gwalsh2

Feel the fear and do it anyway. The lap band was the best thing I ever did for myself--AND I had to pay for it myself! Besides, would you rather be a mess and fat, or a mess and thin?? Emotions don't go away, and neither will life's problems. But you can make yourself happier and healthier. It's a vicious cycle, as I'm sure you already know. You're unhappy because you're fat, and you're fat because you're unhappy. You have to really want to change your life. I read some doubt in your message. Are you using your obesity to hide from life? Do you feel safer being fat? Is it easier to feel sorry for yourself than to take responsibility for your life and to change it to what you want? Find the answers to these questions inside yourself, then decide. I hope you decide to find the courage and make the change. My information is that most people have at least some success with the lap band, the majority enjoying a substanstial weight loss (about 1/2 - 2/3 of the excess weight). My lap band started a domino effect for me--the vicious cycle in reverse! I get happier as I get thinner, and I get thinner as I get happier. It could do the same for you! Don't dwell on the penalties of failure, think of the joys of success! Convince yourself you deserve to be happy, then make it happen. Gary, from NYC. 52 years old. 305 on 7/8/04 when banded, BMI 35. Now 230, BMI 27. Still shooting for 215--100% of the excess weight, and my weight when I was 21 years old. I'm going to do it probably by the end of this summer, and I'm not going to give a rat's behind what anyone thinks