Soulshine76

I remember that feeling as well. You are just sitting there, smack right in front of that huge mirror.
Now, six months after being banded, I walk into the salon and all the hairdressers are all "Wow! You look great! How much have you lost now?"
Don't worry. You are one day closer to getting your band and one day closer to feeling better about yourself.

I am 11 weeks post op and have lost 35 lbs and 11 inches off my waist! This was the best decision I've ever made. I was told I wasn't big enough to have the surgery. Now I look back at the pics and I was huge!
Other great things happening- I got engaged June 13th and the wedding is in 2 weeks. I can't wait to walk down the aisle 35lbs thinner!
These before pics were taken a week before surgery. I still have 30 lbs to go.

Wow!!! You look fantastic!

WOW I have to say the Lapband with Plication has been the best weightloss dession of my life. 11 wks out no fills 56.9 Lbs total gone, (still have a lot to go but I am loving it..). grated it is just a tool i cant sit on the couch and watch TV and just shed the LBS magically, I am in the gym 7 days a week and with every pound loss allows me to add more and more time to my work out. I am loving the changes in my life. I can play basketball w my daughter and keep up. I am participating in my first 5 K saturday. Start runing with a running group next monday... it has truly been a blessing to me. I love this site and the info and support to be found here. Thanks to all of you.

Because that is not taking into consideration PATIENT CAUSED FAILURES. We live in a society of blame. We love to blame everyone and everything else for our failures. This is another perfect example of this victim mentality.
There is a huge difference between people who are compliant with their doctors and band rules and those who screw up and have only themselves to blame for their failures.
For actual facts, here is a recent and long term study proving only 5% of band patients fail by no fault of their own:
Weight stays off long after lap band surgery

MONASH U. (AUS) — Gastric banding is safe and effective for managing obesity long-term, according to a study of patients 10 to 15 years after their surgeries.

The study, the longest and most comprehensive yet reported, appears in the Annals of Surgery, and finds a significant number of laparoscopic adjustable gastric banding (lap banding) patients maintained an average weight loss of 26 kilograms for more than a decade after their procedure.

Researchers analyzed the results in 3,227 patients who had gastric banding surgery in Australia between 1994, when the procedure was first introduced, and 2011. The patients in the study were averaged at 47 years-of-age and 78 percent were women.

Of those patients, 714 had surgery at least 10 years ago and, on average, had maintained a weight loss of 26 kilograms, or almost half of their excess weight.

The weight loss results were similar for the 54 patients in the study who had undergone treatment at least 15 years ago.

“These results show that when you have a significant problem with obesity, a long-term solution is available,” says Professor Paul O’Brien of the Centre for Obesity Research and Education at Monash University in Melbourne.

“This surgery is safe and effective, and it has lasting benefits. Substantial weight loss can change the lives of people who are obese—they can be healthier and live longer.”
O’Brien says there are also important ramifications for the control of type 2 diabetes, which was strongly associated with being overweight.

“In obese patients with type 2 diabetes, weight loss after gastric banding can lead to effective control of blood sugar levels without the need for medication in about three-quarters of cases,” O’Brien says.

The patients included in the study had followed the rules of their treating team regarding eating, exercise, and activity and committed to returning permanently to the aftercare program.

All the surgery was performed by O’Brien, an international pioneer of the technique, and Associate Professor Wendy Brown, President of the Obesity Surgery Society of Australia and New Zealand.

There were no deaths associated with the surgery or with any later operations that were needed in about half of the patients. About one in 20 patients had the band removed during the study period.
“In treating a chronic disease such as obesity over a lifetime, it is likely that something will need to be corrected at some time in some patients,” says O’Brien.

“The study shows a marked reduction of revisional procedures with the introduction of the new version of the Lap-Band 6 years ago. Importantly, those who had revisional surgery lost as much weight in the long term as those who did not need it.”

The report also included a comparison of gastric banding—which can be done as a day-surgery procedure—and more invasive types of weight-loss surgery such as gastric bypass that are high risk and require longer hospital stay. The weight loss with gastric banding, and the need for future revisional surgery, was similar to that with gastric bypass.

“Access to weight-loss surgery in Australia remains severely limited for many obese patients as relatively few cases are treated within the public health system. We are working hard to improve access,” says O’Brien.

“We have ample evidence that weight-loss surgery is effective, and it is unfair that half of eligible patients cannot be treated, particularly as it has been shown that gastric banding is a highly cost-effective health care measure. The stigma of obesity, and the assumption that it is the person’s fault, entrenches discrimination against people who could benefit.”

http://www.futurity....p-band-surgery/
BTW, if you notice, the statistics improved considerably after the NEW bands were used instead of the older 4cc bands.
....and are you bored today? You seem to be trolling for conflict far more than usual. If you hate the band so much, why not just get rid of yours and be on your merry way? Just say'n.

I am 6 wks post op today and have stayed the same for the last 2 weeks. I got a fill yesterday and on liquids for 2 days. I increased my cardio 3 days ago. Hoping between the liquids and cardio things will get moving again.

I am 6 wks post op today and have stayed the same for the last 2 weeks. I got a fill yesterday and on liquids for 2 days. I increased my cardio 3 days ago. Hoping between the liquids and cardio things will get moving again.

I am 6 wks post op today and have stayed the same for the last 2 weeks. I got a fill yesterday and on liquids for 2 days. I increased my cardio 3 days ago. Hoping between the liquids and cardio things will get moving again.

Heard exercise helps stress, and I had one heck of a weekend, so last night in the dark, at the high school track, I took a step. Then another, then another....
Three miles. No partner, no ipod, just unwinding my head. It helped.
Tonight, three miles again. Ipod this time. Kinda proud of myself for a change.

I am divorced with 3 children. Daughters that are 9 and 11 and a 16 yr old son. I told my son and he has been involved with the entire process. He was even my driver for the surgery. I really do not want my ex-husband and his wife to know because then everyone on the PTA and soccer team and so on will know. So I originally told the girls I was having a stomach surgery and it was no big deal. Finally, as the surgery got closer I ended up telling them that the surgery would help me lose weight. They were so, so excited and started talking about shopping and all that. I made sure to never say the word "Lapband." I then explained extensively that this is something that is private and it's ok for families to have things that are private. I explained how important it is to not tell even one friend. They've done great. My ex even asked them what kind of surgery I was having and they said they didn't know. I really think its a judgement call and depends on the individual child and their maturity level.

Just have to tell. I made it. I made it!! I'm at my goal weight!
It took 2 and 7 months to lose 178 lbs.
I'm not skinny by anyone's standard. I'm normal. Normal! HOORAY!!
I can shop in the front of the store, I can walk great distances.
I can leap tall buildings with a single bound.. oh wait. Can't do that just yet.
But give me a couple of months! Haha!
You guys helped me all along the way. Thank you so much for all the support.

Since beginning my journey in Feb 2013 I have lost 43 pounds! I still have about 50 to go but I'm so excited to be almost half way there in such a short period of time! I know I have a long way to go but I will get there! Here's a picture in January before surgery and the after picture was taken 3 weeks ago.

Whew! I feel like I am FINALLY over the hump. I am 2 weeks post op as of yesterday. My soreness and gas are finally gone. Even my port site has finally quit hurting and it isn't painful to bend over, etc. I'm still on full liquids, but have discovered some new foods that have made it more tolerable. I've lost 25 lbs and a ton of inches. My incisions are almost healed and it doesn't look like I ever had surgery. I was in a bad place a week ago, but it does get better and I know now this was the best decision I've ever made! We are all healing at a different pace and our diet progressions are all definitely different.. But I see the light at the end of the tunnel and its worth it!

Whew! I feel like I am FINALLY over the hump. I am 2 weeks post op as of yesterday. My soreness and gas are finally gone. Even my port site has finally quit hurting and it isn't painful to bend over, etc. I'm still on full liquids, but have discovered some new foods that have made it more tolerable. I've lost 25 lbs and a ton of inches. My incisions are almost healed and it doesn't look like I ever had surgery. I was in a bad place a week ago, but it does get better and I know now this was the best decision I've ever made! We are all healing at a different pace and our diet progressions are all definitely different.. But I see the light at the end of the tunnel and its worth it!

Absolutely. I did not have a hernia and no prior surgeries. I also know that Days 2 and 3 could be worse. Just relieved the unknowns of the surgery are over and on the road to this next chapter.