Hello, my name is Yolanda and I am morbid obese. I have really been thinking about having the lap band surgery but I'm scared and I'm not sure if it is what I need to do. Does anyone have any insight on what would be helpful?

Y

Hi Yolanda,

I don't have al the answers but I can tell you this is a great place to start, I have been posting on this site since Dec 07 when I first started to think about the lap band as a solution. By Feb I had all the testing done and was pretty much ready but I changed docs after the 1st consult because some docs charge outragous fees associated with this type of surgery. I did find another doc where the fees were not quite so high and I am scheduled for surgery May 12th. I wish you the best of luck and just start reading, read the pre & post op stuff people go through and decide for yourself if this is something you would really like to do. When you are informed you are better able to make an informed decision.

Lana

Hello Yolanda,

I have on this site for about 3 months. That is when I first starting thinking about getting the lap band. I go next wednesday to have mine done. Yes it is kind of scary but I know that this is what I need to do for me. This is a great place to help with this decision. The people here are so nice and very informative, they will tell you the good the bad and the ugly things that go along with this. For me the good out weighed the bad. My advice to you is read the threads and look at the before and after pictures(those were the most inspiring for me) and see if this is for you. Good luck to you!

Danyel

My God, I thought this is what I wanted, for weeks now that's all I have thought about and after reading some of the things on here I'm not so sure I can go through with it. Why dont they hire a personal trainer/friend/doctor for each person to keep us motivated. I NEED IT.

Hi Yolanda. I may get flamed for this, but I would advise you not to get the band if you don't think you can commit to the band rules. The band doesn't take away your desire for food, it only helps shrink your appetite. There is still a lot of responsibility on your shoulders to eat right, exercise, etc.

If you seriously doubt your willingness to change your lifestyle, then hold off on getting the band. You don't need to waste your time and money. There may be other reasons why you are uncertain about getting banded...keep reading and get educated, then make a decision. It might be helpful to attend a seminar, where you'd have a chance to express your concerns to a doctor.

Hi Yolanda. I may get flamed for this, but I would advise you not to get the band if you don't think you can commit to the band rules.

Not a flame. I totally agree with you. Not following the rules can cause major health problems or just a total lack of success. However, at this stage in the game, Yolanda, you should probably know that the lap band is a TOOL... kinda like a lil midget guy following you around the house 24/7 saying, "You're not hungry." and "Don't eat that!" Heh, not really, but it is a tool that must be utilized by you for success. A lot of people have the impression that it does ALL the work for them... and it doesn't.

Some places I started researching this:

www.lapbandtalk.com

Adjustable gastric band - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

Gastric Banding and Lap Band Surgery for Weight Loss

LAP-BAND: Laparoscopic Obesity Surgery | FAQs

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I hope these get you off to the right start!

Find a surgeon... Their seminars are usually SUPER informative as well. Good luck!