My Lap Band Doctor Caught Me Off Gaurd

[John63 0]

Hello,

My name is John. I went to my primary doctor yesterday for my annual physical. Overall, I'm pretty healthy. Lord willing, I'll me 48 years old next month. I'm 6 foot tall and weigh 280 lbs. According to all the charts, I'm a good 100 lbs or so overweight. I've always been very active. Yes, I have tried to lose weight in the past. I always seem to start off pretty good and then revert back to eating whatever I want. I was caught off gaurd because as the physical was wrapping up, my doctor said that he thought I would be a good canidate for Lap Band Surgery. Wow! I thought that was for people who had health problems due to being overweight. I was not expecting that suggestion. I hadn't been complaining or even asking any question about losing weight. I just don't know what to do. I guess my will power is not strong enough to lose 100 lbs. and maintain. Any encouragement or comments would be greatly appreciated.

Thanks

[SarahStLouis 1]

Hi John, I think it has to be a personal decision. The best thing you can do is to research, research, research. I don't think the doctor said it to be offense or anything. Maybe it's an option you never looked into and now would be a good time? Just my 2 cents. Good luck to you no matter which way you proceed.

[justmermp 6]

Hi John,

I agree with the above poster. Research, research! Your doctor knows your history and struggle with losing/maintaining and he offered you a option. Now it's your turn to read and find out all you can about the lap band and see if it's the right thing for you. I, like many here could lose weight but ended up packing it and more pounds back on. Vicious cycle. I feel like my lap band is my lifesaver. I feel so much better and I know I have my tool to help me go forward for the rest of my life.

Good luck with your decision John. If you have any other questions ask away. Everyone here is open and will give you their honest feelings or opinions. Good luck to you!

[xavier 153]

Good luck John,

I am also 48 and one day my husband said he couldnt get the lap band jingle from the car radio out of his head (I have sat radio so I never heard it). I asked about it and his tone was plain like its just something people do...no negative tone to a fat wife from a skinny husband...yeah, he's pretty great!

Anyway I guess it planted a seed in my head and I started to realize I had been obese for nearly 20 years and perhaps that meant all my approaches to it were officially a failure! I lost weight lots of times and kept it off for a while but I always gained it back plus a little.

So I started my lap band research and here I am about two and a half years later and I couldnt be more thrilled. I never had any comorbidities and I had to self pay even but I would do it all again. I dont think about it too much anymore because i'm used to how I eat now. I wouldnt say the whole thing was easy (yes, I have yakked into a ziplock bag under the table in a restaurant!) but now I have it down to an art and my band just keeps me from eating my former crazy portions!

Ask ANYTHING here we are very supportive I think, and vERY honest...good luck!!!

[John63 0]

Hi John, I think it has to be a personal decision. The best thing you can do is to research, research, research. I don't think the doctor said it to be offense or anything. Maybe it's an option you never looked into and now would be a good time? Just my 2 cents. Good luck to you no matter which way you proceed.

A lot to think about. I've always wanted to lose weight. I have a weakness. I really enjoy eating. A bad sweet tooth. You are correct. I need to research more. Thanks for responding.

[John63 0]

Good luck John,

I am also 48 and one day my husband said he couldnt get the lap band jingle from the car radio out of his head (I have sat radio so I never heard it). I asked about it and his tone was plain like its just something people do...no negative tone to a fat wife from a skinny husband...yeah, he's pretty great!

Anyway I guess it planted a seed in my head and I started to realize I had been obese for nearly 20 years and perhaps that meant all my approaches to it were officially a failure! I lost weight lots of times and kept it off for a while but I always gained it back plus a little.

So I started my lap band research and here I am about two and a half years later and I couldnt be more thrilled. I never had any comorbidities and I had to self pay even but I would do it all again. I dont think about it too much anymore because i'm used to how I eat now. I wouldnt say the whole thing was easy (yes, I have yakked into a ziplock bag under the table in a restaurant!) but now I have it down to an art and my band just keeps me from eating my former crazy portions!

Ask ANYTHING here we are very supportive I think, and vERY honest...good luck!!!

Xavier,

Thanks much for your response. I am glad you are doing well with your lap band. The surgery seems so drastic to my ears. I will continue do research and contemplate.

John

[John63 0]

Hi John,

I agree with the above poster. Research, research! Your doctor knows your history and struggle with losing/maintaining and he offered you a option. Now it's your turn to read and find out all you can about the lap band and see if it's the right thing for you. I, like many here could lose weight but ended up packing it and more pounds back on. Vicious cycle. I feel like my lap band is my lifesaver. I feel so much better and I know I have my tool to help me go forward for the rest of my life.

Good luck with your decision John. If you have any other questions ask away. Everyone here is open and will give you their honest feelings or opinions. Good luck to you!

Thanks much for your response. I'm glad you feel much better. I will continue look into this.

Thanks,

John

[xavier 153]

Agree on the drastic nature of letting a doc cut in and lasso your stomach! The whole thing seems crazy to me even now. I didnt have a single health problem but I'm sure there was a slow train comin'...to quote Bob Dylan!

Someone once said the definition of madness is doing the same thing over and over and expecting a different result...well that was the story of my 20 years of dieting.

You have a boatload of reading to do and it sounds like no hurry...thats exactly what I did. I really started from square one...good luck!

Xavier,

Thanks much for your response. I am glad you are doing well with your lap band. The surgery seems so drastic to my ears. I will continue do research and contemplate.

John

[tammylee205 7]

I think that was nice of your dr. to say something to you. I really wish my dr. would have suggested doing the lap band to me years ago. I had the high blood pressure, diabetes, and sleep apnea. I was 30 at the time when I found out I had all of the health issues. Today I am down 63 pds and don't have any of those things anymore. If the dr. knew me loosing weight would make me healthier, I wouldn't of been offended by her trying to make me healthier so I can do more stuff with my family. Instead of her suggesting wls, she wanted me to go on another diet that the hospital was doing. I needed something permenant, not just a quick fix. Good luck on your journey, and be sure to do your homework.

[John63 0]

I think that was nice of your dr. to say something to you. I really wish my dr. would have suggested doing the lap band to me years ago. I had the high blood pressure, diabetes, and sleep apnea. I was 30 at the time when I found out I had all of the health issues. Today I am down 63 pds and don't have any of those things anymore. If the dr. knew me loosing weight would make me healthier, I wouldn't of been offended by her trying to make me healthier so I can do more stuff with my family. Instead of her suggesting wls, she wanted me to go on another diet that the hospital was doing. I needed something permenant, not just a quick fix. Good luck on your journey, and be sure to do your homework.

Thanks for your comments Tammylee. I certainly wasn't offended by my Doctor. I know I need to lose some weight. He and I talked about last year after my first physical. He suggested the "Ideal Protein" diet. it's just to much money each week. Also, it would be difficult with other family members eating regular foods and the preperation of different foods everyday. You are correct. I have some homework to do. Thanks again,

John

[Dave_NW 92]

John, I don't know if you're in the right headspace for getting the band. Yes, you want to lose weight, but you say you don't think you have a weight problem, you love to eat, and you have a big sweet tooth. In my opinion, I think that's a recipe for frustration and failure with a band. The band is not a magic bullet that will somehow dissolve your excess weight -- it's a tool you can use to assist you in your weight loss efforts. But you have to commit to eating right, exercising, and making the most of the opportunity. If you aren't willing to commit to that process, you'll have marginal success. And if you give in to that sweet tooth, the weight will come right back. The band will limit the way you eat, but it will not stop you from overeating, or from making poor food choices.

I'm not trying to discourage you. I'm just being honest. If you come to a different frame of mind, you'll likely have great success with the band. But you have to totally want it, or it isn't going to work very well. Keep doing that research, and turn the camera inward. Analyze how you REALLY feel about things. Denial is a powerful thing many obese people have a strong personal relationship with.

I never felt like I had an out-of-control weight problem until I realized I weighed over 300 pounds, and I couldn't successfully lose any weight anymore. I'd lose and gain, lose and gain, over and over. I finally got disgusted with not being able to buckle an airplane seatbelt,, or fit into a restaurant booth, or find clothes that actually fit. It got worse and worse, and when I found I was unable to do my job properly, I decided to take action. I was banded last December, and I've lost 125 pounds since then. I'm feeling better than I have in years, I can fit in that restaurant seat and buckle that seatbelt, and I feel as though I've gotten my life back. It's amazing to feel as good as I did twenty years ago.

Good luck with your research, and with whatever decision you come to.

Dave

[John63 0]

John, I don't know if you're in the right headspace for getting the band. Yes, you want to lose weight, but you say you don't think you have a weight problem, you love to eat, and you have a big sweet tooth. In my opinion, I think that's a recipe for frustration and failure with a band. The band is not a magic bullet that will somehow dissolve your excess weight -- it's a tool you can use to assist you in your weight loss efforts. But you have to commit to eating right, exercising, and making the most of the opportunity. If you aren't willing to commit to that process, you'll have marginal success. And if you give in to that sweet tooth, the weight will come right back. The band will limit the way you eat, but it will not stop you from overeating, or from making poor food choices.

I'm not trying to discourage you. I'm just being honest. If you come to a different frame of mind, you'll likely have great success with the band. But you have to totally want it, or it isn't going to work very well. Keep doing that research, and turn the camera inward. Analyze how you REALLY feel about things. Denial is a powerful thing many obese people have a strong personal relationship with.

I never felt like I had an out-of-control weight problem until I realized I weighed over 300 pounds, and I couldn't successfully lose any weight anymore. I'd lose and gain, lose and gain, over and over. I finally got disgusted with not being able to buckle an airplane seatbelt,, or fit into a restaurant booth, or find clothes that actually fit. It got worse and worse, and when I found I was unable to do my job properly, I decided to take action. I was banded last December, and I've lost 125 pounds since then. I'm feeling better than I have in years, I can fit in that restaurant seat and buckle that seatbelt, and I feel as though I've gotten my life back. It's amazing to feel as good as I did twenty years ago.

Good luck with your research, and with whatever decision you come to.

Dave

Dave,

Thanks for your response. I never said I didn't have a weight problem. I do not have the problems that you were experiencing. I'm very active physically and actually exercise three to four days a week at the gym. 30 minutes of cardio and 30 minutes of resistance training. I admitted that I enjoy eating and that I have a sweet tooth. That is a fact. I do not binge eat to compensate for the daily normal stresses of life. I have a belly on me that I feel self conscience of especially at the pool or beach. I'm just saying, that a this past Monday my doctor mention lap band surgery out of the blue and it caught me off gaurd. I think I was expecting him to encourage some diet and cutting down portion sides of the sort. I will say, you are correct that I am not in the correct "headspace" at this time for the band. This is all brand new to me and this is why I connected to this forum as part of the research. With all that said, I think it's great that you are 125 lbs less than you were last year at this time. I will continue to think about and research this particular option. Thanks for the encouragement.

John

[Dave_NW 92]

Dave,

Thanks for your response. I never said I didn't have a weight problem. I do not have the problems that you were experiencing. I'm very active physically and actually exercise three to four days a week at the gym. 30 minutes of cardio and 30 minutes of resistance training. I admitted that I enjoy eating and that I have a sweet tooth. That is a fact. I do not binge eat to compensate for the daily normal stresses of life. I have a belly on me that I feel self conscience of especially at the pool or beach. I'm just saying, that a this past Monday my doctor mention lap band surgery out of the blue and it caught me off gaurd. I think I was expecting him to encourage some diet and cutting down portion sides of the sort. I will say, you are correct that I am not in the correct "headspace" at this time for the band. This is all brand new to me and this is why I connected to this forum as part of the research. With all that said, I think it's great that you are 125 lbs less than you were last year at this time. I will continue to think about and research this particular option. Thanks for the encouragement.

John

Hi John. Good to know the rest of things - thanks for clarifying. Sorry if I improperly read into it before. The band is a great tool, but you really have to get behind it and work it to get the best results. If you decide you're a good candidate for it, you can have awesome success with it. Be sure to ask if you come up with specific questions. This forum is filled with people who are eager to help.

Good luck!

Dave

[Shelley64 26]

John, You've received very good advise in the posts below. Research is the best thing you can do. It is not for everyone but at 46, I had struggled to lose weight so many times only to gain it back. Life gets in the way and it's too easy to revert back to old ways. I got to the point where I literally dreaded going to the doctors office. My lab numbers were crazy (cholesterol, triglycerides, blood sugar, blood pressure) and I simply got sick of it. I knew it wasn't a fix-all, but I knew in my heart that if I could just eat less, I could lose weight and be healthier. I've lose quite slowly but my health has improved dramatically! Research and follow your heart!

[123crod 170]

John,

I do not think you sound like this is the lifestyle change you would like it is very different. Most of us really, really wanted it as we had tried everything and always gained it back. While you are researching, try it own your own again. You already workout so just step it up some cut back on food a little and give yourself like 6 months and see what you can change on your own. But we aren't getting any younger and you do not want to develop the things that change as we get older and are carrying around extra weight. Best wishes to you in making your choice.

And if you do feel the need to get WLS it is not death sentence it is something you can get use to. But it does change the way you eat as long as you have the band.

Cheri