I was just thinking in the car earlier about this and thought I would ask you guys to share the list of things that have improved for you since being banded.

Please let us know how long you've been banded, too.

I've been banded since early April and this is my list:

1) I've lost 21# forever

2) I've joined a gym for the first time ever and am loving it!!

3) I've reduced caffeine from 5+ servings per day to 1, maybe 2

4) My recurrent back pain is almost gone completely

5) My plantar faciaitis is almost gone

6) I have way more energy and feel much stronger

7) I move with greater ease

8) I feel sure my bloodwork will be much improved

9) I always have at least 64 oz of Water each day

10) I have reduced my alcohol intake from 6-8 cocktails/week to maybe 3 per month

11) My blood sugars are completely stable (previously hypoglycemic)

12) My salt intake is greatly reduced

13) I have hope

14) I have a bunch of new friends on LBT

15) My sex life has improved

16) I take greater pride in my appearance & self esteem has improved

What about you?

I can run to my car when its raining....

This is a wonderful post - I am inspired by all of you and look forward to the day I too can share how I have improved after lapband. I have just started my journey and had a consult with Dr. Noel Williams of HUP. I am in the process of reviewing all the literature to begin making appointment for all the required medical testing.

Thanks again for this wonderful post TerriDoodle!

I love this post. It gives me so much hope. I have only been banded for eight days now, but i already feel much better and i have been going to the gym each day for the last five or so. Donna

I have one to add today...

- to have a 'personal trainer' and here him tell me that I am progressing "perfectly" (I never thought I'd ever have a personal trainer.... and never dreamed I would ever hear words like that come from his lips!)

Sunshine2... just read your WHOLE journal! WOW Girl!!!! What a trip You're on your cruise now, I believe... I hope you're having a WONDERFUL time... I'm looking forward to reading all about it here, and in your journal... and YES, you need to figure out how to post photos in your journal....

Tracey... I found your bikini before & after!!! You Go Girl! Amazing - I'm so proud of you and pray for even 1/2 your success and courage!!!

Thanks for sharing you two... and everyone here at LBT!!!! Inspiration doesn't get any better than this....

katie

I'm down 26 pounds this morning one month and one day after I started my pre-op diet.

• Wearing my 2XL shirts that were too tight and knowing that they now fit a little loose on me.
  
• Stopped snoring and waking up in the night. Now I wake up actually feeling refreshed in the morning.
  
• My energy level is way up. I'm building a kit car and I've gotten more done on it in the last three weeks than I did in the previous 10 months. Also knowing that I will actually fit into that car when it's done.
  
• Putting on some jeans and realizing they fit well. Then realizing that I put on a size 40 waist, not a 42.
  
• Seeing the end of my belt sticking progressively further out beyond the buckle.
  
• Looking forward to getting on the scale.
  
• Hearing friends tell me they already see a significant difference in how I look.
  
• Getting into my or my wife's car and not feeling the side bolsters diggning into my spare tire.
  
• Joyfully throwing out (donating to charity) old clothes that I would have kept when dieting before, just in case I got fat again.
  
• Playing a round of golf and noticing that I'm swinging the club better and that I'm not in pain after walking nine holes.
  
• Not grunting (as loudly!) when I get up from the sofa or an easy chair.

Mark---isn't it the most bizarre feeling to look forward to getting on the scale!!! I would NEVER have believed that before!!!!!

However the last one----I am begining to think it is age---the grunt as you get up, and the sigh as you sit down!!! I don't do either if I am busy---but when I am relaxing---even 100 pounds down, I still do it!!!!!!

My newest NSV----over the weekend, I had 2 people tell me I did not need to lose any more weight! I know I do, but them saying it sure felt good!!!!

Kat

Oh my.....that I love Terri......"I am graceful and strong"......truly beautiful statement.

I am only down 37 lbs and already things have improved.....

getting out of bed, not rolling out

tying shoes, without losing a lung

crossed my legs yesterday....not quite perfect yet but it worked

got up and down off the ground at an outside concert without using my hands, knees and anything else to get up!!!!

Having nothing to wear because they are too big!

Bought clothes in the NORMO dept.

Took some great picture of my sons band in front of spectators and did not care about bending and being in front of the crowd. I wouldn't like to before because all I could think about was everyone looking at my huge butt!

Had to sit on the floor at my daughters basketball game and did not panic about how to get up or down....I just did it!

Went to a buffet and laughed at the huge plate of food I came back with......I still do not get the fact that I would only eat 20% of it!!!

To be continued........

- I just signed up for rowing. I have wanted to do this for the past 2 yrs but i thought i was too fat. Now i can't wait to get started

- I'm not freaking out about the first day of my nursing lab, we were told to wear a sports bra and shorts as we would be giving each other partial baths, this time last year if i was told that i would have considered dropping out.

-being able to use any bathroom stall

-not sweating as much

-Having room in my chair!!!!

-feeling like i have a life again and that I am worth something

From going to my closet in the morning and saying.. "OHMYGOD, what am I going to wear?" because there are only 2 choices; to going to my closet in the morning and saying..."OHMYGOD, what am I going to wear?" because I have so many choices and EVERYTHING fits!!! (for awhile and then I have to go to a SMALLER size, like THAT'S ever happened before!!!) WOOOOOOOOOO HOOOOOOOOOOOO!!!!

Being able to stand up in front of the congregation to sing a solo and concentrating on the message of the lyrics instead of what people were secretly thinking about how heavy I was.

Not being the heaviest one in a performance group so that when we look for outfits, I don't have to be the one saying.. "ummmmm it has to come in a size 26"

My husband keeps telling me he can't keep his hands off of me!! I love hearing this!!! I tell him, "you have always been like that though" He tells me it is different now though. I am almost the weight I was when we got married, so maybe he is seeing that!! I don't know, but I LOVE ALL THE ATTENTION!!!!

Oh wow, I've got quite a few too...

Finally being able to wear high heels to event and not having to take them off as soon as I get there. I wear them the whole time.

My boobs are now their own entity. They are no longer part of the whole blob of my stomach area. They sit high and proud away from my stomach now.

I'm not too tired to have sex. Also, I'm not silently wishing in my head that my boyfriend hurries up because I'm so tired that I just want to go to sleep. Now I am the one initiating sex three or four times a week and I'm the one prolonging our lovemaking! I thought my sex life was good before but now it's definetly better.

Being able to buy stylish clothes instead of just clothes that fit.

Being able to buy sexy underwear instead of shrub covers.

I used to have terrible arch pains in the morning when I would get up off the bed. That is completely gone.

I care about my appereance now. I do my hair and put on makeup. In the past if I tried to fix myself up I thought that people would think, "why is she even trying to look nice if she's so fat" I always tried to be invisible. Not anymore!

Lots and lots more to come... I'm only 45 lbs down...

woohoooo we are all so happy!!! It is great to read all of the things from others and think, yeah, that for me too!!!!

I love being able to get on the floor and sit and not worry the whole time how in the heck I am going to get up. I just do it!!