Hello,

I am a 20 year old normal girl. I live in Cleveland, Ohio with my boyfriend and work as a banker. I am not comfortable in my own skin. I am very overweight and I feel as if I have exhausted all my options. Ive dieted, bought a treadmill, punching bag and weight bench. Still nothing. I need some sort of guidance. I don't know if Lapband surgery is right for me. I am very apprehensive and lost. My boyfriend doesn't think it is a good idea. I just don't know where else to turn. I feel so helpless. No matter what I do, the weight doesn't go anywhere. Its getting so bad, that I'm starting to have body pains, feeling fatigued all the time, just all over heavy. I'm worried about my health. I just feel sick. I am only 5 foot 3 inches, and weigh about 260 lbs. SOMEONE PLEASE HELP....

Sincerely,

Fed up.

well, you have come to the right place for answers! Why does your bf think it's a bad idea? Most people have no clue really what the lapband entails. That includes some people who get the lap band thinking it's a cure all. Well, it isn't. It's a tool that will help you lose the weight, but it still takes work on your part. You are only 20, you are so young and fortunate to have this available to you. I wish it was around when I was 20! Fast forward 26 years and I couldn't be happier than I am now. I would of and never could have imagined myself only being 9 pounds away from a normal BMI. But I am and I am so thankful for my band! I wish the best for you. And remember it is for you, it's your decision. The bottom line is that it's your health and your happiness that you have to look out for.

_{Thank you so much Holly. Your kind words mean a lot. He is hesitant because he's scared there are going to be complications involved with the surgery and he doesn't want anything bad to happen to me. He is overweight as well. I just need some kind of help. I think the lapband would be a good gateway for better things. But there is a lot other things I am worried about. Like Cost? Being out of work for a certain period of time? Recovery time and journey? I guess i just am all over nervous.}

it sounds like you should attend a lap band seminar. see if there are any in your area. that will answer a lot of your questions.

feel free to PM for any other questions. best wishes to you.

jennifer

I was out of work for 1 week. My brother had it done and went back to work the next day, but he is crazy like that! Most definitly it will be a gateway for better things. Like not being tired, being comfortable in your own skin, not having body pain. All those things you mentioned that you already have. Besides being able to walk into a store and buy some really cute clothes, being able to tie your shoes with no problem, walking up stairs without huffing and a puffing, liking what you see in the mirror and not avoiding the mirror! All those things are miinor though in comparison to just being overall a much healthier person. Invest in yourself, you are worth it!

I agree with Holly, the lapband for me was an opportunity to gain back my life which was getting more and more restricted as the years went on. The complications for remaining overweight far outweigh any that the lap band could muster up. The only real risk to you is from the surgery its self like any surgery would pose risks. The lap band is classed as a minor operation and the insertion of a small bracelet size peice of plastic around your stomach like a belt around your waist. To me at 57 yrs young it was still no worse than having a wisdom tooth out. At your age you should be enjoying life to the full and not having to worry about your weight.

I would sieze the opportunity, investigate everything you need to know, just read this forum for loads of useful info and make an informed decision based on what you need/want to do for you:)

My other half lost 75lbs just from eating the same foods as me, just he ate more of them ofc maybe u and your boyfriend could do this together as a couple and u both could benefit.

Lapband is the least intrusive of all the weight loss surgery, I only wish it had been around when i was your age good luck !

Cazzy, I was thinking the same thing too. Get your bf on board, research this out together and maybe he will decide it may be a good decision for himself to have it done. Nothing better than having someone to go through it with. And better yet, you live together! What more could you ask for?!

I know my significant other was hesitant at first as well, but after he watched an actual video of the surgery, he was more at ease. Even though I had explained to him that it was very minimal, he didn't really buy it until the video. If you'd like to watch one, search youtube.

I will give some advice and tell you my experience that I wish someone would have told me a year ago. I was in your same shoes at this time a year ago. I had heard in the radio about True Results lap band surgery and how it was an affordable option and they were having a special price. I requested an appointment and was blown away by the entire procedure and the fact that it seemed affordable. Although I had insurance, I was told that it could take more than six months to qualify for the procedure, and at this point of my life i was DESPERATE to start loosing. I did not want to wait for the insurance to approve and I wanted the procedure right away.

I financed the lap band procedure and had it done in March 15, 2011. This facility did bill my insurance for some of the cost because according to them the Doctor also had to repair a hietal hernia which I never had symptoms for. And honestly there is no way of proving that I had it.

To make the story short, I lost a total of 20 lbs with the lap band. This particular facility advised me to ONLY eat Protein lean meat for my three small meals. No carbs at all, no milk, no nothing. I got fed up of only eating meat and protein, and as soon as I started eating carbs I gained the weight back. Plus, this facility does not do the fillins with the barium drink and xray, which is a huge difference. They only fill you little by little which can take a long time for you to actually feel some kind of restriction. By the way, there are different sized of lap bands.

At this point of the journey, I have attended two seminars for the gastric bypass. I have learned so much. The lap band is not the only procedure out there for you. There is the gastric bypass and I forgot the name of the other one. Although there are complications, I have come to learn that the lap band also has its complications. I have also come to learn that insurances usually only cover ONE weight loss procedure per LIFETIME. Which means if the lap band does not work for you, then you are out of luck, because they will not cover you to have another procedure done. And sometimes even if you pay for the first procedure cash, they will not cover you to have a procedure done because it is much more risky and they do not wish to cover those costs.

PLEASE do your research. Do not rush into anything. Go to various seminars and get to know the surgeon. Look up information on him. Ask him what size of lap band he uses. And if the fills ins are done under the xray machine with the drink or just little fills every two weeks. Trust me, those little fills do not work. It is amazing what you can see under the xray.Consider the other two surgeries and look into them. I am not looking forward to getting my gastric bypass and having to go through all of that pain. It is very painful. I was out 3 weeks when I had the lap band surgery due to severe pain under my rib cage on the left hand side, which is unusual. I have never seen my surgeon anymore since my 1 week post op. Make sure that you get informed and that way you can make a wise decision.

I hope this info helps you.

Hi Dani bee,

The first thing you should do is contact your insurance company to see if they cover weight loss surgery and if they do, ask about the requirements to have it. Then you should make an appointment with your primary care doctor to discuss it. Your doc may know of some great surgeons and can refer you. You should definitely go to a seminar. My surgeon also has a "webinar" if you want to check it out. It is pretty informative and you can check it out at www.bidmc.org/wls. Keep doing your research so you can be prepared and make a well-informed decision. Good luck!!

You might want to remind your boyfriend that while complications from bariatric surgery are infrequent and unpredictable, the health consequences (including early mortality) of obesity are almost guaranteed.