midnightblue12

<?xml:namespace prefix = o ns = "urn:schemas-microsoft-com:office:office" /><o:p></o:p> I haven’t told many people that I have the band. My DH and I have started eating off the same plate when ever we go out. The portions at restaurants are huge I actually never realized how huge until I got the lapband. It saves us money when we go out alone because we are only paying for one entrée and when we are out with other people it takes the pressure off of me! Other people can’t tell how much I’ve eaten when the plate ends up emptyJ I find that people are very concerned when it comes to how much food I consumed.. this was the case when I was heavy and now that I am a normal size some times I just want to tell them to keep their eyes on their own plate!! <o:p></o:p> When I go out for work functions I order soup so I don’t have to worry about something getting stuck. I also try and avoid the work lunch thing along together unless it is with trusted friends that already know I have the band so where share a meal n I just exclaim I’m not very hungerJ TIM

Hi All- I've had my band for 5 years. I had my surgery the end of July 2003. I was banded in MX by Dr. Kuri. I ended up having to file bankruptcy because of the cost but would do it in a heartbeat again. This has been the best thing I have ever done for myself. I have struggled with my weight all of my life. I now have pictures from different holidays that look the about the same that is huge for me before I could tell the year or when the pictures was taken by how heavy I was that year. I have now been able to wear out a pair of jeans.. which was a first for me because my weight was never stable enough to allow me to wear the same pair of jeans long enough to wear them out.. these things may seem like little victories to others but to me they where and are HUGE victories. <?xml:namespace prefix = o ns = "urn:schemas-microsoft-com:office:office" /><o:p></o:p> I was one of those very lucky people that had restriction from the beginning and didn't need a fill until I was almost at goal. Over the years I have gained some weight back about 20 pounds which was nothing compared to the 80 to 90 pounds it would have been in the past during the last 3 months I went for a fill and have slowly taken the weight back off. My band has been a fabulous tool that has helped me change my life. TIM