deleted...got all the input I need for now. Thanks to EVERYONE that responded!

Edited October 12, 200916 yr by BQT

Truthfully, I am 5'4, if I was 175 I would not have the band. I am now at 221, with a highest of 255, and I have had my band for 4 months now. I tried to lose it on my own, and put it right back on. But I would not spend 15k, to have this surgery to lose 35 or 40 lbs. This is major surgery, and if you do not have the support system at home, that would not make it any easier.

thanks for you response.

You didn't say how old you were???? All my life I have been very overweight. I am 5' 3.5" tall. I have been on every diet there is that was sensible. Until I hit my 60's I was able to do just about anything I wanted to do. I worked 14-16 hour shifts (nurse), was fairly active, and didn't worry about my fat.

However, there came a day when my health started to go downhill. I was injured at work and required a total knee replacement in 2007. Within that year, I gained about 70 extra pounds and became a sedentary person. My legs wouldn't hold me some days, my lungs were in trouble from severe Asthma, I developed sleep apnea. My B/p went up until I was taking 4 different B/P meds a day. My BMI was 52 and I was weighing in at 322 lbs on the day of surgery.

The main reason I had the surgery was my PCP told me that I wouldn't see my 70th b/day if I didn't have the LAP-BAND®. So I started with the insurance requirements and was banded on 8/11/09. I have lost a little over 30 lbs in eight weeks, am OFF all my B/P meds except for one. No more C-Pap machine and am feeling better. I have along way to go but NO ONE is going to stop me.

I am fortunate to have a supportive family but I did this for me & no one else. I deserve to live a long healthier life and I intend on doing it.

Don't wait until your health starts to fail or you're in your 60's. Decide what you want and tell everyone else to go fly a kite! It's your body, your self image, your health. Good luck on whatever you do. I hope you make the right decision for you.

Edited October 10, 200916 yr by LollyMoe
added a word

You didn't say how old you were???? All my life I have been very overweight. I am 5' 3.5" tall. I have been on every diet there is that was sensible. Until I hit my 60's I was able to do just about anything I wanted to do. I worked 14-16 hour shifts (nurse), was fairly active, and didn't worry about my fat.

However, there came a day when my health started to go downhill. I was injured at work and required a total knee replacement in 2007. Within that year, I gained about 70 extra pounds and became a sedentary person. My legs wouldn't hold me some days, my lungs were in trouble from severe Asthma, I developed sleep apnea. My B/p went up until I was taking 4 different B/P meds a day. My BMI was 52 and I was weighing in at 322 lbs on the day of surgery.

The main reason I had the surgery was my PCP told me that I wouldn't see my 70th b/day if I didn't have the LAP-BAND®®. So I started with the insurance requirements and was banded on 8/11/09. I have lost a little over 30 lbs in eight weeks, am OFF all my B/P meds except for one. No more C-Pap machine and am feeling better. I have along way to go but NO ONE is going to stop me.

I am fortunate to have a supportive family but I did this for me & no one else. I deserve to live a long healthier life and I intend on doing it.

Don't wait until your health starts to fail or you're in your 60's. Decide what you want and tell everyone else to go fly a kite! It's your body, your self image, your health. Good luck on whatever you do. I hope you make the right decision for you.

THANK YOU for your response. I am just feeling so sad and torn. I want to do it. I am 38 years old. and doesnt seem like much when i say im 5'4'' and 175, but this is with my unhealthy carb diet and 37.5 strength of phentermine daily. I dont know how much longer I can even do this. my normal weight seems to be up closer to 200 lbs. I want to do this so bad , I just feel like I need this aid. I also currently use the cpap for sleep apnea and I am so scared about this phentermine I have been taking for 2 years to loose weight.

Here goes! If I were in your shoes, I would NOT have this surgery...for a couple of reasons. Yes, you are obese...but just barely! If you lose just ONE POUND you are in the overweight category. Also, can you elaborate on your struggles with weight? For the past ten years what has your average weight been? I personally do not believe that this surgery is a good option for someone who does not have at least 100 lbs or more to lose. It worries me that you are taking diet pills, and skipping meals. Additionally, if you are sick of a low-carb diet now, I honestly do not believe that you would be successful if you chose to go through with the surgery as many surgeons, including mine, suggest a low-carb diet. I am afraid that you think this will be a "fix it all" solution. It most definitely is NOT! It is a MAJOR lifestyle change. It worries me that you have NO support. I believe that people with support systems in place do much, much better. Additionally what kind of research have you done? Being a self-pay patient would you be required to undergo a psychological evaluation? I sure hope so. Not meaning to offend you, but I am just not convinced that you understand what you may be getting yourself into.

With that said, I wish you the best of luck either way you decide. If you decide to go through with surgery there are many great people on this forum to give you support and direction :thumbup:

How much DO you exercise? There are two things that come to my mind --

(A) EVERYONE hits a plateau in the course of trying to lose weight. It may be that you need to add the exercise, or increase, or change up what you are doing to bump you out of that plateau.

(:thumbup: I can't tell you how many times I left the gym after a good hard workout in the morning, craving nothing but a crunchy apple and a bottle of Water.

The last time I seriously tried to lose weight - I started out walking three miles a day, and did well. When I hit the wall, I added weight training, and did even better, especially in terms of inches lost. My problem is that I reached a point that I was in the gym for 90 minutes a day, add in the 40 minutes travel time to and from; and sometimes a second trip to the gym because I was angry and frustrated (about to go through a divorce.) I was watching what I was eating very closely, and downing water, reduced the diet coke to one a day, etc. After all of that, and a year and a half, I ONLY LOST 80 POUNDS and I only went from a 28 to a 26. Add diabetes and high blood pressure, and 4 amazing kids that I want to be here for -- you bet I wanted surgery!

Only you can make the decison, only you know if you have gone through all of these processes. Your life, your body, your choice. The surgery is simple, but not fun -- so make it worth it.

thanks for your responses.so ill answer a few questions:

over the past ten years my average weight has been about 190.

current excercise: 5 days a week I either take a dance class or walk these stairs in my neighborhood for about 25 continuous minutes.

On another note, about the phentermine. Would that be 37.5 mg of Adipex that you are taking? I understand EXACTLY what you are saying about those diet pills being unhealthy. I took them as prescribed by my physician and they were horrible. I only slept about 4 hours a night, my heart felt like it was going to burst out of my chest, and I felt irritable and excited all the time. I believe that Adipex is only FDA approved for use for 3 months at a time. My physician would have me on Adipex for 3 months and then off of it and on Meridia for 3 months and vice versa. Adipex= no fun!!

If I had to chose between Adipex and lap-band, it would be hands-down lap-band!! I know that just contradicts my previous post though....:thumbup:

thanks for your responses.so ill answer a few questions:

over the past ten years my average weight has been about 190.

current excercise: 5 days a week I either take a dance class or walk these stairs in my neighborhood for about 25 continuous minutes.

A couple things to try: Either more time and more stairs, or do the same stairs but FASTER.... work to cut your time each week.

Start keeping a food journal, measure your portions, and write everything down. That way you can see if what you are eating matches up with what you thought you ate. (I am really good at not paying attention and eating more than I thought I did.) Big one especially since you are exercising so well -- ARE YOU EATING ENOUGH???? Every one of us needs X calories just for living; if you workout regularly, you need more. If you go over that -- well, one through the lips, forever on the hips (my dad always told me.) If you aren't eating enough to compensate for your activity, your body isnt about to release the excess weight. A good nutritionist can help you determine what is the proper amount of calories for your age, weight, height, etc.

You are SO close that with a few more minor changes, I am sure you could reach your goal. Good grief, you could obtain that goal, Celebrate with a nice cruise to somewhere warm and still come out ahead financially! (Saying that because fall is here, which means winter is pending......:thumbup:)

And seriously -- congratulations on the weight loss you have achieved so far.... believe me, I know it is hard, hard work and the low-carb thing can be so challenging.

exactly a big factor for me. it feels like its adipex 37.5 or lapband. I've been on the adipex for 2 years (sometimes off for meridia) ...its not good for my heart but its the only thing that has gotten me to loose this first 25 lbs of my 75 lb goal!

honestly, I tend to enjoy taking them (another concern) and they really just seem to be my crutch to keep me from eating in the evening.:thumbup:

If I had to choose between Adipex or being fat, I would hands-down choose being FAT! And I did for 4 years before my lap-band surgery 7 weeks ago! I finally had ENOUGH and told my doc enough is enough :sad: It's not worth it for 25 lbs!!! For me, I was able to lose 34 lbs on Adipex. Hopefully your physician is sending you for cardiac work-ups...Adipex can do some serious damage to the heart valves, especially after 2 years??? It is intended for short-term use ONLY! I'm a nursing student and I don't know much, but I know just enough to know that Adipex is no good! Have you tried Weight-Watchers? I found that WW had a wonderful, healthy program that really worked for me to lose the weight. I just couldn't keep it off long-term :thumbup: Just a suggestion to help you think about healthier choices :w00t:

A couple things to try: Either more time and more stairs, or do the same stairs but FASTER.... work to cut your time each week.

Start keeping a food journal, measure your portions, and write everything down. That way you can see if what you are eating matches up with what you thought you ate. (I am really good at not paying attention and eating more than I thought I did.) Big one especially since you are exercising so well -- ARE YOU EATING ENOUGH???? Every one of us needs X calories just for living; if you workout regularly, you need more. If you go over that -- well, one through the lips, forever on the hips (my dad always told me.) If you aren't eating enough to compensate for your activity, your body isnt about to release the excess weight. A good nutritionist can help you determine what is the proper amount of calories for your age, weight, height, etc.

You are SO close that with a few more minor changes, I am sure you could reach your goal. Good grief, you could obtain that goal, Celebrate with a nice cruise to somewhere warm and still come out ahead financially! (Saying that because fall is here, which means winter is pending......:thumbup:)

And seriously -- congratulations on the weight loss you have achieved so far.... believe me, I know it is hard, hard work and the low-carb thing can be so challenging.

thanks so much for taking the time to respond...I know--Im so frusrated because I feel so accomplished with the first 25, but even with the aid of the pills I feel like I can hardly take it anymore...

I too have tried adipex just gain back and be seriously disapointed. I was 225 when I was banded. I've reached my goal weight of 150 and I'm wearing size 8s and 6s. I'm also 5'4. I might try to get off another 5 pounds or so but I'd look like a skeleton at 125. Just my body type I guess. My 1st question is have you had your thyroid checked? Maybe there's a medical reason you are having so much trouble losing. It could also be between the adipex and low carb your metabolisms all out of wack? That being said if I weighed 175 and could maintain it I don't think I'd be banded. The key word being "maintain" were all capeable of losing it's the keeping it off we suck at. And I'm by no means judging I lost weight both on adipex and low carb just to gain back each time. Hopefully you can figure out what's gonna work long term for you. Whatever you decide keep us posted!!

Hello,

I am so torn. Well not so much, I'm about 80% decided but have no family support which makes me constantly second guess myself. I'd like your input as I cant talk to many people about this.

would you still get the lapband if you were me?

I am 5'4'' and have stuggled with my weight for the last 10 years. last year I got soooo frustrated when I hit 200lbs that I just said to myself: I am sooo unhappy with my weight after trying every diet known. so over the past one year I have gotten myself down to 175 by taking prescription diet pills and doing a lowcarb diet! but I cannot loose anymore..I just cant' its practically impossible to the maintain THIS weight. I have to take diet pills in order to skip/keep my dinner light and I am sooo sick of low carb that my options are definately not the healthy sort (lots of greasy stuff like chicken wings, burgers, cheese, deviled eggs, omelettes and cheese cheese cheese all the time).

So, I have a dr. that has agreed to do lapband (my goal is to be 5'4'' and 125 or even 130). I am going to pay cash and get financing etc.

but although my best friend supports me , my family is downright angry with me. everyone keeps saying "you are crazy, you look fine" or "this is so rediculous , that is for seriously obese people etc". just excercise more (everyone else in my family is skinny)

but Im not JUST doing this for aesthetic reasons, I feel like I am currently living unhealthy and if I werent able to take the first 25 lbs off I dont know that anyone would have a problem.

I have gathered lots of info. on the procedure, but what do you think given my current weight and eating situation?

THANKS!!

PROS: can finally stop prescription diet pills as my appetitie suppressant and can eat more of well-balanced low carb/protein rich diet. Will finally feel good at a goal that I will never reach without the aid of the band.

CONS: 15k since my bmi doesnt have me qualify for insurance. people calling me rediculous for doing something so extreme versus "just excercising more."

I would definitely do it. I wish I had been able to do it years ago when I was struggling to stay 50 pounds lighter and not had to wait until my body was plagued with osteoarthritis. I fought it all my life and it's a losing battle. You know you will go back to 200 so do it now and get it all off and keep it off and keep your body healthy!

I'm not too far off from you in terms of height, weight and age

43 I was 240lbs and 5'3". I know nothing at all about the diet pills--never had them.

You say that your best friend is supportive, you don't say if you are married--having a spouse who is supportive is a huge help.

As far as everyone else--they are not the ones in your head and body--screw em.

Weight will be harder and harder to take off as you age, thats the way that its been for me.

Do what you want to do.

I would have the surgery.