Questions!

[jgreen8112 0]

I wasn't sure how to "post' but i think I've got it now! For the last few weeks I've been serioulsy considering the Lap Band procedure ( I really want the easyband...). I was very much impressed with Dr. Rumbaut in Monterey, Mexico. I decided to go to a 'informative" seminar about the procedure, locally, (at a hospital in Salem, Ma.).

After the seminar, I was a bit depressed about the info I heard. I know they're a hospital and have to cover themselves (or is it the insurance companies?) and I never thought is was going to be easy street.

I do work out regularly and eat well balanced meals, but the restrictions were many....i.e. coffee, nsaids,alchohol,smoking etc...etc...I'm not so sure I want to eliminate all of those things (even though I don't abuse any of them).

I do agree with the quitting smoking (even though I only smoke less than 1/2 pack a week). It's no good, period!

Then all the complications! wow. I would'nt even look at bariatric surgery for those reasons. Now, I understand that you can "pop" the band off if you get sick, choke easily, get stomach ulcers/perferations if you eat/drink the wrong things,etc..etc.. yet, I hear of so many people who have had this done (testamonials) and have breezed right through it, losing weight without complications (most).

. I have no problem being restrictive and making lifestyle changes, but to cut out everything (forget about moderation) is a bit too drastic for me. They make you go through months of nutritional counseling/exercise (done that, been there, still do) through their "group" at the hospital and more after surgery. I guess for those that are sedentary, it is very important. It seems to me that they would work on the phycological aspects (why are we eating?) and suggest hypnotherapy first (good alternative and non-invasive). The nurse didn't give me a great explanation ($$).

I also mentioned surgery in Mexico just to see how she would answer and her first response was " We don't recommend out of country surgeries. Those are the people we usually end up surgically correcting". As with any surgery, due diligence should be top priority.

But from my investigations and homework, I'm pretty sold on Dr. Rumbaut and his team at San Jose` hospital (unless they are doing a good sales job). But facts can be verifed. I would really like to hear from other banders about the extremes of what they had to face. I am 5'3" and 224lbs.. I play tennis 4-6 x a week and walk. My weight is evenly distributed, although my belly is getting bigger... I have type 2 diabetes and hypothyroidism. I never said "I can't lose weight" just that those two roadblocks make it so much harder. At 49 and am having a much more difficult time taking it off than when I was in my 20's & 30's. I realize that stress, sleep, and other factors play into this.

The Easy-band (no needle port) sounded perfect. It would cut my food down even lower than I do on my own and I wouldn't go through the nasty "hungries" and be bitchy all day. Is anyone in a similar situation?

I'm at the piont of trying hypnotherapy first (after I find a legitimate certified, state licensed person) and see where that takes me. Any opinions or comments are welcome!

[MargieM 0]

I feel just like you do - and have similar height/weight. I went to the seminar last night and was not impressed. I felt the surgeon was pushing other bariatric surgeries, not lap band. He said absolutely no sugar, no milk, no caffeine. Sheeesh...why not just cut those out without getting a band. I don't think it's realistic to cut out these two foods completely!

[jgreen8112 0]

Hi Margie,

Thanks for your reply. Did you attend the one in salem or somewhere else? I have heard some really positive things with hypnotherapy. It all starts up there right? I'll keep you posted!

[jrg1979 0]

What is the "easyband"? I've never heard of it.

As for eliminating certain things from your diet completely, if you read through the posts on this forum it is easy to see that every surgeon has different diets and guidelines. Most things you hear you "can't have" are only short term while you heal, or have been known to cause problems in others. That does not mean that YOU cannot necessarily have it.

[westcoastmom 3]

Jgreen - I just wanted to give you my thoughts and feelings. Now, these are just my opinions - and you can see there are so many stories here of how things have worked for so many different people.

I had surgery about 5 weeks ago. I am very similar to you - I was about 225 prior to surgery and am 5'3". I am fairly active and have to be with little kids to take care of (we don't allow TV so we are on the go).

I had sleep issues and polycystic ovaries, so I have been listening to my doctors tell me that I would always have a very hard time losing weight and keeping it off - especially as I get older. I know I have certainly been feeling that. In the past 6 years, the weight has crept on and no matter how active I have been, I have not been about to manage things as I had in the past.

So I sort of felt like I was fighting a losing battle and really wanted to find a way to get myself back in control. I knew that I needed to sleep better. I need to get headaches in control. I have a feeling that so many things are related to weight. I think I talked myself into surgery as the only option. And really it may have been, because I was not making anything else work for me.

I did my research and decided the lap band was the only type of WLS that I was willing to do.

I can tell you that emotionally, it has been a struggle for me now that I have had the surgery. That is hard for me to admit, because I am ordinarily someone who is careful about decisions and really secure in them. But I am not sure now that I have the lap band that I feel like this is "normal". Again, I have to say this is a very personal feeling and I do not want to take away from how wonderful this is for others.

I have lost about 18 pounds in 4 weeks since the surgery. My fears though are reading about everyones trouble with "PBs", sliming, throwing up and other things that just don't seem to fit into what I want to have as a healthy and normal life. I have not had these issue yet - I have not had any fills and I am not sure when I will be ready to move on to that step.

For now, I am really relying on my own self control for eating and managing where I am.

I do have to say that the longer I have been banded, the better I am able to deal with the fears I have about the band. But I do still worry about having an object in me that may fail. I worry about having fills and not being able to even keep Water down.

I guess I am just trying to say that I will in all the seminars and with all the people I spoke with that they would have been a bit more up front about some of the realities that come along with the band. I think I needed to be hit over the head a bit more with this information prior to surgery.

Good luck as you think through this process.

[Bunkey1965 2]

Hi, I went with Dr. Rumbout. I was offered bypass by my insurance and didnt want my insided re-routed. There is also the deal with phyc-eval approval and doctor supervized diet. NO THANK YOU. I was impressed with Dr. Rumbouts EXPERIENCE. I wanted the BEST. AND no waiting or jumping through hoops. I have 2 friends that had their surgery there with 0 complications and both have lost over 100lbs. I did check with about 15 or so previous patients and all who got back with me had glowing reports. I was very impressed with the whole experience. A friend of mine who had gastric lost 150 lbs and now gained 70 of that back. It does require work for this to work. But I find the trade off is so worth it. I am down 16 punds from April 1 and couldnt be happier. In 1 more weelk I go to regulas food. THIS is the reason I chose this method. To eat like everyone else but way less and be satisfien and not obsessing over my next meal all the time. Everyone is different. You never know what you can handle while others cant. Moderation is the key with this. I tend to err on caution, so I figure Ill do what the nutritionist recomends, at least in these healing days. I feel since I paid for this thing I can deal with the basically small time out of my life to do the stages of eating they recomend after surgury. I am 42 am 5'2" and at my surgery I weighed 240. Now I an 223. I have a ways to go but I am so glad I have a helper inside me.

[jgreen8112 0]

Hi All,

I was trying to find the "replies" after I posted (took me a while) but I finally found them. Just wanted to say thanks to those who replied.

I know having any kind of stomach surgery is a personal decision and everyone is different. I have decided to start with hypnotherapy (seen a lot of weight loss stories and pictures like the lap band) because, as much as I like the idea of not having that "hungry" feeling all the time, I beleive that it all starts up in your head to begin with i.e. emotional eating,self image,disorginazation,etc...etc... No matter what, your still thinking with the same brain. Even though you can only eat small portions (or you'll pay for it!) your brain still "craves" those things that maybe aren't so good.

We never feel satieted until we've eaten more than we should of the foods that we love. Yes, it's torture. As much as I really want to lose weight (not to mention, my diabetes will disapear) I just think that there are too many probelms to deal with: (risk,port,fill,infection,BP's,slime,mental anguish,chew,chew,chew,food limitations (or consequences!) etc...etc...

If one is going to go through all that, then why not put that effort in with-out the surgery and work on the "head" i.e. hypnosis for that "satieted feeling".

I could be wrong, but I betcha I might be right. In any case, looks like l've talked myself out of the procedure :sad:. I don't blame those who have done it. Best of luck to you! I will keep you updated on my hypnosis progress (starting May 8th). I just know for me, that when I did exercise consistantly 4-6x a week, not only was I burning more calories, but my mental state was SO MUCH BETTER! It's a bitch to get up early and get my ass to the gym (or outside) but I was always saying to myself once doing it "this feels so good (mentally) I should really do this everyday".

My problem has always been consistancy. I'm either good with exercise and not as watchful with my food intake or vice versa. I know I need to put the two together. On top of all that, I teach Italian cooking and travel extensively around the world (mostly to Italy) so It makes it very difficult to establish a normal "routine". This is where I'm hoping, hypnosis can help. I also smoke (less than 1/2 pack a week) and drink (italian style) which I don't necessarily want to give up (well, the smoking I will). What's the deal on having wine with the lapband? Not that it's a crucial determinant...

I had mentioned the "easyband" before and no-one has heard of it. This is another reason why I'm trying hypnothereapy first. I'm waiting to see the results of the easyband (no needle port. The fills are done by "remote control" in the doctors office) less invasive, painful and chance for infection. It's not approved in the US yet (nor in some other areas). Anyway, this is way too long, but just wanted to share my thoughts. Good luck to all of you on your procedures and I'll stay in touch about mine :frown:

Jgreen