atgoalgal

This is a big decision. It's great that you are asking these questions. I'm a long-term lap band patient. Here are 2 articles that may help you. They are part of my 5 year lap band journey. The first is about eating with friends and family -it's an article and video. The second deals with hunger and all my failed attempts at weight loss - I call it Hungry No More. My biggest question was would I be HUNGRY, which is something I struggled with all my life. I hope some of this helps. Let me know if you have any questions.

Congratulations. This is the beginning of a journey. Having lap band surgery was one of the best decisions I ever made. Each practice is different. I would call office and ask about the preop work. - will it all be in one visit, will it be in multiple visits. How long should you expect each appointment to take. Specifically ask to speak with the insurance coordinator and ask what will and will not be covered. Also many practices offer the free seminar before insurance approval so I would specifically confirm that they have received your insurance approval and I would ask if there are any costs that will be out of pocket to you. For more on preparing for lap band surgery you might want to check out these resources on bandedliving.com resources to prepare for lap band surgery I hope this helps.

My lap band mentor and I have been blogging for over a year now ( I was banded in 2006) and found that blogging is a great way to pay it forward and gain motivation and inspiration for my own journey. You can find my blog at gloriasbandedliving.com. Do you have a blog? If you are blogging and interested in getting the word out, leave a post with a link to your blog.

Hi fellow bloggers. My blog is at gloriabandedliving. My mento Sandi is at sandisbandedliving . Please check them out and let us know what you think. We are also going to start a blog list at bandedliving,.com. Let me know if you're interested in having your blog included!

Hi, Welcome. I was lap banded in 2006.. Here is a link to some resources that you may find helpful - recovering from lap band surgery. Let me know if this helps. You may also want to check out and download "The 10 Lessons of Successful Lap Band Patients." The download is only going to be available for a few more days. Let me if this helps!

I was lap banded back in 2006. It was the best decision I ever made for my health. That being said this is not a magic bullet. The lap band is a great tool, but you have to work it. I just publlished a book, available on amazon titled "Is Lap Band Surgery for Me?' You may want to get a copy. It can be great pre-work for your doctor's visit. Here's a link to amazon http://www.amazon.com/Surgery-Step-Step-Lasting-Weight/dp/1604944943/ref=cm_cr_pr_product_top. Let me know if it helps.

Happy New Year to you too, from a long-term successful lap band patient. Congrats to you all on this thread for taking control of your health in 2011. If you want to jumpstart your efforts join us and learn about "The Ten Lessons of Successful Lap Band Patients" on Wednesday January 5, 2011. Click here for details and to register for this free call.

Finally I’ve won the battle with my weight. I am in great shape and great health because on August 16, 2006 I got a Lap-band®®®. With the help and support of a great team, I learned how to use this amazing tool. I am maintaining between 140 and 149 lbs. Some days I wonder if the scale is broken. It’s been hard work, and it certainly wasn’t the “easy way out.” It’s been over 3 years since surgery. I’ve been maintaining a healthy weight for more than 1 ½ years, but I still have days when it’s hard to believe that this is really my body, the one that I live in. One of my goals when I had my LAP-BAND®®® surgery was to keep up with my kids. Nowadays they have to keep up with me. Looking back, I vividly recall the pain and embarrassment of being weighed in my elementary school gym, praying that the school aide would not announce my weight for everyone to hear. I started dieting at the age of 10. My days were defined as good or bad by what I ate. I have been on every diet you can think of; I took diet pills for years; I cannot remember a year when I didn’t gain or lose at least 40 or 50 pounds. My hunger never went away. I always gave in. For me, dieting was like holding my breath, eventually I had to come up for air. I’ve always exercised regularly. I was a fit, fat person. I have thyroid problems and low body temperature and it’s too easy to use that as an excuse for my weight. The irony is that except for my battle with weight, I’ve been successful at everything I’ve ever attempted. I’m very fortunate. I have a great marriage, two wonderful children, true friends, and I’ve enjoyed a successful career as an executive and officer in Fortune 100 companies. I couldn’t have been this successful without the support and encouragement of a lot of people. I hope to pay that forward. I've decided to blog my entire Lap-band® journey, from the time, I first started exploring my surgery, preparing for surgery, recovering, transforming, and finally maintaining my weight loss . You can find my blog at Gloria's Banded Living — My LAP-BAND® Weight Loss Success Story. Good Luck on your own journey.

Most people have pre op jitters. Have you had an opportunity to attend a support group meeting, or meet others who have lap bands? If you have an opportunity to go to lunch or dinner with someone with a band that might be very helpful. What are you most concerned about?

Is Lap Band Surgery for Me? This is a question that I struggled back in 2006. I found the process of researching lap band surgery so confusing. Throughout my journey I've learned that it is so important to understand how this tool works and what you will need to do to achieve your goals. My lap band mentor and I wrote a book that will take you through a step by step process to help you answer this question for yourself . It''s filled with information and real life experience from people during all different stages of their lap band journies. We're getting great feedback and helping lots of people. You can find our book on amazon at Is Lap Band Surgery for Me? What are your questions?

Hi, great to meet you. I am a long-term lap band patient - banded in 2006. My decision to get this tool was the best decision I every made for my health and my happiness. That being said, it's important to go into this understanding what you will need to do to meet YOUR goals. I've recently written a book with my lap band mentor aimed at helping you answer the question "Is Lap Band Surgery for Me?" We're getting great feedback - it's helping a lot of people like you. You can find a link to order the book in my signature below. Also feel free to PM me.

Do you feel ready. Do you have everything you need on hand to make your recovery as easy as possible?

Choosing lap band surgery was the single best decision I ever made for my health and quality of life. I was banded in 2006 and have been maintaing a normal weight since late 2007. That is nothing short of a miracle for me. But, I think you will be even more interested in my lap band mentor's story. Here name is Sandi and she was banded in 2004, in her mid fifties at 424 pounds. Sandi is my role model and she is very honest about what it takes to be successful. Here is a link to Sandi's story. Let me know if this helps.

Are you struggling with the question "Is Lap Band Surgery for Me?" I was. I spent endless hours confused while I was researching weight loss surgery. Now I'm in my fifth year and maintaining a normal, healthy weight, something I never thought possible. With a combined weight loss of 340 pounds and ten years of experience using the lap band as a tool to achieve our goals, my lap band mentor and I wrote this book to help others answer this question. It's a step-by-step guide, written from the perspective of real patients, to help you with your decision process and it's now available on amazon. Learn what a leading bariatric surgeon has to say about why you should read this book if you are considering lap band surgery here. You can read the introduction here. I'm happy to help answer your questions. I really struggled with my decision and am hoping to help pay it forward. Good luck on your journey.

Do you have a blog? I'm in my 5th year and maintaining a normal weight.I 've been blogging my jouney at gloriasbandedliving.com .

Just checked out your blog! It looks awesome. Great job.

I'm with elfiepoo here. You are doing great. We are in this for the long-term. I think you should also be completely honest with your surgeon. Tell him about your struggles. I know how hard it is to talk about our feelings about eating. I also know how much I hated being judeged, but it can really help if you can find a way to open the dialogue. Ask why he's recommending such a low calorie diet?

Hi everyone, I thought I'd weigh in on this topic. As everyone said there are pros and cons to both surgeries. I am a long-term successful lap band patient. So I must admit I'm biased now with my 20/20 hindsight. I was really confused and wondering whether Lap band surgery was for me. I flip-flopped about whether I wanted band or bypass and struggled with which would be best for me. I ultimately chose to be lap banded because it was the least risky, and 3-5 year outcomes for band and bypass patients are pretty similar. For me it was all about the long-term. I was great at dieting. I was just never able to take weight off and keep it off for more than 5 minute...Now in my fifth year, I've been maintaining a normal, healthy weight since late 2007. It's really important to learn what YOU NEED TO DO, to be successful with this tool. I've written a lot of what I've learned on this jouney about how to use the tool and what it takes to be a successful lap band patient. You can find it by following the links below. Good luck on your journey!

Hi everyone, I thought I'd give an update to my lapbanded success story. I'm now 4+ years out and still maintaing. I also wanted to share some exciting news. You may have heard about C.H.O.I.C.E. (Choosing Health over Obesity Inspiring Change through Empowerment), an educational campaign launched by Allergan, the manufacturer of the LAP-BAND® System to help raise awareness of the critical need for greater access to and acceptance of all effective treatments to fight obesity, including weight-loss surgery. The first phase of the campaign included the Voice My C.H.O.I.C.E. Contest Program, in which patients were asked to submit their stories for a chance to travel to Washington, D.C. and share their stories with legislators. Guess what? I submitted my story and was chosen as one of the winners. I was honored last week in Washington DC along with 11 other amazing lap band patients. It was an incredible experience. I just blogged about it if you are interested in reading what it was like, getting involved, or you just need a dose of inspiration. Here's the link Lap Band Success: Gloria and Sandi Were Honored Last Week Along With 10 Other Amazing Lap Band Patients in Washington DC as Winners of the C.H.O.I.C.E. Contest (Choosing Health over Obesity Inspiring Change through Empowerment)

woohoo. Congrats! Thanks for sharing.

hi to everyone being lapbanded this month. I'm stopping by to wish you all an uneventful surgery and speedy recovery. I'm 4 years out and have been maintaining a normal, healthy weight since late 2007. I spend a lot of time now paying it forward. I'm here for support and any last minute questions you have. Let me know if I can help.

Many of you who have been here on LBT for a while know me. For those of you who are new, thinking of being lapbanded or about to be lapbanded I am reaching out to share and Celebrate. Today is my 4 year bandiversary.:cursing::biggrin: My experience is that if you are willing and able to learn how the lapband works and have a plan to use it everyday you can be really successful. I had almost given up on having a normal healthy body, a body that I actually love living my life in. But now it's a reality. If you're interested in reading my 4th year bandiversary blog for some inspiration click here: My Decision to Have Lap Band Surgery: I Was Lapbanded 4 Years Ago This Week

Wow. It's great to hear from you so quickly. You August folks, especially August 16, are very dear to me. I was lapbanded on August 16, 2006! Welcome the the other side!

Thanks Shannon. I'm definitely celebrating!

Will be waiting to hear from you. You are so ready!