I will try to make this short. Basically I have been overweight since my children were born (oldest son 14 years old). I have decided to do the Lap Band because I have nooooo willpower and am out of options. My fear is will I fail with this also. I am paying cash, $15,000, and I am worried that I will just be wasting my money since all else has failed. I have heard several times now after talking with people who knew someone or had the Lap Band themselves that they heard that you can stretch out your stomach and go back to normal behaviors. I am worried that this "feeling full" statement won't be an issue for me that I will work around that feeling and overeat anyway. I am a JUNK FOOD aholic! When it comes to willpower, I have none!!! Does the feeling of being full, make you not want to eat at all??? Has anyone had the problem of stretching your stomach back out because you couldn’t handle not eating what you used to eat. I hope this makes since, but I am deathly terrified that I will fail at this as well. Any replies, would be so greatly appreciated!<?xml:namespace prefix = o ns = "urn:schemas-microsoft-com:office:office" /><o:p></o:p>

<o:p></o:p>

Regards,<o:p></o:p>

Low self esteem! <o:p></o:p>

:eek::biggrin:

I will try to make this short. Basically I have been overweight since my children were born (oldest son 14 years old). I have decided to do the Lap Band because I have nooooo willpower and am out of options. My fear is will I fail with this also. I am paying cash, $15,000, and I am worried that I will just be wasting my money since all else has failed. I have heard several times now after talking with people who knew someone or had the Lap Band themselves that they heard that you can stretch out your stomach and go back to normal behaviors. I am worried that this "feeling full" statement won't be an issue for me that I will work around that feeling and overeat anyway. I am a JUNK FOOD aholic! When it comes to willpower, I have none!!! Does the feeling of being full, make you not want to eat at all??? Has anyone had the problem of stretching your stomach back out because you couldn’t handle not eating what you used to eat. I hope this makes since, but I am deathly terrified that I will fail at this as well. Any replies, would be so greatly appreciated!<?xml:namespace prefix = o ns = "urn:schemas-microsoft-com:office:office" /><o:p></o:p>

<o:p></o:p>

Regards,<o:p></o:p>

Low self esteem! <o:p></o:p>

:eek::frown::biggrin:

You really need some self control. Many people will tell you it is a tool. At first you will have no problem eating everything. Because there will be no restriction. It takes some time to get good restriction. I am a junk food eater too and I am here to tell you junk food always goes down. for some reason it is easier to digest. I can always eat junk food when I can't eat regular food. I have a habit of turning to the junk food after not being able to get down something healthy. In short you have to have some will power to make the band work. I am sure you will get several responses on this. There are some people who will give you tough love talks. This is just my observation with my band. Lots of luck. :eek:

I had all the same fears.. I wasn't a junk food attic, but I ate LOTS of breads and pastas and chips and potatoes.. all the time.. LIke, I could totally sit down and eat a loaf of french bread. Even when I was stuffed I would continue eating until I was belching up food.. that's how bad I use to be.

I had the same fears as you.. I thought it was going to work for everybody but me.. heck, I even read somewhere that Virgo's don't heal very well and wrote this thread on here worried that I wouldn't lose because I was a virgo.. I know, I was so silly!! But, I'm right on track..

The band basically cut all those cravings out for me.. i don't crave bread and chips and pasta's.. I have had whole wheat Pasta one time, but it just didn't do anything for me. I am satisfied with a cup of food.. and it's great.

I know it has to be hard dropping that type of money down on a surgery, but I was totally the one going "this won't work for me" right before the surgery.. I haven't lost 100 pounds yet, but the weightloss I've had so far since 2/25 has already made the biggest difference in my life.. I can walk without so much pain.. get around better.. sleep better..

Unrelated - find a doctor who has one price that also includes fills for at least a year. My doctor offers one big package for 15k and it includes office visits and fills for a year.. otherwise, since you are cash pay you'd have to drop like 150-300 bucks per fill. And some folks can take up to 12 fills a year to lose their weight..

BLESS you both for replying to my blog!!!! I thought I was the only one out there that thought that way! I have already doomed myself to fail at this one too. But it doesnt help that I am fixing to start my period...ugh! But by this time next week my PMS should be over and I am hoping that I will have the WILLPOWER to make this work! I am out of options, but today I am feeling doubtful! Thank you again for replying, I am sooooooooo glad I found this website!!

In the beginning you won't want to eat. For me it was as I healed and then once I realized I could eat anything it was down hill. I did reach a restriction and then was scared to eat bad but that has worn off. Time for a fill. I go tomorrow. thanks goodness. I can eat everything. I am glad for the girl who wrote before me but I still have those craving for everything. I had the willpower at the very beginning but don't have it now. I hope my fill will be tight enough so I will get back on track again. this is a great website. It is very helpful. Even the tough love part we all need a kick in the butt sometimes to get us back on track and you will find it here sometimes. Good luck

I am self pay also and after paying out that much I won't fail! Also in order to mess up the band and have slippage you have to be throwing up a lot from my understanding. Before the first fill and after mushies I was told by my dietician it is easy to try to overeat. but soon as you feel full you STOP eating or you can bp, or throw up. to much throwing up is'nt good. The fear of failing is pretty normal from my understanding. I felt it and feel it now since I was banded on tuesday. I feel like I am starved and think just 1 bite of food. But I know better. The first 2 weeks and each step up to 6 weeks post op is like that for a reason. I have to be creative. I pray success for you and you get it done.

Thank you to everyone for responding. I hate to be complaining, but one more question. Why is it so hard to do the pre-diet too? I know they say that you have to do it to decrease the fat around the stomach and liver, but geesh, this is like all the other diets I have done and hate with a passion! Did you find it hard to do too? What kind of food did you eat? Again, my craving for chocolate is driving me crazy!!! I asked the nurse when she called to check on my pre-op diet, that I had some sugar-free chocolate icecream (which I like) she said she would rather me not have it???? Its freakin sugar free, low fat...am I missing something? I really am a positive person, even thought after reading my threads that is hard to believe, but I am just scared I guess........I am constantly praying to GOD that he be with me, I need him now more than I have in a long time. I know he is by my side, but sometimes I dont listen to him...argh! Shame on me!

My pre-op diet was not as strict as some of the others. They suggested that I start replacing some meals with shakes, but other than that, I didn't have anything special to follow. (Just needed to lose before surgery.)

It's hard to dedicate yourself, follow the plan and lose the weight. But it is necessary if you want to proceed with surgery. You'll probably want ice cream and other treats -- but do you want the surgery more than that?

I'm guessing that why your doc's office had an issue with the ice cream you had is because it offers nothing in the way of real nutritional value and after your surgery, you will need to be focused on good food that fills you up nutritiously.

Good luck to you!

Thank you to everyone for responding. I hate to be complaining, but one more question. Why is it so hard to do the pre-diet too? I know they say that you have to do it to decrease the fat around the stomach and liver, but geesh, this is like all the other diets I have done and hate with a passion! Did you find it hard to do too? What kind of food did you eat? Again, my craving for chocolate is driving me crazy!!! I asked the nurse when she called to check on my pre-op diet, that I had some sugar-free chocolate icecream (which I like) she said she would rather me not have it???? Its freakin sugar free, low fat...am I missing something? I really am a positive person, even thought after reading my threads that is hard to believe, but I am just scared I guess........I am constantly praying to GOD that he be with me, I need him now more than I have in a long time. I know he is by my side, but sometimes I dont listen to him...argh! Shame on me!

My doctor doesn't believe in the liquid pre-op diet. He put me on the south beach diet and it was great. I ate chicken, tuna, veggies, cheese... nuts... eggs.. turkey bacon.. just no sugar, fruit or bread and potatoes.. it shrank my liver and I lost a pretty decent amount of weight. the south beach diet does the same thing as the liquid diet and it also teaches you how to correctly eat.