Dr Suggested Newbie

[irishchik 0]

Hello everyone. I am glad I found the forum!

I just turned 37. I have been overweight since about 8 or 9 & dieting since 14. I have lost & gained the weight too many times.

I have been trying very hard for 2 years. Nutrisystem , Weight Watchers, even a dietician. I spend hours in the gym & tried to be a runner again. That only hurt me worse.

The weight isn't budging & it has to. I am in extreme pain that is only getting worse. Degenerative disk disease , sciatica, osteoarthritis (worse on right side, my reg leg is shorter and recently my right shoulder has stopped 3 inches.

I look gross & my body hurts.

While trying to lose weight I have also been trying to have a baby.

No luck.

In the last few months I have had countless dr appt & tests.

No PCOS, but did find fibroids. Which also explains why I have no menstrual cycles.

Not diabetics but could be insulin resistant.

Not pre menopausal.

While at the OB she wants to do some more tests but she also asked me how I felt about lap band. I had thought about it before but it always scared me. She thought I would benefit from it & she was going to suggest it to my primary care doc & write the letter to my insurance. I am scheduled for those tests on Aug 16 & WLS seminar Aug 22. I even talked to my chiro about it & she was even for it. My dietician seems to be the only doc not 100% for but she said she would still like to be my doc since the OB wants me to make sure I get my Vitamins & such.

My cousin has bypass. Her sister had the band years ago but gained her weight back. She is set to have her band removed & have bypass. Their mom is having bypass too. They are really the only people I know. They are my adopted dads family. My moms family is all fairly thin.

I am scared to death of surgey. I have only been in the hospital for tonsils & gallbladder removal. I have no one to talk to. My mom & husband are supportive either way.

I am worried about the port. Being able to see & feel it. Worried about the problems that could happen.

What's it like? How do you get past all that???

Thank you for reading.

[2012 359]

Well a positive note, and at the same time may be a negative note, is that when you are losing weight with the lap band you become much more fertile and need to watch for getting pregnant. But my doctor stated that you should wait for 2 years after getting lap band to get pregnant, so you may want to take that into consideration. Also, seeing the port, I have felt 2 people's ports, my nutritionist's and my stepmother's and you would not know it's even there until I felt it. The reason my nutritionist let me feel hers is because they had a heck of a time finding my port for my first fill yesterday and they explained that the surgeon had put it in me pretty deep, which is good because as I lose weight it will not be poking out. I carry most of my weight in my belly which explains why they were having a hard time finding it.

How did I get past all the worries? I'm miserable and I need to lose this weight, period. I have dieted a million times, lost and gained hundreds of pounds, and it's not sticking. My self esteem is crap and I would like to get married one day and possibly have kids, I'm 34 so I need to get going . Also, do your research and find out the facts on percentages for complications and follow the rules!

[irishchik 0]

Thank you for the reply. I have been researching WLS for a few years now but I had no means to pay for it. I have insurance now so that's a huge help, plus my team of wonderful Drs.

They told me to wait at least 6 months after surgery to start trying. They think by then I should be about 200lb. I am 235 now. I was 240 a few weeks ago. I fluctuate. If I have lap band. If I should make the choice to do bypass instead I have to wait 18 months.

With my age & family history I don't really have a lot of time.

Right now surgery , even with complications , outweighs me wanting to stay in this body for the rest of my life.

My infertility is most likely caused by the fibroids because iif where they are. With my 1st husband I was 150 and couldn't get prego. But like the OB said its certainly not helping. I am having them removed next week. But I can't get prego in this body. It would hurt too much. I am already a candidate for spinal fusion & hip replacement. If I could lose the weight I could be one who gets stronger with less stress on joints and bypass those surgeries.

It's a long path ahead of me & it's all scary.

[scorrea 95]

I am just 40 and have the same problems. I am now in the zone for no more kids and I regret not trying this sooner. I hope you have better luck than I do! I will still try, I havent given up all hope. I also have other health issues, blown discs, bad knees stuff like that b/c of my weight, I weigh more than you do though and I am hoping by next year to be in the right range.

Just so you know, I had my tonsils out a few years ago, 3 now, and it was sooo much worse than this surgery. The lap band was a walk in the park! I am not saying there are no risks, but it was easier for me!

Read all you can, ask as many questions as you can and I am sure you will make the right decision for yourself!

Good Luck!!

[Mara005 70]

If you had asked me 2 years ago if I was going to get weight loss surgery, I would have said- no way, I'm going to lose weight by myself. But I've yo-yo'd too, and I need this weight to stay off!

I was lucky enough to have my son naturally but once we started to TTC again, I knew I wouldn't be able to have another at this weight.

I made this decision for myself, my husband, my son and any future children we have. It will be much healthier for me and baby if I'm at a lower BMI.