I'm 44 years old and have been struggling with my weight since the birth of my son, 21 years ago. I was always thin as a child, teen, and young adult. I've had a lot of stress in my life and the weight has just come on like crazy. I'm healthy for now, but am concerned about health implications. I want to avoid them rather than have to deal with them once they arrive. My mother had type 2 diabetes and was on insulin. My brother also had type 2 diabetes and had gastric bypass surgery. Five years post op and he has regained just about all of his weight. Do I want to look good again, sure I do...but mostly I just want to be healthy! I've dieted and just can't seem to stick to anything long enough to get this weight off. I'm seriously thinking about LapBand surgery...I welcome your stories...good and bad. Please share!

Im 36, have 3 kids under 7 and just got the band 3 weeks ago. I too was always a thin person, today I look like im about 7 months pregnant being that all my weight is in my mid section. Ive tried every diet program and my arms and legs will always get skinny, but the midsection never changed much. Im so happy I did it because I truly needed help. Everyone has there own eating habots and mine are unconcious eating, large portions, grazing, and sugar/carb foods. The lapband doesnt make those problems go away. Im struggling now in week 3 because I keep eating all the bad stuff. My stomach says your full and my brain is like one more bite. Several times i filled my pouch and my chest tightened up and i had to wait the pain out for 10 minutes. So now Im going to go back to the first week diet of mostly liquids to detox myself of the carbs and sugar. It's a mental battle and you will need a good support system or a website to vent to, because only people like us will understand how you could go through a surgery and still want to cheat. Good luck!

I had my surgery on December 2010. I too have 3 kids, 15, 8 &6. I was known as a stress eater, unconscious eater, and of course over eater. This surgery has really been a godsend for me. I have lost weight in the past, but always seem to lose the excitement into the journeys and would regain the weight. The Lap-Band has not been an easy way out. If I do not eat slow, chew well, and pick the right things, I am miserable, pain in my chest and/or vomit. If I do the right things when eating , I get full fast, eat very small portions, and feel very satisfied in between meals. It took about 8 months after my surgery to get to that sweet spot with my fill in my lap-band. I now have been losing weight consistently and feel really good. If I try to unconsciously eat, I have a reminder always that I get full fast. I cannot over eat, would just be miserable and almost impossible.

I am very happy decision and glad that this little reminder is in place for the long haul. Good Luck!

I too was alway thin even after my kids. after taking very large does of steroids i doubled my body weight. i had the band 2 years ago i am at goal and just had a lower body lift. would i do it again in a heart beat if u treat your band right it will treat you right