Input

Hi, This is my first post. I just attended a bariatric surgery seminar, and though I am terrified, I think I would like to have the lapband surgery. I would love to hear some input from others who had the surgery done. Were you afraid you wouldn't awake from surgery, like I am? Do you have a small child as I do? Did you hate that you couldn't just kick this problem on your own? I tend to eat large amounts of food at lunch and dinner. I am always looking for that nearly uncomfortably full feeling, and I tend not to be too snacky once I experience that feeling. My hope is that the band would cause me to consume less calories, but some of the experiences I have read suggest otherwise. Basically, I don't want to do the surgery for naught, and I don't know how other people have felt going into surgery. Were they 100% sure it was the right decision? I desperately want to lose weight to feel healthy, curb depression, and be active with my beautiful little girl. I welcome any advice. Thank you in advance. :help:

had ALL those thoughts - and more. Yes I was scared - but statisically the chances of dying from surgery are around 1%. Chances of dying from obesity related problems is 60%. I ALSO have two small children and I am a single parent. If something should happen to me - who would take care of them? But again - they DESERVE a parent who is happy and healthy and able to participate in thier life. I felt ashamed that I had let it get so bad that this was my only way out. If you can be honest with yourself and say - YES I HAVE tried everything else. This is my LAST resort then you can be more comfortable with your decision., The surgery is NOT right for everyone. It is a decision only you and your doctors can make. I choose the RNY becuase I was a "snacky" type person. I was afraid that I would be able to eat around the band - becuase you are able to eat higher calorie foods without dumping. I needed that to keep myself in check. But you owe it to yourself and your child to look into all the options and weigh all the risks. for me - it was worth every emotion I went through (and am still going through) Good luck - you have come to the right place for advice and support. Feel free to contact me anytime - and there are SO Many others who are farther out than me that have so much great information! Take care. Peppermint patty

Thank you. :-)

Hi Jen - I had open RNY so I can't really help you out on lap band questions but wanted to say "welcome to OH". I'm sure you will find a lot of good info through out the boards. The feelings you are having are very normal. You are not alone. Listen to your heart. I know for me, I was scared about not having the surgery. I knew if I did not take some drastic measures to get help for myself I was going to be 6 feet under. Sorry if this sounds harsh but for me I really feel like it was life or death. Whatever you decide to do, I wish you much happiness. Christina

Thank you. Not too harsh. :-)

Hello, welcome to OH. I am new here as well and there are many, many of us with the same feelings and fears as you. I myself went through lap band surgery 3 weeks ago and my fear (besides my kids) was because I was going through surgery without any health insurance. The flip side is so many of my health issues, aches and pains are related to my weight (300lbs at the start) and I can not even get insurance because of my weight, so I went ahead and did it. I have already lost 21 pounds and feeling so much better about my decision. My husband will be doing this as well. You have to remember that you do not have to give up your food. You will be eating all the time, just not the big portions. There will be so many non-scale victories (NSV's) to look forward to. Good luck in your decision... Diane 300.5 highest surgery 292 current 279

Thank you so much, Diane. I am 272 lbs. and a size 22/24. I wanted to know exactly what you described... if there would be a satiated feeling after a small portion of food. Did you feel restriction right away? Sounds like you did if you have already lost 21lbs. Congratulations to you! I keep reading that folks aren't feeling restriction until they undergo a few fills (BTW, how do those feel for you?), and even then it's not working. I seem to be able to eat a lot of food at lunch, but particularly dinner, and so I am thinking that it would have to work for me. During the seminar the doctor said that people who want to eat sweets or very pliable foods will not see a lot of success with the lapband, but that if you tend to eat heavy meals (which is me because I tend to eat like a man... meat and potatoes type stuff) that it's likely the lapband could work for you. I'm curious if you feel full and so you know to stop eating after a very small portion, or if you have to take a few bites and tell yourself not to eat anymore or you will be sick... and then you feel the fullness within 20 minutes or something? I don't know if I said that very clearly. I can't believe you are w/o insurance. Something tells me that though I have insurance, I will be denied. I don't have a lot of co-morbidities at this point. In fact, I'm 31 and can walk a quick paced 2 miles w/o feeling terrible, yet I don't drop the weight. Through regular exercise over the course of a year (no dieting, b/c that just seems to add to my weight over time) I lost only 17 pounds. It's so frustrating. Though I don't eat like a bird by any means, I do feel that my body wants to keep the weight on. In fact, I had my daughter 4 years ago, and weighed less than before my pregnancy only 2 weeks after I had her. I have since ballooned back to my end of pregnancy weight and stayed there for the last 3.5 years. It's frustrating. I just wish I was omnipitent and could know in advance if this was the right decision. Did your surgeon come up with a payment plan for you, or did you have to pay everything up-front? Thanks for any further comment. I think I'm just venting, but I did have one or two valid questions in there somewhere. Thanks and good luck to you. ;-)

Jen, I understand everything you are saying and I think I picked out the questions as well. Feel free to ask anything else if I didn't pick the right ones. Did I feel restriction right away? Yes. I did as I was told and put my food in a container that would hold the amount I needed to eat and eat with a small spoon, slowly. I would tell myself I could have more later if I get hungry again, so I don't feel deprived. If I am at a restaurant I count 16 small bites and ask for a container. I learned to not eat until I feel full. If you do, the food is still going down and it is very uncomfortable. I have not had a fill yet and think I am doing fine without one. I get that satisfied feeling. In fact, I wonder if I could get all my water in if I did. You read the posts and some people are not feeling the restriction. They may be stretching the band (if that's possible) or their pouch. You have to be all the way in the game Jen. You can cheat the band, but you are cheating yourself in the process. I am 5'2 and the weight was making life too hard. I had to push the cart in the store and God forbid I have to wait too long in line- my thighs get numb, I have to sit at a table not a booth) in fact I get anxiety when I have to go out to lunch with coworkers), I have to take up the whole couch to tie my shoes, I have no lap to put a napkin on, I huff and puff to get up and down the stairs and am forever sending the kids so I don't have to. We took the money out of our house because we thought this was THAT important. I lost a dear girlfriend at 50 from a heart attack and it made me realize it could happen to anyone and I decided I was going to get healthy so that I had a better chance of seeing my kids grow into adults and be a grandparent, a great grandparent. Most places do offer financing, we just payed it along the stages. I am looking for the NSV's to keep me going and I am already seeing the changes when I go up and down the stairs. No huffing and puffing. I am so happy already and I am going to make the band work for me. Ask any thing I didn't address, I will check for you later. Diane