Shoud I or should I not

[martinbjl 0]

I am having a mental battle. I am 49, weigh 235 (have for 2 years) am 5' 6 1/2 " tall. I want to loose weight and feel like doing things again. I have contemplated lapband for 2 years. I am scared I will have it and regret it. I don't like feeling nauseous or to have stomach pain. I am worried I will regret getting it after I have the band. I try reg. dieting, always quitting and gainning back. I want to know what to expect right after surgery (pain wise and all). I am a worrier as well... I am wondering if I will always be thinking about a foreingn object in my body and if it is eatting through the stomach lining. Is thinking that way normal? I have acid reflux...will that get better or worse with the lapband? Any suggestions, or any advise, I would appreciate..

[Pammy S Lewis 2]

i think the most difficult thing about this surgery is that everyone is affected differently. some people have no problems at all and others have a lot of problems. when i was considering it, i decided that it was kind of a crapshoot and you just have to roll the dice and hope you don't have problems.

i'm about a month post op and had some problems that really scared me. they left a tiny bit of fill in when they put the band in and it was way too tight. i had constant, really bad chest pain for weeks. also, it really bothered me because i felt like i could feel something inside of me. however, once they removed the fill the pain and sensation of feeling the band inside of me went away. my dr says that some people are able to tell it's there but the majority are not. on the plus side, i have never been nauseous or thrown up. also, most people do pretty well after surgery and return to work after a week, but i didn't feel normal or able to work until a full 3 weeks after. the surgery was tough for me but i also wonder if because i haven't ever had a baby if i just don't know what REAL pain is, ha! if you've been thru other surgeries and handled them well, you'll be fine.

i think that your acknowledgement about worrying about things is valid. when i asked my dr if any of his patients have wanted the band out, he said only one person who was a "worrier" and didn't like the idea of having something inside of him. some people are able to have it and not really think about it and others may be preoccupied with it. i think that's something you might be able to work through though with the help of a therapist should you decide to get it done.

it's a tough decision and the best advice i can give you is to do a lot of research and read people's stories on both sides. and trust your instincts! i always trust mine and am rarely wrong about major decisions. what are your instincts telling you?

[spoiltmom 44]

Here's my 2 cents:) After surgery the pain wasn't bad for me. I never even needed my prescription pain meds. I've been banded since August 2010 and like you I worried I might regret it but I don't. I'm loving it!

As for the vomiting and nausea... for me I don't really get nauseas. If I eat the wrong thing and get stuck it just hurts. Once I throw up it's over and I feel 100% better. It's not like the vomiting and nausea you would experience with a stomach virus. Also, I don't throw up daily. Mostly about once a month when I eat the wrong things or I eat too quickly.

I thought about doing it back in 2006 and I got scared and chickened out but last year I decided that since I kept thinking about it I should just give it a shot and I did. I've never looked back.

I always thought I would worry about the foreign body thing also but I haven't. Do you know anyone else who has a band? If so you should talk with them also, if not go to a couple of Lap Band support group meetings and talk to some people there.

As for the reflux I think for some it can go away but you just never know until you lose the weight and see what happens. When I had my band put in I had 3 kids at home. At that time they were 9,3 and 5 months. I was back to caring for them full time 2 days after my surgery. My surgeon said that I could do it but he said I wouldn't want to because picking up the baby would really hurt, but it didn't bother me at all.

[NJGirl32 43]

I am in the exact same boart so I can totaly relate to your concerns. I am 5'6 and 246 and 48 yrs old. I am worried about something going wrong duringthe surgery. My Dr. said the mortality rate is 1 in 2000 - that seems really high to me, but he said it's the same as a gall bladder operation. I am in good health other then the weigh issue so I think the surgery will be okay.

With that being said I really hate being fat. I hate being the heaviest woman in a room. I hate going on an airplane and worrying about the seatbelt fitting or who will sit next to me. I hate lugging this extra 90 pounds around with me everyday-the effect that it has on my energy level and it must work my heart to carry that weight. I hate that it takes me so long to find something to wear when I go out. I hate not feeling sexy. I want to be 50 and fabulous. I am tired of making excuses. If I would have done this last year I would be thin by now and loving life. I would be more active and enjoy social outings so much more!

Doubt is normal. Someone had a quote that said "A field never gets plowed byturning it over in your head" That pretty much says it all! I'll do it with you!

[HeatherinCA 10]

The pain after surgery is fairly bad for 3 or 4 days. But it's not unbearable. I was never nauseous except immediately after surgery in the hospital and they gave me meds for that. The surgery is easy and quick, I was home the same day.

For me, I'm 4 months out, I've lost 48lbs. I've NEVER had any food get stuck. My appetite is gone. (doesn't meanI don't WANT food, but I'm never hungry) I was more scared when I read this board.. But it really is different for everyone. The way people use the tool is different for everyone... I would say if you can commit yourself to changing your eating habits then go for it, if you can stick to a 1200 calorie diet then go for it. If you still want to eat junk food all the time and expect to lose weight, forget it. It's still essentially a diet, you eat the wrong things you won't lose weight, that doesn't mean occasionally you can't have a cookie. But everything in moderation.

I'm not worried about complications right now. I will cross that bridge if I get to it. It's a fairly safe operation, SO many of them have been done. The technology has improved over the years.

[Sistersue 12]

My only regret is that I didn't do it 10 years ago.

[size10again 11]

Hello,

I had surgery December 2011. I had similar stats as you, 49yo, 5'5", 232#. I had a hiatal hernia repair at the same time as the surgery, I wasn't having reflux before surgery which most people have with a hiatal hernia.

My surgery went great, recovery was easy. I had not vomited since 1988, so that tells you how I feel about vomiting, LOL. I have been stuck and have vomited but it is usually due to me not chewing well enough. Like someone else said, there is no nausea, just a stuck/painful sensation and then relief when it comes back up.

I am thankful every day for my band and I feel great!

Only you know what the best decision is for you.

Good luck! Joan

[Melissannde 41]

I was a little queasy for a day after the surgery, but never any nausea/vomiting. Spitting up or getting stuck with the band isn't anything like n/v with an illness.

I don't have acid reflux, but I know someone who is banded who said that the band fixed that for them.

[gotmyeyeontheprize 2]

I am having a mental battle. I am 49, weigh 235 (have for 2 years) am 5' 6 1/2 " tall. I want to loose weight and feel like doing things again. I have contemplated lapband for 2 years. I am scared I will have it and regret it. I don't like feeling nauseous or to have stomach pain. I am worried I will regret getting it after I have the band. I try reg. dieting, always quitting and gainning back. I want to know what to expect right after surgery (pain wise and all). I am a worrier as well... I am wondering if I will always be thinking about a foreingn object in my body and if it is eatting through the stomach lining. Is thinking that way normal? I have acid reflux...will that get better or worse with the lapband? Any suggestions, or any advise, I would appreciate..

Lap Band surgery was the best thing I ever did for myself. For once in my life, I put myself ahead of everyone else and went for it! In five months, I've lost 83 lbs. and feel like a new person.

Is it easy? No. For anyone that may think that the band is a "quick fix", they are sadly mistaken. Being banded is a life changing experience. Your entire lifestyle must change for the band to be successful. It is only to be used as a tool.

The surgery is not that bad. In my opinion, the two week pre-op diet was the worst part of the entire procedure. The pain level from the surgery was the same as when I had my gallbladder removed and ten times easier than the three C-Sections I've had.

About two days after surgery, I had an anxiety attack. It was around 6:30 in the morning and my husband had just left for work. The kids were still in the bed. I stood in my kitchen and thought to myself, "What in the he** have I done to myself?!?!". Then, I remembered that the worst thing I did to myself was let myself get to 343 lbs. and completely unhealthy. By having the surgery, I had made an attempt to save my life!

[NJGirl32 43]

Lap Band surgery was the best thing I ever did for myself. For once in my life, I put myself ahead of everyone else and went for it! In five months, I've lost 83 lbs. and feel like a new person.

Is it easy? No. For anyone that may think that the band is a "quick fix", they are sadly mistaken. Being banded is a life changing experience. Your entire lifestyle must change for the band to be successful. It is only to be used as a tool.

The surgery is not that bad. In my opinion, the two week pre-op diet was the worst part of the entire procedure. The pain level from the surgery was the same as when I had my gallbladder removed and ten times easier than the three C-Sections I've had.

About two days after surgery, I had an anxiety attack. It was around 6:30 in the morning and my husband had just left for work. The kids were still in the bed. I stood in my kitchen and thought to myself, "What in the he** have I done to myself?!?!". Then, I remembered that the worst thing I did to myself was let myself get to 343 lbs. and completely unhealthy. By having the surgery, I had made an attempt to save my life!

That's awesome! Congratulations on such a huge achievement!