blondielou

Hi everyone! This is a long post, but I am really, really searching for advice and opinions so if you make it through the post, I would greatly, greatly appreciate your time. This is the 2nd biggest decision I've ever made in my entire life. I'm not a risk taker (because I have BAD luck. I'm a walking Murphy's Law. NO joke!). So I just want to put out as much info on what I'm going through as I can.....which means this is a book. I also posted in some other forums on here so sorry if I upset anyone but you just don't know how much everyone's input means to me. I'm in the beginning stages of researching the band. Right now I'm leaning toward Lap-Band and went to a seminar last night. The surgeon who lead the seminar wasn't completely anti-band but he was definitely pro-bypass. Some background, I'm 25 and have been overweight since 3rd grade. I don't eat a lot of junk, I actually don't even eat a whole lot at all. I don't make the best food options, one reason is veggies make me want to throw up. Just the smell makes me sick. I've read that I might have very sensitive taste buds but someone told me I just spoiled my taste buds because the veggies I do eat are starchy. Over the past year I've also went through some life changing events. The first was my divorce-on one hand I did lose about 30 lbs due to the depression and it made me want to get a grip & start living a better life so I joined the gym about 4 months after our split. Then 3 days later I had a bad ankle injury. A very rare one at that. I've been dealing with that since April of 2010 and just had surgery May 24, 2011 and I'm still not able to walk. So for over a year I've been in and out of casts & leg braces and only able to walk very short distances which has sent my weight through the roof. Well, a few months before my ankle surgery (I had a bone transplant-I had over half of my talas bone replaced with the bone & cartilage of a cadaver. I had a cartilage lesion which caused a 2 inch hole in my bone) I was totally done with trying to milk my way through the ankle stuff because it hurt when I walked, every single step so I said screw it and started going to the gym. I was ready to change my life, I was done with feeling so ugly and fat and wishing I could be different but I was also done with the crash diets, starving and diet pills. So I started eating better (although it wasn't a diet, I would indulge every now and then) but only drank Water (no more sodas, not even diet due to the preservatives in them & fake junk) and started going to the gym about 4 times a week, 1 1/2 a day. Well, I did that for almost 3 months and no results. I was doing over 10 miles on the cycle (random hill so it had peak, valleys and PEAKS) and over a mile on the treadmill (very brisk walking, about 3.5 mph with a small incline) plus lifting weights for my arms. So while I've been out of work I have been researching the Lap-Band. I researched it some a while back (pre-divorce) but my husband said he loved me no matter what but didn't want me to do because his mother had bypass and it was just awful. I feel more comfortable with the idea of the band because it doesn't involve removing and/or rerouting your internal organs. I also am very impressed with the healing time, which is important because I don't want to tell people at work what I'm doing and I'm using 10 weeks of my 12 weeks of Family Medical Leave. The reason I don't want to tell people is because I don't want that stigma, and I can admit I have it too sometimes. You look at someone or comment, "Wow, she/he looks great! They've lost sooo much weight!", "Oh, you didn't know, they had that weight loss surgery."..."Ohhhhh". People think it's the easy way out and it isn't. I am 100% against gastric bypass because I've seen several people in my own family that have had it and it was so awful. Several of my mom's coworkers have had it and now they have to have Iron infusions and it is just awful. Now, the weight loss was amazing but the after effects were almost too much to see someone go through. Not downing it for someone who does it, but it is NOT a choice for me. So here is where I'm on the fence. The surgeon said that if you have a lot of weight to lose, 100 or more lbs, than the band may not get you there. He also said that in a majority of patients they don't even get into the 20's for BMI, they end up still in the 30's. He kept saying that if you want significant weight loss then he opted for bypass or the sleeve. He said the sleeve is in between (results, risks & recovery) bypass & band. He said you lose more weight than with the band & your eating habits aren't significantly altered (such as with the band with bread, rice, Pasta, eating & drinking during your meal, how fast you drink water and how you have to eat your food slowly & chew, chew, chew). BUT I have seen so many people just on this site that have lost 100 lbs, or are right at it or have even surpassed it. I may not ever want to lose that much weight because 60 & 70 lbs is a lot of weight. My mom asked the surgeon if I chose the lap-band & he felt I would lose more with another surgery would he still do it, he said he would. My mom also told me 2 important things that are sticking in m mind: 1.) maybe all I want to lose is 60 or 70 lbs because that's a lot, some people may not want to lose 100 or more lbs & 2.) they're all about the numbers. They want to be able to say that their patients have lost X amount of weight. That's important to a clinics reputation. I also know the band is a tool and I was already willing to change my life for good. Not just a crash diet, I want to be able to be "fit" (or "fit" for me, I know I'll never be a Track and Field star or maybe never be able to be in a marathon or triathlon) but I want to be in shape enough to run. I don't know why, but maybe it's because it's something I've never been able to do. After just reading one blog on the sleeve & the length of recovery, I'm almost back 100% at the band. My major problem is the hunger factor. When I got serious about eating better & working out my main problem was the hunger. I went to GNC to talk to one of their nutritionist and told him that since I started to eat better it was a different kind of hunger. It was PAIN!!! I asked for an appetite suppressant, not a diet pill because I told him if the hunger would just stop I'd be fine. He told me nothing would stop hunger craving but caffeine, that's all 99% of diet pills were, so he suggest Oxy Elite Pro as well as CLA (which "supposedly" helps shrink belly fat over a longer period of time (very slowly) and it's safflower oil (I found a lot of medical sites & Wikipedia had a lot of info on the studies that did show in a lot of animal trials that it did decrease the fatty deposits and overall mass). Y'all just don't know!!!!!! I was hungry ALLLLLL the time & I was eating! But I was able to tell there is a different in getting full on healthier food & on junk food. When I say I was eating better I would eat a Breakfast of fruit, oatmeal and low fat yogurt. For lunch I would usually have grilled chicken and fruit (maybe a grilled chicken sandwich on wheat bread or a grilled low-fat wrap at this cafe I fell in love with, Tropical smoothie Cafe, they served nothing fried-and maybe a smoothie-always checked the fat & calories). Snacks were usually fruit, low fat-low cal yogurt, or string cheese. dinner was whatever my mom cooked, with moderation (after my divorce I'm back at home, which is a little depressing but my ex-husband was physically & mentally abusive & I wasn't allowed to see them -and I'm an only child- so I love being here with them). But I was so hurt that with eating better & excercising so much I didn't get hardly any results. Now i didn't weigh myself, I went by how my clothes felt & how I looked because a number isn't really important to me, it's how I see myself in the mirror. When I go to the dr., I close my eyes on the scale & tell them not to tell me because I can't do anything about it (at that time) and it's only going to depress me. I dread getting on the scale so bad that I almost get sick to the point of vomiting. I don't even have a primary dr. and I know it's because of that one reason. So I know it's time to change my life & I'm willing to put in the effort with added diet and exercise. I blame a lot of my problems on my weight, and of course going through divorce did not help, especially since he left me for another woman. She's thinner than I am but she's not thin or skinny. I was expecting Barbie so at least I didn't blame him leaving me ALL because of my weight. But I joined a few dating sites and I didn't get almost any e-mails. Guys don't flirt with me, except the occasional look & flirt at a red light when I'm driving, I was driving my mom's convertible one day & this guy (on a two lane road w/ a turning lane) drove in the turning lane yelling at me to give him my phone number because he "liked what he saw". And it was at the next red light when my brain gave way to the butterflies & giddy-ness. Ummmm, really? It's so bad that you got all excited and giddy over some stranger putting both our lives at danger? Has it really come to this?!!! I'm so not use to it that I was giddy about that?!!! And my mom tells me I don't get very many "bites" online because I'm not someone that sleeps around & I basically say that on my profile LOL but I just hate my weight. All I've ever wanted was a husband, home & family and now that I'm thrown back out into this lonely world, I'm panicked because even though I'm told that I'll meet someone my weight is a huge downfall. If I was thinner, more guys would talk to me & I would probably be asked to do more things. That isn't the only reason I'm doing this, I'm ready to change my life but it would be nice for a change to feel pretty & to get to shop at more stores in the mall other than plus size stores or stores that have a women's department. I'm scared out of my mind. Now I don't know which surgery is right for me, my insurance covers the sleeve & the band. After reading my semi-life story, what is your opinion? Would the band be something that sounds like would work for me? Why did you chose the band over bypass? If you could go back, would you make the same decision? THANK YOU FOR READING!!! THANK YOU, THANK YOU, THANK YOU!

Sooooo....I had my consultation the other day and I guess I'll start with the good news! Insurance covers 100% I have no co-mobilities and other than being overweight, I'm perfectly healthy. So the not-so-great news 6 month dr. supervised weight program (which she mainly told me is I go to the dr. once a month and they weigh me, so pretty easy) Since I have no co-mobilities I have to go & get records from my dr.'s for the past 3 years. (Which will be time consuming because I don't even have a primary physician, I barely go to the dr., only when I'm sick). Could take 7-8 months until I get a surgery date. So all in all it was fine. I still can't fully walk after my ankle surgery in May so I already plan to get more physical once I can walk again (starting with walking which is my, my dr's & my physical therapists goal right now) so I'll be tracking my exercise to show I'm not just doing nothing. But here's what I'm worried about. She said that 45% of her patients that are banded, fail. 45%!!!!!!!! She did say it was because they eat around the band, soft/mushy foods like mashed potatoes, ice cream, milk shakes and things like that instead of getting in meats (protein) and veggies. Luckily I already read some on here about what you're suppose to do to eat "right" once banded (like eating your Protein first). But that number is scary!! I just keep telling myself that I'm the one ready for the entire lifestyle change. For right now I'll be happy with just being able to walk without excruciating pain!

Hi everyone! This is a long post, but I am really, really searching for advice and opinions so if you make it through the post, I would greatly, greatly appreciate your time. This is the 2nd biggest decision I've ever made in my entire life. I'm not a risk taker (because I have BAD luck. I'm a walking Murphy's Law. NO joke!). So I just want to put out as much info on what I'm going through as I can.....which means this is a book. I'm in the beginning stages of researching the band. Right now I'm leaning toward Lap-Band and went to a seminar last night. The surgeon who lead the seminar wasn't completely anti-band but he was definitely pro-bypass. Some background, I'm 25 and have been overweight since 3rd grade. I don't eat a lot of junk, I actually don't even eat a whole lot at all. I don't make the best food options, one reason is veggies make me want to throw up. Just the smell makes me sick. I've read that I might have very sensitive taste buds but someone told me I just spoiled my taste buds because the veggies I do eat are starchy. Over the past year I've also went through some life changing events. The first was my divorce-on one hand I did lose about 30 lbs due to the depression and it made me want to get a grip & start living a better life so I joined the gym about 4 months after our split. Then 3 days later I had a bad ankle injury. A very rare one at that. I've been dealing with that since April of 2010 and just had surgery May 24, 2011 and I'm still not able to walk. So for over a year I've been in and out of casts & leg braces and only able to walk very short distances which has sent my weight through the roof. Well, a few months before my ankle surgery (I had a bone transplant-I had over half of my talas bone replaced with the bone & cartilage of a cadaver. I had a cartilage lesion which caused a 2 inch hole in my bone) I was totally done with trying to milk my way through the ankle stuff because it hurt when I walked, every single step so I said screw it and started going to the gym. I was ready to change my life, I was done with feeling so ugly and fat and wishing I could be different but I was also done with the crash diets, starving and diet pills. So I started eating better (although it wasn't a diet, I would indulge every now and then) but only drank Water (no more sodas, not even diet due to the preservatives in them & fake junk) and started going to the gym about 4 times a week, 1 1/2 a day. Well, I did that for almost 3 months and no results. I was doing over 10 miles on the cycle (random hill so it had peak, valleys and PEAKS) and over a mile on the treadmill (very brisk walking, about 3.5 mph with a small incline) plus lifting weights for my arms. So while I've been out of work I have been researching the Lap-Band. I researched it some a while back (pre-divorce) but my husband said he loved me no matter what but didn't want me to do because his mother had bypass and it was just awful. I feel more comfortable with the idea of the band because it doesn't involve removing and/or rerouting your internal organs. I also am very impressed with the healing time, which is important because I don't want to tell people at work what I'm doing and I'm using 10 weeks of my 12 weeks of Family Medical Leave. The reason I don't want to tell people is because I don't want that stigma, and I can admit I have it too sometimes. You look at someone or comment, "Wow, she/he looks great! They've lost sooo much weight!", "Oh, you didn't know, they had that weight loss surgery."..."Ohhhhh". People think it's the easy way out and it isn't. I am 100% against gastric bypass because I've seen several people in my own family that have had it and it was so awful. Several of my mom's coworkers have had it and now they have to have Iron infusions and it is just awful. Now, the weight loss was amazing but the after effects were almost too much to see someone go through. Not downing it for someone who does it, but it is NOT a choice for me. So here is where I'm on the fence. The surgeon said that if you have a lot of weight to lose, 100 or more lbs, than the band may not get you there. He also said that in a majority of patients they don't even get into the 20's for BMI, they end up still in the 30's. He kept saying that if you want significant weight loss then he opted for bypass or the sleeve. He said the sleeve is in between (results, risks & recovery) bypass & band. He said you lose more weight than with the band & your eating habits aren't significantly altered (such as with the band with bread, rice, Pasta, eating & drinking during your meal, how fast you drink water and how you have to eat your food slowly & chew, chew, chew). BUT I have seen so many people just on this site that have lost 100 lbs, or are right at it or have even surpassed it. I may not ever want to lose that much weight because 60 & 70 lbs is a lot of weight. My mom asked the surgeon if I chose the lap-band & he felt I would lose more with another surgery would he still do it, he said he would. My mom also told me 2 important things that are sticking in m mind: 1.) maybe all I want to lose is 60 or 70 lbs because that's a lot, some people may not want to lose 100 or more lbs & 2.) they're all about the numbers. They want to be able to say that their patients have lost X amount of weight. That's important to a clinics reputation. I also know the band is a tool and I was already willing to change my life for good. Not just a crash diet, I want to be able to be "fit" (or "fit" for me, I know I'll never be a Track and Field star or maybe never be able to be in a marathon or triathlon) but I want to be in shape enough to run. I don't know why, but maybe it's because it's something I've never been able to do. After just reading one blog on the sleeve & the length of recovery, I'm almost back 100% at the band. My major problem is the hunger factor. When I got serious about eating better & working out my main problem was the hunger. I went to GNC to talk to one of their nutritionist and told him that since I started to eat better it was a different kind of hunger. It was PAIN!!! I asked for an appetite suppressant, not a diet pill because I told him if the hunger would just stop I'd be fine. He told me nothing would stop hunger craving but caffeine, that's all 99% of diet pills were, so he suggest Oxy Elite Pro as well as CLA (which "supposedly" helps shrink belly fat over a longer period of time (very slowly) and it's safflower oil (I found a lot of medical sites & Wikipedia had a lot of info on the studies that did show in a lot of animal trials that it did decrease the fatty deposits and overall mass). Y'all just don't know!!!!!! I was hungry ALLLLLL the time & I was eating! But I was able to tell there is a different in getting full on healthier food & on junk food. When I say I was eating better I would eat a Breakfast of fruit, oatmeal and low fat yogurt. For lunch I would usually have grilled chicken and fruit (maybe a grilled chicken sandwich on wheat bread or a grilled low-fat wrap at this cafe I fell in love with, Tropical smoothie Cafe, they served nothing fried-and maybe a smoothie-always checked the fat & calories). Snacks were usually fruit, low fat-low cal yogurt, or string cheese. dinner was whatever my mom cooked, with moderation (after my divorce I'm back at home, which is a little depressing but my ex-husband was physically & mentally abusive & I wasn't allowed to see them -and I'm an only child- so I love being here with them). But I was so hurt that with eating better & excercising so much I didn't get hardly any results. Now i didn't weigh myself, I went by how my clothes felt & how I looked because a number isn't really important to me, it's how I see myself in the mirror. When I go to the dr., I close my eyes on the scale & tell them not to tell me because I can't do anything about it (at that time) and it's only going to depress me. I dread getting on the scale so bad that I almost get sick to the point of vomiting. I don't even have a primary dr. and I know it's because of that one reason. So I know it's time to change my life & I'm willing to put in the effort with added diet and exercise. I blame a lot of my problems on my weight, and of course going through divorce did not help, especially since he left me for another woman. She's thinner than I am but she's not thin or skinny. I was expecting Barbie so at least I didn't blame him leaving me ALL because of my weight. But I joined a few dating sites and I didn't get almost any e-mails. Guys don't flirt with me, except the occasional look & flirt at a red light when I'm driving, I was driving my mom's convertible one day & this guy (on a two lane road w/ a turning lane) drove in the turning lane yelling at me to give him my phone number because he "liked what he saw". And it was at the next red light when my brain gave way to the butterflies & giddy-ness. Ummmm, really? It's so bad that you got all excited and giddy over some stranger putting both our lives at danger? Has it really come to this?!!! I'm so not use to it that I was giddy about that?!!! And my mom tells me I don't get very many "bites" online because I'm not someone that sleeps around & I basically say that on my profile LOL but I just hate my weight. All I've ever wanted was a husband, home & family and now that I'm thrown back out into this lonely world, I'm panicked because even though I'm told that I'll meet someone my weight is a huge downfall. If I was thinner, more guys would talk to me & I would probably be asked to do more things. That isn't the only reason I'm doing this, I'm ready to change my life but it would be nice for a change to feel pretty & to get to shop at more stores in the mall other than plus size stores or stores that have a women's department. I'm scared out of my mind. Now I don't know which surgery is right for me, my insurance covers the sleeve & the band. After reading my semi-life story, what is your opinion? Would the band be something that sounds like would work for me? Why did you chose the band over bypass? If you could go back, would you make the same decision? THANK YOU FOR READING!!! THANK YOU, THANK YOU, THANK YOU!

Hi everyone! This is a long post, but I am really, really searching for advice and opinions so if you make it through the post, I would greatly, greatly appreciate your time. This is the 2nd biggest decision I've ever made in my entire life. I'm not a risk taker (because I have BAD luck. I'm a walking Murphy's Law. NO joke!). So I just want to put out as much info on what I'm going through as I can.....which means this is a book. I'm in the beginning stages of researching the band. Right now I'm leaning toward Lap-Band and went to a seminar last night. The surgeon who lead the seminar wasn't completely anti-band but he was definitely pro-bypass. Some background, I'm 25 and have been overweight since 3rd grade. I don't eat a lot of junk, I actually don't even eat a whole lot at all. I don't make the best food options, one reason is veggies make me want to throw up. Just the smell makes me sick. I've read that I might have very sensitive taste buds but someone told me I just spoiled my taste buds because the veggies I do eat are starchy. Over the past year I've also went through some life changing events. The first was my divorce-on one hand I did lose about 30 lbs due to the depression and it made me want to get a grip & start living a better life so I joined the gym about 4 months after our split. Then 3 days later I had a bad ankle injury. A very rare one at that. I've been dealing with that since April of 2010 and just had surgery May 24, 2011 and I'm still not able to walk. So for over a year I've been in and out of casts & leg braces and only able to walk very short distances which has sent my weight through the roof. Well, a few months before my ankle surgery (I had a bone transplant-I had over half of my talas bone replaced with the bone & cartilage of a cadaver. I had a cartilage lesion which caused a 2 inch hole in my bone) I was totally done with trying to milk my way through the ankle stuff because it hurt when I walked, every single step so I said screw it and started going to the gym. I was ready to change my life, I was done with feeling so ugly and fat and wishing I could be different but I was also done with the crash diets, starving and diet pills. So I started eating better (although it wasn't a diet, I would indulge every now and then) but only drank Water (no more sodas, not even diet due to the preservatives in them & fake junk) and started going to the gym about 4 times a week, 1 1/2 a day. Well, I did that for almost 3 months and no results. I was doing over 10 miles on the cycle (random hill so it had peak, valleys and PEAKS) and over a mile on the treadmill (very brisk walking, about 3.5 mph with a small incline) plus lifting weights for my arms. So while I've been out of work I have been researching the Lap-Band. I researched it some a while back (pre-divorce) but my husband said he loved me no matter what but didn't want me to do because his mother had bypass and it was just awful. I feel more comfortable with the idea of the band because it doesn't involve removing and/or rerouting your internal organs. I also am very impressed with the healing time, which is important because I don't want to tell people at work what I'm doing and I'm using 10 weeks of my 12 weeks of Family Medical Leave. The reason I don't want to tell people is because I don't want that stigma, and I can admit I have it too sometimes. You look at someone or comment, "Wow, she/he looks great! They've lost sooo much weight!", "Oh, you didn't know, they had that weight loss surgery."..."Ohhhhh". People think it's the easy way out and it isn't. I am 100% against gastric bypass because I've seen several people in my own family that have had it and it was so awful. Several of my mom's coworkers have had it and now they have to have Iron infusions and it is just awful. Now, the weight loss was amazing but the after effects were almost too much to see someone go through. Not downing it for someone who does it, but it is NOT a choice for me. So here is where I'm on the fence. The surgeon said that if you have a lot of weight to lose, 100 or more lbs, than the band may not get you there. He also said that in a majority of patients they don't even get into the 20's for BMI, they end up still in the 30's. He kept saying that if you want significant weight loss then he opted for bypass or the sleeve. He said the sleeve is in between (results, risks & recovery) bypass & band. He said you lose more weight than with the band & your eating habits aren't significantly altered (such as with the band with bread, rice, Pasta, eating & drinking during your meal, how fast you drink water and how you have to eat your food slowly & chew, chew, chew). BUT I have seen so many people just on this site that have lost 100 lbs, or are right at it or have even surpassed it. I may not ever want to lose that much weight because 60 & 70 lbs is a lot of weight. My mom asked the surgeon if I chose the lap-band & he felt I would lose more with another surgery would he still do it, he said he would. My mom also told me 2 important things that are sticking in m mind: 1.) maybe all I want to lose is 60 or 70 lbs because that's a lot, some people may not want to lose 100 or more lbs & 2.) they're all about the numbers. They want to be able to say that their patients have lost X amount of weight. That's important to a clinics reputation. I also know the band is a tool and I was already willing to change my life for good. Not just a crash diet, I want to be able to be "fit" (or "fit" for me, I know I'll never be a Track and Field star or maybe never be able to be in a marathon or triathlon) but I want to be in shape enough to run. I don't know why, but maybe it's because it's something I've never been able to do. After just reading one blog on the sleeve & the length of recovery, I'm almost back 100% at the band. My major problem is the hunger factor. When I got serious about eating better & working out my main problem was the hunger. I went to GNC to talk to one of their nutritionist and told him that since I started to eat better it was a different kind of hunger. It was PAIN!!! I asked for an appetite suppressant, not a diet pill because I told him if the hunger would just stop I'd be fine. He told me nothing would stop hunger craving but caffeine, that's all 99% of diet pills were, so he suggest Oxy Elite Pro as well as CLA (which "supposedly" helps shrink belly fat over a longer period of time (very slowly) and it's safflower oil (I found a lot of medical sites & Wikipedia had a lot of info on the studies that did show in a lot of animal trials that it did decrease the fatty deposits and overall mass). Y'all just don't know!!!!!! I was hungry ALLLLLL the time & I was eating! But I was able to tell there is a different in getting full on healthier food & on junk food. When I say I was eating better I would eat a Breakfast of fruit, oatmeal and low fat yogurt. For lunch I would usually have grilled chicken and fruit (maybe a grilled chicken sandwich on wheat bread or a grilled low-fat wrap at this cafe I fell in love with, Tropical smoothie Cafe, they served nothing fried-and maybe a smoothie-always checked the fat & calories). Snacks were usually fruit, low fat-low cal yogurt, or string cheese. dinner was whatever my mom cooked, with moderation (after my divorce I'm back at home, which is a little depressing but my ex-husband was physically & mentally abusive & I wasn't allowed to see them -and I'm an only child- so I love being here with them). But I was so hurt that with eating better & excercising so much I didn't get hardly any results. Now i didn't weigh myself, I went by how my clothes felt & how I looked because a number isn't really important to me, it's how I see myself in the mirror. When I go to the dr., I close my eyes on the scale & tell them not to tell me because I can't do anything about it (at that time) and it's only going to depress me. I dread getting on the scale so bad that I almost get sick to the point of vomiting. I don't even have a primary dr. and I know it's because of that one reason. So I know it's time to change my life & I'm willing to put in the effort with added diet and exercise. I blame a lot of my problems on my weight, and of course going through divorce did not help, especially since he left me for another woman. She's thinner than I am but she's not thin or skinny. I was expecting Barbie so at least I didn't blame him leaving me ALL because of my weight. But I joined a few dating sites and I didn't get almost any e-mails. Guys don't flirt with me, except the occasional look & flirt at a red light when I'm driving, I was driving my mom's convertible one day & this guy (on a two lane road w/ a turning lane) drove in the turning lane yelling at me to give him my phone number because he "liked what he saw". And it was at the next red light when my brain gave way to the butterflies & giddy-ness. Ummmm, really? It's so bad that you got all excited and giddy over some stranger putting both our lives at danger? Has it really come to this?!!! I'm so not use to it that I was giddy about that?!!! And my mom tells me I don't get very many "bites" online because I'm not someone that sleeps around & I basically say that on my profile LOL but I just hate my weight. All I've ever wanted was a husband, home & family and now that I'm thrown back out into this lonely world, I'm panicked because even though I'm told that I'll meet someone my weight is a huge downfall. If I was thinner, more guys would talk to me & I would probably be asked to do more things. That isn't the only reason I'm doing this, I'm ready to change my life but it would be nice for a change to feel pretty & to get to shop at more stores in the mall other than plus size stores or stores that have a women's department. I'm scared out of my mind. Now I don't know which surgery is right for me, my insurance covers the sleeve & the band. After reading my semi-life story, what is your opinion? Would the band be something that sounds like would work for me? Why did you chose the band over bypass? If you could go back, would you make the same decision? THANK YOU FOR READING!!! THANK YOU, THANK YOU, THANK YOU!

Soooo tonight my mom went with me to the Lap-Band seminar. I'll be making an appointment very soon to get the process started. A lady we know was there and she has our same insurance and our insurance apparently requires a six month diet program with a doctor so booooo so after I get all the info from the WLS Center I'll be making an appointment with my primary dr. (as well as finally choosing a primary care dr. because I've never had one). Soooooooooo.....I think I'm changing my mind on the band and think I might want to start researching the sleeve. I am not and will not do gastric bypass because on top of every single person I've met that has had it has had serious health problems & have hated it. My aunt, ex-mother in law and several of my mom's coworkers have had bypass and the bad side effects (as well as the major invasive-ness of the surgery is not a route I want to go.I refuse to debate bypass vs. any WLS. Period. That is just what I have experienced personally. Anyone have an opinion on the sleeve? From what the surgeon told me it is also done laproscopically and has about the same (or better) healing time post-op and the main worry is a leak from the staples. But you don't have to worry about food getting stuck, major stomach upsets, extra acid (that is a fear of cancer of the esophagus from the band) and you live an even more "normal" life (food wise) than the band. The main reason I'm considering the sleeve is that he said if you have 100 pound or so to lose, the band may not get you there and he said in less than 2% of their patients they always hover in the 30's for BMI and never get down into the normal range. He said that the band helps people lose a decent amount of weight 50-70 lbs over a long time period but then that's about it. He said the best surgery for actual weight loss was bypass, which I won't do, but the sleeve is not as drastic as bypass (since the stomach is just cut & not the intestines and so forth) but better than the band for weight loss. Although the band is reversible and the sleeve is not. What are you guys' thoughts?

Hi everyone! I'm still in the research stage of the Lap-Band but I have been thinking about better food choices now. One thing that I've noticed about myself is that I probably don't' eat enough, now. I might eat 2 meals a day and almost no snacking. I do drink Water but not near enough as I should. Now, with that being said--I had ankle surgery six weeks ago and haven't been able to walk-but before that I had started for months of eating better & exercising. I kind of put that on hold due to my limited mobility. So like I said, I had been researching some healthier food choices because I don't eat a lot but I think because I don't my metabolism is probably taking a hit. I was researching Breakfast foods (and mushies for post-op surgery) and saw a lot of people eat oatmeal. I also thought oatmeal was a healthy food for you but after doing some research I've found out that it may not be. As I've been researching healthy foods and weight loss I've also seen where many people say it is very important to get a good breakfast. I also thought about starting to experiment with the Protein shakes and just having one of those for breakfast because I want to try and cut out bad carbs and even whole grain oatmeal I've read isn't good for you (not just talking about the over sweetened instant packs). I guess I asked about oatmeal because 1.) I like it 2.) I read a lot of people eating it on mushies and 3.) I've always been told how well it does to fill you up or help make you feel full. Now I don't know what exactly would be considered a healthy breakfast that is low in fat and bad carbs. What is everyone's opinion?

I stumbled upon this website the other night when I was looking for smoothie recipes and I'm in love with it! I haven't cooked anything yet but everything looks SO, SO good!!!! I'm not a veggie eater but I'm going to have to start incorporating them into a healthier diet so some of these recipes have lots of veggies but look so good and so flavorful!! www.skinnytaste.com Also I don't make any money off the site & I'm not affiliated or anything. I am a visual person so it's one of the best sites I've found that have good, healthy recipes and lots of pictures and OMG they look amazing and almost every single recipe has great reviews!

Awesome!!! Maybe with him going public it will help with the WLS stigma and people will realize like the others said, it isn't the easy way out & people should still be proud of the results. It's also good to demonstrate how much you can loose when you add in the other weight loss tools like good exercise & good nutrition. I LOVE Pawn Stars!!!! I'm 25 but I'd totally marry Rick!!!

I'm researching that, too. There are some options, the first is whether you want them ready to drink or want to use the powder to make your own. if you make your own you'll have to look up shake recipes or smoothie recipes because all you do is add the powder. Many people say you can add the scoop of powder to just Water or just milk, although sometimes that isn't very tasty. I just tried Muscle Milk, chocolate and it was very good. I drank it as my lunch. I had never drank one before so I have been so worried I wouldn't feel full (I'm NOT banded but just wanted to see what it tasted like) and it is thick so it is much more filling than just plain water or a plain liquid. And the plus is that you just get it out of the fridge & drink. It has 25g of Protein and LOTS of Vitamins in it (one bottle has 25% of your daily value of several) but only has about 240 cal. for 14 oz. It's def. a no brainer on the terms of easy & doesn't taste bad. I'm more of a smoothy person because I LOVE the flavor so I'm getting some smoothy recipes and I'm just going to add a scoop of protein. www.skinnytatse.com has some GREAT recipes!!

Hi! I'm not banded so can't offer advice but just wanted to offer some support, you only have 3 more days!!! You've done such a good job so far!! Look at how far you've come! Out of the whole process the full liquid diet & pain are the worst things I'm scared of but I know I'll be able to do it because I get to read about people like you that are doing it, have done it & will make it! Congrats on your progress so far!

Hi all I'm not banded, still in the research stage, but I'm going to start adding in Protein shakes & fresh fruit smoothies (with added protein) into my diet to replace Breakfast and lunch. I've found that I probably don't eat enough, I usually only eat one good meal a day, sometimes two but I don't snack in between. I usually just have a small lunch and dinner but I've had a hard time understanding why I'm overweight when I'm not eating all the time and not eating a bunch of junk. So I want to add in the shakes/smoothies for breakfast & lunch and eat a meal at dinner to see if that will help get my motabilism going. My question is, what are good nutrition guidelines for them as far as how much (how many ounces), how many calories, how many carbs & protein. The reason I ask is because I was looking at this recipie (and I now it's only one recipie) but it is only 8 oz. I thought maybe I could double it but the carbs for a single serving are 16.2--if I double the recipie the carbs would be 32.4 (without protien added). I'm worried that only 8 oz won't fill me up and if I double it, aren't those carbs kind of high? Here's the recipe (from www.skinnytaste.com): Very Blueberry smoothie Gina's Weight Watcher recipes Servings: 2 • Serving Size: 1 cup • Old Points: 1 pt • Points+: 2 pt Calories: 80.5 • Fat: 0.0 g • Protein: 3.4 g • Carb: 16.2 g • Fiber: 3.0 g Ingredients: 3/4 cup blueberries 1 cup crushed ice 6 oz WW blueberry nonfat yogurt What are some good nutrition guidelines I should follow in making these to replace meals? I figure it will be good to do and add in exercise, especially if I have an all liquid pre-op diet when I do get banded

Hi there! I'm also doing my beginning stages of finding out about Lap-Band. I'm looking into go to a seminar next week. I looked on the Lap-Band site to look up surgeons in my area and looked into their practice as well. That was my first place and then this was my second. It's a good idea to look into what your insurance covers (if you're not a self pay) and what the dr. requires because some have you go on a pre-op diet and you may have to have several years worth of dr.'s visit records to record your weight over time. I think my insurance is going to require a six month "diet" program, which is fine but I wish I was on a faster track to surgery. But I also decided a long time ago I was ready to change my life in general, being more fit and eating better. I've always struggled with my weight so there was a long time that I threw my food up, I've done all the diet pills and nothing has really helped, even adding in pretty strenuous exercise. I'm 25 and I just don't want to live my life so unhappy anymore. But read on this site & you'll find a lot of info, the pre-op diet that most have to go on that is nothing but liquids/protein shakes is pretty scary, along with the all liquid for the few weeks after so it really gives you a lot to think about.

Hi there! I'm also in the "discovery" stage I'm going to try and go to the seminar next week. We'll all be learning together!

You're an a$$ kicking inspiration! I really liked what you said in your second reply. Great advice. I am considering the surgery mainly because of all the months I've put in at the gym (4 days a week w/ 45 min on cycle on random hill cycle-amounting to at or above 10 miles and then 20-25 min on the treadmill at brisk pace, around 3.5 mph w/ slight incline of a distance of 1-1.5 miles) and I was getting no visual results. This was added with eating better, not a strict "diet" diet but changing my eating habits. It's one thing to do all the work and see a payoff and a second to do them and not see anything......grrr :/

If I decide to have it done I'll be only telling my mom & dad. I agree similar to bluekerry, I don't want that stigma. Like when people start talking about how much weight you've lost, there's that someone who always says "Oh yeah, she had that surgery done". Then it goes from "Wow" to "Ohhhh..." My co-workers know that (prior to my ankle surgery) I had been eating better & going to the gym and I plan to continue that so that's what I'm going to tell them. It isn't their business anyway and I want people to be proud of me, not judge me.

In your opinion, if I am relying on insurance to pay for my surgery, should I call and see what type of WLS they cover before I even begin thinking about this? Of course I have already started thinking, and researching and asking questions, but I'm planning on going to a seminar in my town next week & then making up my mind. I originally figured I would wait until my initial consultation to see about my insurance, since I'm sure that office will have to call/send out a letter to get approval. I'm just scared if it doesn't cover it I've got all my hopes up for nothing and not in a position for self-pay.

Hi, I hope you don't mind me posting, I was just looking around the site. DON'T BE HARD ON YOURSELF!!! YOU'RE ALIVE!!! That means you have the chance to STILL live your life how you want it. A coworker of mine had breast cancer and she was out of work for over 10 months and last week was her last chemo treatment. She had to do chemo & radiation and is also on an experimental chemo drug. I guess it just hit home with me when I read your post because you don't need to be hard on yourself at all. Side note: I found out my husband was cheating on me last year, he was physically abusive & very controlling so it was for the best. I left on January 30, 2010 and our divorce will be finale for one year on August 4th. It took about 2 months for me to want to do anything (after I left) I made it to work but I don't even remember most of last year, it was like I was in a daze and if I made it out of bed it was an accomplishment but the first thing I did do was go join a gym in April. 3 days later I got a very rare ankle injury & have been barely able to walk for over a year. I had ankle replacement in May and have been in a cast & not able to walk since, sooooo....I started looking in to this. It will be SO nice to finally have control of my life & finally feel better about myself. I've never been so hurt in my life, we were married 4 years but together for a total of 11 so I can feel your pain. Hope all is well with your health!!

Hi Holly, I'm going to the seminar this month, I have BC/BS of AL, PPO Preferred Care, I'm a County employee. I'm not sure exactly what they cover, I'm going to go to the seminar and let them handle the paperwork because I'm sure they're going to know exactly what they're doing. I'd love to keep in touch because I've only found one local person (a different county) on here. You can message me here or at sunflowerblonde@hotmail.com Good luck!

Hi Georgia, Yes, I have a PPO--Blue Cross & Blue Shied Preferred Care (Alabama). I work for County Government as well.

Hi! I'm considering Band surgery but I have just been reading about it but I saw it and had to tell you CONGRATS!!! That is soooo amazing, regardless of the restrictions!! Way to go!!!

Hi everyone! I'm from Mobile, AL and I'm considering the Lap Band surgery. I'm 25 years old and have been overweight all of my life. What lead me to the idea of Lap Band is the fact that I have tried diet and exercise and nothing seems to work. Being young of course I've tried the crash diets and the diet pills but where my heartbreak has come in is two separate times in my life when I worked my hardest with hard exercise and saw no results. I am currently divorced but before I got married I spend 3 straight months on a watchful diet but worked out in the gym about 4 days a week, over an hour each time. This included aerobics class, weights, treadmill and cycle. I never saw any results that I thought I would have for that amount of work but I didn't let it bother me. I was getting married to a man that loved me no matter what, right? Fast forward 5 years later. Left me for another woman, same ole sad story. So of course my already non-existent self confidence left-even though she was no beauty queen & was older than I was, it really hurt me. I lost a lot of weight right after I left, which I joking called the "divorce diet" but 3 months later I fell in the yard and got a very, very rare ankle injury. That mixed with a quack of a doctor left me almost unable to walk for over a year so physical activity was impossible. That did nothing but put me in a complete panic about gaining weight. So 3 months ago I saw a new doctor (sadly thanks to my dad breaking his leg & needing 2 metal plates & 7 screws) but there was no way I would allow my mother to take him to the same orthopedic clinic!!! So after they saw the professionalism they asked my dad's dr. to look over my records. He forwarded it on to a surgeon who specializes only with ankle injuries. So on May 24th I had a major surgery that involved removing an entire section of my talus bone and implanting a section of bone & cartilage from a cadaver & screwing it all back together. So from this I have not been allowed to walk for six weeks. Again, panic mode about weight gain. So my point of that was to say that before this surgery I had given up on them finding a solution and decided I was going back to the gym. I didn't care if my ankle hurt because it hurt regardless, even to walk. (Bare in mind I was only able to walk with the help of a leg brace/air cast) But I hit the gym. 4 times a week, around 10 miles the cycle put on random hill (so there was varied resistance) as well as a mile or so on the treadmill at about 3.5 miles an hour w/ slight 2% incline. Lifted arm weights at home, total of 120 lifts a day (I did 6 different arm exercises, 10 reps each exercise but did this twice a day). I cut out all soda, starting drinking Water (almost no diet drinks due to preservatives), ate amazing (I can't eat veggies because they make me vomit) but ate nothing fried, went to GNC and started taking OxyElite Pro (for appetite control) as well as CLA to help with the belly fat--even though it takes a long time to work. So 2 1/2 months.......almost NO results. I'm at my wits ends! I was working out, pouring buckets of sweat, feeling sore and being so very hungry. Thinking about food alllllll day long and being so very hungry. I discovered than when you cut out junk food, that hunger is not just hunger--it's pain. So I've been reading up on the Lap Band and I like the idea because it's done laparoscopically & doesn't involve cutting & sewing of organs. The reason for my recent work out kick was not to just simply loose weight, it was because I wanted to change my lifestyle. I'm not worried about dieting and simply dropping pounds, I want to change my life. I was ok with the results taking a long time to see because I don't weight myself. I'm more concerned about what I see in the mirror as results. A lady my mother works with is a nurse and she's talked before about the procedure and raves about it. I'm not sure if my insurance will cover it, although with my ankle now being a life-long condition (I'll have to go several times a year for the rest of my life because that section of bone could collapse) I feel that it is important for my health and for the well being of my walking condition LOL. My major fears are post-op. I'd like to get the surgery done within a few months so the time out of work is kind of scary because I've been out for 2 months already, but I'm a dispatcher so I sit for 12 hours & do little physical activity (which I hate...but in this instance it's helpful) and because I work shift work I have a crazy schedule so if I take 2 days it's actually a full week. But only a week. If I take 2 more days it ends up being almost 2 weeks (Mon, Tues, Wed, Thurs, Fri, Sat, Sun, Mon, Tues, Wed, Thurs) then back that next Fri. I'm also worried about the food afterwards, eating only liquids for a while seems like that would be tough and I'm scared I'd be hungry. Although after looking at some recipes on the Lap Band site I see I could easily make them ahead of time & freeze. I'm worried about how long the operation takes and how bad the pain level is. I'm concerned about getting band adjustments because I read it takes several times to get right and I'm scared I won't see the weight come off. I would be committed to living a better lifestyle that included a better diet and exercise but spending months in a gym 8 hours a week and seeing almost nothing isn't going to help me. I just want to feel good. I never have, I've always been self conscious and I just want to not be anymore. I'd like to shop in more than 2 stores in the mall & not feel embarrassed to go into the women's department where the styles are so limited I'd almost want to wear a garbage bag. I want to be social, I want to go out and I want to meet people. I want to go do things and I want to have fun and honestly I feel like a living Eeyore (from Winnie the Pooh) and I'm just not like that. Where I use to work (when I felt half way confident) my co-workers described me as "bubbly" and I am. I'm single so I want to be able to go out and not be embarrassed anymore, I want to try and find a better job, one that might involve travel and I don't want to see that "Oh, she's the fat girl" look on their faces when I go into an interview. I'm just ready to change my life and I know that simply losing weight won't do that and I'll probably need some cousiling too but I gotta take that first step. ANY and ALL comments, opinions, hints, tips, advice is MORE than WELCOME & WANTED!!! Thanks soooo much!

Hi Karebear =) First let me say I hope you are resting & healing well. I'm considering the surgery so I hope you don't mind if I ask, but how is the post-op?