We need a place where we can support each other through our "more than most" journey. Just as turtles don't get much out of hearing us talking about fast we're losing, maybe it would give us a nice break from "I'm getting banded because I need to lose 60 lbs".

I think we have our own unique challenges, expectations, baggage, etc. -- and we need our own little niche to support eachother. We all have a very long journey ahead of us, and need to band together.

Ok ya'll maybe I am strange but I just went to my surgeron's web site to their BMI calculator to see how much weight I have to lose to get out of the MB category. Ok it was depressing, I dont recommend anyone doing it.

I go for my first fill on Friday. Wish me luck, I need some restriction, I have none right now. I was banded on Feb 8, did great until I started eating again.

I have to admit, I am scared to death! This is a whole new way of life and I am scared of failure. I feel like this is my last chance!

hello, i am pre-band-no surgery date yet-i hope in may or june.

i think i weigh 375 and @ 5'3 1/2", my bmi is 65!!! i get so discouraged

to think about it--having to lose about 200 lbs. at least. i KNOW i will be

all wrinkly and saggy and will not be able to ever have any cosmetic

surgery, but hopefully i will live longer. i would like to be able to take a

shower again w/o a shower chair-you know -maybe actually stand up!!

not have to ride my scooter when i have to go out in public. i don't use it at home--but i am sure my kids hate me having to use it for ball games,

school functions, etc...........oh, well , i know i have a long way to go--

and i am committed--i will look for the small victories ....:straight

Hi Babyjane :wave:,

I think it is great that you are maybe getting banded in a few months. I'm really close to you in weight and was just banded 2/27. I can't begin to tell you what a difference it has made in even this short of time. I've only lost 20 lbs which you wouldn't think would make much difference considering I too have about 200 to lose, but boy howdy! It has made an amazing improvement in my energy level, my knees don't hurt nearly as bad and I can walk farther without getting winded. I can bend over (and get back up) and can even squat and return to a standing position!I am diabetic and prior to surgery was on 85 units of insulin a day plus 3 other kinds of diabetic pills. I DON'T HAVE TO TAKE INSULIN ANYMORE! Even my diabetic meds dosage has been cut in half. :whoo: I feel so much better. I try not to think about how much in total I have to lose, but am reaching for "mini goals" in 10 lb increments. These small victories seem so much bigger and are more frequent!

This is a wonderful website with lots of support. You'll find most of us share similar struggles with our weight and life problems. It's great to have a place to go that you feel absolutely safe discussing ANYTHING on your mind with NO fear of being "put down". I look forward to getting to know your better . We're all in this together. Have a very blessed day!

ms vicki, thank you so much for the kind words--i have enjoyed this web site so much. it feels like such a friendly place--i still am trying to get insurance to pay--i will see how it goes...but i am awfully determined!!

I tried to post this yesterday but it wouldn't let me.

Babyjane my heart goes out to you and if there is anything that I can do let me know. I can check with you to see if you are drinking your Water, eating Breakfast, having more veggies, exercising ie hand weights and more. You don't have to wait for surgery. Somebody coined the phrase long time ago.....Live Like You're Banded.....water, exercise, Protein.....

teresa, thank you---i am sure i will start doing more to get ready

for the band---i have already done some small things--trying to chew food extremly well, eating slower, etc--i love water, but still do not thnk i drink enough. when i drink large amounts-it just sloshes around in my stomach for hours. i also take diuretics--so peeing and drinking are big

parts of my day!! the banana with the boobs is so cute!!:biggrin1:

Babyjane, you are going to shine!

I'm down just over 50 lbs. Judging from how my pants fit, I'd guess 30-ish of that to be fat. I wish I had the presence of mind to take measurements and nekkid pics the night before surgery, but I fell asleep -- with a lot of stuff undone that I had planned to get to. I plan to shop this weekend for a body fat analyzer.

Hi everyone! I'm pre-op, have approval, waiting for a date. I currently weigh 341, 5'9" tall. I have a goal to weigh 180lbs. I have been obese all my life, since childhood, not so bad then, but after getting married and babies the weight has crept up. I'm not quite as heavy as I was when I delivered by children, but I'm getting close. The lowest weight I ever remember was 210 when I was on nutrisystem. I looked darned good, that was also 17 years ago .

Hoping to be a loser soon!

I was Banded September 9, 2005

I can not be more happy. my weight before surgery and before i stopped the nasty diet coke was 347. I have had several small fills, my last was 0.25cc on 3.2.06 and it kicked in the last few days. I have lost 7 pounds in less then a week.

Last weekend i had had it, my clothing looked like i was a slob, I went out and purchased a new pair of jeans, i had been in my sameold sameold 24-26 gloria vanderbelts. Well i got a size 20 and they are a bit loose. I know many say dont go and get new clothing, but OMG let me just say this, spend a bit on some clothing so you can see your weight loss.

I got some 10.00 t-shirts at wallyworld but spent 30.00 on jeans at Macy's. IT WAS WAY WORTH IT!!!!

Vicky

To all of you who love your band and are working with it and not against it...KUDOS!! You guys sound like you are all doing amazingly. I only hope I do half as good. Keep up the good work. I love to hear from happy bandsters.

I know many say dont go and get new clothing,

Oh geez... between Jan - Dec '04 I lost 120# on a modified low-carb diet. I bought an entire wardrobe for every new size. Of course I also kept a few of my big n' baggy comfies, which are now my everydays. :rolleyes

I was so happy to be in the lower sizes, I'd got to "look" just to see if I was down another one yet, and come home from LB with 5 bags of clothes. So the good news is, I have a few sizes' worth of clothes, and it should be a while before I need to buy anything, I have 32 to 22, 5x to 1x, and everything in between!

We could host a heck of a clothing swap on this thread!

I started at a BMI of 48.9 back in November, I am now a 34.2 BMI.

The wildest difference is indeed the clothing. Sometimes I pull a pair of pants out of my closet, and look at it and think "that won't fit me:, then I put it on, and it is too big!

I'm wanna be 350 pounds

That was my first goal!

I'm 5'9" and weighed 403 before I had my surgery on July 27. I had lost 80 pounds by the end of the year but have since gained back 20... *sigh*

For some reason I just never thought I'd have to worry about gaining weight back this soon! :faint: I know why it's happened and I'm trying to take back my control. I could really use some good thoughts and prayers if you're so inclined.

Why are you gaining your weight back -- what can we do to help? I can't do much in the prayer category, but perhaps advice? Suggestions?

I've posted this before and I kind of feel like I'm whining, but I appreciate the offer of help so I'll go on.

My mother died unexpectedly in January and I was dealing with a too tight fill at the time. Between the tight fill and the lump in my throat all I could get down was ice cream. So it's all I ate for a long time. And my sugar addiction came screaming back... of course.

I was just too sad and stressed to care. But now I do care again and I am working hard to break the addiction once again.

In fact, today is my very first day with no sweets at all! I've been a BEAR, but my family pretends not to notice. :phanvan Gosh, I love these guys.. and I don't want to die. So I'll conquer it once again! I have to.

I can't even think one day at a time. Today I made it through one minute at a time.. it made for a really stressful day, and I'm not so sure tomorrow will be any better. But if I can make it through 3 days I think I will have it licked!