Hi. I'm new here. Just registered a few minutes ago. I'm 5 foot 3 and weigh about 230 pounds which is said to be extremely obese or morbidly obese or whatever. i'm 28. i have two kids. i've tried losing weight on my own over the years but it's always a slow process and i usually gain most of it back. i'm bigger than i've ever been. even heavier than i was when i was 9 months pregnant. i've noticed over the past few years that i've developed some activity induced asthma which i think has a lot to do with being overweight. i've also noticed that it's getting harder and harder for me to do simple things without difficulty.... things like tying my shoes, bending over, etc. i have a friend who had LAP-BAND® a little over a year ago and she's so happy with it and has lost over 75 pounds. however she still gets sick sometimes. i'm scared of the surgery even though it would not be the first time i've had surgery and i'm scared of having issues after the surgery. my friend had to be on a totally sugar free diet (although she cheats) and i worry about that becuase if i have those artificial sweetners they make me sick to my stomach. even splenda. so i worry i won't be a good candidate since i can't have artificial sweetners. i really want to have the surgery. it would be completely paid for (all but like $300) by my insurance and i recently lost my job so it's not like i'd have to miss work right now or anything. my husband says i'm beautiful the way i am but he will support me if i want to do this. i'm becoming more and more unhappy with my body and self image every day that goes by. i'm just really scared. anyone offer any advice?

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!

HI, I am new here to just signed up last night, although I have been to the site several times looking for answers to my questions. I had my lapband surgery 3/18/09 and would do it over again in a heartbeat. I was so unhappy,unhealthy and fat. I was 323 pounds and I am 5'5. I am now at 242 and feel like a new person!! I feel this was most definately the right choice for me! I am a mother of 2 sons and now I can do so much with them. I feel like I am living again for the first time in a long time.

Noone can make this decision for you, but I am glad you have a supportive husband because that is so important. My husband was so scared at first and didn't want me to have the surgery and I had to research it and convince him it was safe. He finally came around and now he is glad I had it done and is so supportive. It is a decision that is different for everyone but I am so glad I did it and I don't have any problems or complications. I do get sick on occasion but it is when I eat too fast and don't chew,chew,chew (that is a must). I look forward to hearing from you soon.

Do not rush things. You have a lifetime to decide.

Diets don't work for most of us. Diets have end dates and when they are over we have changed our metabolism and gain back more than we have lost.

Weight Loss Surgery means changing your lifestyle forever. That can mean enjoying the same foods you always have except eating smaller portions or it can mean having to give something you love up forever. Everybody is different.

The most important thing you will learn is that the lapband is a tool. The lapband, no matter how much you fill it does NOT make you lose weight. YOU lose the weight yourself by eating less calories than you are burning. The lapband is there to help you feel full after only a few mouth fulls. YOU do the rest. There are rules to follow and you must be ready to follow them FOREVER.

Do more reading. Read the failure stories as well as the successes. Make sure you are doing it for yourself and nobody else.