Update

So I'm not a frequent poster, but I do have an account and I do have WLS. 

 

I was banded on November 25, 2009, the day before Thanksgiving, everyone always asks why that day, and well I was either going to have to give up eating Thanksgiving dinner or eating at Christmas and I was like well I would rather get it done sooner than later, so I choose November. 

When I was banded, the morning of surgery I weighed in at 297.5 lbs that morning. 

 

I've had like 4-5 fills, and I'm at like 3.5-4 cc's in a 10cc band. 

 

So my update is I am currently around 187 lbs(my doctor's office said 200 the other day, but I don't see how I gained 13 lbs in like 2 weeks, so we'll just believe it's LYING). That's 110 lb loss, my BMI was 46.5, it is currently 29.4 for a point loss of 17.1, my starting BMI was considered Obese, I am now at the higher end of simply overweight, I am out of the obese category. 

 

Today I did the calculators today and I am 4.4 BMI points away from my BMI being considered "healthy/average." That equates to 28 lbs. 

 

My original goal that I set w/ my doctor was to reach 200 lbs, and my size goal on my own was to get to a size 14. Well I am now about a size 13(JUNIORS at that) b/c I'm between a size 12 and 14. So my new goal is 159 lbs(28 lb loss), and I'd like to lose those 28 lbs by this coming summer. Why you might ask? B/c I'd like to get into a bikini and feel comfortable wearing it. I feel like I could achieve that as a size 10, but we'll just have to see. I've NEVER tried on a bikini in my entire life I've always been "too big"(by current standards) so I always stuck to a 1 piece, I tried a tankini once, but I hated it. So I have no idea how I'll look in a bikini. But we're going to aim for it. 

 

I should admit I am not the perfect bandster. I do no****ch what I eat really. I just try and guess what my band will allow to pass, and make or order that. So honestly I probably eat some "bad" things. I also have yet to start working out. But I admit this b/c I am also bi polar, and so I regularly see a counselor, and one of my goals is to "gain motivation to live a healthier lifestyle" and to kick start that by attempting to begin working out at least once every two weeks, and luckily w/ my school and work schedule it looks like I'll have all day Thursday off, so I'm going to attempt to get over my anxiety and get my butt into the FREE (well part of my tuition) super nice Recreation center at school. 

 

Well that's really all I have, so yay!

well it sounds like you've done wonderful on your journey.....I'm hoping my journey (which just started the week after thanksgiving Nov 29, 2012) will be as successful as yours.  My first fill is tomorrow and I'm nervous as heck.  I don't even know what size band I have to know how much of a fill to expect tomorrow and worried that it will hurt and that I'll be throwing up a lot.  Will I even fill hungry?  Congratulations to you and your continued success!!!!

Hijack! Kkronberg

Don't fret about the FILL. Just remember our Band is to dim our appetite . Every FILL becomes a new learning curb. Some people actually never need a FILL. Most do, but as each set of finger prints are unique so is your stoma.

You only throw up if you are not chewing properly. Or have eaten too much. Go slow and pay attention to how you feel while eating. Remove distractions, and eat to the point that you are satisfied. No HARD stops to make you stop eating. That's not what our Band is created to do. Pay attention to soft stop signs, hiccups, runny nose, again everyone is different.

Also you go on liquids for 24- 48 hours after a FILL. Then back to dense proteins to be satisfied.

Don't count on band to do all work for you. I am 5 years post op, and I know the importance of being an active participant with your band.

I posted early this week "emotional eating" post. Check it out it will help to guide you on the hunger thing too.
Good luck
Prek3

Congrats on your journey! 

I love to read success stories like yours.

 

Also today is THE DAY! I've set a goal w/ my counselor to lose 28 lbs somewhere between May and July, so that's w/in the next 4-6 months, That's like 1.4 lbs a week. My counselor and I agreed that I would go to the gym for however long I could at LEAST once every 2 weeks, so today I'm going to go and try walking on the treadmill for at least 15 minutes, maybe longer. After 3 years of sitting on my behind and letting my band do ALL of the work I think it's finally time to suck it up and become an active participant in my weight loss. I can never in my life remember a time when I was 159 lbs(which is what losing 28 lbs would be) nor do I remember ever being in the "healthy" BMI category, which is my goal.

 

Also if I successfully lose these 28 lbs by summer I plan on taking a week off and going to my parents house which is only an hour and a half from my doctors office and even if I don't need a fill I want to say "thank you for giving me 1. the gift of life again, and 2. something I've never been in my life which is clinically "healthy" by BMI/weight standards." Having lapband has turned my life around for the better, I was dying at 23 years old and now besides my bi polar(which is well regulated but always going to be apart of my life) I am doing absolutely fine.

I am new to this Lap Band procedure and had my first appointment with the dietician, surgeon, etc.  I also have anxiety and am sorta afraid of choking.  If you had it to do over, would you do the lap band surgery again?  Do you choke? 

Despite the buzz of band bashing I've seen since just coming back to the forums on Monday of this week, I would ABSOLUTELY choose the band over everything else if I had to do it over again. The band has been amazing for me, even though I haven't been utilizing my band to it's full potential even remotely, until recently that I've decided to become active again, I still managed to lose 110 lbs w/o really lifting a finger.

 

I do vomit a lot I will admit that, but choking no. My band is a major diva and is very picky and kind of has a mind of it's own, but overall it's been a great and successful journey. As far as my experience w/ the band I would highly recommend it. I'm actually glad now that my mom refused to allow me to get gastic bypass done and insisted I get the lap band, b/c I feel like considering the habits I haven't quite broken since being banded, my band has still gone above and beyond to change my life.

 

Just a few weeks ago I decided that it's time to stop being flat out LAZY like I have been for many years now, get off my behind, and use the band to it's potential and finish my journey w/ the band by getting into the 150's.

Congrats on your weight loss!  Just a word of caution re the vomiting.  Try to figure out what is causing it and avoid the food, chew more, smaller bites, etc, vomiting is not normal, banded or not.  It could be that your a bit tight...read my post regarding my band story.  Many things can cause this...since having my fill removed I have lost 17 lb.  Good luck on reaching your goal.  I know you can do it!

ps: those who have negative band experiences aren't necessarily bashers...just bandsters hoping others can avoid their painful experiences.