I'm 38 years old. My BMI is 35.8. 2 years ago I got a tummy tuck and lipo suction and looked great. The weight went down from 201 lbs to 175 in a year. On the second year after surgery, I gained the weight back. I ate everytime I was stressed. Chocolate calmed down my anxiety, but I also tried medication and the medication caused even more weight gain. I've tried Jenny Craig and spent hundreds in 1 hour-weekly sessions with couselors. I'm miserable and considering lap band. I wonder, is anyone out there dealing with anxiety? are you able to lose the weight despite the psych issues?:scared2:

I personally dont have psych issues as you call them....but I will tell you that if you dont deal with your mental issues, especially the anxiety, you will still find a way to sabotage your weight loss. The band is and should be a last resort for weight loss. If you cant control what you put in your mouth now, it wont change after the band. Thats not to say you wont lose weight, because the band is designed to help you eat less portions...but you can still eat bad foods. You have to find a way to deal with stress differently, and maybe finding someone who can help you deal with those issues might be key to your success. You have to get a psych exam for part of the approval process, so that may be your opportunity to talk with someone. Good luck!

I agree w/Shauna80. chocolate (candy, cocoa, cake, cookies) goes down VERY easy with the band. shakes, sweets, chips...all are "slider" foods.

I truly think you first need some heavy duty BEHAVIORAL therapy to deal with anxiety. Find a "Behaviorist". You can pick a different type of analysis and talk about it forever if you want, but behaviorists just deal with it. It isn't that cut and dried, but almost. Get that under control and then see how you feel. Otherwise you'll go through the time and expense of banding, overeat and not lose, and just feel worse,

I hope I don't sound harsh because I don't mean to! I graze graze graze (also a no no with the band!) so I had those issues to deal with. Not the same as yours, but still something "in the way". And unfortunately I didn't even have the option of a pill to stop me, so therapy was my first and last resort.

You can help yourself, but a good therapist must be your first step, IMHO.

Thank you, Shauna, for your reply. I appreciate your advice. You're right. I have to find a way to treat the anxiety and modify my eating habits now.

Thanks RestlessMonkey. I never thought about a Behaviorist. That's a great idea. I'll look into that. Thank you!

Good luck! You are VERY smart to wonder about it and take care of it. If you decide, once the dust clears, to get the band, I bet you'll do wonderfully with it!