Congratulations to all bandsters! May we all have continued success this 2008.:tongue:

It is a happy new year for me... I am down 100 pounds! There are many of us who have met this mark, and we continue on our journey.

Cheers- here's to us, and the many "losers" that came before us, and to those who shall follow. :wink:

IF YOU ARE EVEN THINKING ABOUT GETTING A BAND, GO GET INFO NOW NOT LATER..

My Mom was scheduled to get her band Dec.19th 2007- she instead had a triple bypass heart surgery, followed by many complications, blood clots, bad reactions to meds, etc.. and results are that the triple/bypass needs to be completely redone when/if she gains enough strength back to make it through such an ordeal -again.

I will continue to count my blessing, I have had the opportunity to lose 100 pounds... before her story, became mine.

Keeping you all in my thoughts daily, Kimberly

Val, I dont think I am losing inches. But I havent measured myself to compair. I cant really tell that my pants are feeling loser or anything. My bra fits better. But not lose or anything.

I saw a program on public TV Saturday that was about 12 people from various levels of fitness starting a runniing program. The goal was to run the boston marathon. It was really neat they talked about how effective the heart is after working out for a few weeks and how much more effective the muscles get. It was really neat to see. They also talked about this one lady who was 70lbs over weight and how she had lost 40lbs during this training and how she thougt with all the running how pounds should be dropping off her. And they talked about how excercise maintains body muscle and improves health and increases metabolism but only diet will make you drop lbs. It was interesting to hear.

They talked about how runners run because they can eat whatever they want. and maintain their weight

OK I got weighted and measured. I have dropped some inches. This last fill is doing great.

Hi all - I haven't been around other than the June 07 thread, but I thought this one was gone - I didn't realize it had moved. I am glad to see everyone is doing well.

For those in the beginning stages with high BMIs - YOU CAN DO IT! No it isn't magic and you do have to work at it, but it can work. The one thing I will say is don't go in to it thinking you can eat anything you want - just less of it. I heard that a lot starting out and it does work to a point. BUT if you continue to eat high calorie foods, you can't continue to lose weight it is simple science. As much as I didn't want this to be a diet it is or at least it is for me. I just can't seem to get my mind to change - I still want all the foods I know I shouldn't have. I have to make an effort every day not to eat them, but the beauty of the band is I can't overeat them if I do chose to. My body isn't doing me any favors by being hungry all the time - one of the other things I heard, that the band will help your hunger - just isn't true for me. I deal with it be choosing healthy snacks - nuts mostly.

I wish everyone luck - it is the best thing I could have done for myself. Almost 11 months from a tight size 32w to a size 16, with hope in sight that I can actually reach my goal that seemed so far away.

Edited May 10, 200818 yr by mjsafari

Good advice Missy. I am blown away by your weight loss. I was banded the same month and although I've lost a lot of weight (80 pounds), I have refused to give up high calorie foods. Science is catching up with me methinks. It's time I took another look at things.

Missy,

I was inspired by how much you have lost with the band. My Dr's. told me the RNY is best for me. I'm still debating between the two. My question for you is, did your Dr's. tell you the RNY would be best for you? Were they omptimistic about the lapband? Congrats on losing so much. That's awesome!!

My Dr's. told me the RNY is best for me. I'm still debating between the two. My question for you is, did your Dr's. tell you the RNY would be best for you? Were they omptimistic about the lapband?

Jumping in with my 2 cents...

My doc said- if you can "move around" at all - like not in a wheel chair, or bedridden... go BAND. I got Lap-band at 367 pounds... now 230 pounds and I feel great. Good luck to you all. Kimberly:thumbup:

My doctor said about the same thing. If you are still active you should opt for the band. Gastric patients do lose quick but the 3 year study we meet up with the gastric patients and then we surpass them because on an average band patients keep the weight off longer. We have to learn to eat properly. Where gastric patients dont.

That was my biggest selling point.

I want this weight gone forever. So I will do mine slowly and have it stay off. VS removing it quickly and have it come back.

I went to my first meeting (informational) last night. While talking with the Dietician she said I have a lot of weight to lose and the bypass might be best. She then followed up with we will talk more at your nutritional consultation. My BMI is 71 and I am over 400lbs. Has anyone started over 400lb and been successful. I don't feel I need the drastic lost but a gradual lose over time seems more natural. Right?

I started at 376 I was VERY against gastric bypass. Just because it is so drastic and non reversable. That is me. I wanted a more gradual loss. I am active. always have been. So when my doctor found out I was very against the gastric bypass she sugested the band and we talked about it for a while. And then I started my reserch.

I am thrilled with the band. For me it is like I am in control of what I eat. I can have ANYTHING just not in the quantities I was used to eatting. So I dont feel deprived if I want chocolate I can have it. It is still my choice. So I have a piece then go work out a bit. I feel like I have just gotted smarter about what I eat. and the band helps me not eat as much as I sometimes mentaly want to eat.

I went to my first meeting (informational) last night. While talking with the Dietician she said I have a lot of weight to lose and the bypass might be best. She then followed up with we will talk more at your nutritional consultation. My BMI is 71 and I am over 400lbs. Has anyone started over 400lb and been successful. I don't feel I need the drastic lost but a gradual lose over time seems more natural. Right?

BBW, The decision as to which procedure you have is entirely up to you. No one else should make that decision for you. Do the research, do not be hasty. Go to a Surgeon who does both procedures, that way he/she can give you the information you need and also help with questions and concerns.

My personal story as to why I opted for the lapband over the gastric bypass is similar to Cerrin. I wanted the control. I now have perfect restriction with my lapband. I eat low carb and chew, chew, chew (very important).

Just realize that with either procedure, it is not a cure for what ails us. We love food for whatever reason. I've been seeing a Bariatric psychologist to help me deal with my food issues and also to help me let go of my lifelong "best friend and comfort" (food). If I don't figure out how to live without the comfort of food, I will sabotage my weight loss and never lose. Started at 379 lbs, I'm down 43 lbs now, banded on 11.27.07.

We are here for you. You are not alone.

Have a Great Day!

Cherlita

Hi,

I am a newby to the site and I am Scheduled for LapBand Surgery on June 4, 2008. I cannot begin to describe how anxious and excited I am to begin this new beginning in my life. I started this quests in March and have lost 16 pounds so far (prior to surgery). My weight at the start was 326 and is currently 310.

I attended the seminar provided by our local physician in Southern NJ and I was very impressed with the physician I selected who made the comment, "If you cannot lose the weight and maintain the loss with Lap Band then Bypass will not help you either. If you put weight back on with Lap Band then you will do so with Bypass as well. Both the Lap Band and the bypass are simply tools provided to help you stay on track, but if your mind is not ready to make a change in your life style, then success will be short lived."

I am in a support group that combines both Lap Band and Gastric Bypass recipients and I have seen and spoke with people from both groups who are 5 years post surgery. There was a small amount of people in both groups that have gained s ome weight back, and they admittedly said they stopped following the rules.

I am ready to make the changes in my life to better my health, and I am encouraged by the posts I have read here. Good Luck TO All!

Hi BBW,

I was really close to 400 at 389 when I started to check into the lapband. I was actually leaning more toward the bypass because of the amount of weight I had to lose, but I didn't do it for several reasons. First, I am self-pay and couldn't really justify the large amount of difference in price. Second, my heart doctor barely approved of the band and around here the bypass meant a full cut. Finally, the doctor I chose quit doing the bypass altogether. I had my band in Sept 07 and I am slowly losing my weight. I had a slow start as I had trouble healing because of my sugar. I went to the doc today and am down 53 lbs. So, yeah, the band works for us heavyweights too. I just suggest that you do a lot of research before deciding. Nothing is easy when it comes to losing weight, that is the one thing I know for certain. I wish you lots of luck on your journey....bev.

Do the research and make your own decision for sure. If your doc is pushing you one way or the other, get a 2nd opinion. I think the Band can work for anyone who is willing to commit to it. If you are a volume eater, the band can work for you as long as you don't try to overeat repeatedly which can cause damage. If you are a sugar eater it is a little more difficult I think, because there are many ways to eat around the band - ice cream and other soft calories go down just fine. I think it is 90% mind set and 10% the band - that being said, there is no way I could have done it without the 10%.

My surgeon only does Lap band, so no he didn't suggest the RNY. There was no choice for me though, I would not have done anything but the band. I did not want my insides rearranged. That is a personal choice, from experience as an OR nurse. I am not saying the RNY is bad or good - it just wasn't something I wanted to do.

Insub - as I have said before I am TOTALLY amazed myself how well this has worked for me. I am just glad it did!

Missy You are doing an awsome job!

I just have to say that I love my dr and I love my band.

It is an amazing feeling (to me) to know I am on the downward track. I am even thinking about doing a 5k which before surgery I hated walking. lol Now I am actualy thinking about participating in a 5k wow.

I have been having an unusual pain in my back and my chest for the last few days since my band was too tight and I had to have an unfill. On Tuesday last week I had a fill of .5 cc and it was so tight (I told the doc and he didn't believe me) that starting the next day and for the following 48 hours I was not able to take ANY fluid in. And I started throwing up foam on my way back to the surgeon. I tasted like Bile but came out as White foam, I had a severe migrane from Dehydration as well. Has this happened to anyone?

Well anyways the second part is that I went in to the ER and the Surgeon who put too much fluid in on Tuesday happened to be the surgeon on call and he came in and removed ALL the fluid in the band. Then starting about two days after all the fluid was removed I started getting a "burning like" sensation across the middle of my back; somewhere near where I think the band is placed. Sometimes it kinda feels like a dull pressure on the center of my chest in the front as well.

I know it is not from food being stuck or anything because it happens no where near the times I am eating. Usually when I haven't eaten or 2-3 hours afterwards.

If anyone can relate or knows if I should stop worrying please let me know a.s.a.p. because I am sort of freaking out over here thinking it might be something serious like erosion at the band site or something.

ANY thoughts???