Laura B.
A couple years ago, I tipped the scale at 300lbs.. after high school. I saw a picture of myself and couldn't believe it. I made a decision to change it, did Atkins.. lost 70lbs (Hooray!).
Then I fell off the bandwagon.. because frankly I have bad will power in the end.
So over the next 2 years I gained the 70lbs back.. plus about 40 more. 
I had thought about RNY in the past, and even though I'm out on my own my parent's opinions are high value to me. My mom was extremely against RNY.. Well, being nearly 340lbs, I knew I was going downhill and I had to do something. At age 20 I was having crippling lower-back pain. I tried cutting my legs off on my own.. anyone with the back pains understands this!!! I was so miserable, then I had cortizone back shots.. they helped for months at a time, but ultimately I needed to do something. I was too young to be feeling like this!!!!
So January of 2007 I began researching RNY, trying to make it plausible for my parents to accept. That's when I discovered Lap-Band which sounded so much safer and less invasive. So I got information together-took it to my mom. I was shaking and nervous, because if she said no, I'd have to do it anyway and feel rotten for it. Before I got into my speech, she said she just saw something about it on Dateline and she thinks it's a great idea! WOOHOO! I was ready to go, PRONTO. I read message boards, asked questions, read, read, read. Called doctors around the area. Went to a meeting. I have BCBS, but my policy doesn't cover any obesity treatments. So, it was all self-pay. Since I was self-pay I was able to get the ball rolling pretty quick.. thank goodness, I felt like I was ruining my 'young years' being obese and unable to actively participate in life.
So April 16 I was banded. First month was great weight loss, until the 'bandster hell' kicked in and it felt like I hadn't had surgery. First fill was June 5th.. 1.5cc.. throughout the month, didn't feel any different and weight loss plateaud. July 2nd went for my 2nd fill.. apparently 1cc disappeared.. left that day with 2.5cc. Had to do fluero for the port, some reason they couldn't get into it regularly. That was neat to watch it on the screen. I am feeling more restriction now, but still not enough!! In the mornings and late at night I'm nice and tightened up.. but during the day.. feh. Next fill is August 6th. Sometime before my 2nd fill, I threw my scale away in frustration.. so I haven't been weighed since July 2nd.. I was 297 then. (1lb lost since my first fill, no good at all).
August 6th I'll update this.. So far it's a patience game. I know I'll find my sweet spot eventually. Until then, I'm just having to rely on willpower, which fails 1/3 of the time! At least I gave up cokes for good 1 month pre-op.. That's a major thing for me.. I was drinking 12 mt dew cans a day (and NOT the diet kind!). I got bad headaches for a while till I was off the cokes.
I got married on 7/7/07 and was able to fit into in-stock dresses at David's Bridal which was a nice goal for me. It was actually falling off of me the day of the wedding.. without the arm straps, I would have been in my skivvies! Also, the wedding as in Vegas. Last time we went to Vegas I had the back problems.. walking about 200ft was so painful, I remember falling on the floor in this hallway to a monorail.. I couldn't do it, I thought I would end up living on the floor there for the rest of my life, because I couldn't move!! Also, something to add, no doctors would give me anything for the pain, I guess I had that 'junkie' look and they didn't believe the pain I was in..
So as a nice touch, for my wedding in Vegas--we walked MILES!! AND MILES!!! In the record temperatures of 115-120 degrees.
Outside, inside, all over.. casino to casino, up and down the strip. Not one time did I get those horrible back pains. I got normal leg cramps and back aches that come with walking so much when I'm not use to walking.. But nothing that made me have to sit down or keel over in pain. WOOOOOHOOOO! So, for this.. the band was all worth it already. Even on these plateau times, I'm at least not gaining.. and that's great!
