beanie80

There's no such thing as a lapband diet. We just learn to eat healthy foods in much smaller quantities.
You should invest some time to research the band before you jump into it. It doesn't work the way you might think. With a lot of work on your part, the band can help you find satiety signals so you eat less. Watch these videos when you have time:
Part 1 part 2 Part 3 Part 4

Small containers, measuring cups and spoons, food scale, small plates.

Not in the western part of the state, but Dr. Lindsey Sharp at Rex Bariatrics in Raleigh is great. I also work with him in the hospital and know he is good at what he does. Good luck and Welcome to North Carolina!

Jim when I went to the initial informational meeting I was the smallest person in the room, but also the only one there for lap band. I could feel everyone looking at me like I was crazy. Both the nurse co-ordinator and the surgical scheduler thought I was there for general surgery, not wls. While it did make me feel a bit better about myself, I am 80lbs overweight! Messed up how our society could think that 80 extra lbs (and counting) on a body is not terribly unhealthy and worthy of wls. I know for sure that if I don't get this surgery I will continue to gain weight every single day until it kills me. I love what you say at the end of your comment "WLS has helped me shrink but it has also helped me grow to be more understanding."
Looking at your progress you are doing a great job Jim! keep up the good work

I agree with the others, I would seek a counselor. By chronically over eating, you're putting yourself at risk for not only a stretched pouch but a slip. A counselor can help you figure out not only why it's so hard for you but how to regain control.
You can do this but you might need a little help to get there. Get the help- you deserve it and the success that comes with it.
Best wishes.

Have you thought about seeing a counselor I know they can be expensive maybe someone can help you break this habit. Sorry you are going through this. I myself was never was an ice cream eater until my band. WOW! That stuff is addicting. Besides just enjoying these certain foods, maybe there is an underlying issue. Hope I am not out of line, just a suggestion if nothing else is working. Believe me, you are not the only one going through this. Many people struggle with letting go of their favorite comfort foods. It is very hard...there is nothing wrong with you. We all love to eat and thats that! Maybe when you want something not on the menu wear a band around your wrist and snap it to remind yourself how far you have come and what you did to get where you are at! Hope that helps a bit....keep us posted.

the only fear i had was getting bigger (and not being able to buy clothes in my size).......that fear led me to have the WLS and do what they told me to do in order to lose weight....dont be scared....this is your life that you are taking charge of. very proud of you.

I knew you all would help me feel better about it!
After reading your posts I'm starting to become excited again. Can't wait for my journey to really begin!

I will admit there was a time in the beginning I would be sitting in the Doctors office waiting room watching people come and go and think 'really? You need WLS?' It was easy as well as ignorant for me to judge based on appearances and the fact I was 488lbs I guess I had a sense of entitlement for my reasons of WLS. I have certainly learned and I am not so quick to judge anymore and I have much respect for those doing whatever it takes to get control of their life for the sake of their health and longevity. WLS has helped me shrink but it has also helped me grow to be more understanding.

I'm happy to have found this thread as it was just what I was looking for. I've been told by several people that I'm not overweight enough for the lap band. My BMI is right below 35, I have no co-morbidities and exercise frequently. I have struggled with my weight my whole life and I'm scared if I don't do this now that I will just get bigger and end up with co-morbidities. How fast have you all lost weight?

I think it's the voluntarily doing this to ourselves that freaks us out. I have a panic disorder too. I spoke to the doc and the anesthesiologist before the surgery. I got permission to take a xanax the night before and then when I arrived at the hospital, the anesthesiologist gave me something that put me in lala land. I knew I really wanted the surgery and I knew my brain would try to stop me at the last minute. Had the surgery two weeks ago and its the best thing I ever did.

I think it is perfectly normal to question the idea of voluntarily placing a foreign object inside your body...it is indeed pretty science fictionlike when you think about it. That said, many people have plates, screws, etc in their bodies (I have a rebuilt ankle made with titanium!) so it's not all that exceptional.
So I look at my band as I view my ankle--without these foreign objects, I'm "broken". But with them, I'm in recovery.

Hallelujah! Found a psych place willing to do my assessment for $300! It pays to shop around people

Anyone else scared about putting a forgein object in their bodies?! Maybe it is just the hippie in me, but the thought of having a foreign piece of plastic around the top of my stomach scares me. This fear has only come about the last couple of days. I don't know why. I've been so sure I wanted to be banded, I have all of my appointments set up, and then I started having bad dreams about the band eating through my stomach and killing me. I'm not sure if I'm actually afraid of the surgery itself or I'm subconsciously trying to keep myself from being happy and healthy. I know now that I'm the fat girl with the pretty face and all the pretty friends. That's familiar to me. I'm scared of what will happen when I'm not that person anymore. Anyone else feel this way? have some insight? and yes, I have an appointment with my psychiatrist (not the pre-op one for the surgery) on Monday to talk things through. Just want to hear what y'all have to say.
I almost forgot to mention, was anyone else really afraid to fail with lap-band? I'm just worried that it won't work for me and I'll have paid 16k out of pocket for nothing.

It really is a good time to make this a hand in hand journey of health. I too struggled to quit...but I am not having surgery to look good in jeans. I am doing it to live a longer, healthier life. Continuing to smoke, for me, makes no sense.

Thank you all for your advice! I think I'm not going to say anything to anyone until people start asking.
I agree with Terry that I can't lie and give people false hope. I got to this place because someone else who had lap band was honest and open about it when asked. I hope I can someday be someone else's inspiration like she has been for me. I'm not going to run around telling random people either. As someone else said, it is my private business and I'm doing it for my health. Thanks everyone!

I think it is outrageous too! I just called to double check with the psych office to make sure they knew I was only having lap band and they said it was still $800. I just sent an e-mail to my surgeon's bariatric coordinator to see if she had someone else to recommend. I work with the surgeon in the hospital so I'm hoping I can grab him and ask if he will waive this or at least reduce it to one visit. This is perposterous.

I think it is outrageous too! I just called to double check with the psych office to make sure they knew I was only having lap band and they said it was still $800. I just sent an e-mail to my surgeon's bariatric coordinator to see if she had someone else to recommend. I work with the surgeon in the hospital so I'm hoping I can grab him and ask if he will waive this or at least reduce it to one visit. This is perposterous.

I think it is outrageous too! I just called to double check with the psych office to make sure they knew I was only having lap band and they said it was still $800. I just sent an e-mail to my surgeon's bariatric coordinator to see if she had someone else to recommend. I work with the surgeon in the hospital so I'm hoping I can grab him and ask if he will waive this or at least reduce it to one visit. This is perposterous.

Bravo for making the decision to enjoy a better quality of life! I too, was concerned about what my family and friends would say and at first I was going to keep it to myself. But you can only do that for so long because people will wonder why you aren't eating normally, how you are dropping pounds left and right and in a worst-case scenario if anything goes wrong you need your family to know. I had my mind made up and was determined not to let any negative comments keep me from going through with it. To my surprise, not one person has said I shouldn't do it...especially after finding out I was dianosed with Type II about 7 weeks ago. Once I found out about the diabetes, I knew I had to make some "drastic" changes and big decisions - I have a child to care for. But yes, tell your family and friends but make sure you explain to them your reasoning - diabetes is nothing to play with and you deserve to be happy. The Lap Band is not the easy way out, by any means but when you have tried so many other things only to get back to your pre-diet weight (sometimes heavier), then you have to do what you have to do.
Baby at 32 you are just beginning to live (I'm only 4 years older than you) and this is the time when you can truly have the most fun! You are worth it, now get over the fear of telling your loved ones and make up in your mind that no matter how they feel about it you have some awesome bandsters to help see you through. Go for it and don't look back...except to see how much weight you left behind.

Thank you all for your advice! I think I'm not going to say anything to anyone until people start asking.
I agree with Terry that I can't lie and give people false hope. I got to this place because someone else who had lap band was honest and open about it when asked. I hope I can someday be someone else's inspiration like she has been for me. I'm not going to run around telling random people either. As someone else said, it is my private business and I'm doing it for my health. Thanks everyone!

Hello! This is my first time posting in here. I've had the meeting with the surgeon, gone to a supoort group meeting and am waiting to finish all of my pre-reqs before getting a surgery date. I'm hoping to be banded in June. I just wish I had done this when I was younger. So many years wasted being too fat to do things, and hating myself. I want to enjoy being 'young' (some would debate me being young, I'm 32) before it is too late. I work in health care and I have seen the toll obesity can take on the body, and I'm terrified of ending up a type II diabetic.
So my question for you guys is, when did you start telling family/friends? I have told my father and sister who are both very supportive. I haven't told my mom yet since I don't think she will be supportive. I have told some friends, but feel slightly uncomfortable telling them. I vascilate between whether I should just not say anything at all and when I start losing weight if people ask tell them? or making it common knowledge. I've already had one friend who after I told her made the comment that she would support me, but that she felt like lap band was 'the easy way out' for people who didn't want to work hard on their weight loss.
What have you all done!?!?

I was picky before surgery, anyone who asked after the surgery. My logic is when people ask me what I am doing to lose the weight, I can't lie and give false hope. There are other people out there like me that have struggled with their weight all their lives, and I feel I have to let them know that sometimes "Eat less, move more" is simply not an option. As for WLS being the easy way out, not one person has said that too me.

I have only told my close family. I have heard all the comments about this being the easy way but let me tell you it is not easy. It is still work. I made the decision to keep it to myself because I don't feel like I have to explain my decision. It is my decision. You don't go around telling people every intimate detail about your life and this is no different. Most people to not consider eating an addiction but it is. They think you should just stop eating so much. I did this for myself, my Healy and my life. It is no ones business.