Hey there!

Well first of all I want to congratulate everyone on their weight loss!

I found this forum looking for answeres on Lapband surgery.

I live in south Texas near the Border, and there are really no Drs here that I have found that have performed enough surgeries.....:mad2:

Anyone live in south Texas with any suggestions on Drs in the area??????

I have read alot of success stories along with alot of complications. :crying:

This is where I stand:

I am 27yrs old,

5'8

241 lbs:sad:

oh and I have asthma.....

I also need to get pregnant in the next 2 yrs.

(how fun right???......)

I am not the type of person that can just DIET

on my own.

I really need alot of encourgment...

Lapband was the Answere for me..... (so far)

With it I have no choice but to diet right??

anyhow......

I gained 100 lbs in the past 7 yrs.

And I HATE that!

Depression got the best of me....

I am all better now, and I need a change!

Please give me all the opinions possible!!!!!

Should I get it or not??

Death is the #1 reason I dont want it.....

(even though I already had my gullbladder removed with the same surgery......:wink2:)

I dont know... Im just being dumb....

PLEASE HELP!

I need to figure this out!:thumbup:

I'm not from Texas but I can try to answer a couple of your questions.

My doctor makes his patients sign a paper stating they will not get pregant for 1 year after lapband surgery so that may be something to take into consideration.

Also, you said something about "having no choice but to diet with the band." You can gain weight with the band by eating high calorie foods or slider foods such as milkshakes, ice cream, etc. Those are high calorie and because they aren't solids won't stay in your pouch to keep you from being hungry. You can also overeat (uncomfortable but can be done) and stretch your pouch out to where it won't hold just the small amount it should.

Although I've only been banded a few months it takes dedication on your part to eat healthy, follow your doctor's directions, stop when the band says enough (if not before), be proactive in your own health care to go in for fills when you need it, etc. The band won't do all the work for you, it is just there to help.

Hope this helps some - best of luck!

Edited June 9, 200917 yr by bambam

I'm not from Texas but I can try to answer a couple of your questions.

My doctor makes his patients sign a paper stating they will not get pregant for 1 year after lapband surgery so that may be something to take into consideration.

Also, you said something about "having no choice but to diet with the band." You can gain weight with the band by eating high calorie foods or slider foods such as milkshakes, ice cream, etc. Those are high calorie and because they aren't solids won't stay in your pouch to keep you from being hungry. You can also overeat (uncomfortable but can be done) and stretch your pouch out to where it won't hold just the small amount it should.

Although I've only been banded a few months it takes dedication on your part to eat healthy, follow your doctor's directions, stop when the band says enough (if not before), be proactive in your own health care to go in for fills when you need it, etc. The band won't do all the work for you, it is just there to help.

Hope this helps some - best of luck!

Thank you soooo much for your info BamBam! I kinda knew about the NOT getting pregnant till MAYBE after a year.... but I just needed to make sure.

I dont really have ALOT of support at home when it comes to dieting. (i am the only fat one) jajajaja:tt2:

Thus why I turned here.....

I Can do this!

I am still looking for a dependable Dr in my area....

If ANYBODY has any suggestions please let me know!:thumbup:

I live in Texas, there are many good Doctors in Texas. San Antonio would not be a bad drive for you and they have many many bariatric doctors there. I myself chose to have my surgery in Mexico. I have insurance, but it would not cover the LapBand surgery. So being that I was a cash pay customer I could not afford the surgery in the U.S. (Basically half price in Mexico).

I love my band, but it is not the answer to all of your problems. It is a great TOOL to help you succeed in weight loss, but you HAVE to do your part! You can definitely eat around your band. So if you are not willing to make a lifestyle change then the lapband is probably not the surgery you want or need! If you are not willing to change your eating habits then most likely you will be greatly disappointed in your band!

Good luck in your search, and with what ever you decide to do.

I live in Texas, there are many good Doctors in Texas. San Antonio would not be a bad drive for you and they have many many bariatric doctors there. I myself chose to have my surgery in Mexico. I have insurance, but it would not cover the LapBand surgery. So being that I was a cash pay customer I could not afford the surgery in the U.S. (Basically half price in Mexico).

I love my band, but it is not the answer to all of your problems. It is a great TOOL to help you succeed in weight loss, but you HAVE to do your part! You can definitely eat around your band. So if you are not willing to make a lifestyle change then the lapband is probably not the surgery you want or need! If you are not willing to change your eating habits then most likely you will be greatly disappointed in your band!

Good luck in your search, and with what ever you decide to do.

Thanx, I am just really thinking about this.....

What everyone else here has said is quite correct. The Band cannot "force" you to diet. It can ASSIST you in sticking to an eating regimen, but it won't MAKE you.

But don't tie yourself to having the Lap Band. There are other procedures that work well for different types of people. Advertisements have made it seem like the band is fast and easy, but most people who have had one will tell you that it is neither. It takes the right kind of person it make it a success.

Check out ALL the procedures. Some of them may seem a little drastic, but it might be that "drastic" is what you need.

Take your time and do the research. This is a great place to start. I think people have given you a "reality check" here so far.

Whatever you decide, make sure that you do the research and choose the RIGHT surgeon. That is KEY in having success with any of the procedures.

Best of luck to ya!

HH

I agree with the other posters. I'm a native Texan and "the border" covers a HUGE area. Are you near Laredo? Corpus? El Paso? Texarkana? Brownsville? Makes a diff. I'm in San Antonio and LOVE my doc. Period. He too makes you sign a paper promising not to get pregnant for 1 year.

And yes the band does not MAKE you diet. You do that. The band helps you if you work with it. But it isn't in control, you are.

I don't eat like I used to, right now as I'm losing, but I can. It isn't a "diet", it's life. Right now I've found that certain foods keep me full for a LONG time. So I choose those. Most people don't eat thinking "Hmm, I want to choose THIS item to eat because then I'll be hungry again in 2 hours and have to just suffer". The band slows some foods down more than others, so if I pick those dense foods (like steak, for example) I am full for 6 hours. It's a no-brainer and the weight is falling off. So don't let the truth intimidate you. Yes you must eat differently to lose, but that is true of any WLS, any diet, for any (healthy) person. Do what you've been going, you'll get what you got. Eating differently, though, is so much easier when hunger isn't gnawing at you all the time!

Good luck!

Edited June 28, 200917 yr by RestlessMonkey

I agree with the other posters. I'm a native Texan and "the border" covers a HUGE area. Are you near Laredo? Corpus? El Paso? Texarkana? Brownsville? Makes a diff. I'm in San Antonio and LOVE my doc. Period. He too makes you sign a paper promising not to get pregnant for 1 year.

And yes the band does not MAKE you diet. You do that. The band helps you if you work with it. But it isn't in control, you are.

I don't eat like I used to, right now as I'm losing, but I can. It isn't a "diet", it's life. Right now I've found that certain foods keep me full for a LONG time. So I choose those. Most people don't eat thinking "Hmm, I want to choose THIS item to eat because then I'll be hungry again in 2 hours and have to just suffer". The band slows some foods down more than others, so if I pick those dense foods (like steak, for example) I am full for 6 hours. It's a no-brainer and the weight is falling off. So don't let the truth intimidate you. Yes you must eat differently to lose, but that is true of any WLS, any diet, for any (healthy) person. Do what you've been going, you'll get what you got. Eating differently, though, is so much easier when hunger isn't gnawing at you all the time!

Good luck!

Not alot of people Understand that " Eating differently, though, is so much easier when hunger isn't gnawing at you all the time!"

That is sooooo true for me! How can I loose weight if I am ALWAYS HUNGRY!!!

I Think I am making up my mind..... I will try to qualify for the lapband. I already went to the surgeon's seminar and i have my first appt. on Thurs. July 2:thumbup:

Things will turn our great for me I know they will........

Thanx for all your POSTS!!!

All your wake up calls and support!!!!

I appreciate the good, the bad, and the Ugly!

:thumbdown:

I can understand about becoming pregnant... i'm only 22, but I want to start a family before 25, but at my weight it's extremely difficult, and I don't want to be super morbidly obese because of a pregnancy, lol. I want to be able to move around, take beautiful photos of my belly , work during my pregnancy, and most importantly deliver a healthy baby. I have not had the lap band surgery yet, but I have made the decision to have it done, not only for my health, but for the health of my future children.. It was a hard, and somewhat embarassing decision (the fact that I needed surgery to lose weight), but I figure it's better to do it now while i'm young, then later with more complications. Anyway, it is a hard decision, but remember if you do have it done, it can always be reversed, that was what sold me on the band... if I ever needed it taken out for any reason, it can be done.. good luck!!