Hello Everyone!

I have recently started my quest for the LapBand and will have to pay out of pocket. Can you all tell me what is the worst thing that I can expect? :faint: What is the best thing that I can look forward to? :clap2: I have "yo-yo'd" my whole adult life. Do you know of anyone who has gained their weight back after having the LapBand? :cry

As with any WLS....you can beat the bypass AND the band if you set your mind to it. But ideally, that certainly isn't the intent. I have yo-yo'd all OVER the place for the past....uh.....geez....48 :faint:years (good grief, it HAS been that long!). My all time high was 225. I had never really seriously thought about WLS because I figured I was just under the limit to get it done (and believe me, I even thought about TRYING to pack on another 25 pounds to get OVER the limit...I always figured the 100 lbs they talk about was gospel....NOT true). Anyway....let's see....the worst thing....was NOT getting it done much sooner (considering it's only really been around for about 7 years). The BEST thing? OMG....where can I start? And I am only 2.5 months out on my journey.... first of all, I have INCENTIVE knowing I CAN keep it off and it ISN'T a given that it will come back. I have found my will power has tripled. The fact that I was a self-pay ALSO gives me INCREDIBLE incentive to stay the course. Number one I would say is that the weight HAS come off (I kindof figured I would be another one of those "results typical" people who knocked off a few pounds and then stopped altogether....NOT SO!)...I have rethought my idea of losing. Always before I thought...oh no....60-70 pounds to lose? No way. It was like climbing Mount Everest. Since the band I do MINI-GOALS...and LOTS of them. I just hit my goal for August 31 (sooner than I anticipated!) to get to 185. Now I am at 183 and I'm thinking 175 by the end of September (notice my goals are REACHABLE...in fact, usually I sail past them much soooner than my "deadline". I celebrate each and every one and do the happy dance. And then I reflect...I am sitting at 183 and I remember when I CRIED when I hit 199, I was so thrilled to be in One-derland for the first time in 15 years!!!! I remember my happy dance for 205!!! Yeesh! How time flies when you are on your journey! And I have hit plateaus too....those are USUALLY the deal-busters, but now I go, "Okay, your body is taking a rest....I'll go with the flow then kick it up a notch and we'll end this thing after a while." ....and it always does. Today I took all my clothes off and just stood and LOOKED at myelf in the mirror....boy I haven't done that in YEARS! I am actually symmetrical now! Not bad! I'm not a bathing beauty, but I feel pretty darned good about myself. Little over half-way to goal....actually just over 23 pounds till the goal my Doctor wanted...which I didn't agree with...and I am going to DO THIS!!!!

Kacee,

thanks for your reply! You give me hope! I see we are not too far apart in age. My BMI teeters between 34 & 35 I am only 5'1" but have several co-morbidities. I have been worried that the surgeon will tell me to go home and just start dieting. I am sure that the self pay thing will be an incentive for me also!

Congrats on your success! Keep me posted.

I also literally SAILED through my surgery and recovery. I seemed to have an easier time of it than a lot of people half my age (maybe when we get older we just don't complain as much....hahahahaha).

Oh, and if you are a self-pay you don't have to jump through all those darned hoops pre-op. If your surgeon gives you any trouble, there's probably someone else who won't. And you can also get in and get it done quickly. I had to piddle around going through the motions for my insurance (I felt I needed to, even though I knew they would deny me ultimately) and after weeks of that, when I was denied finally, I had a surgery date set within 48 hours and two weeks later I had it done (I could have done it that week, except I wanted to wait until Memorial day and get the extra day off of work...)

The worst for me is not knowing day to day what foods will work and what won't. It's not as bad as it sounds, you just learn to deal with it.

The best is ... not being fat anymore.

I agree!!!!!!

Best: Massive weight loss.

Worst: Having to change a lifetime of habit.

Worst...not being able to eat big quantities of the foods I love.

Best...not being able to eat big quantities of the foods I love.

Really, the best is having to buy new clothes because my old stuff is just too big. There is a huge boost of confidence that goes along with weight loss and knowing that you have a tool to aid you in maintaining that high!

Best: Self Esteem increases due each pound lost

Worst: Learning how my band works so we dont have any more arguments.

The worse thing to expect is PBing. It happens and you have to accept that with the band. The best thing is how easy it will be to lose weight. You will see a big difference in a short amount of time. Good luck.