I'm new here- just downloaded an iPhone app and registered 5 minutes ago so I hope I'm not blowing some rule or posting in the wrong place but I wanted to just share this:

Last night I realized that it's been almost 10 years since my Lap Band was put in and I'm positive that it was the healthiest choice over made for myself.

I had just turned 40 and had been overweight since puberty. Weighed around 190 lbs. at 18 years old and by 40 I was weighed more than 250 . I was taking medication for asthma and high blood pressure and had a few other minor but obesity related health issues as well. I read an article about Sharon Osborne having had Lap Band surgery and not knowing what that was I looked it up. It made so much sense to me and didn't have the nutritional concerns that stopped me from other bariatric surgeries. I found a local surgeon, felt deeply grateful that my insurance covered it and had my surgery on May 9, 2003.

I followed the rules (generally but not perfectly) and lost weight slowly but surely (compared to my online bypass friends), going from 255 to 190 in about a year. (I'm 5'8.") Then by adding in some counseling and learning to speak up more instead of stuff my feelings, I went from 190 to 170 over the next year. I used to wear size 22 tent dresses and got down to size 8 business skirt suits. I was able to go off all of my medications and be as active as I wanted to be, as far as bike riding, hiking, climbing stairs, etc.

Like lots of people, there have been really challenging chapters in my life (mostly financial stress and family issues) in the past 10 years. I KNOW that, had I not had my faithful Lap Band in place, I would have continued gaining weight from eating over stress (and anger, loneliness, grief, boredom, etc.) and I would now weigh over 300 pounds.

I recently turned 50 and kind of did a Middle Age assessment of who I am now and who I wanna be . After being laid off from a job I loved 2 years ago, moving to a new state and then moving again from a rental to buying a fixer-upper, I will be honest here and admit that I wasn't making my band or my health a priority. I was pretty much in survival mode. So some weight crept back on and now I weigh 188 (down from 190 last week though!) and my blood pressure is higher than when my weight was lower. A size 14 feels too tight on me and I'm really missing some of my favorite clothes.

I'm here to tell you, the Lap Band has allowed me to live a much healthier life than I could have had without it. But ... it doesn't do everything all on its own if I'm not being active (like regular walking) and if I'm not following the rules.

So ... here I am- ready to make my health a priority and follow the rules again. Feeling grateful and humble and hopeful and eager to make this happen. May I join you lovely people on your journeys as we work towards similar goals? :-)

Annette

Welcome Nette Fosters, you should be proud of yourself! You have done well over 10 years. You are able to control yourself and have started back down the hill. so best wishes, and good luck. Great story, too! Karen

Welcome Annette! A touching story from you and the length of the lapband. Congratulations on your weight loss. It is good to hear very truthful stories from people who have gone through the struggles of getting weight off and improving their health.

Keep up your good work on weight reduction and best wishes.

Richard

Hi Annette,

I haven't been on this forum in a few years. I, like you, was banded a long time ago. Five years in October. I weighed in at 240 and am also 5'8". I lost almost 100 pounds in a year getting down to 143. I couldn't have been happier at my size 6 from a size 22. I stayed under 150 for the following year but have watched myself slowly creep up. I weighed in at 175 on Jan 1 of 2012 and decided I was going to stop gaining. I have maintained that 175 all year so far but have been unable to lose any of it. For whatever reason I have forgotten about the forum but today is my birthday and it popped up on my email. I decided to open it and I found your writings. I think I am going to try to respond here more often and get back on track. I too beleive lapband has saved me from now being 300 pounds but I am not happy at a size 14 as well. Maybe we can head on this journey together. I also have not been to the Dr. for awhile. I think two years as well. Tomorrow I am going to call to see if I can get in and get back on track.

Thanks for your post ; nice to meet you.

Barb

My biggest fear is not losing the weight....It is gaining it back and then some. I've been down that road before and I hope to avoid it this time once I get to where I want to be. Thank you for sharing.

Wow!

10 years! Thats incredible!

Welcome and thanks for sharing your story!

Thank you so much for sharing, so glad you decided to come here and let all of us know! I'm new here and getting my band Nov 16th and I'm nervous as **** and still have over a month!!!

Thank you Sparkplug! Aww, what a lovely message. I feel all glowing inside. :-)

Hi Annette' date='

I haven't been on this forum in a few years. I, like you, was banded a long time ago. Five years in October. I weighed in at 240 and am also 5'8". I lost almost 100 pounds in a year getting down to 143. I couldn't have been happier at my size 6 from a size 22. I stayed under 150 for the following year but have watched myself slowly creep up. I weighed in at 175 on Jan 1 of 2012 and decided I was going to stop gaining. I have maintained that 175 all year so far but have been unable to lose any of it. For whatever reason I have forgotten about the forum but today is my birthday and it popped up on my email. I decided to open it and I found your writings. I think I am going to try to respond here more often and get back on track. I too beleive lapband has saved me from now being 300 pounds but I am not happy at a size 14 as well. Maybe we can head on this journey together. I also have not been to the Dr. for awhile. I think two years as well. Tomorrow I am going to call to see if I can get in and get back on track.

Thanks for your post ; nice to meet you.

Barb[/quote']

Oh Barb! May I hug you? :-) Wow, your post means so much to me! Let's stay in touch and help each other remember what we want when we forget.

You mentioned contacting your doctor. I hope that goes well. When I moved to a new state, I thought I'd have to drive two to three hours for fills but just found out that a well respected band doc has a fill office only 45 minutes from me. I'm waiting to hear back if they'll take me since I wasn't originally a patient of that surgeon. My fingers are crossed :-)

Thank you for your honesty and sharing your story. It reminds us all that this is work and never ends. We are a team and can be here for one another.

Thank you so much for posting. Your journey is exactly what i wanted and hoped to hear. You had real life struggles but after 10 years if i can say what you have i will be a success story just like you! Getting mine on 10/10. Please join us. We need stories like yours! Thanks sgain???Š

This is such a great story!! Thank you for sharing it!!

Loved reading your post! 10 years, so much insight for us newbies. It just shows me that this is life long journey and not a quick fix!

If we resort back to our old habits the wt will creep back. Good for you keeping it in control and getting back on track. Thank you for taking the time to share with us.

hi Jim,

I have gained 30 back of the 100 I lost in 5 years...and although I really liked my 100 pound loss, i would still prefer to be down 70 then up 70. I also have lost weight several times in my life and gained it back with more but this truly is different.