A year later for all of us sometime this month! :confused: How's it been? What have you learned? What are your hopes for the next year? Victories? Disappointments? Regrets? Praises?

I'll start. Getting the band was the best thing I've ever done for myself. My only regret is that I didn't do this sooner. I hope next year sees me losing the rest of my weight and at goal. I hope my skin snaps back more. I feel strong, healthy, and normal-sized! I have more energy and no more leg, knee, and feet pain. I've learned that I still don't know how to eat slowly (and regurgitated food doesn't taste very good). I've also learned that steak doesn't really taste that good when eaten in really small bites. I've found that I like exercising and the more I do it, the more I want to do it. Also, I'm not afraid of airplane seats in coach anymore. I wish I could find the correct balance between too tight and not tight enough.

What else do you have? Please share!

What a year it has been!! Mine was June 1. Unfortunately, I have to go back in for a revision. Seems as my band has slipped but I'm not disheartened. I'm unfilled now. So I will have a month probably before the revision and I'm anxious to see how I will do. Although the past week I've been so sick and so much throwing up that it will take probably four or five days for my system just to feel normal. I think the band had been slipping for about four or five weeks. I had a half cc removed because it was still too tight. It was fine at first and then just kept gradually getting tighter but as long as I stayed with "safe" slider foods I was okay. Then last Sunday all hell broke loose and vomited even ice chips. But still in my mind I kept thinking okay give it a few days it will calm down until early Thursday morning I was throwing up tons of blood, which I don't know much about medical but I knew that was not good and went to emergency room. So all is good now. Once the fill was removed, it was very strange that the band popped right back up to where it is supposed to be...had fluoro before and after. So they just need to go in and put in another stitch to hold it in place. Not placing blame on anyone or thing...just know I need to be more in tune with my body and if I'm throwing up even on small stuff, I need to lower the fill.

But on the bright side, I'm 10 lbs from goal. I've met other goals...wanted to be in a size 10, any size 10, not just the stretchy ones, lower meds, and get caps on all my teeth...so life is good. I'm still not at a "healthy" bmi which will be another ten pounds. So this next month while waiting for revision, will be a challenge to up my exercise and really eat healthy. I don't think I've really eaten that healthy in a while because when the band is too tight, you're very limited on choices. The big lesson I've learned though is that, as we all know now, it takes really not very much food to sustain ourselves.

My daughter who is also banded is reading a new book called Women Food and God (not a religious book) which she's all excited about, which delves into knowing our bodies and why we eat food when we're not hungry. Because at some point we all have to go into maintenance and the bands have to be loosened up. So I will let you guys know if I recommend the book after this weekend. She really feels like it's helping her because at some point it has to be not about the band anymore. the band helps get it off but then it really comes down to us and our choices to maintain that weight loss without really dieting the rest of our lives.

Okay, I've rambled on enough....Happy Bandiversary to all!!!

trisha

pennreporter

HAPPY BANDIVERSARY ONE AND ALL!!!

My 1 year bandiversary is on June 8 and I can't even put into words how much my life has changed for the better since being banded! :thumbup:

On April 14, 2009, I went to my PCP for bloodwork and a physical after deciding to get the band. I weighed 325lbs, had high cholesterol, high BP, type 2 diabetes, joint pain, stomach ulcers, and a hiatal hernia. I couldn't ride in an airplane w/o an extender. I couldn't ride any rides that required a lap belt/harness at my favorite amusement park. I was struggling to squeeze into a size 28. I lived to eat.

As my 1 year approaches, I am off my cholesterol and diabetes meds, can walk for miles w/o pain, can fly w/o an extender, easily wear a size 18/20, and I plan to go to an amusement park next month. food no longer controls my every waking thought. I have lost nearly 80lbs! I have so much more energy and I am able to accomplish so much more during my day.

For my second year, my hopes are to lose another 75lbs (150 total), complete at least one 5K, establish/maintain a realistic exercise plan, find my "sweet spot," and easily wear a size 12 or 14. :tt2:

Congratulations Sweetbean!!! The facility/hospital where I had mine done will not do bands on folks who need to lose over 100 lbs. It's people like you that should make them eat their words. But, then, again, they're not big proponents yet of the band for anyone.

Again, way to go...just imagine what it will be like this time next year!!!

Trisha

pennreporter

I was banded on June 30th 2009 and I have lost 56lbs and I have 43 left to lose. I hope I will lose it all within the second year. I kind of thought I would have lost all of it by now but I guess that was wishful thinking.

I learned to eat slow and I still do eat at night out of habit not because I am hungry.