REALIZE Band Success Stories

Thanks for sharing and keep up the great work!!

I'm just about 2 months out and haven't had a fill yet but am very happy. The surgery was not an issue at all. Follow your doctor's orders and all will be fine. I didn't have to go on a pre-op diet but before surgery I weaned myself off carbonation and tried to eat more slowly and less at each meal. I've lost almost 30 lbs and have gone down 2 sizes. Loving the band. Good luck to you!

I've lost about 90 pounds.  I was banded April 2008.  I've only had 1 issue and that was caused by myself (extreme dehydration that caused me to get an unfill a day after a fill).  I still have about 15 to 20 pounds. I want to lose.  Good luck to you!

I was one of the lucky few to get a natural sweet spot after surgery (swelling around the band) and in 6 weeks was able to loose 35 pounds. I still have another 35 or so to loose to get down to my goal and down to onederland.  With severe apnea that the bipap doesn't seem to work right, after loosing those 35 pounds, I have started sleeping much better at night and have more energy during the day.  I lost a total of 50 pounds last year, some before surgery, most afterwards.

Surgery is starting to give me my life back. But don't tell the DW, she has 4 years of 'honey do's' just waiting for me....

Randy

I love these success stories, it is very reassuring, are you saying you have never had a fill?

I had my fill (3cc in an 11cc band) the end of December after I lost all that weight. Since the fill I dropped 4 pounds immediately on liquids. But even between the time I lost the natural restriction and got my first fill, I was still loosing a pound or so a week.

It has been about a month since my fill and this week, I started inching back up on the weight. I started drinking decaf coffee last week. I have allowed myself to give into the cravings that the caffeine have intensified. Thanks for today's post. It is motivation for me to give up that little bit of coffee to get back on track to start loosing again. I have lost weight before without the band, but in the past, I go through days like yesterday and eat it all back in a short time. Even will a small fill, I am not able to eat the portions that I used to eat so know I can get back on track. I wonder if caffeine wasn't the real reason behind those time I would put the weight back on in the past.

My biggest issue has been sleep apnea and with loosing all of that weight last year, I was able to get an adjustment to the bipap, to where the bipap is finally working and I am getting a good nights sleep. I am starting to come out of my "sleep coma" and can function at work again. At $200 a pop for a fill or unfill, I am not sure I can afford the $600 to $1000 to hit that sweet spot again. But if in March, I haven't gotten back to a steady loss, then I am at least going to go back and try one more fill.

I have not been banded yet, is caffeine totally off limits for you can you have decaffeinated, I know it is not the same.

Doctor suggested to not do caffeine. If you go over to the Lightweights board, they have a lot of different mixes for coffee and protein drinks, so some do continue drinking coffee. You know when it wears off, you are tireder than before. It also is an appetite suppressor, but even decaf has enough caffeine for me that it will also actually increase my appetite after it wears off. Since I started drinking it about a week ago, I have just always been hungery.  Guess it is time to stop and see if the food craving goes away.

I'm almost 6 months out and down about 40 pounds! That's not a fast looser or anything but I think its pretty darn good and I'm still the smallest I've been since I can remember. I slacked off over the Holidays without much restriction but I am back on track now writing down all the food I eat and working out 3-5 times a week again. In the past when I would diet there was no feeling good or full at 1200 calories no matter how I ate them. Now I can stay between 1000-1300 calories no problem at all! I'm so happy I did this for myself and I know I will be a huge success story by my one year.

I consider myself as successfull.....i am losing at a slower pace(which is what i wanted to do) that is why i chose the band. i have lost more inches than lbs and i feel wonderfull. I follow the rules and i do what i am supposed to do, i eat my protein and drink my water. Feb 14th i will be a 6 year cancer survivor and that is partially due to losing weight and saving my life is what i wanted to do. So success......Yes i'd say that is A SUCCESS!   good luck to you! do what they say,,,sip sip sip....walk walk walk.....

Lori