Had my lap band 2 years ago this week. I went from size 26 to size 8 and lost 130 lbs... Thanks to USC's phenomenal team!

You look amazing! Congratulations!

So far I haven't had any plastic surgerys. I don't know if I will. My insurance is not wanting to pay for anything, and I don't know if it's worth it to me to pay cash. If I do fix anything it would be my arms. The rest doesn't look too bad. Yes, it could be tighter... But I am 52 yr old... Some sagging is acceptable at that age, right?

As to why I have been successful when others aren't... I don't know. I was scared at first that I wouldn't be. It was alot easier than I thought it would be to be honest. I think it was a mind set thing. The first couple of times I overrate and ended up with the chest pain followed by needing to "throw up or die" it was so awful that I finally found the point where one more bite is going to take me to that place, and I stopped eating. Sometimes I could eat enough to not look ridiculous... at other times I might be 3 or 4 bites into a meal, and that was all I could comfortably eat.

Around Chridtmas last year I had to go get all the Fluid removed because something was going on, and I was at the point where I couldn't even drink Water without having to throw up. I was actually 20 lbs below my goal and looking pretty bad (yes, you can be too skinny). When they let it out there was 4 cc in it. I went back a month later when I had gained back 10 lb and had them put in 1/2 cc and that's there I have been.

I still don't eat alot. I don't snack, and I don't try to get around it by eating things that are easier to pack in. I still have difficulty eating meat, and have made an effort to get Protein shakes whenever possible. I had a friend who did it, and she barely lost any weight. I can say everytime I saw her she was "grazing". My advice is not to do that. Some people think that you "have to eat" a certain amount to be healthy. No, you don't. It's that kind of thinking that got you where you ate, and it will keep you there too if you let it. The only thing I "graze" on is sunflower seeds (the ones in the shell) I have heard that you expend as much energy shelling them as they supply in calories. I don't know about that... But it takes me all day to eat a bag... and keeps me satisfied.

My Dr. Is thrilled too. He had tried to talk me into a bypass at first because he was afraid I wouldn't be able to lose enough... But I did.

Congrats, you look great and you probably feel great too. I appreciate your additional advice and story of unfill and minimal refill. that was so helpful about long term outcomes for the band. I wish you the best and continued great success.