Bella

That's good to hear. :nervous My plan (as I'm keeping my surgery a secret) is to avoid eating out with friends the first couple of months. Just until I get to the point where I can have 'normal' food .. just not THAT much food. This way you can live like a normal person. About the protein. Can't you just mixed some protein power into a shake in order to get your protein allowance in for the day. I tried some already. It wasn't bad - I'm trying to think of it as 'medicine' so just take it and get it out of the way. :eek: Thanks for your input. btw - I just got my surgury date a couple of days ago and last night (hee hee!) I had a dream that they called me and told me that - I suddenly had been DENIED! What a nightmare!!!! :confused:

I know this may seem obvious but I ask because .. I've been on EVERY diet in the world and they always say eat something [low cal] or your body thinks it's starving ... so then your metabolism slows down ... with slows down your weightloss. So if this is true it would seem that eating 3 tiny, tiny meals a day ... would help to SLOW down your weight loss - but here I see you lose lots of weight anyway. I know this sounds simple but can anyone explain this.

Yes, it's the effects of malabsorption that I can't take. That's permanent. You also have a high risk of malnutrition. :omg: Hummm um these are the things that bother me. I think the band is less-invasive. If it does not work out for me - at least I won't be permanently damaged. I Yes, there's always a risk in surgery - but it's low.

I'm going for the @lapband. :biggrin1: I friend of mine that I hadn't seen in 2 years dropped by to see me and ... I hardly knew her. She always had a pretty face so I knew it was her. INCREDIBLE!!!!! I can't tell you how I felt!!!!! She used to wear a 24 and now she's down to a 4!!!! She had the DS which yes, DID scare the dickens out of me after I visited her surgen! That surgen said I shouldn't bother with lapband because it mostly does not work - but I think he just wanted my money. :phanvan I didn't want the RNY or the DS - too scared! So I backed out of the whole and thought about for a long time. Well, of course, I've tried a zillion diets since then .. and here I am again - still struggling with my lifelong battle. So I found a different surgen and it's GO for the @lapband. What I like about it: -You lose weight much slower ... so it looks like your latest diet is finally working - I would like to avoid the lose skin thing if at all possible and slow weight loss will help in this - loss of hair - losing too fast messes with your hormones so I would like to minimize this if possible - it IS reversable - lower cost - LOWEST COMPLICATIONS ... like no DEATH! About the PB and all the rest I've read ... I'm just gonna have to find my own way like the others. I think it's a small price to pay to finally be free of this 'fat suit' I've been wearing most of my life.:speechles As far as choosing the RNY or DS - THEY have problems with digestion etc as well - so none of the 3 options are a breeze. IF you can get your head around some kind of wls ... of the 3, the @lapband has the LOWEST COMPLICATONS. I'm excited and determined to go through with it! I'm realizing this as I'm writing this text. Good luck!

:cryMy BMI is too low for insurance to pay so I'm self pay as well. I moved to Holland a few years ago and I'm seeing a doctor in Belgium which is just two hours away. Belgium is well known for having the best doctors for the @lapband and it's the most common wls in Europe. The cost? 5750 euros which is maybe 6300 in dollars including insurance in case you have complications etc. I'm putting the whole thing on a credit card! This is an excellent deal! (Correction .. I'm paying for it in cash. I just found out they tack on another 3.5% on to the price if you pay by cc. :cry ) AND ... TODAY I GOT A CONFIRMATION ON MY SURGERY DATE! :clap2: Jan. 23 2007 - can't wait!!!!!

Hi, I live off Laan van Meerdervoort - near the Peace Palace. :clap2: My BMI is not high enough for Dutch insurance to cover it so I am selfpay. I'm using Doctor Dilleman in Brugge, Belgium. They have the best surgens in Belgium. It's cheap at 5700 for everything - can't beat it! I have a package deal so I'm staying in a nearby hotel for a few days after surgery for checkups etc. What's going on with your insurance company?:embarassed: Later!

****************************************** Sorry to hear this. Please keep your chin up! This is exactly why I'm not telling people. They want to 'judge' you when they don't know what you are dealing with. Yes, they will say you're taking the easy way out. So what? Would you rather listen to them and spend the next X years failing on diets? I've tried everything too ... but just recency I've come to accept the fact that ... I cannot do it on my own. :faint: I'm going to tell the HR person at my job (because I need time off work - but she can't tell anyone), and 1 friend that I know would be in my corner. Even though other people might be okay with it - I don't want everyone talking about what I'm eating etc.. I don't need that sort of attention. This is one of the reasons I want the lap-band .. you lose weight slower so it 'looks' like your latest diet ... is finally working. Sometimes when I'm on a diet and everyone knows it - believe it or not ... some people try to get me to eat food anyway ... this is how I fugured out which people really don't wish me well. There are people in life that are jealous of you and it they were to find out - they would try to bad mouth you in an effort to discourage you ... because it you actually DO lose the weight you would really be something. Nope, I won't tell a soul.:heh:

******************************* I guess Tracici's words helped us both. Such simple words but ... they make a difference. I was driving home today thinking of how squashed up my butt feels in the car seat when I stopped for the stop light and watched this woman cross the street. There she was neatly dressed in her jeans with her head held high like she didn't have a care in the world only ... she was about 2 feet tall. Yes, she was a little person. So yes, I thought - I have to thank God for my big butt because I CAN correct that ... but it you are a little person ... you have to find the strength to go through life as God made you. Taking a lesson from this...

******************************* Thanks for the help Ladies. I really appreciate it. Tracici - I just wanted to tell you you words have made such a difference to me. I just burst out crying (I'm crying) right now - because I know you are tell me the absolute truth. The thing is - I never cry - which I think maybe part of my problem. You know we are all fat for a reason -right? Me? I think I've been hurt so much in my life .. that I just shrug things off and repressed it all. Trying to deal with the reality ... Thanks ... :nervous

Hi, Having a low day - my date is Jan. 23rd so I've got a long wait. I'm going nuts because I think I'm overeating more now and everytime I look in the mirror . ECCCCCK! I can't stand myself! (just venting:faint: ) Any words of encouragement? Thanks!

Has anyone used him for their banding? Any references?

I'm an American living in Den Haag also. My date is almost firm - Jan 23 2007. I would like to tallk about your experiences!:clap2: Bella!

Hi Ladies, THANKS HEAPS! For your insights! I admire you greatly for this step and I hope to follow in your footsteps!!!! I think you are right ... and I've known this all along ... do the RIGHT thing.. take it off slow and you are right ... you HAVE to develop good eating habits as some of the RNY folks just gained it all back!!!! UNREAL!!!!! About not telling my co-workers???? Ummm The Dutch are funny creatures... I definitely will not tell them. I would never hear the end of it. Support groups will be hard to find for me. I'm American but I moved to Holland 6 years ago .... so I have to really dig around. I plan to have the procedure in Belgium (right next door) so will dig around on that end. Okay - I no doubt will be asking more questions as I have not met with the surgen yet... AGAIN - THANKS!!!!! Bella

Hi all, I'm loving this forum! I'm 248 at 5'8 1/2" so I have a BMI of 37. Not covered by insurance:faint: I can't decide between the lap band or the RNY and I would love to hear your input on either surgery. RNY - you lose weight faster, but then you have a higer risk of death/complications, longer recovery time, BUT you don't have to struggle with eating healthy because you will lose weight no matter what. I do worry that I will lose weight so fast that EVERYONE at the office will be talking about it behind my back. You know how judgemental other women can be... Lap band - cheaper (I am selfpay) very low chance of complications so I feel confident that I WILL survive .. that's a big deal. :nervous short recovery time ... loving that too, but I WILL have to struggle with the food issue which had all my life. I like the idea of losing about 10 pounds a months which slow enough so that people won't freak out. See another thing is I won't tell my co-workers ... they WILL talk about me like a dog. But I don't want to be like Star Jones and keep a lie that everyone KNOWS is a lie. So if I'm seen eating small heathly foods and I lose weight slowly .. it will seem natural. Of course, I will tell my close friends as I know they will be supportive. It seems though the the loose skin thing affects people that go will either choice - but I already have a lot of muscle. My feeling is that if I do light weights with many repititians ... I can keep my skin fairly well toned.?? My goal weight is 135.. - of course, I can't even imagine being that small. PLEASE GIVE ME YOUR THOUGHTS!!!!!:help:

Hey all, Yep - can't decide. If I get the Gastric I'll have to deal with maybe major complications, losing it too fast (loose skin) etc BUT it sounds like I WILL lose it. The Lap Band makes more sense .. but I see some people are having trouble losing because of their diet/exercise. I'm afraid I'll be one of those!!! If I'm going go under the knife - I only want to do this once and I want it to work. Any thoughts? Bella

Hi Jude, Yep, that's what I thought. I would have to gain another 30 or so to hit 40.:straight Oh well. I've found a place in Belgium and the price is low compared to the States at 4100 euros so I guess I'll be on the 'self pay' band wagon. It's okay - I just need to get this fat off!!!:help: Thanks! Bella

Hi all, GREAT BOARD! This is my question. I'm 5'8" at 247 so my BMI is 36.7 according to the online calculators. Insurance will cover the surgery if I'm 40 or over. BUT I've read that you have to be 100 or more overweight to qualify as well. I think if I were to lose 100 pounds (I feel lightheaded just writing those words:clap2: ) I'd be at 147 which would give me a BMI of 22 which is 'normal'. No, I don't have any health problems (darn it!) I know I should be grateful .. but I just needed some kind of an excuse. My Doctor checked me out last year for something else, and my average blood pressure is 124/74, my resting heartrate is 75, I have the good HDL and low LDL, I bike everywhere and Spin and lots of stuff. I even gave my sister a kidney 15 years ago and my creatin (sp?) level is 98 out of a 100! My Doctor says I'm one of the few really healthy overweight people he's seen. I just put too much flippin food in my mouth.:hungry: So you see .. this is why I'm fixed on my BMI thing. Does the 100 pound thing count for something? I have my first consult tomorrow but I want insurance to cover it.:confused: What do you think? I'm not FAT enough right? Thanks, Bella

Hi all, I cannot WAIT until I get banded so I'll know how it feels to eat a little bit and fill full!

Hi all, I'm new and just found this site. I'm having my first visit to talk about having the lap band. This thread is scaring me .., how can it be that you aren't losing weight! From what I read you CAN't eat the wrong foods because you only have but so much room in your tummy and you NEED the healthy foods like protein and veggies to avoid malnutrient. Can someone clarify for me??? I don't want to breal down and get the real gastric bypass where they cut you etc.. but I want to lose weight. Thanks in advance! Bella