I would like to start a thread about successful bandsters.

Many people come here for advice and get scared by all the complication posts.

That’s because people are here to find advice and share what they are going thru. These are all very good posts sharing valuable information!

However I would like people to share their Band Success stories here.

Anything you consider a Success!

:clap2: :clap2: :clap2:

Think someone could sticky this so people can see it when they visit?

I'm here! Success.. 5 weeks tomorrow and I'm down 37lbs with no complications so far.

Scars look great and i'm feeling like a million bucks. I'm down to size 16 (loose now). Life is great.

Thanks Plunderbunny.. good idea for a thread.

2 years ago I was 27 year old Mother of 2 who weighed 264 pounds and wore a size 20 pant.

I couldn’t play with my kids outside of video games. I got winded just walking to the mailbox. I had aches all over my back stayed out all the time placing me in bed a month at a time. I took pills for my pain until it became an everyday thing. Before I was obese I never took pills even gave birth twice all natural. I was ashamed of my body and that caused sexual non-existence for my marriage. Which caused relationship friction between my husband and I. I was very depressed all of the time, and had suicidal thoughts.

I researched WLS for over a year, scared of being cut. When I found the band I knew it was going to be the thing that saved my life. I made the calls and made the apt. Approved in 30 days.

The day of my surgery I was a total blank for the 3 hour ride to the hospital once there and I had my IV I started to freak out! Scared am I doing the right thing etc all the normal pre surgery jitters.

My healing went well, 4 days after surgery I was back to riding my bike 2 miles a day. The first 3 days were HELL for me though. I slept a lot and bending for the pot hurt like all heck.

The first year I sailed thru~ no issues~ no pains~ very smooth.

In my 2nd year I’ve had two overly tight fills. No biggie they just unfilled me. ya, it sucks but once I was non swollen and better I got another fill and moved on.

August will be my complete 2nd year banded and I would do it over again in a heartbeat!

I truly believe the band saved my life, and my relationship with my family.

We now go camping, roller skating, school functions, swimming, you name it if it’s outside no matter how many people I don’t even think twice about it!

I turn 29 on May 31st this year I now weigh 75 pounds less and wear a size 12-14.

Even my shoe size got smaller! That surprised me!!

I dance, in public even! I wear things that make me feel sexy, I feel like a woman again and have had minimum depression issues (can’t say I have none that would be a lie, it runs in my family)

I go in tomorrow for another fill, then I head for FL on next Tues. where I will go to Disney world and not have to wonder if I will fit in the ride carts! I have to say that fitting into a roller coaster seat to ride with my family was one of the biggest NSV’s I’ve had!

Hugs to all~

Nana~

July 2, 2004; I weighed 280 lbs, wore size 22/24, didn't hardly move if I didn't have to, etc.

May 15th, 2006; I weight 215, wear size 16 (soon to be 14), and I exersize 3 days a week in the morning before work.

I didn't have any co-morbidities, but my blood pressure is still lower than it was, and now I don't fear going to the doctor and hearing that I've developed diabetes.

I've lost slower than a good percentage of the people on this board, but I'm losing, and even when I'm 'stuck', I'm not gaining.

I wouldn't be happy if I never lost another pound, but I'm still a success.

I am so happy to say that my band has been a great success for me! I am completely adjusted to it. This last year has been one of the best of my life! :bounce: From size 26 to size 16...so far. I am so happy that I made this decision to change my life. Thank you band!! Success!!!

I love my band. I was 217 in Dec 05 and am 172 as of this morning. The Susan that you would have met in December, was depressed, lazy because it was too hard to move, and she hid from social situations. Today, I am a new woman. I camp, hike, go to every event that I can, play with my kids and excuse this part, make love to my husband every chance I get. One of the highlights of this change, was the day I taught my kids to play tennis and THEY gave up before I did. I love the way my husband looks at me. AND I went to Victoria Secrets for the first time in 10 years, yesterday, and bought 2 bras. I regret NOTHING!!!

I was no youngster when I was banded (56 year old grandmother), but it was sooooooooo easy - minimal pain, no stitches or staples, and I came home the same day. My surgery took half an hour.

I have lost 94 pounds in almost 18 months. I am very close to goal, and I mean by that the weight all the charts say I should be carrying. I'm pretty small now - size 4 jeans - and would be happy if I never lost another pound.

I love my band. I was 217 in Dec 05 and am 172 as of this morning. The Susan that you would have met in December, was depressed, lazy because it was too hard to move, and she hid from social situations. Today, I am a new woman. I camp, hike, go to every event that I can, play with my kids and excuse this part, make love to my husband every chance I get. One of the highlights of this change, was the day I taught my kids to play tennis and THEY gave up before I did. I love the way my husband looks at me. AND I went to Victoria Secrets for the first time in 10 years, yesterday, and bought 2 bras. I regret NOTHING!!!

Hell yeah SusanP,

I love your post! Especially the husband part! The way he looks at you. That's sexy!

I'm getting this at home now too, though he doesn't comment on my weight loss, he does look at me alot more and very differently and I have to push him away at times now, cuz I'm just too exhausted from the workouts.

Feels soo damn good.

Apart from fitting into a certain size, which I dont think is so terribly important, I'm halfway to my goal weight and have achieved EVERYTHING I wanted to achieve with this band.

I have my health back, I have a healthy outlook, I look much better and plenty "good enough", I am running again, if I never lost another ounce I"d be so so glad I did this.

these are all great success stories, now if I could figure out how to sticky so new people can read them!

:clap2: :clap2: :clap2:

What a great idea PlunderBunny! Thanks so much...it was just want I needed this afternoon. I had surgery on May 3rd, I am down 20 pounds and feeling incredible. The pain in my knees is already quite a bit better, and I am down a size in pants....I know the weight loss will slow, but that is ok...I feel so much hope for the future!!!!! With the band I CAN DO THIS!

I was going to die....so it wasn't much of a decision to get banded. At 316 lbs then 225 now. Size 26-28 to 18 some 16's now. I have lost weight before but never have been able to keep working at it after 2 years, by that time I would normaly be gaining again.

I still have more to loose but consider myself a success right now. I have not been this weight since 1980, and I feel like I can keep going. I am a slow looser but that is ok with me, it has given me time to wrap my head around the changes. (Men see me now, and that is scary to me) T

I'm amazed at the changes in my mind as well as in my body. I have a new peace and I can concentrate on so much more. I had self talk about food, health,self control, worthiness, 24-7. i couldn't shut the chatter up no matter what I tried. Its like I'm free to be me as someone is registered with that name here. So much peace. I like the results knowing that even if I don't loose weight quickly, I am moving in the right direction. It took many years to get this way, why should I expect overnight results. I like being kind to myself. did anyone else have new found peace? Its great and I love my band for that.

June 4, 2004 I was at my highest weighing in at 303. I wore a size 26. I had just graduated from high school, I had never even come close to having a boyfriend, I was depressed, truly thought I'd be alone my entire life. On trips to NYC I spent so much money on taxi's, my feet and legs hurt just walking for a min or two.

Today, May 15, 2006, I'm 214, at my lowest weight ever. I'm wearing size 14-16 and getting smaller everyday! food no longer is the thing I plan my life around. I've had a wonderful boyfriend for over a year now, I'm so happy and in love! I take trips to San Antonio and walk miles on the River Walk without a problem. I actually try to find the long route to places, I like walking that much. I feel healthy for the first time in my life and KNOW I will be a healthy wife and mom someday.

The band has been the best thing ever for me!

Before I got pregnant with my daughter in July of '04, I weighed in at 340 lbs. I was working my butt off to lose weight and had lost down to 299, but gained it all back. I got pregnant, and thank God I only gained 25 lbs. Still weighing in at wayyyy too much.

The day I had my daughter I weighed 365 lbs. That is what the scale read, and that was my highest weight ever. I couldn't believe that I was only 35 pounds away from 400 pounds.

It scared the crap out of me. I worked really hard to lose my weight that I gained with my baby, and got down to 340. Then I heard about lap band, and I did it right away...

I CAN NOT believe that I weigh 254 right now. That is still too much, but it is heaven for me. I went from a size 26 to a 16 in 6 months. Life is good for me!!!

We'll see if I'm a long-term success, I'm only 2.5 months out, but I'm down 65 lbs (according to wacky home scale), from 382 to 317.

(Ok, editing after I typed all that... this ended up as more of a NSV list, but I intend for it to show my "successes")

I've gone from a VERY tight 32/34 in jeans to a comfortable 26.

I was to the point that only some of my 30/32 shirts still fit, and when I went shopping last weekend several of the 22/24 shirts fit just fine.

When I see myself in the mirror, I no longer think that I have the profile of a rubber duck.

My "floatie" back fat roll (nice visual! I call it that because it goes right where a floatation device would go) pre-op would touch in the back... in other words the roll started on the sides and went all the way around and no matter how tall I tried to stand, the sides always came together at the small of my back. Now when I stand, there's a good 7 - 8 inches of just plain old back!

Without pushing my shoulders forward I can see/feel my collarbones. Pre-op no matter how far I pushed my shoulders forward I couldn't find the pesky things.

I have two pair of 28 pants that I had to retire in Dec. They had gotten so tight that I was afraid sitting in them would rip the seams out, literally, and the last couple of times I squeezed into them I couldn't close the button, and only half the zipper, b/c it was so uncomfortable. I put those same pants on today, fresh out of the dryer (I would normally never dryer my clothes, they might shrink!), hooked the wasitband with my finger, and pulled it out a good 5" before the material started getting taut. If my hips weren't so darned big still, they'd be falling off.

I lost a lot of weight on Atkins 2 years ago and bought a TON of new clothes. Of course, most of that weight came back on pre-banding. I'm now wearing most of those clothes again. Some are still snug, but I know that in the next 20 or so lbs they will fit just fine.

Because of the point above, I've been able to take on the "turned back time" mentality. When I lost the weight two years ago, I had turned the clock back about 6 years. Then I pushed it forward about 5.5 years, and now I've turned it back another 2.