40ismyyear

Gotta add one more. When I started this journey, my husband was convinced I would spend a lot of time crying happy tears (AKA HT) over my success. I am a crier .. it is what I do! Up until this week, I had not had that moment. On Thursday, I went shopping at lunch because all of my tops were too big. Not only was I able to buy size M tops, but I also bought a pair of SIZE 14 PANTS!! I stared in the mirror, checked the tag about a hundred times, then had that familiar HT feeling well up. I am in a size 14...me...Karen! My booty and thighs are in a size I can buy in ANY store!! I have gone from a size 22 to a size 14. Uh oh ... there come those HT again! Amazing. I DO have the power to amaze myself!! Oh yeah .. and I had to travel for work on a completely full flight. I had the center seat and ALL of me fit without bleeding over to my seat mate's space! Life gets better and better every day. This was the perfect choice for me!

Yep .. such an individual journey! I am five months out today and have had two fills (currently around 7cc I think). I can certainly eat more than the requisite 4oz, but I have been SO blessed in that my mind has taken over and I may eat 6oz of veggies, chicken or fish instead of 6oz of chips, chocolate or bread I have little restriction in terms of volume, but I am not hungry often at all. I also have no PBs, sliming, stuck food issues, vomiting etc. I think I have found my sweet spot! This surgery changed my life completely. Once I committed to the surgery, my mind kicked in and kicked my arse! I am training for a 10K, I work out daily and have relearned how to eat healthy foods. Who KNEW I loved sushi this much? I have decided not to have another fill until my 'diet-brain' fails me and I NEED that volume restriction. I am listening to my body and taking it one day at a time. When I crave a whole cake ... that is when I will consider another fill. I am a lucky one ... I know this! I have a friend who is two years out who has struggled to lose 20lbs ... but she eats whatever she wants and fights PBs/vomiting/etc. The tool will only work for you if you work for it, right? We have to listen to what our bodies have to say! Fill when you need it ... don't if you don't!

Favorite part? My midsection ... I have uncovered my small ribcage and HELLO flat tummy! Are those hipbones I feel? Least fav? Legs. I was born with tree trunk legs and will die with tree trunk legs, fat or skinny :laugh: That won't stop me from running as much as possible in an attempt to make them less tree-trunky! Everybody has to have a goal, right?

Just felt compelled to pile on ... you are FLABULESS!!

I have a five victories to be grateful for this week! First ... a combo NSV/SV. About a week ago, I got into my pre-pregnancy pants!! Whoooo hooo! Then, this morning, the scale showed me the number where I was 9 years ago when I started this glorious motherhood journey. Very cool to be on BOTH the health and motherhood journeys at the SAME time! Second ... I am training for a 10K next spring as part of my overall healthier me goal. Last night, I pulled 1.5 minutes off of my mile because I was actually able to RUN without the momentum of my 'jiggle' making it hard to keep moving forward. My butt actually co-operated instead of wiggling to it's own beat, so to speak. Who knew my legs could actually be powerful again? Third ... bathing suits. I actually LIKED trying them on this year. My hubby was appreciative, I was able to buy from the 'normal' people sizes and a 16 top was TOO BIG even with my ... shall we call them ... ample breasts. Fourth ... and funniest, actually. I had my second fill on Thursday and the lady running the floriscope (sp) had to move me three times to get a me at the right angle for a good view because 'your waist is so slight'. LOVED it! My oddly tiny waist (for a 'big girl' .. can't wait to shake THAT term) is back!! Fifth ... being thankful that I have a place like this to share these victories with those who really understand!! :thumbup: Keep up the hard work, all! We have earned it!

YOU ROCK! Congrats for giving us yet another reason to feel inspired and to keep on keeping on this journey!!

I drink coffee everyday! I purposefully avoid caffeine, but I don't have any problems when I put a little hit in my decaf!

Love this thread! My top NSV has already been mentioned ... crossing my legs. Whooo hoooo! Other favs: Looking in the mirror ... I don't hate it now. I am proud of myself! My cheeks no longer swallow my eyes when I smile! I know that person in the mirror! Posing for pictures with my daughter!! Officially getting rid of all of my shorts last night except for three (too big size) 18s. Gotta keep something to wear, right? I am in size 16 pants AND XL shirts!! I am almost normal ... lol. I work in an IT department with mostly men so I haven't gotten a lot of 'recognition' in the workplace. However, today I got my first, ever so gentle and awkward ... "You're changing ... is that ok to say? It looks good on you." I am going to a scrapbooking retreat this weekend with friends I haven't seen in six months. I am looking forward to reactions! My absolute favorite is that I am now more focused on everything. As odd as it sounds, I think more clearly than I have in years! Is that crazy? Has anyone else had that 'clear' feeling?

Ditto ... I was banded on 1/4/08 and am doing great so far. I take 175mcg synthroid daily and was afraid I would never be able to lose weight! This has been a really cool, dare I say easy ride so far! What I understand is what others have said...thyroid 'issues' are not caused by being overweight. Good luck and stay on top of your meds so you feel good while you are losing! I am convinced that having that little bugger regulated has really helped with my energy while I am losing/exercising. :thumbup:

Muscle weighs more than fat ... I am vowing not to get discouraged if the needle on the scale doesn't move down as quickly while I am in the first stages of working out and regaining some muscle mass! Good luck everyone!

Wow .. how much more could we have in common? I was banded the same day as you and I just set up my appointment to re-join Curves on Thursday!! Good luck!! I would love to keep up with and see how you are doing with it!:shades_smile:

I had the EXACT same issue but was gratefully able to call my OBGyn...who puts you on the scales for breathing ... and she had documented weights for me. I had stopped 'allowing' my PCP to weigh me each time I came in ... it was just too embarrassing. Do you have any other docs who can help you? I am so sorry this is happening to you. I know how frustrating and disappointing it is to fight so hard for something you know is right for you, only to have BS insurance adjusters decide your fate. I wish you the BEST of luck and don't stop fighting. That is a completely bogus response from your insurance company and they know it. Talk to your surgeon/surgeons insurance coordinator. Mine was - at her insistence - prepared to get a lawyer involved for me when UHC pulled the stunt and decline me.

Mine is simple and likely encompasses all of the other great "I can't wait to" entries above. ...show the rest of the world the tremendous amount of respect I have for myself by taking better care of ME day to day But, so I don't seem too mushy, I would also add ...sitting in those tiny plastic patio chairs seemingly made for second graders without fearing it will simply collapse beneath me, not to mention the spill of hip and thigh through the sides of these marvels of comfort ...three words - ergonomically designed chairs - they have infiltrated my office. Again, I am not sure who hires second graders, but these are surely made for them ...not having to pay in excess of $150 for a custom made bathing suit ...finally, sleeping naked again without feeling parts of me touching that just really shouldn't be

You are not alone on the weird dreams front ... I had seriously strange dreams and sleep patterns for the first three or four weeks after surgery. They seems to have calmed down now, but they were most assuredly out of the ordinary. My dreams came in two 'flavors' if you will ... I was breaking the band 'rules' or just plain being terrorized in some way. I would dream I scarfed down a big steak sandwich (the three no nos - fast eating, bread and beef) and then spent what seemed a dream-eternity dreading what it would do to me. I dreamed about overeating and vomiting ... one of my main fears for some reason. (On a side note...to find humor in everything...that particular dream ceased when I went sailing a month after surgery and puked over the side of the boat from seasickness. No long lasting effects beyond the utter humiliation of it all!) The specifics of the terror dreams didn't stick with me, but I did wake up panting or shaking a few times. Quite sure I was fighting the demons I had stuffed with food previously! The worst part for me, though, was the sleep patterns. I couldn't sleep past 6am some days regardless of how late I went to sleep and how many times I was awakened by those random dreams. I would try to go to bed early, then would have trouble sleeping. I spent the first month post-op really tired! I am now two months out and the last month has seemed to calm down for me. I think the dreams may have been stemming from the emotional risk I (we all) took pinning my hopes on this surgery. Could I actually FINALLY be on the road to in control of my body? It took my brain awhile to start to accept that it might actually work and I could actually like my image at some point in the relatively near future! I chalk it up to emotions. I put on a brave face but was really scared to death I would fail. But, so far, so good and I think my brain has gotten on board! ******* Banded 1/4/2008 Go Pack Go!

Wow...I am kind of speechless here. I, too, have been lurking and watching this post. I was banded with the Realize band on 1/4/08 after numerous discussions with my surgeon (a center of excellence doc). Insert tongue firmly in cheek, and read on ... I am just shy of two months post-surgery and have only lost a measly 39 of the total 107 lbs I want to lose. It has just been awful to never be hungry or have that uncomfortable over-indulged feeling. I am doing so "poorly", that we (my surgeon and I) decided to hold off on my first fill. Tongue out of cheek ... in all seriousness, I am clicking along with an empty Realize band feeling fantastic about the possibilities my surgery enabled. Now ... am I contributing this to my choice of the Realize band? Nope. I contribute my success to approaching this surgery for exactly what it is. The band is a tool...nothing more. You all know that or you wouldn't be here! I feel truly blessed to be one of the lucky ones who has been able to switch the way I think and truly change my lifestyle to accommodate weight loss. When I am ready for more 'restriction', I have the tool at the ready! This choice we are making for ourselves is WAY too big to allow other's negativity to make it feel anything less than a huge step in the right direction! Follow your heart with a healthy dose of research and fact based decision making! Good luck to all ... I am thrilled by my choice and can't wait for the future!! Go Pack Go!