Welcome Merissa! There is a forum here just dedicated to Weigh Loss Surgery. You might want to check with them regarding that. It seems like most of us are calorie counters or on WW over here. I think you should ask around, get some info and then do whatever you decide is right for you, whether it's surgery or something else. Good luck!

Hello! I'm new to 3FC as well. No, I haven't had Lapband or Gastric. I do know a lady though who had gastric, and she's gone from over 400 pounds to about 130 in the course of a year, and she's done wonderfully in maintaining that.

I myself don't have any fat friends, so I know it's hard to explain to them that it's not as easy as they make it sound. I've struggled with my weight for years, and it's definitely easier some days and harder on others. The closer to your goal you get, the harder it is, that's what I understand from most people I've met that have lost a large amount of weight.

Congrats on your 20 pounds though, that's magnificent! Hopefully you can get the insight that you need from the WLS forum here and make your final decision on going through with it or not.

Either way, I wish you luck = ]

You can do it without surgery...but it has to be something you commit to...

surgery works, hard work works... you just have to figure out what will work for you

I lost 140 pounds on my own... and in that sense I think that anyone is capable of doing it

and here are my pictures from the mini goal section
http://www.3fatchicks.com/forum/mini...ormal-bmi.html

Hey girl... i have not had wls but i came pretty close i went to the informational seminar the consult did all my pre op testing and everyhting its still sometimes in the back of my mind but I thought well... if I have to lose 10% or more of my body weight just to be qualified then Im pretty sure I can do this the old fassioned way lol. I have battled my weight since I can remember and being yound it is very hard. I read in your post that you can eat right all week and then go out and lose all control and that is something that can't be fixed with surgery. Another major thing to think about is that wls is not a quick fix nor an easy on there are many emotional ups and downs that come with the package as well as other issues if you thing tht wls surgery is truly for you and you know you can stick to the plan then it can have great bennefits for you. As for your origional question... I would reccomend the lap band if you are going to go ahead with the surgery. This procdure is less invasive and you are young (idk if you have or are wanting children) and of child bearing age, therefore the lap band can be easily adjusted during pregnancy to allow you to grow a healthy and then be tightened after child birth sry i knw the post is long lol but I have been there and just had to give you my opinion

I was in almost an exact same situation as you almost exactly a year ago except I was over 100 lbs heavier.

It was 1/4/10, I was 27 years old and I weighed 407 lbs. My (former) doctor told me the "only way" I could ever lose "any significant amount of weight" was to have gastric bypass - not lap band, not calorie counting, not medi/opti fast- just major surgery. Four and a half days earlier (yes, New Years Eve) my husband of 5 years announced he wanted a divorce because he wasn't "cut out for marriage anymore" and I moved back home to live with my parents. I binged big-time for the first few days (probably hit 410-412 but I only count what I weighed at that fateful dr visit) then I had an epiphany - I was going to prove that doctor wrong.

To make a long story, well, less long - I got a new doctor, started a lower carb, higher protein eating plan, walked EVERYWHERE (now in the winter I bike indoors and go hiking when it's not completely frigid) and lost 135 lbs in less than a year. Obviously I still have a bit more to go but I'll tell you, knowing that I lost those first 135, I feel like I could do almost anything - even lose another 135!

I'm so not telling you not to have surgery - please don't think that. I'm mostly just reiterating what Haley said - if you really want to lose it without surgery, just know it's completely possible. It takes a lot of hard work and commitment but then, if you think about it, so does WLS. I have several friends & family members that have had it - they have to be very careful about how much and what they eat and always be sure to take their various pills & supplements as well as avoiding certain foods & drinks that may cause stomach distress.

I wish you the best of luck in your decision, whatever it may be, and on your journey to a healthier you!

I am going to be the first to say, don't go there. I started my journey at 275, only 5 lbs less than you, and the idea of getting drastic surgery, altering my body for the rest of my life when I've got so much of it left to live is out of the question. Also, those surgeries are not without a lot of complications..think about it, you are altering the system that nourishes your body. I personally can't imagine myself living the rest of my life eating a tiny amount of food when you are so young. With gastric, you have to be careful of your nutrition as well since you can only eat so little at a time. Also, like someone else mentioned, if you are going to have a child after gastric, it might be a lot harder to nourish it. Lapband is maybe a little less of an issue but I still don't think its right to have surgery when its not necessary. Over a year ago i was 265..now I am hoovering in the 242 range. Have I lost a crap ton of weight like some people in a year? NO, but the way I see it, I lost 30-35lbs my self and I'm already seeing huge improvement, . There is a group here in the 20s section called the 280s ladies, we are all people who started around 280 (usually we range from starting at 300-270 ish). We are ALL working to do this ourselves there. We all check in time to time and share our journey and you (and anyone else for that matter) would be totally welcome to post with us.

I do want to say that I know for some people gastric seems like the best option, but I don't think you are that sort of person, just by the fact that you committed to losing the first 20 lbs. Set small goals for yourself. Can you lose 5 more? I think you can.. and then, can you lose another 5? Absolutely! Suddenly you've lost 30lbs! There is a lot to learn from this forum, and I personally really believe you can totally do this without surgery. Notice I don't say on your own, because there is a TON of support to be found here.

Here are some face shots of me at my highest and current weight, if it helps.

U Look great Phoenix! Thanks for the support and for sharing! I see ur goal of wanting to go to Japan... woohoo! Make sure you tell me all about it. I'm a travel junkie myself . Going to Dubai and then India in the next couple months. yayyY!

Ok, This post sounds like me at your size in your position just a little over 1 year ago. I started out by losing what I needed to for lapband surgery. Well plus some as a matter of fact. By the time it came to have the surgery I had already lost 45lbs by myself. I waivered for months on doing it on my own and needing the surgery. I knew I could in the short term but the FEAR drove me to stay with the surgery plan. I was fearful of doing it all and then gaining it back. I was fearful of only getting part/half way and not get to where I was going.

To be completely honest you know what the deciding factor was? Support group meetings. I sat there with patients that had the lapband that were 1 year post op (many of them) and they were only 65-80 down and all plateau'd and that were not at goal weight. The discussed how they all could cheat with food and I thought...."Wow" I dont want to have the surgery and not mentally fix myself enough to learn how to deviate the procedure so I still could manipulate food. They all had not learned a thing. Plus I was already so far down myseld, many were shocked I lost so much already by myself.

So one week before surgery I cancelled because I was going to continue the succesful path I was on. I had one HUGE positive factor on my side, my husband. He did this with me and was on board and lost a significant amount of weight himself. He told me he didnt want me to have the surgery, that we were doing it on our own and wanted to finish it the way we started.

To me there is such a HUGE comitment to have the bypass- that is some serious stuff and never an option for me. The lapband is a much gentlier option in my opinion. You are not severely obese where you would need the bypass. But thats just my opinion.

I think if you even think you can do it on your own and YOU ARE! Then I would more than anything for you to join us all here and stick around and share your journey and get to where you need to be.

I kept journaling my food and calorie counting and found a cardio exercise I could get excited about, that was running. So now I Run almost everyday and feel on top of the world. Just a little over 20 more pounds to go for me.
If you are strong and you think you can do this...then go for it!

OH Em Gee! TwinMommma....That is exactly how I feel, but I could never quite articulate it! Thank you soooo much for your post!!! Its the post I didnt know I needed till I read it! lol. For some reason, this time, wanting to lose weight and actually working hard at it and pursuing it has settled in with me and I feel like its going to stay until I reach my goal weight...I'm extremely determined and giving it 100%. What I'm scared of is exactly what you wrote... Maybe I'll give up halfway (I do have my bad, evil carb /sweets days still ) or once I get to my goal weight... I'll one day just balloon back up to where I was or...God forbid even bigger than i was...YikeS! Congrats on your 130lb weight loss. Its so inspiring!

Having found 3FC and all you nice people who comment and share.. at the risk of sounding corny... I"M SUPER THANKFUL and honestly feel like I can do it on my own... so thank you The idea of altering my inner parts freaks me out... so if i can lose the weight on my own, why the he!! not?! hehe. Ok thanks again. I feel a lot better, and am going to do it w/out surgery yayyyyyyy! I had been thinking i could do it on my own.. but u guys have given me the push to believe I can.

If you feel like you can do it on your own, then by all means, let yourself!!! I'm glad I could help, well all of us for that matter, we are all a testament that doing it on your own, can work! It take time, it's all about re-programing yourself to view food differently.
How have you lost so far? Does it feel comfortable to you what you are doing now? Does it feel sustainable/adaptable? Do you calorie count? Do you have an exercise regimen that you are doing or thought about doing? Doing it on your plan is being proactive and reactive. You will have fleeting moments/meals or maybe even a day where you didnt stay on target as planned. The biggest thing I learned was to let that moment be what it was and learn why you ate and what emotions/events were attached to the eating and learn from it. When I used to journal in the beginning I quickly learned what my triggers were for food cravings, the emotions the times of the day. I learned to not eat when I felt those feelings and found alternative ways to deal with emotioins/anger/happiness/content besides food. I could eat for all kinds of reasons. So yes, you will have stumbles and there are going to be times when it does not come off as fast as you would like but keeping your mind set on the idea that through 'time' it will all payoff! Not just with your weight either but your HEALTH! You will live a longer and healthier life. I have 3 small children so I look at them and into our future and want to be here, so I make good choices!
Please stick around you are so Worth it!