SilentlyWeeping623

Oh God, Okay, so first I suppose I should give a little background about me.... I decided on 11/4/08 that I would look into Lab Band per the request of my pcp. My aunt and I decided to do this together as her endo has been after her to have the surgery for a year. Had our first appt at NEMC in Boston 12/15/08. They said banding wouldn't be an issue and thought it was a good choice because of my weight and blossoming health issues (high BP, chlesterol, diabetes). I was 242 at that visit. They told my aunt to think about bypass, because of her age, the amount of meds she's on to regulate the same problems I have and she is a heart pt. too. I went in last weds 1/14/09 for Immersion Day, where you meet with everyone and their grandmother (except for the surgeon). The shrink used the same arguments for the band to tell me to think about bypass! My aunt, they still said consider the bypass, which she is. Needless to say, I am a little wigged. The bypass to me is SOOOOOOO totally different than a band. Its like rewiring your insides versus sticking a scrunchie on your stomach. Plus there are more complications to think about, dumping syndrome, food intolerances.....and (I apologize if I offend anyone) I dont think I am sick enough or large enough for the bypass. Again, I dont mean to offend....I just think of the bypass as something more drastic for larger people with more health issues than I have.... So I need some advice, input, and HEEELLLLPPPPP!!!!! In a perfect world I would lose 100 lbs. Realistically, I'd like to shoot for 80-90 from my highest weight of 242. I know it will be harder with the band. But I am already down 10 lbs!!! Do I want to end up not losing weight and have to have a revision to the bypass? HELL NO!! Do I want to lose too much weight and look emaciated? NO THANKS! Do I like that its harder to lose with the band? NOPE Do I like the idea of rewiring my insides? NO WAY JOSE! But I guess I like the idea of working harder to lose the weight better than I like the idea of rewiring my insides and all the extra risks and side effects of a bypass...... Any help, questions, input, ideas or other thoughts are greatly appreciated!!!!

Hi Everyone, I am pretty new here, and I think its simply amazing. I appreciate so much the information that everyone is sharing! I am 5'2 currently, 240-245 depending..... you know how it is.....non-banded, just starting my research, though I have an appt at Tufts-NEMC in Boston in Dec. So here is what I am wondering....in a perfect world, I'd lose about 100 lbs. In reality, Id be really happy with 70-80. I am wondering if I would need to have any PS. I ask because I have heard with the band that there is less need for PS because you lose the weight slower and your body can reabsorb some of the skin. To tell you a little about my body type.....I carry a lot of my weight in the front, and I am praying I lose my belly. Well, at least most of it. Also, with regards to boobies.....I am currently a 42G and even when I was thin, I was big in the chest....can anyone give me some insight into how much I might lose in that area? I am already saving for the breast reduction/ reconstruction that I might need after I lose the weight. Regardless of how I do it I will lose it. Thanks for your help and input!!!! SW

Wow, I just wanted to say thank you to everyone who's posted. It gives me a lot to think about, for now and for after surgery. I will wait til after I hit goal (not sure what that is....somewhere between 140 and 160, not perfect ideal weight but I think good for me), and sustain it for a while before I make any PS decisions. I think that is the best idea. After all, who wants to have more surgery only to have more body changes and need more surgery? I am hoping that where I carry all my weight around the middle that IF I need it, I will only need my tummy and boobies done. My legs I think are nice now, and will only get better as I get thinner. I cant see my rear, so as far as I am concerned J Lo has NOTHING on me :wink_smile: My arms have a little bit of a wing to them, but I know from working out in the past that that will get better, as long as I lift a couple times a week. Its really only my tummy that I strongly dislike. I am praying that my boobies will shrink (just a bit). But if I need to have a breast reduction, why not make it so the nips point out instead of down to my toes? :thumbup: Again, thank you all!!!!

Hello Everyone, :ohmy: I have been doing research on this site and on others over the past couple weeks. I went to my PCP on 11/4 and she suggested thinking about the lap band surgery. I am 26, my BMI is 44.5. I have struggled with my weight since high school. Though, in high school I was about 60lbs lighter....I have hypothyroidism (due to having half my thyroid removed in 04) pre-diabetes, my BP is borderline and I was also diagnosed with metabolic syndrome. I have so many questions and I am so scared. I know that if I do this right, I can eliminate a lot of my issues, as they are weight related. But I am terrified that I will fail. :thumbup: -- I mean, 60 lbs ago I had low BP, normal blood sugar, a whole thyroid (okay, thats not a weight related issue....but still :thumbup:) and perfect cholesterol. I guess I should start with some of the questions. I am just south of Boston, I see a lot of people here who have had their banding at the Lahey Clinic....not many that have been to Tufts NEMC. I know that my endo will want me to go to Tufts, but I think my PCP will want me to go to Boston Medical....I'm pretty sure thats where she's affiliated. Could Boston Banders leave some notes about who they went to see, and why it was a good or even not so good experience? I want to go into this knowing everything, even the bad. I have BCBS PPO, so I dont need a referral.....But I do need to make sure that the docs in network. And I damn well want to make sure I pick the doc/ program that's best for me. If I am going under the knife I HAVE to succeed at this. But I suck at driving in Boston, so the less time I have to spend in the city, the better (those of you that are from Boston understand why driving in Boston is a pain in the rear....for those of you who are not, well they call us M@$$holes for a reason...) Can someone help me out with the process? If you've been through it....like step by step? I called my insurance, and I am 99% positive I will qualify because of my BMI and the fact that I have comorbidities. So thats not a worry for me. I am confused about the preop process, like, who you meet with, what kinda diet you get on....It seems like there are 2 diets, one to prove you are committed and can lose weight, and then the shrink your liver diet. :tt2: I am terrified that I wont be able to make the changes I need in my diet. I am seeing a dietician now, and I know I am not eating right at the moment, but I am trying. I just discovered this thing in my kitchen, called a stove.....amazing stuff you can do with it! :smile: But, like, no Pepsi? Ever? Scares the hell outta me. I like healthy foods.....love Broccoli. And it sounds like now I would have an excuse to NOT eat the stalks. Hehe. No skins or seeds? But the skin is the best part of a baked potato. Even if I had to have a baby potato.....its not that I dont understand why....it just sucks. And exercize. I know I have to. Its not that I dont want to. Dancing to the New Kids, or walking, or playing with light weights, and that exercize ball....it can be kinda fun. I just get so tired so fast. I dont like it. Like, is there some kind of plan that I could try out before the surgery, as a practice.....to maybe see if I am ready for it? Any and all help/ info/ input/ rants/ suggestions are appreciated so very much! Thanks SW

Hi Kathy, Thank you so much for your support. Its a comfort to know I am not alone in my fears. The more I think about it, the more I am comfortable with everything about me except my weight. I know I am a beautiful person. But I so want to be more comfortable with myself on the outside. I thought that was vain, and I never though I was unhealthy or big enough to get surgery. Then I had thyroid surgery, and my BP started creeping up, and I couldn't lose the weight like I used to be able to, and I just kept putting it on. Then three months ago I was diagnosed with metabolic disorder and prediabetes. Now my doc wants me on cholesterol medication. I don't want to be on pills for the rest of my life. I want to be healthy again. But I want to make sure that this is right for me too. I want to know that I can succeed and not feel deprived or that I have given anything up. It sounds from just about everyone that I have read that it has been a positive experience and that I will not miss most of the things I am scared I will miss, like pepsi and smartfood. I definately need to do more research, but the more I look into it, the more I believe that as long as I am in the right mindset, I can do this, and I will be successful, and I will get healthier.

I just wanted to say thanks to everyone for posting their thoughts. I am considering banding. One had issue I have to deal with is Pepsi. My family used to joke that I was nursed on the stuff. I have to admit, I like carbonation. But I like non-carbonated stuff too! I am trying to focus on finding drinks that I like that are low-cal and not fizzy. I figure I can make preparations for getting the surgery while I consider it. No harm done then if I dont get banded, right? The more I think about it the more I know that getting the surgery may be the best option.....but I think I am still coming to terms with how much this will change my life. Anyway, Thank you!!!!

Hi Tri, I am a newbie here, and I was just wondering who did your surgery....I too am in the Boston area, and just starting research on this procedure. I do hope everything is going along swimmingly now that your infection should be healed :-) Thank you! SW