A thread for super-sized bandsters - starting BMI over 50?

Holliwagz · June 18, 2007

Thank you all for your encouragement! I have made it down to 5 more shakes (which I have sworn off if at all possible post op) 1 day of liquids and then SURGERY!! I am sooooo looking forward to getting this over with and start feeling some restriction and my cravings going AWAY!! LOL Ok so I'm dreaming a bit (I think) but hey it's what's getting me through this part! I am also looking forward to having something besides liquid in my mouth mushies sound WONDERFUL!!

Yesterday was a VERY hard day for me UGH I went out with my husband and parents for Father's Day and everywhere was full to the gills so we ended up at my favorite restaurant which is Mexican! I had a TOTAL melt down that ended in my husband taking me home! It was horrible! But my parents (i found out later) felt worse than I did!! :-(

zrfhnbc · June 18, 2007

I had to post this here, because I was just so excited about both. First of all, I went to Lane Bryant and bought a size 24 jeans. My niece convinced me to try them b/c they were on clearance. In January I was squeezing into a 28. I am still so excited that they fit and look very cute. Then I tried on a 2X top I bought months ago (knowing it was too small and thinking I'd wear it after banding, probably in August). It fit too and looked very cute with the jeans. My sweetie just kept saying wow... I didn't wear that outfit very long.:biggrin1:

Second thing - I was watching a discovery health channel show about a women weighing 627 lbs and they were describing obesity levels. They mentioned that over 50 BMI is super morbid obesity and I acknowledged (like always) "Yep, that's me". Then I stopped and thought about it and realized "NO, that's not me anymore". My BMI is now 47. I was so excited you would have thought I won the lottery!

I just had to share!!

MaryumC

Suzzzie. · June 18, 2007

I had to post this here, because I was just so excited about both. First of all, I went to Lane Bryant and bought a size 24 jeans. My niece convinced me to try them b/c they were on clearance. In January I was squeezing into a 28. I am still so excited that they fit and look very cute. Then I tried on a 2X top I bought months ago (knowing it was too small and thinking I'd wear it after banding, probably in August). It fit too and looked very cute with the jeans. My sweetie just kept saying wow... I didn't wear that outfit very long.:biggrin1:
Second thing - I was watching a discovery health channel show about a women weighing 627 lbs and they were describing obesity levels. They mentioned that over 50 BMI is super morbid obesity and I acknowledged (like always) "Yep, that's me". Then I stopped and thought about it and realized "NO, that's not me anymore". My BMI is now 47. I was so excited you would have thought I won the lottery!

I just had to share!!

MaryumC

thats so awesome! Congrats to you! I have a pair of 24s I bought on clearance a few years ago... never worn them. CAN'T WAIT!!

itcomputerchick · June 18, 2007

Hey Yall

So glad to read about all your goals that is awesome. Yall are such inspirations to me. I finally realize that I am not alone that there are people out there well over the 300 mark and have a long way to go just like me.

I have been researching the band for about a year. Had to get insurance through hubbys job so waited to late March for the journey to begin.

Went to the seminar jumped through all the hoops. And last week my surgeon office calls me to inform me that he is no longer doing wls.

Small set back I hope. I got on the phone that minute called insurance and asked who else was covered close to my area or atleast in GA LoL.

Well they found me one about 40 miles away, not too bad. Plus the hospital is one of the best in GA Emory.

Anyway I have to attend this new doctors seminar Dr. Edward Lin. I sure hope that all my test will be transferrable so to speak. Because I would so hate to have to do this all over again.

I have Aetna PPO insurance so I am not sure what to expect with them. I have 1 more test to do that is a chest xray for my pulmonary doctor. I sure hope that is all.

Reading all your post I cannot wait to be among the living. I have been overweight all my life. I just cant imagine being "normal" whatever that is. But I am sure willing to give it a try.

Sorry for such a long post. Thought some of you would have any welcoming advice? I would so enjoy that.

Oh and CONGRATS to all yall

melissa

=)

Zannie · June 20, 2007

It's been a while since I posted to this thread, but I have post-worth news! :clap2::clap2:

My BMI is now 49.4

My 4-month Bandiversary was on Friday and I hit the "50#s lost" mark on the same day! I'm now no longer SUPER morbidly obese (just your run-of-the-mill Morbid Obesity here)!!! I didn't have any pre-op diet to follow, so I'm down from 320 to 270 since my LapBand on Feb 15th. Wahoo!

I've had 3 fills in a VG-10mm band and am at good restriction, though I assume I'll need another fill as I loose more weight. (How long does good restriction last once you've hit a sweet spot? :scalesno:) I try to do the treadmill every-other-day (for a 1/2 hour, increasing my MPH as I my endurance slowly improves but not the actual time), and my diet focus is on eliminating sugar-sweetened foods & grain-group foods (except breadcrumbs-not going to get stuck & corn-not exactly a grain, I say).

Though I still don't see a physical change (well, my face is less puffy & my ring size is smaller), I'm finally starting to FEEL the benefits of this surgery! I've had boundless energy for several days now (a big change for me), and my cholesterol went from horrifically high in November to "within normal levels" by May! I've lost 1/4 of the weight I need to loose to be at a "healthy" BMI for my 5'2" frame. I'm so excited to be HERE -- a quarter of the way there! :biggrin1: I've still got so very far to go, but I know I wouldn't be here now - or at that goal ever - without the LapBand!

To all those still considering this, and to those of you on the brink of your surgeries... there is work -real work- involved, but this is the best thing I've ever done for my health!

And to those of you who've gone before me... :help: Tell me about loosing the next quarter of my excess weight (50#)?!? What were months 5-8 like for y'all? Will this restriction subside (it's perfect now, I'd say)? When should I expect the honeymoon to end? What did you do to combat the sagging skin I'm already seeing -- and did it HELP? :scales: I'm so ready for your wisdom & advice, so bring it on! :lol:

Zannie · June 20, 2007

ANYONE ON THIS THREAD CLOSE TO GOAL..... or close to plastic surgery or already had some????? Please dish! I would like a realistic outlook for my possible situation at or near goal! I have seen JulieNYC PS thread and I tell you it is inspiring... I don't know if I will ever be quite that dedicated with the running. I would like to check out any others.

Ditto!!! I can tell already that I'll have problems with the dunlap (hanging abdominal pannus), terodactyl wings (far beyond "bat") and tubesock-n-tennis ball boobs. My things/legs might be a problem, too, but I have not really started to loose much there so we shall see... I never thought I'd volunteer for any surgery, but... :biggrin1: And since I've gone under the knife of my own free will once, I have begun to consider the possibility of plastic surgery down the line. But I'd much prefer working my butt off (and arms, and belly...) to get rid of the weight & the extra skin!

I know sagging skin is a huge problem for those of us with major weight to loose. Have any of you further along in the process not had the sagging skin characteristic of WLS patients? Give me some hope here...hope that with a lot of exercise/strength training, or because of some merical ream, or something...this saggy, hanging skin can be prevented or reversed!

Suzanne

Holliwagz · June 20, 2007

Well here is my last post before surgery! I have reached my pre-op goal of 30 lbs!! WOOOOHOOOOOO I am so excited and ready to go!! Thanks to all of you for help and encouragement! I will see ya on the other side of BANDIT LAND!! hahaha

masonkr · June 21, 2007

Surgery date 5/4/07......total of 29 lbs lost. I have had one fill but still feel hungry at times. Trying my best to stick to the plan....very hard. I have not had any complications. No vomiting, just bm problems once I started on solid foods. I find myself looking at everything I eat.....trying not to snack and when I do find jello-sugarfree with is only 10 calories to be satisfying. Nuts are very high in calories. thanks for listening.

masonkr · June 21, 2007

Surgery date 5/4/07......total of 29 lbs lost:clap2:. I have had one fill but still feel hungry at times. Trying my best to stick to the plan....very hard. I have not had any complications. No vomiting, just bm problems once I started on solid foods. I find myself looking at everything I eat.....trying not to snack and when I do find jello-sugarfree with is only 10 calories to be satisfying. Nuts are very high in calories. Will go back on the 18th of July....definitely will get another fill. Do not want to eat the way I used to. Find it is true that I am an emotional eater. thanks for listening.

brandlet32 · June 22, 2007

I am so glad that I found this thread! I'm nowhere near surgery yet, my consultation is July 10, but my insurance covers the surgery right off the bat, so it's just a matter of getting with the Dr. at the point. I'm 27, 5'7, I'm guessing around the 350 lbs mark, give or take, with a BMI of 54. I'm so glad to see that I'm not the only one that has to lose the weight of an overweight to obese person! I've literally been fat my entire life. I can remember being weighed in kindergarten and weighing 75 lbs, so I can honestly say that I've always been overweight. I lost over 100 lbs a few years back doing Weight Watchers and got down to bout 215. I felt awesome at that size and looked great. But, after a bad car accident, I gained it all back, PLUS an additional 25 lbs. So, here I am! At this point, I would love to weight under 200 lbs. I'll have one heck of a party the day I weigh 199 lbs! At 5'7 and a large frame, I'm "supposed" to weigh between 120-155 lbs. I'd be ecstatic to get to 180.

Anyway, I've been long-winded enough. I just wanted to jump into the group now that I feel that I belong somewhere. I am so excited to start this next chapter of my life and I'm glad that I found this place.

maziemommy · June 22, 2007

Holliwagz..... thinking of you and surgery....let us know how everything goes/went... hope all is well!!

insubordination · June 22, 2007

Dear Zannie, Congratulations on being morbidly obese.

We of all people absolutely get it. My BMI is now also under 50. Woohoo! Everyone's doing great.

Holliwagz · June 22, 2007

Hey how is everyone? Looks like most of you are busy busy! I am doing pretty good so far today! Yesterday wasn't good at all! I had a horrible headache and nausea the entire day didn't want ANYTHING but water! I did make my self eat some Jello and then FINALLY about 10pm I had the broth off of ramen noodles MMMMMMMMM 1000% better than just chicken broth! I had been wanting sprite and crackers cause that is what always takes care of my nausea but I didn't! At one point yesterday I dry heaved about 5-6 times NOT fun at all!! It was my fault though I was trying to "hurry" and get some yucky med's down and a drink of Water after that and that's what set me off!! The left side of my abdomen is what is killing me and has been since I woke up in recovery! I can't imagine being able to get out and about today!! The Dr said for me not to drive until the 22nd I was like your kidding right? There is no way my family will let me drive probably for the next week!!!

GWIP · June 23, 2007

Hi everybody! I was banded yesterday too!! a bit painful...and I am pooped...but so ready to get going. We are going "camping" tomorrow...I will lounge in our lovely trailer and sit in the sun....and sip...sip...and sip somemore. Insurance never paid so we are self-pay. I appreciate everyones posts...very encouraging. Have a great weekend.

Ruth

leedorr · June 23, 2007

Ruth

Best wishes for a great adventure ahead of you! Just take one day at a time and follow the program and you will do great. I love my band and am enjoying a BMI at 33! I am not just obese. lol Sounds funny to be excited about being "just obese"! My BMI was around 58 when I started! Anything you need, we are all here for youQ