I have researched this and was gung ho --not listening to family naysayers about just dieting! I have been ready to change my life to save my life. I have lost 3 very close friends recently due to diabetes complications, etc. and I didn't want it to be me. I'm 66 years old, 5'6 and 237# and sick of it. I have diabetes (insulin), high blood pressure, cholesterol, sleep apnea, etc, etc. I'm on 12 prescriptions and I want to get off of all of them!!! Believe me, (you all know) that I've tried everything, been successful sometimes, but gained it all back and more! So, now I have cried "uncle" and decided to make a drastic change in my life. I was fine until last night when I discovered this forum. I wanted to read everything about this process, so that I would be knowledgeable and prepared. I read until 5 am (I couldn't stop!). I guess what now really scares me are the stories of many people having a lot of pain following the surgery, the complications (which I had heard were very few) and the people who were having such trouble losing the weight. I guess that I've been so hopeful and naive when I thought that if I had this surgery and followed instructions, the weight would just "fall off". I know that it has worked for many people like this. I panicked when I read about the person who very soon after surgery, had a problem whith his/her port, they had to remove it and he/she had to pack this very large hole until it healed and the dr could reinsert the port. Also, I thought that I wouldn't be getting hungry with this very small pouch, but a lot of people complained of hunger. Please help and advise me. I don't want to change my mind. I'm so ready to be thin, healthy and happy. Give me some good advice about proceding with this and please talk about my concerns. Thank you so much! This is my first post (I think my surgery will be in June or July). I hope to become an active member of this forum!

Hi, Your story touched me because it is almost the same as mine. I too am on about 12 prescriptions for diabetes, blood pressure, cholesterol, asthma, etc. I have neuropathy, retinopathy, nephropathy, all connected to diabetes. I started researching lap band and have read everything on these posts which sometimes gives me great advice and comfort and at other times scares the &$#@* out of me. I am having a lap band put in on May 6th and I feel that at any time I can chicken out. But I look at it like this: My main goal is to get off all these medicines. If I continue like this I will not live too much longer, so whatever the fears and dangers associated with lap band, living without the lap band is far more dangerous to me. So I hope I will stay with it anc be successful. I think the people who fail maybe dont follow the plan after surgery. Eating slowly, chewing, eating more protein and veggies. I am scared of all the complaining about hunger, but I think that if Ifollow the doctors advice and keep all appointments with the doctor, I am more likely to be successful. Good luck to you and please let me know how you are doing.

erink58@aol.com

Hi Kovi. Sounds like you have been through quite a lot. I am sorry for your loss. I am not sure if what I say will help or not. I am newly banded. I know there are a lot of scary stories on here but there are also a lot of inspirational stories. I like to see the before and after pictures of the people it has worked for. I don't think the weight is suppose to just fall off. I think there are points from what I have read where you lost a bunch but then there are plateaus. And it seems until you get to the point of restriction things are a little harder. My experience has been that I lost 25lbs pre/post op in a matter of 3.5-4wks. I've just kind of been hanging out here since then. I'm not hungry but I am able to eat more than I think that I should be able to once I have restriction. I'm not there yet. I've only had 1 fill. So I just try to keep doing what I should be doing, battling the head hunger, and hoping the scale will go down. When I first got on these message boards I read several posts about flipped ports. I was worried sick for weeks about my own port. I couldn't find it and I was not able to keep to my weight restriction of 20lbs. I have a 1.5yr old and a 3yr old that weigh between 24-32lbs. I lifted them and lifted them and was in quite a bit of pain around the port area. I just knew I had flipped my port and had already braced myself for needed a port revision. Then I went in for my 4 week checkup and there it was. Nice and secure and hidden nicely where I couldn't even feel it. What relief. I made the decision to have the lap band surgery because nothing else I ever tried worked. I'm hoping this will. I know that it has given me the hope and desire to try again at least. I had definitely given up. Good luck whatever you decide to do.

Thank you for your encouragement. It really helped and I think I have calmed down!! I wish all of you good luck with your weight loss journey and I hope I'll be joing you soon.

Lynne (Kovi & Eliana are my grandchildren)

Research is the first step and although I've only been banded for less than a month I can tell you now it's not a walk in the park, from the pre op testing to insurance approval all the way to losing the weight. Weight is not going to just fall off, you have to work at it and eat healthy and such BUT in the long run you do become a healthier person. I hope I helped a little bit. Good luck with everything and keep us posted!

First of all,,, take a deep breath, and relax... This is not that bad, in fact in most cases if you follow your Dr.'s orders,,,, it works !

There are some people that suffer complications. You have to understand that this is a device that can fail ! On the other hand, it's up to you if you want it replaced or not. Some people get updated frequently. But the majority don't need to.

Yes there is pain in following surgery. But your surgeon will make sure you get pain pills.

The weight will not just fall off, you have to work at it. "USE THIS TOOL" Protein is a must, Low Carbs. is a must, CALORIE INTAKE JOURNALED is a definite must, some type of exercise program is a must, and last "in my books" is chin up ! This is not easy, and you need to be positive to do this.

It's hard when your hungry, but Protein shakes will help tame the hunger beast. So remember you mean a lot to you ! Or you wouldn't be doing this. You Matter !

I can't tell you to not change your mind ! (I'M NOT A DR.) But you know deep inside what is best for you. Go with your instinct, is my suggestion.

Sorry to read about your losses. But your still hear, and you might even get off some Meds. when you have lost weight. I know that matters, because at one time I was getting on to many pills, and I said NO WAY ! Do to WLS I never had to get on to many pills. I take 2 a day, and that's enough for me.

Good Luck with your Decision, and Good Health to you, Shirley.