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.

Today I sit here in my comfy 42s at 259.

How tall are you? Just curious. DH is 6'4 and at 255 wears a comfy 42. Of course, at 215 he's in a 36, which he likes much better.

Then again my dad is about 5'9 or 5'10, about 285, and wears a 50.

Hey Florida ladies, I'm constantly in and out of Tampa for work. I think it's considered "north Tampa" but I could be completely wrong... it's just a few minutes from the intersection of I-75 and Bruce B. Downs.

I know I will be there May 8 - May 12, and possibly for a week between now and then. I think we're booked pretty solid, but if I can get away would anyone want to meet for dinner?

Yikes Amy that is really sad about your daughter - You would think in this day and age antibiotics would be strong enough to cure Pneumonia. Hope she gets better soon remember to take care of yourself.

what town are you in?

We actually live in Land O Lakes but our business is in Tampa and Brandon.

I-75 and Bruce B. Downs

Yes that is considered North tampa or "New Tampa" and about 10-15 min from downtown. Are you coming to Tampa for a convention?

I will have to see if I'm among the able bodied between May 8-12 LOL Im coming back in town from Dr. Ortiz on the 7th, so we will have to see.

At that intersection there is a Ruby Tuesdays, TGIFridays, Bennigans, Macroni Grill, Chili's and a couple of other places and on the other side of the interstate McDonalds and Red Lobster.

Oh well.. I've already blown it today. *sigh*

If I can ever get past the 3rd day in a row I'll have it made.

So, this afternoon starts a new try.

Thank you guys for the help. I'm determined to beat this!

I was so self-absored I forgot to mention this:

For all of you that have outgrown.. well, undergrown??... your clothes you might try selling them on Ebay. That's what I did when I finally decided to buy a few new things and I did really well! Well enough to buy some new outfits & undies and all I sold were the things in really good (almost like new) shape. I can't wait to outgrow some more!

May is a convention at the Tampa Bay Grand Hyatt (I think) but normally no, it's just for meetings or something, we have a sister company in that area. I fell in love with the Bonefish Grill (was a sdecent drive) last time we were there, their seared ahi was so yum. And closer to that particular area, "Highlands Preserve" or whatever it was, we found this little place onthe backside of a building, I believe it was called SukoThai -- wonderful sushi and Nam Toke chicken... mmm... Last time I took DH with me and we drove across the bay to Madiera City, then up to Orlando to visit some friends who moved there.

If you're familiar with the area, I'm usually in a suite at the Wingate Inn.

hi I am Tina i was 335 pounds in jan 2003. I hit rock bottom when i was diagnosed with PCOS. I started walking and got my weight down to 275 with in 7 months. that is 60 pounds gone just from walking 4 days a week every week. but then i was laid off and went into a deep depression (so bad that i would go for days with out showering or even brushing my teeth--sounds worse than it was) i stopped walking and by jan 2005 I was back up to 308. I fluxed between 308 and 300 for a few months before meeting with surgeon for lap band surgery.

I am 5'2" and weighed 308 before my surgery. I was at 56.3 BMI. now being banded I am down to 253 and my BMI is 46.3. My goal is to get to 125. I understand the I only need to lose 60 pounds comments getting to you. It gets to me. It make me second guess myself for getting lap band I think maybe I should have gotten RNY gastric bypass and have lost most of me weight already. But then there are times i am glad to be banded and not out there in the world all alone fighting the demons that are in my head telling me that i need to eat when i really dont.

BEST OF LUCK TO YOU ALL

Good to read all this.

I got banded yesterday.

Am hoping that this works for me too.

Hi all,

Starting weight 300lbs 5'3.5" BMI 52.something

Almost 7 months post op, still 5'3.5" weight 225 BMI 38.6

Funny to think that with no co-morbidities, I would no longer qualify for surgery. My goal is 140 (the top of my normal range) That gave me 160 lbs of which 75 are gone.

Good luck to all!

Hiyas WeightLoser! Grats on your banding! Follow your Dr's directions carefully and you should see excellent results! :eek:

Babyjane - We are pretty close in situation. I am 5'3" and my starting weight was 365, which I think makes my BMI 46. I have no surgery date yet either, because we are in the insurance-submitting process. I want to have the procedure done laparascopically, so I have to lose a little first. Last weigh in I was 346 woo-hoo!

Feel free to email me if you wanna talk or compare notes, commiserate, etc.

Tina, I have PCOS, too. PCOS sucks! I have also taken up walking, though I have an odd system to measure my progress. It hurt like hell the first 2 weeks, so I had to build up gradually. I have 3 dogs, so I started by taking just one dog and walking around the block once, for one walk a day. Now, I am up to two dogs and twice around the block, and sometimes twice a day if I can fit it in. Who needs a pedometer when you have puppies?

What I'd really love to do is do my walking at the off-leash dog park. But, there are no paths there (because umm, dogs don't need sidewalks in their own park!). This means the terrain is uneven and I have a hell of a heel spur. Someday, someday, someday... someday, I'll run WITH my dogs.

As for my weight loss goals, those aren't set in pounds.

1. First milestone: Put on my socks without holding my breath

2. Walk without pain.

3. Run with dogs.

4. Ride a Harley.

5. Babies!

I am 5'3" and my starting weight was 365, which I think makes my BMI 46.

Actually with that height and weight, your BMI is closer to 65, and with your weightloss around 62. There's a BMI calculatore here if anyone is unsure how to calculate theirs.

Welcome to our thread! :clap2:

Thanks for starting this great thread. At my highest weight, I was about a 77 BMI, 72 at surgery, and currently 53 BMI just over a year out. Yes, I've lost pretty well, (not counting this 3 month plateau I'm on right now that I'm hoping my most recent fill will get me moving again). Even after a year, I still feel so huge. Don't get me wrong, I am so grateful for this band and I have so much more energy and can do so many more things now. Sometimes I see someone's starting weight and wish I was at that weight right now, or even think, hell, if I was that weight, I wouldn't be having surgery.

I'll keep fighting the good fight and hope this plateau will end soon.

Wheetsin, I'm 6'1".

Actually, I've been donating all my old clothes to a local charity. It helps folks, and I get a tax deduction for what I think the clothes were worth. A win-win.