Hi From Nyc :)

[NYC1992 135]

Hey everyone,

This is my first time on the forum and I'm excited to be here my name is Mark and I turned 20 years old in May. I start my Graphic Design major at an online university in September after taking 2 years for myself after high school.

I would say it has been a long term struggle for me as far as my weight goes. i don't remember being skinny except for pictures of myself when I was four years old. Since then I've always been heavier though never felt like it matched who i was inside. I can see now that in wanting people to get past the heavy image of myself, I tried tuning it out and sometimes over-being myself (if that makes sense) in hopes I would come across as exactly who I want to be. I was never really teased for being heavier though my dad was extremely hard on me growing up not allowing me to eat as much as my younger brother (we are adopted and he is a 6'2 very skinny athlete) which hurt a lot.

Healthwise, my doctor has always said I am healthy but notes that there is concern about the future if i keep gaining weight. I'm not much of a binger but do not like vegetables and only like to swim/dance as a workout. i also had mild asthma when I was younger (has been around 3 years since I had a wheezing incident and needed a nebulizer). In February I had a very weird experience as my feet got extremely swollen and pale for a month, along with me gaining 20 pounds - they thought it was lymphedema but it ended up going away. It was then when I began taking my interest in the lap band a lot more seriously as a wake up call that I was tired of being overweight.

Have been researching the lap band on-off since about August 2010, though it wasn't until pretty recently that I began admitting it to myself and to my close family/friends it is what I really want. My BMI definitely qualifies and as does everything else except that I do not have much of a history of dieting. However, i do feel that with the lap band it would be a constant reminder and motivator to make a complete lifestyle change.

So far I have told my mother, brother, best friend/roommate, a cousin who had the surgery done 3 years ago, and two other best friends. Most of my friends, my brother, and cousin have been extremely supportive. My mom wants to know a lot more information about it (she has had her own weight issues so I can relate to her) before being completely approving which is fine. However, my best friend since kindergarten (who is probably around the same weight as I am) reacted very negatively when i told her I was researching it, saying that I should lose the weight on my own/it is major surgery and knowing me i think it is care free (that hurt me)/she would have a heart attack if I did it. I have no idea how to go about this as I want to fix my health and feel more alive but i really don't want to lose her as a friend.

Sorry for making this so long... hope it was a good read haha. I hope to be an active member and make some friends!

Mark

[kah1213 311]

Welcome! I'm from NYC too. I had surgery May 29. Good luck on your journey!

[NYC1992 135]

Thank you very much!

[Cindysmom (Ilene) 130]

I am also from Ny Brooklyn .. Mark this is not major surgery. Gastic by pass is (in a way).. Are you able to go on Lapband.com. They are the people who manufacture the "lapband" Also if you goodle words asking about Lapband surgery the information you need will be right there to read.

Yes, you are a young man.. You know for your self about your eating habits, your exercise habits. You know what you need to do. I did. But I didnt do it. When I got my lapband I was 62 years old. I faced diabetes and saw my brother die from it at 62.For me it was the right thing to do. I hope that you will go to seminars and learn more about this surgery. Would you consider Weight watchers or even Nutrosystem, or Jenny Craig? Have a person to work with is better also I hope you have one~ Maybe your roommate can be that person. I wish you the best.

[NYC1992 135]

I've considered doing it the "natural" way but I don't think the lap band as the easy way out, more of something that would force me into progress (if that makes sense).

Nice listening to what you have to say, thanks

[sandra07 17]

It took me two years to finally make the decision and get my band! I went to seminars and doctors in 2010 I was ready to do it, then my best friend talked me out it! I have done diets loose the weight and gained back again! My best friend told me you don't need that you fine the way you are is surgery what if something goes wrong, bla bla bla. I went from 205 pounds to 248 in two years! I love food and I don't know when to stop eating!! I have a friend that go the band last year and lost 80 pounds in 9 months when I saw her I couldn't believe it! So I called my insurance found out which doctor was in network went to the seminar! I originally wanted the sleeve but the more research I did the more I wanted the band I wasn't sure about getting my stomach cut off and it wasn't reversible! My insurance required 3 month weight in, psy and nutritionist! So after I made my decision I went to see my friend seat with and explain that this is what I wanted to do for me for my health and that I needed him to stand by my side to support me and be there for me and not to judge me and tell me I told you so if anything when wrong and that was it! I had my surgery June 20! Glad I did!! Good luck!

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