My name is Lisa and I feel absolutely fantastic.
In 2005, I weighed in at 140kgs, I was 37 and I was borderline diabetic. I couldn't walk very far, my knees hurt when I walked up hills, I was out of breathe when I did manage to walk long distances. I had no energy and thought that I wouldn't even make it to 40 years old the way I was going. I had struggled with my weight since I had my daughter in 1991. I was diagnosed as being a carrier of a genetic disease (Fragile X) which stopped my ovaries from working and I went into early menopause at the age of 25. Life, I thought, was doomed for me at that stage. In 2005, my mother recommended that I go to a Lapband seminar and just see what they had to say. I was so fascinated by how it all worked, I booked in to see Geoff (surgeon) to discuss it further. Well, 3 months later and a series of tests to see if I was a good candidate saw me having the Lapband surgery. I lost approx. 10 kilos before surgery and weighed in at 130kg. I remember waking up thinking “Oh my goodness, what have I done?”. I was in more pain than I thought and really couldn't eat or drink a thing. I could manage just a few sips of soup or water, and lemonade icypoles were my saviour in the first few days. After the initial liquid diet after surgery, I began introducing food back into my diet and the weight just started falling off. I returned back to work after 3 weeks and my work skirt just fell off. It was amazing. And the rest, as they say, is history. I have now lost 80kgs and I feel absolutely fantastic! I don't really have any loose skin. I have gone from a size 26 to a size 8 or 10. I am not saying it hasn't been hard work, and I still watch everything I eat. Some days are very hard, and some days are easy. I now enjoy exercising, walking, dancing and just living again.
People think that Lapband is an easy way out, but I really think it has probably been harder than any other weight loss program I have ever done (and I have done them all), but it worked.
I love having my Lapband. And yes, you could say that, maybe if I had have been more disciplined and ate healthier and smaller portions I could have done it without surgery. But to lose 80kgs! I could never have done that without the surgery. I needed the help of my little friend, my little weight loss tool (Lapband) and the support from Geoff and his team. I love seeing people's reactions that I haven't seen in years and they do not recognise me at all; it is such a great feeling of accomplishment. My mother, father and friends have been so inspired by my success that they have had Lapband surgery now too, and we are all so much happier and living life to the fullest. I am now only 60kg, 43 years old and feel absolutely fantastic, Lisa