I joined the team!!  Do you have any details on the event? Where it will be, how long the walk is, etc?

Melissa

What a wonderful posting. This is what OH should be all about. Just knowing that WLS is not the answer to all of our problems and that it is strictly a tool that can be abused and definetly stop working as we get out of the honeymoon phase. I am 21 months out from surgery and it is not easy maintaining my weight. I go up and down with the same 5 pounds over and over. One day it's up the next day it's down. I find I can eat more now than I could last year, so I have to be very careful. I still will get a sick feeling if I do eat more than I should, almost like dumping ,but it's not, unfortunetly it doesn't hit me until about 20 minutes after I'm done eating, then all I feel like doing is going to bed and sleeping it off, unless I can get out and walk it off. I want so bad to lose another 10 pounds and it seems as though I'm back to looking at diets that I did in the past but  I'm having the same kind of results as  back then, which is not losing the weight.
But, on a good note, I am much more active now, and can do things that I had given up on because my weight hindered me from certain activites, like hunting. Yes I hunt, and love it ,now that I can walk the distances and fit into hunting clothes, lol. I can run up stairs that two years ago I couldn't even walk up without my knees feeling like they were going to give way under me. I can shop for regular size clothes with one draw back........my closet is now full of clothes again, which is what I said I would never do once I got rid of all my big sizes, but alas, the shopping bug has bit me again and I can't pass up a good sale on clothes. I love my job, something I can't ever remember saying in the 30 something years I have been working.
I still have the problem of looking in the mirror and not seeing a thinner me.  I catch myself thinking that people still look at me as a fat person and I sometimes feel uncomfortable around strangers due to those thoughts. I wonder if that feeling will ever go away? I have had people say they wish they were as thin as I am and then I have to look around to make sure they are talking about me, lol.
All in all this is the best thing I have ever done for my self. NO it's not easy and NO it's not going to solve all of your problems, but.........it will give you a healthier and hopefully happier life.
 Thanks for posting, it's nice to see someone else writing again. I'm like you, all of my old WLS buddies are gone and it's not the same on here as it use to be. I miss the old crowd and wish they would at least post on occasion so we know they are still out there and alive and well.
WHEW! This is long winded so I will go now and go shopping, not for clothes though, lol.

Take care and good luck with everything.
Mary

I was banded with the Realize band on 06-03-08 and have lost 39 lbs. I am happy with a steady weight loss and love my band! I've gone from a size 26/28W to an 18W in that time. Yes, you do lose slower than with RNY but I think that may be a good thing as it allows your skin to conform better during the loss process and hopefully not have as much saggy skin. I also liked that there is no dumping syndrome.

Hi Carolina Forest.  I had VSG on the 21st.  If you would like to call me please do so.  450-2080.
Hope you are doing well.  I feel fantastic.
Sara
new name on OH -- Carogrl

Glad to hear you are doing so well Eddie.  I am happy for you and Lesley...you deserve each other and I wish you all the best!!!!