Well, I did it!!!

At exactly this time last year, I was planning out my trip to Mexico for my Lap Band surgery (with the excellent Dr. Zapata). I was a size 24/26 with a BMI of 45.3 and here I am 11 months later, at goal, and with normal BMI!!!!

There's no looking back now! My life is never ever going to be about "being fat" again -- this Lap Band is an AMAZING, life changing tool!!!!

Did you follow the rules for not drinking and chewing very carefully? Also I was wondering if you had very many fills? I was banded in Detroit in November 2007 and I am at least 30 lbs heavier. I have had 2 fills there for a total of 8cc's and I am scheduled to have one here in the state I live in August the 6th. I feel like I am 100 years old and I am actually half that. I have been trying to figure out how I am going to get the right amount this time. I do feel things getting stuck but it is usually because I gobble and then I have to drink to get it down. I figure it is pretty close if I am feeling this way. One thing is I catch myself with a drink right in the middle of dinner or lunch and then I remember. LOL I am about 265 and I'd like to get back down to 150. I have only had this on me for a little over a year so I feel like it is a waste of money if I can't get it off. My family just freaks out over the money I spent and to be even heavier.

Did you follow the rules for not drinking and chewing very carefully? Also I was wondering if you had very many fills? I was banded in Detroit in November 2007 and I am at least 30 lbs heavier. I have had 2 fills there for a total of 8cc's and I am scheduled to have one here in the state I live in August the 6th. I feel like I am 100 years old and I am actually half that. I have been trying to figure out how I am going to get the right amount this time. I do feel things getting stuck but it is usually because I gobble and then I have to drink to get it down. I figure it is pretty close if I am feeling this way. One thing is I catch myself with a drink right in the middle of dinner or lunch and then I remember. LOL I am about 265 and I'd like to get back down to 150. I have only had this on me for a little over a year so I feel like it is a waste of money if I can't get it off. My family just freaks out over the money I spent and to be even heavier.

Hi Lisaqmoon,

I'm sorry to hear about all the trouble you're having, but something is obviously quite wrong here.........

Have you had any of your fills done under fluoroscopy? If not, that would be the very first thing that I would do. You need to have your Band looked at to confirm that it is in the right place and to see how much restriction your currently have.

I know a lot of Dr.'s don't do this, but my advice is to work with a Dr. who will. I always have my fills done under fluoro, and wouldn't consider having it done any other way. It took me four fills to reach my sweet spot, but I was losing steadily from the first fill on because my Dr. manged to obtain good restriction for me from day one.

Here are my three basic keys to sucess:

1) Fills under fluoro always.

2) Track everything you put in your mouth. I started out using Fit Day and currently use Daily Plate. I try to stay right around 1000 calories, but I'm not going to drive myself crazy trying to achieve perfection, so some days it might be closer to 1500.

3) Exercise and lots of it.

I never got the hang of not drinking while eating, but honestly with all the other things I do it doesn't much matter. Now I'm not saying you shouldn't try, but based on what you're telling me, this is really the least of your concerns at this point.

Hope this helps, and Good Luck!!!!

Frangi:

Congratulations. It's so inspiring to read your threads, especially the ps ones.

Normal bmi must be wonderful.

Sue

Congratulations! You should be proud of yourself. Thanks for inspiring the rest of us!

WooHoo Frangi! Here come the dancing bananas!

:redface::Banane42::smile2::Banane42::thumbup::Banane42::ohmy::Banane42::eek::Banane42::drool::Banane42:

Congratulations on your commitment, the hard work, and the resulting success.

Frangi:

Congratulations. It's so inspiring to read your threads, especially the ps ones.

Normal bmi must be wonderful.

Sue

Hi Sue,

Thank you so much for that -- you made my day!!! :smile::smile::smile:

Congratulations! You should be proud of yourself. Thanks for inspiring the rest of us!

WooHoo Frangi! Here come the dancing bananas!

:thumbs_down::Banane42::thumbup::Banane42::Banane42::tt2::Banane42::Banane42::Banane42::Banane42::Banane42:

Congratulations on your commitment, the hard work, and the resulting success.

Thank you Becky and Cherieinnv!!!!

Becky of course you know you have been my inspiration, and Cherie congrats on your great success so far!!! :thumbup::thumbup::thumbup:

I am so happy for you! I'm so proud of our little group's progress!

Be good to yourself

I am so happy for you! I'm so proud of our little group's progress!

Be good to yourself

Thank you so much Candle! You've been another huge inspiration to me and it's been great traveling on this journey with you!!!

:thumbup::smile:

Yippee! What a wonderful accomplishment! You truly have been an inspiration and a wonderful team mate! It's been a joy to travel this journey with you! Your comment "My life is never ever going to be about "being fat" again" brought a tear to my eye! I never heard what I feel said so simply and so well. Because....YES...for so many years my life was about being FAT. And, I know I am not alone in that. My inner voice silently answered each question with "because I am fat" and approached every situation with those words too! This lapband thing of ours is a life-saving and a life-improving piece of equipment. Thank God for the person who invented it! Honestly, I was thinking about that the other night....wondering WHO IS THIS SAINT that invented the Lapband? I have to research that! I need to send this person a present (or perhaps my first born....LOL!).

All of us Crazy Ates need to be immensely proud of ourselves. We have to really celebrate!!!! Our lives are no longer about BEING FAT. Our lives are about being ALIVE!!!!!!!!!!

Congrats to you Frangi and to all of my Crazy Ate Bandmates!!!!

We're still on this road together.......!!! I'm honored to be part of this wonderful, talented, beautiful, compassionate, smart, sexy, sassy and faboulous group of folks! I hereby dub August 2008 as THE MONTH OF THE CRAZY ATES!!!!!! Maybe we can get a Presidential Proclamation!!!! Should we march on Washington?

Let's see some pix!

Judi

Hey all....After I did that post to Frangi last evening, I couldn't stop thinking about who was this person who invented the Lap Band. So, this morning, I got up bright and early and tracked him down.....it's Lubomyr Kuzmak. Unfortunately, he died of pneumonia in Oct of 2006. Now, I wonder what inspired him to come up with this amazing little device. The concept being so simple that it's ingenious!

Judi

Hi Judi,

Thank you for the lovely, lovely message.

I always enjoy hearing from you, your amazing wit and sparkling personality always shine through in your posts :smile::crying:!

It's been great traveling on this journey with you too, and thank you for being the founder of our wonderful Crazy Ates group!!!

Very interesting info about the inventor of the Lap Band, Dr. Kuzmak, who was obviously a very gifted and inventive person. It sounds like the last decade of his life was a real struggle due to an unfortunate accident -- and of course it's very sad to hear about his untimely death.

That said, I guess your first born will be spared now (LOL :smile2:).

Have a great day, and thanks again for the wonderful message!!!!

Congratulations Frangi!!

I did not see this thread. You are an amazing woman!! Thanks for all the personal inspiration, support and motivation!!:tongue_smilie:

By the way, can I borrow $20 for the rest of the week? I was in Southern Jersey and happened to pass a Stein Mart!! :tt1::eek:

Again, CONGRATULATIONS!!

Congratulations Frangi!!

I did not see this thread. You are an amazing woman!! Thanks for all the personal inspiration, support and motivation!!:cool2:

By the way, can I borrow $20 for the rest of the week? I was in Southern Jersey and happened to pass a Stein Mart!! :lol:

Again, CONGRATULATIONS!!

Jody,

LOL :lol: and thanks!!!

No problem -- I'll loan the $20, and my interest rate will be the next Stein Mart coupon you get in the mail :smile::tongue::smile:!

you did it! congrats' gurl !!!

you did it! congrats' gurl !!!

Thank you Mzreeda!!!! :crying::smile:

Congratulations on your excellent progress too!!!!