Looking at options

[WNYRAO 0]

Hi All,

I'm new here and in the early stages of researching a procedure. I do have a referral from my primary and have reached out to a local surgeon to look at my options. I am 125lbs overweight with a BMI of 41.2. I am leaning towards the lap band. I'm sure most have already been down this path. I'd appreciate hearing what your experiences were.

Thanks,

Bob

[Amanda1982 142]

Hey Bob welcome. I am currently waiting on a surgery date. It has taken me almost 4 months to get through all the pre-op test and classes. I wish you luck on your journey. This webiste is a great souce of information

[chilln' 0]

Hi All,

I'm new here and in the early stages of researching a procedure. I do have a referral from my primary and have reached out to a local surgeon to look at my options. I am 125lbs overweight with a BMI of 41.2. I am leaning towards the lap band. I'm sure most have already been down this path. I'd appreciate hearing what your experiences were.

Thanks,

Bob

Hey Bob,

I'm at the exact stage you are. I also think I'm leaning towards a lap band. So far my biggest reason is the shorter recovery so I can get back to work.

[KristinaAshley 5]

Congratulations on seeking a healthy lifestyle Bob! I have not been banded yet. I meet my surgeon on the 10th of Feb! Good luck!

[cunner 21]

Hi Bob and chillin'

You may have noticed that there are not a lot of men on here. My guess is maybe 10% are men. Definitely do not let that discourage you. As of tomorrow I will be 4 weeks post op and I feel great. I feel like this was the best thing I could do for myself and my family.

If there is anything specific that you want to know please ask. I still have 2 weeks before my first fill so I am pretty new at this and am just learning too but I am happy to share my experiences up until this point.

Good Luck with you decision.

[WNYRAO 0]

Thanks for the support. I am glad I found this forum.

I also am looking at the shorter recovery time Chillin' but until I sit down with the surgeon and discuss all the options I really won't know. I can say that all of the dieting and exercise I have done over the past 30 years has led to to where I am now. After my first diet in 1986 where I dropped 35 pounds to get to 135 it was all yo-yo dieting which has got me to the 240lbs I am at now.

Thanks for an idea on the time frame Amanda. With the other things going on 4 months is perfect.

Cunner - I did notice few men here. Better health is better health. I have no reservations sharing my experience as I go through this with anyone.

When I first approached my primary care Doc I really figured i'd have an argument - I was surprised when he looked at me, smiled and said "I agree 100%". He then asked me to write him a letter justifying why I thought I needed surgery. I detailed all of the past diets and exercise regimens I tried. He has seen all I have done for the past 15 years so the last round of dieting which was about a year ago he will sign off on as being doctor supervised. He mentioned that by reading my letter it was obvious to him I had been thinking about this for a while and it was not an overnight decision. He immediately wrote me a referral to a surgeon he trusts.

Aside from the weight i'd also like to get off of the blood pressure medication as well as the CPAP. If that doesn't happen, so be it but It is something to strive for.

Thanks,

Bob

[cunner 21]

I was also surprised at the overwhelming support of my PCP when I first mentioned getting banded. I had a lot of anxiety before my appointment thinking that I would be talked out of it or told it wasn't a good idea. I'm not sure why I thought that but it was quite the opposite response. The response was immediately positive and he wrote up a referral right away.

After just 2 weeks pre-op followed by 4 weeks post op the surgeon already suggested that I should contact my PCP to discuss getting off the blood pressure meds.

My snoring has stopped altogether and I expect I will kicking the CPAP to the curb before too long. That's going to be great.

Hopefully when I get my next labs in march my cholesterol will be much better and I can cut down or eliminate on those meds too.

So far at least this seems like the greatest decision I made made for my health.

Good Luck Bob.

[WNYRAO 0]

Good Luck Bob.

Thanks Cunner. I actually told him I needed to speak with him about "something" and made motions like I was strapping myself to a seat and putting a crash helmet on. In the past I had mentioned drugs and such for weight loss and was met with the "are you crazy?" look. I guess the fact that he did see at least (2) rounds of yo-yo dieting and exercise helped him to realize I needed something else.

He did mention that I need to exercise more. I responded "heck yea, I know that, do you have any idea how difficult and painful exercise is with a body like mine?" I told him to imagine that he really enjoyed running, and that he did it every day regardless of weather time of day etc. I then said that if I smacked each of his big toes with a hammer he probably wouldn't be as excited about running until the pain went away. I told him to imagine that this pain is what I feel just by exercising, not very rewarding at all. Therein lies another reason for the surgery - I WAS an active person, now I have trouble tying my shoes.

The closing line in your last post is where I hope to be a year from now -

So far at least this seems like the greatest decision I made made for my health.

I have a lot to look forward too for sure.

Bob

[PackersFan 4]

Hi Bob (and others),

Here's my story...

I have been overweight most of my adult life, and I had been getting increasingly sick due to my obesity over the last few years. I had diabetes, high blood pressure, high cholesterol, arthritis, sleep apnea and coronary artery disease. My father died of a massive heart attack at my age, and I fully expected to also die young.

But then I had the lap band surgery on Sept. 2, 2010 and for the first time in a long time I have hope for a bright and healthy future. I went from taking 8 pills a day to none. My blood sugar, blood pressure and cholesterol are all normal. This procedure has been a God send for me. I don't regret my decision for even a moment.

But you have to know that even though the band helps with appetite control and overeating, it does take some effort and hard work. I would encourage you to follow your doctor's guidelines as closely as possible. I know that this is a big decision and shouldn't be taken lightly. But I'm so happy that I did it.

Good luck on your journey, and let me know if I can provide any help.

[WNYRAO 0]

Thanks for the support Packersfan. Your story, height and weight are very similar to mine. Luckily i'm just at the hypertensive and sleep apnea phase with my bloodwork slowly trending downhill. I'm hoping to arrest it before I am dianosed with the big "D". My family history is riddled with coronary issues as well, heart attack, stroke, high cholesteral, pacemakers, you name it and chances are someone in my family has had it.

Is there any one thing in particular that stands out, that really helped you?

Right now I am waiting to get the initial application for surgery from the surgeon. According to my PCP he has sent a few patients for this procedure who were at my BMI and it helped them tremendously.

I'd just like to be able to bend over and put my shoes and socks on without pain.

Bob

Hi Bob (and others),

Here's my story...

I have been overweight most of my adult life, and I had been getting increasingly sick due to my obesity over the last few years. I had diabetes, high blood pressure, high cholesterol, arthritis, sleep apnea and coronary artery disease. My father died of a massive heart attack at my age, and I fully expected to also die young.

But then I had the lap band surgery on Sept. 2, 2010 and for the first time in a long time I have hope for a bright and healthy future. I went from taking 8 pills a day to none. My blood sugar, blood pressure and cholesterol are all normal. This procedure has been a God send for me. I don't regret my decision for even a moment.

But you have to know that even though the band helps with appetite control and overeating, it does take some effort and hard work. I would encourage you to follow your doctor's guidelines as closely as possible. I know that this is a big decision and shouldn't be taken lightly. But I'm so happy that I did it.

Good luck on your journey, and let me know if I can provide any help.

[30SOMETHING 16]

I was looking at all my options also. I was sure about the Lap Band when I first signed up with the fourm then my cousin talked me into the bypass. But today my doctor said that he will suggest the Lap Band because I am the ideal canidate for the Lap Band because there are less complications.

[PackersFan 4]

Hi again, Bob,

I can't say any one thing in particular helped... but I can't stress enough the importance of following the doctor's guidelines and being willing to work hard to succeed. There are several people I personally know that have had the lap band procedure that have struggled. But they are also eating bread regularly, drinking with their meals, and not exercising, which are all no-no's when it comes to the lap band. And I've heard people say "well if I had willpower and the discipline to exercise a lot, I wouldn't need the surgery!" But my answer to those folks is - The difference is that the band helps keep you from eating large quantities of food and it also keeps you full longer... you just don't need all the snacking. (But remember it does take some time to get the restriction you need to feel the full affect of these benefits.) But you need to get moving ... walking or biking or something every day, which does take an effort and committment.

Sorry to sound like a broken record. I'm just sharing my own experience.

[WNYRAO 0]

Thanks Packersfan. I see the Band as a tool to help where others have failed. In effect I see myself going on every diet i've ever been on but the band will help to maintain the change in lifestyle. I was quite a bit more active when I was lighter and I intend to be so again.

My initial paperwork is in with the surgeon. I'm waiting on what is next.

Bob