My Journey with the LapBand!

[MikalM 2]

At age 19, I would eat out of boredom. I had tried every possible weight loss program out there and nothing worked. Maybe because I didn’t stick with it long enough to see results. Having surgery to place the LapBand inside my body was a huge decision. My family stood behind me the entire way, in fact my parents paid for me to have it done. Seeing the doctor was a tragic moment. I was warned that he would try to break me down, try to make me cry… This is a way of showing how strong a person is, if they are emotionally stable to go through with this surgery, for my entire life would be different afterwards.

I was prepared for the visit with the doctor, mentally and emotionally. My sister went to the appointment with me. He asked me, “Why do you want to get the LapBand?” My response, “Because I need to lose weight, I have tried everything and nothing seems to work. I’m afraid that I will die at a young age. I have already had some pre-cancer scares, from a sun mark and in my female reproductive system.” His comeback, “Well I could lose a few pounds myself.” Then my sister spoke up, “I don’t want my sister to die.” I started balling. The next stage in the process of getting the LapBand was seeing my healthcare provider for an in depth physical examination and a physiatrist.

The ten days before the surgery was yet another test to see how capable I was of receiving the LapBand. Ten day liquid diet! Nothing but beef broth, Protein Drinks, and Water for ten days. After day five, I just didn’t feel hungry anymore. I lost 12 pounds in those ten days.

Sitting in the hospital bed waiting to go into surgery with my mom and best friend, I realized that my life was going to be completely different when I woke up. I was going to be sore. I was going to have to learn how to eat all over again.

I have had the band for going on 5 years now.

Last July, it slipped and I had to have emergency surgery to correct the band. It was horrible and painful while it was slipping (took about 3 months to fully slip, and I had no idea why I wasn’t feeling good). Once the band was fixed I felt 110% better. However, I gained nearly 3/4 of the weight back that I had lost; mind you I had been at a stable weight for 3 years!

Now, the band is working correctly again and I’m starting to lose weight again. I do get sick if I eat too much or eat too fast or let myself get too hungry, and I throw up (sometimes more than once in a sitting). With all that being said, I would do the LapBand ten times over again. It has some issues, but I really feel like it is mind over matter. You know what you can and cannot eat, and the amounts of foods you area able to handle. Once I get back to a steady weight again (hopefully sooner than later!) I plan on getting extra skin removed and a breast lift.