Help!

[shellym22 0]

Im 30 years young, and in the process of bariatric surgery, and leaning more towrards the lap band, but this is all new to me. I just in the begining steps,I have had my pysch evulation and that went fine and Im doing my appoinments with my doctor. I just want to make sure this is right for me. I have been stuggling with my weight for 9 yers now, up and down up and up and up.. is what is seems to be doing latley...I just am scared about some things so Im asking for Help! DO you have Hair loss with the lap band and if so is it drastic? and what is the average time you loose your weight, for me it would be about 115 pounds or more...I just want someone who kinds of is simalar in situation to give some adivse..please .. and Hello to all..

[MerryHearted 20]

It's normal to get some minor hair loss - nothing drastic. It's not from the band itself, it's from having surgery (according to my doc). It's a shock to the system. Post-banding, after the first couple weeks of healing, you'll be eating a normal, bialanced diet. All you should really need is a good Multivitamin just to make sure, but otherwise there's no reason why you can't be getting in all the nutrients you need -- there's no malabsorption with banding. So there's no nutritional reason why you'd lose hair with the band.

Weight loss, once you get your band adjusted right (and that may take a few months after banding before you get a good fill level), averages 1-2 lbs per week. So you are looking at 1-2 years to reach goal, if you don't have any long stalls along the way and you are willing to do the work. The big question though: if you don't get banded, what will you weigh 2 yrs from now?

Your pattern of trying to lose weight but you end up just gaining more is familiar to most of us. You'd probably do great with a band!