I've just found this wonderful forum, and have my surgical consult/psyc eval/dietician appt coming up on 1/10/07. I'm really fighting the urge to cancel this appt. My weight has fluctuated for the past 17 yrs from 185-225. My problem is compulsive overeating. I can do wonderfully with a diet/exercise program for about 3 mos - loose weight - then something sends me right back to my destructive binging/sedentary behaviors. This has been my cycle for all these years.

I'm sure I have a whole area of emotional issues that I have not yet had the time or energy to explore, and I keep thinking that maybe I sould try to work on these before going the surgery route. I know how to eat healthy, but my binging behavior sabatoges my dieting efforts. When I'm able to emotionally, I really love to exercise. I keep questioning why I can't consistantly maintain a healthy lifestyle.

My BMI is "just barely over" 35, and I do have hypertension and depression. I just want this cycle to stop and to be free from these issues I've suffered with for so long. Is this surgery the answer?

:party:

Hey Sophie -

Your story and your pattern is familiar to me... Only I did the same thing for another several years and another 100 pounds or so. Lose 20 lbs, gain 30....

I think the surgery is a great thing. While I am not the MOST compliant bandster, I am still losing - and when I get off track - it isn't like it was in the bad old days when I would lose weight and then gain it all back in a month. Now - once the weight is gone, it's pretty much gone for good.

It fluctuates a bit - due to Water retention and stuff - but really it is gone. So - even if you just float for a month or two without LOSING - you probably won't gain. (you have to almost work at gaining...) When you are ready to be motivated again, you get to start from where you left off - not from back at square one.

Think long and hard - research a lot. Make your own decision. While I think this is a great surgery, and I wish every day that it had been available to me 10 yrs ago - it will only be a good option for YOU if you believe that it will work, and that you will work with the band.

Best of luck in your research and in your decision.

**Maro - I tossed them on January 1. THROW THEM OUT. Cookies are not your friend. Hugs!

PPL Queen, you look GREAT! I would definately not condiser you a "band failure." Great job on the exercise! I'll need to work hard re: binging behaviors and head hunger and want to start now, before my surgery. I've heard of a new book called "Body Clutter" by Leanne Ely. Does anyone else know of some good books to deal with emotional eating, etc?

Is eating too much the main cause of erosion with the LB? I would think (hope) the fear of that would stop me.

ReneBean, I'm hoping to break the pattern we've struggled with asap, as I know the consequences. My mother is "morbidly obese" and is having so many physical and medical problems. She is against me having this surgery, and will not do it for herself. I'm hoping that she will see that it isn't so bad and that I can also inspire her to do something about her health. Your post is very encouraging to me.

My consult with the surgeon went well. He thought I would be a "good candidate." He mentioned that he's done only 60 lap-bands, but over 800 laproscopic bypass surgeries. Should I be concerned with his experience?

I wasn't very impressed with the dietician, and the psychologist didn't show, so I didn't even get to see him. That bothered me a bit. I have a tentative surgery date of March 5. They are working on getting insurance approval, and may bump my date up if there's a cancelation.

I feel I've made the decision to go forward, as long as my insurance will cover the procedure. I'm going through some strange things in my mind right know. My best friend called me neurotic yesterday!! I don't know if that's the case, but I do tend to overthink things. One and 1/2 months may be way to long to put myself through this mental anguish!