All,

Good day! I have been reading this forum for the past several days. I am 37 years old (Male), 5'10"tall, BMI 41, a cholesterol level that is a bowling score 288, and I have had it. I have been gaining weight since my junior year of high school. (approx 20years) Since I hit 30 my weight was 210lbs and gaining. Now at 37 years old and I am pushing 300lbs and I am concerned that I am going to end up in the hospital with one thing or another (heart attack, stroke, diabetes, or even worse..death) My wife has said to me....either way you will visit a hospital one day. We just had a baby girl and my outlook on life has changed. I am trying to lose weight via Weight Watchers for the 50th time....seems like a vicious cycle that is always hanging over my head.

I will cut to the chase....I want to live and change my life. I am not going to sit and watch myself die of an obsession that I have with food. I am an impulse eater who eats like a idiot when I am stressed.

My doc says I should consider the LapBand. Huh I said to myself.....me....LapBand?????

It scared the stuffing out of me. Cumming from a person who has a phobia about throwing up....uuuuhhhhh! No way....not me....can't do it. This is a major concern of mine. It quite frankly scares the crap out of me.

This type of practice has to stop. I want to feel better and know that I do not have to buy 3X cloths for the rest of my life. I want to be a father for my little girl and grow old with my wonderful wife.

I am sick of the diet yo-yo that I have dealt with for over 15+ years. Being overweight has also had an impact on many other aspects of my life. I am not the person I used to be.

My wife is right....you will end up in the hospital one way or another. Well put...she is right. She mentioned to me that you should do it on your terms and not on a emergency...avoid this while you have a chance.

I am just on the fence...scared....concerned....and confused. I have health insurance that will fully cover the procedure.

aaahhhhhhh any suggestions or thoughts would be great.

You know the position I am in now....what did you do at this point?

Confused,

Mike (Fish)

Location Noth West NJ

Hi Mike,

I know how you feel. I thought the same way as you, me have the lap band? yea right! I also had no health issues, but like you I am sure they are coming. Well let me tell you, I have been banded for a week now, down 12pds and feeling better everyday! I started at 283, and my insurance also covered it 100%. My thinking was that I have tried every diet, some more than once and I was at my last straw, and then I found out my ins pays 100%, what do I have to lose? If this doesn't work it can be removed. So I feel like I am in win win situation. I can say for myself, I am so glad I did it! But I am also just a week out. Hopefully some other people can give you some insite that have been banded longer than me.

Hope this helps and good luck to you whatever you decide!

Tonya

Mike, I too have the same issues, except I'm alittle older than you...hmm. Anyway, my Doc also recommended lap-band. So I looked into it. Now here I am just 3 weeks away from being banded and I can't wait to start my life. I too want to live long, enjoy retirement with my husband and actually see my children have children and so on. I think you are making the right choice.

All,

Good day! I have been reading this forum for the past several days. I am 37 years old (Male), 5'10"tall, BMI 41, a cholesterol level that is a bowling score 288, and I have had it. I have been gaining weight since my junior year of high school. (approx 20years) Since I hit 30 my weight was 210lbs and gaining. Now at 37 years old and I am pushing 300lbs and I am concerned that I am going to end up in the hospital with one thing or another (heart attack, stroke, diabetes, or even worse..death) My wife has said to me....either way you will visit a hospital one day. We just had a baby girl and my outlook on life has changed. I am trying to lose weight via Weight Watchers for the 50th time....seems like a vicious cycle that is always hanging over my head.

I will cut to the chase....I want to live and change my life. I am not going to sit and watch myself die of an obsession that I have with food. I am an impulse eater who eats like a idiot when I am stressed.

My doc says I should consider the LapBand. Huh I said to myself.....me....LapBand?????

It scared the stuffing out of me. Cumming from a person who has a phobia about throwing up....uuuuhhhhh! No way....not me....can't do it. This is a major concern of mine. It quite frankly scares the crap out of me.

This type of practice has to stop. I want to feel better and know that I do not have to buy 3X cloths for the rest of my life. I want to be a father for my little girl and grow old with my wonderful wife.

I am sick of the diet yo-yo that I have dealt with for over 15+ years. Being overweight has also had an impact on many other aspects of my life. I am not the person I used to be.

My wife is right....you will end up in the hospital one way or another. Well put...she is right. She mentioned to me that you should do it on your terms and not on a emergency...avoid this while you have a chance.

I am just on the fence...scared....concerned....and confused. I have health insurance that will fully cover the procedure.

aaahhhhhhh any suggestions or thoughts would be great.

You know the position I am in now....what did you do at this point?

Confused,

Mike (Fish)

Location Noth West NJ

I think you should get a Lap-Band.

Mike,

Let me tell you that I was so AGAINST any type of WLS bc my Dad almost died on the table 5 years ago. I was determined to lose the weight on my own and I did...I lost 110lbs but then within 4 years I gained 80 back. So, I started stubbornly thinking about lap band.

Once I started to think about it, the life I have to live and all the things I want to be able to do like a normal person...I decided to go with it. I haven't looked back since.

The only regret that I have is not doing it sooner.

I know you will make the right decision. Keep researching and thinking about it.

Good luck!!!!

Each of us has a different path to take...... go to a couple seminars, attend a support group.......... get some Water and read this board til your eyes bleed......... then make your decision.

I will say this....... I beat myself up for 2 years because I couldn't maintain a loss.... and now that I've crossed over to bandland

I LOVE MY BAND! I LOVE MY BAND!!!

I LOVE MY BAND!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Thanks for the comments and suggestions. I really am doing some heavy thinking. I wonder what it is to be a 100lbs. lighter than I am now. I just want to be healthy and I have this food obsession. Let’s just say it is a need to eat out of nervousness or just something to do. I don’t know what snapped when, but I do know that my life is all about food. It would be a good thing if I was not the weight I was now and my body metabolized everything I ate. Then I would be just fine. But it is not that way and I have been struggling for a long time.

Here are some of my fears as listed below:

*No more soda…funny as it may seem, but I love diet coke

*No more Beer….dam that would be an upset

*No more bread…so I hear that white bread is like eating a football (not good)

*Tossing my cookies due to blockage PBing as it is called

I have a fear of throwing up…or any variation of that (phobia of mine)

*The unknown and change…I am not one whom takes well to sudden change, but can deal with it when prompted.

What if the band does not work and I am sick as a result?

I don’t know….well…I guess I do know. What I am doing now is not the solution. I am obsessed with food and I have failed at every attempt of keeping weight off. If I keep on going the way I am I will have serious problems.

I also feel that the way I treat others has a lot to do with my self esteem. It is shot and I feel like whoopla. I am less depressed when I sit and wallow in my comfort food only to temporarily make me happy. It is a vicious circle because the food only makes me feel like more of a lump of crap when I stand on the scale and see the numbers turn like a slot machine. I surround my life around food. I do admit…but I want it to change. I want other things to make me happy as I am only 37 years old and have a long life to live.

I guess discussing my fears on this board is making me think even more. Reading the success and what you have done to improve your lives just makes me think. Can I be another success sory…can I…can I????

I have babbled enough for now.

Thanks for the suggestions and comments. It helps……

Thanks for the comments and suggestions. I really am doing some heavy thinking. I wonder what it is to be a 100lbs. lighter than I am now. I just want to be healthy and I have this food obsession. Let’s just say it is a need to eat out of nervousness or just something to do. I don’t know what snapped when, but I do know that my life is all about food. It would be a good thing if I was not the weight I was now and my body metabolized everything I ate. Then I would be just fine. But it is not that way and I have been struggling for a long time.

Here are some of my fears as listed below:

*No more soda…funny as it may seem, but I love diet coke

*No more Beer….dam that would be an upset

*No more bread…so I hear that white bread is like eating a football (not good)

*Tossing my Cookies due to blockage PBing as it is called

I have a fear of throwing up…or any variation of that (phobia of mine)

*The unknown and change…I am not one whom takes well to sudden change, but can deal with it when prompted.

What if the band does not work and I am sick as a result?

I don’t know….well…I guess I do know. What I am doing now is not the solution. I am obsessed with food and I have failed at every attempt of keeping weight off. If I keep on going the way I am I will have serious problems.

I also feel that the way I treat others has a lot to do with my self esteem. It is shot and I feel like whoopla. I am less depressed when I sit and wallow in my comfort food only to temporarily make me happy. It is a vicious circle because the food only makes me feel like more of a lump of crap when I stand on the scale and see the numbers turn like a slot machine. I surround my life around food. I do admit…but I want it to change. I want other things to make me happy as I am only 37 years old and have a long life to live.

I guess discussing my fears on this board is making me think even more. Reading the success and what you have done to improve your lives just makes me think. Can I be another success sory…can I…can I????

I have babbled enough for now.

Thanks for the suggestions and comments. It helps……

I really am doing some heavy thinking. I wonder what it is to be a 100lbs. lighter than I am now. One word: "Bitchin!" I just want to be healthy and I have this food obsession. I USED to be like that Let’s just say it is a need to eat out of nervousness or just something to do. I USED to be that way. I don’t know what snapped when, but I do know that my life is all about food. I USED to be that way. It would be a good thing if I was not the weight I was now and my body metabolized everything I ate. Then I would be just fine. But it is not that way and I have been struggling for a long time. I struggled for 38 years before I realized that the concept of "Dieting" is fatally flawed. Diets do not and never have worked.

Here are some of my fears as listed below:

*No more soda…funny as it may seem, but I love diet coke I drank an average of 8 liters of diet Pepsi per day for decades. I very seldom drink soda now, because the pressure that builds up in the small stomach is very uncomfortable for me.

*No more Beer….dam that would be an upset I can't relate to that one. Beer would cause a lot of pressure too.

*No more bread…so I hear that white bread is like eating a football (not good) Look, different people have different tolerances for different foods post-op. I can eat bread IF I chew it very well, some can, some cannot.

*Tossing my cookies due to blockage PBing as it is called

I have a fear of throwing up…or any variation of that (phobia of mine) You can minimize barfing by taking tiny bites, chewing well, not drinking for a time after eating and learning your new full signal. Until you learn those things, you might barf more than usual, but you WILL learn to NOT do those things.

*The unknown and change…I am not one whom takes well to sudden change, but can deal with it when prompted.

Life itself is an unknown. Whether the unknown is terrifying or exhilerating is a choice based on a person's perspective.

What if the band does not work and I am sick as a result?

Fewer than 2% of people have major issues with the Lap-Band. The worst case scenario would be you have it removed.

I don’t know….well…I guess I do know. What I am doing now is not the solution. Just the fact that you recognize the futility of doing what you have been doing means you are ready. I am obsessed with food and I have failed at every attempt of keeping weight off. Every person I know who is banded has been the same as you. I was, and so was everybody else. We were ALL expert failures at losing weight and keeping it off. If I keep on going the way I am I will have serious problems. Yes, you will. Sooner or later you will have a very serious illness that might kill you, incapacitate you or make you an invalid, but I'm sure you know that already.

I also feel that the way I treat others has a lot to do with my self esteem. It is shot and I feel like whoopla. I am less depressed when I sit and wallow in my comfort food only to temporarily make me happy. It is a vicious circle because the food only makes me feel like more of a lump of crap when I stand on the scale and see the numbers turn like a slot machine. I surround my life around food. I do admit…but I want it to change.

Then change it. Radical thought, isn't it?

I want other things to make me happy as I am only 37 years old and have a long life to live.

I guess discussing my fears on this board is making me think even more. Reading the success and what you have done to improve your lives just makes me think. Can I be another success story…can I…can I????

Only if you WANT IT BAD ENOUGH TO CHANGE.

Wendell...

what a wonderful response you wrote above...you are awesome!!!!

Fish....You will feel so much better, have a better outlook on life, and live so much longer if you do something now.

I have never PB'd.I have gotten "stuck" a few times, but we are all diffrent..

Go into this with a good attitude, and YOU WILL SUCEED!!!

Wendell...

what a wonderful response you wrote above...you are awesome!!!!

Thank you.

Hi Mike

Sharon ehre. I was banded on Sept 10, 07 and yes I had the dry ehaves for about 5 minutes but none since. Yes I understand your position here. I almost ran out of the holding room but everything went fine. I was given something to relax me and well it did. I remember going in to OR looking at the above lights and then I was waking up in recovery. 45 minutes it took for me and I had a hernia too or at least I was told long ago that I had one and if you have one it has to be repaired before you can become banded. Mike it is not that bad. If I can do it then anyone can. Keep the faith.

Hey Fish,

My husband and I were both where you are earlier this year. He was banded in April and I was banded in July.

Here's the deal...We have three kids under 4...three little girls. Soda, beer, vomiting, bread(we had the same concerns!!!)...nothing even holds a candle to the possibility of not seeing their weddings, children, college graduations etc. Being a part of their lives is more important than anything.

We are also in N. Jersey...We loved/love our surgeon and would gladly recommend them.

Best of luck in your decision. It's a total life change...but so far, it's for the good.

Rain

Rain

Thanks....you hit the nail on the head. " Nothing even holds a candle to the possibility of not seeing their weddings, children, college graduations etc. Being a part of their lives is more important than anything." and that is so true. I would give up the foods I can't or have found I should not eat in order to see those mile stones in my daughter’s life. We also will have a second in about three or less years. I want to be a different person and have a totally new outlook on life.

You say you are from North West NJ. I guess I am used to saying I live in North West NJ...was living in Long Valley for many years. I live in Bridgewater NJ now, and would love to know who preformed your procedure. I want to go talk to them.

If you can post the doctors information it would be a big help.

Thanks a million and I appreciate the valuable information.

Fish (Mike)

Wendell

Great response.....right to the point and you don't beat around the bush. It sounds like you have had great success with your LB experience. I appreciate the feedback and taking the time to write. At this stage of the game what would you suggest my next steps should be?

Hey Fish...

We actually live in Clinton...Just west of you.

Our surgeon was Dr. Abkin of Advanced Laproscopic Surgeons. He's out of Florham Park and operates in Morristown Memorial, St. Claires and St. Peters. We had our surgeries at Morristown Memorial.

My husband would be more than happy to chat with you...He's Squale if you want to pm him...He'd be able to give you a more "guy" biased answer to any question.

All the best,

Rain

Hey Fish!

I was anti-cosmetic surgery of any kind, and would never have considered this in a million years. (YES, I know this is WLS, not cosmetic, but I still felt the same about it - too extreme, too violent, too much of a cop out, whatever) That was until my little boy needed to be sent to a residential drug rehab program for 6 months, at the tender age of 12. We decided soon after the shock wore off that if we were going to ask a little kid like that to face his demons, we as adults should be able to face ours, as well. But how? when I had already been to 13 fat clinics over the last 20 years, and my husband had been smoking 2 packs a day for longer than that. It was he that recommended the LapBand. I knew it was the only way. I had lost hundreds of pounds over the years, but always gained it back. That was the only criteria I had to meet, besides being willing to do it. And while I was going to do it, I still didn't want to - and I cried an ocean of tears during the three week wait to have it done and the first 10 days after. I was ashamed that I had let it get to this point, I was sad that I had to alter my body for the foreseeable future, and I was miserable that I had no other options. But then, one day, I see that I have incredibly tiny scars marking the surgery. I understand that I can't feel anything foreign inside me. I learn that I really can eat like a normal person (not like I used to, but the same as my "normal" sisters), and without even dieting, without even trying, 16 pounds just left me, and I haven't even had my first fill yet. You couldn't pay me to undo what I've done, and I am rushing towards the future with incredible confidence in this Band.

I hope you decide to do it. If it could make a believer out of me, it can make a believer out of anybody.