Hello, I am new here and today is the first day I am starting to research having lap band surgery. I have not made any decisions, but I want to see what the safety and effectiveness statistics are for the procedure.

I'm a mom of 3, including a disabled child (autism), married almost 20 years, full-time grad school student, 45 years old and severely overweight/obese. I need to lose around 120 pounds, and like lots of others, I have tried a lot of the diets and other options out there but nothing has worked. Now that I am getting older my health is declining rapidly (high blood pressure, etc.) and frankly I am tired of feeling like crap all the time-sore, exhausted, no energy. I'm too heavy to do much exercise, and I am tired of that too. I want to be able to be active with my kids and feel good while I do it.

Thanks for reading. I look forward to being here.

Lisa

Welcome!! I was banded back on April 5, 2011. So far I am down 50lbs. And I have to say this was the best decision I have ever made in my life. I have no regrets, so far. I chose the band verses any other bariatric surgery because it is one with the least complications and it is removable! Plus you lose the weight at a more healthy pace than lets say gastric bypass. I also have 3 children and they are my world. My mother died at 48 from complications from obesity. When I hit 30 I realized I was very close to ending up like my mother. I was pre diabetic and hypertensive. I refuse to die at a young age. I did not want to leave my family that young. My mothers death tore apart our family. I am now at a healthy blood sugar level and have good blood pressure again. I am now 31 and have a better prospect for my life than I did a year ago. I still have about 120lbs to go before I hit my goal weight but I have no doubt I will make it. Good luck on your research! This is a fantastic forum to get any info you need. I have been addicted since I first found it. Great support system here!

Karrie

Hello, I am new here and today is the first day I am starting to research having lap band surgery. I have not made any decisions, but I want to see what the safety and effectiveness statistics are for the procedure.

I'm a mom of 3, including a disabled child (autism), married almost 20 years, full-time grad school student, 45 years old and severely overweight/obese. I need to lose around 120 pounds, and like lots of others, I have tried a lot of the diets and other options out there but nothing has worked. Now that I am getting older my health is declining rapidly (high blood pressure, etc.) and frankly I am tired of feeling like crap all the time-sore, exhausted, no energy. I'm too heavy to do much exercise, and I am tired of that too. I want to be able to be active with my kids and feel good while I do it.

Thanks for reading. I look forward to being here.

Lisa

Hey Lisa,

First let me welcome you to the lapband forum. I had not been banded yet, but keeping my fingers cross for August 11, 2011. I am waiting on insurance approval. I have been overweight as far as my memory can take me. We have a few things in common. I'm a parent of 2 (single parent), one of which has autism, I work full time and go to school part time. I am tried of carrying all this weight and having no energy. I chose lapband because honestly I was afraid of the other procedures, I want everything to stay in it original place. Whatever decision you make I wish you the best.

Thank you both for the welcome. I am so glad to hear that you've had good luck with the surgery. I have no idea why I just decided in the past couple of days to look into this, because I have always resisted a surgical solution to this problem. Maybe I'm starting to accept that I can't do this by sheer "willpower". :-/

Welcome Lisa

I am alot like you, I was very apprehensive when it came to making a decision about having the surgery. The thing that made me make the decision to go for it was my quality of life was not good. I put up a great front, but inside I felt tired, heavy, and not myself. I looked up one day and realized that I was over 300 pounds and just 20 something years old. I needed a change. I toiled with the decision to get the surgery for over a year, but it was the best decision I have ever made and I got my surgery on April 11th. Rough in the beginning, but I am just fine now. I am seeing results and it has inspired me to go to the gym 3 times per week and I see a fitness coach and a dietician regularly. I hope that you make the decision that is best for you and your family. The Lapband has become my friend!

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