If I am honest with myself....

[Leesa926 72]

So I have been looking into the band vs sleeve and am really stressed on which is best for me. I had my first appointment yesterday and do suggests band but I was leaning sleeve.

Turns out I have to wait 6 months for insurance which I was not happy about but today starting having new thoughts.

I still want to go through with the nutrition class and weigh ins but part of me wonders if I should do this. I have struggled with my weight as most everyone here has but if I am completly honest with myself I have not done ANYTHING to help me loose in a long long time. Sure I belong to WW but havent gone in over a month and wasn't following.

Twice in my life I lost 70 lbs and regained. I regained because I ate bad. Hubby and I have not cooked in I can't tell you how long we are always ordering out and blame it on work. I am up half the night and haven't touched the treadmill I brought a year ago.

I think the surgeries are great when needed and maybe I will need it one day but I think it is best for me to at least attempt to loose weight especially during this 6 months. A woman I know with lap band said it was slow for her but year 1 she lost 40 lbs and another 30 over year 1 & 2. She went on to tell me all about things she cannot eat and as I know how you have to change your lifestyle. I understand that but have I even made a recent attempt?

When I did loose my habits changed. I know where and how I went wrong. I also know surgey isn't a miracle and I need to put in the work. Currently I have no health issues so I know I should be thankful. So for now surgery is something I may choose to do but I want to take this time to make a good solid life choices.

Anyone here opt out of surgery or had decided against only to change their mind

[Bufflehead 6,358]

I looked into lap band about 7 years ago and decided I would instead try to lose weight "on my own." I was successful in losing 85 lbs, but was still no where near my goal weight. Then I started putting the weight back on. I regained everything I had lost plus another 60 lbs. Fast forward 5 years. I looked back into surgery, got my sleeve (my surgeon won't do lap band except in rare cases, he has looked at statistics and believes the lap band is rarely the right surgery) and lost 180+ lbs. I still have a little ways to go but I will get there. This was so the right choice for me, though I am glad I didn't ever get the lap band.

[VSGAnn2014 12,992]

I think if you're going to have WLS, you really have to be all-in to make it successful.

Yes, there are WLS complications for a small minority of patients. Yes, WLS is expensive -- sometimes also expensive when you have insurance. Yes, WLS is permanent and changes a lot of things about what you can eat and drink, when you should do so, how much you can take in at a time, the supplements you must take, etc.

But if all goes well (and it does for most patients), WLS can change your life so positively.

Still ... if you're not ready, please don't do it. Your situation is different from mine. And if I'd been in your situation, I might well feel like you and "try another time like hell to change my lifestyle permanently." You've got a 5% chance to take off your excess weight and keep it off for a year.

And if it doesn't work out for you, you can re-think WLS later.

(This is NOT a snarky post.)

[BizzyB 119]

I'd recommend some research on the band and sleeve. And maybe read some of the forum topics from those who have had to have their band removed and go with a different surgery. It seems to happen with frequency. Certainly something to look into before committing one way or the other. Best of luck to you!

[IcanMakeit 1,318]

I agree that WLS is an extreme step that should only be undertaken by people who are willing to go "all in." The big changes in lifestyle that are required are difficult for many people to adjust to. But if you are serious about losing weight, you'll have to make permanent lifestyle changes anyway. The great thing about WLS is that it makes adjusting to those lifestyle changes easier.

I can't really tell you whether or not you should have WLS or try again to commit to a permanent healthy lifestyle without the aid of surgery. I just know that I'm really glad I chose to go through with the VSG. I have reached a weight that I never thought possible and have been freed from a long list of ailments and reduced abilities.

[sweetie716 270]

I looked into WLS almost 7 years ago, but decided to wait due to several factors including wanting to try again on my own, insurance, and worrying about potential side effects (loose skin especially). I am glad I waited because when I decided I needed to do it, I did not have the same doubt and second-guessing.

The 6 month requirement was very helpful to me. I learned a lot more about specific goals I could work towards that made the transition much easier after surgery. I lost 50 pounds preop. You can always keep going to the appointments, but if you decide you're not ready or that you can keep working on it on your own, then you don't actually have to schedule. Don't push yourself into anything if you're not ready.

[OctoberRust127 48]

What is the DS? Nobody ever talks about that one. I'm just curious.

[judyoz 240]

Dueodium switch.

[Leesa926 72]

Thanks everyone! Vvgann, I didn't take your post as snarky at all appreciate all of the comments.

I know in the past I have not been successful and I really do believe in WLS. I may decide to do it. The reason for the post was more to say I was 100% committed and earlier upset about the 6 month history trying to find an "out". Now I just think I am going to make the best of it - still follow the plan as I will have surgery but put in a real effort. I have seen people worry they will loose too much and not qualify - I don't want to worry about that - what will be will be.

I am committed to making a change, just feel that yes I have done it before but I was looking at my WW trackers (to see if I could use that for insurance) and yes I have been weighing in for the last 6 months but have not even followed 1 full day! That is what I meant by being honest.

I think what hit me was my HR person had lapband and today talked of her experience. She is happy with it but went on about all of the things she cannot eat and throwing up at times. She said it was slow for her but she lost 40 lbs the first year. Last time I put my mind to it I lost 75lbs in 8 months so it had me thinking - what went wrong? I went back to bad choices.

Maybe I cannot keep it off - maybe WLS will as icanmakeit said make it easier but I can take these 6 months to focus and make an informed decision for me.

I appreciate all of your advice and thoughts!

[parisshel 1,892]

I think what hit me was my HR person had lapband and today talked of her experience. She is happy with it but went on about all of the things she cannot eat and throwing up at times. She said it was slow for her but she lost 40 lbs the first year. Last time I put my mind to it I lost 75lbs in 8 months so it had me thinking - what went wrong? I went back to bad choices.

The greatest power of any WLS is that it is much easier to not make the bad choices because your appetite and stomach capacity are lessened. So, while you did take off more weight in 8 months with traditional non surgical dieting than your co worker took off in one year, chances are great that she will not put back her weight, if she remains compliant with her band and keeps her band well-adjusted. This is kind of hard to understand before you've had WLS...this notion of non-hunger..because when we dieted as pre-ops, it was all so dreadful and joyless, that fighting the cravings thing and thinking about all the foods we couldn't have. And then, of course, going off the diet and diving right back into all those foods.

With WLS, you are freed from that mindset. So you go about your day without food occupying your mind. Essentially, a good WLS, well-done, puts you into the mindset of a naturally-slender person. So making the correct choices to get you to a good weight and keep you there are much much easier.

[B-52 7,113]

I have done it on my own numerous times....lost as much as 80 lbs through diets, counseling, classes, etc....each time I gained it back.....I'm talking over a 35 year period.......

WLS was a last resort...I did not want to do it, but I had no choice...all the alternatives were tried and failed.....I simply could not do it on my own...when my health began to severely suffer because of obesity, my PCP suggested it....

Glad he did, I am 100 % successful, have no fear of ever gaining any weight back, never have to diet again!

It did, and still is doing, what I am incapable of doing on my own.

People call this a "Tool" For me, it is quite the contrary....it was "Corrective" surgery. And I cannot be more pleased. with the process and outcome.

[CowgirlJane 14,259]

I am in the camp of being sure you are"all in". I have been astounded by"regret filled post ops" saying things like they should have really tried to lose other ways. I tried a million things (weight watchers was most long term success but I was still obese) that it never crossed my mind I hadn't"tried hard enough". I think being"all in" helps you through rough times.

[CharmedRyan 18]

I have Kaiser for my insurance... When I was looking into surgery and took classes, the surgeons said they don't really do the lapband anymore because it's a failed procedure... They said some people with the lapband would get holes in their stomach where the lapband ring went around and would cause infection. They found problems with the lapband being too invasive. With the sleeve your body just heals. You don't have to keep going back to tighten and loosen and add Water and stuff like that. Hope this helps.

[Soapandcandlequeen 124]

I have gained and lost so many times as much as 80 pounds and regained. I did not consider band because I needed a permanent solution. Just my opinion