I've battled my weight for 20 years. I've been 200+ for 10 years. I told myself in January 2009 that if I didn't make significant progress in my weight loss efforts in the course of a year, I'd pursue gastric by-pass or lap-band. My doctor is all for it. Ditto for my psych consult. I know the #1 reason to do this is for my health. Nevertheless, I feel like the facility I'm utilizing (a "Center of Excellence") views me as just $$ and I'm questioning their level of caring for me as a person/patient. I've been through extensive nutritional counseling and I get it. A friend of mine is an RD and we've been working on various behavioral approachs to weight loss/control. She asked me if I'm able to lose the 10% required for surgery, why not set a second goal of another 10% and so on? If I've coped with stress in the past by eating what makes me think I won't find a way to continue doing so? (Her question to me)

Then I went to a support group meeting last night and watched as the GBP -v- LB battle ensued - a "my procedure is better than yours" free for all. Ended up talking to a lady who had the lap-band in 6/09 was 250 and is now 205...roughly 1.5 lbs a week - what one could do on their own with a sensible diet.

I'm just putting this out there - has anyone else wrestled with this as I am? Am I just self-defeating or scared? Thanks Bandsters for listening! :thumbup:

Edited February 11, 201016 yr by RavenClaw779
typo

This is a little off-topic but if you like WW cookbooks, check out this site: BariatricEating.com Health & Nutrition - Bariatric recipes

Great recipes there!

This is THE BEST site for recipes. (It's also where I order all my protein--their Inspire line is amazing.)

Three month wait - are you kidding?!? I'm going through Ellis Hospital(Schnectady, NY) - they assigned the surgery date and time at my first meeting with the PA which was 1/14/10. My surgery is set for 3/10/10. Of course when I checked with the case manager she'd yet to submit it to BCBS for approval...she's waiting on the test results from next weeks' whirlwind of UGI, Cardio, sleep Lab & Nutritionist...so maybe it won't be 3/10...

wow, Insurance requirements ( or lack of) are so all over the board!!!

My insurance has a 6 month "wait" ...I've done the sleep study ( OMG!!!!!) blood work, psych eval, barium swallow ( oh, hey, I have a hernia??! thats cool!) lung test, I have only to do the upper GI and then finish my "weight loss visits" which they warn me that any major fluxuations in my weight can render me ineligible!!:scared2:

6 visits ( one per month) to tell me how to eat ( We ALL know the right way to eat, the leanest Proteins, veggies, fresh fruit, less processed!) an the LB way: Protein first, then veg, then if room a small amount of starch, etc.....

I'm struggling as much as anyone, Do I want to have surgery?? what is wrong with me that I can't do this successfully on my own??!!

then again, most everyone I've asked would do it again in a heartbeat!!!!! and do I want to be heavy one day, or 6 months longer than I HAVE to?!!!?!?! I'm soooo ready to be happy inside my own body!!!

Its our own personal journey, no one can decide for you ( nor should they!) but Praise God we have someone to talk to ( here in these forums)!!!

Good Luck!! :crying:

Just got an email from a family friend who had the procedure at Ellis(same place I'm using). She's an RN and her comment was that this was the "best thing" she's ever done and has lost 65 pounds. She says she feels good and is traveling and being far more active than she's been in years. Can't argue with those sentiments.

I chose the lap-band because I'm not comfortable with the malabsorbtion issues and because I am a breast cancer survivor(10 Years!) and if I ever had a recurrance I know I'd need additional nutrition/calories in the face of chemo & radiation.

I think what's been most frustrating over the years especially following nutrition counseling has been knowing what to eat, how much, the importance of having no forbidden foods, portion control and still continuing to eat too much. I'm more and more convinced that the lap-band will allow me(eventually) to eat like a normal person and not focus so much on food.

I disagree with the person who said that you have to limit eating out with the band. I eat out multiple times a week (I live in NYC) and it's not a problem. I just order good quality, healthy food.

I am 15 months out and 3.4 pounds from my goal. I know fully well that I could not have stayed on the straight and narrow for all of that time without my band. And, I love knowing that the statistics tell me that I'm going to keep it all off.

I had some doubts right before I got banded -- and one thing that really helped me was to make a pro/con list. Once I laid it all out on paper, my decision was really clear. I recently wrote a post for another bandster about this. Feel free to check it out -- there is a link to my pro/con list in there.

Best wishes for your success,

Catherine

I think you need to hear more from people who have done this before. There are some excellent blogs by people in all stages of the lap band. I'm just starting out and plan on surgery in March, but there are people who have documented their entire experience. Catherine55, who posted above, has one of the best blogs with really great posts. Check out her old posts. The link is on her comment.

There are many opinions about diet and weight loss. If it was easy, wouldn't all of us have just decided to be thin and that would be the end of it? This is a tool for you to make changes in your health and in your life. There is still ownership of that tool. Good Luck!!

Catherine55 Quote:I disagree with the person who said that you have to limit eating out with the band. I eat out multiple times a week (I live in NYC) and it's not a problem. I just order good quality, healthy food.

Your right, I should have been more clear. In the town where I live (East Texas) there are not very many places to eat out that offer good quality, healthy foods. At any given restaurant there might be 1 or 2 selections on the menu that work for me. Everything else is loaded with fat, calories and salt. It is not unusual for a single menu item to have 2000-2500 calories. Even if you only eat half it is still too much. Plus we don't have the benefit of having the nutrient contents available at most places. (I really applaud NYC for that.)

So what I meant to say is:

If you eat out alot and are not willing to change what you order I don't think the band does any good.:smile:

I, too, can lose weight, just can't keep it off. I don't eat fast food or eat out much. I eat good, wholesome, healthy food...just too much of it! This is where my band will become a tool for me to be successful this time around. Once you reach "restriction" through saline fills the doc gives you it becomes difficult to overeat. My concern for you is that you aren't sure and you haven't educated yourself enough about the band. There are many "band rules" that we must adhere to. Otherwise, you could fail at this also. I took over 6 months of reading books and on forums before I decided. I went to several support group meetings. I had a one hour appointment with my surgeon and a 3 hour appointment with a nutritionist. I read, and read, and read about everything I could concerning living life with the Lap Band. March is very soon and to be undecided and uneducated going into this is scary. Please reconsider moving your date to a later time so that you can go into this with eyes wide open. Also, in your original post you seemed a bit unsure of the surgery center you have chosen. Make sure there is a complete package with your necessary fills afterwards! Best wishes always!!!

Jax,

I completely understand your hesitation...and I think it is both healthy AND appropriate to have your concerns. I also did a lot of soul searching before I decided to have the surgery. For me, I finally admitted to myself that although it is certainly possible to lose weight without surgical intervention...I *hadn't*...and for years I kept saying that I could.

Although everyone is different, my issue is that I would eat when I wasn't hungry, basically because I was bored or because food just tastes good! The LAP-BAND® prevents me from doing this, or at least limits my snacking to a few bites. (Meaning, if I already had a meal I cannot snack on something when I am already full)

My surgery was a little over three weeks ago, and luckily my surgeon filled the band a small amount when I had the procedure done. This has led me to experience "restriction" from the beginning. However, whether or not this is the case for everyone I can say that LAP-BAND® has done one huge thing for me...it points out when I am eating when I do not need to...and no one else but me needs to know.

I hope this helps & wish you the best of luck, regardless of what you choose. :smile: