Thundergrrl

Montynic, that's too funny. Sure we're not some sort of bizarro-world twins? I think the only one I didn't ever do was cabbage soup. If only I'd tried that before getting banded, maybe it would have saved me :thumbup: So when did you/do you get it?

Thanks for the responses. It's good to meet you all. I am now just over 2 weeks post-op and have lost 26lbs (including some pre-op.) I wish it would keep coming off but I know my body has to stop and catch up at some point so I'm just keeping at it. I know everyone always talks about the "lifestyle change" but I'm going to say, I think that really reinforces the false idea that all fatties are lazy, junk food addicts, and do nothing more than sit at home all day. Maybe I'm the exception, not the rule, but I have always lived an active, healthy, outdoor lifestyle and done my best to choose good foods. Unfortunately, genetics (3 generations of overweight family members) and endocrine disorders like PCOS from a young age, have made my body resistant to losing weight in all but the most extreme circumstances. Never in my life have I done what I have done for the past month: living on 1000 calories a day while still exercising at least 1 hour a day. The first 2 weeks were pure willpower but the past 2 have been easy in comparison since I don't feel insatiably hungry like I did before. I'm not knocking anyone's personal journey to better health but I'll be the first to admit it feels patronizing to hear the repeated "it's a tool -you have to work it" and "it's a lifestyle change" lines. My lifestyle, activity level, food choices, etc. are pretty great (and have been for years) but I'm hoping to finally have the help I need via the band to kick the constant gnawing hunger that never would go away for more than 30 minutes. So far so good. And it's really encouraging to see success in people with no fills. It looks like I won't be getting one at my 6 week post-op, if things continue the way they are.

I am now banded (as of 2 weeks ago) and in the process of both pre and post op dieting, I have lost 25 lbs. This is close to the most I've ever lost in my life, period, and it's been by far easier than any of the other times I've tried. Maybe cause I knew the band was coming so it helped me make it through. Anyway, since being banded, I've been eating 1000 calories a day and making a point to exercise 30mins-1hour a day and the weight is coming off very fast. I would never be able to sustain this kind of diet without the band but with it, at the moment, it's easy. I hope that everyone here finds the same kind of success that I feel right now. And for myself I hope it continues.

Hi Everyone, Just a quick post to say hello, yes I'm new here. I was banded on 3/17 and am recovering pretty well. My highest weight was 374 and I am now 354. Hard to believe 20lbs gone forever :laugh: It doesn't feel like very much, I've dropped from a size 22 to an 18 but I don't actually feel any difference yet :smile: The first few days after surgery were rough but today was really great and I feel almost back to 100% except for pain and ITCHING at my incision sites. I'd love to make friends here and meet other recent and long time banded folks.

Hi there, I'm new here as well...having surgery on the 17th. Bets of luck to you. This forum doesn't seem so active.

8 years ago when I was 18 my endocrinologist recommended bypass due to my PCOS and how hard it was to lose any weight. My parents said no way so I put the thought out of my mind. But now the technology has come a long way and I'm going to be getting banded. I find it really interesting that for me too, the only way to lose weight is on extremely low calorie and high exercise plans, which I can't keep up for more than a couple of months. I know that the band will help me with this as long as I keep being as active as I am.

Hi Everyone, I'm Ellen, 25, living in Maryland near DC. I have been thinking about surgery for the past 8 years since my doctor told me it would be a good option for me since I have PCOS and have tried everything to lose weight with very little luck. My parents didn't like that idea but now that I'm an adult (lol) and have my own health insurance, I decided it's time. I have been happily partnered for nearly 4 years, we own a home, have great jobs, a dog, and a horse, so I don't really have any huge reason to do this (it certainly can't make me happier than I already am in life) - but I do hate to feel like I am held back from things I enjoy doing and I've started to feel like I'm only going to get more and more limited as I get older. My weight has been relatively steady for the past 5 years, in the 260s but I ended up at 274 when I started this process. I'm very fortunate to have insurance covering me 100% and my process will have taken about 3 months from the time I made the first phone call to my surgeon's office through banding (which is 3 weeks away.) I'm happy to meet people who are on this journey and look forward to posting some after pictures soon

This is so sad and I'm sorry to hear they're so ignorant. What I would do is join in on their forums and post your daily food and exercise diary and let them compare to their own. But I'm somewhat of an instigator and can't just leave well enough alone. Probably best you just disengage. Having said that, I'm really happy to hear the plan works for you. My employer offers WW at work for $175 for 12 weeks or whatever the normal course is. I've done it a couple of times in my life and it never worked for me. I can follow something like that for a few months but I don't actually lose weight. Maybe 10 lbs... It's just too much struggle with no results for me. Plus, I'm always hungry! Hence, why I'm going to get the band. The thing I've found about people who lose weight is that they become evangelists for whatever method they are currently using. I'm sure WW is a good program for some people, as are most diets (except the crazy ones) but if you're hungry and miserable the whole time, it's not a way you can live. I'd tell them that you're following the same exact plan as them but you're not miserably hungry on a low calorie diet and hence, don't have to be so mean

Hi Everyone, I'm kind of new here. I'm 25, actually, getting banded a week before my 26th Bday (the best present ever!) And I'm looking to hear some success stories from those of you/us who have been heavy as long as we can remember. I see a lot of people who gained weight after having kids and could never lose it but I can't be the only one who's mom dragged me to WW when I was nine or put me on Atkins when I was 10, right? I think it's a whole different set of issues for those of us who have always been the fat kid, fat teen, etc. rather than knowing what it's like to live outside the world of fat and then starting to gain weight at a later age. I truly believe that this is what I need in order to free myself from what feels like a prison inside my own body. And I believe that all the discipline and effort I've put into failed diets in the past will finally prove successful. But... it wouldn't hurt to hear from others who've been in this position. Looking forward to getting to know you all.

I'm actually looking forward to the preop liquid diet (less choices means less time trying to figure out what to eat and whether I want it or not.) I've been doing Protein shakes for Breakfast every morning for... jeeze, like 9 months now and I love them. My recipe: 8oz skim milk (90 calories) 8oz lowfat chocolate soy milk (120 calories) 1 scoop chocolate flavored whey protein (104 calories) So the total shake has 314 calories, 3 grams of fat, and 30 grams of protein. It keeps me full till lunch and that's 16 oz of shake... once I have my band I will only be able to drink what, 4oz? So, this is my idea of the perfect Protein Shake but I could be wrong. It does taste very good though. I get my whey protein from wholefoods for 11.99/16 servings.