Hi. I have been lurking on here for a while, but now that my Lap-Band surgery is becoming a reality in a very short time, I have decided that I need to reach out for support. I am very overwhelmed right now. I hear this is normal, but I have been on a roller-coaster of emotions over the past months. I have gone from excited to ashamed to frustrated to disgust to hopeful within hours!

I am finishing up my insurance requirements in the next 5 weeks, and then I will be getting a surgery date hopefully in early May.

I have tried not to read too much as I get overwhelmed with all of the bad that I have read. I truly do not know what to expect.

I joined this group so that perhaps I could bond with a few people to help me on this journey.

I turn 40 in August...I want this to be my year for reclaiming my life.

don't read the bad things, read only the good things!! plus read all you can about your doctor, he's the one you should rely on completely and just be sure he's the one you can trust the most. goodluck!!!

Hi there! I understand where you are coming from! BUT I on the other hand am quite excited for my upcoming surgery! Here's how I see it...everyone is different and everyone will have different experiences and results also. So just relax and look forward to the new YOU! Best of luck!:confused:

Thank you for saying this, I feel the exact same way. I am going through my insurance requirements right now, with a tentative date of early - mid July. I am very nervous, excited, scared, every emotion you can think of, I feel. Good luck to you!

I have been banded for a year and lost 95 pounds. I know you are scared which is quite normal.

Please do your homework and do read the bad things. I didn't because I did not want to know the reality. I had a terrrific doctor and went to the best hospital around. I have spent the last year in and out of the hospital with blocked intestines, esophagas erosion, tubing stuck to intestines from the scar tissue. Tubing wrapped around intestine.

Don't be a fool like I was. Read all you can. I was told by my docto not to read bad things on the internet because they could upset me and change my feelings toward the band. I turned a blind eye and it was the worst mistake i've ever made. DO YOUR RESEARCH. It does not turn out well for everyone. I would take back every pound to have my health back.

Hello Overwhemed, I was banded on Jan 14, 2010 and have had no problems, I have lost 53 lbs so far, I am regaining my life. Keep The Faith.

It really can be overwhelming---there's a lot to take in. The good news is that you're starting now, so you'll be really well-prepared for the surgery. That will make a world of difference for you postop :thumbup:

I don't have any great wisdom for you, but just wanted to let you know that the emotional rollercoaster is normal. You are facing a big change, and while it's positive, it requires you to change your outlook and relationship with food (and sometimes, with other people). It's natural to feel upheaval.

I wanted to encourage you to keep doing your research and determine if the band is right for you, it might be right for me and wrong for someone else. You should look at the risks and determine if the risks are worth the potential rewards for you personally. For me personally, I wouldn't change a thing.

Thank you all for your responses. I have spent a lot of time reading these boards this week, and they have helped tremendously. I absolutely know that I want to do the band. I have several people close to me that had gastric bypass, and I envy how quickly the weight fell off of them, but in the long term the band will be the best decision for me and my family. I have the support of my husband, my close friends, my primary care physician, my psychologist of 7 years, and my surgeon. I have done a lot of praying about this, and I am moving forward.

I have had several surgeries in the past 10 years, and one comment that my doctors have made to me is that my body heals very well. I am counting on it to do the same with this.

I know that there are complications that can occur, but I also know that remaining at this weight will eventually cause complications with my health. I am ready to reclaim my life.

Thank you to everyone for sharing your stories on here. I am so hopeful because of the experiences you have all shared. :Banane20:

That explains exactly how I am feeling too, Overwhelmed. I have spent 3 months reading every bad thing out there, I don't want to be blind going in. I know we are all taking a big chance with this surgery, but we are also taking a big chance by staying Obese. Realize that being Obese (my medical chart says MORBIDLY OBESE), we have a disease that is slowly killing us. I don't know about you, but I want to LIVE! I am 38 years old, and not ready to give up yet. My sx date is 3/31/10. Keep in contact with me, and I will tell you everything you want to know, so there are no suprises (as much as possible). Keep your chin up, and look forward to your new birthday!:Banane20:

I too was embarrassed and disgusted with myself. I have only admitted it to a few friends - but they were all proud of me. Said that I showed great courage to take a step so serious. (I didn't tell anyone but my daughter that I was thinking about it.)

I feel great! I got my band on 3/2, a Tuesday, and everything is going well. Doctor found a hernia while in there so I had to stay overnight and was pretty uncomfortable but I couldn't believe that on Thursday I was only taking 1/2 a pain pill and then that was it. On Sunday I drove 8 hours to a consultant job for two weeks. I was terrific. I did take yogurt, cottage cheese, and protein shakes with me since restaurant food was a bit much but I did eat out a couple of times. It's just such a waste because of the portions.

I've lost 15 lbs in three weeks, I am NOT hungry, and I have plenty of energy.

This is a great thing. Feel good about what you are doing for yourself and look forward to a new you!:tt1:

Hey guys!! It is so helpful to read what all of you have to say. Palmtreegirl - I turned 41 in December and live in KC....originally from Cape Girardeau.

I am in my third month of supervised dieting. My goal is to lose 100 pounds. I have a question for you guys....I feel like I have given up on losing weight...like I'm actually scared to. Maybe it's everything I've read about how my lifestyle will be changing and all of that... I have tried a million diets and once I lose like 20 pounds it's like I freak out and sabotage myself....and put the weight back on. See...it's like I'm scared to lose it.

Have you guys ever felt this way? Or, am I crazy???

Thanks!

You are not alone, I am going through the same thing as you, my date is just around the corner, I am reading all these great post of LAP-BAND® patients and it has been great, of course we are going to make our own mistakes, but at least we are not alone.

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Hey guys!! It is so helpful to read what all of you have to say. Palmtreegirl - I turned 41 in December and live in KC....originally from Cape Girardeau.

I am in my third month of supervised dieting. My goal is to lose 100 pounds. I have a question for you guys....I feel like I have given up on losing weight...like I'm actually scared to. Maybe it's everything I've read about how my lifestyle will be changing and all of that... I have tried a million diets and once I lose like 20 pounds it's like I freak out and sabotage myself....and put the weight back on. See...it's like I'm scared to lose it.

Have you guys ever felt this way? Or, am I crazy???:w00t:

Thanks!

The answer is, You are not crazy, actually I have never found anyone that feels EXACTLY like I do! I realize that for some reason I am TERRIFIED to lose weight, and I always sabatoge myself, that is why I HAVE to be banded, otherwise I may kill myself with fat. I have always been obese, I have no idea who I will be without all this weight to hide behind. Lean on your support system, know that you will be loved no matter what size you are, but you have to do this to stay healthy and live a better life. We will always be here for you. If you ever want to email me directly, my email is babykat_allie@yahoo.com!!! Keep going forward!

Pre-op was a rollercoaster of emotions for me as well. I remember falling apart a couple days before my pre-op diet was about to start. I spent the better part of a day in turmoil - in bed crying, mad at my family, disliking my job/co-workers, worrying and then crying again.....Blah! Not a good time for me or my family. I apologized for my emotional tantrum, etc.... and moved forward. I have had a couple mini "episodes" since but Its par for the course....I know this is what is right for me and I also knew from the begining it wasn't going to be easy. I'm sure many are feeling the same way and it's normal to go through all these emotions and doubts.

On a lighter note...my surgery was Feb. 8th and I'm doing and feeling great! I'm not losing as fast as I was on my pre-op diet but I'm losing......and I will be happy with that!

I'm at the same point in my journey as you are on yours, hopefully with surgery in May, and I have a roller coaster of emotions, too. Mostly impatience to get the surgery behind me at this point.

I like the lap-band because it isn't permanently changing my insides, and as someone else said on this board, you can change your mind right up until surgery!

Good luck to both of us! This takes courage!