Hello! I am scheduled to be banded on August 12th by Dr. Ortiz. I’m am very excited, I can’t WAIT to go through with this! But I wanted to get some people's opinions... Here's my situation:

I just turned 20 years old. I am 5'3" and 190lbs. I have a very stocky build (lots of proportionate curves and all muscle). People would never guess that a weigh as much as I do, I carry it very well (no protruding belly, etc) I am a size 12. I became 'overweight' at puberty (just kinda chubby I guess). Since then I have perpetually been on diets. I lose some, then gain, then lose, then gain, etc. I am extremely active. I love physical labor and work on farms and ranches. Even thou I spend every day doing hard physical work and rarely eat junk or fast food, I still don’t lose.

I want the Lap-Band because obesity runs in my family. All of the women in my family have literally the exact same body shape (about 300lbs, weight held mostly in the midsection) and health problems. They are all farmers also and eat healthy home cooked meals. I want Lap-band because I see my self going down the path of my mother and grandmother and that is somewhere I don’t want to be. People are highly critical of my decision to be banded, saying that I don’t really need it. But my reasoning is, why should I wait until I am 40 years old and massively overweight to get WLS?? Wouldn’t it be easier and easier on my body to lose 50lbs now than 150lbs 30 years from now?

I guess my question to all of you bandsters is; if given the option, how many of you would have gotten this surgery earlier in your life? If it would have been available, would you have gotten the band in your 20’s? or when you were only slightly (50lbs or less) overweight? Do you feel like you ‘lost’ or ‘wasted’ years of your life being overweight when you could have had weight loss surgery and avoided the whole problem from the beginning?

Yes I do I am 39 and have 60 or so #s to lose.

I feel the same way why wait till I get so overweight

like my mom and sister 300#s and now diabetic.

No not me I had the surgery last month and am so glad I did

I have now lost 13#s and am in need of a fill but I have to wait two more weeks.

So you go girl if you can while your in your 20s I lost 50#s in my 20s and was thin for about 3 years but in my thirty's I gained 70#s.

I wish I had done this 10 years ago. Good luck!!:biggrin:

I would have to say yes, I would have had the band in my 20's. I topped out at 230 lbs in my 20's, but if I had seen what was coming in my 40's I would have had the band done. Of course, that means little because the procedure they are doing now didn't exist 20 years ago. So at age 44, 5 ft 6 in and 310 lbs, and after years and dollars down the drain trying to get healthy, I am definitely ready for some help to lose weight. Yeah Lap Band!!!!!!!!! :biggrin:

I am 25 and I have about 80-100 pounds I'd like to lose. While I may be the only one who says this, I do not regret waiting to have this surgery.

I learned about this surgery a few years ago, and though it peaked my interest I was not at a point in my life to undergo such a huge lifestyle change.

I was away in college, went to school all day and worked all night, didn't know how to cook so I lived off junk food. My parents were going thru some major changes in their relationship, and I had a lot of personal stresses on me.

Now I am in a much better (and stable) place where I know that I can, and will, do this.

For me it was about timing and not so much about what I weighed. I would not have been successful if I did this when I first wanted to.

go for it girl, there's no reason to wait...

i wish i could have had the band before i had so much weight to lose.

i was 33 and at 245 when i had the band, i've lost 60 lbs by the band alone...not much effort on my part.

it's changed my life and the only regret is that i did'nt have it sooner.

Best Wishes

I started this journey at 217---but knew 300 was in the future. My mantra became, "Who am I kidding?" Like all those bad things weren't going to happen to ME? Some already had (high BP, High Choles, sleep Apnea). Was it going to take a stroke to make me pay attention?

As I was wheeled into the operating room, I remember one of my last thoughts was, "I am never going to have diabetes."

(no guarantees on anything, but I have a much better chance at good health)

Make the decision for you---but only do it if you are REALLY ready to make a change. This is surgery! Your head has to be in charge. My weight has cost me alot (financially, socially, mentally, emotionally) and it does not serve me anymore.

It can't be done on willpower--it has to be CHOICE.

Wishing you success--Judy

Heck yeah I would have done it sooner! I could have enjoyed more of my life not avoiding pictures, not avoiding a lot of things due to my weight. I wouldn't have so much to drop, and I could have avoided all the saggy skin I'm probably going to have to face at my goal weight. Better late than never!

Thanks for all the responses! This really helped me feel more confidant with my decision!

As in most hinsight situations, once you've made up your mind to do something and do it, you often wish you had done it sooner (especially if the outcome is positive). Having said that, WLS is a difficult decision to make and not one that should be entered into lightly for a variety of reasons. I am glad I decided to do it (12 days post op) and wish I had done it sooner but it took me a very long time to admit to myself that I couldn't do it alone and that I need help. Also, WLS means you change the way you eat for the rest of your life and if you have a food addiction you have to face that fact as well.

So yes, I wish I had done it sooner, but I didn't realize it until after the fact.

No, I don't regret waiting. I first considered and even started the process about 4 years ago (with a different surgeon). Exactly four days after my consultation and scheduling of preop workup- I found out I was pregnant. Fast forward about 3 years and I look into WLS surgery once again. In these 3 years, there have been more studies, improvements in surgical technique, and generally more experience. My surgery was Feb 19th and have lost 52 pounds since then. So.... I believe the waiting was very beneficial for me and was so glad I had the surgery when I did verus 3 years prior. Hope this helps. Best wishes!!

Good Luck to all in Life & weight Loss. It took me 10 years from 1st seminar to being banded. The band was not an option open to me then. My realize band was not offered until about a year before I was banded,1/15/08. I needed the time to get other surgerys out of the way. I had to Break bad habits. I am amazed at people that raise family & work & are successful with weight loss. There are great books that came out just this year. There are almost to many support groups in the Las Vegas area. I guess this is the case in most citys. I have not missed any. The best Day of my life was losing my morbidly obese handle. Lost 121 pounds. No fills! By Dr. Atkinson & Dr. Soong. Hasta Pronto, George:thumbup: