Lovely Lady

My husband and I began WL seminars 10 years ago and not until the sleeve did we decide we felt comfortable with it. The weight is dragging off slowly since August, 2013 and I doubt I will ever look like a skeleton. My husband can eat anything and is still losing, being a big man, but he is still losing slowly. We feel better than we have in many years. We would do the sleeve again in a heartbeat. Keep reading and studying the posts here and it will lead you to an informed decision. I don't have to keep going to the doctor for anything, and I never have to have surgery to remove anything. We have not had a day of being sick since one night in the hospital, Nov. 18 and Dec. 2. God bless as you go forth for the best decision for you. Linda

I had my last nutrition class today. I lost 5 more pounds. The surgeon's nurse asked me am I sure I want lap band. I said Yes! She said how the success rate is poor, and how Medicare wont cover for the removal of the lap band and have another surgery. I have all the fills follow up appointments to deal with as well.
She said she thought it was in my best interest to have the sleeve. And Medicare does cover the surgery. I plan to do some research about the sleeve. I want to make the right decision for Me! But I would like your feedback.

You need to realize that the sleeve is a permanent thing.. you lose 85% of your stomach.. (yikes) . What if God Forbid you get cancer or some other disease that would require you to stay nourished to survive.. (my husband had esophageal cancer and lost a ton of weight).. had he not been able to get nourishment doubt he would have made it. That is the downside of the sleeve for me. I think the Sleeve works for some just like the band works for others but I chose the band because it was minimally invasive.. have not found the follow up to be a big deal.. I have only had 3 fills (small) and I have lost almost 60 lbs..I attend a support group once a month we have sleeve and by pass patients along with bandsters. the sleeve people are complaining about feeling sick after each meal and the by pass folks are taking a butt load of Vitamins and supplements.. plus they both have dumping syndrome.. I think she is wrong about Medicare but ask someone who works with Medicare because the rules are different for different people. In the end it's what you can live with and /or live without.

Hi there
My personnal opinion is that it is wrong what the nurse said to you , she is trying to sell you the sleve and lying about the poor results in the band it is up to you because the band is a tool and if you work with you band and follow the rules you will be succesfull with it, I am so happy I choose my band and if I fail it will be my fault and not the band, good luck in you journey and reserch both options and make you decision base in all the facts.

First of all they doctors are trying their hardest to market the sleeve because there is no follow up care on their part except post op and maybe every six months or if you run into a problem. It is not reversible. The band can come out if need be. Don't let them sell you something you don't want.

I would go with whatever was suggested, mainly because you need the followup care and something in place in case of complications. If you can't get the band and after care covered, I'd go with the sleeve. I am pro-band and have friends with the sleeve and can honestly say I am biased. Because I am supportive of anyone who makes such a life-changing decision, I say go for it. You will be better off having it than not, just follow doctor's orders and question anything that doesn't seem normal to you. I have two friends with the sleeve, they have both been successful in losing their excess weight very quickly; the problem they are experiencing is the inability to STOP losing the weight. They are both well beyond their goals (22 and 27 lbs., respectively) and one is a walking skeleton whom I'm afraid to walk by too fast for fear of making her tip over.

Just do your research. My personal opinion is that, the success of a lap-band patient depends heavily on the patient's motivation and the support of the bariatric team AFTER the surgery. You need a surgeon who is still going to see you through the entire process rather than just place a band and you never see him again. Some of them have PA's or NP's that do the fills for them instead of doing themselves, which is okay IF the provider gives you the appropriate support rather than herding people through like a bunch of cattle to make more money. In the beginning, you need frequent visits(at least once a month) with the opportunity to sit down and have someone analyze what you're doing as far as exercise and food habits so that they can help you learn to work with the band and have the band work for you. I personally think that one of the reasons so many surgeons would rather sleeve a patient than to band them is because it requires less follow-up care and support from him afterwards. Having said that, I also realize that the sleeve is another great tool and does work well for a lot of people. I was actually leaning toward the sleeve until I met my surgeon. He is a lap-band patient himself and he recommended the band for me. We discussed the options at length. I did my own research and ultimately decided he was right. The band was the right choice for me. It may be the right choice for you or it may not be. Don't just research the procedures though. Find out everything you can about the bariatric practice and surgeon you're seeing and the facility where you will have your surgery. Good luck to you!

I had my last nutrition class today. I lost 5 more pounds. The surgeon's nurse asked me am I sure I want lap band. I said Yes! She said how the success rate is poor, and how Medicare wont cover for the removal of the lap band and have another surgery. I have all the fills follow up appointments to deal with as well.
She said she thought it was in my best interest to have the sleeve. And Medicare does cover the surgery. I plan to do some research about the sleeve. I want to make the right decision for Me! But I would like your feedback.

Don't be down! This is a great time to slowly start making the new habits you will need to incorporate into your new lifestyle! And it's never too early to start making healthier changes in your life--I lost 30 lbs before surgery, and it doesn't matter when you lose them, just THAT you lose them! LOL Also use this time to research more and stock up what you will need post-surgery.
But I agree with the poster above: someone will have to bail because their insurance isn't lined up right, or they need to see a specialist about something, etc. Time will fly by! Get ready and good luck!

Someone always bails out with surgery so make sure you get on his wait list so you can take someone's place? Lots of reasons why people bail, but illness, family emergencies, cold feet, failure on pre-op surgery, hernia's and other anatomy problems cause quite few cancellations.
But, it might mean you're on a constant pre-op diet unless someone bails a week out?
tmf

some of you know the local news and my dr's office asked me to do a commercial..they have approved the footage and i am sharing with you....cant believe i am but i am..with my ole man and kabo the doberman

I have the same issue. I'm 5'10 and 260. Many people don't understand that keeping 260 is a struggle. I could easily hit 300. But I'm athletic looking and a lot of people don't understand that my high blood pressure and other issues are caused by food.
My father had wls when he was roughly 60. His advice is to do it now, in my mid 30s before I get diabetes and worse. He would have been dead 10 years ago. His weight is great. From 350 to 200. Yes. It was an adjustment.
I only told people very close to me and doctors. The worst was the psychologist I went to for clearance. She spent an hour telling me how I didn't need the surgery. Started talking to me about a balanced diet. Told me I needed to take a course in healthy eating. I laughed - considering I created diet plans for elite athletes for many years - some now in the NFL. So basically she thought I'm over weight because I don't know that Pasta is a carbohydrate. Not that I know everything, but knowing and doing are very different. Very insulting.
She spoke to my doctor and then reluctantly agreed to clear me. And proceeded to send a letter to my doctor saying I should "try exercise and diet. ". I was so upset. Then she wouldn't return my phone calls. Had to go to another psychologist. Cost me more money. Set me back. My point here is that even the people who should be most sensitive can let us down.
I'm looking at a March date. And I don't worry about what anyone else says. I'm doing this for me and I know what my struggles have been.
Good luck. Thanks to all on the site for the support.

I decided to share with other people that I am comfortable telling, that I do plan to have Lap Band. I always seem to hear the same same- I AM NOT LOOK FAT AND HOW I DON'T NEED LAP BAND. I know that since I am 5'8" is tall, but I weigh 266 lbs - and that is morbidity obese. I don't think they are saying that to be nice, I think they really believe I really don't need surgery to lose weight. What do you think? Am I wrong for wanting Lap Band surgery?

I think people speak before they think when they quickly say " oh , you dont need to lose weight!" They only think that you will be thinner, but they dont think of all the problems that go with being overweight, because they cant SEE problems like sleep apnea, heart palpitations, difficulty breathing, etc. They dont SEE the problems that we have to deal with 24/7. If YOU feel that WLS is best for you, and your Dr. agrees, Go For It ! I dont regret it for a second, not only am I 63lbs lighter, but the previously mentioned problems are gone, forever !! Good luck to you !!

None of us can tell you what is right for you. Only you can decide that.
Having said that, I will share a little of my experience with you and hopefully it will help you in some way. I didn't tell anyone at first. My parents knew I went to the seminar at the surgeon's office but they thought I was only going because of my dh as we both went to the seminar together. I never suggested that's why I was doing it but they assumed that was why. Dh didn't proceed any farther in the process. I immediately made an appt. and got the ball rolling because I KNEW that's what I wanted to do. I had to do 6 months of supervised weight loss and then schedule an EGD and then it still took me about 6 wks after that due to some timing/work conflicts. Anyway, once I reached the point where I was to start the liquid diet, I told my parents and the rest of my family. My parents basically just asked me why I was having it done and dh wasn't. He's much more overweight than I am and they worry a lot about his health. Anyway, that's when I had to come clean and tell them the effects that the weight was having on MY health. They had no idea how unhealthy I really was because I've never told them. My brother expressed concern and he did ask "why not just diet?". Again, I explained to him that I was doing this for my health and filled him in on my health issues. It seemed as if I got a lot "why not just diet?" from my entire family but I explained to them one by one why I felt this was the right decision for me. They didn't really get it but it helped them to see that I had thought this through and that it wasn't a decision made lightly. Once they saw that, they didn't say anything else about it. I could see in their expressions that they weren't happy about it and didn't agree but they supported me as best they knew how. As for my doctors, my PCP was very excited & supportive. My cardiologist was the one I wasn't sure about but when I mentioned it to him, his words were "I think that's a fantastic idea!". He went on to tell me that he felt I would be very successful with the band and he told me how he thought the weight loss would really help me from a cardiology standpoint and assured me that he was in my corner every step of the way. He even went ahead and made a note in his report that goes back to the PCP stating that he gave cardiac clearance for the surgery so that I wouldn't have to go through all of that again. He gave me his email address and cell phone number and told me that if that note wasn't sufficient for the surgeon to let him know and he would do whatever needed to be done without me having to come back for another visit with him.
I made this decision for me. Not for my family. I knew they would be skeptical and I knew they would concerned. It is, after all, surgery. My aunt asked me the other day if I had any regrets. My response was "Absolutely not. This IS the right thing for me. I did this for my health and for no other reason." My mother's concern has now moved on to worrying about how fast I'm losing. She knows it's not healthy to lose too fast so she keeps telling me that I need to ask the surgeon if I'm losing too fast or if he thinks I'm ok.
And by the way, I had not intended to tell my coworkers until AFTER I had my surgery because I was afraid they wouldn't understand. They ended up finding out prior to surgery(I won't get into how that happened) but, much to my surprise, they were very supportive too. I did get some of that "Why not just diet?" from a few of them and I just told them that my problem is not really whether or not I can lose the weight. I can diet and lose weight. My problem is that I end up feeling like I'm starving all the time and I give up and quit and then gain back everything I lost. The band is not only helping to lose the weight but it will help control those feelings of hunger so that I don't end up frustrated and giving up and gaining the weight back either.
Good luck to you in whatever you decide!

My surgery date is 1/21/14. I've started telling a few people at work and I've heard "You qualify for WLS? You may be a bit over weight but not enough for WLS." I truly don't think those people mean it in a negative way, I just think they don't know what to say. I find that staying positive is the only effective response. Step 1 for me is to stay positive.

I keep hearing the same thing! I'm 5'4 and 250. Yes I am a very beautiful girl fat or not but to me it's not that. I am doing it mainly for my health. Disregard what these people are saying and focus on you and if you believe the band is best for you then go for it! There is no shame! I had some b!t@h laugh and say "wow how did your insurance cover cosmetic surgery!" I would have smacked her if I could!!

Haylln, your story is so compelling. Please post more often of your success. BTW-I saw your spock pic. You're so right, where did you hide all that weight cuz you look fabulous now.?
tmf

You are not wrong for wanting to improve your health.. obese is obese and you know how much you need to lose to get to a normal weight.. I was told by the nurse who took me into the surgical suite that she was surprised that I needed to have weight loss surgery... well at 5' tall and 200 lbs I'm pretty sure I needed it.. I had tried every diet ever invented and I failed every diet.. The lapband surgery was not the easy way out and it certainly requires constant care.. You learn to eat slow, chew good, and don't try to eat til your stuffed.. It works and if you do what your Dr. tells you you will be successful.. Other people don't live in your shoes so do what is best for you... do your research...

Hello! New to this forum, and this is the first post I've read, but I couldn't help but chime in. Before my band procedure, I had the exact same reaction from nearly everyone. I am 5'7 and before starting I was 255, and people would always say things like 'But you're not fat!' or 'You don't need surgery, you just need to exercise!' ...as if I'd never thought of that. Luckily, my family and immediate circle of friends was incredibly supportive.
I looked into Lap Band surgery for two years before deciding to go through with it. The entire time leading up to it, I had been a member at a gym which I went to occasionally, I did pilates, I had a nutritionist... nothing worked for me. I just couldn't seem to lose more than 2-3 lbs before leveling out. I was tested for a thyroid problem, there was none.
So I went with Lap Band. I was banded on June 5 of 2013, and I could not be happier with my progress. Since surgery, I've dropped from 255 to 179, I am wearing clothing that I would never have been confident enough to wear before (I went out in a shirt that showed off my stomach the other day- talk about a new experience), and I've been running. I've completed a handful of 5K races and each one makes me feel a bit better than the last. I can keep up with my family (all of whom are very athletic) when we go places, and for the first time in YEARS, I am comfortable and confident in lingerie and swimwear. I've even started doing some alternative modeling.
When I tell people now that I used to weigh 255, they ask where I kept it all. Even when I see people and tell them about the surgery and they say 'you looked great before!' I can say, 'I know I did- but now I feel great.'
Do what's right for you, but know that you're absolutely not wrong.
It's funny, though, because when I started this, I thought that I would absolutely never tell anyone what I'd had done. But now that I've had it done, I talk to anyone who asks about it and I'm completely honest, because it is literally the best thing that I feel I have ever done for myself personally.

Oh how looks can be deceiving! But little did they know that I had high blood pressure, weigh 267 pounds and was boarder line diabetes. I know I look good on the outside but in the inside I was unhealthy. At first I used to let the negative comment get to me which cause me to drive to Jack and the box and get my 4 taco and a large Oreo shake. Then finish up with 6 bottles of bud light. Then I thought about it.. my emotions is part of the reason I became obese that and my unhealthy lifestyle. I told myself I gave obesity my 20’s and I refuse to give obesity my 30’s. So how I address those types of comments now? I smile and say this is my journey not yours. I am happy with my decision on getting the lap band. Hang in there and good luck.

Can't tell you how many times people woUld say I'm not fat, just "Brawny"
No thanks, it' feels better being skinny and light as a feather....

"But you carry your weight so well!" This one always drove me nuts -- I wanted to say, "well, you carry it!" And just for the record I didn't carry my weight well. There is photo documentation. I looked and felt like hell. I am almost thirty pounds down, seventy to go, but already I feel so much better. Oh, and I had to gain to meet the insurance requirements. Just wasn't fat enough for 'em! Good grief.

At the end of the day you are the one walking around in those shoes. How do you feel about it? That is the most important question of all. People can either get on board or just step off. If those naysayers really care enough about you then they're going to get behind you on this. If they don't then at least you'll know where these people stand and perhaps they're not worth having in your life. I got the support and encouragement from my Wife and Parents and that was good enough for me. My Sister does not have a weight problem and actually she works part time for Weight Watchers. She was not a fan of the surgery but she's never said anything negative (at least to me directly). On the flip side she's never really asked me questions about it.
Of course, I do not know of your situation so this is coming from a guy who 44 years old and 488lbs didn't give a **** much about anything and that includes peoples opinions. It was a life choice for me and at the end of the day it is about me and no one else.
Good Luck!

I don't eat a lot of junk food. I have cut my portion size and sodas are out of my diet. I am trying to cut down on eating beef.
I now am eating mostly white meat from chicken and I like eating salads. I don't use a lot of dressing. I am trying to eat healthier then I was.
This weight is not helping my arthritis. I was told by my PCP that losing weight is the best thing I can do to help . I don't expect a quick fix to my weight problem. I have learned there is no such thing as a quick fix! I created the problem, it is now up to me to figure out how to deal with it. I know it is going to be a lot of work. I think I can do this with the support I get from this site .