7 years, lost 120, got rebanded!

[tennesseequeen 0]

Once again - no matter what you are feeling, no matter how difficult it is to slow down your eating, or eating soft foods for a while, or going through the whole experience - it is worth every second. Whoever you are out there, I promise you that I would never trade going through life morbidly obese again. I have now undergone 2 surgeries just to keep this band on and doing what it does for me.

I, too, am addicted to food. We all know what that means. We can't just push food away or stop eating when we are full. I am here to tell you that I'm no different than any of you.

To one of you who asked, I'm 5'9. My legs aren't all smooth and beautiful, but it's nothing that good genes and panty hose can't camouflage. Who cares anyway when I can fit into a size 6? I was a 22 when I went in.

So, if you are out there, and new at this, or are about to have it done, let no one stand in your way. Don't let anyone make you unsure or unsettled. IT IS WORTH IT.

One day soon you will be posting "after" photos and smiling, as if it was the easiest thing you ever did. Think about the future and how you will look and feel. It's an investment of a lifetime.

Thank you for all your kind notes.

[Apples2 19]

Once again - no matter what you are feeling, no matter how difficult it is to slow down your eating, or eating soft foods for a while, or going through the whole experience - it is worth every second. Whoever you are out there, I promise you that I would never trade going through life morbidly obese again. I have now undergone 2 surgeries just to keep this band on and doing what it does for me.

I, too, am addicted to food. We all know what that means. We can't just push food away or stop eating when we are full. I am here to tell you that I'm no different than any of you.

To one of you who asked, I'm 5'9. My legs aren't all smooth and beautiful, but it's nothing that good genes and panty hose can't camouflage. Who cares anyway when I can fit into a size 6? I was a 22 when I went in.

So, if you are out there, and new at this, or are about to have it done, let no one stand in your way. Don't let anyone make you unsure or unsettled. IT IS WORTH IT.

One day soon you will be posting "after" photos and smiling, as if it was the easiest thing you ever did. Think about the future and how you will look and feel. It's an investment of a lifetime.

Thank you for all your kind notes.[/QUOT

First of all...congratulations on your hard work and your wonderful results. Positive posts like yours are what inspire others to work hard and strive to make the change. We all know that there are risks for complications as you have had. I, for one, would do it all over again and if, by chance I had similar complications, I would be banded again, if possible.

It is so nice to wake up in the morning, swing my legs over the bed, and look forward to a new day. Prior to banding, my obesity was the first thing on my mind upon awakening and the last thing on my mind at night. My health was in such a state that walking a few hundred feet was taxing. Now I can run circles around most 20-somthings.

Life is good!:redface:

[NoName-AZ 0]

"Listen, ladies - I am you. You will be me. I"m not special at all. Don't let the new eating habit take over your life. Make something else more important. If you think about eating all day and night, you'll never lose it. Find something else to focus on."

Thank you from the bottom of my heart for these kind words. I will print this and tape them to my wall, and read them every day!

I needed to hear this today.

[CASSIEME1 1]

Why reband were you scared 2 try it own your own to see if you can maintain.have anyone ever heard of some removing the band after reaching their goal

[CASSIEME1 1]

Did it all seem so hard going threw the process

[CASSIEME1 1]

Share with me also open for advice

[tennesseequeen 0]

Looking back I don't remember it being hard at all. I'm sure at the time it was a struggle to change habits. I want to eat WHOLE pizzas, not one slice. But the band won't let you. It's the very thing I personally need - something that stops me. No mind set, no will power, no punishment will ever stop me from wanting a whole cake or a whole pan of lasagna. I want it. I always will. I still do. I lost hundreds of pounds on Nutri System. I was their poster girl. I did commercials, billboards, printwork and did modeling shoots for them for years. I was queen of the weight loss winners. I was wined and dined, and flown to exotic locations just to shoot commercials and attend conventions because of my weight loss. Did it stay off? NO WAY.

Was it hard? It took adjustments for months for me to "get it" and realize that I just wasn't going to eat a whole pizza any more. I started eating, enjoying what I ate, and moving on to something else besides thinking about food.

It's what "normal" stick chicks do, I guess. Their lives do not revolve around what they are going to eat for dinner. Mine still does, but at least I know that I"m going to have whatever I want, and have a small bit of it.

Is it worth it when I put on my size 6 jeans? HA! There are no words to describe that feeling. Is it worth it when every person you ever knew asked you how you look so amazing? Is it worth it when you dont' have to take a handful of high blood pressure pills every morning and feel like crap? Is it worth it when you can run a mile or do a cartwheel like you used to when you were in high school?

I'll never go back to wearing sweats, feeling like I couldn't go out in public, or looking at all the beautiful clothes my thin friends got to wear. I don't want to have to go back to the doctor when my bp was so high that he had to give me a pill to get it lower. I dont' want to pretend like I didn't care that I was fat and it didn't bother me.

Was it hard? I suppose so. It's a life challenge that sucks, but worth every struggle, every hunger pang, every pound that comes off and every compliment you will get. Not to mention the years that you will probably add to your life.

Yeah, it's hard.

Edited November 19, 2009 by tennesseequeen

[tennesseequeen 0]

I see that one of you out there wished they would have gotten the gastric instead of lapband.

May I chime in? ARE YOU INSANE????

My sister had gastric cause insurance would not pay for the Lapband. She is the saddest person on earth now after 6 years. She not only had horrible internal problems, but had to be re-done. Her stomach expanded because of overeating, which we all tend to do - and she regrets having it every day of her life. Yes, she's only one person, and I"m sure there are good stories out there about gastric, but as for me, I'm glad to know that I can take this band of if I really want to, and my organs are safe. She cannot.

I have 2 friends in the pageant world that had gastric. They are now very overweight AGAIN. They claim that "it didn't work", but I watched them overeat and stretch their stomach, or whatever the medical term is. They are heavy again, and they are more embarrassed by that than I can tell you. I feel horrible for them. They will probably have to have it re- done. And they cannot go back to having their normal organs ever again.

Never regret this - make it work, make it the best thing that's happened for you. If you are truly so upset about it - take it off and see what happens. Go back to your overweight, obese self and pig out. Die an early death, have a ball, and remember all of us who will live a lot longer and a lot healthier and happier.

Just my 2 cents. I promise you that once you focus on something else besides food and being deprived, the weight will come off without you thinking about it every minute. Don't let it be your life!

[Apples2 19]

Tennessee...think you hit the nail right on the head...key word being "deprivation". Depriving oursleves sets us up for failure.

LP allows us to eat but just in smaller portions. I never feel deprived. When I first had the band I stayed away from so many "naughty" foods. Now I allow myself anything. I do have some foods my band does not allow me to eat but not many. If I want some Pasta salad, pototoes, etc., I eat.

Once you get the hang of it, it's easy. Keep a food journal, get enough Protein per day, take your Vitamins, don't get into the routine of eating "slider" foods and enjoy your life. See this as a way of life, not a life of restriction and deprivation.

[nkara 0]

Oh my god.. I actually started crying after reading this. I'm 7 days post op and still in pain and I have everyone asking me if it's worth it and you just said YES! :confused:

I honestly don't know if I could go through this surgery a second time though. I have been having one hell of a time with pain and the port area being uncomfortable but it's getting better every day.

Thank you so much for this post and you look wonderful! :scared2:

[tennesseequeen 0]

awwww. I feel so bad, but so happy for you - I am 10 days post re-banding and I know your pain, literally. I'm still hurting, but happier each day....whoever you are, I promise you this thing is SO worth it. You will feel better every day, little by little, and real soon you will forget you have it at all. You'll start getting thin and you'll never look back. Get through these tough days - it's the small investment in your future that you will not regret. Keep your chin up - I'm here with ya, tylenol and all. I KNOW it's worth it, so I'm smiling through the pain.

[Band_Groupie 3]

Queen- Hope you're feeling better and wanted to thank you for all the positivity! I'm about 5'9" too...many moons ago, when I got married I was too thin at 132- looked anorexic (can't imagine even being able to get to 120!). What weight do you think you look best at...and I'm wondering if age plays any part in setting a goal weight? I'm not sure where I'll end up, or does your body decide for you LOL? Just trying to set a good goal. Thanks! -BG

[tennesseequeen 0]

What weight does your body really want? You bring up a super good point. I'm 5'9", and so are you - all the "weight charts" say we can weigh anywhere from 125 to 170. Well, personally, I got too low, and my body rebelled. It wants to be in the 140 area to be happy and healthy. Going to low was fun for a while, just cause it was a novelty, but I was getting dehydrated, my hair started losing luster, and I could tell I wasn't glowing the way I should. That's why I went back to get an adjustment. My body was telling me that it needed more nourishment. For me, I need to be at least 140 to look healthy and feel great. It's so scary, though -after losing it all, an thinking that I put on 20 pounds terrifies me. I feel like I"m never going to lose again!

Uber thin models are 5'9" and 120. That's actually kind of sickening for real life. I did it, but people were starting to ask me if I was sick. That in itself alerted me that something wasn't right. I had to face the facts that this body wants more weight.

I can probably go as high as 160 or so and still look great, but the psychological idea of weighing that much would take a toll on me. We spend our whole lives thinking about these numbers and it's overwhelming. I think as long as you are healthy and have a good BMI and other medical numbers, the scale should not matter. It's something I keep telling myself!

[Band_Groupie 3]

Thanks so much, that was really helpful. I've yet to meet anyone my height at goal, so this was great. I was 160 (for a day LOL) about 10 years ago and I definitely had some excess weight then (yeah, that puts us in the healthy BMI range), and I remember looking good in the 140's back in my 30's...so perhaps the 140's will be attainable again! If you can do it, I'm going to go for it! Under 150 seems like a dream right now...but I'm a 'dream big' (or maybe that should be 'little' LOL) kind of girl! Thanks again! -BG

[2Flyguys 13]

i've been so nervous about gaining my weight back in a year or 2...thank you for posting ur story...i love to read long term success stories...