Bandista

Gosh. You gals are downright fashionable!!! I'm so happy to see healthy sizes and happy banders
Years down the road.
Sorry lisacaron for the latest gagging. Does your band get tight over time? Or do you think it was just meds? I'm so glad taking a bit out worked.... Hope you don't need more out and all is calm.
My band is fairly calm these days... Some days she is downright fickle. But mostly chew ,chew, .... Lots of Beans and chicken lately

Hi friends. You're all going through so much. I feel like I want to give each of you a big old hug.
I've been absent from this site but I'm doing very well. Got back on a strong clean food plan and the weight is slowly coming off again.
I hope you all have a peaceful week and take good care of yourselves.
Oh, here's a picture of the maxidress my daughter asked me to wear when I met her boyfriend. He's a doll, by the way.

Thanks @@Debbie3sons it was a horrible experience I hope never to have to go through again. I am feeling so much better this afternoon thank goodness!! I'm sticking to liquids for another day or so and then I'll move back to soft and mush foods even though the Dr. said it was OK to eat, I am fearful of the pain that I had over the weekend, so I'd rather take it really slow and let things inside heal up before testing it again.

Omgosh Lisacaron be careful that sounds like a scary experience , hope you get better soon .

Awesome picture Liz!!!
I have to tell you ladies I have felt the pain of the band bashers this weekend! As you know from my earlier rant I had some surgery and then got a horrible flu bug on top of that in-spite of my flu shot. I'm sure my immune system is more than taxed since I wasn't in the best health or frame of mind prior to surgery.
OK so this weekend it got so bad that I can hardly swallow my own saliva let alone drink anything or god forbid eat solid food. Between the meds and the stress and the pain of recovery my stoma is so irritated it's practically shut. I was in tears this weekend just wanting to take the darn band OUT. I tried going on just liquids for days but nothing was working. I was having horrible acid re-flux all day and night. The Dr. told me last night when I finally was ready to just go to the ER (or in my own imagination stick my hand down my throat and rip the band out, as if that was gonna work)
stop all eating and drinking. Duh, I hadn't been able to drink anything since the last time I tried a shake at 10 am that morning. I did what he said though and didn't even try to swallow Water. I went to bed early and prayed to get to the office this morning. Finally the PA got there around 1 this afternoon and took out 2+cc's of Fluid and the plug un plugged and I could breath again and I feel better. I was able to take some pain meds for the horrible headache I have and now around 2:30 I am feeling better.
It is not easy to suffer through that feeling of seriously feeling choked from the inside out. I don't wish to ever feel like that again. I know it's not the bands fault, and thank goodness it's able to be adjusted and I was able to get some relief. I have since added this antibiotic to my allergy list. Levaquin is not for me it definitely irritates my stomach and caused the stoma to swell up to the point that it was closed shut. Even though I stopped taking it on Thursday and went on liquids for days nothing helped until having some Fluid out today.
I'm hoping that I won't need to go back to have the rest of the band drained and that I will be able to heal over the next few weeks. I am seriously feeling down...feeling sick for so long..it's been nearly a month since surgery and recovery is slow I know it's a major thing to heal muscles, but I am so frustrated I don't like not feeling well. I hope this is the first step in getting better once and for all so I can get back to those bright smiles!!!

Just thought I'd post this pic from Saturday night at Lincoln Center. Went to see Handel's Messiah and wanted to dress very festively to go with the holiday theme. Found this outfit in my closet...it actually belonged to my mom and she gave it to me last year when she finally admitted she'd never see this size again. Those slacks are a size 6. Three years ago I was wearing slacks in a size 24. Yup...24. Anyway, I hope my smile is as bright and sparkly as the top I have on. I can't believe how much fun it is to decide what to wear instead of just putting something on that hopefully fits.

Thank you always for your steadfast support banders. ????
Made it thru the birthdays Just hanging in and hoping each year sheds a bit more light on my clouded heart.
On thru Xmas???????? and hoping for for a fresh new year????????.
Thanks again for being here!

Sharpie : ) glad they are taking care of you! And you taking care of you, too. Go band!

Hi Julie, sending a little extra love your way today!

@@meggs353 I don't have good stats re: timing -- I was highly motivated from pre-op through those first 6-8 months when I probably lost the most. I do notice that if I relax about it mentally then the scale keeps going down little by little. Now for another ten pounds and to keep tightening up the core. A project.

Hi there,
I guess it's true that Time flies when you're having fun; I've been having a lot of that. Honestly, I cannot believe that two years ago today I was waking up from surgery and beginning a new chapter in my life. I had no idea then of the many ways my life would be reshaped aside from the shape of my body.
I'm forever grateful the band was available to me as it has been the perfect choice for my situation. We are all different. I was 52 at the time and had never been an overnight patient in a hospital before. I can barely tolerate going to the dentist. Getting a band was a big decision but I was fortunate somehow to just know that that's what I wanted to do. Thank goodnes there are so many different surgery choices available to us; we live in marvellous times.
Two years ago I was 250+ and now I'm in the seventies. I'm a little tall and like my curves (oh my goodness, do I LOVE having a waist!) so I don't want to get too thin. But a word about collarbones: YIPPEE! And hips. Wrists. You know how it is -- I'm celebrating this new body every day. I was wearing size twenty pants and am now in tens. No more Plus Size anything. I would not have predicted that I have a thing for clothes, but oh yes, I sure do. It's so much fun to be able to just try something on without all of that angst.
I have been an exerciser for many years (arthritis - have to move) but in the last two years I have ratcheted up to being more of an athlete. I feel ridiculous even typing that out as it's such a foreign concept. I used to work out for 45 minutes 3-4 times a week; well, it turns out I am some one who needs more like 75-90 minutes 5-6 times a week. There's the faking it until making it thing and that's what I did. I pretended that I liked it, that I was one of "those" people until I actually have become something resembling one of those lucky people who truly look forward to exercising. Like I said, resembling. I'm not quite there but I raise my hands up in that crossing the finish line pose and I go do what I need to do and I feel like a million bucks afterward.
food. I am happy to report that I still like food. I can taste almost anything and be quite satisfied. That is a miracle. I love to cook and one of my weird non-scale victories (NSVs) is being able to tie my apron double around my waist. I love that. All those years in all those kitchens with my big fat Winnie-the-Pooh belly in an ill-fitting apron or Chef's jacket. No more. Silly, but that just feels so good. I was very restrictive in my former life so I am careful to not be on a diet. I make good choices, which I can do because my appetite is dimmed and I know what good choices are. But I also let myself have a little bit of whatever I want, whether that's a square of chocolate or cheese (behold, the power of cheese). This is why I still have a little weight to lose but I'm okay with that. I do drink alcohol and we have a lot of dinner parties, go to restaurants, etc. Practically no one knows I am banded; I'm extremely private about that. What people do see, however, is how much I'm exercising and how good I feel. It was important for me to go a bit slowly because I wanted the weight loss to be incremental and I didn't want to have saggy skin.
Well, that's about it. I am tremendously grateful to all of my Lapband Talk friends and now Bariatric Pal. You know who you are -- the encourageers. Virtual friends. This has been my first experience on a forum and it's been great. Best wishes to all of you wherever you are in the process. For new people, a few words: don't get too hung up on what kind of surgery you had; we have much more in common than not. Don't try to give or take advice from strangers on the internet. Have a good working relationship with your doctor and show up for all your appointments. Show up for yourself! I really had to put myself first to get the surgery and choose my own well-being over taking care of other people's needs first. I don't do that any more and, guess what, every one else benefits from that. Here's to our health!

Great post! Thanks so much for all the inspiration. You are doing beautifully......

Sharpie : ) glad they are taking care of you! And you taking care of you, too. Go band!

Sharpie : ) glad they are taking care of you! And you taking care of you, too. Go band!

My health club opens at 5am...and I'm usually there.....3 days a week, then weekends.
After my workout, I can shower, shave, and get dressed for work right there...they also have a small restaurant - lunch counter where I can purchase a smoothie from the juice Bar for my Breakfast.
I don't think it's crazy at all, but other people say I'm nuts....
People say they would be dead on their feet for the rest of the day...but I find just the opposite to be true.
At 5am there is a large crowd doing the same, so I'm in good company.

Man oh man ... what an inspiring thread!
You folks rock!

Hello everyone! At 280 pounds I'm so ready to get this weight off and start a new healthy lifestyle. I've completed my 6 month diet and nutrition and psych eval. I have an appt on Monday to get my medical clearance. It should be downhill from there. I hope to get a surgery date in January. I can hardly wait. I've been considering this for almost two years. I'm ready the make the nessasary changes to better my health. My doctor was trying to get me to get a sleeve because he says too many people eat around the band and never lose much weight. I'm not ready to take that step. I'm going with the band!!!

Julie I am feeling your sadness too.. First Christmas without my husband of 39 years . My kids are trying hard to keep me upbeat and I am going to try to keep things as normal as possible for them. I feel his presence in our home every day and I have wonderful memories of our life together . I was blessed with a man who was my biggest fan and my rock. His children adored him and we were so lucky to have him in our lives. Things will become easier for me and for you too my dear, I hope your holiday is good and yes a calm year in 2016 would be wonderful. Take Care of yourself.

Hi Julie, sending a little extra love your way today!

Hang in there Julie. These are the hardest times. You just have to get through them. In time, you will find new traditions and it won't always be this bad. Your job right now is just to make it to New Years. Just know I'll be thinking of you and keeping you in my heart.
Liz

Hi Jackie, be careful not to take advice from strangers on the internet. We are here to offer support to each other but medical decisions can only be made with the help of our medical professionals. I can only speak to my own experience and the Lapband has been wonderful for me. There are a couple of links in my signature below that talk about how it works -- not to restrict intake but to help signal the brain for satiety. Best wishes to you as you research and decide what's right for you. I am lucky that I knew from the get-go which surgery was right for me and I'm glad it was available as I would not have done something more drastic. I like it that the band is reversible and I still have my whole stomach, etc. Many people who have the Sleeve and other surgeries are very happy as well -- the successful weight loss people are ones that do a lot of research and work closely with their doctors to follow instructions to the tee. Weight loss surgery is life-changing. I'm so glad I did it!

Just saying hi and checking in with my favorite group!!
Im feeling so blessed to have surpassed the 9 year mark of banded life ...and feel very grateful for the gift of health I gained.
The second holidays without my husband and the first without dad. Sigh. And their birthdays (!) are this Friday ....dec. 18. Sad. My kids are really being my touchstone lately...another thing to be so grateful for.
Each year gives (and takes) and I'll be ok when New Years comes . I'm hoping for no more surprises.... Just a nice calm year .... For all of us????

Hang in there, Lisa. You can get back on track. It's not easy, but never ever give up.

Haven't posted in a while to many things happening funeral for a friends Sister , cooking, cleaning, thinking about my Son's Graduation in January ,busy working because of the Holiday season & a lot more but still dancing lol & I have been at 165 & it's not budging been there for a while still want my 135 though but I don't know if my body is saying a155 # is enough , oh well just a lot happening & today is my son's 22nd Birthday so pretty much life but at least I have one now LOL but everyone take care of you & be safe & have fun these days .

Hi All...I have to say I have fallen off track...and got lost in the enchanted forest of I don't give a .......
It's been all about healing the last few weeks after carpal tunnel surgery. Let me tell you if you don't know...you don't know till you have it. What a pain...in so many more ways than just pain but there is that too and never ending soreness it seems.
I've had the flu for the last 2 weeks just feeling better today actually not blowing my nose off or coughing up my lungs. My band has not shown me any love...it's a task master (which is a good thing I suppose) but my emotional self has been having a rough time of it. Even though I want those comfort foods and I want to eat and eat and eat that band just say's NOPE and if you do...I will make you even more miserable than you think you are already. So I had a few days of battle with the band.
I ate the sugary yummy stuff and I was tired and well acid re flux in your sleep just sucks! Don't go to sleep right after you eat...yeah no eating 3 hours before bed time OK got it. I haven't gotten on the scale because I don't want to face it really...but maybe tomorrow morning just to see how bad things really are and try to get back on track again.
Now that some structure is back in place I could possibly do this again though I don't see gym type happening any time soon. Everything is still such an effort I can't even imagine carrying a gym bag at this point...but I am going to keep focusing on healing and getting healthy all things in time.