lisah25

It is interesting how much alike a lot of our stories are. For a long time, I've been aware of two things that I think contributed to my weight. One, it was a BIG issue for my dad from the time I was about 10. He tried very hard to control what I ate, and while I know now he had the best of intentions, what it did was set up a power struggle. And since I alone could control what went in my mouth, I didn't lose any weight. Then my parents divorced and my life changed in a lot of ways. food was a constant and one thing I could indeed control. I would sneak food, hide it and eat it by myself. It was comforting. I would snack at the houses when I baby-sat. The sad thing for me is I look at pictures of myself from then and yeah I was chubby, but not as big as I felt at all. The other thing was that I developed boobs young. By 5th grade I was in a C cup. I looked older then I was, and attracted male attention I wasn't emotionally ready to handle. Gaining weight took care of that. It made me invisible, and I took pride in being the smart one. The one who was serious and got good grades. So, now I realize I'm a grown up. I can indeed choose to eat whatever I want, so maybe it's time to start making choices that are good for me. And while I'm happily married, getting a little male attention now and then would be nice.

My last straw was being on vacation, and realizing how I physically couldn't do the things I wanted to. The lowlight of that was trying to climb up to our car from a beach, something everyone else including my mother was able to do with minimal assistence. It took my husband and an uncle to get me up there.

This is one of my concerns, I love sushi and am hoping I can still eat some when banded. DH can, as long as he is careful to eat slowly and no overdo it.

I set my goal, the staff at the clinic agreed it was reasonable. The charts say for my height my weight should be 120, but that ain't happening! So I picked 150 as comfortable, doable and healthy. Once I get close I can decide on a final number. As for the fills, policies seem to vary by surgeon, so you'll have to ask them.

Congrats on your banding! :clap2: I love what you say above. As soon as I got my surgery date set yesterday, I realized the same thing. I felt hopeful for the first time in YEARS that I don't have to be this size and watch my health get bad and then worse.

Mine will be 15,800. That includes the pre-op consultations, surgery and one year fills and follow-up.

Congrats Gracie! Yep, nervous and excited pretty much covers it for me too.

For some reason that just cracked me up!

I'm 5'4". Ok, Ok, 5' 3 and 3/4". My goal right now is 150.

Thanks! JenMom - keep me posted, I'll just be a month behind ya!

Those parents, I tell ya! Always wanting to take all the fun away.:heh:

How do other people deal with this? <O:p</O:p <O:p</O:p My mom is pretty much in support of my having surgery. But there is a part of her that thinks if I just find the right diet, or figure what physiological factors go into my overeating, I wouldn’t need it. I’d lose all my extra weight and be just fine. The other day she made a comment about how since I had lost weight, short-term to be sure, on many plans, I had failed, not them. I don’t think she realized how that sounded. I hope not. She’s always telling me of some new diet on Oprah or the Today show, and as DH has pointed out, some of what she says contradicts what she told us we should be doing in the past.<O:p</O:p <O:p</O:p Or she’ll want to talk about my childhood, what mistakes she and dad might have made raising me. OK, this is probably worth my delving into, but not with her.<O:p</O:p <O:p</O:p She has never weighed more then 20 pounds above her high school graduation weight, and she was very slender then. She really doesn’t get how it is day to day for me. To be this big. To try, honestly try, and fail at yet another plan. She asked me what my biggest fear was, and I told her it was that I would try my very best at the band, and it won’t work. Because it’s pretty much my last hope. <O:p</O:p <O:p</O:p I know she loves me, and we talk about it. But she just can’t “get it”. So, do I just give up trying to get her to, and be grateful for what support she can give?

Nellie, I agree with Kat. I think the band could be right for you, but I really think you need to get more info before your final decision. Good luck in whatever you decide to do.

DH stands for "Darling Husband". Or sometimes "Dang Husband" depending!:guess I'm glad you found something that will work for you.

Mine will be at the NWWLS clinic as well, Dr. Montgomery. Late August if possible, so it could still be warm. We are lucky, we live close by but the pillow is still a good idea.

Your political compass Economic Left/Right: -3.50 Social Libertarian/Authoritarian: -4.87

Looks like the muu-muu it is! Loose enough I can go braless, and it's really bright and pretty, like that really matters. Thanks everyone. I have my date all picked out, this afternoon I'll meet with the surgeon and see it's a day he actually does surgeries and has open...I think I need his agreement, huh.:confused:

My hubby is ending his two-week band-vacation this afternoon. It wasn't planned, his last fill left him too tight, and he ended up with an irritated esopagus(sp) so they unfilled him to let it heal. And he pretty much went back to his old habits. Now, he's lost about 95 pounds since being banded, so that tells me it is an effective tool if that makes any sense. You might be sad/bitter and all about not being able to eat what you want when you want. And maybe that will be OK. I would guess right now you aren't happy with your body, right? Or you wouldn't be here thinking about surgery. So maybe think of it as a trade-off? One other thought, in another post you say that people comment you don't need surgery? I have to say, I've had a couple of people tell me that, and I have a BMI of 53. Which according to some charts puts me into the Super Morbidly Obese catagory. So I figure they are just trying to be kind, and say thank you and let it go. Although I have to say, when I mention it and get a response like "Oh that's wonderful, good for you" I feel a quick twinge, like "What, you think I'm that fat". Sometimes other people just can't win, can they? :confused:

Good idea on the shoes, hadn't thought of that!

I was thinking the Muu-muu because I'm hoping it won't fit me all that long after surgery, so I'd better wear it while I can.

LOL- I love it!:high5: Thanks from one GAW to another.

I'm looking foward to going out with DH, and splitting a meal or appetizer! Right now, splitting is fine with his banded self, but I'm still hungry at half a meal. So, we both order a meal, then I end up eating part of his too. :confused:

I meet with my surgeon today, and realize I don't have a lot of questions either. I do have one I've asked other places, but I'm curious to see what he says, that being that since I've not been able to make long-term lifestyle changes now, what is different after being banded to make me think I can this time. The other question is about complications. I'm self-pay, so if anything goes wrong, I'm on the hook for it, expect I read on their website that they will cover any. I need that clarified.

The ticker, the amount you lose is only one measure. I know it's the one we all care about the most deep down, but you took such a good step in getting the surgery. :clap2: From all I've read, it's not a quick fix at all, it takes time to get this tool adjusted right for us, and to figure out how to make it work. I think the cool thing is once we have the surgery, the band is there. Waiting for us to figure out how to best use it.

Donna - Exactly! I have no problem at all with the choice to go out of country, but I know my momma sure would.