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IndioGirl - You look great. You are such an inspiration to me and probably many others. You give me the strength to get back on track. thank you so much for sharing. :smile2: Best Wishes to you. dolores

Dr. Ehrlich is a compassionate, wonderful surgeon. I had my lap band in 2008 and have lost a lot of weight. Dr. Ehrlich and his office staff are great. thank you for everything, Dr. Ehrlich. Dolores

Sadie, thank you for sharing with us. I want to get that book - heading to Barnes and Nobles tonight. I had my band surgery in March 2008 and lost 80 lbs but have put 20 back on. My goal is too lose 100 lbs. It seems when the band is tight, I lose but cannot eat healthly. So I take some fill out and I can eat more foods but put weight back on. I am really struggling with this because a part of me wants to keep it tight because I don't want to keep putting weight on and I want to lose more. It's all in your mind. I am so addicted to food and I need to get a handle on it. Hopefully, this book will help. thanks again and best wishes everyone. Dolores

Congratuations, you look great. Keep up the good work.

I am happier and healthier. I have more energy. I am so glad I had the lap band done. I am not at goal yet but that's okay because I know for certain now that my weight will only go down. I am in a size 12 from a size 22. I have more confidence in everything I do. People treat me differently - they talk to me more. YEA! I love who I am. Thank God. Dolores

I am very much interested in going to the conference. I live in CT so NYC is closer but would be willing to drive to NJ. I want to network with other lap banders. When is the conference scheduled for? thanks and please keep me posted.

thanks CoachCher, that makes sense. It's probably time for a fill for me.

does the band loosen up over time. It seems like I am eating more than usual. I wonder if I should go for another fill. the last fill I got, i thought was tight but now I think it loosened up. is that possible?

Jen, I knew I could not do it on my own. I know how to eat right, exercise, etc. I did not have the discipline to do those things myself. My will and addiction to overeat was much stronger than my strength to be disciplined. I know because i tried over and over again and failed. I would take some weight off (20 lbs at the most) then put it back on and more. I had the lapband on march 3 and the band has given me discipline when it comes to eating. I can't eat a lot now and if I do, I experience pain or become sick. Neither of these happen often because I don't like to feel pain or become sick. So in essence, the lapband has helped me to become more disciplined. some people are really disciplined and when they say they will do something, they do it. Those people I believe are the ones that succeed at weight loss on their own. I am not one of those people at least not with weight loss. I think you need to decide whether or not you can lose weight on your own and keep it off. If you can, that's great do it on your own. If you can not do it on your own, the lapband is a great tool to help and don't even feel the least bit guilty. I am glad there are tools available to us that are less disciplined. Hope this helps. good luck with your decision.

Hi all, I hit the 170's this past weekend. I am so excited. It's a slow process but at least it's coming off. Prior to being banded, I was continuously gaining weight. I brought a size 12 shorts and they fit. YEA!!!!!!!! I am feeling great. :redface::thumbup:

this is my story - I've always had a weight problem. I hated who I was and how I felt. My before picture was taken Christmas eve last year. I had nothing to wear and was 241 lbs. We went to my brother in laws house and of course there were many pictures taken. My husband and son were a great support and made me feel as comfortable and I could be despite my obesity problem. I could not take it anymore. I was tired all the time and my knees were starting to bother me. I decided to have the lapband. I was banded on March 3 and have lost 60 lbs since. I feel so much better. The weight has been coming off at a much slower pace but i know I will get to my goal. I love my lapband, it's a great tool. without the lapband I was able to lose up to 20 lbs here and there but never able to keep it off for more than 1 month. Now I've lost 60 lbs, which is the most I've ever lost and I know it will stay off. :shades_smile: Good luck to all of you fellow lapbanders.

Hi Everyone, I was banded on March 3 and have lost 50 something lbs. However, I've been stuck at this weight loss for about a month. I had a fill about 2 weeks ago and it's hard to eat without eating very slow and chewing very good. I hope this helps me get past this plateau. everyone is doing great - keep up the good work.

Hi everyone, I cannot believe I purchased a size 14 shorts today and they fit me. (and they are not tight). I am so excited. I don't remember when I wore a size 14. I think highschool. This band has been a blessing. It hasn't been easy but it's worth it. Let's keep up the good work. :thumbup:

thanks Fenton - you're doing awesome - 89 lbs lost is great! Congratulations.

Hi Westcoast mom, i was banded on March 3. I also have some fears but I am so thankful I had the surgery. I would have never lost 47 lbs and I would have never kept the weight off for more than a month. This is the only way I could do it. The band is teaching me that life isn't about eating. There is so much more to life and I didn't see it because I was so wrapped up in the depression of obesity. I am now learning to eat right. thank God. Dolores:smile2:

How is everyone doing - March bandsters? I had my fourth fill today. back on liquids for a few days. I'm struggling, my old habits keep trying to come back in my life. I won't let them. I am feeling so good having lost 47 lbs. I want to continue on my weight loss journey. hope everyone is well. Dolores banded March 3

Hi, for me it's been the best thing I've done for myself. I've always been able to lose weight but only so much, like up to 25 lbs. I always put it back on and then some. I had the lap band on March 3rd, since then I've lost 44 lbs. The band has taught me how to stop and think about what I am eating and to eat slow and chew well. I am seldom hungry. I was also very scared to have it done, it took me three years to get the courage. Now I wish I'd had it done years ago. I truly cannot eat the way I use to. when I tried, which was only a couple of times, I learned a big lesson. The few times I tried to binge, the food is uncomfortable and slow going down, it hurts. (not bad pain but enough to tell me to stop). I am losing about 5 lbs a month and i know it will continue. I am choosing to eat the right kind of food, like Protein and vegetables, so I know I am getting nutrition. It was a good choice for me. I wish you luck in your decision. dolores

that is so great!. I was banded on March 3 and am loving it. I am feeling so much better about myself. Way to go! Keep it up.:thumbup:

I was just like that. I had my third fill last Tuesday, May 20th. This time it kind of hurts to eat. especially in the morning till noon. even liquids go down slowly. It's not bad pain but i feel it when i eat too much too fast. I have to eat very slowly. I'm glad though because before I could eat too much too fast. Hopefully this will slow me down.

Hi city girl, I have had my band for 3 months on June 3. I also am a stress and emotional eater. today was actually a bad day for me because I felt much stress in work and found myself trying to eat all day. I had my third fill last week and it's hard to get things down now. How do we stop the emotional eating, i don't know. All I know is that I hope that some day i will be able to control it. good luck to you on your band journey.:sad:

hi all, I was banded on March 3 and have lost 38 lbs. Nothing tastes as good as how I feel. Everyone keep up the good work.

I love reading these success stories. You are all such a big motivator for us new bandsters. I had my third fill this past Tuesday and it's really helping. I really have to eat slow and chew well. It seems like right after a fill, the band is tight but in a few weeks it gets loser. Has anyone experienced that? Good Luck all and keep up the good work. :cool2:

HI, it will be three months for me on June 3. I too love what the band has done for me. For once, I am not always obsessing about food. One of the woman in work brought in homemade cupcakes today. I did not have one and didn't even crave them. Before banding I would have obsessed over them all day and would have eaten at least 3. I'm trying hard to stick to the Protein and veggies. The weight is coming off slowly now but I'm all right with that. I've been walking 45 minutes a day. I feel so much better mentally and physically. i think the band was the best thing I did for myself. I wish i had done it sooner. :thumbup::drool::crying:

this is a great thread! You people are so inspiring. I was banded on March 3 and have lost 38 lbs. I seem to be stuck and am scared, telling myself self defeating things like: I knew it wouldn't work for me and i knew I would go back to my old eating habits. It's been just the past two weeks that I've been struggling. I want to be like you, one who will lose 100 lbs. I have my third fill tomorrow and I hope it helps. KEEP UP THE GOOD WORK - YOU ARE WHAT THE LAPBAND JOURNEY IS ALL ABOUT.

I was banded on March 3 and have hit a couple of plateaus but it does come off eventually. You should log your calories. I log everything I eat so I can see really how much I'm eating. Hang in there - it will come off:smile2: