Barb Rich

Banded Jan 27, 15. Total lost: 150. Still have 17 to go. ????

Surgery date 1/14/2015 down 109 lbs so far. 33 more to go!

Love my band. Down 88lbs at my year anniversary. Feeling great. Look at my before and after picson my profile.

Banded Dec. 17, 2014

Banded Dec. 17, 2015. Down 85 lbs. and feel great. About 35 lbs lbs to go.

Love my band. Down 88lbs at my year anniversary. Feeling great. Look at my before and after picson my profile.

Today marks 1 year since my surgery date and I haven't look back for one second.
It hasn't been easy, but it's the best decision I have ever made for myself.
I have lost a little over 33kg (around 72lb) which makes me just over half way there
If anyone is undecided - please take the plunge, it is so so so worth it.
I'm attaching a couple of photos so you can see the difference and how amazing I feel - The collage is a comparison shot taken exactly 12 months apart, and the second is a picture taken of me a friends wedding a couple of weeks ago...
Have an awesome weekend everyone.

Congratulations. You look great. I was a Dec. 2015 bander. I love the band.

Banded Dec. 17, 2014

Banded Dec. 17, 2015. Down 85 lbs. and feel great. About 35 lbs lbs to go.

Right after surgery, everybody looses weight...lap band or no, we are on a strict post-op diet starting with Clear liquids and slowly progressing. Who wouldn't loose weight? And yet people give credit to the band.
At this stage, the Lap Band is doing nothing, IMO....it was installed and nothing more.(there are a FEW EXCEPTIONS...very few)
And let's face it...people who have much to loose, will loose more than the next person not quite so heavy.
So when someone says "I Lost 50 lbs, blah blah blah, the next person should not feel bad only loosing 10lbs.
I know people who could loose 50lbs if they skipped dinner! (only joking)
There are people here who start at 400lbs and loose over 200, and people who start at 225 and only loose 75....so which is more difficult?
So don't let the #'s intimidate you...it's all relative.
I had my first fill 4 weeks after surgery, and it was 4cc's....after that, I began to gain weight because it also the time I came off the post-op diet and began eating normal food again. DUH!
That first fill did absolutely nothing.
Had my second fill of 2cc's, 4 weeks after that, = 8 weeks from surgery.
The band began to do something....I didn't loose weight, but I did not gain either.
All this time I was being told and reminded to count calories, measure portions, stay away from certain foods/drink, etc...ALL the things I could have done (and have done) without surgery, the time and anxiety put into preparing for this, not to mention the $$.
Talk about Frustration!! I felt it was a big Rip Off!
Came back 4 weeks after that, = 12 weeks from surgery for my 3rd, (and final) fill. THAT one put me over the top.Pushed me off the edge!
Could not keep anything down. Feared I was going to be malnourished, etc. I was free falling!
Many people would have gone back to get it taken out, get back within their comfort zone......but my Dr. (who knows ME and not YOU) talked me into sticking it out, talked me into slowing down my eating, choice of foods, all those thing etc, etc.
Also said if I did get that last (small) fill removed, it would put me back to where I was after my 2nd fill...did I want that?
I'm glad he did...it took weeks - months for things to start to find that groove, but it did all start to fall in line.
That elusive "Fine balance - Harmony" where the band performs splendidly. The true "Green Zone"
I quess my point is, this thing DOES WORK, but it is not going to work immediately...it is adjustable and it takes time, sometimes with trial and error, to get it right.
And it is not just the band that gets adjusted along the way...we too have to get adjusted to the Lap Band. And that is key to success.
Lap Band Surgery will "Change Your Life" but you have to ready and willing for change. And that can be very frustrating and take some time. Even though my last needed fill was 12 weeks from surgery, and the weight began to steadily and consistently come off, a year later I was still learning lessons, Life changing lessons...most times the hard and unpleasant way. Did not mean the band is at fault.
I'm 4 years out, and I can do something right now, this moment, that would cause a very negative reaction with my band. Does not mean my band is at fault...it means I just did something I should never do...simple, yet it did take time to learn the difference.
If people told me 4 years ago what and how little I would be eating today, and still be healthy and full of energy, I would have said they were blowing smoke up my you know what.
And yet here I am at that place, and to tell new people this, would be accepted the same as I would have 4 years ago.
This is the internet, and 1000's of people come and go here all the time. And I have read people's posts about frustration and feelings of failure (many of which are way pre-mature...give it a chance) when in fact I sense they are not willing to accept change. (still talking about pizza and cheese burgers, etc? Really?)
Not all, but some. There are people who legitimately have problems, complications. But we, strangers on the internet can ever tell what is going on.
They can't understand why they keep getting stuck...There's something wrong with their band...maybe there is, and maybe it's not the band....no one on the internet can tell for sure.
That is why it is best, IMO, it's best for people to simply share their own experiences, AT ALL LEVELS, good and bad, positive and negative...
Ok, it's 4am on a Sunday, I'm rambling on with my morning coffee before heading to the gym at 6...nothing more, just rambling..and pehaps ranting.

I can't believe that today marks 10 weeks since my Lap-Band Surgery. The time has just flown by and I am feeling better than ever.

This week sees another .5kg loss for me bringing my total weight loss so far to 14.5kg. Again it is another fairly small one but I am okay with it... I have clocked up another year on the calendar of life this week as well (42!!) and although I haven't over-eaten, I haven't counted calories either. I have one more celebration (and my Mum's birthday as well) this weekend and I don't intend to count those calories either. After all, that's what life is all about - we still need to enjoy these times.

I also had my first 'stuck' episode last night as well - on chicken - which I had been warned about. It was quite chewy chicken and I know that I didn't chew it properly either. Was a little bit (a lot bit) uncomfortable but I was able to 'remove' it fairly quickly and painlessly and I was able to enjoy the rest of my meal. It is one of those things that was always going to happen at some point but boy did it make me sit up and think and take more notice of the way I eat. I would really like to avoid this happening to me again.

Anyway, life's good and I'm feeling great and I look forward to checking in again next week xx

My Green zone goes something like this.
I reached my green zone after my 2nd fill, two months after surgery.
I can eat whatever I want with no problems. I've never PBed, Slimmed or had food come back up. I've had a couple of "slight" stuck episodes that luckily passed quickly on their own and this was caused by the same food (French fries) which I shouldn't be eating any way.
My desire for some food that I used to LOVE such as pizza, Pasta and breads are no longer there. I just don't care to eat them, it's a choice.
I now crave healthier food (most of the time).
I know exactly how much food makes me feel satisfied, I eat 4oz chicken or Protein of choice, 1/2 c veggies and then I typically skip the starch just because I don't want it. If I'm full before I finish this "set" plate then I stop, if I'm hungry I eat what's on my plate and I'm done. If I still have that "feeling" of not being satisfied I wait an hour and resuming consuming my fluids and any feeling of hunger that was there is now gone.
I do allow myself treats, in fact I allow myself treats every day, now 99% of the time my treats are skinny cow ice cream, a Protein Bar etc. (see these are treats to me now vs. a snickers or a pint of ice cream), I've completely changed the way I live my life and it's not with the feeling of resentment I really like them AND if I do find that I want real ice cream then I eat it I just get a small vs. a large. I just need that taste now and I'm satisfied.
I do still have cravings and still have hunger. It's just that now I eat to be satisfied and nourish my body.
Much like B-52 said there are times when I go to the grocery store or a favorite restaurant and absolutely NOTHING looks or sounds good to me. At times this is frustrating because I end up just getting something because I know I have to eat but I feel like it's kind of a waist, a waist of money and honestly a waist of calories. Yes, I'm still mindful of how many calories I consume a day but I don't track them any more.
There are days when I'm hungrier than others, if I'm hungry, I eat. I just make the healthiest choices possible. I never let myself go past my set portion size, I know what amount of food satisfies me and anything more than that truly isn't hunger it's just old habits dying hard.

It first started when my "Tastes" for foods started to change..,foods I used to love just did not appeal for me anymore...I then became a very picky eater, and soon realized it was not any particular types of food, but that food, and eating for that matter did not appeal to me anymore....simply had no interest in it. Could care less.
I can go to the grocery store and not find anything I want to purchase....go to our favorite restaurants and not see anything on the menu I would care to eat.......etc.
I soon realized that this was the band taking away my hunger....not just in between meals, but 24/7 I never get hungry, and could care less if I eat or not....I have gone 24 hr periods without eating. Don't intend to, just forget to. I have to remind myself to eat.
I have NEVER felt full after eating with the band, as many other people on this forum describe....it's something different for me...it's as though my brain is telling me I'm full, and I don't need to eat....even though I have not eaten and have no physical "Full Feeling"....24 hrs a day! The mere presence of the band stimulates that.
There are certain foods that give me trouble, and are high risk of getting stuck (learned the hard way)...so I simply chose not to eat those foods anymore....this includes all red meats, anything made from flour such as breads, pastries, Pasta, cakes, Cookies etc.
And there are a few other categories...It boggles my mind when people are determined to eat pizza...WHY? What's the value? and high risk of getting stuck? It's not worth it!
Also, when I do eat, the band allows me to eat just so much...then I have to stop...but I don't care because I'm not hungry or interested in the first place. So it's all good.
I think a lot of peoples problems are they just don't know when to stop...even if the band is telling them to, SCREAMING at them to stop!....they continue because that is how the used to eat...then they can't keep anything down, irritate and inflame the area making it worse....blame the band, get Fluid taken out so they can find comfort and eat the way they want to...then say the band does not work or they are failures....REALLY????
The staff at my Dr.'s office likes to tell me stories like this....some people just don't get it...either you want to loose weight or you don't...you have to accept the change or you're wasting everyone's time...
Sorry, I'm getting off track....
So, for me, being in the green zone....I have no hunger, and my portions sizes are limited making it impossible to overeat.
Does not matter if it's a holiday, family get together, vacation cruise....the band, and me being in the Green does not change, but remains constant 24 hours a day....
Having said the above, I quit counting, or worrying about calories....best thing I did was stop using those gadgets such as fitbit etc where I was tracking everything I do all day, making me neurotic.......
And, since I eat so little so less often with very little or no struggle, all I need to do is choose to eat the best, healthy foods I can....organic, non processed, etc.
Also be sure I get plenty of Protein and always be drinking Water.
So being in the Green has....has taken away my hunger and cravings, automatically sets my portion sizes making it impossible to overeat, and leading me to become very health conscious.
Does not mean I don't indulge in life's pleasures...I do! Just don't do it like the pig I used to be.
If I'm offered ice cream, etc, I'm not going to pass it up....I'm done dieting.
It's a new lifestyle one that I will live for the rest of my life, never having to "Diet" ever again....
It has become so much of a lifestyle I go through the day and don't even think about it anymore, what I need to do or not do....just live my life....my NEW life with NEW habits. (forced upon me from surgery..a physical change)
I first hit the Green zone 4-6 months after surgery, my final fill, then after that it took some time to figure out what the heck was going on, why was I always getting stuck 2-3 times a day, etc, etc....but eventually I found that "Groove", that balance between everyday life, new foods, new way of eating/chewing, and the band....
With that, the weight will come off and settle out where the body wants to, not any goals I have set...I became fat/obese by living a bad lifestyle. did not set any goals to become obese! It just gradually happened over time....so the same is true in the opposite direction for living a different lifestyle...gradually came off and settled at what my body considers normal...which in fact it is.
It has been 4 years now, and nothing has changed....and I am still an extremely picky eater, and still in the Green Zone, which has become blase...no big deal anymore...it just is. As is my weight loss...no one even notices or mentions it anymore...Old news.

Well after six months of planning, lab tests, docter visits, psychological evalutions and a 14 day liquid preop diet. My Lap band surgery was completed 2 days ago.
I was truly blown away of what an amazing and truly professional job the staff and my Docters at NYU Langone Hospital in New York City did for me and my surgery.
From me being admitted, surgery, recovery and discharge, the staff at NYU will go above and beyond for you and your family.
I was released the same day and I have to say the only discomfort I had was some bloating and pinching near my incisions which is normal.
In the beginning, I was skeptical and a little scared of going under the knife. But I totally agree with all the other past banders on this site who gave me the support I needed to make the first step.
I thank you all for that and for your support. And to all you contemplating WLS for yourself. Think it over, then think it over again and if its right for your by all means go forward and enjoy your life to the fullest.
I will check in from time to time to let you all know how my progress is going.
All the Best!!!!

I was looking for everyone that their Lap band surgery in December. I had my surgery December 23, 2014. I just went back to work today. I am now able to eat more that just liquids . I have lost 32 pounds so far still have a ways to go. I feel great though and looking forward to the New Smaller me. I am looking for people to connect with.

I got home from the hospital yesterday afternoon. Moving around (especially getting in and out of bed) was really painful yesterday but today is a lot better, even getting better by the hour. I feel like I will be ready to go back to work Monday (I am self employed and work from home).
I am already bored with this week's diet, but I have my eyes on the horizon!

I was banded yesterday. I am still in the hospital but I am going home today. My stomach is sore. Mostly around my port. Pain in my back and shoulder from the gas they filled me with. I ate a Popsicle and just a little bit of broth. I don't know why but it made me so full. I don't know yet how many cc's my band has in it yet. But I was told my liver was normal size so he had no issues getting to my stomach. So happy to be able to post an update in post-op. Y'all have a blessed day:)

I have 8 days until my surgery. I am on my pre opt diet a doing pretty well.

My liquid diet is going great..better than I ever imagined. Day 1 and day 4 was my hardest. I drink the premier protien shakes and they seemed to have controlled my hunger ..chicken broth and sugar-free Jello. I'm now on day 9 with surgery Dec. 17th. You can do this...As always" keep your eye on the prize"

I have to say, you might be surprised at how well your body responds to, not everyone has the same post weight loss sagginess, especially when they start out young and with as low a BMI with you have. I'm 53 and began at 289 with a BMI of 48.5 almost 8 months ago. I have been working a lot, and now I run three days a week and hit the gym three days a week, and at my six month check back (which only happened last week) The doc said she was amazed at how little saggy skin I was having and how good it was. Absolutely I wish my thighs didn't have those little wrinkles where they look deflated, and I definitely wish my breasts didn't sag soooo low and flat-like, but my stomach saggy isn't too bad and even though my butt is nearly flat now, there's no wrinkly saggy stuff on it. My arms have always been an area I was super insecure about because they were so fat, and I have never worn a sleeveless shirt my entire adult life. At Thanksgiving though I did! And although they are not perfect, they look slim and well toned, and I am very proud of my 100+ weight loss! Since you are 25 and starting out at a lower BMI, please don't assume you will end up looking awful or absolutely have to have plastic surgery. You might be pleasantly surprised -- just get moving and in weight training, lots of hydration, and lots of firming lotion. Everything all the other posts recommended basically. Luck on your upcoming appointment.
Kate

I'm 5'5" and started out at 238 (BMI 39). I am exactly one year out and am very pleased with my skin. I initially had saggy jowls, turkey neck and bat wings that fortunately tightened up after 6-7 months. I have very little excess tummy skin that I really only notice if I bend over. My boobs, butt and legs are another story. I went from DD cup to B cup, but most of that DD skin is still there. I'd probably be in a training bra if it weren't for all the skin stuffed in the B cup. I carried most of my weight low and completely lost my ass. All that skin is now sagged at the bottom of my former butt and my thigh skin is kind of pooled at my knees. But basically, as long as I don't wear shorts or mini skirts, none of my saggy skin actually shows. Not bad for a 48 year old! I don't weight train or work out, (which, BTW is supposed to help) but I did use body lotions that are supposed to promote collagen formation (DMEA and stretch mark formulas for my thighs, tummy and arms, and Q10 anti-wrinkle sensitive skin for my face and neck). Don't know if it made any difference, but at least my sagging skin is super soft ????
For aesthetic purposes, my before and after shots don't show the saggy parts

I have read so many successful stories I felt compelled to add mine and I hope it reaches to at least one person. I know every post is a great tool of encouragement and I believe that to be the most awesome gift for all of us.
So this was me....4'11, female at 348 pounds....working extremely hard to deny the fact that I needed to make a change. So of course I went to the WLS seminar and it hit me I don't want to be referred to as fat anymore, potential diabetic, high blood pressure, pain in my knees or feet...everyone seemed to have an answer for what I had become. Then I decided to take control of my life and no longer allow anyone to dictate my person so I had the Lap band done on July 26, 2014 honestly it was not difficult why because we all first need to decide who we love more...Ourselves or the ignorant comments people make that cause us to spiral and become more overweight. I chose myself and I have not looked back and today my beautiful Men and Women I am down to 283 pounds and I have yet to have any fills.
If there is anyone who feels their not ready take that feeling and throw it out the window because you are ready to make a difference for yourself not anyone else. YOU ARE BEAUTIFUL AND YOU DESERVE ONLY GREATNESS AND NOTHING LESS!!

I had to lose 5 percent during a 6 month supervised Drs visit, I lost considrably more, Than that, during the pre op diet I lost 18 pounds. I lost a total of 80lbs by the time I had my surgery but holding steady now and waiting for my 1st fill.

Congrats on your date I was banded on Monday you won't regret it