Hi! I've been lurking forever and finally built up the courage to introduce myself :thumbup:.

I am 32, live and work in NYC and have a surgery date of 8/30 with Dr. Ren @ NYU.

I have been working on getting this surgery since October of last year (when I first attended the seminar) and at first I was really, really excited! Now that it is almost here - I am scared. I am scared to have an implantable device inside of me, I am scared I will want it out and I am scared I won't be able to handle... well all of it really. I know that I need to sacrifice something. If it's not this - it needs to be something - I need to lose weight, I need to be healthy - I am tired of hurt feet, knees, blood pressure meds and of being pre-diabetic. I want to wear heels, dresses and not be conscious of my weight every.second.of.the.day.

Sorry to be such a downer, but I need to keep this journey real and sharing with fellow folks who *get* what I am going through - I hope can help me :thumbup:.

I really welcome any and all words of encouragement and wisdom!

Hey there:

What you are feeling is totally normal. In fact, i bet it is felt by most people who choose to go down this road. I am also from NYC and had surgery with the same practice. In fact, I totally freaked out the night before the surgery and thought about cancelling. But it was the best thing I ever did for my life. I was pre-diabetic, bad knees, low self body image and feeling like I would never make it, in life, for very long.

One year later I have lost nearly 80 pounds, my bloods, my knees, my everything is better. I am feeling beautiful, in fact. I want to buy new clothes and have people comment on how I look. But most importantly, I love how I look/feel. And the really amazing part is that I am only part way. I am still more than 50 pounds to my goal but it feels like I will reach it and then who knows how I will feel.

Has it been a lot of work? Sure. This is a tool to help you and not a miracle cure. But it worked for me and really, I worked for it. Go for it and follow what the office says to do (and there is some pretty good advice here too). You can be and feel different from today.

Best of luck.

I don't have a surgery date yet, but am hoping for the end of August. I am feeling many of the things you described, so I think it's pretty common. Just remember that we have a whole new life waiting for us! Yes, it will take a lot of work, but we have the band and this support system to help us. We'll do great!

I think your feelings are perfectly normal. I am getting banded on July 19 at NYU with Dr. Fielding. I am 52, and I am ready, but go through bouts of being fine, then scared, etc. My daughter, who is 25, had the lapband last year with Dr. Ren. She has made wonderful progress after a year's time, with still some more work to do. No one that I speak with has ever been displeased with the band, and most say it is the best thing they ever did...so you will be fine. You made the decision, and it is the beginning of a new life for you. You are young, and you should be enjoying NYC and going out and meeting others, while feeling good about how you look and feel, not to mention the health benefits! I wish you luck!

Thank you everyone for your support - I really, really appreciate it.

Today was a good day in terms of my mindset for the surgery. One of my main fears is the emotional attachment I have with food and how I use it to soothe my emotions. I am thinking about making an appointment with the psychologist I saw for the eval and possibly seeing him again - I need help not only with my actual body, but my mind as well.

my husband used Dr Ren and I Dr Fielding we did ours i week apart march/april 2010 they are both wonderful doctors and very understanding ! Dont be too nervous surgery is real fast and post op an exciting time to think about a thin and healthy future! Best day of our lives- still learning how to eat n live better- change is real good! lots of good luck!!!

I see a therapist because of my bipolar disorder (psych doc requires that anyone on meds also be in therapy). We often don't have anything serious to talk about, because I'm stable and doing well. But since I've been looking into the band, we spend most of our time talking about food and body-image issues, because I have many of the same fears that you do. Good luck talking with someone about it. I think that's a great, proactive, idea!

Thank you everyone for your support - I really, really appreciate it.

Today was a good day in terms of my mindset for the surgery. One of my main fears is the emotional attachment I have with food and how I use it to soothe my emotions. I am thinking about making an appointment with the psychologist I saw for the eval and possibly seeing him again - I need help not only with my actual body, but my mind as well.

Thank you everyone for your support - I really, really appreciate it.

Today was a good day in terms of my mindset for the surgery. One of my main fears is the emotional attachment I have with food and how I use it to soothe my emotions. I am thinking about making an appointment with the psychologist I saw for the eval and possibly seeing him again - I need help not only with my actual body, but my mind as well.

I am back just to say one thing about why you think you eat. I thought I was an emotional eater. I thought I soothed myself with food when I got stressed. But I actually discovered that this was not the case after the surgery. I learned that I was soothing myself with the AMOUNT of food and not the food itself. For me this was a huge piece of new information. Once the band was in place I was not able to eat the big portions I had once enjoyed and began to learn to feel satisfied with the small amount the band allowed. I was a clean your plate girl and it took a while for me to plate up only what the band would let me eat. Now I am feeling good and happy to know that I never really needed food to soothe myself. What I am trying to say is that don't go into this with a great deal of suppositions about yourself and your eating. You can learn it as you go forward.

I would encourage you to have a shrink during this proccess. I have found mine to be so helpful as an addition to the band.

hi.

i am feeling the same as you.

i'm 25 weighing a horrible 224, feel terrible being trapped in my body. i am being banded 07/26 by dr. Ren at NYU.

i was so exited for surgery, it couldnt come quick enough.

and now that its here, liquid diet startingh 07/12 i have cold feet, dont know why im making this. forever havin band in my body.

i dont see the positive anymore. scared of surgery and post op.

heelp!!

Thanks UWS for your insights. They are very helpful. How did you go about finding a therapist? I was thinking of using the psychologist I used for the evaluation - he understand weight issues. I've never had any great success when looking for a therapist in NYC!

How are you doing? Did you start your liquid diet? I focus on the future - the little things - not feeling anxious about whether or not a plane seat-belt will fit, or will I break this chair if I sit on it.. I also am really REALLY excited about being able to walk long distances and not feel terrible every time I see a flight of stairs.

Plus the clothes, the glorious clothes.. :sad:

Thanks UWS for your insights. They are very helpful. How did you go about finding a therapist? I was thinking of using the psychologist I used for the evaluation - he understand weight issues. I've never had any great success when looking for a therapist in NYC!

Thats a hard one. I have found the various shrinks I have seen over the years 9well I am a typical new yorker) from other contact s like friends or other Drs. If you like the one you used for the evaluation then use them. Or may ask them for a private recommendations. Good luck to you.

I think it is perfectly natural to feel anxious about having surgery.

I am so looking forward to the other side of my surgery day. I just want it to be over and wake up after the surgery.

I am one of those skeptics that think that I'm going to be the one to die in surgery or they'll open me up and see that I hae cancer or something.

My surgery is 8/16 and I've been stressing about those things already.

You have a great surgeon. I wish I had them. My ins. is out of network for them so I had to find someone else.

You'll be fine.

I used this practice also. And UpperEastSide was someone I had made contact with. I came from Florida to use Dr. Kurian.

This practice has a lot-First go to smartbanders on Yahoo.com and join that group. Second go to the Wednesday night support group from this practice. It's usually the 3 Wed. call the office to find out when. Second you have the dietitian Rachel forever and she does workshops once a month and they are great. Make sure that Tammy the patient support person has your name and e-mail. What a practice!! There is so much going on there. Tammy is out until mid August but you can contact the office staff and get going. I wish I lived in NYC to take advantage of all of the stuff they do. I went to everything while I was there. I fly in and out (my kids live in the N.Y. area). Your in great hands. Use the office and all that they offer.

Hi :thumbup: In reading your post it sounds like much of what I am feeling, you are feeling too. I am being banded on monday (7/26) by Dr. Roslin in Lenox Hill in NYC. My excitment has turned into anxiety, which I am hoping is normal More so I am afraid of failure, but I guess I just need to take the leap. I have my final consult today and questions for him ready. So I'm keeping my fingers crossed :tongue2: Best of luck to you!!!!

Hi :scared2: In reading your post it sounds like much of what I am feeling, you are feeling too. I am being banded on monday (7/26) by Dr. Roslin in Lenox Hill in NYC. My excitment has turned into anxiety, which I am hoping is normal More so I am afraid of failure, but I guess I just need to take the leap. I have my final consult today and questions for him ready. So I'm keeping my fingers crossed Best of luck to you!!!!

Hi alisonlen454 - how are you? how did the banding go?