Is Lap-Band for me?

[cantdecide 1]

I've scheduled my surgery for January but keep going back and forth. For the most part, I'm totally ready to do it, but there is a part of me that is scared to death. I'm 31 years old, mother of three boys 5,3, and 1, work 3 14 hour days. I'm 5'9 and right now (about my highest) I weight 271. In the last 5 years I haven't been below 238, and in the last 10 years, haven't been below 219. I'm pretty good at losing weight when I get up the motivation but then I gain it all back really quickly.

When it comes down to it, I'm just scared that I won't be able to lose the weight and keep it off. I'm self-pay and worried that it won't work because I always fall off the wagon.

Feedback?

[wakeuprn 1]

I am having my band placed on 11-22 and I have worried that this will just be another one of my diets.....however this time I have a lot of money invested. I am self pay as well. From what I can tell, we all have doubts because most of us have failed at weight loss many times. I am trying to look at this as a day by day journey. I can only deal with what is in front of me right now and that I am going to gain so much more than I am giving up. Good luck with making your decision, it will be the right one for you!

[happygirl65 5]

Try reading some blogs, that really helped me...these are people who have been where I am, have gotten banded and then had major success. Like anything else in life, it's not success only and there are people who find ways to make it not work, and there are some people who just don't like it but the vast majority it seems do lose weight and use it as the wonderful tool it is. I am scared too but am getting excited about getting it done because I honestly believe it to be the first time that I am truly going to succeed because the drastic physical change will force me to make permanent changes. I am on a journey already to finally put myself first in my life and that is what I am doing. Part of me feels terribly selfish to pay all this money but it's about time that I took care of myself for a change...I figure the family will have to adjust but in a short time I will be able to take better care of them and for longer because I will be healthy and I will be able to teach my kids how to grow up KNOWING how to be healthy so they don't have to wade through the train wreck of contradictory information out there.

I think we will look back and say..."I should have done it sooner, it's the best thing I have ever done for myself."

Edited November 9, 2010 by happygirl65

[Phranp 46]

I've scheduled my surgery for January but keep going back and forth. For the most part, I'm totally ready to do it, but there is a part of me that is scared to death. I'm 31 years old, mother of three boys 5,3, and 1, work 3 14 hour days. I'm 5'9 and right now (about my highest) I weight 271. In the last 5 years I haven't been below 238, and in the last 10 years, haven't been below 219. I'm pretty good at losing weight when I get up the motivation but then I gain it all back really quickly.

When it comes down to it, I'm just scared that I won't be able to lose the weight and keep it off. I'm self-pay and worried that it won't work because I always fall off the wagon.

Feedback?

I hope what I have to say will be helpful to you and other pre-ops. I was banded in June 2009.

First I would like to say that if you are an emotional eater (i.e., eat compulsively, eat because you are happy, sad, depressed, angry, lonely, tired, etc.), then the fact that you paid good money for the surgery won't really matter. When your emotions control your eating -- YOUR EMOTIONS CONTROL YOUR EATING. BUT, don't lose heart because the lapband can help. I know it has helped me. I am/was definitely a compulsive eater. After years of yo-yo dieting I got to my highest weight of 307 (when I went in the hospital for diabetes BG 917), once my sugar was under control I got down to 294. 294 is what I weighed on surgery day. Some people get the lapband and are pretty much "perfect". By that I mean they follow all diet instructions, exercise, journal, etc. Then there are others (like myself) that are not quite as focused and have stressors (i.e., teen/young adults in the home, stressful job, health problems, etc.) that conjure up old eating habits. So, suffice it to say that my weight loss has been slow. But, the important words here are WEIGHT LOSS. I am consistently losing (with a stall every now and again). I am getting exercise in (though not as much as I should). But the biggest thing is that the way I think about food has changed! I am no longer a slave to food. I credit my band, I really do. I credit my band because, with proper restriction, I have not been able to binge when I am overwhelmed by life. As a result, I am able to get back on balance and eat properly before I have done severe damage. BUT IT GETS BETTER. I have stopped reacting to stress in my life with food about 90% of the time! This is HUGE for me! I credit the band. Last night my kids made me very sad/mad. I was still thinking about it as I drove to work this morning. I had my Protein drink for Breakfast and had the forethought to bring another just in case my band was too tight for me to eat food at lunch (my band gets tighter when I am stressed). By the time lunch time came I was in the tank, on my way to being depressed -- a sure sign that Cookies were in my future. You know what I did instead? I put on my sneakers (I keep a pair at work - no excuses for not exercising while at work LOL) and took a good long walk. When I got back to my office building I sat in the sun (it's a beautiful day here) and tried to decide what I should eat for lunch that was healthy. In the end I went back to the office and drank my Protein Drink ... wasn't in the mood for food. Before the band, I couldn't have done that.

The thing is, the band is a tool. You can learn to use to your advantage. Learn everything you can about the band. Be prepared going in ... and you will still be surprised. Know that you lose as fast or as slow as you are willing to work. ALL the power is in your hands, the band is just there to help you do what you really want to do. If you REALLY want to lose weight the band can help. If you don't really want to lose weight, the band won't stand in your way (ice cream and cake go down with ease). There are a few people that have problems with the band, but the vast majority of people have a tool that works.

All the best to you on your journey!

~Fran

[Nickel 0]

Wow, you could be my twin. I am 5'8", highest weight and starting weight of 271, self pay, in my 30's, work a LOT, etc.

I absolutely need to have long term tools/assistance with keeping my hunger under control. I can also lose weight like you described - 50-60 pounds a few different times and when I do that I feel great. Then just when I am ready to take the next step (maintenance or more for looks instead of health), I gain it back (and quickly). Often it has been a major event in my life that triggers it, but sometimes it is just me and the food.

I look at the lap-band as a major key to my success in the future. It can be done. It is not a quick fix. It is a tool in my toolkit (not the solution). I have known for years that I have to make changes for my health, my future and my self esteem. And I decided this was the time.