:help: Hello,

My user name should tell you how happy I am with myself. It was a nick name I collected in school (35+ yrs ago) and is much more true today. I have always been overweight. I would love to hear from folks who have had this procedure. I should say that I am not usually hungry when I eat, I just love to eat. Depressed, I eat. To celebrate, I eat. Whatever, I eat! Is there any hope for me? I am somewhere close to 80 lbs over weight. I would love to be thin just one time in my life and feel really good about myself. I have made 3 appts with a lap band surgeon and have cancelled all 3. Scared, uncertain and going crazy. Please let me hear from somebody like me!

Thanks,

FatPat

Pat,

The fact that you are wanting to do something different is a step in the right direction. I have been technically overweight since I was 16. Even today if I get to 185 lbs, I would still be in excess of 25 BMI - but would I be happy?

In the last 3 years I have been through the Kaiser Optifast Program - which I lost 50 lbs - but the couselling to me was I crock. We spent each week talking about why we eat (emotions and stuff like that), but I don't eat like that. food is not what make me feel different, I just ate too much. Next I went to Sharp's HMR program - NOW I got the couselling I needed... portion control and better eating. I am comfortable with what I learned will help me maintain any weight loss, but now I need to lose it.

I was resigned to the fact I would go through the Bypass or RNY, but when I read about (and met the doctor) about lap band, I felt better about my decision. With Bypass and RNY, you need to take Vitamins for the rest of your life, and have to watch what you eat, since some of those things you like will cause you to become ill.

Lap-Band doesn't have those restrictions - Yes you will need to eat more sensibly, and in smaller portions, but your body will still get the nutrients and vitamins from your food intake.

Good luck in your decision.

Darrin

Pat,

I have been overweight my entire life. I have dieted and dieted like everyone else here but it all came back and more. I'm like you that anytime something happens, good, bad, stressful, etc. I would eat. I attended the lapband seminar with my sister in November, 2005. I had no expectations going in at all about it but I went, I listened to the doctor, his nurses and people who have had the procedure done and realized after the two hours was up that this was for me. I attended the support group meetings, read lots and lots of information about the lap band and familiarized myself with all that was going to happen to me. I had the surgery on April 6, 2006 and even after two months, I have not regretted my decision at all. I have lost 33 pounds and have not felt deprived at all. When I'm working or at home during the daytime, I rarely even think about food. The nights are still a little tough, but I am keeping myself busy so that if the head hungries start rearing up, I am gaining control every day. I can honestly say that for the first time in years, I am eating right and healthy now. I occassionly allow myself a treat, maybe once a week or every other week, I am not willing to tell myself that I cannot have something ever again, I know I'm not strong enough for that. I can tell you though, food is not on my mind constantly and I am so happy I let my sister convince me to go with her to start this journey. I got approved for surgery quickly, recovered quickly, no problems at all. I can eat anything at this point (except for evil, evil pizza Hut pizza that I was craving really badly, that didn't work well at all). I was a big sweets eater (cookies, cake, pie, pastries) and right now and I hope for a long time, even though I allow myself a treat every once in a while, I really don't crave them much at all. I've got more energy, my confidence is myself is enormously high, I've got big plans for the future to finally do things that I have always wanted to do and this band will allow me to do these things. I am planning in August of 2007 to go whitewater rafting and I am not about to give up this dream.

Go meet with the surgeon, see what he has to say and decide from there if this is right for you. For me, this was my last real shot at being given a chance to be a normal sized person and I don't regret taking this step at all. Good luck with your journey and with whatever you decide to do.

Hi,

I am being banded in just one week and I am excited. I've been on the pre-op diet and it has been really interesting to me that I haven't even thought about Pepsi and I haven't been ravenous, there is a certain freedom I've experienced because I haven't had to think about food and dieting and weight every min. of every waking hour. All my journal entries, for over half my life sound the same, "I've got to lose weight", or "this time I'm going to stick to my diet" or "this has got to be the last diet I have to go on" and I've dieted and lost and ALWAYS gained it back with a little extra, a little extra weight, a little extra depression, a little extra pain in my back and feet, a little extra obstruction in my throat etc. MY hope for the band is that I can begin to eat and think and live in a normal fashion. I want to do something besides think about my weight. We all know how to lose weight, the band helps to KEEP IT OFF.

I've been researching the band for about a year and my dad keeps bugging me about it till finally when my husband said if I wanted it we'd find a way to pay for it, I jumped on it and that was about three weeks ago. Good luck with your research and decision.

Rett

Hi Pat,

I can understand your uncertainty as I am sure most of us can. I am due to be banded Friday and I am still scared. I keep telling myself I can do this but when I read some of the horror stories, I doubt my decision again. I finally decided I am not going to look back. If I don't go through with this, I know I will regret it. Also, with high blood pressure, who knows how long til I have serious complications. You have to do what is best for you and your family. Good luck with your decisions.

:help: Hello,

My user name should tell you how happy I am with myself. It was a nick name I collected in school (35+ yrs ago) and is much more true today. I have always been overweight. I would love to hear from folks who have had this procedure. I should say that I am not usually hungry when I eat, I just love to eat. Depressed, I eat. To celebrate, I eat. Whatever, I eat! Is there any hope for me? I am somewhere close to 80 lbs over weight. I would love to be thin just one time in my life and feel really good about myself. I have made 3 appts with a lap band surgeon and have cancelled all 3. Scared, uncertain and going crazy. Please let me hear from somebody like me!

Thanks,

FatPat

Hi Pat!

I was, and still am an emotional eater. The band does not stop this, sadly. It does however give me more control over the portions I consume, and provided I make good choices (and exercise), I lose weight. At 16 months out, I am almost at goal. It can be done.

It took me a few cancelled appointments before I finally got to the surgeon. And if you have any doubts, it is the right thing to do. This is a life changing surgery.

I wish you the best of luck in your journey!

Hello FatPat

Only you can decide what you need to do. For myself, I considered it my last option. I had been on the dieting yo-yo for 35 years. I wasn't an obese child. I didn't start gaining weight until I was in my 30's. Then the dieting roller coaster began. My adult daughter said she doesn't remember my ever not being on some diet or other. I am not an emotional eater. I don't binge. But I can't stop eating when I get started. food just tastes so good.

My mother died at age 84, and had always been pretty heavy. The last 20 years she suffered a lot of medical conditions that were in one way or another weight related. I started connecting the dots and decided that I really didn't want to follow that path. Yes, I could go on yet another diet, but didn't see that the end result would be any different. The weight would come back ... with friends.

Now, today I am 60 years old. My band is new. I am still in the healing phase, but I am losing weight and feeling full. I think the recovery is taking a little longer for me. If I were 30 years younger, I think I would bounce back sooner. But, mostly it just means a little more resting.

To me, the band is going to give me happy healthy retirement years, not sitting on the sidelines.

Dear Pat

Alot of us have been over weight most of our lives, :phanvan think of the changes that the band will give you.:rose: I am quite nervious myself but i going for it. I want a life and famility. I am unable to concieve due to my weight and a really want a child and to walk into a cloth shop and fit into something. Anytime you need a chat e-mail me i am in the same position.:girl_hug: Be strong we will succeed:nervous

hugs Lana

God bless

I've learned a lot about myself through this lapband journey. I am definitely an emotional eater. In fact, I just like shopping for groceries.

But my doctor cleared it up for me....I've been overweight since a toddler. Honestly...and I mean HONESTLY, in ten years where would I be...with an even slower metabolism...even more wear and tear on my body? The honest answer to that question gave me courage to take the first step of this journey.

Go Pat! Keep that surgeons appointment. You will be glad that you did. Get yourself as educated as you can. Sometimes, fear of the unknown, is worse than the actual reality!!! You already know that saying. Speak to the surgeon and see what he has to say. Ask questions.

I've also been an emotional eater and over eater. The band has helped me limit my quanities. I've lost 76 pounds in 9 months and have another 20 or so to go. I still have my moments of emotional eating, however I can't eat NEAR the amounts of pre-band.

Shawn