I love to look through this site for tips, concerns, individual experiences etc., but I don't hear a lot of stories about everyones successes. I will be banded on August 27th (Yea!!!) and would love to hear about each phase and what it feels like to loose weight. Those that are toward the beginning, middle and end of their journey.:whoo:

It's a great point. Almost everybody succeeds in losing at least half of their unnecessary weight. But like any support group, people come here when there are problems so it always looks disproportionally like there are lots of problems. People who are cruising along are out living their lives.

I'm beyond the half way point in my loss...got there in 6 months. I wouldn't trade my band for anything. I really think that no matter what you've been told, you just dont' know the band until you get to know yours personally and it's an interesting journey.

Along the way, I've learned that I eat out of boredom, and TV is boring. I automatically eat to numb myself to stay seated to watch TV...so I don't watch much anymore.

I learned that I have to eat mindfully, with little distraction, and with great reverence, or I fall into old habits of eating too fast and too big a bite, and my band beats me up for it.

I've learned that when I screw up and eat the wrong things, I stop losing weight but I don't gain any! How cool is that. My body just stalls out and waits for me to get back with the program. In the old days, I would have yo yo-ed right back up the scale.

I've learned patience...well, some anyway.

I've learned that th scale makes me nuts, so I weigh infrequently and go instead by the fit of my clothes...just like skinny people I know!

I've learned not to blame myself (usually), and to take life a little lighter.

I'm beginning to react as an overweight person but not an obese person. And someday, probably this year, I'll need to learn to be a not-overweight person. I love that it has gone slowly...Actually I've often hated it, but I've had so much to learn that it's been nice to have the time, and to get to know my body again.

There are so many little things. I'm too restricted in the morning to eat anything so I have a Protein shake. Just the experience of ONLY eating that for Breakfast has been amazing. My eyes and my head say I'll starve without plates of food, but I don't...and my tummy stays flatter...and sometimes growls. And I like that.

Ah I could go on and on......

BetsyJane,

Thank you so much. You sound like you really have a handle on your eating behaviors. I know what you mean about being frustrated at times about loosing 'slowly' but being grateful for the time to get to know your body better. I think that's where I want to be too, as hard as it is to admit. I want to do this right, I can't fail again. Keep up the good work and keep us all posted on your successes.

I'm not perfect. In fact I often have to relearn what I just learned. I've been eating wrong/behaving wrong, and physiologically fat for a lot of years. It may always be a learning process for me, and that's fine. It's an interesting journey. And I knoiw what you mean about not failing again. The lap band was my last ditch solution. I was emotionally and physically devastated by my inability to keep weight off.

Remember too that after you get the band, you will still have bandster hell to go through...when you haven't yet had a fill and you can eat elephants and feel totally guilty and defeated about it. At least for me, that was true. So I was sure I was going to fail yet again. Until the restriction is right, you're still mostly living like you have no band.... It'll definitely teach you patience!

Good luck and let me know when you get you band!

Kim, I remember when I was first beginning my journey, I wanted to read all the success stories out there. I suggested to the web master that we should have a section just for Success Stories. This way people can share their story, what they ate, how they did it, what exercises they did, etc.

I was banded 1/18/07, and I was scared, and worried. I wondered if I was making the right decision. I also worried how I would handle giving up my food? Food has been my friend, who would I turn to? These are common fears and thoughts I later learned, so I was not abnormal after all.

I read so many post where people said that it was hardly no pain, they were up and walking that day. So needless to say, I was quite in shock when I awoke in pain. I wasn't expecting to feel pain, after all, I had had 2 babies completely natural and I have a high pain threshold. So, I wasn't expecting to hurt like I did. I ended up spending the night in the hospital and the next evening I was released. The ride home was very unpleasant. I found it difficult to sleep, My DH propped pillows up on the couch to elevate me so I could sleep. The bed was too unbearable. It hurt to breath. It was at this point I began to think "What in the world have I don't to myself?". I started feeling the "buyers remorse", I wanted to go back to pre-band. I found out again, all these feelings were normal, and again I was abnormal at all. Luckily, I had taken off work for 3 weeks vs most people request just a week off. By the end of the week, I was feeling better, and could get up on my own without the help.

By the 10th day, I went to the gym. This started my new life! I could only walk 10 min on the treadmill and then I would hurt on my port side so I got off. The next day, I did the same thing, back to the gym and walked just 10 min. I did this everyday until I reached 30 min. By my 3 mos out, I was released by the doc to start strength training, so I began that journey as well. Exercise has played a major part in my weightloss, I've become a lover of exercise. Weird for me to think that, but its true.

My eating is clean 90% of the time. I stil have binging episodes, where I want to eat everything in sight. But my little friend the Band won't let me. The only downfall I see with the band is - it doesn't fix your brain. Head hunger is an ongoing problem. Oh, sometimes I eat more than I should of the wrong stuff, and the band gives me the signal that I've over done it. I get a sharp pain that runs all the way up my left shoulder. Very sharp pains sometimes. So, I'm learning my lesson but I still "test" it at times.

The band is tricky, some days I'm tighter than most. I've PB'd 1 x I think, I really don't know if I did or not? I did slime, but food never came up. I just remember it was a horrible feeling. That was at about 3 mos post op. I am now 6 mos post op and wonder what it feels like to have really good restriction. I don't have to take small bites of food, I don't have to sip on Water, and I don't have to even eat slow. I eat regular bites of food, I gulp down water (not while eating of course).

I try and follow the bandster rules, but sometimes I do get away from them. But the important things is, this is now a way of life. No more diets.

How does it feel to be skinny? Well, not there yet, but let me tell you after losing over 70 lbs now (getting close to 80), my life has changed. I have energy, I can do things I haven't done in years. I am starting to feel beautiful again, it takes a lot of work, but it is so well worth it. Getting the band is the best gift I could have given myself.

I'm now 6 mos post op and this morning I stepped on the scales it it read 170lbs. I'm getting closer and closer everyday to my goal weight.

I get called skinny all the time, I don't feel that way. I still don't see myself as skinny. Or as smaller. I still grab the XL shirts off the clothes rack, because the L or M look way to small for me, but when I try the XL on, its always too big. I can wear a M sometimes, and sometims I have to go to a L. Its hard changing our self image. I still look in the mirror and see all my imperfections. My sagging butt, my cellulite, my wrinkles, etc. I don't see the skinny person people call me.

But other times, I walk by and catch my reflection in the glass, and I think Wow, is that me? I look so thin? I also catch things that I have never notice before, for example my colar bones - I stare at myself in the mirror because I have not seen colar bones in years. I look at my hands and see bones in them and I watch myself type because I'm so amazed at how skinny my hands are.

Wow Tonya! That was very well put. Thank you so much for the detailed relply. I've heard so many stories and everybody's experience is so different. I've heard a lot about the shoulder pain too. I had my gal bladder removed about 7 years ago laproscopically. The shoulder pain from the gas was miserable. I have dislocated both my shoulders years ago and am very overly sensitive about the empending shoulder pain. But I know it will only be temporary. Thank you so much again for your explaination of you journey so far. I would love to keep in touch with you. I am starting at about your starting weight and can't imagine being 170 lbs again. I was actually pretty happy at that weight. I've always been a heavy girl so my goal weight of 148ish seems so over the top. I don't know what my body wants to weigh. I was 175-185 in highschool. Thought I was huge then, but as I got older I dreamed of being that weight again. Anyway, blah blah. Thanks again! I loved the feed back!

I am no where near skinny yet but alot of my co-workers, friends & family will refer to me as that because of the difference they see in me.I am blessed to have alot of supportive friends and family. It's been six months since my surgery and I have lost 50 pounds. I was a size 26 bottoms and 26/28 tops on surgery day and now I am wearing 20 bottoms and 18/20 tops. It has not been easy. As alot of people can attest, there been many frustrating and disappointing days and I know there are more to come but i have no regrets. I have had two fills. I am told that my port is tilted so my fills take an incredible amount of time, always under fluro and with many sticks. I am in a plateau right now and that is very aggravating but i work hard to not let it get me down and use it as a reason to give up. I still have cravings and binges at times.

BUT, I have noticed that my thinking has changed and I am developing more will power & discipline. I actually take the time to think about what, when and why I am eating something (most times) before I actually eat it; especially if it is a snack. I am going to Curves 4 times per week and working out, sometimes I do extra and actually feel guilty when I have to miss a day and actually MISS it when they are closed on Sunday. Sometimes when I am up late at night I will do some cardio just to have something to do. Sometimes, I will catch myself and I have to laugh at myself because last year this time I would have never exhibited any of these behaviors.

I started my journey September last year and by the time I had my actual surgery, i had already lost 20 pounds so I have really lost 70 since September. It feels good to not have to automatically get the biggest size even Lane Bryant carries and not having options if something happens to be cut smaller. It felt good to finally have to go and buy new bras and panties because they too get too big. I, still out of habit, go to the 26's and it feels great to come back to my current reality as saw ha, good-bye 26/28.Sometimes ,I will try on some of my old clothes and I am astounded at how baggy there are, falling off of me and I can remember wearing them. I am finally getting to the point where I can part with my old clothes as I plan to never fit them again. Has been very difficult for me to part with them because I have been overweight all my life and a size 26/28 is all I have known for 20 years since I started college. It feels good getting compliments from men and women. At my current weight, I am 5 pounds less than what I recall putting on my paperwork when I got my driver's license at 16 and I will be 39 on 8/14. While it is definitely not easy and I have my thoughts of failure, I look forward to hopefully graduating from that size 20 and losing the next 50 pounds.

Like the others here.. I am not skinny... but skinny for me is wearing a size 12 and weighing in the 170's......... I can't really imagine myself any smaller because I don't remember a time that I was smaller....

I've lost a smidge over 40 lbs but take a look at my signature image... that person in the beginning the 272 version... It honestly pains me to look at that pic every day, and I've toiled with taking it out, but then someone always reminds me that it shows where I was... at the time of setting the self timer on that camera... I had just faced the scale and had just got done crying and being totally disgusted with myself.. WHAT HAD I BECOME? I'm the person who has lost 80 lbs 3 times all by following strict Atkins... in 2005 I had hit my previous low.... and now 2007 I was at an all time high......... nothing fit, I didn't even feel like messing with my hair or makeup, people who once congratulated me on every pound lost were now looking at me with pity and disgust at gaining 10,20, 80 lbs.......... I was at the lowest emotional pit I could be in.

Even though I had known I was getting my band and it was just a matter of time.... I was still self loathing.............. that is me the 272 pound version....

Surgery day I was hopeful and excited and down 19... and the latest pic is downright playfull again.............. THE REAL TRACY is TAKING BACK HER LIFE! I'm down to being able to wear my old 16's again... I am PROUD, I am HAPPY, I SEE THE LIGHT, and I know that once and for all I will lose this weight again............. AND THIS TIME IT'S FOR GOOD!

That my friend is a very FREE feeling........ Its hard to explain......

I guess the best part is KNOWING with every Fiber of your being that the former you is gone......... and the REAL you is waiting to shine.

You want to read a good thread about success?? Read this one: http://www.lapbandtalk.com/f17/share-us-what-has-improved-you-37441/

TracyKS really nailed it, too.

I'm not skinny (yet), but I will be! And in a word it feels: comfortable.

I would love to keep in touch with you.

Kim, feel free to email me anytime or PM me! My email tonyathescrapperaddict@hotmail.com.

Yes, everyone is different with the band, I am learning that.

Terri - great link, I missed it before, but I have posted in it now. love it!

I was banded last September at the age of 57. I recovered quickly and suffered little pain apart from gas pains. I spent the first 3 days post-op in bed, enjoying the pain meds. By the 4th day I was dressed and spending time on the computer. I weighed around 200 lbs when I was banded and I am now at goal and still losing. I now weigh 147 lbs fully clothed and I have a healthy BMI. This has been my personal experience with the lapband and it has been a very positive one.

I must mention that my inner and outer selves still do not match. I am accustomed to thinking of myself as a big grrl and I still find myself thinking that I am big grrl. I am under the impression that making the psychological jump from chubby to normo is one of the challenges which we face.

I have been at goal for over a year now. And by this stage, I just feel normal. And normal is fantastic.

I am looking forward to the day when I feel like a normo.

Hey Chickie-

107 lbs! That is so skinny. I bet you look fantastic! Do you have any before and after pictures? I would love to see them. They are so inspiring!

Hey Chickie-

107 lbs! That is so skinny. I bet you look fantastic! Do you have any before and after pictures? I would love to see them. They are so inspiring!

The "after" is a few months old now... "But here is a before and after"

The whole distorted "body image" is so interesting. Some days I feel fatter and other days I feel less fatter...for no other reason than that is just how "I feel" that day. There are many many posts that mention this. So when does our inner sense of how we appear catch up to how we ACTUALLY appear on the outside? Anybody have any ideas/input on "body image"? I'd love to hear it.