:smile2:I am proceeding with the process of having surgery and feel fairly confident choosing the lapband procedure, but I am wondering if anyone who has had the surgery regrets having it altogether or wishes they had chosen the bypass procedure? This site is a great resource for those of us who are new to the process. Thanks, in advance, for any responses.

i use food as comfort, will this make me a more depressed person?

Well,that's somewhat true, but not completely.

It's not only hormones that trigger the "full" feeling.

Receptors for "I'm Full" are in the upper portion of the stomach, which is why the band is placed where it is.

The restriction works because it keeps the food in the upper portion where those receptors are longer, allowing you to feel "full" (not hungry), without altering hormone levels or removing portions of the stomach.

If one eats foods that go through the pouch rapidly, then he or she will get hungry sooner.

Which is why we must work with this particular WLS differently than we would with another form.

As you said, it's all about what one feels he or she can handle.

No, I'll stand by my comment that the band is purely restriction. What you have added is simply the technical explanation of WHY the restriction works.

The bottom line, though, is that restriction does NOT work for everyone. If it did, there would be no other forms of WLS on the market. Lap Bands are the most popular form of WLS right now because they are the Cheapest, it is becoming the MOST available form of WLS because it is a less complicated procedure and more Doctors are getting into it, and, it works for a large number of people. But NONE of that means that it is the best for YOU.

This is the most important thing that I have learned during my nearly 8 years of WLS exploration. That there are multiple choices, each of which needs to be looked at in detail, and choice made based upon what is right for >YOU< ...and YOU ALONE.

HH

When you have the required psychological exam, this will be an important topic for you to discuss. Good Luck

When you have the required psychological exam, this will be an important topic for you to discuss. Good Luck

The required exam is usally pretty worthless. It's a one-time thing, where they sometimes have you take a test.

I sincerely believe that a component of the process SHOULD be several months of hard-core psychotherapy, with a Bariatric-specific therapist, one that can help you sort out what KIND of eater you are, and help you make the proper choice.....and, help you decide whether in fact you really NEED the surgery.

Regardless of what KIND of surgery you have, MOST people would agree that it's a mind game, to a certain degree. SO much of this has to do with the mind and the emotions and self discipline. Many people complain about the "hoops" they have to jump through to get insurance approval for the WLS. Frankly, i'm surprised that the insurance companies don't make you go through 10 times the amount that they do.

I think anyone would be foolish to go into any WLS without (at the VERY least) several months of weekly therapy.

HH

i use food as comfort, will this make me a more depressed person?

The answer to this is...maybe. Some people do mourn the loss of "food" inasmuch as they can't overindulge like they did in times past. I agree that a good therapist can help you decide if the band is right for you, or if indeed ANY weight loss surgery is right for you. While the band usually can be successfully removed, no one should get it lightly. Any surgery is drastic and any weight loss surgery requires big changes on the part of the patient. You are smart to question this now. Of course, whether you end up getting surgery or not, using food to soothe and comfort isn't the best coping mechanism one can have, so some therapy would be useful any way...IMHO!

Actually, the provider I have chosen uses a psychologist who specializes in this type of disorder. We will be required to meet with him for a comprehensive interview plus 3 follow-up visits and we were told that based on his findings, we will proceed with surgery or continue with him for counselling.

Actually, the provider I have chosen uses a psychologist who specializes in this type of disorder. We will be required to meet with him for a comprehensive interview plus 3 follow-up visits and we were told that based on his findings, we will proceed with surgery or continue with him for counselling.

Lucky you! However, while one does hear of the occasional more "in depth" psych consult as you've described, by and large most of them are the rubber stamp sessions that Headhunter alludes to. While I did answer 500 MMPI type questions, my personal psych meeting was all of 10 minutes. It was ok for me...I'd done just under a year of behavioral therapy on my own and was ready. But sadly, psychiatry/psychology isn't a hard science (although it's trying!) and the psych consult for WLS seems to vary as widely as the pre and post op diets the docs give us.

I think you are correct that the quality of psychiatric care varies widely. Other patients who have had the procedure by my provider have spoken quite highly about the psychologist. I'm glad you're getting therapy that is helping you on your journey. I do recognize that it is certainly an important part of this process.

If you meant me...I'm not in therapy now! LOL I WENT thru 11 months of behavioral (no lying on the couch and spewing angst for this chickie...altho it works for some) and that led me to the band! :thumbup:

(Not an emotional eater, not a depressive eater...mostly just an eater! LOL) But the point is no one gets hugely obese without something in the old brain/food continuum going haywire. It can only help to see if we can explore that and "fix" any breaks or loose connections we find!

RestlessMonkey....Wow! In this we are alike. I simply love food/everything about it. I love to groceryshop, cook, and go out to eat. Not depressed, just have that love affair with food. LOL I am hoping that weight loss will help me focus on the DESIRE to eat healthier and to exercise, which is something I have never done in my life. I have only had short-term, limited diet success in 30 years of obesity.

No, I'll stand by my comment that the band is purely restriction. What you have added is simply the technical explanation of WHY the restriction works.

HH

Yes, but the "why" is very important. It's not simply that it's a smaller container, but it's also the location of the receptors in that container.

I was simply expanding on it and reminding that hormones alone are not the only "full" triggers. If it were, we would already have that magic bullet hunger hormone suppression pill and none of this would be relevant.

I know the "why" the restriction works was very important to me.

I felt it might be an important piece of information for others as well. So we are not in disagreement, simply giving more depth.

:thumbup:

Nice to hear from someone close to my age. I appreciate your thoughts.

hey Pixie! I am being banded tomorrow. I just wanted to let you know that you and I only live one hour from each other and would love to stay in touch with you and answer any questions you might have about the process as I am still going through it. I have a blog here is a link for you, you can read about what is going on...

www.ladylapband.com

GonnaLoseIt, great blog!

I love your "this is me when I THOUGHT I was fat" picture! I have one or two of those as well!

Hey Gonna Loose it!....Im right along with you...Im getting banded tomorrow too!....I'll meet you on the loser's bench!....Good Luck and GOD bless!!!!

Absolutely no regrets, other than not doing it sooner. I have been banded one year, am down 125 lbs and am 10 lbs from goal. You must go into banding (or any WLS) however, with the mindset that it's a tool. It works as well as you work it. Sure it's possible to eat around your band, then you eat too much and then you don't lose. THat's not the band's fault then. Ice cream, cookies, thin pizza, chips, all slide right on through. But if you do the hard proteins first, small portions, exercise, you will lose. I wish you the best of luck in your decision. As another poster mentioned, there are different types of surgery and what may work well for one, might not be the right choice for another. You are doing well to research all your options.