lap-band surgery

[Anonymous]

Has any one had it? My BMI is 39.9 and I've got severe arthritis of the knees. I'm ready for it, but want to make an informed decision. If you've done it, please share your experience. Thanks!

[Anonymous]

I had gastric bypass which is a bit different than lap band. I had a weight problem my entire life. I suffered from depression and barely made it through my teen years without committing suicide. IT was really hard for me, needless to say.

When I was 22 I weighed over 500lbs. I was told I would not live to 25 if I didn't do something. I had been on diets my entire life, nothing really helped. I had the surgery. I'm now a 1/3 of my original size.

For me eating is sometimes a struggle. My system does not like meat too much. That is the only food I have issues with. I have to be careful becuase you can stretch your stomach back out over time. Weighing everything is very important.

For me it works. I have never been happier. The surgery is not a cure. You need the psychological help as well. You have to understand why you eat too much.So, I suggest therapy before and after the surgery.

Good luck! If you have anymore questions, post. I will be as honest as possible.

[Anonymous]

My friend's mom had it about 6 months ago and she is SO happy. She has lost about 35 lbs. My friend did say that she probably needed to go in and have the band tightened because she was starting to feel more hungry again, but all in all she is very glad she had it done.

[Anonymous]

OP here. Thanks PPs for the feedback.
PP good luck. It seems you are winning that war. Although my case is not as severe as yours was, I'm 36 and was on my first diet at 12. I understand the emotional work that has to accompany the surgery. It will be a struggle but I want to win that war too ;o) I quit smoking 7 years ago, and this is my last battle to healthy living.
I went to an information meeting on gastric bypass and I'm going to attend one in a week on the lapband. Actually cutting my stomach scares me a bit, so I'm looking forward to learning more about the other procedures.
Thanks again for your feedback.

[Anonymous]

I also did the gastro by pass and I lost 90 pounds I was 210 before and now I am wearing size 4!!!!! I was 16-18!!! I am really happy about it and I would do it again. Lapband I think it is really good to but since I was overweight my entire life I decided to do the by pass.

Also, dont forget.... A PIECE OF CHOCOLATE has a lot of calories soo, you need to know what you put into your body. My stomack can be small now so, I rather eat more spinach,chicken and healthy food than junk. WATER not SODA etc....

I need to use the space for the good stuff. and the lapband the same thing. if you dont follow the DIET you will loose the surgery.

I am sorry about my english . Also I did my surgery in Brazil.

Godd luck to you. try to make the best choice for you

[Anonymous]

Great Post!

I would like some info on the Lapband Surgery...OP can you please post the info you have?
Does insurance cover it?

THANKS!

[Anonymous]

Op here. I revisited this post as I'm getting closer to making my decision. It's very hard; on one hand I feel the surgery would help me take control over my own life. I CAN do something to feel better (chronic knee pain, don't want to become a life long pill-popper, eliminate co-morbidities, etc.), but on the other hand, it feels a bit like giving up on my will power, my ability to lose weight on my own. Emotionally I don't think I could handle yet another diet and fail, and 25 years of dieting history tell me the likelyhood of me eventually failing is 99.999%.
As for practical information, there's lot of websites with info on this. What I would recommend though is going to an information session at a hospital where you would have the surgery. I live in Silver Spring and Holy Cross Hospital has got great, free information sessions on both the Lapband and the Gastric Bypass. I went to both and I'm going to go again to a Lapband session and drag my husband to it. I'm a bit scared, and so is he, and I think that if I'm going to go with it it's going to be crucial that I have his full support. We both need to be equally and extremely well informed about the procedure and the life changes it entails for it to work. I'll check this post again to see if more mums who've gone through with it will share their experience.
thanks.

[Anonymous]

I have the Lap Band and have lost well over 100 lbs. I realize now that there is no way I would have done it without some kind of physical restraint so to speak. I do not feel any shame for not having "will power". How care? I am now a healthy weight and can stay that way.

Be forwarned, there are complications that go with the Lap Band that are seriuosly played down. One big one that I encountered was my stomach swelling around the band itself preventing me from swallowing anything really - even water - which led to severe dehydration that required hospitalization - twice.

Also, for the first 6 months, I could physically feel the band and it was only after the surgery that my surgeon said that he has had other patients with similar complaints and for some it never goes away and they have the band removed.

[Anonymous]

Hi 13:09. OP here. Thanks for the warning on side effects. I must say that it is still one of the few areas that leave me hesitant. At Information sessions, a doctor makes a presentation, including side effects, but in the end it is a bit of a sales pitch, isn't it? and so the negatives are not dwelled on. That's why getting feedback from people like you is so important to me.
I agree with the restraint. I don't know that I can lose 100lbs and keep it off long term without any outside device physically restraining me from eating. I understand that a lot of emotional work must be done and that your relationship with food must change for ever; but I'd think it's easier when your hunger is mechanically (I guess) controlled.
Do you still feel the band? Was it painful when you felt it, or was it one of those sensations that becomes unbearable by the fact that you can't make it go away?
I've read about the stomach swelling. I've also read about the band embedding itself in the stomach. a bit scary. That said, I do have to decide what is truly important to me: being healthy (ier) for the rest of my life by eliminating obesity and thereby eliminating most co-morbidities, or not taking the risk to endure these side effects. I think I just have to come to terms that this is where I stand on this journey.
Last question (trivial in comparison to the rest): are you able to eat rice? Rice is so important in my culture, I don't know that I can do without it FOREVER! yikes ;o)

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Hi 13:09. OP here. Thanks for the warning on side effects. I must say that it is still one of the few areas that leave me hesitant. At Information sessions, a doctor makes a presentation, including side effects, but in the end it is a bit of a sales pitch, isn't it? and so the negatives are not dwelled on. That's why getting feedback from people like you is so important to me.
I agree with the restraint. I don't know that I can lose 100lbs and keep it off long term without any outside device physically restraining me from eating. I understand that a lot of emotional work must be done and that your relationship with food must change for ever; but I'd think it's easier when your hunger is mechanically (I guess) controlled.
Do you still feel the band? Was it painful when you felt it, or was it one of those sensations that becomes unbearable by the fact that you can't make it go away?
I've read about the stomach swelling. I've also read about the band embedding itself in the stomach. a bit scary. That said, I do have to decide what is truly important to me: being healthy (ier) for the rest of my life by eliminating obesity and thereby eliminating most co-morbidities, or not taking the risk to endure these side effects. I think I just have to come to terms that this is where I stand on this journey.
Last question (trivial in comparison to the rest): are you able to eat rice? Rice is so important in my culture, I don't know that I can do without it FOREVER! yikes ;o)

Hi, I am 13:09...yes, some surgeons do make it a bit of a "sales pitch" kind of thing. I am sure it goes without saying but do research the surgeon. I started out with one and got almost to the end of the pre-reqs and then switched to another and I am glad I did.

The band was the sensation that I couldn't make go away.

To be honest, there wasn't that much emotional work for me. Yes, I still crave sweets but I get very sick now if I eat more than just a tiny amount. In fact, I ate a tiny piece of brownie - about the size of a quarter - and I feel terrible. I still like the taste of sweet stuff but once you stop eating it day in and day out, your drive for it really, truly goes away on its own.

You will not be able to eat normally for months. In fact, you will put some much effort into figuring out how much and when you can eat and then drink (bc you can no longer do both at the same time) for the first few weeks and then each time the band is tightened that you won't even be worried about emotional eating bc you need to focus on eating and drinking just to sustain yourself.

When I get really stressed, I still do reach for food but I have also realized that just about every person I know does so I don't make myself feel bad about it anymore. The difference is now I am just like those people and a little bit of something to munch on while I am stressed helps. I don't need to binge to feel better.

Yes, I can still eat rice. There really ends up being nothing I can't eat except some things I can only eat in very small quantity. Oh, no carbonated beverages - even a tiny sip is too much. I am really bad about not chewing my food throughly enough though and that is something you really have to try and do. You also have to take really small bites.

[Anonymous]

OP here. Thanks again 13:09 for sharing so much of your experience with me/us. I'd love to be able to contact you again in the coming months if you don't mind. If you agree you can send me your email address at [e-mail].
I forgot to answer 12:17 on the insurance question: from what i understand, most insurances cover it if you fall in the criteria for morbid obesity (BMI > 40 for sure). a lot of them also require proof that you've seriously attempted to lose weight for at least 6 consecutive months prior to the surgery (meaning followed by a doctor with that doctor's notes). really if you check local hospitals' websites they have good general information on the procedure. you can also google lapband surgery requirements and a lot of info will also come up.

[Anonymous]

Hi OP - new poster here, I just emailed you. Want to do the same, hope you can chat.