What Was The Final Straw To Help You Make Your Decision?

[ashiashley 42]

Hi everyone!

Was there a particular incident or emotion that helped you make the final decision to get the lap band surgery or was it just a culmination of a lot of different things that did it for you? I am in the process of approval and find myself waffling back and forth whether I am doing the right thing or not. Some days I am 100% sure and other days I can't seem to wrap my head around the fact that I may actually be going through with it.

I know I need this. I am the type of person though that must do tons and tons of research and think and think and reason and discuss! Haha!

[DELETE THIS ACCOUNT! 12,703]

First, doing tons and tons of research is smart! Going into this or any WLS surgery must be done with an educated decision. So, keep asking questions and researching

For me, it was an accumulation of events. I knew I had to do something. I watched my kids' grandmother die when she was only 55 years old. She was a morbidly obese chain smoker who died of congestive heart failure. I too was a morbidly obese chain smoker and her death terrified me because I knew if I didn't make drastic changes, that would one day be me. I quit smoking over a year ago and then started getting serious about researching WLS.

I also happen to have Multiple Sclerosis. I can't cure the MS, but I figured I could take a lot better care of the rest of me so I'd at least have a fighting chance against this crappy disease. Having MS is bad enough, the last thing I needed was to have a bunch of obesity related (preventable) illnesses like Diabetes and high blood pressure, too.

Originally I was scheduled for Gastric Bypass, but at the last minute, I canceled. I just couldn't justify rerouting perfectly healthy organs irreversibly without first trying something far less drastic and reversible. So, I started researching Lap-Band and I knew it was the one for me.

I had surgery 6 1/2 months ago and have lost 122 pounds so far. I can't begin to tell you how much losing this weight has drastically improved my quality of life. I still have a lot to lose but I know I'll eventually get there. For me, getting the Lap-Band was the best decision I've ever made for myself.

[TracyW2 137]

For me there was a lot of things leading up to my decision. Mainly the fact I didnt have the energy to play with my kids. I seen an add for a seminar and decided to join it. I left knowing I wanted to do this. Made the call and got the process rolling. I had to do a 6 month diet and the whole time I was second guessing myself. I am beyond thrilled that I went through with it and put my all into it. Have not regretted a day of it!

Best of luck to you!

[Jellyfish 17]

I'm a little afraid to post this because I know some people may not agree, but maybe it will help you out so here goes...

I don't think I've tried as hard as I could have with dieting. I've done Slimfast a few times, with great results but I fall off of the bandwagon after less than a month every time. I did the South Beach diet once for a week but it had me feeling so horrible I could barely even walk, so that was a no go. That's pretty much the extent of my dieting attempts. 95% of the time, I'm not even attempting a diet. For some reason, in my head I'm not that big. I have no health problems to speak of so maybe that's why I let myself think that way but it's really not true.

I'm 5'00 and weighed 240 at my highest. I can't buy clothes anywhere, (clothing industries haven't figured out that short fat girls exist yet), can't walk half a flight of stairs without wanting to stop for a break, my poor dog wasn't getting walked nearly enough, I had to stop wearing heals because my knees/ankles started hurting me so bad, and recently I've been having trouble getting in and out of my truck. I used to love going to Six Flags, but since I gained all this weight, I can't even ride a roller coaster without feeling dizzy and miserable, not to mention I can't take all the walking. Last summer, I turned down a trip to one of my favorite Water parks because I just couldn't stand the thought of seeing me in anything remotely resembling swimwear. And I STILL think I'm not 'all that fat'.

So one day I was driving along and heard an ad on the radio for a weight loss clinic, called that night and set up an appointment. I didn't know what a lap band WAS before I went, but I started going and making the monthly supervised dieting appointments anyway. Please don't get me wrong, I don't advocate having surgery without fully understanding what you're getting yourself into, and that was never something I intended on doing. I had to do six months of dieting, so I knew I had time to fully research what I was getting in to. Every time I went in for an appointment, I had a list of questions, and that list got smaller and smaller every month as I got those questions answered and did my own independent research. I knew by about month two that this is what I wanted, and I felt totally confident in my understanding of the procedure. Sure I still have questions pop up, but who can really call themself an expert unless they're actually banded?

Anyway, for me it wasn't it wasn't really any certain event(s) that prodded me into this. It was the revaluation that lapbands exist in the first place. A couple times I've wondered if I could diet without the band, but then I remember that my willpower isn't as great as I try to tell myself it is. The only reason I'm doing okay on my diet now is because it's in preparation for the surgery (I'm going under on the 2nd). More than anything, I'm 27 years old now. I didn't want to give up on the band, decide to diet, fail miserably and then come back looking to be banded again. How old would I be then when I did get banded? 30? 40? So I've pushed those thoughts aside and I am committed to being banded. I want to be at my goal weight by my 30th birthday, but as long as I'm losing steadily at any pace I'll be happy.

Jeez I love to ramble. Anyway, good luck on your journey!!

[tflemon67 88]

I just finally realized that I had dedicated the last 20 years of my life fighting fat, it was time for a more permanent solution. Time to move on, just like a bad marriage. The first day of the rest of my live begins August 23rd!

[auntielle 42]

I have been up & down my whole life. Lost 100 lbs twice & gained it back. (Kept it off for 5 years last time). Knew I had a permanent problem & needed a permanent solution. But, felt most comfortable with Lapband as opposed to more invasive procedures.

Lots of research, good surgeon & aftercare & making the commitment to change my way of eating & exercise FOREVER. I was self pay & have a lot invested. This is it for me.

So far, 93 down since Sept & 30ish to goal. Life on all levels is exponentially better. Wishing you all the best whatever you choose.

[Mayasgram 351]

I had to stop anbd think about this I heard about lap band when it first came out but was not well informed. I have done every diet from weight watchers and Jenny Craig Atkins South beach pills Patches shots. and hypnosis gym memberships and I Alway gained it back .

I had emergency Gall Bladder surgery and jokingly said hey while you are in there why not throw on a LapBand . The Dr. said I sure will in 6 monthes when I came out I said really are you serious and he said as serious as a heart ATTACK AND HE WASN'T SMILING.

So I did what BCBS needed and a 1 year supervised diet and then they made me wait 90 days after that to approve me. And I decided that this was the LAST TIME ever that I would fail andI was done spending one more penny on weight loss gimmicks. If I was willing to have them open my body and put a band in me it was going to work case closed.

I used to be embarassed to see my reflection and never loked from the head down now I sometimes don't recognize myself in a reflection. This is the best thing I have ever done just for me .

[Theresa13 14]

Spending some time with an old high school friend. She did not say anything. but I know she was thinking about how much weight I had gained.

[Rojasanoll 920]

Like some have already stated, I'm a big yo-yo, up then down and then start all over. Since the daeth of my wife in 2002, I have constantly gained then lost, but I don't consider this depression that caused for me to gain weight. I did on my own.

Then early this year, my sister who works for Allergan, brought home a proto-type lapband that her company makes with plenty of reading material about the process of Lapband and some of Allergan's findings. I was sold and now I'm waiting for my band date of Aug. 6.

[Aummie58 19]

I am 58 and have been fighting weight gains since age15. I have tried many different diets, WW,Nutrisystem, hypnosis as well as accupuncture. 6 years ago with the help of TOPS (Take off pounds sensibly) and my local YMCA I took off and kept off over 100 pounds. My BP and blood sugar returned to normal and I had so much more energy. Then my Mom died 3 years ago and 40 pounds crept back on. My usual weight loss strategies didn't work despite my best efforts. So last December I went to a WL seminar. Because of other surgeries I have already had the band was my only option. I decided to start the process and the fight with my insurance company I barely qualified based on my BMI and they wanted me to lose 10 percent which would have put me below the required BMI. So with the help of letters from 5 different doctors I was approved and was banded June 5th. It wasa great decision for me and I feel I am back in control. I really like it giving up body parts that can't be returned. I already live without a colon so know what that process is about.......no turning back

[☠carolinagirl☠ 18,721]

in feb, this year, at my pcd, i weighed the most i ever had in my life.

in march, my grand daughter was born

those two things helped me make this easy decision to get the band/plication.

[trisket 46]

Not being able to have a baby after three years and 8 failed treatments. I was either going to do IVF or Lapband this summer and I decided I owed it to myself and my future family to try and be healthy first. So lapband it was

[Sojourner 2,446]

You have already received quite a few excellent responses to your question, and just by reading them you can appreciate the diversity of reasons.

It was good to read that you are researching this WL tool, so you have a clear understanding about what the band is and how it works. And also about the life long commitments you need to make for lifestyle changes.

For me, I received a huge wake up call when my physician's office called and requested me to schedule an appointment with the doctor to discuss the results of my recent blood work. That had never happened before. I learned at that appointment that my A1C level had risen to just under the diabetic thresh hold, and my physician was prescribing that enroll in the diabetes education class so I could learn how to make better food choices and reduce the level of glucose in my blood through diet.

No one in my family had ever been diagnosed with diabetes...and that's when I started to ask questions about the band and if the doctor felt that I was a good candidate for the surgery. He said I was a good candidate, and was still concerned that during the 6 month required diet I would cross the thresh hold and have to be officially diagnosed as diabetic and put on medication.

I know that I would never be a compliant diabetic with regular testing my blood, and I had options...the band. It didn't take much deliberation for me to make my decision...though my surgery was delayed for over a year by unforeseen medical complications. I have no regrets in making the lifestyle changes, and have never looked back.

My health and most of my mobility has improved, and I'm focused on the future and having a healthier me. I have experienced some complications related to the weight loss, but nothing that having the band has caused, only my weight loss.

Best wishes as your research continues...

[☠carolinagirl☠ 18,721]

Hi everyone!

Was there a particular incident or emotion that helped you make the final decision to get the lap band surgery or was it just a culmination of a lot of different things that did it for you? I am in the process of approval and find myself waffling back and forth whether I am doing the right thing or not. Some days I am 100% sure and other days I can't seem to wrap my head around the fact that I may actually be going through with it.

I know I need this. I am the type of person though that must do tons and tons of research and think and think and reason and discuss! Haha!

what part are you waffling about?

[ashiashley 42]

Thank you so much to everyone that replied! Reading all the replies and different reasons is very eye opening and also a learning experience.

I was always the "thin one" compared to my friends and my sister growing up. I actually stayed thin until about 15 or so years ago. Nothing drastic in my life happened, I was married, working and everything seemed to be fine. I just started putting on weight. I am an emotional eater and being happy made me eat, being sad made me eat, any emotion made me eat. I also went from working two jobs on my feet the entire time to working a desk job. Big mistake!!

Skip forward to now. I am 90 pounds overweight with Type 2 Diabetes and take medication for both Diabetes and Cholesterol. I did suffer from post partum depression and have been on Zoloft ever since. I am still happily married and have a 13 year old daughter who is already struggling with her weight.

I gave her the choice to go to a fit camp this summer and she has done AMAZING! She has lost 10 pounds and 8 inches in her waist. She learned about Portion Control, good and bad foods, the downfalls to drinking sugary drinks, etc. She started an exercise program and she is doing really well. I was so scared for her. Didn't want her to grow up and be like me. Didn't want her to feel bad about herself like I do about myself.

Other than myself, she is one of my main reasons for wanting to take off this weight. I want to live an active lifestyle with her that I cant necessarily do right now. Since the Diabetes diagnosis it's been heavily on my mind to have the Lap Band surgery. My husband and entire family and best friend are a super support system and stand behind any decision I ultimately make.

I look at my mother who is at the very least 125 pounds overweight and my sister who is at the very least 150 pounds overweight and think that if I don't get this done now, I am going to spiral out of control. I am going to be 42 next month and only wish I had thought to do this 10 years ago. Seems like such a waste of years.

I am going to continue on with this process. I will pray to be shown the right way. Thanks everyone so much for reading and responding to my thread.