Let me just start by saying, I've been banded 11+ months. I don't keep or have any desire for my band to be really tight and my surgeon is leaving how tight up to me. I like that. I just wanted to share my story.

I have a very addictive personality. A type AAA lets say. Everything I do, I do full steam ahead. Eating, drinking, you name it. I experienced the alcohol thing when I was younger and did it much to excess. Coming from a home with an alcoholic father, this scared me and I eventually with some help was able to leave this behind. Then the devil on my shoulder became smoking. That was a really hard one to kick, but eventually, I did that too, this time on my own, but with much failure and restarting. food being an acceptable addiction crept up on me then it stopped creeping and just started moving in. After years of yoyo dieting and trying every diet I could find and making up others on the way, with thousands of dollars spent on fads and diet pills I found I could not handle this on my own. I decided to get the band.

When I first got my band, I admit I thought it would cure me my addiction. I didn't know it was a tool. I had been told it was, but I still didn't know it. I had not yet found this forum and a part of me wishes I had, but another part of me wouldn't change a thing.

The preop weight came off great, I didn't totally hate the shakes though I missed the lunches out 3-4 times a week with my coworkers and found it difficult to avoid the Snacks that were constantly being delivered to the office by well meaning clients. The post op diet was more difficult for me as by then I hated the shakes and had very little imagination as to what else to try. My first eggs, 3 weeks post op was the best food I had ever eaten. I had hiatel hernial repair and plication with my band. I do love the plication and believe I avoided BANDSTER HELL because of it. The surgery itself was pretty hard on me and it may have been because of the extra procedures involved, but like we all do, I eventually bounced back. I had my surgery on Friday and went back to work on Monday. Tuesday I had to go to surgeons office and have all of my residual fill removed due to too much swelling. I had my first stuck feeling that day due to gulping fluids through a straw (I forgot no straws). Looking back, it was probably alot of gas in my stomach, much different feeling than the gas around the stomach.

Anyway, 11 months out, I'm down 75 lbs and only a few to goal. My goal isn't set in stone, so may be adjusted depending on how I feel when I get there. I'm not going to have any reconstructive surgeries as my body has managed to bounce back ok. Not bikini-ok, but I'm 55 and never was a bikini personality anyway.

I put a full length mirror in my bathroom 4 or 5 months back so I could make myself look at me. Something I haven't been able to do in a long time. I'm just starting to convince my mind that I'm not obese anymore. I eat what I want, I just don't want as much and I'm mindful of what I eat so I don't sabotage my weight loss. I don't feel like I'm dieting, just reprogramming myself to want healthier foods. I exercise 4 to 5 days a week and mix that up a lot. I feel I have developed alot of tools to go with the band and if I lost the band, I might could manage now. I hope I don't have to find out. I just want to give a shout out to all of you out there that are on this journey with me. I know we each may do it slightly differently, but we are all heading in the same direction and it helps. I love that most out there aren't trying to tell others how to do it, but how they do it, which is sometimes different.

I love your story. Thanks for sharing. And congrats on your life change!

Great story and you look great. Back after 3 days huh. I was still laid up, could not sit or lay down without a lot of pain and could not sleep. BUT I made it through and am ecstatic about the surgery. It is a tool as you say but so far it is a magic wand. So much easier not to eat. I hope it lasts. God luck to you and thanks for sharing.

What a great post, Sandy! You are one of the people who have really inspired me. Thanks so much for sharing your story......and here's to this new life, free of food addiction.

hello adn congrats! i am so happy for u...what is plication and what does it do?

hello adn congrats! i am so happy for u...what is plication and what does it do?

Plication is where they fold the stomach in on itself and stitch it...kind of like the sleeve without the cutting.

Great story, you are an inspiration!

Congrats and job well done!

Thanks guys

Sandy, you're one of my "Inspirations" ! We're about the same age and starting weight, so im hopeing I can still get the last 20 lbs off. Thanks for sharing your story. Any tips, food or exercisewise ? You're awesome ! Congratulations ! You look great !

Sandy, you're one of my "Inspirations" ! We're about the same age and starting weight, so im hopeing I can still get the last 20 lbs off. Thanks for sharing your story. Any tips, food or exercisewise ? You're awesome ! Congratulations ! You look great !

thanks pink dahila. Those last 20 sure want to hang on don't they. I do think age and menopausal status plays a major role for me. As for exercise, I was going to the gym 4-5 days a week and really enjoyed it and I've just started cycling. Still have mixed reviews partly cuz I'm not crazy about the heat index, lol...I need some prayer. I'm a carbaholic and that is probably my biggest struggle and I guess always will be. You are doing great just keep it up, you'll get there.

I used to be a " carboholic" too, until my hubby was diagnosed with diabetes a few years ago. We started eating much more diabetic friendly, and I found that the less carbs I ate, the less I craved them. Now if I get a potato or a little whole wheat pasta once a week, im happy. Rarely do i have bread, my only other "must have" is a few Wheat Thins.

Thanks for sharing Sandy

I'm scheduled for June 6th and the negative feedback concerns me.

I'm a positive person so I'm going in that way and listening to my Dr.

Scared but very excited. Looking forward to not letting good control my life anymore.

What a fab story!! You look fantastic!! I'm one month post op and had my first fill yesterday I'm down 1stone 6pounds!! I remember the first few days after getting banded and was asking myself was I mad?? And I posted on this and you replied to my thread saying drink drink drink walk walk walk and that's exactly what I'm doing!! So thank you sandy x

I used to be a " carboholic" too, until my hubby was diagnosed with diabetes a few years ago. We started eating much more diabetic friendly, and I found that the less carbs I ate, the less I craved them. Now if I get a potato or a little whole wheat Pasta once a week, im happy. Rarely do i have bread, my only other "must have" is a few Wheat Thins.

Guess I'm going to have to follow your lead and just make certain foods off limits. One of my demons is Peanut Butter and even though it is good for me, I have little self control when it comes to it. I have the PB2 for my shakes and will probably limit myself to that. As for bread, when I use whole grain, I don't seem to have a problem, potatoes, chips, Cereal and popcorn, don't get me started. Definitely not something I can control.

Thanks for sharing Sandy

I'm scheduled for June 6th and the negative feedback concerns me.

I'm a positive person so I'm going in that way and listening to my Dr.

Scared but very excited. Looking forward to not letting good control my life anymore.

There is a lot of negativity about the band. I hate that. I probably would have backed out if I had seen this negativity before making a firm decision.. I started researching after I had made my decision and got the ball rolling. After I started reading I started having second thoughts. I'm so glad I didn't let myself be talked out of it. I believe the sleeve is a good option too, and might would have considered it, but am not sorry for the decision I made.

What a fab story!! You look fantastic!! I'm one month post op and had my first fill yesterday I'm down 1stone 6pounds!! I remember the first few days after getting banded and was asking myself was I mad?? And I posted on this and you replied to my thread saying drink drink drink walk walk walk and that's exactly what I'm doing!! So thank you sandy x

You're doing so good. As long as you stay positive, the band will work for you. I think too many people come on here hoping the band will "fix" them. The band is a tool. We can fix ourselves with the band, but we have to do our share. Good luck and keep posting your progress. This forum is great place for receiving support and you will soon be the one providing that support to others who need it.

Thank you! This is great inspiration. You sound very happy and you look amazing! - K