HI Everyone,

I know that I dont post that much anymore, but I am still a lurker!!!!! Tomorrow is my 3 year bandiversary. As they say time flies and it really does. THings have changed for me immensely and I am still positive about my band. Its not perfect, but most of the time it does the trick. This has been the path for me so far:

Year one: Lost 120 pounds

Year two: Lost another 34 pounds and then got to the "Just overweight category from Morbid Obesity 53.9 to 28.9

Year 3: Quit smoking may 2005, gained 12 pounds, lost 6 of those. Had plastic surgery in August 2005 and lost 4 pounds of stomach and 2 pounds of thigh skin and then gained some weight while I sat with an empty band post op tummy tuck and medial thighplasty. My plastic surgeon accidently removed all of my fill which caused me to gain weight. I have lacked the motivation to get to final goal 165-170, but that is changing. IM BACK!!!!!!!!!!

June 2006 - -Made a new resolve to get to a normal BMI and to lose the weight I gained during months of no restriction.

SO I am back at the gym everyday and making wise food choices once again. I still dont have the restriction I once had with the band. I dont think more fill will do it, but I am gonna try to do it with what I have now in my band. My fill doc and I have had discussions about what my options are to achieve more restriction since I now have more in my band than I did before my plastic surgery with less restriction.. He said that since I have lost so much weight, my band is no longer in the ideal position which would require either more fill or possibly a repositioning surgery as a last resort. Since I am not keen on doing the latter, I am gonna try a little more fill soon and see if this does the trick. If not, then I might opt to have them fix it. Since my fill doc is not my orginal doc, I may go for a second opinion about this.

THe most important thing to know if that the lapband helped me to lose most of my excess weight. I still could afford to lose 25- 35 lbs, but life is pretty good right now and I got a little complacent. THe best part about the band is when you are ready and motivated, you can always go back and do what made you successful in the first place. It is hard work, but the rewards are great. So I guess you could say that three years out, I am still a newbie!

Babs in TX

334/180 something/170 I dont weigh myself anymore so I really dont know

Size 14/16 down from a 28-30

Still a work in progress.....!!!

Happy Anniversary and congratulations on a WONDERFUL weight loss success as well as stopping smoking. I'm only 3 months into being banded and stories like yours are very inspirational. I'm glad you're out of the lurker mode and posting again. I look forward to reading more.

Happy Bandiversery! I loved reading your story. It's nice to know that we have a " 3 yr old" around who can jump in as needed...I look forward to your next post.

Congrats Babs...you are such an inspiration! Well done, and good luck on the next phase of your journey. You are gong to do great! You go, girl!!!

Babs, You ROCK

You've come so far! I bet you look great.

Interresting about the

possibly a repositioning surgery

Carol just had this done. They concidered hers a slip, meanwhile she made plans to have a TT and her port moved while in there having the repositioning surgery.

Well, she landed up having a lower body lift and a minni port put just below the bikinni line, last week. They took 10 pounds of skin and fat off her.

Anyway, Congratulation! your so focused.

from another lurker...

Congratulations, your story is inspirational!

Hi Again!

Thanks for the warm wishes!

Vera: I dont have Caroles number anymore and I would like to call her and see how she is doing. Could you PM me???

Babs in TX

Thank you for peeking in now and then to inspire us newbies. You brought tears to my eyes reading your post. Congratulations!!!! on your weight lose and quitting smoking, can you even remember what you felt like 3 years ago? Best wishes to you!!

Happy Bandiversary! That is so great! It gives us hope and you truly are an inspiration.

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Hard to believe it's been 3 years. We've come a long way!!

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Congratulations, and happy bandiversary!!

Hi Again,

Leatha: Thanks! YOu are an oldster too!!! I think you are doing great. You are maintaining and thats the most important thing. Its a daily battle and you are winning!!!

Babs in TX

Babs,

You are truly an inspiration! I'm so happy and proud of you! :eek:

Tricia

Congrats Babs on THREE YEARS!!! WOOHOOO! You are such an inspiration to us all.

Gosh Babs, 3 years already?? Seems like yesterday you quit smokin - and its already been a year for that! wow.

You and Leatha have both been HUGE inspirations to this board - and to me! But I really think its time we see some updated picture of you... please??

Tomorrow is my 3 year bandiversary.

Congrats!:clap2:

... Had plastic surgery in August 2005 and lost 4 pounds of stomach and 2 pounds of thigh skin and then gained some weight while I sat with an empty band post op tummy tuck and medial thighplasty. My plastic surgeon accidently removed all of my fill which caused me to gain weight.

Exactly, Babs!

I think this is more common than we think. See if this sounds familiar to you: I knew I would have been destined to gain if I had an unfill before my TT surgery. I consulted with my PS (does a lot of banded patients) and my doctor and decided to stick it out and keep my fill. Well After my TT, I lost weight due to eating less and having less appetite but I definitely saw a loss of restriction. In fact, although my fill wasn't removed, I felt like I had a lot less restriction after the TT. (It wasn't the act of moving the band or that my PS did anything wrong. In fact, my PS called my LapBand surgeon into the OR during my TT, so the Band surgeon got to know exactly where it was being moved. ) I think that when they are moved, the bands just sometimes expel fluid or something. Once I finally got to my fill doc for a fill, the band had lost a lot of fill, just as I suspected.:eek: In fact, I lost about half of my fill...plus on my newer abdomen and smaller stomach, the band needed to be filled back again. If I had gotten an unfill before surgery, I don't know where I would've been.

My fill doc and I have had discussions about what my options are to achieve more restriction since I now have more in my band than I did before my plastic surgery with less restriction.. He said that since I have lost so much weight, my band is no longer in the ideal position which would require either more fill or possibly a repositioning surgery as a last resort.

I thought about this too. But all the Upper GI tests said the darn thing was in place. But it just took a lot more fill to get me to the same level of restriction that I felt before my TT & weight loss. So I'm hoping the same will happen for you too: just a bit more fill to get you there.

If we think of the LapBand like a belt, the more weight we lose, the snugger we have to close the belt. So as we lose more, our bands, may just need a bit more fill to help. For example, I was tired of 'nickel and diming' myself to get back to my old fill level. So yesterday, I opted for what I call a Nuclear Fill - a big jump back to real restriction. :fish: We'll see if I tolerate it well once I transition off liquids/softs - right now I can't imagine how I'll do with real foods. So I'm still feeling my way with the Band, even now.

THe most important thing to know if that the lapband helped me to lose most of my excess weight. I still could afford to lose 25- 35 lbs, but life is pretty good right now and I got a little complacent. THe best part about the band is when you are ready and motivated, you can always go back and do what made you successful in the first place.

Beautifully said. What a great journey you've had.