Hello,

I've spent the last few days reading numerous posts and thought I'd sign up today and introduce myself. I have been riding the fence regarding the lapband procedure for some time now. My sister was banded 3 years ago and is down to her goal weight and looks fantastic....but can't hold down hardly anything she eats. She says that she has just accepted that as part of the new her. (she vomits after eating ANYTHING)

Six years ago I weighed 130 lbs and thought I was overweight, considering my normal weight for years was around 107 to 110. I am 5'2" and today weigh 210 and climbing. ( i am extremely small boned and have a petite buld, so the weight really HURTS my back, legs and hips) I have been batteling major depression for the last 5 to 6 years and the weight just keeps going up. I have no energy. I now have to sleep with a CPAP machine due to sleep apnea. (real sexy btw) I have high blood pressure. Heart disease and diabetes run in my family. I also am a heavy smoker. I know I will die early unless I make a serious change.

For years I "wanted" to "want" to...if that makes sense. I knew i needed to....but couldnt get to the point where I wanted to make a major committment to anything. Then, last year my husband asked for a divorce. He couldnt live with my depression any longer and was not physically attracted to me anymore. As much as it hurt, I completely understood. My self esteem went from bad to worse.

In Oct. of 06 I attended the mandatory orientation required by the surgeon for the lapband. I did this for my husband, more than myself. I kept coming up with various reasons why I shouldnt or couldnt do it. That is as far as I ever went until today.

I spent the better part of today looking at the before and after pictures on this forum. Wow...what an inspiration. I could honestly see in those pics so much more than weight loss...I saw hope and so much confidence in those who are near or at their goal.

I made an appointment for my psych evaluation for August 6th. The next thing will be to get my medical records for the past 5 years. I am concerned because my PCP has already told me he wouldnt recommend it for anyone. (i need a new doc I guess)

I still have a few major concerns but am determind to follow this through. My biggest fear is the amount of saggy skin that will most likely be left in my tummy. A Tummy tuck probably wont be an option for me since my insurance won't cover it. And...just watching my sister run to the bathroom after every meal bothers me. But this site has shown me that everyone has different experiences and that is probably the exception rather than the rule.

Anyway....I didnt mean to write a book....just wanted to introduce myself and hope to gain lots of support from this group. I'm 45 years old...have 4 children and 4 grandchildren. I need to get healthy for many reasons.

Jacki

Jacki

First let me welcome you to LBT. I am sorry your sister is having trouble, it is not the norm at all. Most will tell you that something is wrong.

Does she have allergies at all by chance? I throw up alot when I do not take my allergy medication.

That being said, I think you should research all of your options, but with any weight loss you may have loose skin. Some people have less than others though.

Hope you find out all that you need to know to make an informed decision! Good luck!

You are taking the first steps to getting healthy. I am sorry that your sister can't keep anything down. Has her Dr. checked her band? I am 47 and have been banded since the 4th of May. I have been very fortunate. I had one problem when I tried eating a small bite of a biscuit the day after I had an adjustment. The pain was horrible and needless to say it came up. Your insurance will pay for the excess skin to be removed if it causes you to have a rash or irritation to the skin. It will not pay for a tummy tuck but having the skin removed would be nice. Check w/ a plastic surgeon when it is time. You may also be surprised at how much of your skin may reduce w/ weight loss. I was so worried about my arms and so far it hasn't been too bad. I am sure they will not be pretty when I get all of my weight off as it is a substantial amount. I feel that in the next few months I will be rolling my sagging breasts up and fitting them into my bra. But, I guess I can "live" w/ that. Hope all goes well for you.

Harleq

well, you definatley came to the right spot! i was banded yesturday and although i hate being laid up i would do it again, the pre-op diet theat i made it through was a tremendous boost of self-esteem and morale.. getting thru this with a great support system was key ....it was amasing how fast my surgery came up i had my consult on july 10th,nut and psh, on 7-16 and pre-op with my MD on 20th and surgery on the 31st ..the nutritionist and the therapist helped me out alot...really take your time with them they will support you and help you with your fears and concerns-

Good luck!

We are close to the same age and I have one granddaughter who is 2 and a grandson due in 6 weeks.

No, it's not normal to vomit after eating. Congrats on her being at goal but she does need to get her fill reduced and make sure she doesn't have a slipped band.

You should be able to eat healthy foods and not vomit afterwards. You will do great and you will love your band. I've had mine for 12 months this month and have lost slow which can be good because I don't have any extra saggy skin and still lost 80 pounds. I have about 40 more to go and it was the best decision I've ever made in my life.

Congrats on your decision and you will do great.

Welcome as well.

Thank you all for the welcome and encouragement. I'm actually getting excited now after reading thru many of the threads.

My sister hasnt had a fill in over a year nor has she returned for a checkup in that time. I'll try to encourage her to go to the doc soon for suggestions. In all honesty she is not motivated because she is at her goal and has just learned to cope.

Looking forward to chatting with others who have had this procedure!

Thanks again for the welcome......I need ALL the encouragement I can get!

Jacki

Good luck on your quest to find the right weight loss for you. Making this work is half emotional and keeping in mind it is for you, not for your husband, the other half is the determination to make this tool work in the right way.

I just got banded two days ago and I can eat soups and liquids without PMing....I worry for your sister because I've never heard of anyone who kept throwing up everything they ate, beleive me, it would have been a turn off for me also.

Good luck!