Hi! Newbie here :)

Koko · August 6, 2006

I'm Koko and found this Forum yesterday while doing an internet search and really appreciate all the information I've been able to gather here. I am going to an informational class on August 17th to see if getting a lap band is for me.

At the risk of boring the heck out of you, I'll give a little background.... In April of 2004 I started low carbing with the Atkins WOE and within a year had lost 100lbs. Since then, I've found that I need to eat more to feel full and am getting too many calories in to lose weight so while I'm still low carbing, I'm not losing anymore.

It seems that there may be hope with the lap band because I will feel full on a smaller amount of food and the food recommended (as far as I've read) tends to be on the low carb side. I have another 150lbs to lose and am so excited that this may be the solution for me.

If you could go back to where I am now, what do you wish you knew? Please give it to me... the good, the bad, the ugly, the unexpected.

Thanks :scared:

Carlene · August 6, 2006

Dear Koko...

I was banded almost 2 years ago and have lost 97 pounds - mostly because my band won't let me eat a lot of the carbs I was soooooooo addicted to: bread, pizza, Pasta, rice, French fries, etc.

I also can't eat red meat, and that's a pretty common thing with Bandsters, so be forewarned.

You should do great with the band. Most of us struggle to avoid ice cream, chips, chocolate, etc. If you have been low-carbing it for this long and didn't stick your head in the oven, I'd say you are almost home free!

DonnaB · August 6, 2006

Hi Koko,

Welcome to LapBandTalk. Do yourself a favor and don't stay on the 'Complications' thread for too long. It's a good idea to know what kinds of things CAN happen, but the actual rate of complications is pretty low. When you read that thread - everyone does! - try to remember that a support forum get's more people experiencing complications than people who have no complications and are out there just living their lives. I'm not trying to deny that complications do happen, just that the percentages are skewed on a support forum.

Good luck on your weight loss journey.