of pretty much anything (pizza, bread, ect.). I have also read a lot of success stories on this site, and noticed that some people who have been really successful went for long periods of time before they got their first fill and those same people don't complain about getting stuck. So I guess what I am asking is from those of you who have been successful, do you feel like you tried to avoid getting filled until you needed it, or did you just get one whenever. I could have probably done with a fill today because I could go out and eat whatever I want and probably not have any repercussions, but I like knowing that I can eat anything I would like and not having to worry about it making me PB or anything. I don't want to criticize anyone, I feel like whatever it takes to make the lap band work for you then go for it! I am just curious what others have experienced in their journeys... Thank you for the feedback!

Great Job, that is really impressive, keep up the good work!

Great NSV, smaller clothes and doing physical activity that you couldn't do before are much more rewarding than eating that extra serving of food!

Way to go, hoping to follow suite!

Congrats, always good when someone compliments you on your hard work!

So as the title says I was banded on May 10th of 2012 and including the pre-surgery diet I have lost 50lbs so far. I didn't think I would have anything to Celebrate only a few weeks out, but I already do and thought I would share: 1. Everyone at work keeps asking me how much weight I've lost and how I am doing so well . 2. I went to the back of my closet and pulled out 10 items of clothing I haven't worn in 5 years or more! 3. My wife and I went to Disney World together and when we have gone in the past I am usually walking along with my feet hurting trying to keep up with her. This time she was trying to keep up with me! Also, I was able to ride a few rides for once! I just thought I would share these with the community and I want to thank all the people on here so much. If I hadn't read your success stories I know I would have never went through with the surgery. I almost backed out the morning of, but decided that so many people had been successful and I wanted to as well. I am in love with my lapband at this point and so excited that I don't feel hungry and don't have the cravings like I used to. I look forward to continued weight loss and most importantly keeping the weight off long term. Thank you all for the inspiration!

Thank you for all the support, I just found out I am approved and my surgery is scheduled for May 10th. Very Scared and excited at the same time!

Thank you all for your responses. I wanted to share a little about myself and why your feedback actually means a lot to me. I have been big my whole life and have lost substantial amounts of weight 3 times, even getting down to 165 and being 5'10, I thought I was doing well. But I could never keep it off, eventually my eating would go back to the way it was and what I call the hunger monster would return. I finally gave up and have ballooned up to 400 lbs. I am ashamed to even admit it and won't tell my wife how much I weigh. I've been working hard recently and lost a few lbs but not much. This lap band is my last chance to live a normal life and not be fat. I am so excited about the possibilities, but also really scared. Scared about the surgery(I've never had surgery before), scared that it won't work, ect. I have actually been trying to follow what I think I will eat once I am banded with a few cheats here and there but overall doing fairly well. I feel a lot better since I now focus on protein and avoid carbs. I just wonder that since I haven't had the will power to keep the weight off before, why will it be different this time with the band? And how will my will power combined with the band keep me from eating what I'm not supposed to eat? From reading your comments above, it sounds like it will, but I guess I won't know what the band feels like until I have it. I have been seeing the psychologist my lapband doctor reccomended because I wanted to work on why I ate they way I did. It has helped some, and I think it will be more helpful when I am banded so I don't go crazy! I have been lurking around this website for almost a year reading people's stories and this if my first major post so I appreciate the feedback. I really do want to thank you all for these comments because I can relate to them!

Hello everyone, I have done all the prerequisites and am just currently waiting on insurance approval. I have been thinking through all the rules that I will have when I get this lap band, such as no bread, no sodas, eat mostly protein and vegetables. I am not great at following diets for a long time hince the reason I am overweight. This seems a lot like a diet with rules that you have to follow. Why can't I just follow these rules, what help does the lap band give? I know a lot of you have been successful with the lapband and I just would like to know how the lapband makes it easier to follow these rules and what difference it has made for you vs just doing it on your own. Don't get me wrong, I am all for the lapband, but before I submit myself to surgery I want to know that this will actually help me. Thank you for the input!

Congrats!!!

brought tears to my eyes!!! Such an inspiration!!!