I've been banded 3.5 years and have lost a good amount of weight so far. I have lost slowly, as you can see from my ticker, but it's coming off faster right now because I'm really focusing on calories and using my Body Bugg. ANYWAY, I started off a size 34 and am now an 18, close to a 16. I live in a really small town in Wyoming. Didn't really tell people other than 2 friends and family that I was getting banded. Well, after 3.5 years, the rumor is going around town that I "had something done like a bypass" because I've gotten so skinny SO FAST! When I asked someone why this was going on now, the answer was ... "well, now it's noticeable!" WHAT??? People continue to amaze me. Does anyone else think this is sort of BIZARRE??? Because I sure do!!! LOL!!! Gosh, and I thought you could tell when I had lost 75 lbs...guess I wasn't looking so good! HAHA.

Funny! Thanks for sharing that..... oooooh you must have had it done when you disappeared last week. hahahahha

Weird, I click to read this thread and over half the page is the advertising bundles for this website.

If you're seen around town, maybe they don't notice it. Most people in my lives don't realize how much I've lost till I show B&A pics. then they go "WOW, I don't remember you being that big". derrr.

Rharriet...your weight loss is amazing. Your story (kinda) reminds me of something that happened to me a few years ago. My oldest son was about 7. I was getting ready to go out on a date with my husband and my 7 yr. old came around the corner in the bedroom and caught me in my bra and panties. He ran back out of the room saying (YUK). I got dressed and as I was putting my shoes on I asked my son "Does mommy look too fat?" His response "Not with your clothes on".

My point in sharing this story...What did you have to do after a 75lb. loss for someone to notice? Walk around town naked??????????????????

This is very funny and did make me feel better. I have been very discouraged as i am loosing, SLOWLY, but have lost 20+ Lbs. already and nobody at work or with friends that don't know I was banded have noticed or commented at all. Glad to hear i am not alone. :shades_smile:

Congratulations on losing even if slowly...I am also a slow loser. I am pre-surgery and wondering how many calories you average per day with the band? I really havent seen any information on this and I am trying to gauge if the surgery will help me be successful in eating less than I manage to eat currently.

I also am amazed by how people seem to all of a sudden notice things but I guess we are all self concerned (some more than others )

You know what I think it is? You went from a fat person to a thin person. To non overweight people, size 34 is the same as size 20. They just see you as big. Now that you are a size 16, you are more average looking and they think of you as overweight and are like, what happened? Just be happy you are almost a size 16 (i cant wait till i am!) and dont listen to silly town gossips.

I've been banded 3.5 years and have lost a good amount of weight so far. I have lost slowly, as you can see from my ticker, but it's coming off faster right now because I'm really focusing on calories and using my Body Bugg. ANYWAY, I started off a size 34 and am now an 18, close to a 16. I live in a really small town in Wyoming. Didn't really tell people other than 2 friends and family that I was getting banded. Well, after 3.5 years, the rumor is going around town that I "had something done like a bypass" because I've gotten so skinny SO FAST! When I asked someone why this was going on now, the answer was ... "well, now it's noticeable!" WHAT??? People continue to amaze me. Does anyone else think this is sort of BIZARRE??? Because I sure do!!! LOL!!! Gosh, and I thought you could tell when I had lost 75 lbs...guess I wasn't looking so good! HAHA.

I lost very slowly as well. When I got to a size 16 from a size 20 all of the sudden a lot of people noticed. I do think that the person who said you get to average weight is on to something. I am certainly not skinny but not in the plus size section anymore either. I told some people at work that I did the band and then eventually got to the point I tell anyone now. I never knew if the rumor was going around and people were just asking to see what I would say. I really don't care anymore what people think! I escaped Diabetes and high blood pressure and look and feel better too!

You know why I am afraid to tell ppl? People think lap band is the easy way out and don't realize it is very hard work. They judge you. My mom told family friends and each time they saw me they kept asking how much weight I lost and I felt like a failure because it is coming off slow.

Also, god forbid I spent 15k on this surgery, cut up my body, and I am still fat after it all. Thats why I dont like telling people. When I reach my goal I would have no problem telling people. I just have to convince myself it is going to work.

I lost very slowly as well. When I got to a size 16 from a size 20 all of the sudden a lot of people noticed. I do think that the person who said you get to average weight is on to something. I am certainly not skinny but not in the plus size section anymore either. I told some people at work that I did the band and then eventually got to the point I tell anyone now. I never knew if the rumor was going around and people were just asking to see what I would say. I really don't care anymore what people think! I escaped Diabetes and high blood pressure and look and feel better too!

Bergdorfblonde, your response almost made me faint...NO JOKE. I read it and got instantly hot and sweaty. NORMAL SIZE? I have NEVER thought of myself as a normal size! I think you could be right, tho, in the way that fat is fat and then they noticed I was not as fat. Of course, to me, I weigh 239 now and while it's a long ways from 367, I'm still pretty fat! Of course, being in a small town, everyone knows I work out all the time because that is also a topic of conversation. There was even a freaking article in the paper about it last year! Yeah, I know...crazy. BUT, people know I'm working at it and see me running outside, etc. I'm a therapist, so I think people like to know what I'm doing! HAHA. Then they can talk about it! TOO FUNNY. The rumors don't bother me. I'd tell someone if they asked, and they have.

I can't wait for the next rumor...do you think that since I've lost weight, I've gotten to be "all that" and am leaving my husband or cheating on him???? LOL!

this reminds me of something that happened to me. about 10 years ago, i dont know how i did it, but i lost quite a bit of weight right after my divorce (besides the 160 lb jerk, i lost about 40 myself). well, this was so out of the ordinary for me, that seriously, i had people think i was using drugs. i could not believe it! it was a very small town, i was friends with all the police there and one came to the house saying that people were saying that. i told him, you see me all the time, you see me go to work, come home and take my kids to church. where else do i go, i dont see anyone other than those places, you can have pee, blood, hair, test whatever you want, you wont find anything. (ironic thing is, thats why i divorced, he had a drug problem). i guess it made everyone more comfortable when i gained it all (and some) back.

rharriet,

You have GOT to be kidding me!! Does NOTHING happen in that town of yours that they need to write an article about your work-out habits!?! As far as the cheatin' or leavin' I'm sure those are already circulating, you just haven't heard about it yet!

HAHA! Yeah, the lead FRONT PAGE story a few weeks ago was about a girl who was having a real birthday because it was LEAP YEAR and she was born on the 29th! So, my running at the gym was probably up for an award or something! HAHA.

And you're right...I'll bet I'm cheating on DH and don't even know it. At least I haven't heard I'm on drugs (yet) like our other thread said!!!

Speakig of small town rumors............ When DH and I started our own business it was really hard and we worked REALLY hard. About 3 years into it we started making really decent money. Well we had an employee that was nothing but a trouble maker and after putting up with her for a year we fired her (was not soon enough). Would you believe that she started telling people that the way we were making our money was that we had a meth lab at our house. Does she realize that meth people look skinny, not fat?? I am the praise and worship leader at my church and that was the rumor. We actually laughed about it and we still joke about how much meth we will have to sell to afford this or that. Life in a small town is so much fun!

Dont let those jealous ppl get you down ladies! Just concentrate on your weight loss and living a happy life and dont get bogged down in the small town soap operas!

Bergdorf, I just want to send a little encouragement your way. This will work you just have to be patient. I was losing so slowly and people kept asking me how much I had lost. Sometimes weeks can go by with no weight loss. A coworker even said in front of me to another coworker that there is no proof the lap band works...using me as the example. The worst part of all is I started to feel that horrible feeling that we all get when we are coming to the realization that we are failing another "diet" once again. I would get a fill if I had no weight loss in a month and that kept my loss on a very slow but steady loss. After about 8 months people I hardly knew were asking me about my weight loss. I just think it takes a while for people to notice the change. I also think we lose sight of how much we have really lost because we see ourselves daily and do not notice the change as much. I have lost more inches than pounds and I think we just care what the scale says. I say try to exercise and be patient and you will get the rewards before you know it. Also, be proud of what you lost so far because it is nothing to sneeze at. Think about that it is permanent weight loss. When is the last time you were able to lose that amount of weight without putting it back on? Good luck everyone!