Would you do it again?

[JoanieP 2]

Most defineately, on your question as to whether I would do it again...In a heartbeat. I wish I didn't have to take such drastic measures to assure I would lose the weight and keep it off, but I have never had any regrets. I was banded over a year ago, 5/12/06 and have lost 62 lbs.

I have another 30-40 lbs. to go. Congrats on your decision to go with the lapband. Good luck to you!

[maygoddess 53]

I thought I would jump in and give perspective from someone who is about to hit my 5 year "bandiversary" in August.

Would I do it again knowing what I know now? Yes! I can't say it has been a picnic and my loss was very slow over the last 5 years BUT I did not get this surgery expecting to lose it all in the first 6 months and be done with it. I KNOW we all expect it will be fast and some are very quick losers, but I decided I did not want to be a perfect bandster and I eat crap when I want to..but I don't beat myself up about knowing what the consequences are..slow loss vs fast loss..

I feel sad when I read Zengirl's reply that she is already given up on the band in a few months and wished she had bypass. You REALLY don't, girl. There is absolutely no benefit to losing it faster or what you may think is easier. I have personal experience with both.

I was banded in 2002 at 286lbs. I initially lost 20lbs pretty quickly, but then it really came off in slow chunks from there..after a good fill a little came off..I would get the flu and drop 10lbs(not a fun way to lose but it happened) and no matter how "perfect" I thought I was..I would not budge..your body will be like that. You need to reverse your thinking on this band. Not how fast or easy the weight comes off, but how much easier it will be to KEEP IT OFF!! I have not gained back an ounce in almost 5 years..took me as long to lose it, but I managed to maintain it!

Okay..fast forward to 2005 when my best friend, weighing around 285lbs at her sugery had gastric bypass. For some medical reasons, she explained to me gastric bypass was a better option(personally I think she made that up because her insurance would not cover the band but would cover the bypass or she felt that bypass was better to her..don't know)

At the time of her surgery..I think I was just about 200lbs..can't remember..had already lost 85lbs..but after almost 3 years banded..still had another 50+ to go. My friend quickly lost down almost to her goal in the first year of her surgery. She passed me and kept on going. She was bound and determined to not "cheat" or even have sugar pass her lips in fear of dumping. Well that quickly ended when she did indeed have surgar. She doesn't "dump" and get really sick..she just gets extremely tired. She can quickly pass out after a few drinks..she gets stupid drunk fast and I worry about her dating men she doesn't know who could take advantage of this. I tell her not to drink but a glass a wine at the most when around other people. We eat about the same amount and just about the same foods, but she does watch how much sugar she consumes. I finally did get down to about the same weight..I weigh around 150 now..she got to 140 something, but has since started to gain a little weight. So I think she actually weighs a little more than me now.

She just started having to take B12 injections and I really don't think she gets enough Vitamins in as she should. Her doctor told her to take a flintstone Vitamin. Not much in those even for kids never mind a bypass patient. She is almost 50 and will need extra nutritional support as she ages..but we shall see.

So..you see..we both reached goal..she has more worry about weight gain than I do. I keep my band pretty snug and if I needed to..still do have some room to make it tighter..but I am pretty set where I am at right now. I don't have the worry about eating certain foods or consuming too much alchohol(and we are not talking ALOT to get her seriously screwed up!..a few glasses of wine can do it!) I would worry about the long term effects of actually bypassing stuff and getting nutritional support to my body..she always seems more tired than I am..but I am 9 years younger..but I know people who are 80 and more active than her!

Looks like most of you are pretty recently banded and barely begun getting fills. It can take a while to get to a good fill..depending on how your doctor fills you and how agressive he/she is in keeping up with you. I was banded in Mexico and went down for fills, but I don't think my doctor ever really filled me enough worrying that I may have to come back for an unfill (and I live in Nor Calif!)..I finally started going to a fill doctor in Tahoe area(only a 3 hour drive instead of a 9 hour drive to Mexico) and though he fills "blind"(no flouro)...he gave me excellent fills and I finally started feeling like this was working. He spent more time with me each visit and really laid down the law with me...some of which I listened to and other stuff I was the typical "yeah, yeah, I know it all!"..but mentally..I needed a kick in the pants and it worked.

Don't Don't Don't give up on this band and wish for that bypass..DON'T assume to be a hare and be fine with a tortoise as long as you don't gain it back. The journey..your journey will be different than EVERYONE"s elses journey..so don't compare. Don't beat yourself up about being too slow..I think we are more concerned about what our friends and family will think if we don't peel of the weight in a few months and THEY think it is a failure or you made a mistake..tell as few people as possible about the surgery..it will save you some agony on your journey. My in-laws were just told earlier this year! They obviously have seen my loss..but I never admitted to surgery until recently..now that I am done, they can know the truth.

Does it feel good to be down to a "normal" weight finally? Yes..it does..lots of times my friend and I complain how uncomfy it is being too bony on hard chairs and feeling bones protrude where they didn't before. I was talking to her about seeing a pair of pants on ebay that I used to buy in size 20..in a size 2 and always thought..no way would I ever be there..but last week I tried a size 4 on at a dept store (I usually wear size 8-10 now with a few 6's and few 12's depending on cut)..so 2 now just does not seem that far off! Very weird.

It will happen ladies and gents...don't fight it..don't regret anything..just enjoy the journey!

Patty

[Nikki 0]

I had lapband surgery on March 26th and my BMI was 45, weight was 306, and my height is 5'9". I've only lost a whopping 26 pounds total since the surgery. The first 20 pounds came off within the first month, so according to my calculations I've only lost an additional SIX POUNDS in nearly 2 months??? I'm working out cardio/weights five days a week. My only regret is not having gastric bypass.

Don't be discouraged. I too had my surgey in March and until just a few days ago had only lost 25 lbs. However, in the past week, I've lost an additional 5 lbs, 3 of them in the past two days!

I joined a discusson board with other people who have had their surgery in March, when I am discouraged I read about them and it really helps.

With all weight loss, there are plateaus that you stay at for a little while and then you switch something up and off come the lbs again.

Do something different and see if it helps, excersise in the am instead of the pm. Have something different for lunch or add or cut something from your diet.

Here is the thread that I mentioned above - just cut and paste it to your browser.

http://www.lapbandtalk.com/f17/marchies-june-35915/

[ontheway 1]

In a heartbeat I would do it again! I was just banded on 5/21 and am in 'bandster hell' right now because I'm very hungry and have no restriction but that's okay....I know that in 2.5 more weeks, I get my first fill. In the meantime, I'm loving the 25 lbs that is already gone. HUGE difference and I've already cleaned out 3 bags of clothes that are too big! WOOHOO!!!

Slow and easy....exactly how it needs to come off...face it,we didn't get morbidly obese overnight!

[xgrl 0]

Hey Corona,

I was wondering if you got your surgery covered by Insurance I'm only 36 and so far i don't think i have any co morbiditys did you have any? Thanks so much for your info! ~Xgrl

[stephied 0]

I was banded on 03/06/07. I am down 26 lbs. I went from eating 4 pieces of a large pizza at a time to eating almost 1 slice. Cannot eat a while slice. I know I am not suppose to have. But this is a perfect example and wanted to share.

[Tomander 614]

Being banded was the best thing I ever did!!

I was band July 6 06. I'm down 85 lbs as of today and 14" in my waist.

Tom,Toronto CANADA

275/190--> 160

I have started the approval with my insurance company to proceed with the lap band. I am concerned since I have not control over what I eat now - I find myself asking will I really have control after this is done?

I guess all in all, what I am asking if you had it to do over - would you and was the sacrifices you made worth it?

My BMI is 45 and I am so sick and tired of being sick and tired.

I know I need this but concerned it I can do this.

Any thoughts?

[xgrl 0]

I would do it again in a heartbeat. 9 months after banding I'm down close to 70 lbs. Lost it in fits and starts. TOM effected weight. Plateaued for 3 solid months, very frustrating.

This isn't a magic bullet, it's an adjustment to a healthier weight, lifestyle and relationship with food. That doesn't happen overnight.

Someone on the board has said this isn't a sprint--it's a lifelong journey. Remember that when your scale seems stuck for awhile. Just keep on doing the healthy things your surgeon's office directed and eventually you'll get there.

MarieCarmen,

I don't want to be rude but if you could i was wondering what your BMI was when you started I'm around 235 and i'm trying to get mine covered by insurance were you allowed to have it covered? do you have any co-morbiditys? sorry for all the questions! Congradulations on your weight loss Keep Strong! Thanks ~Xgrl

[kcorbin 0]

Maygoddess- Thank you so much for posting. That is such encouragement. I will be having the band pu tin in July and can't wait. I'm just so glad to hear from someone who has had the band for that long. Thanks, Thanks and more Thanks!!!!

PS I love this board!!!!

[BreadLady 0]

maygoddess - Thank you so much for your honest post. I am being banded on Tuesday and know I will wish it came off faster but am confident in my decision to have the LapBand and NOT gastric bypass.

Thank you again.

[dasongbirdt 0]

I completely understand your feelings....I'm experiencing similar feelings myself. But, I'm giving it another shot since I actually went that extra step of getting something implanted aroundmy stomach to help me lose the weight. Also, I discovered that the exercise was not helping me....it's never worked that way for me. I actually gained about 8 pounds when I started working out. So for now, I'm concentrating on just the food aspect of it.

[csccorona 0]

Hey Corona,

I was wondering if you got your surgery covered by Insurance I'm only 36 and so far i don't think i have any co morbiditys did you have any? Thanks so much for your info! ~Xgrl

No, insurance did not pay. I paid cash, about $11,500 for surgery, hospital and doc and 3 mos of fills in College Station, Tx. I do/did? have high cholesterrol, high triglicerides, and urinary issues. (I have had uti's for years,but always with pain and blood in urine- after months of stress incontinence that I assumed was physical- turned out to be a weird uti, so that comorbidity was not real). My insurance did however pay for all my pre-op blood work and tests including psyc exam and chest xray. At first the doc refered me to Houston to a doc there who does "on demand" low bmi's, but then he said an artical came out (I think about Sept or Oct 2006) that recomended the band in lower bmi range that had co-morbids or upperward weight that would just get worse. That was me, I did try- maybe why that is why I was only 191.5 lbs instead of lots more like my gradndmas, my mom and both of my sisters! The loss was of course great the first couple of weeks but then slowed. sometimes i lose nothing for a week or 2 (or once god forbid), 3 weeks, but then I drop a little. Over time It is about 3 pounds every 3 weeks. With out the surgery I would be over 200 pounds, so... This is the best answer for me. I am eager to get some new blood work at the one year point to see what effect this has had!

[cleocoe 0]

I have started the approval with my insurance company to proceed with the lap band. I am concerned since I have not control over what I eat now - I find myself asking will I really have control after this is done?

I guess all in all, what I am asking if you had it to do over - would you and was the sacrifices you made worth it?

I'm strongly considering moving forward with Dr. Barker here in Dallas, but I haven't made up my mind 100%. I've attended his lap band seminars and got a wealth of information; i guess I'm just concerned with possible complications as I'm trying to make my decision.

[csccorona 0]

Do This! I eat what I want, thought small amts - because I don't want too or else it hurts or I spit-up. I do not follow any real "rules", just lose weight because I have no other choice! It took 3 fills to get where I think I need to be- Yes, I miss those huge stacks of buttery pancakes and syrup-ect... but I had to do something that would work for me- This takes all the real tough food choices away and leaves me with something I can deal with. Yes, I am mad at myself sometimes that it had to come to this, I could be mad at my husband for not being happywith my fat self, but now, I find myself almost inpatient with those who complain and complain about their weight! Just get up and do it!!!

[csccorona 0]

Do This! I eat what I want, thought small amts - because I don't want too or else it hurts or I spit-up. I do not follow any real "rules", just lose weight because I have no other choice! It took 3 fills to get where I think I need to be- Yes, I miss those huge stacks of buttery pancakes and syrup-ect... but I had to do something that would work for me- This takes all the real tough food choices away and leaves me with something I can deal with. Yes, I am mad at myself sometimes that it had to come to this, I could be mad at my husband for not being happywith my fat self, but now, I find myself almost inpatient with those who complain and complain about their weight! Just get up and do it!!!