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I had a BMI of 47 going into surgery (it's now just over 32) (i weighed 277 before surgery). My surgeon, too, tried to persuade me not to do lap band - basically letting me know that for "larger" patients it's not a good fix because a lot of people (in fact most) do not lose anywhere near what they need to. However, my mind was made up - for the same reasons as you -this is the one and only surgery i was doing - period. Six months and 88 pounds later my surgeon is very, very pleased with my progress. I guess I am falling into the 20 percent of patients in his own practice that are successful. Obviously anything can happen in future but so far so excellent! By the way, my husband literaly cried and begged me not to do the surgery (he is a total man's man and NEVER cries) and it took everything i had but i stood firm and insisted on doing this (he now tells me i was right and he was wrong LOL). He kept saying "give us one more chance to take the weight off together - give us 3-4 months - one more chance and if not successful i'll support you in the surgery - i promise!!!" I kept saying - I know i can lose weight - i just can't keep it off - i've proven it time and time again and i'm not willing to put the surgery off another 4 months just so i can prove i can lose weight one more time (which will inevitably come back on). Finally, he gave up fighting me and although he did not go to the seminar with me (i actually secretly went to that hee hee!) he did go to the inital surgeon appointment with me. He asked my surgeon (center of excellence, very experienced weight loss surgeon) how many lap band surgeries he had done and how many people either died on the table or within days/weeks of surgery - and the surgeon said - at least 200 and NONE. That was all my husband needed to hear (i was a healthy obese person - no co-morbid conditions and he figured most of those undergoing the surgery had co-morbids so I would be safe no problem). Six months and 88 pounds later - i'm THRILLED with my decision. BEST OF LUCK TO ALL OF US ON OUR JOURNEYS!!!!

I agree you have to take charge of your own life. I told my family that I was having the surgery. I did not ask for advise or want to know what anyone thought. I decided a long time ago that I need to do this for me. My only concern was my husband. He is afraid something bad could happen to me, however he is a man of strong faith and is supporting me 100%.

You can do it, girl. How long is your pre-op dieting?

J tube is the feeding tube that goes in to your jejunum/intestine. You can help prevent leaks by following your program rules but even that can't completely guarantee no leak. Mine was probably a missed staple. It stayed closed from swelling and eventually when the swelling went down it opened. A leak test before leaving the hospital won't show that, it takes several weeks for the swelling to go down. Be hyper aware of your body and anything that doesn't feel right, that's my advice!

This is called the 3 week stall. It happend to me also and I gained a couple of pounds and I thought it was because I ate a little more on New Years Eve. I have put the scale away and got back to eating all of my protein, water, taking all of my vitaimins and have continued to go to the gym. Next week when I get the scale out I know that the number will be a good one. Keep up the fight. http://www.tickerfactory.com/ezticker/weight_loss.php/wLHbQ7h