So I've been SO ready and so excited for my August 5th surgery date for lap band- however lately I've been having 2nd thoughts. Every once in a while I think "forget it, I can't do this" and then I see how many people feel like its the best decision they ever made! Well today I googled about finding men in my area who've been banded (I'd just like to get to know people and I'm single so it was worth a try) but instead I found a forum where People were writing how the band ruined their lives - they almost died - and most said at no fault of their own... Idk what to do!! I'm panicking and so afraid! I know all the ways it can be great but now I know even more ways it can be awful!!! Does everyone have this fear??

Yes I had fear. But mainly I was excited about changing my life.

I think you need to go into this with your eyes wide open. You need to know all the possible things that go wrong. You need to be prepare for the worst. And then you need to put the 'worst' into context: complications only happen to about 5 out of every 100 people who get the band, and many are minor enough to be resolved without much fuss.

I was one who had a complication. I'm grateful it didn't have long term effects and was relatively easily fixed. I don't blame the band for me gaining weight as a result of the band failure, the band works while it's working, but it's not some magic weight loss injection, all it did was help. When it stopped working, it meant it was all on me, and I don't blame the band for that either.

That's the thing I think: people don't take the responsibility for their weight loss. They hope that the band will fix all their ills, and it doesn't work that way. So when it doesn't because they didn't put in their part, they blame the band for failing them.

I have definitely seen my share of people for whom the band has failed them, BUT I see a WHOLE lot more people who consistently fail themselves, which has very little to do with the band itself.

So you need separate the good from the bad and figure out what's best for you.

So I've been SO ready and so excited for my August 5th surgery date for lap band- however lately I've been having 2nd thoughts. Every once in a while I think "forget it, I can't do this" and then I see how many people feel like its the best decision they ever made! Well today I googled about finding men in my area who've been banded (I'd just like to get to know people and I'm single so it was worth a try) but instead I found a forum where People were writing how the band ruined their lives - they almost died - and most said at no fault of their own... Idk what to do!! I'm panicking and so afraid! I know all the ways it can be great but now I know even more ways it can be awful!!! Does everyone have this fear??

everyone will not be successful at the band. This surgery as well as all others has risk. The risk is very small compared to bypass and sleeve. I had no problems with my surgery I was up the third day driving and going to the store. Every person is different but believe me it was a piece of cake for me. I am happy I did it and would od it again if I had to.

I was very excited. My surgery was scheduled for around 1-3pm and I was not taken until 6:30-7:00pm. I almost cancelled because of the hold up. Turned out the sleeve surgery before me had problems. I am so happy I had the band. In 2 weeks will be my 1 year!! I don't regret anything except I could be better with my eating and exercises. Me being bad no one else's fault.

Go for it! You have come this far and it will get better. Just think of clothes shopping for real deals in smaller sizes. I love that! A year ago I wore size 20w jeans and now wear a 14. I love it. I find bargains that when larger I couldn't.

Banded: July 10 2013: I had my concerns going in. What will I be able to eat afterwards? Will I ever have to have surgery again? Will I be able to eat afterwards? How many times will I be poked with a needle? Can I have a steak, Im starving on this pre op diet? This is going to improve my health right? Will this shrink my top half? Why are my fat rolls shifting downwards as I lose weight? Can I drink milk? You know important stuff like that. *Smile* With any surgery there are risks. As long as you communicate with your doctor, stay on top of your appointments, have a good support system, and be patient, I think you will do just fine. As I have stated in all my other posts, Love yourself in the now and good things will follow. Now on to the important stuff: is there a lap band love connection site? I would be very interested.

Thanks everyone so much!! I feel like I've known the risks and what the band does and doesn't do!! I've prepared myself... But now that's its 3 weeks away I'm having such fears of worst case scenarios!!

Tigers * I wish I knew about the love connection site!!! I'd love to have support and even more so from a relationship - but I just found negative things when I put that into google lol and my whole day got side tracked!!! It made me so anxious I started to hope my insurance would just deny me so It would make the decision for me... Lol but you've all put my thoughts back on the positive track!! Thank you for that!

So I've been SO ready and so excited for my August 5th surgery date for lap band- however lately I've been having 2nd thoughts. Every once in a while I think "forget it' date=' I can't do this" and then I see how many people feel like its the best decision they ever made! Well today I googled about finding men in my area who've been banded (I'd just like to get to know people and I'm single so it was worth a try) but instead I found a forum where People were writing how the band ruined their lives - they almost died - and most said at no fault of their own... Idk what to do!! I'm panicking and so afraid! I know all the ways it can be great but now I know even more ways it can be awful!!! Does everyone have this fear??[/quote']

Hi Connie, 1-what site is this? 2- I was banded on 7/10/13 already dropped 18.8 lbs im NOT in a lot pain. We did all the pre op testing to make sure our bodies & mind are ready for this journey. Stay positive as this was my cherry flavored "Life Saver".

Sent from my SAMSUNG GALAXY S3 using LapBandTalk

So I've been SO ready and so excited for my August 5th surgery date for lap band- however lately I've been having 2nd thoughts. Every once in a while I think "forget it' date=' I can't do this" and then I see how many people feel like its the best decision they ever made! Well today I googled about finding men in my area who've been banded (I'd just like to get to know people and I'm single so it was worth a try) but instead I found a forum where People were writing how the band ruined their lives - they almost died - and most said at no fault of their own... Idk what to do!! I'm panicking and so afraid! I know all the ways it can be great but now I know even more ways it can be awful!!! Does everyone have this fear??[/quote']

I admit I am with you on that! But, I keep reminding myself of how much my life will change and for the better. Yes this is surgery and we don't know the future but, I'm going to die out of misery if I try to stay the way I am. Plus I could get into a car accident and die or become seriously impaired. Yet we still drive. I think there is always risk and knowing what they are so you can be prepared is key. From what I have noticed the band is high maintenance and as long as you do what you know is right aka what the doctor said you will succeed. I also believe this is a tool that we have to use in order for it to work right.

I am a little scared because I have heard some bad stories too but I don't know if that is going to happen to me. I tried for several years to lose weight and couldn't. I'm ready to just move on and if this band is said to help I am thankful and will accept the help. I just can't be this woman that is in the mirror anymore. I want better. We deserve better.

Thanks again every body!!! Really helps so much to calm my nerves!!! The site was actually not a forum- it's called big fat deal blog ... Bfdblog.com I think and titled- the dark side of Lapland... Scary stuff!!

Lots of good stuff on this thread

Connie26 I have had second thoughts as well.. Particularly after losing 17 pounds in the last 10 days. If I can do that maybe I can go all the way on my own right?

Being scared is so normal. You will look back after the surgery and wonder why you were so scared. My only regret is I wish I would have had the surgery years ago!!!!

Being scared is so normal. You will look back after the surgery and wonder why you were so scared. My only regret is I wish I would have had the surgery years ago!!!!

That's reassuring.. Thanks

I never had problems with losing weight, which I think is why I did well with the band. What I had problems with was keeping it off. Watching what I eat and starving myself for the rest of my life wasn't something I could do. Something would happen, I'd get stressed and I'd gain it all back plus some. Always plus some!

My band was leaking last year and leaked for 15 months. I gained back 35lbs. I can tell you, I would have gained a lot more than that had I not been a bandster all these years and developed some good eating habits. I also arrested the weight gain and went on to lose 15lbs of that on my own. And I did wonder: can I do this myself? But the truth is, now I have a replacement band in, losing/maintaining is easier. It just is with a band. I don't even have to count calories, it maintains my weight easily.

That's the difference I think.