mvonmelon

WOW! Fifty-two pounds lost in a year?!!!! Boy, do I wish we could trade places!:confused: CONGRATS!! Sounds like your surgeon is a real horse's a _ _. :redface: I agree with everyone that tells you to find someone else. You need a partner in this, not someone to hold you down. As for your question about being a dying breed? Hardly! My doctor on Long Island ONLY performs laparascopic lap banding and he's done over 4000 procedures! There are many reasons for choosing this procedure over the more radical bypass and I can't imagine it going away anytime soon unless......say, have they invented a guaranteed lose all the weight you want pill yet?:thumbup: Keeeeeeeeeeeeeep going you're doing great!

You are not alone. Many of us have had the same feelings. As for myself, I was extremely nervous because this is elective surgery and I didn't want to make a wrong decision. On one side of the equation I had my family that was rooting my decision on, and then on the other side I had some friends that were concerned about the surgery. With all of the tug-of-war I realized that it didn't really matter because the ultimate decision was mine. What I did, that might help you, is to review my reasons and thoughts for having the surgery. I wrote down a list of pros and cons and my fears/outcomes to decide which way the scale was tipping -- for/against? I asked myself if I felt that I had adequately researched the options? Did I choose the right doctor? Am I comfortable with this doctor? And finally, the big question I had to ask myself was if the risk of undergoing this operation would outweigh the risk of not undergoing this procedure. For me, even though I am married and have 3 children, I decided that it was better for me to go through with it than to risk not having a good quality of life or being healthy enough to be around for them. This is a big decision and I understand your not taking it lightly. Just have confidence that you will choose wisely for you. This is not a club that everyone wants to join. We are all doing it because we realize that we need special help. Good luck and God Bless! You will make the decision that's right for you.

I was banded on 3/11/10 and I know exactly what u mean. All I can think of is that old habits die hard and this will be a difficult one for me to break because I have realized that I never just ate for hunger alone. The way I see it though....I stopped smoking 25 years ago and remember reading something at that time that said after the first two weeks of stopping a habit (including nicotine) it's only the psychological addiction that could hamper progress. If this is true (and I am tending to believe it), then I need to focus on what my stomach is really saying. That is what I've been trying to do....concentrate on real "stomach/need" not "taste/desire." It hasn't been easy, but the refocusing needs to be done and as with anything else continually reinforced. Hope this helps!

Hi All! I just joined - my surgery was on 3/11/10. My husband and my children (who are all thin and eat like horses) have been my greatest support throughout this process. Although all of them tell me that I am beautiful just the way I am. However, I told them that appearance was only the second reason I wanted to lose weight. Having diabetes and high blood pressure hasn't been a picnic and I am tired of all the meds and my inability to move around with ease. My husband and my children have participated every step of the way with me and I have been very up front with my kids (ages 18, 12, 10) since they have been curious and concerned and I didn't want to fear from a lack of knowledge and understanding. But to get back to my wonderful husband....he has always been the cook in the family (I hate it!) and continues to participate in making my meals now. He even preps things and puts them in the fridge for me to make certain that I do the right thing. Of course, I am going to start taking on responsibility for this as soon as I get on solid foods, but for now, it sure is nice being babyed as I get through these initial phases. Good luck to all and God Bless. Mariolina