Hi - I have been a member of 3FC for MANY years. My posts were under Weight Watcher's and the "Fabulous Forties"......where we then changed the name to "Fab and Fit 40's and 50's". For years I thought of WLS but told myself that I can do it on my own. I'd done it before, why not again?
At any rate, today I am 70 lbs higher than my lowest "struggle" on Weight Watcher's. I just can't do it so Lap Band is now my choice.
I know a few people who have had Lap Band done, 2 are pretty close friends. They both LOVE their choice and wouldn't change anything about what they've done. One lost 85 lbs in the last 11 months, they other has lost 75 lbs and kept it off for 2 1/2 yrs (that's all she needed to lose)
I really don't know what advice I'm looking for. I'm terrified of having surgery, being put "under". Not like I've never been before - I had my gall bladder out about 6 years ago and my tonsils out when I was 10 yrs old. A good friend of mine died from having her tubes tied due to anesthetiic reaction - never left the hospital. That plays on my mind....of course, that was 30+ years ago and I know in my heart that our medical practices have improved.
Oh, and I've decided not to tell anyone at work that I'm doing this. A few friends know and of course, my 2 Lap Band friends......but I want to keep it a secret - until someone says "wow, you've lost some weight!!"
Again, I don't know what advice I'm looking for......just a nice support group to get involved with.
Thanks for just listening.
Zoe
Soaking up the "SON" in Texas
Sounds like we've arrived at the same place at the same time! My surgery is scheduled for Nov. 17.
I'm anxious to start the process and see the results. I've struggled with my weight for so long. I know the lap-band procedure isn't a magic bullet, but it can be a helpful tool if used properly.
congrats, ladies, on making a decision that's right for YOU - not for someone else. looking forward to getting to know you!!! lapband is a great choice for many people
Congrats on making the choice that will be right for you! My mom has lap band surgery after years and years of yo-yo dieting that has not helped her at all. She'd lose the weight and gain it all back plus some. So far she's lost 75 pounds and still has a good bit to go. But the changes in her body have been amazing! She feels so much better and is no longer diabetic! I hope you have similar success!
Zoe - OMG. I could have written your post. I do not want to yo-yo diet anymore. I have told myself so many times that I am on my last diet but every time I gain the weight back. I know that I need more help if I am ever going to permanently conquer my weight problems. I am scheduled for lap band on Nov 5th. I also live in Dallas.
Hi Kay......last night, I sat up late, could not sleep, thinking that I am making a mistake. I told myself that I can do this on my own, save the money (I'm paying for this myself) and just stick to a diet plan and get it done. I did a lot of research but then last night, I started looking up all the "bad" stuff instead of the "good". I cried and cried, thinking that I shouldn't do this.
I think the reason I am thinking this way is that I'm not a person that needs to lose 150 ro 175 lb......If I loose 55 lbs or so, I'm looking thin!! So last night, I'm telling myself, why go through this for such a small amount of weight loss? Just stop eating!! (yeah, right......)
I think the one thing that I never knew, that I read last night, is that Lap Band isn't good for those who love sweets......I really LOVE chocolate!! To think that I cannot ever have that again is a horrible thought. Then I heard, no popcorn........I think the thing that is making me think this over again is that I need to be sure that it's okay with me, that I never eat certain foods again, even in moderation.
Anyway, at this point, I'm torn and am going to sit down with my husband tonight and talk. It's an important decision that now, I am re-thinking
Good luck to you too.......I'm in Fort Worth, my doctor is in Colleyville
Hey Zoe - My patient advocate and I were recently talking about how the lap band is a way to make food/eating unimportant in your life. The good is that you don't feel hungry. The bad is that you no longer get to enjoy eating. It is not a trivial decision and it is not right for everyone with a weight problem. I've also struggled with thinking it may not be right for me, but I believe that I will never be able to enjoy food in moderation. It is like I am addicted to food and cannot use it in moderation any more than someone can use cocaine in moderation. Sometimes I have thought that I was "eating myself to an early grave". I really, really want to stop.
I hope you can make the right decision for you! -Kay
um. ladies - you'e raising some extremely important issues and it's great that you're working through them with some trusted friends and advisors.
i'd like to toss a thought in the ring - about NEVER eating certain things and about not enjoying your food anymore. There are foods - like popcorn, sweets, etc - that are hard to eat with the lapband or the gastric bypass. but later you CAN eat them - small amounts, savored.
consider this: NOBODY should be eating more than small amounts of these foods. so, what's actually happening is that the lapband is forcing you into better eating habits - and that's fine.
the other thing - about enjoying your food - there are SOME things that you won't enjoy any more, but that's all an individual thing. I think that the key thing is that food is no longer the CENTRAL focus of our lives after surgery.
a double edged sword here. while it's quite a relief to not be so focused on food, the question is: what BECOMES the focus? and that's something to think about.
Dawnajoy [who hasn't been around for awhile and i miss her!] always says that WLS [any form!] LEVELS THE PLAYING FIELD so that what works for the rest of the world now works for us.
and another thought [sorry- i gotta stop this thinking!!!!] - i found that looking far ahead was just way too hard for me to cope with. the concept of NEVER, or even NEXT MONTH was just too much to think about. so, i focused on day to day - meal to meal. and everything was fine in the end. IS fine [of course, i need to be better about taking my vits, but that's MY issue, not the surgery's]
keep on asking and thinking - you're on the right track!!!!
That is great! I had surgery October, 2008. I've lost almost 90 pounds. I still have another 15-20 pounds to go.
It is a huge decision, but I think everyone agrees you have to do what works best with your life.
If there is anything I can do to answer any questions--Just ask.
Good luck.
Carol
I second what Jiffy said.... please remember what your friends can't eat you might be able to and what they can eat you might not be able to... but within time I found I can eat everything
I see it as like I am getting a divorce from food - but then quickly remarrying with something that fits me better.
Its true I can't sit down and eat a whole bag of chocolate anymore. But I can have one.
I can't eat 5 pieces of bread out of the bread bowl anymore at a restaurant, but now I can enjoy my meal that I actually ordered because I'm not full on bread.
I can't inhale my food anymore, but I can chew slowly and actually enjoy the taste of what I am eating.
It's a give and take. I gave up a whole lot to get even more out of life and I haven't regretted it a BIT!
Lap Band Scheduled for 11/23
and Congratulations 
