So I was really keen to do this and I've booked in my first consultation for the 7th November (earliest I could get in) but now I'm not sure.

Is it the "cheaters" way out? Am I giving up too easily? I just don't know. Should I focus on making sure I cut out all the crap in my diet and go exercising and I'll get the same results without surgery?

Is it just simply about education? I was sitting here talking to my sister and we found out that the orange juice I'm drinking at the moment is MUCH worse than drinking the same amout in Coca Cola? What the hell?? I knew juice wasn't that good, but gosh I didn't realise it was that bad. It just looks better to drink the orange juice than the coke.

I'm not dissing this idea, and I'm going to go and see the doctors, just so many thoughts running through my head.

I guess my question is, how has the lap band helped you?

I think we all go through this at some point. I left my orientation certain I would be doing lap band (less invasive, reversable, etc.). Low and behold, after meeting with the nurse (who had had RNY), I had done a complete 180 and was now going to go RNY (without a second thought about LB). I then started my nutrition classes and went...whoa...what the heck am I thinking? Surgery? Surely I must be able to do this on my own.

I'm on the low end with a BMI of 42 (can there really be a low end to morbid obesity?), and I really started second-guessing myself. So I decided to give it two weeks and really bear down. I have been keeping a food diary, exercising moderately (30 min) 4-5 days a week, avoiding drinking with meals, chewing slowly, cutting out sweets, etc. Heck, I even passed up a cupcake at a birthday party (totally out of character for me, I might add). I really feel like I've worked hard at giving it another shot. And in the end, I'd only lost 3 pounds, probably just Water weight...and that feeling of dread, failure, and hopelessness came flooding back.

It was then that I realized that the odds of me actually losing a significant amount of weight on my own were slim to none. For whatever reason, I just don't have that fight in me any more. At 41, I've been overweight for 33 years now and I truly believe my many years of dieting have made it practically impossible for me to lose the weight on my own. I need a tool desperately.

Now, with that all being said, you will read over and over about how the decision is a personal one. No one can make it for you and no one can make you comfortable with it. For me, I know in my heart that I will work the tool and I WILL ROCK IT! This is my last shot at being thin and I will do everything in my power to use it to get to my goal.

Though not banded (yes, I'm back to LB now) yet, I think that as someone going through the process, I would encourage you to read, read, read, read and then read some more. Don't let the negative posts fool you, there are so many wonderful people here who have had fabulous results! Go to the forums and read about bandsters from 2007, 2006 and before so you can get an idea of what successful banders have done. They are honest and they can be of great support.

I wish you the best in your decision-making.

Emily

It helps to think about the band as a tool, not a solution. You still have to diet and exercise with the band. It won't loose the weight for you.

And congrats on taking the first step in your journey!

I have had the same thoughts as you, FalloutGirl. Why can't I just learn to eat properly? I finally decided that I need something to help me or a "tool". That is exactly what the lapband will be. A "tool" to help me get this extra 117 pounds off.

I go tomorrow to get the referral from my primary care manager to actually go see the surgeon. I have already talked with the surgeon several times since we work at the same hospital and he has mentioned that I should have no problems.

I'm hoping for the best.:thumbup:

Hey FalloutGirl! I agree 100% with HowluckyamI. And I want to add that I too thought the band was "cheating"...that somehow being fat was "honest" but if I got the band and lost I'd be "hiding something" or being a cheater. Then (maybe because I'm 53 and I've been dieting since I was 16...and I'm darn stubborn and have LOTs of willpower) I woke up one morning thinking: Hmmm If I needed a pacemaker for my heart, I'd get it in an instant. I wouldn't say "OH NO that's cheating"

Then why, I wondered, would the band be cheating? I eat too much. I'm often truly hungry. I've even been through behavioral therapy. SO what's wrong with me doing something to save my life, and make it better? NOTHING! It's being smart, for me, not cheating.

AND as to OJ and coke; all you have to do is read the nutritional info (I assume it's on foods etc in Australia?) The OJ has more calories but it probably has some Fiber (if it has pulp) and definitely has more Vitamin C etc than Coke. So no, it isn't MUCH worse than coke. It may be more calories?? may have more sugar?? but it's got other stuff in it that is good for you, unlike coke. :thumbup: Knowing that won't make you thin, you know. Knowing what to do won't make it happen. But if you haven't really tried some formalized diet program that teaches portion control and healthier choices then you are right; try that first. It works for some. And it could very well work for you!

Only you can decide. Just realize there are viable workable options out there for us that weren't there even 10 years ago!

Is it "cheating" to get chemotherapy if you have cancer? Obesity is a disease and we *know* that diet and exercise doesn't work against it. This has been documented over and over since as early as WWII. The only effective and durable solution we have for obesity at this time is WLS.

Now it would be great if modern science could come up with other solutions. But so far they haven't. Diet pills only work while you take them and even then the average EWL is only 20%. WW did a study where they found the average EWL was only 10% and that was only looking at people 1 year out. Not 5 or 10 or 20 years out.

One study showed that 2 years out 5% of the people who got to goal had kept off more than 50% of their EWL. So now people say "diets work for 5% of the people". But that's not really accurate. First of all, it was only 5% who got to goal... in most diets less than half get to goal. Secondly, it was only for 2 years and some of them were already gaining back. They just hadn't gained back more than 50% yet.

Heck, I kept of more than 50% of my EWL once for 2 years. It took me 8 years to gain it all back, with change. So I'm a Dieting Success!! Except not. That's why I eventually realized that I couldn't keep going on like this and I had to do something that worked.

WLS allows you to be satisfied (not hungry) on much less food. Before WLS I was *never* 'satisfied'. I was either "not hungry but stuffed' or 'hungry'. Now I am satisfied all the time and only hungry when I go too long without eating. That's the difference between WLS and dieting and why one works and one doesn't.

Yes in Australia we have the "Nutritional Guide" on everything... I'm just confused I think. I do realise it's a tool to help and I realise I'm going to have to work really hard as well.

The thing is I'm not a HUGE eater but I do eat the wrong things, not all the time but I do and I'm honest with that. I also skip meals which I've stopped doing and make sure I eat Breakfast and all that kind of stuff.

I guess I've gotta stop reading cause maybe that is what is driving me insane. I don't know lol

I lost 70 pounds about 10 years ago. I maintained it for about a year and then started to struggle. Despite repeated efforts to lose rather than gain I yo-yo'd back up over the years and back up to the same high of 256.

Since being banded it's just so amazing to have a sense of control back. I've felt SO out of control of my eating for so long - I'd be eating crap and hating myself for doing it - it was really depressing.

So, not only have I lost 35 since being banded a few months ago (including pre-op) but more importantly I have hope for the first time in ages that I'll be able to actually meet my goal and then maintain a healthy weight for the rest of my life - without suffering!

Sure I do have to make smart choices, but the band makes it so much more possible for me to make those better choices.

I love my band - and highly recommend it. Good luck with your decision!

-Susan

I do understand that it's not cheating and I'm not having a go at anyone, it's my own mind that needs to get around it

I guess I've gotta stop reading cause maybe that is what is driving me insane. I don't know lol

Personally I prefer people who are a little insane to those that aren't! LOL :biggrin:

You aren't going through anything that most of us haven't. Apparently I worried about the cheating thing as did many of us...and about eating the wrong things, and so on. It's good you are thinking this through and deciding what will work for you! :wink2:

I didn't get to be this big eating LOTS of healthy stuff, (although I guess feasibly someone could)...I ate lots of wrong stuff. I probably will always want the occasional burger and fries or whatever...and that's where I think the band will save me. I can watch it carefully for a while then I get bored and that's when I backslide. If the band can limit my portions and even keep me from gaining until I get a grip again, it's worth it for me!

You keep on asking questions; it's your life and your body and you should worry it until you decide what steps you may want to take! :thumbup:

Thanks, I think just because I've made the decision, booked the appointment I'm now thinking too much. I wanna know as much as possible.

I've decided as of tomorrow to keep a food diary of everything I eat so I can really see it. I'm also walking 5 nights at week for 30mins at the moment so I'll just keep to that and see what happens.

I do think it's good I'm questioning it all, cause as you all say it is my body and I've gotta be certain. I know I'm certain of one thing and that is I will not be overweight for my 30th next year! I do need to ignore the negative posts and read the positive posts.

I bought and read a couple of books about lap band surgery and that really helped me a good deal. And I think keeping a journal of what you eat is very very smart!

thanks everyone, I've now calmed down and gotten my head around it all, it's all good, it's only a consultation, they will tell me all I need to know and between us I'll make the right decision :thumbup: I'm sure I'll go insane again during the next few weeks, but I'm calm at the moment :biggrin:

Hey, in the month between booking my surgery and having it, I went insane on a regular basis! It's all good... :laugh:

Hey, in the month between booking my surgery and having it, I went insane on a regular basis! It's all good...

That makes me feel a little bit better! I think yesterday I was just going through about a 1000 emotions :biggrin: I'm much calmer now, and spent a lot of time talking to my best friend, he's really great and helpful.

We've decided my weightloss journey started Monday when we both got off our rear ends and started walking. He doesn't really need too, he's not fat, but I think he's doing it for me, which is great. I'm keeping a diary of everything I eat and drink and the exercise I do each day.

I think finally I've gotten my head around everything and this site has been amazing for that too. Everyone here is really great and supportive.