gowalking

I've put back a few...and I'm going for another fill at the end of the month. Maintenance is the real test... Some of my clothes are getting a bit tight and I refuse to buy larger sizes so I'm taking control again. It's not alot...about 10 lbs. but I want it off. Hope you are also doing well.

You will look back on this and be soooo happy you went through with it. I felt just like you did....terrified and full of doubt. I'm three years banded now and have gotten my life back. Truly. I was heading towards living my life in a wheelchair because I had such terrible joint pain. This past summer, I rode a bike through all the Royal Parks when I went to London on vacation. Yup...I'll say it again...I GOT MY LIFE BACK!! Good luck. You will do great. PS: sometimes pictures are worth a thousand words. This is me before WLS and after.

Not just the effect on pain, but just how good it feels to be touching another person. Just the other day, out of the blue, my man was embracing me. Not a prelude to sex, just a hug. I quietly said how good this felt and before I knew it, I had tears in my eyes. When I lay in his arms at night, I literally feel my stress level drop. Now I know this wouldn't happen if we didn't have a good relationship...but the touching and feeling held and safe, goes a long way for sure. OKC...keep telling and showing her how much you value her.

Spectacualar!

..the other boob.. can you hear me laughing??

Meant to tell you @JustWatchMe....I giggle every time you reference the 'wasband'.

I'm in Old Bridge too! Spent 15 years in Old Bridge...off Rt. 9. Been in NYC for a little over 10 years.

FYI...going for yet another fill in a couple of weeks. Went from great restriction to trying to find it again. All I know is that some of my clothes are tight and that is simply not acceptable. Having to use the willpower alot...but I can do it.

Good girl!! I knew you could do it! My children and granddaughter make fun of my lack of technical knowledge so I know how out of it you feel for sure!

Oh @Puppypaws57....I'm so sorry to hear this. You were on these boards alot and like so many others, just disappeared. I'm so sorry it's likely due to your difficulties with the band. These kind of posts worry me so....

Yes honey. I replied yesterday afternoon. Let me know if you don't see it.

I didn't read all the responses so you may be getting duplicate info here...but one year out from lapband surgery and with a loss of about 100 lbs., I looked in the mirror and saw an old and saggy lady looking back. Fast forward two years...another 40-50 lbs. down, and with the help of a therapist and just time...I still have a turkey neck but it's not horrible. I did tighten up some and with makeup and nice outfits, I don't think anyone is really paying attention. Besides...over the last 18 months, I went back into the dating world and not a single man I met ever seemed to be aware of any sag or wrinkles. I got more than my share of compliments and the guy I'm in a committed relationship with, who has seen all of me...thinks I'm the sexiest thing out there. I'm telling you...we are hardest on ourselves. I bet your neck area will be more than fine over the next year or so. If by next year, you still feel awful about this area, go check out plastic surgeons. Good luck!

You know exactly why you gained the weight and you also know exactly what to do to take it off again. Don't be embarrassed...and go see the doctor. You did great sweetie....and you will again.

I just sent you a PM Gaylene. You should see it in your notifications. Hope to see a response from you.

Hi @Gaylene. I'm three years post surgery and am also struggling with maintaining. I've also gone down that path of making poor food choices. While I'd never tell you what to do, I can't help but wonder if instead of having yet another surgery, you need to work on the head hunger that we all deal with after a time. They call the beginning of this process the 'honeymoon' phase and I understand why. When you are losing, it's great. Once you've lost it though..well now comes the hard work of keeping it off. Might I suggest you talk to the surgeon who banded you and a nutritionist who can help you with food choices? All I'm saying is that if the band has not eroded, or there are no issues with it, why not try working the tool you have instead of switching it out? I'd be happy to be a 'buddy' with you so we can help each other. If you are interested, feel free to PM me.

BP is fine... Dr. wants me on a Holter monitor. Crap. I know what a pain in the a$$ they are. I worked on hypertension clinical trials where Holter data was collected so I know....

Yes. Exactly. Even if something bad is happening, we can see how being normal sized makes it better.

So for the first time in my life (57 years old) I passed out. Fainted, face planted...whatever you want to call it. I was with my sister on line waiting to purchase tickets to a show we want to see. Was doing fine...my sister, who is obese, was sweating and had to take off her coat. This is what happens to her when we're just walking quickly, which we were. Doesn't happen to me anymore. I stood on line with her with my jacket closed and not a drop of perspiration (thank you lapband!!) Suddenly I got light-headed and dizzy. Sounded like everything was under Water and told sis I needed to sit down. That was the last thing I remember till I woke up with sis in my face calling my name. The theater manager called 911 even though I asked them not to. The EMTs come running in, take off my coat, put a BP cuff on and ask me questions. I know they're checking my cognitive function. They knew I was OK when they asked me to get in the ambulance so they could do a quick ECG and I said OK as long as my sister stayed on line for the tickets. So..here's the NSV. First one...no embarrassment over this. No feeling like ugh..the fat woman is sick. She must have done something to herself. No one staring at me..only concern on their faces. Second NSV..Being able to climb into the ambulance. Never had to do that before and I know that when I was heavy, it would have been impossible. Third...no worry that the BP cuff would fit. Fourth..no worry when they asked me to sit on the 'bed' which was really just a shelf with a plastic cushion. Fifth...and truly the best NSV...the relief that my weight would not be an issue or even be mentioned. I'm normal sized now and that's what everyone sees. So I'm fine today and will wait to see if my doctor wants me to come in. I did tell the nurse what happened and she said she'd let me know if I need to come in. But that's not really the point. The point is that I felt like a normal person and was treated like a normal person in a rather unusual situation. Those of you who are/were morbidly obese as I used to be will understand where I'm coming from.

Your Mrs. did my lapband surgery a little over three years ago and about six months ago, she had to move the port under the muscle as it stuck out like a golfball...which she said was because I had no fat anymore. She's a great doctor and the office and those who work there have been great as well. I lost all my excess weight and got my life back thanks to your wife and the office that supports her. Many thanks to both of you.

I'm here Julie...and always available. Liz

@oregondaisy..I was widowed at 36. it was also a long time ago but I sure do have a good idea what you went through and what Julie is going thru. She and I have PM'd as well. Also sorry to hear about your band. I too am banded and am always super alert to anything in order to be proactive. I'd hate to have issues and have to revise to another WLS.

@oregondaisy..I was widowed at 36. it was also a long time ago but I sure do have a good idea what you went through and what Julie is going thru. She and I have PM'd as well. Also sorry to hear about your band. I too am banded and am always super alert to anything in order to be proactive. I'd hate to have issues and have to revise to another WLS. @oregondaisy..I was widowed at 36. it was also a long time ago but I sure do have a good idea what you went through and what Julie is going thru. She and I have PM'd as well. Also sorry to hear about your band. I too am banded and am always super alert to anything in order to be proactive. I'd hate to have issues and have to revise to another WLS.

Yeah...one more thing this friend said to me that is sooo true. She said the opposite of love is not hate. It's indifference. Once you don't give a rats ass about him or how he feels or how you hope he feels, you'll know you're on your way

When my first husband passed away, I was inconsolable, destroyed, angry, grief-stricken..etc. I kept trying to figure out how to change the outcome ridiculous as it was. I was a zombie for months just going through the motions. When I joined Parents Without Partners, a friend I had in the organization told me that divorce is the death of a marriage rather than the death of a spouse. The feelings however, are very similar. Sounds to me that you are in that grieving phase. The marriage is dead but you are still trying to figure out how to change the outcome. I hear very familiar things when you say you have no one to go to and he was your best friend. Many nights, I laid in bed talking to a dead man. Hell, I still do and it's been more than 20 years. Just like with the death of a loved one, you will over time, learn to accept the loss of your marriage and find happiness in other ways. It took me a long time to couple up again and I had my share of frogs along the way but I also made wonderful relationships with other 'uncoupled' women that meant everything to me...and still do. Find a support group where your story will resonate and you will find others who feel as you do. Right now you can't see past the end of your nose, but many of us know that at some point, you'll wonder why you let that good for nothing take up so much space in your life and head.

So glad things are going well for you Debbie and Joe. I'm a bit miserable these days I'm sorry to say. I'm happy with my fellow but work is very stressful. All I know is that I've crept up 15 lbs. over the last few months even with two fills and just now, I put on a pair of jeans that after a wash and tumble in the dryer, are uncomfortably tight. I'm so disappointed in myself. I said I'd never let this happen and now I'm close to having to slip into a bigger size because of the weight gain. I need to get another fill, and go back to basics...even go back to tracking my food intake again. I know what to eat and what not to, I just am not following the plan that helped me to lose the weight. I'm posting here rather than on the main site....I need my support and no comments from people who don't know my story and struggle. The one thing I'm not going to do is disappear. I think alot of people do when they fall off the wagon and folks need to know how hard...really hard maintenance is even with surgery.