Am I crazy for doing this so soon?

[Away2me 1]

I just found out about the lap band about a month or so ago. I've been reading like a mad woman about the procedure, the doctors, the clinics, etc. I've asked people in real life who have the surgery done and people on forums and Email groups their opinions and advice. We went to a support group meeting and met with a doc there and spoke to a bunch of WLS patients. I feel like I've got a very realistic understanding of how things are going to work Post - surgery.

I have narrowed my doctor selection down to 3, well realistically 2. One of them I can get into this coming Friday. I'm thinking about going for it.

Everyone I speak with says they have no regrets, that they wished the would have done it sooner, etc. etc. But do they mean this soon? I have my husband is supportive and excited. (He's going to have his done also but he's eligible for our insurance to pay for it).

Amy I crazy for going for this so soon? It seems like the most amazing tool to help me with my weight loss struggle. I keep gaining and gaining every year and I'm loosing more and more control (if I ever had any) on my eating.

Do any lapbanders have second thoughts or wish they would have waited?

[georgia girl 35]

Not at all. It's true, my only regret is not getting it sooner. If you have done your research and are fully comforable with the doctor you choose, I say go for it. I had been thinking about doing this for years and when I decided to take the plunge, it happened pretty quickly. I can tell you that my experience has been great and I absolutely love my band.

[kacee 3]

No way! In Mid-March, 2007, I was sitting in my ENT's waiting room reading "Houston Living Magazine" waiting for an appointment to try to get a mouth guard because my snoring was so out of control. I decided at my age I wanted to start doing more traveling but I couldn't subject someone to staying in my hotel room with my horrid snoring and I was very self-conscious about it. I came across an advertisement by Dr. Felix Spiegel about the lapband. I had NEVER heard of it before. I promptly pocketed the magazine and took it home with me to read further. Within two days of intense internet research I mentioned it to my Mom to test the waters as to what she thought. She had not heard of it either, but the words out of her mouth were shocking to me, "I can't believe you haven't brought that up before now." We discussed the procedure and she said, "So when were you thinking of having it done?" and boy, that light turned green for me! Within a week I had a consult and had researched and picked a surgeon and gotten on lapbandtalk.com. I was a self-pay and my surgery was about 6 weeks after the first day I read about it. Best decision I EVER made and I don't think a THING about acting quickly on it. I did my research.

[Sades 4]

Mine was a reasonably quick process as well. I went to the info session and had my first appoint with the nurse a week later. It took me 2 weeks to get to see the surgeon which was 10 Oct... got my date from the recept a week later, which was 1 Nov... I couldn't believe that it was so soon because I was told it could be 4-6 weeks away. I was excited and anxious at the same time. I think it's better than a long wait and now 5 weeks later I am 26 lbs down.

[steph_co 9]

I wish I would have gotten it when I first looked into it over a year ago!! I would probably be at goal already! This is the BEST decision I have ever made in my life. It feels FANTASTIC losing weight this time because I know it's gone for good!

[musicalmomma 1]

I agree with the rest...the key is, you did your research!!

A lot of folks wait months, even years, and still don't know how it works...I have a friend who's had his for almost a year and only has had one fill, weightloss has stopped and he's putting off another fill because he's under the impression that you can only have two fills! Classic example of someone that waited months to have it, didn't do his homework, isn't making the most of his band...

But I digress...go for it!!!

on another note...If your insurance will pay for your husband, why won't it pay for you?? Are you not on the same plan?

[KarenG. 0]

I knew about the lap band before last year but I had no idea I was going to decide to do it until may 2007 when I went to my primary care physician, after that I did mad research and decided to do it within 6 weeks. My consultation and surgery were scheduled within 3 weeks of each other - so a little over 2 1/2 months between first thinking about it seriously, doing the research and doing it. No regrets.

[Away2me 1]

on another note...If your insurance will pay for your husband, why won't it pay for you?? Are you not on the same plan?

His BMI is 43 so they will cover him. They will make him jump through a few hoops. But I think he'll be getting it done as soon as possible also. His first consultation is January 4.

Thanks everyone for all the encouragement. It really helps to hear this. I think I'll start my liquid diet tomorrow just in case I do it friday. I'll find out by Monday afternoon for sure when I meet the doc.

[WASaBubbleButt 41]

I did pretty much the same thing. I knew I wanted WLS but I didn't want GB. One day I saw an ad for a band and started intensive research. That was November 6th, 06. On December 6, 06 I had surgery. On October 5th, 07 I was at goal.

If you know just about everything you can know about banding without actually being banded, you are ready. No reason to wait.

[*susan* 1,709]

I say, why wait? You obviously have done the research and are not going into this blind. You have tried other methods. There really is no reason to wait to start becoming a healthier, happier you. Best of luck to both you and your husband.

[Manatee 3]

Like everyone else said, if you're ready and you think you know what you're getting into (you don't, but that's OK -- you'll understand later), then go for it.

For me, the whole process from "hmm?" to "done" was right at 30 days, and that was with the insurance paying.

[Longhorn 1]

I had heard of Lap Band surgery but didn't think I qualified because I wasn't 100 pounds overweight and my BMI wasn't greater than 40. Then when one of those ads popped up online, I checked again to see if I qualified and I did! From the time I voiced my desire to have it to my husband and daughters until the date of my surgery was six weeks. From the time I met with my surgeon until I had the surgery was only 13 days. Sometimes I look back and marvel at what I've gone through since September 21!

I think everyone is different but how long one considers something is not necessarily correlated with whether it's a good decision. Once I learned everything I could about it, I knew it would be good for me. It's early yet but I have no regrets. Good luck!

[Leena 108]

I waited about 3 years before getting the lap band. I considered have a bypass instead, and then decided not to. And at that point the lap-band was still fairly new in the US, and there wasn't a lot of research published. I didn't like the mortality rate of the bypass along with dumping and vitamin/mineral defeciencies.

So as more information has come out about the band I was steered in that direction. I think the show Big Medicine swayed me towards banding. And then the last straw was when I went to take the Praxis (teaching exam) and didn't fit into the flip down lap style desk and had to ask for alternate seating. That was in June and I spent a month really depressed about it. Then started working out and getting mentally ready for surgery. I had my consultation in August and surgery in September.

For me I really needed to research surgeons and mentally and physically prepare for surgery.

[ragdollx19 1]

Mine was right at 30 days. No regrets at all.

[juliegeraci 7]

You are not crazy to want surgery that soon. I went in for my consult and had surgery about 8 weeks later. I knew this was right for me. Good luck!