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I am looking into getting the lap band surgery. One of the questions that I forgot to ask at the seminar is this...I was just recently diagnosed with osteoarthritis. I am only 39 years old and my dr blames it on my weight. Has anyone that has had this surgery seen any improvement in their arthritis post surgery? That is really my only health problem (other than being overweight) and as I have a 3 year old, feeling better would be SO wonderful! Thanks in Advance! Tonya

I REALLY DON'T KNOW WHAT TO SAY WHERE TO START I FEEL LIKE GIVING UP AGAIN I DUNNO WHAT TO DO .. WERE IN JULY AND MY WEIGHT IS STILL 215 I HAD MY SURGERY IN NOVEMBER 08 .. 2 MONTHS I HAVE LOST NOTHING PLEASE HELP ME WHO DO I NEED TO DO THIS IS REALLY DEPRESSING ME AND MAKING ME FEEL LIKE A FAILURE IS THERE A PLAN I SHOULD FOLLOW OR WHAT IM GOIN TO HAVE A FILL ON THE 28TH PLEASE ANY IDEAS WILL BE APPRECIATED :thumbup::crying::crying::crying::crying::crying::crying::crying::crying::crying::crying::crying::crying::crying::crying::crying::crying::crying::crying::crying::crying::crying::crying::crying::crying::crying:

Hi to everyone out there in LapBandLand... I'm not really sure where to begin other than to give details about the journey that has me here, and the one that I expect to take over the course of, well, the rest of my life. Forgive me in advance for rambling. I'm a 38 year old male who, thanks to heredity coupled with a variety of other factors have put me on a collision course with death far before what most would consider "it's time." I don't exaggerate in this sense - at age 32 I had an acute angina attack, and was advised that I had advanced coronary artery disease, with some arteries as much as 95% blocked. Despite four angioplasty procedures and the installation of five stents, countless diets and exercise regimens, etc., my weight has done nothing but go up. Today my 5'8" frame carries more (340 lbs.) than ever - 50 lbs. more than when I was having angina attacks. Oddly enough other than the blockage and my weight, I'm in what my doctors consider pretty good shape for my age - my blood pressure and vitals are in the normal range, I don't drink or smoke, I eat a nearly vegetarian diet, all the things I should be doing... and yet the weight keeps going up, putting more and more stress on a heart muscle that, while not apparently weakened by past problems, isn't exactly saying "Bring it on!" Angina didn't bother me. Blacking out and nearly dying didn't bother me. Being something of a social misfit due to my size? Hah... who cares about petty stuff like that? Having my groin drilled like an oil well, so a doctor could run a wire up my femoral artery into my heart and put a mesh stent into it to keep me alive didn't bother me enough to go through with a gastric procedure such as LapBand or by-pass. The thought of my own death wasn't enough to motivate me to go through with this. Then something did: having a child. For some reason after my heart problems my wife and I decided to start a family. My daughter, now a rather precocious 3 1/2, brings joy and wonder into my life which I'd long ago forgotten, and I began to think, "She deserves to have a father around, and you aren't doing everything you can to see that that happens." So after years of an on-again, off-again, waffling as to whether or not to pursue a gastric restriction procedure (my wife's actually convinced I'll back out at the last minute), a few months ago I decided to go full-throttle forward. Consequently, I've gone through the hoops of the screening process (and with my history, there are some added steps involved) save a thyroid test and, provided my insurance carrier agrees (which, considering my circumstances, they likely will) I'll be undergoing the LapBand on 13 February, 2008. While I've undergone the extensive preparatory phase that most patients go through prior to their operations, including the educational programs, I'm coming into this kind of blind in a sense: I have no specific expectations, except to know that whatever I undergo, it'll be for my daughter's benefit as much (if not moreso) than my own. As readily as I'd burn in hell forever to keep her safe, I'll gladly undergo this if it means I get to spend so much as an extra day with her. I have no goal of losing X number of pounds. That may be good as a motivator for some, but in my case determining that "I want to weigh 200 pounds by such-and-such date" simply wouldn't work. Instead my goal is simple: to add X number of days to my life which I wouldn't have otherwise - days which I hope to spend with her doing things I can't do with her today because I'm too large, or because I tire too easily. I lack the joy some of you do. I know most who undergo LapBand look to their surgery date as almost another birthdate - one to be celebrated. While admittedly I'm looking forward to my date (13 Feb) and in fact am counting down the days, again I think I'm blinded by the single-mindedness of why I've finally decided to do this, to a point where I can't really enjoy it. I intend to read these forums vigorously over the course of the next six weeks and beyond - for education, insight, perhaps for support, I'm not sure. But I'm glad I found the place, and I'm glad to see that I'm nowhere near alone. So if you got this far, thanks for indulging me by reading, and hopefully our respective journeys will lead us to our desired destinations, wherever that may ultimately be.

I just started my pre-op diet this past Monday, and my surgery is scheduled for 8/9. I'm really looking forward to it, let me tell ya! My pre-op diet is still pretty rough. My doc has me on a 1000 calorie per day milkshake diet, with only sugerfree juices and jello outside of that. First 3 days were hell, and now it's merely excruciating =P. Can't complain, I guess -- I've lost 20 pounds already, though it's certainly just water weight. Anyhow, nice to meet you all -- I look forward to sharing this adventure with you.

Everyone is different when It comes to weight loss. I have around 150 pounds to lose right now. The Doc told me I would lose almost all of it with Gastric and about 90 pounds with the LapBand. I still think with enough hard work I can reach my goal with the LapBand.

I lost 120% of my excess weight (meaning I went right down past the top of my healthy weight range to lower in that range) which just about doubles the 60% statistic. Did I work ridiculously hard? No. I just eat sensibly and well (I dont low carb, so that's not strictly necessary) and I get an hour's hard cardio most days. That's all I've done. You'd be surprised how many people get banded and then wait for it to work. That's why the statistics are so depressing. If you're willing to eat properly and exercise, there's no reason you cant get to your proper weight.

Hi everyone! I've been browsing this site and reading post for several days now and have finally decided to join. I am attending a LAP-BAND® seminar next week and I'm so excited. I have considered LAP-BAND® for a few years now, but I have reach a point (weight) of desperation. I am 26 and I weigh 199 at 5'2. My highest weight was 212, but have recently lost a few pounds over the a 3 month period. This is typical for me, I often fluctuate 20-30 lbs and I'm tired of it. This is a journey that I'm excited and anxious about! It's great to have this site to read other peoples stories....

Welcome! Your kids and husband will be so proud of you! I think with all you have learned in weight watchers, the band will be just what you need. A lot of bandsters do both. I chose to follow the South Beach way of life because I don't like to go to meetings and it's a very band-friendly diet. I have arthritis too and getting 80 lbs off has made me more comfortable. Will your knees require surgery? Keep firing out those questions! Good luck!

I was banded 3-12 and found that the majority of my weight loss came from the pre surgery diet I was on. Now my problem is that I need to get myself to be disciplined enough to eat right ALL the time, and then maybe I will start losing weight again.. I just read about your weight loss for the surgery and can definitely relate. I was so excited I weighed myself constantly. Would love to get back to that

My name is Khristina, and I am 39 years old. I have struggled with obesity all of my life. My weight is out of control and I am going to die if I don't stop this insanity. My food is out of control and I can't stop stuffing my fat face. I have battled and won other addictions, but I can't stop myself or push myself away from the table. I obsess about food all day every day and I need help. I have save up around 4000 dollars and my currrent insurance does not cover weight loss surgery. I am willing to go to Mexico. I only live about 6 hours from San Diego so I believe that is where I will go for my surgery. I am glad that thereis a forum for wich I can ask questions and talk with others about my issues.

Awsome job on your weight loss.

Hi, I'm new here and making the first step toward lap-band® surgery -- educating myself. I'm wife to a Marine and we have 3 children ranging from 11-17 years old. We live in a suburb of Philadelphia. I first looked into this a couple of years ago and got scared with all the surgery safety warnings. Then I started seriously considering getting banded a little less than a year ago. I talked myself out of it and decided to be really serious about re-joining weight watchers. Since then I've had the diagnosis of osteoarthritis with torn menisci in both knees and I've fallen off the wagon on both my super-serious attempts with weight watchers. Sigh. I think it's time to do something more drastic. So, there you have it. That's my mindset right now. I'm really glad to be learning so much from this forum and know I'll have lots of questions. Deborah

I know it won't be easy and it's not a quick fix. I'm just not sure if surgery is the correct option for me. I've been checking out LAP-BAND®.com and browsing through this site for information. I know two people from work who have had the procedure but I'm not sure if I'm ready to let others now how seriously I'm considering this, especially at work. I've been on popular diets. On weight watchers I slacked too much. On Jenny I got too tired of the foods. I even had a personal trainer. I've been to a seminar held by the physician I'd go to. He does the procedure at two hospitals, one of which I work at. I'm familiar with the procedure and immediate post-op care first hand. It's everything before and everything after. Especially after I'm worried about. I'm going to the seminar to get more information on a patient level, not nursing level and hopefully meet people who have had the surgery. Most likely I will book my consultation there and talk to the Doctor one on one about my fears and really find out if I'm a good candidate.

You are certainly not the only one! Preop I made myself pretty anxious because I thought I would never get to eat certain things ever again. You will, I promise. I am just introducing foods back in and while I can't polish off a whole plate of cheese fries, if I plan ahead I can have a few of em. Most of the time that knowledge is enough for me. I am so excited for you to be able to play with your kids and not even think about your weight! How cool for you and your family. May 20th will be here in not time!

Hi Denise, thanks for replying. The No way was because they don't cover any bariatric surgeries. They just throw the request letters away. Don't even read them (they told me that.) I had hoped to do both surgeries at once to save money, but I guess they have a contracted charge with the hospital, no matter what. It wouldn't save us any money. Plus the Dr. recommends waiting on the hernia surgery until I can lose a bunch of my weight. She'd rather I lose all of it first, but if i do it at the end of the year my deductible is already met. The surgery is "only" costing me $15,500 with all pre-tests and post fills included. Not bad since other hospitals in the area charge $25,000. It just so happens that is exactly what I have in my retirement account. So this way I get to actually REACH retirement and I'll still be able to go back to work in a couple of years to put more towards my retirement. :frown:

Hi Candy! Welcome! Getting healthy for your children is awesome. My understanding is that if you are self-pay they process moves along quite quickly. It sounds as though just the timing of the tests and your required weight loss are the only things holding you back. Was the no-way just because your insurance doesn't cover bariatric surgery? Can you at least take advantage of the anesthesia of the hernia repair and have the band placed then? Sort of like a 2 for 1 discount? Best wishes for a smooth surgery and speedy recovery!!

My name is Susi, and this is my first time here on this forum. I have not been banded yet, but am starting to take the first baby steps towards getting the surgery!. I am 47n yrs old, and I have 3 grown kids:Jesse,age 24, Jeremy,age 23 and Kaity, age 19. I am a kindergarten teacher by profession, but am not currently working because of health issues. Much of the weight that I have gained has been in the past 3 years that I have not been working. I have struggled with my weight ever since I had my first son. I've not done the diet thing, I always thought I would fail. I did lose a considerable amount of weight caused by the side effects of medications I was taking at the time which caused me to have a sort of anorexia. But I soon began to gain weight again, this time again due to medications I was taking. I am called an undereater by some because I really don't eat much, but others say that I am a grazer... so I don't know what category you'd put me in! All I know is that I am extremely overweight and want to do something about it! I have many questions, and I think I'll be able to get them answered here! I am glad that I found the forum!

I'm Ellen, and I've been lurking on the site for a while and thought I'd say hello. I know a good half-dozen people in "real life" who have gotten RNY, but no bandsters, so I am loving this site as a source for real stories from real people. I'm still pretty early in the process. The first step that I've accomplished is to have decided that yes, I do want to do this! My surgeon's office had me start by gathering a bunch of documentation from my doctors on my past weight loss efforts, which is taking longer than I'd thought. It always seems to when doctors are involved! Hopefully, we'll be done with that part by Tuesday, and can move on to labs and xrays and other such fun!

Hi, my name is Donna, I've been married for 23 years, I'm a mother of 4 boys, 21, 20, 17, 13. I never had to worry about my weight growing up, never had to diet. When I got married at 21 I only weighed 105lbs. Then they babies started coming, and the weight started going up. I never went over 200lbs with any of my pregancies. Then the next thing you know I was creeping up on the 200lb mark. When I went over 200lbs, I just gave up. I figured I'm not that bad looking, just will buy bigger sizes and look my best. Then it hit, knee problems (4 surgeries), sleep apnea, high blood pressure, and had a cardiac ablation last year. After cardiac ablation, my heart was doing much better. Was released from cardiologist. Until June 2009, was put back on meds for heart rate. He told me I had to lose the weight. He made appointment for me to see a weight loss surgeon and then it all started early June 2009. Went through all the pre-surgery classes, was approved by insurance (they paid) and had surgery on August 26, 2009. Was 228 and to date have lost 36lbs. 192lbs and counting down. I joined LBT for support. I have been going on LBT since surgery and have been informed on alot of different issues I've and and it's nice to know others have had the same problem and we can now Band together. Thanks for all the support. :cursing: Sorry so long, but wasn't really sure what to post. Will keep next posts short. :cursing: Hope to post soon.

My name is Heather. I am 33 years old and have decided to have the LAP-BAND® procedure after a very frightening diagnosis of an ischemic stroke in the early part of summer. While the only effect of the stroke is a weakened left eye muscle, it scared me straight. I also have a co-morbidity's of high cholesterol (possibly high BP), migraines and some mild depression in the past. I am 5ft 9in. I have been on every diet imaginable and well we all know the outcome... Wonderful losses at first, then big gains! Woohoo!! NOT! Anyway, I am currently 249.6 pounds (10/26/09) and hell bent and determined never to make the 250 mark! (Pipe dream, I know!) I had my first appointment with Dr. Wilfred Aguila in Tampa, Florida on (10/26/09) and have my psych evaluation December 1st to find out how crazy I really am! I met with the nutritionist on Nov 12th, and then the packet of information goes off to my insurance company, (Humana). Then my surgery date.. target date is 1st or 2nd week in January 2010. I am excited and really ready to take care of ME!!! but I can't do it alone! ME3.... ME, My doctors, and YOU! :thumbup: Very much love and wishes of success to all. Heather

I definately know where you are coming from I'm 28 and have battled my weight and depression related to it for most of my life. I just went to a consult with my local lap band surgeon and he said there are only 2 risks and both are very highly unlikely to happen..the first is the errosion of the band and the other is slipping of the band. Neither lead to death and he has only seen each of the happen once his entire time and he does over 100 bands a year. I hope this helps some. As far as your insurance, I just called my insurance company up before I called the doctors office and told them I was thinking about it. They were supppperrr nice and told me all about the coverage. ...

Congrats on losing the weight! Your story is very inspirational. I, too, suffer from depression and the medication makes me hungry. I have lost and gained and lost and gained. My problem is my husband. He really doesn't want me to have this surgery. I have had a very rough year but am doing very well at present. Every night at dinner I have to listen to all the reasons why I shouldn't have this surgery. He says I'm stronger now and will be able to keep the weight off. That story's been done over and over again. I'm done! I want this badly. You inspired me to keep on! Thanks and welcome! :thumbup:

I think it's the best thing you can do for yourself really. It's normal to be scared and have questions. I researched this for 5 years before I FINALLY decided to do it. I'm 2 weeks post-op on Friday and I can already tell you I love love love what I've done for myself. The #1 thing I can tell you is not to compare yourself to others. The one thing I've noticed about this journey is we may all be taking the same trip, but we all have our own road to get there. Some people can eat bread, some can't, some get sick, some are perfectly healthy. It's all about YOU and YOUR body. As for the sugar issue there's lots of great natural sweeteners out there like Agave nectar, that you can easily replace for sugar. It's not an "artificial sweetener" like sweet n' low or equal it's 100% pure, natural and in most cases organic. Besides 100% sugar free isn't a necessity after surgery, I mean it is for the first 4 weeks, and suggested while you're losing but it's not "required". Every person and every surgeon is different. Some surgeons say you can eat after the first 48 hrs, some say you have to wait 4 weeks. It really just depends. If in your second month you have a slice of cake or pie, it's not going to undo all the work you've done.. However, that's if you're able to tolerate sweets like cake or pie at all after surgery. Again, everyone is different. So far I've had no problem eating anything. I have restriction and am almost never hungry. I remind myself to eat, and I haven't weighed myself since surgery but my clothes are literally falling off me and everyone keeps commenting on how much weight I've lost. (People who don't know I had the surgery) so it's been great! If you're lucky enough to be blessed to be in a situation where you can get the surgery done, I definitely say go for it, just be sure you do your own research and make sure it's right for you. Good luck!

Some of that could be water retention, especially if you've eaten a lot of meals that you didn't prepare. Even if the calories were pretty much in line, other people (like restaurants) use more salt than you would at home. It happened to me...when I gained 6 pounds but lost it in three days after going back to strictly home prepared meals, it reminded me that I often add no salt when I cook but that's not true of others.

My surgery date is set. I am becoming a sleeve sistah on July 14th. I am determined and I know that this is what I need to do...... I am 5'5" and weigh in at 300lbs. If you looked at my medical chart, you would be impressed, all my numbers are great, with the exception that I am 300lbs. I am healthy as a horse, a fat horse that is..... I work out like a mad woman, I train for triathlon, I lift 2 times a week, and do cardio 6-7 days a week.....spin, swim, C25K....you name it... I am in great physical shape and am healthy, except that I am 300 lbs....and am 5 feet and half tall??? So can you guys imagine what I could do physically if I weighed less???? I mean, let's all face it, anyone who is heavy, is STRONG....it takes a ton of strength to lug around my 300lbs! So here I go.....I am ready and I am ready to be re-born! I am not a poor food choice eater, I don't graze, I don't have a sweet tooth, I eat mainly protein and healthy fats (but let's face it I am a severe volume eater - I can down a 16oz rib-eye as if it was air, or last night I had 1 1/2 lbs of skirt steak....I love my meat......I also love a good beer after working out, or a vodka soda......I know these are empty calories...but hey! right!? So I am so ready for this, I really am....I am married and my husband is also a big man...we were both to have surgery at the same time....he's backed out and going to try "on his own" again....whatever..... I have a few fears: Will I lose my husband over this? We will have been married for 10 years in November. We dated for 5 years before getting married.....we have a great friendship and he's actually being super supportive and excited for me. he knows that I have done everything "right" (calorie control, high protein, medication, naturpathic, exercise, etc.....) he knows I need to do this....but at the same time....we have our best times and our entertainment is BBQ-ing, or fixing dinner, or you all know...basically revolves around food.....we both are good cooks, and love to experiment! Today I started thinking.......should I go for a Bypass vs. Sleeve? And then the old hauntings came back in....with a bypass I would have a larger stomach, and would lose weight due to mal-absorption and some restriction....but eventually, once I lost weight, I could handle managing my weight....you know like when I was in HS, and I could manage being around 180-190....those 10lbs were manageable....but my 150lbs are insane..... I am going to drive myself crazy...I have these ideas of "what if this doesn't work for me?" Seriously...I have tried everything, and my PCP knows and vouges for it, which is why he's suggesting and supporting my surgery.....but I can drive myself insane.... Can anyone relate? What are your thoughts? How did you all deal with all the fears, demons, etc.? I'm going to Dr. Aceves on July 14th. I am going to do this. I just would like some feedback on if this is the right type of surgery, should I wait for plication, should i go for bypass instead...you guys all know....all the same fears forever..... I am so excited, I feel like a kid before Christmas....but at the same time I am super anxious and scared...HELP!