NewMechelle

I have had to pay for it myself and did. Yes it was worth it. I was banded on May 28th. Our insurance did not pay for it and of course we did not have that kind of money just laying around so my husband made a withdrawl out of his 401k so I could have the surgery. I have lost 56 pounds. I weighed right before my consultations started and my two week liquid diet. It has not always been easy but it has been worth it. I would do it all again and kind of wish I had done it sooner I am 43. I wish I had not spent so many years so big and unhealthy. It has to be something you are sure of. If you are willing to do what they tell you to do, you will succeed. If not, you can eat right past that band and it will not be worth it. You have to committ to it and if you do I promise it is worth it, FLY mine was almost 15000 and it was worth every penny.Good luck and God bless

well I got on the scake this morning and was 202. SOOO very close, just a few more pounds and I will be out of the two hundreds hopefully for the rest of my life. This has been an amazing journey.There is always the fear for me that (as I have before) I will lose the weight, get where I want and need to be and then in time, little by little see the weight creep back five pounds at a time. This time I have a plan. I will weigh regularly. I didnt even have a scale before. I knew I was fat I was just in denial, not having a scale allowed me to not be accountable, Also once I hit my goal, I will not allow myself to add more than five to ten pounds, regardless of cycle time, holidays whatever. Accountability is the name of the game this time. My first BIG goal was to lose fifty pounds. My second was to get under two hundred, that is three pouns away, then it is the home stretch for me. I love my band. I hope every one else is well.

well I got on the scake this morning and was 202. SOOO very close, just a few more pounds and I will be out of the two hundreds hopefully for the rest of my life. This has been an amazing journey.There is always the fear for me that (as I have before) I will lose the weight, get where I want and need to be and then in time, little by little see the weight creep back five pounds at a time. This time I have a plan. I will weigh regularly. I didnt even have a scale before. I knew I was fat I was just in denial, not having a scale allowed me to not be accountable, Also once I hit my goal, I will not allow myself to add more than five to ten pounds, regardless of cycle time, holidays whatever. Accountability is the name of the game this time. My first BIG goal was to lose fifty pounds. My second was to get under two hundred, that is three pouns away, then it is the home stretch for me. I love my band. I hope every one else is well.

I didnt mean to send that I wasnt finished lol. Its not better because you/I am better but becauseof the way you are treated. I remember having car trouble about 10 years ago right after I had lost 100 pounds. to be honest I was pretty attractive, decent body, people were stopping right and left to offer help, women and men, didnt make sense to me, like some how I was more trust worthy, a more decent person , better or something it was crazy. Even my family treated me differently fat. I just want to scream at people and say I am the same person I was when I was skinny what is wrong with you? Now I am on my way to a healthy life permenanty this time, I will never forget who or where I was. All I can do is try and look at people for what and who they are inside not what they are on the outside. I am sure that what you have been thru has made you an incredibly compassionate wonderful person. I am sorry if you have been hurt. I guarentee you are beautiful inside and out. Try not to get so angry at the "beautiful" people. I am learning that those that seem to have it all, looks, money nice job, beautiful spouses, are often the ones who drink themselves silly every night, cheat to make themselves feel better, never feel satisfaction in what they do and put down every one else in the world to make them selves feel better. Being skinny will not make you a more loving person better a better parent or more compassionate friend however everythint you have been thru will.Being thin is about being the healthiest person you can be and you are worth it. God bless you and all you do.

I know what you mean. People do treat you differently. I have been fat and thin, trust me thin is better.

Phil....you crack me up I like it... I am already an un official VP of SWA (you know I weigh every time I potty) now I may have to borrow "phil" earlier on a blog I told some one that you were the "mom of is banders and that they needed to listen to you. I said all hail band groupie. lol Hope you are feeling better. bye the way I tell every one about my band. I dont mind at all. I am so thankful and blessed, I tell folks, it is no easy thing, you still gotta eat well and excercise, no quick fix it at all.God bless you and yours.

That is wonderful you have found a buddy. I also have a co worker that was banded so she anwsers alot of questions however she has not done well with her band and doesnt follow instructions of her doc and eats and drinks what she wants any way it would be great to find some one like you have. good luck and God bless to both you.

May I share a bit of advice? I have a high school reunion in four weeks. I have been freaking out. I wanted sooo badly to be a certain wieght. the closer it gets the more I freak out then I realixed, this is not a marathon. This is the rest of my life and no one needs to worry about rushing me or stressing me out about time limits especaially myself. Yes we would all like to wake up and be 100 pounds lighter next week but it doesnt work that way and as long as you do what the doc says little by little it will happen and be worth it. Band groupie is like our Band mom.... she knows all.... all hail to the great Band groupie.... she knows what she is talking about for real, good luck and God bless.

Yes it does get better every day. Gas ex is s God send seriusly, try it. You will be mad you did not try it three days earlier. God bless and good luck on your journey. welcome to the family.

I am almost five months banded. You look absolutely great. You are adorable. I am also very grateful for this chance but ready to move a little faster. I am 206, anxious to get in Onderland but it seems to be taking forever. Good luck and God bless.

First of all I want to tell you that you are absolutely beautiful. When I saw your picture I was like oh my gosh this woman is georgous and no i dont "go that way" lol I am a Baptist Pastors wife, any way yes dear it is normal, you are only five days post op? They pumped you FULL of of Iv antibiotics and fluids while you were under so you would not dehydrate, then your body kinda freaks out at first and tries to hold on to or conserve calories cause it thinks you are starving it to death. Your body will adjust you will start dropping, it is worth every bit. I am almost five months post op and it is one of the best things I have done in my life, dont panic girl, it will happen, good luck and God bless

Welcome to the family. Each day will get better then out of the blue you will have a bad day dont let it scare you. the anasthesia and surgery itself kicks your butt, rough on a body. I am almost five months out. Been worth every bit of it and so thankful for this second chance at life God bless and good luck

I am so sorry you feel so bad. you need to get your butt into the doctor it really isnt anything to play with, seriously people die from the flu both regular flu and also from swine flu and with you eating so much less, you have less to fight off illness with., Please take this seriously. I am in healthcare and I worked with a lady several years ago whose 27 year old healthy daughter didnt take the flu seriously... her husband took her to the er when she couldnt hold her head up they came out (he of course half expected them to say she was pretty sick and would have to stay a few days) they said we are so sorry we couldnt save her. She left behind two little kids. Take care of yourself, if not better soon, get to immediate care or er if you have to it's not worth the risk. Praying for you tonight, Mechelle

Happy Bandiversary, you have a real help to so many people. I cant wait to get under 200. I am still hovering around 206-208. Driving me crazy telling myself this is not a race. Thanks for the tips and friendship. Mechelle

I have been asked 100 times or more since the end of may if i would do it again....in a heart beat. I wish i had done it sooner. I am down 52, slow and steady i couldnt harldy move before, i walk 2 miles a day now. much more energy I almost like the person in the mirror now. I feel so much better, taken off of half my blood pressure meds, cant wait to get off all them. it is worth every bit of it. not every day is easy. you still have to "diet" you still have to excercise, it is not a magic pill but it makes it possible to do it and i promise it is so worth it.........you are worth it .GOD BLESS and good luck

Laura, I just read the beautiful words you wrote about your mother. I am a social worker in a nursing home and my closest friends are these residents, cna's and nurses that care for them. What an incredibel legacy she leaves, what a blessing. God blessed you with an incredibel woman to raise you and I am sure she was touched thousands with her love. I am at work with tears streaming down my face for the loss of a woman I never knew. God bless you.

I am so very sorry for your loss. No one, no one can ever tak the place of your mom can they? My mother is a breast cancer surviver, 6 years in January but she had lung cancer this last winter and it scares me to death. My mom is also my biggest supporter. I think I could committ murder and my mom would swear it was some one elses fault. It will take much time for you to start to heal and honestly life will never be the same but she would want you to go on and live your life the the fullest. Thats what, as moms, we do. I will pray for you and know there are people who dont even know you that care and are mourning with you. God bless and keep you strong. Love Mechelle

Im so sorry for your complications,I would be a basket case, would you mind sharing what the doc believes was the cause for the flipped port? I think like alot of others that is one of my big paranoid fears and I'm not even sure how it happens. Good luck and God bless.

You crack me up but I so can feel your pain. I only had a teaspoon to begin with, since the surgery the hair loss has been awful. So far even protien and the special expensive (Nioxin) shampoos are not helping much, I am not sure but I believe the loss may be slowing down just a little bit now. Mine started out almost immediately after surgery, I am now four and a half months out.If you come up with any thing that works to help this situations, please let the rest of us know.!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

If you are not eating enough, your body will freak out, think you are starving to death and your metabolism will shut down and you wont lose weight. Also I promise I thot this was bull but it is true.....you have to have to have to take in your protien shakes you will not lose wt without adequate protien. cant tell you why but i promise it works. good luck dont forget us girls really stuggle with water wt too, we can vary 5-7 pounds in a day or so, keep working, it will happen. God bless.

Hey guys I am also a May bander the 28th. I am 206. Drivinmg me nuts being on the edge. I cant believe how much you have lost already, awsome job, good luck, good job

I am also a May bander. I am like you exactly 206. Going nuts to get under 200. I am learning that this is not a race and that some weeks are not as good as others. We have the rest of our lives to meet our goals. As bad as we wanna be in Onederland, this is a lifestyle change that is permanant. Just like everthing else in life, our marriages, friendships, work, some days are great, some not so great, I am exactly where you are, I want it off yesterday, it just doesnt work that way, especially if you want it to stay off and your body not to hang off of you. God bless and keep your chin up.

Each day will get easier then occassionally out of the blue you may have a day where you will be really sore for no reason and feel like you have been hit by a truck. You had major surgery, dont expect too much too quick. I was banded May 28th and there are days when my port sight is really really sensitive to the touch. It is wierd. Sounds like you are doing great. God bless.

I know it is hard but I am glad you "fessed up" from what I understand you were in what could have been a very dangerous situation. You are still not out of the woods yet. You have gone thru a surgery to change your life. You are worth this life style change. We all understand the daily struggles, desiring the foods we cant have etc. It is tough, Nothing tastes as good as skinny and healthy will feel, NOTHING. Do what the doctor tells you before you end up really ill and back in surgery. You obviously want to do the right thing or youwouldnt of told him, good luck and God bless.

Be sure and get in your protien. I was sure it was a ploy for me to take in more calories for no darned reason but I swear when I drink 1-2 of those yucky shakes with at least 52 grams of protien a piece i really do lose more weight honest. try it and see.