by no meanz do i regret my band...i love my band...when the threat of having it removed came up...i freaked out...no way would i take it out even with all that i've been thru...what i am dissapointed in is the after care...and all the billboards that r up...making it sound like this is just an easy way to lose a lot of weight..."need to lose 50 pounds...go get a lap-band"....its not that simple...i wasnt allowed to go to my surgeon's support meetings...in-order for my insurance to cover my surgery i had to have my surgery at a center of excellence...there wasnt any support meetings there...just the surgery itself is performed there.....the hospital that my surgeon often performs weight loss surgery at ...like i said would not allow me to attend any after care there...i don't place blame on anyone but myself...i let it get this out of control...but with the right support...maybe things would've turned out just a little different...i'll never know now...would i recommend the band...yes for those that are wanting to make a change for themselves and not to please society...or that think all there problems r going to magically dissapear bcuz their thin; and a lot of people do think life is so much easier being thin...is someways it is...i still use my tool...i still eat healthy and i still exercise...i start back out-patient treatment again on saturday... i wasnt given a number...but when i asked if their r others being treated at the facility with lap bands..the answer was yes...and the numbers keep growing...that this is becoming a common problem...i just want to make u all aware that this COULD turn in2 a problem....and i hope it doesnt...this tool is awesome...but u have to have great support and be mentally prepared for what u r going to go thru...

How horrible for you. My surgeon's center is a center of excellence, they provide support, a discussion board, a phyc, and a nut. I can't believe your's didn't.

That's horrible! I am sorry for your struggle and frustration!

Sorry, can you clarify what type of treatment 'i start back out-patient treatment again on saturday'? I didn't go to the support groups at my hospital (also a COE), but I found a ton of support by starting an online blog (didn't even know what that was at the beginning). It's been great to be able to get support when I need it...even daily sometimes.

I'm confused. Have you not been getting fills? it looks like you are at or close to your goal...out patient? Take pitty, it doesn't take much for me to get confused....

@ band groupie....i took losing weight a little too far...made some bad choices...got obessed with watching the scale go down and now i have traits of both an aneroxic and bulimec...i'm not the only 1....weight loss surgery developing in2 eating dis-orders is not uncommon...i thought i was the only 1...but my counsler said "unfortunatle this is becoming a new trend and treatment centers for bulimia and aneroxia are seeing more and more weight loss surgery patients"...its a secret...there istoo much money being made right now to expose it...i've had a few members on here that r suffering from dis-orders private message me...i should've got help healing with some personal issues when i was over-weight and then had surgery...like many i thought this was a fix all...it isn't

@murpel...i am at goal...i lost all my weight in 11 months..i'm almost 2 years out..my surgeron was great at giving me fills...but not with recomminding emotional help...i'm not placing blame on anyone...this was a choice i made...and like i said i'm not againist the band...what i personally think is unacceptable...is offering this lap band like its candy now...i also think there should be a lot more emotional support for after the band...example with each fill...i think seeing a counsler should be mandatory...or with each 50 pounds...each size that u lose...something...i was given this band and sent on my mary way....

I had to see a counselor pre-op and he was wonderful! He had me take the usual battery of tests....NOT part of the one hour session...then actually went through my history and current mental health status. He pored through the pages and pages of diagnostic tests after the session and compared results with my interview. At my session he told me right up front that he would not sign off on the procedure if he had any questions; that I would have to come back and discuss issues further to make sure it was a good choice for me. I really appreciated his professionalism. I know there are "rubber-stampers" out there and some band-mills use them to streamline the process. I think Centers of Excellence should only use counselors that are certified in some way in bariatric issues and behavioral techniques so that we all can get this type of support. Good luck with your out-patient program. You are lucky there is one near you. Too bad they don't offer a pre-op program as well, huh?

That's really horrible to hear, especially since you went to a center of excellence. Part of the "hoops" that most people need to go through is phyc counceling. When I had my appointment she was as honest with me as I was with her. She told me that I should get counceling throughout my weight loss. I chose not to. I was honest with her about my past and she told me that if I didn't deal with my issues, I could turn my food abuse and become abusive with other mediums, like alcohol, sex, gambling, smoking, as well as other food driven issues.

I knew from the get go that the band was a tool. It was very plainly NOT the magic pill everyone is looking for. Even today at my fill... man is that another story, the Dr. was questioning me about eating, exercise ect.

What kind of treatment are you starting Sat? Counceling?

unfortunately i had a rubber stamper...my physc evaluation was no more then 30 mins...everything went so fast...from my consulatation to the day of surgery was less then 2 weeks...i did go to my nurtrionist appoinments...when they saw how much i was losing...after my 2nd appoinment they said "i didn't need to come back....that i had everything under control"...again i love my band...i really do...i don't regret it...i just think both sides of the story need to b told...

i am now treated as ur avarage bulemic/aneroxic...since i choose to make losing weight an obessesion...laxatives and vomitting r the bulemic ways...exercising until i pass out are the aneroxic ways...i've been in denial...i've had an excuse for all my behavior...i kept telling everyone what i was doing was a "normal" part of having a lap band...until my sister confronted me and told me my game was up...and i am not the only 1 in treatment with the lap band...like i keep saying it'll take a few deaths b4 these surgeons realize they r not only altering bodies...BUT SOME PEOPLE'S MINDS as well...and it needs to b taken seriously...

Justrite- Im sorry you had such a bad experience with your surgeon and staff.. That sux. They should have given you so much more then they did. Im really glad to hear that you decided to go back to the outpatient center. I would suggest still (as i did in another forum) that you go to an individual therapist (a private therapist- individual), other then just the outpatient center. I have worked in both types of settings (outpatient was substance abuse and addition focused-not eating disorders) and the outpatient offered amazing things for the patients but they could not get what they could have from individual therapy. Look for a psychotherapist! The two treatments together should help you even better!

Good Luck! Its wonderful that you are taking charge of your life!

I didn't even get my surgery yet and the center is already involved. They offer so many groups- pre and post surgery supprort, exercise group, holistic therapies, psychologists, nutritionists. My surgeon himself spent 40 minutes with me just talking about my readiness, my personal feelings and realistic expectations. I am really fortunate I guess. All of the staff are super involved.

I did go to my own therapist because I knew I had deeper issues then just the physical... Your story JustRite, makes me aware that I may have to return again later to get help with the new lifestyle and changes. And I think youre really going to get people to think about how they prepare for their journey!

i am so moved by your experience! It's frustrating that some groups can do things so right, and others can do things so very wrong!

Please do what you can to get your story out there, folks contemplating this surgery must know what they are in for.

thank u for ur kind words and support...the center i'm going to offers individual therapy and group therapy..the individual therapist will get to the root of the problem...the group therapy is where the actual eating dis-order will come in2 play...my therapist has also suggested i go to support groups for over-eaters and not just bulemics....some centers handle all eating dis-orders....this one is specifically designed for bulemics and aneroxics...it's an in-patient/out-patient center...i've asked my new therapist if there is anyone else in there with a lap band...and like i've mentioned b4...she said "its very common"...i still have a hard time admitting i have an eating dis-order...but i fight with food...i fight to eat...i fight...i fight...i feel guilty when i eat..some go to drugs and alcohol when they r stressed i go to laxatives and now i find myself vomitting when i am stressed...i'm getting a grip on the mental part...starting to feel like myself again...losing my image...i feel like i'm waking up from a bad dream...but the other part has a strong grip on my mind...i'm scared to death of food

that's great....congrats you are an inspiration....you look real good!! keep up the good work!!

really...u still think i'm inspiration??????? i feel like i've failed all those that looked up to me...i did it the wrong way...

really...u still think i'm inspiration??????? i feel like i've failed all those that looked up to me...i did it the wrong way...

Justrite,

you are doing a wonderful job.

thank you so much for speaking up.. it defiantly means alot to the ones who haven't gone through the process yet.

I've defiantly thought twice about the surgery and as you've mentioned it is a big deal! it's life changing... i hope everything works out for you!!!