Wanting to become a lapbander!

LittleJ · November 20, 2007

Hello Forum people. I am wanting to get the lapband done. This forum is wonderful place to see all kinds of questions and responses. This is something that I have been pondering for quite some time. I am really scared of having the surgery. The biggest fear is having a reaction to the materialsthat they put inside me and erosion around the ring. I am set up to go to my first seminar on Dec 3rd. I have tried and tried to loose weight and just can't seem to get it off. I am 4'11 with 42bmi, my weight is 212pds. I have high cholestrol and about to be put on medicine for that. Other than that I have only the typcial swelling, sore back and feet, out of breathe,and sore in the morning kind of body. But I have a feeling I am going to be going south here if I don't get this weight off my body.

I went to my doctor to discuss about having the lapband and to my surprise she was not supportive at all. :faint:I couldn't believe it!!

I was speechless after she gave me a lecture that 9 out 10 people could lose the weight if they just stuck to a good plan. I have to say she is wrong. I was anorexic in high school and after getting over that I started gaining weight. I have done several diets and was successful with them losing the weight, but as we all know it comes back 2 folds. When I had my second child I think it did some hormonal damage to me. I delivered a 10pd baby by c-section 7 years ago and have not been able to get the weight off. I even went to a gym with a personal trainer and worked out 4 days a week ( she kicked by butt)and also was dieting. In the 4 month that I did that I did not lose on size in clothes. Yes... some fat turned to muscle, but no great shrinkage. Even the trainer was suprised that I wasn't shrinking. I believe with all the dieting yo-yo's that I have done, my body metablism is dead. :cry And with having some sort of disorder with eating it has sent my body into a shutdown mode.

Well, again I really enjoy reading everyones postings. Good luck to those that have and going to have the band done.:clap2:

jessiel55 · November 20, 2007

I can't believe your doctor was against the lapband, did he at least gave you an option?

candy8360 · November 20, 2007

I can't believe the doctor either! I remember the day I went to ask my doctor about giving me a letter of recommendation my blood pressure was a little high because I was so nervous. I was expecting them to tell me what your doctor said, but they were very supportive. I would first of all suggest CHANGING DOCTORS. I wouldn't worry about the erosion. My doctor explained that was the reason for leaving the band loose in the beginning, that it would develop a callous and that helps with the erosion. He says when they first starting doing the surgeries, there was more erosion because the band was too tight to start with and that they've learned over time. I found a website over the weekend that let me watch an actual surgery. It was Hartford Hospital

I found it very interesting. It made me wince a couple of times, but was a relatively simple surgery. It looks like there would be more pain involved with the port and the CO2 gas.

Good luck in your quest!

LittleJ · November 20, 2007

Nope, she is against the lapband. Only if it is someones last option due to some medical reason. And she also feels that there has not been enough study on it and since it is farely new that no one knows the longterm effect it can have on the body.:think I think the longterm effect of me being over weight is much worse.

4jin · November 21, 2007

I say change doctors too!!!

kvp · November 21, 2007

Little J, I feel like u wrote my weight battle w/ the exception of I have lost 80lbs twice by being bulimic. Now that I want to looe the weight be diet and exercuise, nothing is happening. It is frustrating and depressingto KNOW u r eating healthy and working out hard for nothing to happen. When I explained all this to my dr, he tried to be compassionate, but basically told me I was lying.

I am at my wits end with the whole thing. I cant deal with the poor body image, which is so tied to self worth. I am attending 2 consults next week...I hope to be banded by Christmas. My fear is I will be banded and it wont work, just like everything else.