Chrystee

I don't mind.
I lost 30 pounds before surgery and so far 62 pounds since surgery (surgery date: 4/21/2014).

From St. Mary's county. Had my surgery March 11 at Johns Hopkins Bayview by Dr. Nguyen. Love the doctor, a little let down by the administrative staff.. nice people but they need to get it together.

Man, you are lucky! I have to do two whole weeks of only liquids pre-op.
Good luck.

I gotta say I disagree with this part. Sometimes a man or a woman just wants the release without having to involve another person. I don't think the OP was trying to HIDE it from her husband; she just doesn't want to put on a show for him.

I will say that my surgeon did say a lot of the same things, that it is ineffective, many people end up getting RNY or the sleeve after the band, and that surgeons are going away from doing the band anymore.

Ummmmm....can we just talk about the fact that everything she said is ABSOLUTELY CORRECT!?!? As someone who HAS done my research and has lived in the WLS world for quite some time now, she's correct. Half of lapbands ARE in fact removed, and the long term success rates of lapband are much less than that of gastric sleeve or RNY. Everyone is so freaking quick to get insulted these days and I wish you would just stop it already. She spoke her opinion, which by the way was riddled with fact after fact, and you guys all get your panties in a wad? Grow UP already.

I went back to crossfit about 1month later but did no ab work ... It was a little hard at the start due to lack of energy but it's not so bad ... I'm 3.5 months post op and I try and go 3 times a week

Thank you Curvy =)
As long as I can do crossfit after this I'll be happy! I have a fair bit to lose and am a bit worried about loose skin--do you think it helps tighten it up? I know I'm strong now and have a lot of muscle built up... Hoping that helps too! Did you do crossfit before your surgery?

I lost a lot of weight doing crossfit and the paleo diet. but had a baby and gained it all back. I dont really have time to go anymore but may go back after my surgery on Oct. I dont recommend eating before a crossfit class, u may puke!

I hated purees with the fire of 10,000 angry suns. Hated it. Everything was gross. Especially baby food. How do babies eat it, it's GROSS. Bland and gross. Thank goodness for me it was only a week. But it was the longest week of my 37 years. LOL.

@waitingtoexhale After reading the responses to your post, I don't see where anyone was being mean. Just because they didn't tell you what you wanted to hear based on the information you gave them..doesn't mean they were trying to bring you further down. We all have trials and triumphs in our lives, it's the outcome that matters the most. I am sorry your having so many difficulties in your life right now, perhaps postponing the surgery might be an idea...get your knees better, your finances in order and take care of what ever issues needed so that you CAN focus on you...verses the hurdles your facing around you. We can tell you "oh, that's ok you messed up on your pre-op diet, just get back on track" till we are blue in the face...the ultimate choice to succeed is yours.
Forgive me if I don't sound compassionate, I really am considering my surgery is coming up the day before Thanksgiving, I quit smoking (which is killing my anxiety level) and if I gain just ONE pound, my insurance company will make me start all over again, so you see..we all are facing demons and must battle them the best we know how...coming to this forum has helped me immensely but the over all fight is our own.
Just ask yourself this question.....am I REALLY ready for this change, with all the other battles I am facing right now? If the answer to that is "yes" than you are stronger than you think...let go of the weakness that is causing you to react, if you don't then it wins....don't let it!!......fight...fight ...fight!!

I am starting week 2 of clear liquids sugar free. I think every morning " i can not do this" then at night i say " made it one more day" it is freakin tough and awful. Just get back on it and u will b fine

Umm, wow wow. Let's see. This whole weight lose thingy is certainly a mental thing. You definitely had an easier pre-op than must I have seen, including mine. But, what's done is done. Make sure today on out you keep on track. I mean, you can do this for three days for sure. Keep yourself busy and drink lots and lots of Water. If you feel the need to eat more, reach for more veggies. If you feel the need to indulge in something not permitted, walk away. Have your hubby serve up the food and leave. You gotta have some kind of control now because afterwards it will be very very hard for you. I mean, its not easy in the first 2-4 weeks post-op anyway. As someone mentioned above, that liver needs to shrink. The above posters have given you good advice and I hope you take it. To better days!

I guess the unfortunate half of piece of pizza that I broke down and ate my 3rd d ay before surgery did not hurt because when they weighed me befor emy operation I had already lost 20 pounds and he said my liver was very small. I woke up feeling extremely bad. I literally felt like I was about to have a heart attack but after walking around and sipping on Water and burping the gas has now subsided. I can feel my sore belly move around every time I move but even that is going away, I feel like my future is so much bright her and if I lost 20 pound before my surgery there is no way i cannot reach my goals after.

Why in the world would she associate with that? I will forever feel fat no matter how small my body is and I can't imagine being around a group the belittles overweight people.
I'd feel guilty by association.

The best compliments come from my 5 year old nephew.. He told me the other day "nini you look so beautiful today, I love your boots! You smell really good too!" Then when I dropped him off at school he gave me a big kiss and hug then told his teacher "doesn't nini look beautiful!?" I just smiled at his teacher and chuckled then as he was running to the playground he yelled out " nini! I love you!" So I yelled back at him that I loved him too. So many kids don't want to be bothered with kisses and hugs but he doesn't care what people think and it's adorable!
Another compliment that was actually funny was at work when a customer was asking me. To speak to me... I smiled and said yeah that's me! Then had to show him my tattoo on my arm! He is an older gentleman and he said oh my goodness gracious I didn't even recognize you you look terrific congratulations!!
I haven't run into negative people yet but it could be that I avoid negative people like the plague, and I always have.

Yes this surgery is definitely not the easy way. My surgeon emphasized that going in and boy do I believe him now! I have a friend who is obese and has been approached by her doctor twice to have this surgery. She told me she will never give up diet coke! And that's such a small factor, we give up so much more especially the first six weeks following surgery plus the Pre op. but I love my sleeve. I love that I eat one small serving, I love that I no longer think about getting my money's worth at buffets, I love that I finally have a tool that works.

I don't think WLS is a cop out and those who do don't bother me a bit. I don't care if you choose to tell everyone and if someone else chooses to tell no one. It affects me NONE either way. I've never been one to care what other people think because their opinion of me is none of MY business. Your little jabs and insults are meaningless to me as they are much more telling about you than reflective of me.
You don't have to agree with me about anything, but do not put words in my mouth. Never did I say that exercise and diet got me to where I am today. You stated that NO ONE could lose weight as fast as we are now because YOU failed at it and I pointed out that you are wrong. It's possible, it's just really hard to do and even harder to maintain.
WLS won't guarantee a maintain either. Forming good habits now while my tool is most effective is will guarantee my success, and for me, that includes tracking and exercising. If you don't need to do that, that's fantastic!
I have no need to argue with you nor will I. Continue on and I wish you best success on maintaining your loss.

And my opinion.

You go, girl!! Your friend sounds a bit green-eyed to me and not much like a friend at all! You don't owe an explanation to ANYONE. Your business is YOUR business and your decision to have surgery was a very personal one.
Congratulations on your 50 pounds lost! You are doing an amazing job!
You are absolutely wrong. I once lost 80 pounds in three months on WWs and exercise and I kept it off for a year. I was eating micro amounts and going to the gym twice a day. There was no way I could maintain that pace (and the hubby knocked me up) but I did do it and I lost a lot faster than I am with the sleeve.
It is not my job or hers (or yours for that matter!) to "inspire" anyone. If it happens, awesome! I would love to think that I could help someone else get healthy but it's not my duty. It's up to each individual to find inspiration in his or herself. I am no more responsible for anyone's weight loss than I am for anyone's weight gain. (Except maybe my husband because he keeps finishing my leftovers.)
I am utilizing a tool that is available to anyone. Even with this tool, I track every bite that goes into my body. I exercise at least an hour a day. I wear a pedometer so I can make sure to get in my steps each day. I make great food choices that meet my nutritional needs and that will help me hit my weight loss goals. Most importantly, I have dropped the excuses and THAT is where I will win.

Accidentally bumping my toddler over with my butt! HAH.
I really don't have any other things.. except hopefully not feeling so out of place.. although I really don't. I'm pretty active and everything already. I don't really sweat that bad, cause I work out anyway.. but sweat doesn't always go away!

I think sometimes its also that people are used to you looking bigger.. 140ish pounds certainly isn't anorexic skinny! I agree.. I think people just forget what normal looks like!

I think most people lose a ton of Water in the first few weeks.. but you already lost them prior to the surgery.. You've lost a good amount of weight in 2 months! if you lose a little slower, hopefully you will have better skin!