May 06 Bandsters - May Chat!

[shell850 0]

I get my band on the 18th and after reading about all of you I'm just sooo ready thank you all for telling your stories your GREAT!

[justduckie 0]

I'm so glad to hear from all of you Maysters! My internet has been down for almost a week....something burnt out on the roof in our dish.....and I didn't get to read all your posts. It's kind of neat to be able to read them all at once.

Hooray for all of us! Even if you've "only" lost 50 lbs, that is a WHOLE LOT! Think about where you were a year ago and how much you've changed. Even if I lose no more, I'm such a happier and healthier person. So we all need to pat ourselves on the back.

Drew! I love the picture from the Ball. You are so cute! OU - you look amazing. It's great to see what a change you have made.

For some reason I've been getting a ton of people asking me about my surgery here lately. Of course, I gush when I talk about how my life has changed and how it's the best thing I've ever done. AND I tell them how it is different from bypass. Now....I'm not against bypass -- it was my first choice before I researched the Band -- but I think a person who is looking at WLS should know about the Band and it's benefits. So I've been a walking commercial for the Lap Band.

Have a great week and keep up the good work!

[wiggygiggy 0]

I'm so glad to hear from all of you Maysters! My internet has been down for almost a week....something burnt out on the roof in our dish.....and I didn't get to read all your posts. It's kind of neat to be able to read them all at once.

Hooray for all of us! Even if you've "only" lost 50 lbs, that is a WHOLE LOT! Think about where you were a year ago and how much you've changed. Even if I lose no more, I'm such a happier and healthier person. So we all need to pat ourselves on the back.

Drew! I love the picture from the Ball. You are so cute! OU - you look amazing. It's great to see what a change you have made.

For some reason I've been getting a ton of people asking me about my surgery here lately. Of course, I gush when I talk about how my life has changed and how it's the best thing I've ever done. AND I tell them how it is different from bypass. Now....I'm not against bypass -- it was my first choice before I researched the Band -- but I think a person who is looking at WLS should know about the Band and it's benefits. So I've been a walking commercial for the Lap Band.

Have a great week and keep up the good work!

Thanks for the "pat on the back" Marci! I am one of those who have "only" lost 50 pds. I have been rather disappointed with myself at times, but then I think back to how I was a year ago and I'm SO glad I'm not there anymore! I don't even mind looking at myself in a mirror now. A year ago I was appauled to see myself in a mirror and didn't "know" who that person even was looking back at me.

I have a long way to go but am confident that I will get there. The lapband isn't the quick weightloss method - it works slowly over 5 yrs. My goal is to lose another 50 pds this next year!

I am going in for a fill today, hopefully I'll get put to 9cc's in my 10 cc band and really feel restriction. I also need to stop cheating myself and sneaking things that are no-no's. I am really going to buckle down now and get serious about losing weight.

Have a great week everyone and keep up the good work!

[MarcyD 0]

I am so glad I found this thread! I have missed all of you. Today is my Bandiversary and I am down "only" 60 pounds. I am happy, though, as I was stuck at 40 for about 5 months. I finally have pretty good restriction and feel a lot more energetic. I have been working out at Curves and doing the treadmill and actually feel GOOD after exercise!!!

Here's to an even better second year and congrats to all my fellow Maysters who have done such a great job. You all inspire and encourage me so much.

[ousooner 1]

Happy Bandiversary Marcy! :youcandothis:

[DrewsLou 3]

Happy Bandiversary Marcy!! :clap2: :clap2: :clap2: :clap2: :clap2:

[jcbydesign 0]

Hi guys!

I am so glad I found you again. This is a very exciting month for us all.

I have had some troubles...my band was too tight...I didn't quite 'get it' and was sliming, vomiting a lot and lots of golf balls. So, did I go in right away? Nope...was a dummy I was. I gained eight pounds due to eating less and less dense foods and finally when I ended up buying light ice cream...I realized I was in trouble.

I had .5cc unfill from my 2.5cc's on Monday. I sure do feel better already. The doc wants me back to eating fish by Friday and today I ate a crab cake with no problems. Hurray!

I am so glad I am back on track before my 23rd bandaversary date. I've lost a total of 55lbs since the surgery and hopefully will re-lose the eight pounds and then on to goal from there!

Congratulations to us all for our weight losses. We have to remember that we are making changes for life and not let the bumps in the road stop us from that. I want us all to be bragging about how we've reached and maintained our goal on our two year bandaversary.

[jcbydesign 0]

We all did so well when we had weight loss challenges...shall we do another one?

Open for suggestions!

:director:

[kim2bhealthy 3]

Hey Maysters! Haven't checked in with you guys lately! How is everyone? Happy Bandaversary to all of you! We have done so well as a group!

My Bandaversary is coming up in 9 days! I had hoped to be in Onederland (199) by then and am just outside of it. Today I weighed 204! How awesome is that?! I had another fill on Tuesday and am now up to 2.75 cc's in my band, so I'm still on liquids. HOPEFULLY I will make it to 199 by the 26th. If I don't, I won't be upset... this year has been amazing! I bought some size 14 MISSY's capri pants and a size 12 Missy's skirt the other day(It doesn't zip all the way, but it will). I have NEVER in my life shopped in the MISSY'S Department! I went straight from the Sear's half sizes when I was in elementary school to the Plus Size departments. I gotta admit that I am totally freaked out by the Missy's department and find myself wondering back to the safe, comfortable Plus Size area. This is a mental hangup that I have to get past. I feel totally out of my element in the Missys. How crazy is that?

I have sooo many NSVs that I have exeperienced over this last year that I can't even begin to list them all...

I had a wonderful talk with my surgeon the other day.... These were his comments: "Wow, do you realize that you have lost a lot more weight than we expect in just under a year?", and "You are definitely leading the pack", and "I can't ask for you to be doing any better" and "Since you have done so well... we aren't gonna go crazy with this fill.. the only thing worse than being too loose is being too tight". My doc made me feel sooo good about where I am right now!

I love my band!!! Its the best 18 grand that I will ever spend. Also... I have been getting alot more attention from guys... A little background... my younger cousin (by about 4 years) and I have always been very close, she is practically my little sis... anyway.. she is adorable.. 5'6, 125, awesome blue eyes and gorgeous long flowing brown hair. She has recently become single(broke up with a total loser, thank you God!) and we've been hanging out a lot. In the past, I've always been the invisible fat girl with the hot cousin. Well, now I'm no longer invisible! I catch guys checkin me out a lot more now. This is nice, but I still am having lots of body issues. I think I've always hidden behind my weight and I am a little freeked out that its not gonna be my protection from the world anymore(I have no idea why I need this protection). Most people don't understand this because I am very outgoing... everyone's confidant, everyone's buddy,I never meet a stranger.... but nobody's girlfriend. My friends tell me that I put out a major "don't approach me vibe" when it comes to guys. I don't know why I do this... I guess it is because my self esteem has always been pretty low, which I have always attributed to being big.

Anyway... the weight loss has been awesome and I will never regret being banded. I just gotta work on the self esteem and body image now. Slowly the fat girl in the mirror is being replaced by a "normal sized girl"...the transformation continues. Thanks for letting me rabmle and I know you guys can relate! Have a great day Mayster and thanks for being here for me!

[kim2bhealthy 3]

Oh Yeah...Janey I'm still working on my bandaversary challenge. When I finish that one in a few days.. I'd love to start a new one with ya! How about a July 4th Challenge?

[Mvpo8961 1]

Well it will be a year for me on Saturday. I have lost 30 - 45ish pounds depending on whose scale I am on. I see my surgeon in two weeks so that will be my next official weigh in.

However, I am going to try to get a fill today. This is my last "free" fill so I hope it works. My port is almost flipped completely. If they aren't able to fill it then I will go in for a port revision and get additional fill at that time.

I find that I am able to eat way more than I should. So I guess the weightloss this spring has loosened the band up some. So I view that as a positive although an aggravating one.

Sounds like everybody is doing great.

Myra

[Mvpo8961 1]

Well I have slipped again. They took half of my fill out and I have to go back in two weeks to have it checked. liquids for a week and then mushies for a week.

I am seriously considering having my band removed.

It seems to be either feast of famine. I can eat most everything or I can't eat anything. I was losing this spring by drinking two Protein drinks a day and limiting my calories to 600 per day. I am sorry but that just isn't a way to live.

I want to be able to eat what my family eats but in smaller portions. I just don't seem to be able to find that zone.

I am so frustrated right now.

But I am going to stop and think rationally. I think this is what I may do.

Leave my fill at this level of 3.5 in a VG. Work on changing my entire family's eating habits. See if I can work within that framework and see if my band will help.

If it doesnt than I think I will have to have it removed.

Thoughts anyone?

Myra

[jcbydesign 0]

OK! Fourth of July Challenge it is! Everybody jump on board with us....

[jcbydesign 0]

Me, too...I am a walking advertisment for the band and think it's so much safer. We are ALL living proof that there is a way to healthier and happier lives.

[jcbydesign 0]

Please don't give up! I think that your plan to have the whole family eating healther is a great idea. It seems that sometimes it's too little or too much...you need to have a long talk with your surgeon to plan on taking tiny fills, perhaps every two weeks, to sneak up on your perfect fill.

I know that I don't have any phyical warning symptoms to let me know I am getting too full so I have to measure (roughly) out what I know I can eat and stick to that. I have also learned that I absolutely have to eat slower than I thought I needed to and take much smaller bites. I had such a tough time before I had the unfill with all the golf balls, PBing and such, so I truly understand what you are going through.

Stick with it and keep coming back here so we can support you!

BIG HUGS,