BRWombat

Hi, all. My name is Brad. I'm a 42-year-old married father of two boys. I'm 6'5" and over 400 lbs. I have been radically successful on each and every diet I've tried -- if you only count the first 3-4 months or so. Then the weight comes back every time. Let me say thanks to all of the regulars who post here. I have learned more, pro and con, about the realities of this surgery and what life is like just by lurking here. I have not yet decided to have the lap band -- indeed I am visiting the doctor for the first time tomorrow -- but it's been very eye-opening to hear from those of you who have been there, done that. My biggest fear in all this is that, from what I read here, I can eat around the band. I don't want to go through all of this only to have my old habits creep back when I tire of the new regimen. Those of you who are/were like that, has the band helped you overcome those urges, or at least made it easier to stick to eating properly? I look forward to hearing from any of you. Thanks again for all the support you give.

UPDATE: It's been a while since I posted here, and I thought I'd come back and share my experience. It's been six weeks now, and I have lost 32 pounds!! I'm eating just two small meals a day (well, normal-size, really, but small compared to what I used to eat!), and the weight and inches are dropping off. Oh, and I did not have the band. I was well on my way to the surgery -- I'd done the preliminary exams and was waiting on insurance approval -- when the doctor at my employer's clinic recommended a "wellness program" to jumpstart the weight loss before surgery. Needless to say, I was skeptical, as I had done lots of other programs without success. But when I read up on it, I found it to be different from anything else I'd tried. Rather than changing what you eat, the program concentrates on changing when and how you eat. So, in a nutshell, I am eating about as little now as I would with the band, but without the surgery. I am not restricted from any food, and I have learned strategies for eating out and eating at parties or buffets. Yes, given my track record, I have concern that this will not last long-term, but I am very encouraged that it will. (The program keeps stats and claims an 80% longterm success rate -- quite different from diets!) I am truly enjoying eating, enjoying food, and enjoying not being controlled by it. (And also enjoying keeping several thousand $$$ in the bank by not having the surgery! ) I post this not to put down LB or those who have it at all! (If this fails long-term, I'll go right back to LB.) I just know this forum is a great place where people come for information, just like I did, and I wanted to share my experience. Oh, the program's website is HealthyLifestylesCourse.com. (This is not a paid endorsement, btw!) Hope someone else can benefit from this! Brad

WOW! I love all of the input and support from everyone here!! Terry, my appointment is with Dr. Andres Katz. He and his partners' LB website is http://www.lapbanddallas.com. I like the fact that they are all three accomplished surgeons who do not focus only on this one type of surgery, although they do have plenty of experience with the band. Anyone here know anything about them??

Hi again, all. Went to a seminar tonight. Thanks to all of the info available online, I didn't learn much new about the surgery itself, but I did get some questions answered about this particular partnership's protocols and methods, as well as costs... ... and I have my initial appointment next Thursday, 9/14, hopefully the start of a long and beneficial journey.

I can definitely follow rules -- in fact, I do better when I have clear limits. My downfall in the past has been that after a few months, something seems to click in my brain to make whatever eating limits I have seem almost unbearable, and then the fudging (so to speak) begins. One change I am definitely making this time is that I am NOT doing this alone. I've shied away from support groups and having friends and relatives keep me in check. This time around I am asking for support, and plan to be accountable to others so that when the tough times come -- as I'm sure they will no matter what route I take -- I won't have to shoulder the burden alone. If I do get the band, LBT will definitely be a part of that! Thanks to all of you for your help and advice. I'm sure I'll be checking back in here for more input and to let y'all know what I do.