Finally made THE decision!

[pioneer1 0]

Hi, First time post..I finally decided to have the lapband. It has taken me 4 years to make this decision. I have tried every diet out there. From injection of pregnant womans urine to fen phen. I always lost but ALWAYS gained back plus more. I will be 60 this month and I don't want to spend the rest of my life morbidly obese and I will not try any more drugs or fad diets.

I had mitral valve repair which "could have been " caused by Phen fen.

I have had a total knee replaced. I can't walk very far without being out of breath. My decision has been make!!

I am almost 60 and I weigh 255 and am 5'5. I am planning on the surgery in December. I will be a self pay. I will have it done by Dr Ponce in Chatanooga.

I am going thru some tests. I need to have my gallbladder taken out first.

Everything is going OK so far.

Now that I have made my decision, I am getting stressed. I know it is what I want but I am still a little scared. That is why I am on this website.

Sorry to ramble. I have never made a long story short.

[RestlessMonkey 7]

Hi and welcome! Can't he take your gallbladder out while he's in there to do the band? Easier on you and probably a little cheaper, too!

[pioneer1 0]

I was told that there is a chance of contamination from the gallbladder is done during banding. If the gallbladder should leak some bile into the cavity, infection could be serious.

[RestlessMonkey 7]

That makes sense! If it's any consolation for you, I'm 53 and had 2 surgeries in August; my first lap band attempt on 8/11 (liver was still too fatty) and again on 8/29 (successful). They honestly didn't bother me as much as the upper respiratory infection I got on 9/16! Everyone's different but as "bad times" go, the surgery isn't even on the list!