Hey everyone! I apologize in advance if my post sounds any bit confusing, but I am ranting and am so confused! I really need some feedback on this.. it's really important to me! My surgery is set for April,4 and this is my second time around trying to get lap band.

So, last night I was wide awake, nearly panicking after having an hour long discussion last night about health with one of my best friends. My friend is training to be a surgical tech right now - a newly turned "vegan" (another phase of hers) - and on her "going to the gym" spurt. Medical term wise, at the moment she thinks she pretty much knows everything. Health wise - her entire life has consisted of every different diet known to man & she's still overweight & always ends up falling off the bandwagon. She also has a tendency to feel high and mighty when she goes on her rampants about her current beliefs (and Lord knows they change frequently). Don't get me wrong.. I pray that she sticks with this and am super glad that she's being proactive about getting healthy! Anyways, given those two facts about her, she pretty much lectured me our whole conversation. Now, I am having second thoughts about getting lapband. AGAIN. She did this to me back in November. I felt guilty & got cold feet. I thought, why am I doing this? I can do this on my own & I halted the process. After that, I stopped talking to the girl as much. January rolls around and my mind is back to being focused on lap band.

Here I am now - date set for April 4 - fearing the rest of my life being banded.... and it's all for dumb reasons. Like for one - my skin! I am terrified of having a wrinkley, funky looking stomach, thighs and arms from losing weight too fast! I will be active with the lap band by incorporating mostly cardio, but to my understanding I will still be flappy, given that I do lose the weight. I don't have a husband I can just feel comfortable around in my skin for the rest of my life. I have a supporting boyfriend, but I do not see a long-term future with him. I can be a very insecure person sometimes and I feel like skin will hold me back. I know this is superficial and ridiculous, but I just can't help think of these things.

Another thing - giving up the foods I love. I am a carbohydrate girl! I love bread. I love beer. I can give up beer and will give up most breads if I have to. I love to eat, and so now I'm worried about this too!

I am worried about having this contraption in my body, wrapped around my stomach and a port traveling up to my skin. Having to maintain this band for the rest of my life.

I'm worried about scars even though I have a road map of stretch marks from pregnancies. I've never had any surgeries. I have had 2 babies naturally.

I have had sucess in the past couple of years by going to the gym and doing cardio for an hour and a half 4x per week and sticking to weight watchers. I was also using Phentermine at the time, which doesn't work for me anymore. I then injured my back and my weight has since ballooned, reaching the 300 mark just a couple of weeks ago. I believe I can do this without the band, but I can't find motivation anywhere.

I feel like I need this lap band to get healthy. I want to be healthy. I know having the surgery is not an easy, quick fix, but it will help me in sooo many ways. Except..... all of the above is giving me 2nd thoughts and I am getting anxiety now thinking about it. I was so excited. Now I want to cry.

Should I proceed with the surgery?

Please give me some advice. No sugar coating.

I agree, the forum has saturated my brain with so much information! The good, the bad, the ugly I read it all lol!! I hesitated on posting my prob, but so glad I did. I'm even more motivated than ever before!

Dr. Marsden and the surgical staff will take very good care of you! Just as long as you are doing this for you, you are making the right decision.

I am so glad that I found you! LOL I really didn't think I would come across someone that went through the same surgeon

I am 100% sure that I am ready to do this for myself!

I am so glad that I found you! LOL I really didn't think I would come across someone that went through the same surgeon

I am 100% sure that I am ready to do this for myself!

You are going through True Results, right? Just don't get dissapointed if you never see Dr. Marsden again. I've only saw him three times (EGD, surgery, and pre-op appointment). But I guess that's a good thing because if I was seeing my surgeon that would probably mean I was having problems. I got my 1st fill at the Hurst location and they do them under fluro. I now go to the Richardson location because it's closer and they are ALWAYS busy over (it's hard to get an appointment)! They weigh you, get your BP and temp, ask you about what you eat on a typical day, ask you if you have any additonal questions, then fill you up. It's quick and practically painless. Also, be prepared for the pre-op appointment. It was a group setting and I didn't learn anything (waste of time).

You are going through True Results, right? Just don't get dissapointed if you never see Dr. Marsden again. I've only saw him three times (EGD, surgery, and pre-op appointment). But I guess that's a good thing because if I was seeing my surgeon that would probably mean I was having problems. I got my 1st fill at the Hurst location and they do them under fluro. I now go to the Richardson location because it's closer and they are ALWAYS busy over (it's hard to get an appointment)! They weigh you, get your BP and temp, ask you about what you eat on a typical day, ask you if you have any additonal questions, then fill you up. It's quick and practically painless. Also, be prepared for the pre-op appointment. It was a group setting and I didn't learn anything (waste of time).

Oh, I already went to that pre-op appointment in Argyle. I didn't like that too much. All those people packed in the musky smelling waiting room. I was the 2nd one there and the last one to leave. I was really irritated about that lol. That aside, everything is good. Thankfully, I live only 2 exits down the highway from the True Results in Hurst. I'll be getting the surgery done there. What a blessing that it is less than 10 minutes away. Do they use the fluro everytime? That's reassuring. How long were you there for after the surgery? Did they take good care of you?

All these posts are great! I too was going through "cold feet" with my surgery date scheduled 3/28/11. HOWEVER, reading the posts really reaffirmed what I already knew...I need this for me! I've done so much research and put so much work into the process to turn back now. And I can't forget that my daughter is the main reason why I'm doing this. She is my motivation, and I will not allow myself to back down now! So there! Take that anxiety and fear!

Now, time for some zzzz's. Sometimes we read too much...lol

I attended the support group mtg today. I have not gotten a surgery date or had to go through the 2 wk liquid diet. That is the part I am most fearful of. That I will not succeed on the liquid diet. Right now I have been eating as if it is The Last Supper or I am a starving refugee in a 3rd world country.

Have you experienced this. I'm beginning to think that maybe this isn't for me since I have not really curtailed my eating habits.

Oh, I already went to that pre-op appointment in Argyle. I didn't like that too much. All those people packed in the musky smelling waiting room. I was the 2nd one there and the last one to leave. I was really irritated about that lol. That aside, everything is good. Thankfully, I live only 2 exits down the highway from the True Results in Hurst. I'll be getting the surgery done there. What a blessing that it is less than 10 minutes away. Do they use the fluro everytime? That's reassuring. How long were you there for after the surgery? Did they take good care of you?

I am not sure if they use fluro every time. I only went there for my first fill and they did it that time. I know that the Richardson office doesn't do it at all. I wasn't there long at all. I remember waking up and being in excruciating pain and the nurse telling me it was going to be okay and she gave me some medicine. I got up walked around a little and she gave me some Water. I was so freakin groggy and she helped me put my clothes on (hope you're not shy). She also showed me how to use the thing you breathe in every hour or so (forget what it's called) and they gave me a chance to ask any questions. All in all quality of care was good and they gave me a follow-up call the next day. Just as much as you're ready to go home that's about as much as they're ready to get you out of there. I would probably say no longer than 30 minutes.