Last week I met with the surgeon about the Lap Band. Its something I had been thinking about for a while but I had planned on giving it "the old college try" for a while longer. Only then I found out I had sleep apnea along with my other sleep problems which happen to include narcolepsy and a couple of hypersomnias that lead to disruptive sleep.
For me, that was sort of the breaking point- well that and the CPAP. I have a fairly high pressure on the CPAP I think, especially since I only have moderate apnea. And I can't sleep that well with the CPAP mask on because when I toss and turn or go to throw my pillow in my sleep (and I do all of these things on a nightly sort of basis) it makes me make up and I need to readjust it or something. And I worry about the long term effects of high pressure air and all that stuff. So I figured maybe if I could lose weight I could at least get on a lower pressure. Maybe if I could lose enough weight I could off the CPAP and then I wouldn't have that to deal with anymore.
Also I have GERD. I was born with GERD. And back in those days I was rather tall and slim
(four pounds, five ounces, 21 inches long). Now I don't expect the GERD to go away since I have always had it regardlesss of weight but it has gotten worse as I have put on more weight.
I also have fibromyalgia- the weight can't be good for my joints. Or for my blood pressure which could come down a bit.
So looking at all these things together I thought about how long I was going to try and yo yo the twenty pounds or so that I had for the past couple of years. How much damage would being morbidly obese do to my health in that amount of time? So I made a phone call and set up an apointment.
The apointment went well. The surgeon was very thorough- explained procedure and answered all my questions and my husband's. Its a two surgeon practice- one of the office managers mentioned the other surgeon has the lap band as well.
In a couple of weeks I go back to meet with their psychiatrist affiliate who comes in and their dietician and so forth. I am also doing a physcian supervised diet now. I decided to try weight watchers and I am having a hard time sticking with the core plan- I go through my points in two days or three and then I get discouraged so I am trying to find better ways to stick with it.
I am also trying to work out how food relates to my emotional issues or physical issues. Like if I am having a bad day sleepiness wise I might be more inclined to grab sugar and how that is a bad choice and how I need to take time to make good choices and what to do when I do fall off of the wagon and so forth. But it becomes a difficult cycle for me. I think they could be a positive tool- help me stick to those eating plans better, resist those "oh I am so hunry and dinner did not fill me up- quick grab whatever you can, better take two" voices.
I would worry I would still make bad choices and not lose enough weight though after the bad is in, so I think it is iimportant I deal with those issues as much as I can now.
My mom is really negative about it. She lost 120 pounds a few years ago with weight watchers and she has kept it off. And I think its great that she has done that. Of course at the same time she is always thinking about her next meal and what she can or cannot eat. And I know she is happier at this weight and healthier, but I don't think I could do it- be so disciplined and eat so little all the time. She doesn't get to eat much at all. She thinks I would be stupid to do something that could kill me when I could lose it other ways, but the thing is I can't seem to lose it other ways. And I suspect the weight is more dangerous to me than the surgery would be.
Sorry for the ramble...
Met with Lap Band Surgeon Last week, Have big evaulation in a couple of weeks
