slm2007

I get this from my mother....yes, my mother who is overweight and suffering from bad knees, high blood pressure etc....I ask her "how is your weight loss plan working for you?" She thinks I can do it on my own, or she puts it "Naturally." I've done it naturally for 20+ years and here I am. I have a 3 year old that I would like to be around to watch grow up and I'd like to have fun with him while he is growing up! I've tried it, I've lost it and I've gained it. I'm hoping this will help me gain control of my self. My husband thinks it is the easy way out too, and I also challenged him with a very low calorie diet plan...imagine that, he didn't even want to try! It's okay if the ignorance is out there, it is always going to be there and we just need to find support where we can. Good Luck to everyone...those who are ignorant and those who are Educated.

Why am I going to put myself through this.....good question. I've yo-yo'd like everyone on here with my weight. I'm sick of it. I have some limited "will power" and do well and can lose weight but BAM, it shoots right back onto my thighs as soon as I step out of line. I'm not saying this band is going to be my cure, but I'm hopeful that it will give me that "full" feeling that I lack. I admit I will have to work on the "oh, but it tastes soooo good" issues, but if I'm full, honestly full, I'll be able to stop eating. My problem is that I'm hungry a lot of the time and I don't get "Full" until I've eaten beyond what a person should be permitted to eat. I swear my stomach is the size of a pick up truck bed. Absolutely there is going to be will power stuggle but I'm hoping with restriction I will listen to my stomach when it tells me "it's done." that's why I'm here, that's why I'm hopeful and I'm just so damn sick of shopping in the fat section and not being comfortable in my own skin. I want to get pictures taken with my son before he grows up and I wont' do that now because I'm humiliated by my appearance. I will keep a picture of my fat-self around so when I get that urge to splurge....I can look at the Fat Me. If we could all just go "on a diet" we wouldn't be here. If we all had will-power, we wouldn't be here and we would all be skinny. I need to feel "full" before I eat an entire elephant and that is where I hope this band can help me.....I don't know "when" enough is enough

I originally had 100 pounds to lose. I am a prebander and my doctor didn't even hesitate when I told him I leaned toward the Band. I was thinking of bypass at one point but just can't get past the 'Cutting of your organs" thing. I know it will be slower and I know it will work. I'm up for it. I think the band is fine if you need to lose 100 pounds and I don't think a doctor would lead you toward failure.....I think bypass is "easier" to some extent because you see the results faster but I think in the long run, losing slowly and learning to really change your life is better. I've seen quite a few of family and friends that did the bypass route (because they were looking for quicker) and have quite a bit of it back. Two of my friends have had the bands and they fluctuate between 5 and 15 pounds but they haven't gained nearly the 80 and 120 pounds they have lost. The one girl has had the band for at least 8 years. FOR ME, If I had another 200 or 250 pounds to lose....I think bypass would be the way I would have went. You have already lost 50 and that is awesome, so I think the band is a great option if you want to lose another 100....you are doing so well.

This post made me laugh! I'm a prebander so I may have no idea what I'm talking about but just from what other around me think about the "tool" - - they assume this thing is going to do the work for me and I'm going to breeze through losing weight. Almost like I'm cheating weighloss. No one gets it...this isn't a walk in the park and I'm sure I'm gonna smash a few fingers along the way until I learn how to use this hammer I can't get it through their skulls (maybe this is where a hammer might be useful) that I have to "Watch what I eat, eat good Protein, no more junkie food, exercise and change my life." I get exhausted from the "tool" comments too but it's true and how else do you describe it? I can't wait to begin my journey and I hope I'm as lucky as all the other Perfect People on here....Have a Wonderful Day. :Dancing_biggrin: :grouphug:

Good luck to both of you. I'm waiting for approval and can't wait to start the journey. Scared, yep, a lot but I know we are worth it. I'm interested to read that someone has PCOS. My endocrinologist told me that she suspects this is what I have and why I can't lose my weight effectively. I didn't much by her explaination but maybe it makes sense...truth is I never researched it enough to find out since I had no trouble getting pregnant. I'm excited for both of you and GOOD LUCK on your surgery...keep us posted!

Congratulations to you! That is awesome inspiration to someone who is getting cold-feet about the surgery. I'm waiting for insurance approval. I love reading positive stories and I think reading about the feet getting smaller is awesome. I wear a size 9 1/2 and I hope they go down a little so I can be comfortable again in some really cute shoes!

My nutrionalist said this is perfectly fine for us. He also suggested adding some non-fat dry milk to it, for a little extra protein.

It is bitter, and I've taken to putting a 1/2 packet of Splenda in it and it takes the bitterness away

I've been researching till I'm blue in the face and now just want opinions. I'm sure this question is on here somewhere but I can't find it. I'm leaning toward the Realize but now am confused because I'm researching too much. Of course I want my surgeons opinion, that is a no-brainer but if I'm given a choice, how do you choose. Each has good things? Things I like about Realize....it is made of softer material which I understand is to assist in complications of erosion? It is the lowest port, which I love. It is supposedly the widest band which assists in the slippage issue. There are less complications with the Realize over Lap? I like the idea of how it locks into the muscle. Things I don't like and why I think about Lap Band...there are kink issues with Realize, and when it is filled, it almost shapes a triangle shape vs. a smooth round shape....which I would think be better contact with your stomach? Initial testing of the Realize-C shows lesser weight loss??? Less fills required with Realize, but if I only get the 9 cc band, is this going to give me enough restriction? Why did you choose your Realize or Lap Band? I know this is my decision with input of my surgeon but this is a big decision. LOw Profile port is huge on my list of Pros however...I know Lap has a low profile and I'd ask for that!

Thank you for the post! 70 pounds in a year is amazing! I am a pre-bander and sometimes get discouraged with the harsh posts and disappointment out there, but things like your post give me real hope again. I know within myself that I'm ready to make this change and I chose the band over by pass because I wanted a more gradual weight loss (and I didn't want my body cut apart inside). But the slow gradual weight loss is the best way to go. Keep up the amazing work and thank you for some inspiration! Staci

I went to psych on a Tuesday afternoon and after 30 minutes of meeting me, she just told me she was going to approve me for surgery. I guess they gave the info to the doctor right away. I just had my last clearance test and they just sent my paperwork off for insurance approval. Getting scared.

I was told no drinking 30 minutes before, NONE during and none for 30-60 minutes after! No drinking with my meal is going to be tough!

Thank you! You have no idea how much I needed to hear something like this. I'm getting cold feet and posted about how I'm hearing so much negativity that I'm wondering if it is worth it....yes, I'm worth it. I'm not hoping for miracles but IF I could lose 40-50 pounds in a year....amazing. I've been doing well with learning to try and eat differently even pre-band...my mind has clicked recently! I've lost and gained and lost and gained so I'm hoping this Band will help me and work with me to lose and keep it off. My friends at work are very supportive and told me that they will force me to get out there walking at lunch...30 or 40 minutes of walking 3 or 4 times a week will be great for me. I just don't have time for the gym with my schedule (up at 4:30, drop son off at 6:00 a.m., commute, work from 8:30 to 4:30, pick up son at 6:00 p.m., get in the door at 6:30, dinner, bath, family time and bed for son at 9:30, shower, bed for me at 11/11:30, up again at 4:30). I'm pooped to say the least and I refuse to take away from my time with my son at this point..he is only 3 and he is only little once! Anyhow....I'm inspired by your story and we are sending in the paperwork this week for insurance approval. And to those of my family and friends who are telling me I can do it on my own...I know I can lose it, but after 20 years of struggling...I need help keeping it off, so I've made my decision... Regis, that is my FINAL ANSWER!

First, I've been so gung-ho about this procedure and now I'm getting cold feet because I'm seeing so, so, so many negative things about people and their bands. I'm seeing more bad than good and it is very discouraging. I know there is good and bad with everything. I know this isn't a miracle cure...I totally get ALL of that but I am reading more and more about problems, complications and bad results/feelings about people with the band. This is causing me to wonder if it is worth it? I've looked into the sleeve which I was totally excited about but my insurance won't cover it unless I'm a 50 BMI or higher.....sad I wanted bypass originally but couldn't allow my insides to reworked....the sleeve would have been my perfect surgery but I have to settle for lap band to help me on my journey. So, If I do go through with this...which I probably will.....here are my questions: 1) What is this "nerve pain" people talk about that the band can cause? 2) IF you could pick your band, which would you choose...Realize or Lap-Band? Do I ask for a low profile port? Can I ask where the port is going to be located? 3) What do you wish they would have told you before surgery? Do you ever feel like you were mislead? I know this is a "tool" and it needs to be worked, I'm not asking for an easy out, but I also want to be deceived with false hope and promises, know what I mean? I need a tool that is going to help me, not hinder me. Thank you to anyone and everyone who can offer some useful advice.

Thank you EVERYONE. I understand that a forum is a "sounding board" for people that are having problems...I'm not against that...that's what we are here for, but it just freaked me a little that there were so many problems. I went into the Success Stories just to get some inspiration I'm going forward! I have started and stopped this process so many times and here I am...insurance paperwork ready to be sent in! I have a 3 year old son and he is the main reason I'm doing this....I want to be around for him, I want to be healthy and mainly I don't want to be an embarrassment. I'm getting "harrassment" from my family...not really, but you'll see what I mean...that I can do this on my own. Yesterday I get this email from my mom telling me how our family friend lost over 70 pounds just doing it her way and lost it over a period of two years! I get an email from the family friend that it is all about mind control etc. DUH! I've lost 70 pounds before....gained back 90. I've lost 50 pounds before, gained back 70! I know I can do it...I know I have mind control and when my mind is set....I can lose it. I can't keep it off and that is where I pray the band will be my needed friend to assist me in keeping it off. In all honesty, I have a goal of 160 but I've decided that I'm going to set 10 pound goals. Once I break below 200......that is going to be a huge goal set for me! 160 would be perfect...I wore a bikini at the beach at 160 which really shocks me, but I've also decided that if I'm below 200, my blood pressure is down, my body doesn't hurt as bad...that will be a success for me. I'm going to take success where I can find it and not set myself for failure by telling myself I must be a certain size or certain weight. I'm going to take this ride, and see where it leads me. I know my mind is ready (scared to death but ready). I know this will help me with control. I've been doing well for the past two months, like something really clicked inside me. I get hungry and around my period must have my little snack of chocolate but I'm really limiting my intake, stopped my Mt. Dew addiction and have learned to adjust to sugar free and low calorie...I'm even trying to eat cottage cheese (it is the 4% but I figure that is better than not eating it, for protein reasons..I'll take a few more calories so I can at least tolerate it) Thank you again everyone and I welcome the comments. I can't wait to begin this journey so I'm healthier, happier and even just a little bit skinnier! I can do this..... Staci

I've been going to my PCP for six months now doing my monthly weigh-in's. Each month we talk in depth about my decision etc. At first I was all about the band...then I started leaning toward full bypass but went back to band after talking and honestly the fear of the malabsorption and them skipping most of my insides just wasn't for me. Good...we agree on Band....the visits continue and at my last visit (#6) he says to me...have you ever thought about the Sleeve? I honestly didn't know much about this and thought this was a first step procedure for those who are highly overweight and can't get bypass yet. Anyhow, I've researched it and now I'm more confused than ever. The doctors cutting my stomach isn't an issue for me....the fact that it doesn't rework my insides is a great plus and because I was leaning toward bypass at one point because of the great weight loss, I thought...this Sleeve is for me. But, then I wonder, will I gain it back after I lose it? You can stretch your stomach back out if you seriously don't change your habits. Of course my goals it to change them, but as with most of us, we have a history of losing and gaining so I'm not going to promise the world that I wouldn't gain some weight back...I know it could happen. I'm not worried about leakage, I'm not scared of surgery or anything like that. I'm scared I won't have control two or three years down the road. With the Band....you can keep that restriction going....I have no idea what to do...My ideal situation would be to get the sleeve done, lose weight for about two years and then get a band to keep me from gaining....I know that isn't reasonable. So, if anyone has a crystal ball, may I borrow it.

I have finished up my six month diet and have one last clearance before this sent to the insurance. Today....after six months of visits my PCP says to me "have you considered the sleeve?" He proceeded to tell me that this might be interesting to me since I was so scared of the bypass because I don't like the idea of them moving my body parts around, that the sleeve would be restrictive but not cause the malabsorption problem because they don't bypass the intestines etc. He said it would help with hunger because they remove so much of the stomach that it reduces the "hunger" hormones? Has anyone thought of the sleeve....why Lap over Sleeve? Curious because NOW I'm really confused!

WOW....really something to think about now. I'll have to contact the insurance to see if this is covered (BCBS). I'm not scared of getting cut and it being a permanent issue, the thing I didnt' like about bypass is that they were really "reducting" your insides and skipping your intestines...that freaked me. As for the "floating stomach"...I think I read that it is removed laproscopically?? I could be wrong (which I usually am) but I know it is left there with bypass but for some reason I thought they removed it with the sleeve? I think what scares me about the sleeve are the staples that hold your stomach together. I thought it would be like skin or a bone, they would staple it and your stomach would "heal" itself and grow back together...but I'm thinking the staples are supposed to hold it together forever? Thank you but now I really have some thinking to do! I love the idea of the sleeve and the fast weight loss where the band is a "test" but I also like that it isn't permanent if there are problems. If there are problems with the sleeve, it is a permanent cut!

Okay, 20 years I've been yo-yo-ing with my weight...probably like everyone here. Three or four times, I've started and stopped the surgery process...originally going to do bypass but just couldn't bring myself to do it. Ahhhh, then along came the lap band...perfect, no reducting of my insides and not permanent so I felt safer about it. Started the process and my last weigh in is at the end of February.... here comes my vent.... I get this email from my sister in law today.....I know they love me and I know they don't want anything to happen to me...I appreciate that so much, but she starts telling me about this news story she saw where four women have died from lap band surgery. Yes, people die from surgery every day...people die from getting their gall bladders out, but I needed that done. People die from getting hernias repaired, but she had that done twice. People die from getting wisdom teeth removed! She pulled the "your son needs you" card but she doesn't understand that my son is part of my motiviation to Get this done! I want to be here for him, I want to be healthy and I want him to not be embarrassed to be with his mom. I don't want to be his Fat Mom. I understand her concern and even my mother gets on me about getting surgery...okay, how is your weight loss plan working for you mom? I get to the gym 3-4 days a week, not long because I have to do it on my lunch hour, but I try. I've been really really watching what I eat and I've lost almost 20 pounds...in six friggin months...that is not good motiviation to keep feeling like you are starving all the time. What is motivating me is to lose enough before surgery that I'm safer! Anyhow, I just had to vent as to why do people have to use "you might die" against you....and when they use your child/husband/wife/family "needs you" card it makes it so much more difficult. I almost feel guilty now even considering this surgery. Am I wrong for doing this? Am I being selfish by risking surgery? Then I bounce back with I'm risking cancer, diabetes and heart failure by being fat! I'm just really frustrated now. Of course I haven't taken this decision lightly....one day I didn't wake up and say "poof" I'm going to get a lap band surgery performed.....whoo hooo. I've thought and thought and thought. yes, I'm scared absolutely, but I feel this is the best decision for me....in the long run? Thanks for listening....I think I'm going to go sulk now....

Funny, but this is my main goal. I will be so thrilled the first time I can buy clothes at a normal store and not in the "plus" section....seriously why do they make such ugly clothes for "women" sizes? Maybe it is to encourge us to lose weight lol. A size 16 in the 'Normal" section will be amazing......my ultimate goal is to be a 10/12. I'm not looking for "skinny" and considering that a size 10 is considered a "PLUS SIZE" model in the modeling industry, I'll be happy with that.

I'm a pre-bander and I'm stalking a lot of postings here....I came across this one and had to put in my two cents of my journey to getting banded. I have really kicked things into high gear the past two months and have decided "IT IS TIME" and I've worked really hard at finding new "yummies" because I know there will be times I give into my head...sometimes you just have to, right? I was a Mt. Dew addict...literally. Nope, now it is Crystal Light Honey Lemon Green Tea. I used to have a Jethro Bodine lunch (meaning huge), now it is a Lean Cuisine or Smart One and fresh cut veggies or a yogurt. Greek Honey vanilla Yogurt with a package of Splenda..Yummy. I've also learned to like the taste of sugar free pudding and Jell-o. I think if you change these simple things, you can still treat yourself once in a while. The sugar free chocolate pudding really satisfied my sweet tooth and the craving was gone. Before I would have had a Snickers.....I'm good now. Also Fiber One oats & chocolate bar...yummy but probably not so good for you (but I'm really need fiber with these changes). Can you suggest some really good Protein shakes and powders? I've tried them before in the past on my many diet adventures and cannot find one that I can even try to pretend is a glass of chocolate milk, or a Wendy's Frosty. I know they aren't going to be the same, but there has to be something out there that tastes good and can be semi-enjoyable. Great work everyone...I am so excited (and terrified at the same time) of my new life ahead. No more ugly fat lady clothes for me. I want to shop in the normal section again....I'm not even looking to be skinny. Healthy is my goal...I will be thrilled to reach 165, anything extra is a bonus.

I came to the "Success Stories" to get some inspiration because I'm getting close and getting scared. I read so many negative things on the the "post op" site that I sometimes wonder if I'm doing the right thing. I've gotten the whole "you don't need to do this." "do it naturally," "your son needs you, what if something happens to you," speeches from those around me who just don't get it. 20+ years I've been yo-yoing and my son is the main reason I'm doing this for myself! I don't want to die of a heart attack at 45 or develop diabetes etc. So far I'm very lucky that my main problem is I'm fat and have slightly high blood pressure (but this has come down since I've lost about 20 pounds). Thank you for sharing your story because I needed a pick-me-up and it helped solidify my decision. Yes, I'm terrified that I won't wake up when I get the surgery. I'm scared of complications but I do have the fact that I'm relatively healthy on my side and that I will hopefully be below 40 BMI when surgery is happening...that is a goal for myself to make my surgery safer. Anyhow, with all that said, thank you again and keep up the amazing work. You have inspired me again.

I am a Dr. R patient. Kelley has been amazing and I think she talks to me so often now that she knows my voice over the phone before I tell her who I am. I have my last weigh in next Thursday (2/24) and then they ship the paperwork off to the insurance to get approval. I'm hoping to have surgery in April because I'm trying to schedule it around some holiday time at work so I don't have to take as many days off. I'm very excited, nervous, scared, anxious and hopeful. I've made huge changes especially the last two months so I'm hoping that I will be successful in the long run with this tool. I've yo-yo'd all my life and I'm hoping this will help me maintain. Good luck and keep us posted.

Maybe I'm doing to much researching about this procedure because now I'm reading about the studies they are doing about people who are having bad complications after 7+ years of having the band....a lot of erosion issues etc. Has anyone's doctor discussed this with them? Has anyone else read about this? I'm driving myself crazy aren't I? The purpose of me getting the surgery is so that I'm healthy and active 10, 20, 30 years down the road, not opening myself up to more complications like stomach erosion?????? How is everyone doing if you have had your band for more than 5 years? I need to get off the internet but I'm really trying to be as informed as possible before I stick out my arm for the happy-go-to-sleep medicine.