confusedgirl

I am curious to find out how many people have actually had their band for 5 years or more and how did it change their life. What is the major difference and do you really change your eating habits? Is it safe to have this band for life or does it have complications if you leave it in your body for so long?

Thank you so much for all of your advice. It really does help me a lot. There are sure angels out there!

Please keep us informed. Did you take out the band already? Let us know once you take it out to see how you are doing. I hope you feel better very soon and you are not a failure...you had a lot of courage for getting the band in the first place. Courage that I can't even get to get the band in the first place.

So how long has this been around? Is it possible to take it out once you reach your goal weight? I am just kinda scared that my stomach will choke and that i would die.

You look so beautiful. What in inspiration to all of us! I want to do that too!

Wow! I am glad I stumbled on this thread. I am going to make an appointment with Dr. Spivak. I was wondering, after you have surgery, how long until you can go to work? That is the only thing that is stopping me right now becuase I don't want to be out too long but I am waiting way too long to do this and everytime i look in the mirror, i get so depressed! Everytime i go shopping, nothing fits and I am so tired of it. No matter how much money one spends on clothes, it just doesn't look right and it is so depressing. I was 130 before i had babies and now i am 200 pounds. What is that all about? Someone please give me some hope!

Congratulations on your weight loss. It seems like you are doing wonderful. Dr. Spivak is who I am considering for my weight loss. I noticed that you had your banding done in August of 2006. How do you feel now that you have lost so much weight and was it difficult? I just feel like I will never be able to do it on my own and I have dreams about being skinny and being able to wear the clothes that i want, but i am wondering if this is for me. It seems that a lot of people do loose weight. Can you tell me a little bit about your experience so i can make the right decision? Again, keep up the good work! I am so impressed!

I am seriously considering this banding. I looked up your profile and it is so similar like mine that i thought i would question you. i hope you don't mind. when did you get your banding done? Is it painful? How long before you can go to work? Are you not hungry at all or is it hard to eat after you do this? what made you really go through this? all of these years i have been wanting to loose weight. it is so easy to put it on but to get rid of it, is not that easy! i am 5'4" and i am 198 lbs. I got liposuction done about 10 years ago, but i dont' recommend it becuase other areas in your body grow a lot if you continue to eat a lot so you are some what not proportional anymore. Please help me make the best decision for me.

That is awesome...good luck to you. How long have you been on the band? Is it hard?

How much have you lost so far?

You are about my weight. I am 200. How has your experience been on the lapband?

You have lost 66 pounds, that is so wonderful. I wish I could go into the future and say that about me. Thank you for the encouragement. You are right, each year, the scale keeps going up! and I look in the mirror and I slowly see somebody else. It has been a long time since I feel sexy. My husband has never called me fat. He always tells me that I look good, but honestly, I don't think so. After 4 kids, it has been a tough ride, and I know I won't be able to do it by myself. I have tried so hard. It has become a daily thing...I want to loose weight, but I just eat too much. Especially at night. I have a very stressful job, so my only enjoyment is going out to eat at night with the kids and my husband... That is probably the only fun I get. I am not really even that hungry, but I still eat for fun.

I am 30, and I am very healthy...no problems except this weight of mine. I am really considering doing this. I guess I just have to do it...and I can't wait to post that I am loosing weight! I am 200 pounds...I don't have a big stomach or anything. It is all in my thighs and behind and arms...but I almost have a flat tummy so I am not sure if I will be one of the slower weight loosers....

This is probably a silly question, but what happens when you loose all of the weight? Do you go back for surgery so they can take off the band? Also, what is a port? Also, what about sex? Is that dangerous once you have this surgery? I knew yall were going to think my questions were silly!

That is such good advice. It is not always what you want to hear, but you are absolutely correct. I really have to think things before I do anything. However, ever since i was a little girl, I was always fustrated with my weight. I wasn't even fat. I look at pictures and I was so skinny, but I was always the one that was a little bit chunkier than my 2 sisters so I was always called fat. Somehow, I am that right now. I have always thought I was fat though. So right now, I wish I was back to my regular weight 120 and I am 200.

That is really good info! I am just worried about infection or what if it grows into your stomach? Can it get buried in there somehow and rupture it. I would imagine it is always a possibility, but we have to take our risks.

That really helps. If we wanted to though, could it be removed? I hate having extra things in my body if I don't need them.

So the band can actully be left there unfilled. Very interesting.

I am in Friendswood also and considering the band and Dr. Spyvik. I am so nervous though. I don't even know what a port is. I am new on this site but would love to get some feedback as to what you first felt after the surgery and what is a darn port????? Also, is the band taken off after the weight has been lost?

I haven't gotten banded so I am trying to figure out the talk. What is a port? I am sorry if I sound ignorant but I am trying to learn about this. I am going to go see Dr. Spyvik. I faxed him my paperwork and he said I was a good candidate so if I decide to do this I want to make sure I make the best decisions. Also, once our goal weight is lost, do we have surgery again to take off the band?

Dr. Spivak is who I am considering having the operation with. How is it going? Was it difficult after your surgery? What were your initial experiences right after your surgery?

I hope I decide to do it also. I am still reading about this whole thing. I have about 80 pounds to loose. I really need some good advice on what to expect after the surgery.

I am on the same boat as you. I am trying to decide weather I want to do this or not. I am so scared that something is going to go wrong or that I am going to continue eating like I do. I don't know if I will be able to do the liquid thing. My insurance won't cover it, but I do want a new me. I am 200 lbs and 5'4. I want to be 125. I don't know how long that will take or what if I die without eating like I used to? i have such a demanding job and what if I don't have the energy to do my day to day things? Those are some worries that I have. I have 4 small children. What do you recommend. Help. Someone who had it done, was it scary? Did you have terrible side effects or was it easy?

WHERE CAN YOU GET SOME OF THAT VITAMIN 3 OILS?

Thank you for posting your picture. truly inspirational. I am 200 and 5'4". I am still trying to think if it will be good for me. I want to be 120. After your surgery, how was your eating? Any bad symptoms?