dublinbandgirl

Hey guys, Just lodged an initial enquiry with the surgeon. I am still thinking about it but just wanted to see what my options were and if I would even be approved for surgery. The surgeon said I need a GP's letter to be approved for the surgery because my BMI is below 35. Only thing is I've moved addresses quite a lot over the last few years (I was at University) and therefore I haven't really had a consistent relationship with one GP for a while. Did any low BMI bandsters find it difficult to get a doctor's letter? Kind regards

Hey guys, thanks for all that so far. I am living in Ireland at the moment (potentially moving to the UK within the next year or so). Just wondering does anyone have experience of Dr. De Bruyne's aftercare in Ireland or the UK, for fills and appointments etc? Thanks!

Hey guys, I'm looking into getting banded in 2013 and after a good bit of looking around I think I'll probably get it done in Belgium where it's 2.5k cheaper and the facility also seems really reputable. Only thing I'm worried about is fills/aftercare. Has anyone from Ireland gotten surgery done abroad? Did you have access to aftercare in Ireland? From what I've read The Hospital Group aren't exactly sensational when it comes to aftercare anyway o even if I did have trouble it probably wouldn't make that much of a difference! Any thoughts appreciated.

Thanks alicelopes. I am from Ireland so would have to self pay anyway, but if I get it done it will probably be in Belgium as it is much cheaper there and I have looked into a lot of reputable surgeons there. I am beginning to think it may be the best solution for me. I know I must be willing to change myself and that is something I really want to do at this point. I am going to need to save up money to pay for the surgery anyway so it will give me a lot of time to think about it.

I definitely would be willing - after all I wouldn't really want to put myself through such drastic surgery if not, or affect my health in any negative way. Congrats pink dahlia - that is a really excellent result.

I know what you mean. It's just portion sizes I guess. I may be being naive here but I really believe if I did get the surgery I'd want to do it right - I think for me appetite and portion control are a big deal and it's the feeling of craving them I have a problem with. Surely the band has some impact? Otherwise how does anyone lose weight on it?! I know it's not a quick fix but I have seen people who absolutely swear by it who would have been similar eaters to myself (though heavier to begin with)

Thanks guys - looking for as many opinions as possible. Also a really big factor is that I come from a family of really large women and they all went down the same road as me - struggled with weight in childhood and teens and really gained a lot in their early 20s and continued through adult life. I really don't want that to happen to me (I am in my early 20s now and have gained quite a lot since leaving college 3 years ago, though my weight did yo-yo before that) and I can see myself going the way of my family - I just find it very difficult to resist really starchy foods like chips, fries as well as meat etc. I believe these foods are tough to take with the lap band which would really help me - I'm not much into ice cream, and while I do like some chocolate here and these it's really the starchy stodgy foods that are my downfall. A lot of the foods I have trouble resisting are the ones the band seems to make difficult and I know I'd be too afraid of anything getting stuck to be tempted. I also want my appetite to reduce! It'll be a while before I decide yet all things considered and I can see why it seems like an easy way out - but I guess I wouldn't be thinking about it if I hadn't consistently failed at conventional methods. I'd really like to hear from more people who started low BMI to see if they regret the decision or think it was right. All in all, do the pros outweigh the cons? Also if I did decide to get it what happens if you decide to take it out? I know research dates back 15 years but is it medically inadvisable to keep it longer?

Hey guys just joined and looking for advice I have struggled with my weight for years with it constantly fluctuating up and down - diet going well for a few weeks and then it all falls apart, weight piles back on, the usual. This cycle has been going on for years and I am now at my heaviest having joined a workplace where there is free food and Snacks everywhere - and free all you can eat lunches with delicious food. This does not go so well for me, I have no willpower - however I know I could work with the bad. My self confidence is really low right now as I cannot seem to keep weight off (even though I can lose it and have done a few times, it is not maintainable for me and as this has been going on for years it seems conventional methods are really failing me. So I am looking into lap band surgery and I think it is something I want. The only issue I have is that my BMI is 30.5 which seems to be pretty low for the surgery from what I have read. I am classified in the Obese category on the BMI scale but I think I have found a surgeon who will perform the surgery at BMI 30.5. My question is do you guys think it is too drastic for my BMI? I would be aiming to lose 50-60lbs post surgery from 200 at 5'8". I really feel this may be the right thing for me to do but just want input from others. Also do the results tend to be good for a low BMI band? Any thoughts on the matter appreciated! Thanks!

That's still amazing, 40lbs in 10 months is awesome! it's a huge difference - As I'm 5'8" it leaves me with a little more weight to lose... I'm hoping to lose about 55-60lbs altogether. Do you think much has changed? What was your dieting history like before that? Also is yours less filled than average due to the relatively low initial starting weight or is that more to do with your body itself? Thanks, great to hear of someone else starting relatively low, makes me not feel so silly

Thanks JennyBee! What were your results like? Did you find because you had less weight to lose that the results weren't as good? When did you get it?

I agree with you guys - it is definitely radical and something I have only begun to consider. I have tried all of these methods numerous times before and have failed, I guess this is why this idea has even begun circling round in my head.

Hi Floridays, I absolutely agree it is a radical solution and certainly not a decision I will take lightly. I think I have a lot of thinking to do and if I do get the surgery it will be a long time away, in order to give myself the time to try lose the weight myself. I guess what I meant by the lack of willpower is that yes I am not very self disciplined - but that is purely because the food is there. I think if the circumstances were the same but I was post-op the same sense of "I'll eat it because I can" would go away - the desire to eat in such quantities would go because of the risk of the food getting stuck, and the potential nausea that would come along with it. I love the taste of food but not as much as I love not being sick so I think where discipline is forced it would really help me. To be honest I am at the very early stage of considering the surgery and will certainly be trying other methods. Only if they fail will it start to become a reality - however this has been a struggle for years, and it really swings in cycles - I'll lose for a few weeks, or even a few months as has happened a couple of times, then gain back again. I find it very difficult to maintain. Thanks for your thoughts - All in all do you think it is not appropriate for someone of my size if the diet and exercise regime were to fail again?

Thanks Hazard. I am currently in the very early stages of looking into this and am also keen to give diet and exercise one last try but they do say the definition of insanity is to keep doing the same thing over and over again expecting different results! I think this is definitely a last resort for me, and also a preventative measure - to make sure I stop gaining. I agree it does fundamentally come down to the need for a change in behaviour but I find it difficult to imagine I'll have the discipline to see it through when I haven't in the past. If I do decide to get the surgery it'll be a long way off - also I think it would be tough for me to get support from friends and family as they may see the surgery as a very extreme measure. Time will tell - thanks for the input! Any other thoughts?

Hey guys, new here and looking for advice! I am currently considering lap band surgery and am looking to hear from people either in the same boat or who have had the surgery and can offer some words of wisdom. I have gone through similar things to a lot of you, I have struggle to get and maintain control over my weight for years. Things have gotten especially tough in the last couple of years since I graduated from college and starting working in an environment that pretty much provides unlimited free delicious food for Breakfast, lunch and Snacks. My willpower is really awful and the conventional methods don't last long because of this. My weight has fluctuated a lot over the years but I have really been piling it on the last 2 years. This is why I am considering the lap band procedure. I weigh 200lbs and am 5'8" which puts my BMI at 30.5, in the obese category but seemingly relatively low for this procedure. After a lot of online research I think I have found a surgeon who will do the surgery at 30.5 BMI and who has a good reputation too. From people who may be in the same boat, or people who have had it before, what do you think of this? I really want to do this before I continue to gain, which I think I will. But do you think that 30.5 is too low? I think it would really boost my self confidence! Thanks guys, your thoughts on this are really appreciated.

Hey guys just joined and looking for advice I have struggled with my weight for years with it constantly fluctuating up and down - diet going well for a few weeks and then it all falls apart, weight piles back on, the usual. This cycle has been going on for years and I am now at my heaviest having joined a workplace where there is free food and Snacks everywhere - and free all you can eat lunches with delicious food. This does not go so well for me, I have no willpower! My self confidence is really really low and as this has been going on for years it seems conventional methods are really failing me. So I am looking into lap band surgery and I think it is something I want. The only issue I have is that my BMI is 30.5 which seems to be pretty low for the surgery from what I have read. I am classified in the Obese category on the BMI scale but I think I have found a surgeon who will perform the surgery at BMI 30.5. My question is do you guys think it is too drastic for my BMI? I would be aiming to lose 50-60lbs post surgery from 200 at 5'7". I really feel this may be the right thing for me to do but just want input from others. Any thoughts on the matter appreciated! Thanks!