Dakota1984

June 7th, 2007 was the day that I was banded. I weighed 286 pounds. Over the course of the next 18 months I made it all the way down to 206 pounds. Then my band slipped and I had to have corrective surgery and it scared me to pieces. Long story short.... the weight came back. Dang. Today I weighed 258.8 pounds. My goal weight is 186 pounds. This blog is going to be my daily record of what I am eating, how I am exercising and a documentation of the emotional journey that I am taking. I have heard it said that if I can lose it the second time I will never gain it back again. I don't know if that is true but I am willing to do it one more time.... on the thought of being healthy and athletic. Talk to you all tomorrow... Blessings, Michelle

I managed to keep it a secret for 15 months. Two very close friends were the only ones who knew, the girl who drove me home from the clinic and my best friend since childhood. Two and a half weeks ago my band slipped and I had to have emergency surgery. Now everyone knows including my mother, brother, children, friends and acquaintences. C'est le vie.

Hi Rhonda, Welcome! I know we are all ready to get back on the "band"wagon. So far I think we are all setting very realistic goals. Good Luck! Michelle

Hey Suzzzie, Glad to have you. It has been a good week - at least I haven't gained. I am going to start exercising tomorrow. Just walking for the time being, unfortunately I had surgery two weeks ago so heavy exercise is still a month away. Thanks, Michelle

Hello June 07 Bandsters, I don't know about everyone else but I have stalled out a little the past couple of months and am looking to kick my motivation back into gear. Hopefully you all will join me in getting ready to make 2009 the best year of our lives. My goal is to be under 200 pounds by January 1, 2009. Only a few pounds to go to get there but it will take some serious effort. Lets start sharing our ideas, our frustrations and our victories! We have come this far and I am really excited about what comes next. Compared to where I was before my band I feel so much healthier, so much younger and in general so much more alive. But I want more .... eventually I want to get to my ultimate goal weight of 154 pounds. My gut feeling is that most of you are wanting more out of your lives too. So I challenge you to join me in jump starting the goals we set in June of 2007. You all remember how this works. Just copy and paste to update your information and we will keep a running total. Name........Challenge start wgt.......current wgt.....chall. goal.....To go. Dakota1984....... 211......................211......................199................12 Good Luck, Michelle

Hi Flygirl, I am also a patient of Dr. Smith and live in Pueblo. I was banded 6/7/07. I would love to chat. Michelle

I had a lot of shoulder pain starting at about 6 weeks post op. It would radiate from my shoulder down to my port area. Usually taking OTC meds and laying down would make it go away relatively quickly. My doc even ordered a CT Scan to make sure that I wasn't suffering from a blood clot. After awhile they pain lessened and now (six months post op) I very rarely suffer any pain at all. Have hope!!! Michelle

I hope that you all had a wonderful Thanksgiving. I was able to limit myself to one small plate of food - which was so good BTW. Stayed away from the bread and only had one very small piece of pumpkin cheesecake. All in all a pretty successful day - especially compared to how much I was able to pack away last year. Name ..... start wgt .... current wgt ...goal .... To go Dakota1984 ..... 246 ....... 242 ....... 234 ..... 8 MJSafari ....... 237 ....... 237 ....... 227 ..... 10 Wombat712 ...... 162 ....... 162 ....... 150 ..... 12 SueMagoo ....... 243 ....... 243 ....... 230 ..... 13 Missrhondalynn.. 255 ....... 255 ....... 235 ..... 20 MM ............. 211 ....... 211 ....... 199 ..... 12 BeckieT ........ 248.8 ..... 248.8 ..... 240 ..... 8.8 Suzzzie. ....... 312.1 ..... 312.1 ..... 299 ..... 13.1 HUNTERSMOM...... 170 ....... 170 ....... 165 ..... 5 LULUC .......... 182 ....... 182 ....... 170 ..... 12 SWEETY ......... 188 ....... 188 ....... 180 ..... 8 Joeygirl........ 226 ....... 226 ........220.......6

Good Morning All, I would like to wish you all a Thanksgiving full of blessings and joy. Michelle

Name........Challenge start wgt.......current wgt.....chall. goal.....To go. Dakota1984....... 246......................246...................... 234................12 MJSafari............237.......................237. .....................227................10 Wombat712.........162.......................162... .....................150.................12 SueMagoo............243.......................243. ......................230................13 Missrhondalynn 255.....................255....................... ..235................20 MM.........................213.4.................. .213.4......................203..............10.4 BeckieT................248.8..................248. 8.......................240..............8.8 Okay - I took a reality pill this morning and adjusted my goal down from 20 to 12. I would really like to get my average back to 10 pounds per month but realize I probably shouldn't try to do it all in one month. I hope you all have a wonderful and blessed Thanksgiving. Michelle

I am really excited about this holiday season, from the standpoint that I won't be able to gorge myself the way I used to everytime I sit down at the table. Has anyone else noticed how the "bad" food tends to go down much easier than the "good" food? For instance I can literally inhale Reeces cups but have to chew a piece of broasted chicken forever and then can still only eat about 1/3 of my meal before I feel like if I eat another bite it will be coming back up. Name........Challenge start wgt.......current wgt.....chall. goal.....To go. Dakota1984....... 246......................243...................... 226................17 MJSafari............237.......................237. .....................227................10 Wombat712.........162.......................162... .....................150.................12

Hi Everybody, I am a June bandster and would like to join you all here. I have fiddled around and lost about 40 pounds since my surgery in June. The past month I just haven't paid as much attention as I did in the early stages and now I would like to get serious about dropping another 20 pounds by the end of the year. I would like to have an average loss of 10 pounds per month so I need to kick it up a notch. If you would like to join me in this challenge just copy and paste and we will keep a running total. Name........Challenge start wgt.......current wgt.....chall. goal.....To go. Dakota1984....... 246......................246......................226................20 Best of Luck, Michelle

I am so looking forward to size 16. I haven't been there since 1994. I have a family wedding to attend on December 8th and I would sure like to show up and surprise everyone. BTW - I read your blog. Very good! I keep thinking I would like to do one, but I don't know if 1) anyone would care to read the thing and 2) if I have enough of a life to warrant one. haha Michelle

Hi Colorado Bandsters! Jsoto, Jtag and Plentsweet - welcome to our lap-band world. When I finally made the decision to go ahead with the lap-band I talked and met with several people who had it done (including Connie from this thread). They all told me it was definately something the would do over again. I have to agree this is one of the better decisions I have ever made. I feel and look so much better already and I am only a little over 3 months out. Staceylca- I am not sure where Whitewater is. I would highly recommend Dr. James Smith here in Pueblo. BTW - Welcome to Colorado. bGrand - Hang in there girl. Keep working with your Doctor until you find your "sweet spot". It will happen if you don't give up. Trish and Connie - how are you girls doing? I haven't heard from you all in quite a while. Connie how about lunch next week or the week after? Trish - let us know when you come up again and we'll get together. About me - I had my hysterectomy on Sept 10 and am feeling great. I am ready to start exercising again, but other than walking I can't do much for four more weeks. I went shopping yesterday - I am in an 18/20 for the first time in years! Yahoo!!!! Ya'll hang in there! Keep lifting each other up! Michelle

When I first started discussing the idea of the lap-band with my husband, he was a bit reserved about the idea. Not from the standpoint of him wanting me to lose weight, but because of the dangers involved with the surgery. He had a friend who had his stomach stapled in the late 70's and died within a couple of years. He always thought the surgery and death were related. (I have absolutely no idea if they were or not). The great part was he was willing to go through the material I had gathered to research the lap-band and he spent a lot of time of this website and eventually became very supportive of the idea. He had watched me battle my weight for 16 years of marriage and I truly believe that when he said he wanted me to lose the weight for my health he meant it. He always said that he thought I was beautiful. The craziness of it was that I had a hard time believing him. As with most of us and our weight - it is a matter of our heart (spiritual well being). I really didn't love myself - so why should he. We had initially scheduled surgery for Feb. 26, 2007 with Dr. Ortiz in Tijiuana. My sweet husband was killed in a car accident in early Feb. Another driver crossed over the center line and he was killed instantly. Obviously - I immediately cancelled the surgery. I couldn't begin to deal with anything more than I already was dealing with. Several months afterward I began to realize that my husband would still want me to be healthy. I have an adult disabled daughter to care for and I knew I needed to be around for her as long as possible. So - on June 8th I had the lap-band with a local Dr. here in Colorado. Today I weigh 46 pounds less than I did the day of my husbands accident. I lost around 14 pounds presurgery and have lost 32 pounds since surgery. I am not losing weight for any other reason than I want to be healthy, active and I want to live every single minute of the rest of my life with enthusiasm. The main thing that has changed about me isn't my weight, however. What has changed is that I do believe my husband now, I am beautiful and I was extrodinarliy blessed to have had him for the years that I did. So - I said all that to say this girls. When your man says he loves you and he finds you beautiful. Give him a break and believe him. Michelle