Lap-Band?

JKeyes2011

I was wondering if anyone here has gotten the lap-band or is considering it?
Right now I am considering it. I am on Weight Watchers at the moment and things have been good, well I did slack the last 2 weeks becase my FI was in town and we did a lot of traveling together, but this week I'm back on the wagon.

I've heard mostly good stories about the lap-band nothing too horrible. I have heard the more horrible stories when it comes to the bypass surgury. I am able to get the band and from all I know to be considered I need to be 100lbs overweight (check) and at risk for illnesses such as diabetes (check). The best part is until I am married I am still on my mother's health insurance and so they will pay for it.

raynes

Wait, what?  You're on WW, and seeing results, but you still want to get the lap band thing done??  Why not stick with WW?  IMO, that will teach you the skills you need to get and STAY healthy.  The lap band is a shortcut.

Also, in the interest of internet safetly, it would be a good idea to remove the last names of youself and your FI (and your entire WP) from your bio.  Some people are crazy, and will do crazy things.

lobsterhug

I'm in a similar position as you. I need to lose like 120 pounds to get to a health weight and there is a history of Type 2 Diabetes on both sides of my family. I'm having success through diet and exercise so I'm going to continue that route. Even with something like the lap band it can take a couple of years to lose a significant amount of weight in a healthy way.

For me, the most important this is losing weight healthily by adopting a new lifestyle and making better choices. I want to make sure that I'm in a better position to keep the weight off long term when I finish this journey.

There was an article posted here in the last few months about people who experience depression after losing weight through lap band surgery. They did not have a sense of accomplishment about reaching their goals and they had unrealistic expectations about how losing weight would impact their lives. So if in talking with your doctor you decide that the surgery is right for you, I would also suggest seeking therapy to make sure you take care of your whole self.

Best of luck with Weight Watchers and I hope you'll stick around the board!

lmderegnier

As an RN I'll give an opinion from more of a healthcare perspective.  I work on a unit where I often care for adults that have had a gastric bypass or lap band.  Most of the time things go very well for people after a lap band.  Keep in mind however, that lap band is a tool.  It will not do the work for you.  The dietician that works with bariatric patients often tells them "there is no surgery that you cannot out eat."  So much of being overweight comes from an emotional dependency on food.  I know, I'm right there in that category.  The surgery is not a "shortcut" or "easy way out" as many people believe.  Weight loss surgery requires just as much dedication as any other weight loss strategy. And PLEASE DONT think I'm trying to talk you out of the surgery!! That is NOT my intention at all.  I just want to make sure you do plenty of research and have plenty of conversation with your doctor about what is best for you.  Kudos on the success with WW!! Keep up the good work and GOOD LUCK if you do get the lap band.  I've seen it work wonders for many people!!

cac847

That's not all it takes to get the lap band. In addition to a BMI of at least 40 or 100lbs overweight, you need to have been overweight for at least five years, and have proven that drastic weight-loss attempts have been unsuccessful, or have only been successful short-term. Surgery is never the first option for weight loss, and it won't be approved by any respectable surgeon (not to mention insurance) until other avenues are exhausted without producing results. Having success with WW should disqualify you for the procedure, as would "slacking off" for two weeks since you need to prove that you are absolutely committed to a change in lifestyle. There is NO room whatsoever for going off your diet and exercise plan when you're being considered for this surgery, and it does take some time to go through the prescreening.

If you still want to, you can talk to your doctor about the possibility of a lap-band and see what he/she says. Even though it is a minor surgery, it's still surgery and has risk and the potential for complications, and I personally don't think (and don't think a physician would agree) that it's a good option for you from what you've said. My advice is to keep doing Weight Watchers and of course exercise. Good luck with your weight loss.

glam70s

If weight loss surgery requires as much dedication as any other weight loss strategy, why would anyone do it? If you're working just as hard as you would on WW, why not save yourself the risks of surgery and just stick to WW?

DLLadybug

In Response to <a href="http://forums.theknot.com/Sites/theknot/Pages/Main.aspx/wedding-boards_getting-shape_lap-band?plckFindPostKey=Cat:Wedding BoardsForum:238Discussion:7b7475a3-d9fd-4be9-9a59-454ff42c6b89Post:ff2992ab-bea1-4d0e-8072-438fdeb4b6f9">Re: Lap-Band?</a>:
[QUOTE]If weight loss surgery requires as much dedication as any other weight loss strategy, why would anyone do it? If you're working just as hard as you would on WW, why not save yourself the risks of surgery and just stick to WW?
Posted by glam70s[/QUOTE]

I agree!



I work at a hospital where I help out with bariatric patients. Just by seeing the individuals attitude, I can tell who will successfully succeed and those that will just not even try! It's said. Some of them fool the doctors into letting them get the procedure. And all they do is become lazy and not follow instructions!

I think, if you can successfully lose weight with using WW and sticking with it, there really isn't a need to put your body through the lapband surgery. Having either bypass  or lap-band surgery, it will limit you on certain foods.

Weight-loss, no matter what route you may choose is never easy. It takes a lot of dedication and motivation! Best of luck to you! :)

TurtlesAllTheWayDown

When I first started losing weight, I would have qualified for the lap band. But now, I'm also seeing results through diet and exercise. It's hard, but I feel like *I* am making MYSELF accountable for what I eat, rather than using my surgery as an excuse. Plus, with exercise I'm gaining muscle, which will make me 1) burn more calories in the long run and 2) look awesome and healthy when I get down to the weight I need. A lot of people who get bypass or the lap band look very sallow and weak, and I think it's because even though they are thin, they aren't as healthy as they could be. JMO.

DLLadybug

In Response to <a href="http://forums.theknot.com/Sites/theknot/Pages/Main.aspx/wedding-boards_getting-shape_lap-band?plckFindPostKey=Cat:Wedding BoardsForum:238Discussion:7b7475a3-d9fd-4be9-9a59-454ff42c6b89Post:06529adf-817a-4ba2-b58b-409cd07af33f">Re: Lap-Band?</a>:
[QUOTE]When I first started losing weight, I would have qualified for the lap band. But now, I'm also seeing results through diet and exercise. It's hard, but I feel like *I* am making MYSELF accountable for what I eat, rather than using my surgery as an excuse. Plus, with exercise I'm gaining muscle, which will make me 1) burn more calories in the long run and 2) look awesome and healthy when I get down to the weight I need. <strong>A lot of people who get bypass or the lap band look very sallow and weak, and I think it's because even though they are thin, they aren't as healthy as they could be.</strong> JMO.
Posted by msmerymac[/QUOTE]

This is because when you get a bypass your body does get malnurished somewhat. That's one of the risks.

When I look at patients eating their first tray of food, they are sipping crystal light out of a medicine cup! And they can barely drink 4 oz of juice!

Why put yourself through such pain?

I just worry about death. My friend's mom unfortunately passed away (5 years ago) from having bypass done.

LesPaul

My cousin has had lap-band surgery.  Three times.  Each time, he loses a ton of weight, then gradually increases his eating until he is back in the same position of being tremendously overweight.  It isn't an easy decision, and is a very personal decision.  Please consider it carefully - as PPs said, if you're seeing results through more 'traditional' methods, why risk your life with surgery?

sarahmarieobx

Not to mention the amount of sagging skin people get when they have lap band and losing weight so quickly. I've heard that having the excess skin can cause so much anxiety, depression and shame (not to mention the amount of plastic sugery you would have to have to remove it.)

Keep trying to do it yourself! You can do it! I think the Lapband and By-Pass generally is reserved for those who literally have no other options or they will die. Not someone who could lose the weight on their own, and can excersise.

This is all JMO of course

dollyface79

I had the lap band done a year ago. I had tried every healthy diet out there, I had been under the care of several physicians over the years (trying to lose weight), and I even had an obesity specialist at a major hospital who prescribed me medications to see if that would help me drop the weight- nothing worked for 10 years. Surgery was the only thing I hadn't tried- it was my LAST option. I worked my rear-end off following the dietician's and physician's instructions to the letter, and surgery has worked for me. I cried when I got under 200 pounds for the first time in a decade. It was NOT easy, and for me, it was NOT a shortcut. Just like other weight loss avenues, you have to want it, work it, and maintain it. Just like other weight loss avenues, there were times when I wanted to cheat, times when I was frustrated, and times when I was thrilled with results. My life literally revolved around food for the 3 months pre-op and the first six months post-op... it changes everything. I still have alarms on my cell phone going off twice a day to remind me to have a snack. I have water with me all the time, and I set timers when I get ready to eat and when I finish eating so I know when to stop drinking fluids and start drinking fluids again, respectively. I always have to plan ahead for what I can eat when and where if I'm going somewhere. My band was the tool I needed, but everyone is different. You have to go with what works best for you and your body.
Please research and talk to your physician(s). Go through a reputable program that will teach you how to eat with your band- because, yes, it is imperative that you eat right to get all of your nutrition needs met. Go to support groups with others who've had the surgery. Please know that despite what others may think, this is NOT an "easy out" or "shortcut" to weight loss. It is a BIG decision with risks and benefits, and all should be considered and weighed carefully.
I wish you all the luck in the world, and congratulations on your upcoming wedding!