I went to my PCP today to get referrals to the dietician and the surgeon. When I told the nurse why I was there, she winced when I said I was considering lap band surgery. She winced! She said, "Well, you're young. A really good diet and exercise program will probably work for you if you give it a good try." Huh. Isn't it funny that someone has just met me knows all about what's best for me. Here I was worrying about what my parents would say...

The doctor was OK. She admitted she would rather see someone lose weight with diet and exercise than get surgery, but she would support whatever worked best for me. Well, gee, no one ever told me to try diet and exercise before! I'd rather lose weight that way too! Just think,all this time I should have just asked total strangers how to live my life and I would have been fine!:drool:

Must respond to "you're too young for the surgery option" response from doctors. This was probably the most irritating thing i heard from my doctor. I smiled politely and responded with a thank you (for saying 35 is young, not for lack of surgery support) but here is what I was thinking.

Yes, indeed...let's wait. Let's wait until I gain another 50 lbs and am super morbidly obese. Let's wait until my insulin resistance turns into diabetes, then we'll talk surgery. Let's wait until my joints are too stressed to exercise before I do this thing. How about we wait until I'm old enough that when I do lose the weight, my skin will be completely void of elasticity and I'll have to have plastic surgery too? Let's wait until my cholesterol is actually in the danger range instead of close to it. Let's wait until I'm 10 years older and my kids are no longer interested in riding a roller coaster with Mom and I've lost the chance forever. Let's wait and see if the whole "diet and exercise" thing I've been working on for 10 YEARS might just work in the next 10 years.

Luckily, with self-pay, I didn't need to ask my doctor - and he doesn't know. I'm hoping to get a wicked case of strep throat or something soon so that I can show him the happy results of not waiting one more friggin day.

YES, EXACTLY!!! WELL SAID!! I just got teary eyed reading this. I'm 35 and I want to be the mom I so desperately long to be while my kids still want their mom around. Like you said, if I don't get this done, in 10 years, I will still be sitting on the poarch wishing I could move, breath, stand, or run with my family out in the yard. Chances are in those 10 years I would have probably lost 50 pounds at some point and put 70 back on!

I love this board. I honestly didn't think there were people in the world who truely understand how I feel. Thanks you!

The first person I knew personally that had this done is a 24 year old. She is beautiful and sweet and now has a chance at a full life. She is so much happier that she can now be in control of her weight. When I saw her I hugged her and told her I was so happy for her, then she told me about the surgery. I am glad she had the self esteem and honesty and plain guts to seek and get the operation. Nobody was helping her in terms of primary care physicians...but she valued herself enough to take control of the situation.

It inspired me to look into it...I am now 50 and wish I could have been strong enough to push earlier...I am now and hope it will work out.

This whole thread has had me laughing and crying and then laughing again! Becca, that was so poignant!

This thread says a lot about us and our lives, both before the Band and after--God bless us, every one!!

I love this thread. I too laughed and then cried!

My Cardiologist and PCP both lectured me on diet and exercise when I explained my desire to have the LapBand procedure. My PCP knows I have tried everything under the sun, that I can loose weight I just can't maintain, we've gone over this several times. I honestly think that part of their job is the diet and exercise lecture...as in they have training for it because it all sounds so similar to me. What I found with both my PCP and Cardiologist that they felt RNY was very similar in risk to the LapBand and are not as educated as I would hope they would be on the differences and it is a "last resort" this patient is going to die or they are going to have the surgery, for me at a young age, its just not enough of a risk in their eyes and staying fat for a little longer is the lesser of the risk. Both of them have had patients with RNY who have died, that has to affect their feelings a little. So what else to they have to offer but diet and exercise? Still it stinks for us...I just give it back about the 5% success with diet/exercise and 80% with WLS.

Oh I have been having fun with this...Let's see...

There is so much good advice out there why in the heck don't those fat people take it..what a bunch of idiots! All they need to do is walk, run ,take yoga, join curves, use slim fast, eat olive oil, avoid trans fats, swim, be honest, smoke like a chimney and only eat all organic food from Arizona, take hoodia, ephedra, leptotrim, slim quick, fat burners, vinegar, Fiber, citrus juice, do a good colin cleanse, meditate, fast, eat more often, eat less often, eat Breakfast, drink wine, not drink, skip sugar, eat chocolate, self actualize, think secret positive thoughts, visualize yourself thin, put a picture of a thin person on your fridge, put a picture of yourself on your fridge, have more sex (if you can get any), Take long baths and foooocus.... And I mean my god if they can't do any of those easy things why the heck not just eat 2o pounds of Protein and fat each day, get injected with pregnant womens urine or wear a copper and gold left spiral bracelet encrusted with rubies and peridot, and work with their transits? Good god there are so many easy and reliable solutions to fat peoples character flaws! Mostly they are just a bunch of lazy gluttons.

Let' all talk about it while we watch the football game all day sunday...I'm on for the pizzas, you get the beer...who will bring the Ben and Jerrys? We are all the same after all...a calorie is a calorie jeeze.

Wow, did you hear about that poor Paris or Lindsey...Such pretty things to take so many drugs and drink, drive drunk and behave so frightenly! I sure hope that waterfront 5 star spa/treatment center can help the poor girls with their difficult problems...poor girls...such a hard life! but they are strong beautiful girls and they will make it.

:ohmy::crying:

Sorry to rant but I just have to...a little semi anonoymus indulgence:rolleyes:

Seriously though...How in the world can insurance companies justify alcohol treatment centers at 30 days and $30000 or so and give obese people trouble if they want a lap band...hello! If we (I!) want help for either we deserve it. Compassion folks! Do unto others and all that stuff....And luck to all of us , we might be pioneers...but let's settle for being worthy of help to get healthier...Love to All...:thumbup: (though maybe not the fat bashers...just yet anyway:blush:)

Thank you for this awesome post! I really enjoted reading my thoughts written by someone else! I am going for my referral on wed. I can't wait to show my PCP this thread! Thank you all so much... I know this site will continue to give me the encouragement I need!