HOWDEEE Ya'll...

I have really enjoyed reading this board and getting information about lap band surgery. I am seriously considering this surgery and am attending the info session with my doctor here in SC. I am trying a couple more rounds of fertility meds (which make the scale climb...gotta love those hormones....:rolleyes ) and then Lap Band and Adoption are ON!!! Anyway got a couple of questions...mainly just need some advice. So here goes....

1.) I already have GERD and take protonix (40mg a day) along with over the counter stuff when I eat spicy!!! Not sure exactly what is causing the Reflux other than my weight. Several doctors said that I could have a weak LES muscle but no way to check. However, most doctor's think it is the weight like everything else that is wrong with me. Anyway...will Lap band make it worse. I read somewhere that if you have reflux that you should have Bypass...but I am not real sure about that at all!!

2.) I have tried so many diets and have spent so much money on diet pills, plans, and miraclre treatments. Nothing worked!! And none of it worked because I didn't change my less than perfect eating habits. I get motivated for about 6 weeks and then well...life happens. How do I know that this will be a success? I also suffer from PCOS which makes the weight come off very slowly. This contributes to my frustrations.

Any advice you can offer would be greatly appreciated.

I have suffered with reflux for years. I have had no problems since I had the band surgery. I expect that with more weight loss, it will be gone entirely. I asked my doctor about it because I had heard the same thing, he said he has never known of any of his patients having any problems.

As far as number 2. I also have tried everything, from the time I was 8 years old. If you read the post by Big Paul about the truth about the band, your question may be answered. The band is a tool. You still have to work with it and change old habits for it to do it's job best. All it can do is restrict the amount of food you eat. You still have to make better choices and drink alot of Water and try to exercize as much as you can.

Good luck to you with the fertility journey/or adoption as well as with your choice about the band.

But what made this one work for you unlike the others. I am just scared to death of failure. I think I can do it but I thought I could do the others too. Maybe having a "tool" that will keep me from eating too much of the good stuff would be helpful. We eat pretty healthy minus the ocassional treat...I just eat too much of the good stuff. Thanks for your reply.

I can't speak to the reflux, but as for "What made this one work for you unlike the others":

I have not been one of the faster losers on the board, and a large percentage of that is my own fault, as I don't have the strength to work the band quite as hard as alot of people for very long. The good news for me is that when I am able to get motivated, I can pick up right where I left off, because I haven't gained anything. It does not take any effort on my part to maintain. Sure, I eat alot less ice cream than I used to, etc, making better choices in general, but I need to work just a bit harder than that to actually lose, which I am doing now, and it's working.

"I just eat too much of the good stuff" is easily remedied with a band that is properly restricted, because you just can't eat much at a time. You gotta savor your little well chewed bites.

I used to get to the 6 week mark too and then fail, in fact then I'd gain back what I'd lost THEN some.

Like every other single diet I've ever been on my motivation started high on this and waned over time. I lost enormous amounts of weight early on. Know what? Doesnt matter! The thing I've learned is that the major benefit of the lap band is that it gets you through that period. I've far from perfect restriction, and far from perfect eating habits. I got through liquids/mushies and early solids without faltering and then some of my less than perfect habits crept back. But I simply cannot eat enough to stop my weight loss completely or to cause a weight gain. It continues to come off at a slow rate and I cannot even contemplate my worst habits - like a Quarter Pounder, Large fries, large coffee and caramel sundae. I'll never ever be able to eat all that again.

The lap band is so great becuase you dont have to be perfect, you just have to improve. That's all it takes. Some people are more determined, have more self control than others, and some have absolutely none at all for a variety of reasons. But most of us fall in the middle somewhere and will have varying degrees of success with the lap band. I find now as I get to weights I havent seen in 10 years, my motivation and enthusiasm are gearing up again and I'm starting to lose more quickly again.

Rachel, I think I posted to you on OH. My name is Heidi, and Dr. Bour did my surgery.

Anyway, I am glad to see you over here researching the band. It is fabulous!

Rachel~

Adoption is a great thing, but here's a little tidbit I picked up in my reading. Although it is not advised to get pregnant during the first year of being banded; the lapband has been nicknamed the fertility band because many women who have had difficulty conceiving, conceive easily post-banding.

My opinion, I have lots of 'em, If you go for the band you may not have to give up on biological children of your own.

I am still working toward restriction. I haven't gained, or regained any of my post-op loss. That is huge for me. Something that would have been impossible 4 short months ago.

I had reflux so bad I was waking up in the night, drowning in the stuff. It would go up in my sinuses and burn! It was horrible waking up unable to breathe and in so much pain.

I was on Protonix too, which had stopped the reflux. The last Protonix I took was the day before my band surgery. I haven't even had a hint of heartburn since that time. It's been wonderful.

As to whether or not you'll succeed with the band, well... that will be up to you for the most part. But I can tell you that I never succeeded for any real length of time either, prior to the band. Now I reach those points of getting bored, frustrated, upset, etc but there is nothing I can do about it. The band keeps me from stuffing myself like I once did.

You should know that it's very easy to get sweets past the band. Icecream, chocolate... anything that melts or crumbles will most likely slip right through. The band restricts quantity and some foods like breads and pastas. Those were my downfall foods, so the band has worked out great for me. I don't typically care for icecream and chocolate, but there are many here that do and have made the decision to walk away from those foods once and for all. It's amazing what a little restriction and a $20,000 piece of plastic in your tummy will give you the strength to walk away from.

Best of luck to you in your decision.

Yep...Glad to see someone local!!