Well I was on my pre-op diet and had a surgery date set for Friday October 28, 2011 but I called and cancelled everything. I have just been extremely worried about the "long term" of this surgery. I have done alot of research and I dont think i should do it so I talked it over with my family. I am very sad about it because I was looking to starting a new life but I just cant see or afford to have ANYTHING go wrong either during or after surgery. I just keep thinking about what is going to happen when I have had the band for 10 to 20 years is I make it that long. I know it will eventually stretch once at its maximum fill. so then what? I have to pay to have ANOTHER surgery to be rebanded and take that chance of complications all over again. I jsut read alot of negative things about this surgery, short term and long term, and it has made me change my mind. I hope i am not making a huge mistake because i am now lost at what to do!

I was you 6 months ago, I am going to tell you what my hubby said to me " Honey will you please stop worrying. You figured out how to get the money to have this surgery and if you need to have it removed you will figure that out too! Worrying won't get you anywhere!!!" He was so right, I picked an excellent doctor and follow the rules and haven't worried one second since the day I got that surgery. Here I am 50 lbs lighter spending all my (what if I need to have the band removed money) on new clothes.....lol

You have nothing to fear but fear itself!

I should have kept reading....congrats and keep us posted.

well i do think about my health in the future and where i will be being this over weight but i am just soooooooo scared about having complications. i do not have insurance and do not know what i would do if i were to have problems. i am a very skeptical person i know, i always think, WHAT IF i am one of the people that the band just doesnt sit well with me. what if it doesnt work for me and i have to have it taken out and then i have wasted $10,000. i dont know. i just and so confused and scared and anxious on what to do. this is a very hard time for me. not knowing what the best thing to do should be.???

The best advice I can give to either of you is that you MUST work through the issues that make you eat. If you don't nothing will make you lose weight without putting your life in jeopardy. Cause everytime you push that band you are putting your health in jeopardy. I am at rock bottom in this learning process. Follow the surgery with support here or a tops program or over-eaters anonymous. Or meetings through your surgeon.

Be sure when you find yourself met with those who discuss how to cheat the band you confront them for you and them. This surgery is about staying alive for most people who have it.

Let us know how you are doing on your journey and don't stop posting cause you think you have got it! You never will have it without support and staying on top of it!

Once you get it pass on what you learn!

Eating slowly and taking small bites comes with practice after being banded. I tried and tried to get used to it before surgery. There was no way to prepare for it until I had some feedback from the band. Please don't let this scare you, as I don't mean it to, but if you take a bite that is too big, and it hurts, you learn to take smaller bites, because it DOESN'T hurt. If you eat too fast and it causes you to get stuck, you learn quite quickly NOT to do that.

Pasta? Yes, I eat it. Sometimes lasagna gives me problems, it's just a little too doughy for me. But other pasta dishes are no problem. Some doctors have a very strict diet for you to follow. Mine does not. I am not on a low carb diet or anything like that. I do not have any foods that are "illegal" or "bad"...I eat what I want. I don't want to eat eat white meat chicken--it gets stuck, and I had a very bad break up with bagels, they are just way too doughy. I try to make healthy choices, eat to where I am satisfied (note...I did not say full), and shocker to many bandsters--I sip liquids with my meals. And my doctor is aware of it.

He is so pleased with my results, he's asked me to come speak at his next Pre-op Educational Seminar next week. So, don't let all the rules scare you. But, until you are sure, don't proceed. I am quite sure you are not the first to stop or delay surgery to think things over!