GreggCas

The point of the surgery is a tool to help you lower your eating habits. Obviously if we are still overweight, we are not committing to a diet and exercise regime that allows us to lose weight. The band doesn't magically make you lose weight (i know you know this)...but it is a tool to DECREASE the urge and amount that we eat. You said you have learned all this yet still have gained weight. Unfortunately i do not believe that you learned what is optimal and correct in your life. Not saying anything is wrong with that. I was unable to see it when i was overweight. After the surgery i finally got to the point where i knew what was too much and what i knew was too little and have had the band loosened and eat even less because i NOW know what is a "reasonable" amount. Obviously you are eating more than you need and this is a diet that the surgeons put you on to show your determination. It also shows insurance companies they aren't waisting their time and money. People have gotten this surgery and gained weight and have continued to eat poorly. Now I really can't sympathize with waiting for insurance. I saved and put away and financed my surgery and paid it off on my own. So i really can't say anything about insurance since well...I found ways to make it work. Doesn't mean that works for everyone but when I sought out to do this, I planned about 4 years in advance and made sure i knew what it was gonna take. I was lucky i was able to do that and doesn't mean you are not prepared but we are at different parts of our financial lives. One last thing: The physical aspect i can see being a struggle with weight loss. Being unable to workout will hinder the outcome. Just remember that the band will not be a magician in your weightloss. You will not see optimal results with a lack of physical activity. So i hope you know that going in that if you are unable to work out, it will have a negative effect on your weight loss...just plan math. You burn off more than you put in...you lose weight. Some people might find what i say offensive or rude...I am a person that likes to just say the facts straight out so you know whats going on. I don't like pussyfooting around subjects and "Sensitivity" when it has been given for most of my life. I find it best works for me to get a swift kick in the ass and realize the situation i am in and to be able to address it as such.

starting p90x now..that and beach body insanity

I live on Long island. 4 years post op and down 220 pounds

I was responding to Kami when it comes to the band as a tool and wasn't refering to you. I am merely stating that the 6 month diet is to prove that you can change your life style. My doctor would refuse to do the surgery on anyone not having enough commitment to change themselves for 6 months. Wasn't towards your original response but to theirs. You can have a tough road of emotional and physical past...Pretty much everyone has that....I really don't have much "sympathy" for it but rather understanding and a "want" to push past that. The "pay your dues" is a Doctor reviewed diet that Shows the surgeon that you have what it takes to take this journey. That is what I mean by paying dues. This isn't a quick fix which i know you know but some people believe that and it aggrivates me to high heaven when I hear people say: "oh ill just get bypass or the band and ill be fine". I've heard that way too many times doing speeches for the band and I tell them to forget it if they are going to use that mentality going into it. I'm more of a realist than an optimist or pessimist and that's just simply stating the facts on how i feel. After you get banded and you start losing the weight. You will realize you were never really "out of options" but rather...couldn't truly see the options before you...trust me on that. You will realize that what you may have thought was "trying" was a shadow of an attempt of your accomplishments post surgery. This isn't saying that what you are doing now is wrong but when you finally see the big picture you will be more than happy to stick to the new lifestyle. I am not being judgemental towards you but rather the statements that people sometimes make. My only thing that i said to you in my original post is to make small goals and keep positive reenforcement in your life. If you get down, it hinders you and you need to move past it and move on. Worrying only brings on anxiety and depression and it isn't a good thing when you are preparing to get surgery. That was my main focus for you. Everything else was towards the "why wait 6 months i want it now" statement that makes it sound like they are Veruca Salt from willy wonka and the chocolate factory.

It isn't just obese people that get different looks. Anything that isn't a comoon form of normal society appearance will be percieved differently. I pretty much have had a similar attitude from being heay to being skinny (lost 230 pounds down to 200 as a guy)...but it is taken differntly now. I tend to make a lot of sexual inneundo jokes and compliments as a way to lighten the mood. When i was big people would laugh and go "oh Gregg...you're so silly" and laugh it off. Now they kinda look at me like...are you serious?...weight does make people percieve others differently but so does other factors. There is a reason people think overweight people are lazy or not as motivated or just like to eat....You had to get to that weight somehow...and i can bet over 90 percent of the people that are overweight aren't overweight just from "gland problems". When i was fat...i ate more than i worked off. I was a wrestler and did judo for 15 years along with other sports and was constantly working out. When i stopped...bam i gained all the weight since i wasn't burning it off. I became lazier...i did eat a ton....It IS a stereotype but that stereotype is more common than other stereo types. I wrote down what i ate for 4 years and how much i worked out each day for 4 years. When i looked at my "Dieting" back then to my normal eating now...Yea...I wasn't dieting. You might THINK you are dieting but when you honestly write down and look at what you eat...you will be surprised at what you are really doing. as far as the lazy dressing...if you know it...dont' be surprised by it. People will look at you and judge by the way you dress. If you look like a slob...people gonna assume you are. People think of people from what they see and everyone does that...even obese people

If you are unable to do the 6 month diet plan then you should NOT get this surgery. This surgery is a commitment to lifestyle change. It is NOT the answer but the TOOL to ASSIST you in getting healthy. In the end it is YOU, NOT THE BAND that makes you lose te weight. You need to start changing the food you eat, the food around you, the way you eat. You can start getting healthy and normal without the band first. Yes it is a pain in the ass, yes it is easier said than done...but if you are not willing to do the 6 months...don't get the surgery. As far as feeling down in the dumps...it is probably the worst thing you can do. Everyone gets them but you need to force positive into your life. You need to make small goals during this time to help that positive reenforcement. If you stay negative, you will then give up...if you give up you won't follow through with what you need to do and in the end will regret what you have done. Sorry if i sound like i'm lecturing but I kinda have that "You need to pay your due's" attitude when it comes to this. Just cause you are banded does NOT mean you are going to lose weight. You play a bigger part than that band ever will.

I was 430 pounds back in 2006. I had the lap band 4 years ago and have went from 430 pounds down to 205 pounds. On December 13th 2010 I had an inner thigh lift, Arm reduction, male breast reduction and a tummy tuck that did my stomach and back. The results are AMAZING. I was a size 60 inch waist that dropped down to a 38 inch waist. Currently now I am a 34-36 and still have swelling that needs to go down. Side Note - The procedure was NOT covered under insurance for me based on the doctor i went to AND it cost roughly 24000 after all expenses. It was the MOST...i Repeat...MOST PAINFUL experience I have had EVER in my life. I felt like i was nailed to the cross for the first 3 days. I could not walk without a cane or assistance for 2 weeks post op. I had a lot of gauze pads for blood and 6 drains sticking out of my pubic region (2 were for my chest...4 were in my pubic region that had to be drained daily). I was unable to sleep in a bed for over 6 weeks and was sleeping on a recliner during that time. I've posted it a few times on the site but here are comparisons again this was at my heaviest. That was me from 400 pounds down to 280 pounds approximately This is at 230 pounds. If you notice the stomach area you can see a Slight Buldge on the sides aka Love handles. If you look at the chest on the left side you can see the overhang inbetween my chest and my arms. That was a MAJOR factor for me getting surgery was my chest area. It was saggy and huge. This is 2 months post surgery trying on shirts. That is a SMALL from Express clothing shop. Now...It is very tight on me and was done as a joke but you can now see that there are NO love handles on my sides and that my chest is completely flat. It is amazing what i feel like wearing what i wear now. Just remember this. There are HUGE HUGE HUGE Benefits from the surgery BUT it also requires much of your dexterity and determination. You must realize that THIS IS LIFE CHANGING and will be EXTREMELY PAINFUL. I was almost in tears for 2 days in the hospital hating what i did. After i paid my dues and recovered, I was ex tactic that i did this. It is all up to your determination and wish you the best of luck

Hello all,(I posted this in the other forum but figured since this has been seeing more views i can share my success here) Just wanted to post my success story to show the differences this procedure can have. On November 20th 2006 I had the lapband done at NYU hospital by Dr. Renn. (Note she has been in the papers recently with some scandals and such but won't go into that.) I weight 430 pounds before having surgery. 4 years later I am now down to 205 pounds and have had a full body lift. I had my arms, chest, stomach, back, and inner thighs lifted by Dr. Capella in New Jersey and just wanted to show you guys that are thinking about the procedure or are wondering what hard work and devotion to a life style change can show you That was the old me @ Octoberfest at a friends house. Biggest i ever was. Though it is blurry...this is me down 215 pounds but before my skin reduction surgery This is me a few days ago trying on clothes for the first time in an "Express" clothing store. Though this was a joke picture...that is a designer SMALL shirt that I am trying on. Just wanted to show you guys that it is definitely possible to have success with this surgery but requires a lot of hard work. The band is a tool...not the solution

I guess i was a bit different about the band. When i first got it, i was excited and told everyone was so happy. I was losing so much weight and looking great. Now, 4 years later and a re constructive surgery later...I don't really tell anyone that i had it done unless pushed to it. If someone said how did i lose all the weight..I tell them the truth...I put down the fork. I wrote down everything I Ate for 4 years now and it shows my lifestyle change and how i committed to this change. The lapband was a tool but was not the SOLE reason for my success. I've learned that people will be negative about it no matter what. I actually went on a date recently with a girl and she and I got into a discussion about weight loss and she said that people that get the lapband are just lazy. I laughed it off and asked why. She said she saw people that got it just eat mcdonalds and wendy's and it isn't helping them and they just think it is a quick fix. I told her it was true but there were people that actually do work on it with the band. She didn't believe me and kept saying she doubts she would find someone like that. I finally disclosed to her that I had the lapband and was it funny to see a foot in mouth expression from her. I didn't get mad but actually laughed since most of the time she is right. It is a personal thing. if you like to let people know....let them ...but don't always think it will be positive. If you want to keep it quiet...enjoy it and do it for yourself In the end...all of the things you do...are for you and you should be happy and not care what the others think

Skin reduction is not a weight loss replacement. do not be thinking you are going to drop 20-30 pounds in this style of surgery unless you have HUGE HUGE HUGE amounts of sagging skin. I was 430 pounds and dropped to almost 200 pounds. The skin reduction took off 10 pounds of skin and fat and that was from my arms, legs, chest, stomach and back. DO NOT use this as a weight loss reduction and just keep patient and get down to your target goal

The best thing for you to do is Jogging and/or Running. It is absolutely the greatest thing to base your weight loss workout around. I used to start off just by jogging as much as i could (was barely a mile in like 13 minutes) and after a year of training got to 3 miles...after 2 years i was up to 5 miles. I did that 3 days a week and spinning class 2 days a week. Motivation is the HARDEST thing when it comes to working out and the easiest way for me was to make short term goals. Making small rewards for yourself is what will keep you going. Trying to lose that pound by the end of the month. Running a mile in under 7 minutes. Pushing yourself to have an incline the entire run. All these little things will help you strive to that next level. Enough of the rambling...the best excercise is Jogging and Running hands down. Cardio = best weight burner IMO

Hello all, Just wanted to post my success story to show the differences this procedure can have. On November 20th 2006 I had the lapband done at NYU hospital by Dr. Renn. (Note she has been in the papers recently with some scandals and such but won't go into that.) I weight 430 pounds before having surgery. 4 years later I am now down to 205 pounds and have had a full body lift. I had my arms, chest, stomach, back, and inner thighs lifted by Dr. Capella in New Jersey and just wanted to show you guys that are thinking about the procedure or are wondering what hard work and devotion to a life style change can show you That was the old me @ Octoberfest at a friends house. Biggest i ever was. Though it is blurry...this is me down 215 pounds but before my skin reduction surgery This is me a few days ago trying on clothes for the first time in an "Express" clothing store. Though this was a joke picture...that is a designer SMALL shirt that I am trying on. Just wanted to show you guys that it is definitely possible to have success with this surgery but requires a lot of hard work. The band is a tool...not the solution