pennyrdomingue

I did self pay on December 2010 and also for my daughter in July of 2011 and I would do it again in a heartbeat...I spent we'll over the amount on fad diets and such with no where near the results....was the best investment I ever made...

Thats the crazy part before surgery I would eat before during and after meal preparations...lol..but after surgery your love for food no longer exist...you truly feel full...if you do snack maybe a couple bites and I feel it is impossible to indulge anymore...do your research on a good doctor...it isn't a easy journey and every body is different...I can eat foods my neighbor can't and vice versa...but the wonderful part is I can go to a restaurant with my family and get a kids meal and leave half on the table...it is truly amazing..much success to you and please do it for yourself...if you aren't use to dealing with being a larger person it is very emotional how we beat ourselves up about it and it effects all areas of our lives...I know my husband is so glad he has the woman he married back...before surgery I wouldn't take a picture to save my life...only did I allow my before picture taken to document my results...now I am such a camera hog...I run...jump...and chase the children with the best of them it just feels amazing to be healthy again...

I too never weighed over 120 lbs..even after 3 kids I still within 6 weeks returned to my size 5 jeans...until I had my 4th child at 33 and gained 80 lbs...after my metabolism died and lots of years of diet pills...weight watchers...jenny craig...and every other fad diet for 10 years my neighbor had lap band and lost 95 lbs and has kept it off for 4 years...so I knew I was so having the surgery...I thought if I gained a 100 lbs every 10 years I was going to weigh 400 lbs. by the time I was 60...my family suffers from high blood pressure...diabetes...obesity...strokes...and heart problems...I knew I had to get a handle on my weight...so I did it 20 months ago and I can tell you it is the most amazing journey I have ever taken and the rewards of being healthy and active again are just so wonderful I can't begin to tell you...It is a personal choice and alot of people thought I took the easy way out...but after 10 years with yo yo results it was the only decision I could afford to make...You know you better than anyone...if you are like me an have no will power to over come the love of food and the energy to combat the calories we ingest...then I say yes go for it...you will not regret it...

I think the post of diet is the craziest thing...after I got out of surgery and was so ready to go home...the nurse told me I had to drink 8 oz. of Water, eat some broth, and walk for 1 hour before they could release me...so she brings in these medicine cups that hold 2 oz..and said I had to drink 4 of them...I told her ok yeah I think I can handle that...thinking I would throw it back and be out of there...well let me tell you it took me 8 hours to sip 8 oz. of water...I have never felt so full in all my life...it is like after surgery you have no interest in the love of food anymore it is just something you do out of necessity...birthday dinners and dinners out are so not the same for a banded person...and for once in my life I dont plan my day around when I will eat...it is an amazing journey...

I had alot of questions when I had the surgery done for myself...but a whole lot more when we had it done for my daughter...the doctor said he didn't feel the lapband would be beneficial for her because she had alot more weight to loose than the band would allow...but when I questioned (with gastric bypass what prevents you from stretching out the new stomach...cause we are not born with large stomachs to begin with...)and her only being 21 years old she has alot of time left to repeat the same bad habits that got us here to begin with...and the lapband is completely revearsable so if need be it can be removed and you still have all your original body parts...and I tell you...I have lost 100 lbs in 20 months and she has lost 80 in 5 months...it is like hers is just melting away...doctor also said the more you need to loose the easier it comes off...so I believe you will have great success..good luck and follow your doctors orders...that is the key to success...I promise food will no longer be an issue...it becomes a thing you have to have to survive...not to survive to have more food...

I was so excited until the day before then so nervous I could of thrown up...the fear of the unknown...but this will be the best decision you have ever made for yourself...I cannot tell how wonderful it is to feel healthy again...good luck and am so excited for you...

Thanks for all the advice and tips. Junkr' date=' I am sorry you are so discouraged. I am too but I do not regret it yet. I know I do not eat as much as I use to but I I want to see the scale move. I am loosing inches and had to buy new clothes. My doc laughs at me and says you are just too impatient. Maybe I should stay away from Protein shakes. I like to drink them in the morning bc they are quick but I am STARVING by lunch time and feel weak. I go back next week for another fill! Hanging in there................[/quote']

Hang in there if you r starving you need more fill...my hunger pains are a feeling of nausea if I don't get something in my stomach...other wise I think I could go forever and not eat...I have had my lap band 20 months and have lost 110 lbs...I tell you it is the most amazing feeling when you get to goal....but there were a lot of ups and downs to get here...

_{Hello' date=' everyone! My name is Tim, and I just joined.[/sub']}

_{My wife and I are being banded on October 24. We are lucky enough to self-fund the surgeries, so we didn't have to go through a lot of insurance hoops (neither of our insurances will cover bariatric surgery). We would have loved to have the surgery earlier in October, but the surgeon said we would not be able to drive for a week after the surgery, and I have many commitments in October.}

_{We are really looking forward to this life change!}

_{Will be the best experience of y'all's life...}