I'm Freaking Out; I'm Freaking Out; I'm Freaking Out; I'M FREAKING OUT!!!!

[VEEJEE07 0]

Oblong.... just notice what doctors are against it..... not all docs are qualified to do this type of procedure/surgery and they have to still make a living. Gastric banding seems to be taking over the lead in the marketing and success of weight loss world!, for some this is wonderful but there are others whose business could hurt from this. Try not to doubt you decision here... Feb's not so far... stay on board here for support!

[sandra267 0]

OK - New rule: no more watching weight loss programs! :confused: I watched that show "Ruby" today; the one where she's lost 60 pounds so far on the pre-packaged meals. Her doctor says, "that's what you would have lost with gastric bypass". I know that the whole thing is to push his pre-packaged meals and that it doesn't really teach anybody how to eat. The thing I don't get is why is it doctors seem to be so against WLS?

I'm not as freaked as I was... Kinda....

I like Ruby. Maybe she would have lost the same amount of weight with GB but she is getting b*tcher and b*tcher with each show. I hope she makes it but she is torturing herself with those hour glass meals.

[jeanangell 0]

I understand about the freaking out, my surgery is not until January 28th. I too watch the programs (that is in the past). I have battled weight since I was little, I have yo-yo'd 70 pounds up and down for years:frown:. So I guess I was good at dieting just bad at maintaining. This is not good for my health so I am looking forward to have the band as a tool to help me maintain.

I used to belong to a marathon running club that has the motto - Maintain, Maintain, Maintain. I hope to use that as a guideline for life in the future.

Nervous, scared a little - yes. Freaking out - no. Looking forward to a great future. Definitely.:cursing:

Any time you see one of the weight loss shows... turn it over to CNN and grab your computer and talk to us.:confused:

[Oblong 2]

OK, so remember how I said "no more weight loss programs"?

So I'm watching TLC's "Half Ton" series, which seems to be a little more pro WLS. It's all gastric bypass and doesn't gloss over the risks, but at least they're not treating it like it's a cop-out, KWIM?

OK; only freaked out a teeny bit today.:confused:

[HeatherO 7]

Oh, man! I watched Discovery yesterday afternoon, and they had a marathon on the Brookhaven Weight Loss clinic. My heart went out to them because I'm in the same boat sort of. I only have 130 to loose; these people have twice that or more, so I'm hesitant to say we're in the same boat. They'd take one look at me and say, "get out and swim!". The director was not at ALL supportive to those wanting WLS, and every time it was mentioned by the narrator or the center's director, it was reffered to as a "quick fix." Not at all encouraging.

I don't know. This is the court of last resort for me. I've done the diets, I've done the exercise, I've lost weight, but it doesn't stay off. The way I see it, the Lap Band is a tool to make sure that once the weight comes off, it stays off. But what if? I see posts on the board where people are having trouble eating and throwing up, people thinking they've wasted money on the procedure, etc. If this doesn't work, I've wasted a buttload of money, and it's yet another failed attempt at loosing weight. I've fought with my body my whole life. Maybe I'm just supposed to be fat? I don't know.

Then there's the theory that if I don't do anything at ALL, I'll still be mornidly obese and possibly larger.

I'm freaking out. It doesn't help that surgery is so far away (February). HELP!

I had never seen this particular series before but just yesterday they had a marathon on TLC so I watched it off and on throughout the day while I was doing other things.

You are sure right about the words "quick fix" for WLS. Everytime it was mentioned they used those words like as if it is something dirty and terrible. The doctor running the clinic is definitely anti WLS.

Then again, I can't help but wonder if WLS, while not a quick fix, is not the right kind of help for someone who has such a food addiction that they will spend years confined to their beds and just keep eating. If a person ever gets to that stage of obesity and WLS is used . . . I think serious and intensive psychological counseling is absolutely essential first and foremost. Actually I think it is helpful for all of us who have battled morbid obesity whether we had surgery or not to have appropriate support structures and counseling in place.

I saw an episode where one guy had Richard Simmons come in and chastise his wife for allowing him to go back and gain after he had been successful in the past. Richard Simmons was angrier with the wife than the husband who gained the weight, and the husband was really upset about it. My first thought was . . . you should be angry with the person who is eating instead of the family members that are there.

After I gave it more though I do see the point. If I ever got to the stage where all I ever did was stay in bed and eat . . . I would hope that my husband would have the good sense to bring me carrot sticks and crystal light instead of a large pizza and 2 liter of pop.

I think it would be impossible for someone to stay in bed for years without someone supporting the habit and enabling them. Without support, they would have to eat take-out all the time unless they had tons of money in the bank. I don't know how much disability would pay a person who was bed-bound but I doubt it would support a place to live, utilities and enough food to cover that kind of addiction. I feel that a person enabling that kind of lifestyle does bear some responsibility for their actions as well . . . even if they think they are doing it out of love or have no other choice.

Any thoughts???

[HeatherO 7]

OK - New rule: no more watching weight loss programs! :biggrin: I watched that show "Ruby" today; the one where she's lost 60 pounds so far on the pre-packaged meals. Her doctor says, "that's what you would have lost with gastric bypass". I know that the whole thing is to push his pre-packaged meals and that it doesn't really teach anybody how to eat. The thing I don't get is why is it doctors seem to be so against WLS?

I'm not as freaked as I was... Kinda....

I watch Ruby too. I really don't think that those hour glass meals are going to help her in the long run unless she is on them for a life-time. I think it is OK to start off that way . . . but hunger is hunger is hunger and if you can't learn to eat normally from what is available you will always to in danger of backsliding.

I lost weight as well as she did using those kinds of diet mechanisms (tight and restrictive diets that last as long as you have the motivation to follow them). Do these programs work, absolutely . . . for a time until you can't get past those feelings of deprivation and start back sliding.

Banding has really and truly worked for me because I can eat real foods and make healthy choices from things that are available to me every day at the grocery store, in restaurants, at dinner parties, etc and I am not hungry and I am not unsatisfied. If I want to overeat . . . I just can't. I am no longer battling constant hunger and feelings of deprivation to lose the weight. It is like the best diet ever in that I am fully satisfied and don't have to try and ignore constant hunger.

People say that WLS is the quick fix or the easy way out. Now that I have been there and done that I would have to both agree and disagree. It is hard in that you have to make good food choices and do your exercise, period. It is so easy in that you are not battling yourself constantly with hunger and deprivation. It is totally workable and has been a blessing for me.