Hello, I had my lapband surgery July 18, 2007 and it is without a doubt the best thing I have ever done for myself. I weighed in at 330 lbs at my first visit, lost 26 before I had the actual surgery, and now I'm down a total of 88 lbs! I am enjoying life, eating normally and have had very few problems. No nausea. Now and then in social situations I will be in a conversation and unwittingly swallow what is in my mouth in order to speak, and sometimes have sent down things that are a little large for the band. Uncomfortable for a few minutes but am slowly learning to always be CONSCIOUS of what I am swallowing. I pretty much live by the rules - no drinking with meals, no carbonated beverages, and chew chew chew. Weight loss has definitely slowed down in the last three months, as has my exercise program because I tore a meniscus in my knee and haven't been to the gym for three months. Getting that meniscus repaired (finally) tomorrow and will be on my way back to exercising. That should speed the weight loss up considerably. I have had three fills, was scared to death each time that the band would be too tight, but I didn't need to worry because it has always been normal swallowing after the fill.

For sure I'm loving the new clothes in smaller sizes. I was in 4X - a very hippy person - and now fitting nicely into 2X and a few 1X things. I am 5'6". Eager to get another 88 lbs off and expect it should take another year and a half, maybe two. With the first 88 off, I feel like a princess, so the rest of the way is going to be easy! I have just registered here and have enjoyed reading your posts.

Shir@Bthin

Welcome Thin,

Congratulations on your weight loss you are clearly on your way. I'm very proud of you and wish you the best in your new life. Keep up the good work. Check out the site as it is very helpful, all the people are friendly. You can find answer to almost every question if you don't see a thread that relates to the question you have post a new one as you will get some great feedback.

Hi - I am reading your post with the biggest smile on my face. I love reading sucess stories. I had my surgery March 30th and weighed 375. I lost 25 pounds the first month after surgery I since lost another 30 pounds. I lost a total of 55 pounds and i feel like I am really on my way to a very healthy life. I too follow the "rules." I am sure "the lapband" is ultimately saving my life. Thanks you for sharing your expierence. I wish you the best of luck.

Thanks! I'm loving the journey to THIN!!

Thanks for your encouragement and congratulations on your weight loss since just March!! You are doing great! Soon you'll be model thin!!

Congrats!! you are a true inspiration! If you have any before and after pics, please post them in the Before/After pics section in General thread. We all love seeing those and helps to keep us all motivated! Good luck on your knee surgery...

Congrats on your acheivments - I am totally with you on the exercise issue - it's the key to the weight coming off. I am glad you are getting your knee fixed.

I too am 11 months out - that's what caught my eye on your thread - I was banded 7/17 and agree - it's the very best thing I have ever done for me...

Good job - Keep it up !!!

:cool2:It is amazing how loosing weight makes you feel so amazing right? You are doing real well and I know that doing as good you as you - you are working very hard. Where are you from?

Considering LBS - Lab Band Surgery - Interesting what the initials spell - Just found the LBT yesterday and it seems most are satisfied with the process. I'm just so tired of fighting the fight. I'm tired of feeling like it is all up to me. It's been nearly a fifty year battle. How is it pest to prepare for the surgery? I've got 3 months set up time and would like to use it best way.

Suggestions?

Thanks for any feed back.

WWH

Hello and welcome shir2bthin :rolleyes2: Your story is truely inspiring and I am sure it will brighten the day for many. I had my surgery 4/23 and have lost 28 pounds. I just had my first fill yesterday and HAVE RESTRICTION so I really hope to be reporting a story like yours very soon :thumbup:

Walks with Hope~ Welcome to LBT as well. I think making a life change like this is something you really need to be informed about. I would recommend to prepare for this surgery you read read read. Start in the pre op forums and read lots of the threads there. If you don't see a question asked that you have post one.... The only silly question is the one never asked :smile2:

I am so looking forward to my 11 months out. You have done so good. I'm with you when you say you're feeling good now even tho you're not at your goal yet. After loosing as much weight as you have--how can you not feel good.

CONGRATS!!!!!!

Been reading and doing a lot of soul searching about the LB. I really think this is what I need to do. I'm having a conversation tomorrow about it with my PCP. I'm of course embarrassed by the whole thought of the surgery and yet I'm also embarrassed by my body and always have the underlying thoughts when I'm talking with people or walking by people that they are saying look at that fat one.

I've also noticed I having difficulty breathing at times when I am going up stairs. I don't want to continue going the way that I am.

Been reading and doing a lot of soul searching about the LB. I really think this is what I need to do. I'm having a conversation tomorrow about it with my PCP. I'm of course embarrassed by the whole thought of the surgery and yet I'm also embarrassed by my body and always have the underlying thoughts when I'm talking with people or walking by people that they are saying look at that fat one.

I've also noticed I having difficulty breathing at times when I am going up stairs. I don't want to continue going the way that I am.

I know how you feel WWH. I'm so glad I've made the decision to move forward with the Lap Band procedure! I can't wait to get approved (in the final stages now). Best of luck!

Shir2Bthin - Congrats on your weight loss! You must be SO PROUD! :smile:

I am overwhelmed by the encouraging letters you have all written! :redface: I would have joined a group like this a lot sooner had I known how uplifting it would be!! (but maybe this group is SPECIAL and I just happened to join the RIGHT ONE!!!)

This morning I had the knee surgery so now my meniscus is removed and I am back home feeling great. They sent home an electric cooler system for my knee that looks like a picnic cooler with a Water hose on it - it sends ice water up to a bag on my knee constantly and that's really great! I'm walking and feeling good! Probably going to droop tomorrow....

I am from Huron, South Dakota right now. My husband and I are snowbirds and we live in Palm Springs, California from October until May. We have come back to South Dakota for 11 summers now and it is really nice here. The heat in Palm Springs is amazing in summer so it's good to get away. I had my lapband surgery done July 18 2007 in Sioux Falls, South Dakota. In my opinion, South Dakota has the most incredible medical people. We lived in Los Angeles 30 years while my husband was working and I've seen all kinds of medical negatives there. The first thing when I came out of the anesthesia this morning the nurses were all over me asking what kind of lipstick I was wearing because it was still on!!! Isn't that a hoot!! I had a chuckle out of giving them my Cover Girl Everlast commercial.............. Even told them to go to ebay to buy it!:smile:

I didn't have regular meals today, of course, but tomorrow it's going to be back to three squares and maybe a couple cups of milk in my nonfat, decaf latte! (that's if I can drag my sorry butt to the coffee shop)!! :confused2: (Is it okay to say 'butt' on this thread??)

So, onward and upward with the weight loss! When I am better acquainted with this website I will figure out how to put that cool weight loss slider thing under my postings. No clue how to do it right now.:confused2:

Thanks again. Great group!!

Shir2Bthin

I am overwhelmed by the encouraging letters you have all written! :redface: I would have joined a group like this a lot sooner had I known how uplifting it would be!! (but maybe this group is SPECIAL and I just happened to join the RIGHT ONE!!!)

This morning I had the knee surgery so now my meniscus is removed and I am back home feeling great. They sent home an electric cooler system for my knee that looks like a picnic cooler with a Water hose on it - it sends ice water up to a bag on my knee constantly and that's really great! I'm walking and feeling good! Probably going to droop tomorrow....

I am from Huron, South Dakota right now. My husband and I are snowbirds and we live in Palm Springs, California from October until May. We have come back to South Dakota for 11 summers now and it is really nice here. The heat in Palm Springs is amazing in summer so it's good to get away. I had my lapband surgery done July 18 2007 in Sioux Falls, South Dakota. In my opinion, South Dakota has the most incredible medical people. We lived in Los Angeles 30 years while my husband was working and I've seen all kinds of medical negatives there. The first thing when I came out of the anesthesia this morning the nurses were all over me asking what kind of lipstick I was wearing because it was still on!!! Isn't that a hoot!! I had a chuckle out of giving them my Cover Girl Everlast commercial.............. Even told them to go to ebay to buy it!:smile:

I didn't have regular meals today, of course, but tomorrow it's going to be back to three squares and maybe a couple cups of milk in my nonfat, decaf latte! (that's if I can drag my sorry butt to the coffee shop)!! :confused2: (Is it okay to say 'butt' on this thread??)

So, onward and upward with the weight loss! When I am better acquainted with this website I will figure out how to put that cool weight loss slider thing under my postings. No clue how to do it right now.:confused2:

Thanks again. Great group!!

Shir2Bthin

Shir - We are winter neighbors :smile: I live in Indio - but I live hererYear round - it was 115 today:cool: I have lived here all my life :biggrin2: Phyl who is a July Bander with me and in the 50+ thread & Christen thread - winters here to - she lives in WA in the summer...

Wow, Indiogirl, I see you've lost to goal plus nine! How do you feel about that additional nine lbs and are you trying to stabilize? Congrats on getting it all off! We'll have to get together when I get back there in late September.

Shir2Bthin