Hard time justifying surgery....

[Dee-Texas 5]

I understand the fear but needing to do something.

In 2007 I was thinking the same thing. I researched for 2 years and finally decided the sleeve (which was only done in Houston to my knowledge) would be the best surgery for me. I allowed a doctor to talk me into the band. The band was the golden boy at that time. I did lose but not the amount that was touted by many "lapband doctors". Fast forward to today...I have a prolapsed through the band, adhesions, dilated esphogaus, nausea and the worse is Im gaining weight because all I can eat is soft food.

My new surgeon says the band has to come out because it's harming my body. I would LOVE to go to the band but I'm self pay. It's so expensive so I don't have the choice like those with insurance but I'm still hoping I can work things out..

Read everything and YOU will know when it's right for You. Good luck

[SuperGirl 7]

Oakley Girl......this is the exact same struggle I have battled..going back and forth with the whole 'how can i mutilate a perfectly healthy stomach'?...but then i thought about it..how healthy is my stomach really?...more often then not so many with food issues lay in bed feeling bloated and barely able to move from having overeaten....the hormones in this healthy' stomach make people hungry all day long and push them to binge.......and feeling so bloated and overwt makes most withdraw from social situations..photos....events..parties...jobs...vacations....etc......and when i put it all together like that i realize..hey...maybe my stomach isn't as healthy as i thought it was....now i think of this surgery more of a 'corrective surgery'.....it's actually a pretty simple surgery...all theyre doing in making your stomach smaller. and your new smaller stomach actually WILL be healthy. Besides...think about it..the reality is that if youre going to lose teh wt you want to lose you'll have to go on a strict restrictive diet--with without the sleeve---either ay-youll have to restrict--with the sleev though youll restrict without the hunger so it makes it so much easier....then...in about a year or 2 once youve settled in with it all and youre ready for maintenance....the added bonus is that your sleevd stomach will adjust with you as by then youll be eating the way a naturally thin person eats....You went thorugh all the hoops to get approved by insurance...and im sure u researched it beforehand.so obviously you want it....youre just getting scared..I totally get it...it's natural.....I say feel the fear and do it anyway!.....feel free to send me a msg privately anytime.....xo

[Annie B 89]

Carol Watts - thank you for sharing - very encouraging!

[GraceAbounds 11]

I had the same thought. But then it dawned on me. This is not a perfectly healthy part of my body. It helps drive me to overeat and that was killing me slowly. And making what Life I had terrible at times due to health and physical issues.

So, now that I am 4 weeks out I can say emphatically I am glad to that piece of me is gone. It was doing more harm than good. Now it poses no problem.

[ready2haveanormalwaistline 6]

You have to remember this is a means to an end and a form of prevent. I am perfectly health my labs read like a thin person. I also know that being morbidly obese this wont always be the case... if a person with cancer could have known that body part could have been removed or altered to prevent their cancer 10 yrs prior to the diagnoses they would im sure. This is a preventive choice love urself and the decision bc u cared enough to be proactive!!!