Worried about success

[Lealove]

Hi again all,

I will banded on May 26th and my new concern is will I be successful..... Long story short (hopefully).

I am turning 44 next month and I have gained and lost about 1000 pounds over the last 20 years. If you knew me, you would know that I am ALWAYS on a diet. It is embarrassing........ I have done every diet available, joined every program, etc...... I always lose,but after about 6 months I gain it all back and a lot more very quickly. I want to get off this merry go round so Lapband is my chance, I hope, for a normal life and a normal weight. I know I have to do my part and I am in the mindset that I am going to follow all the instructions given to me ( I am an all or nothing gal) I know it is a tool and it will be up to me to use it the way it is meant to be. Is there anyone out there with the same merry go round life of dieting that finally got off and is now normal with the Lapband??? I just want to be healthy.....

Thanks!!

LeaLove

[nothereanymore]

You sound so much like me that its not funny, and I was the same age as you when I recieved the band in 2006. I'm going to be honest, I've had my lap band for over 18 months now and I'm almost done with my weight loss, however I'm not yet what people consider normal. I eat smaller amounts, have to chew it up like you can't believe - (but it seems normal to me now and when I see people gobble their food down it makes me feel kinda sick) and I don't drink when I eat. (I have my short glass of cab before dinner for the antioxidents only of course)!

Here's the important part, I eat very healthy now, smaller amounts but I really think and plan for what I put into my body. My kitchen is very different, and I've turned into a bit of a chef. I use fresh products, herbs, only whole wheat pasta and brown rice. I've taken cooking classes and really enjoy my food. And the reason I can now do this is I'm not hungry all the time and I can think before I stuff something in my mouth and have the time to prepare and cook healthy foods. (and yes most of the time I can eat anything, just very small amounts and well chewed). I buy small containers to organize my food so I can quickly grab something good for me. (Trader Joes and our local PCC are my favorite shopping stomping grounds.

What's funny is that for years I've run a business for celebrity doctors, and I have nutritionists working for me and doctors at my call. Nothing worked - the band was my savior and I'm so thankful for it. I just went in for my yearly check up and my doctor was so impressed with my overall health and is now very supportive of the band.

I'll be happy to help in any way possible - good luck!

Lisa

[sparetire]

Hi again all,

I will banded on May 26th and my new concern is will I be successful..... Long story short (hopefully).

I am turning 44 next month and I have gained and lost about 1000 pounds over the last 20 years. If you knew me, you would know that I am ALWAYS on a diet. It is embarrassing........ I have done every diet available, joined every program, etc...... I always lose,but after about 6 months I gain it all back and a lot more very quickly. I want to get off this merry go round so Lapband is my chance, I hope, for a normal life and a normal weight. I know I have to do my part and I am in the mindset that I am going to follow all the instructions given to me ( I am an all or nothing gal) I know it is a tool and it will be up to me to use it the way it is meant to be. Is there anyone out there with the same merry go round life of dieting that finally got off and is now normal with the Lapband??? I just want to be healthy.....

Thanks!!

LeaLove

Hi LeaLove

congrats on making the decision to get healthy. I too have these same fears as I will be 43 next month. I have also been on every diet there is and now with my band, i am having a hard time with the "dieting" mindset. I have to work at not counting calories, but at making healthy choices. I can tell you that with the band, with a fill, I can hardly eat anything without feeling immediately full. i have dropped approx 2 lbs since i was filled last week...

every once in awhile, like when I go to sleep thinking about it, I have this fear that it too will fail. i really enjoy this forum as the majority of dr Ortiz's patients have success, huge success and thus there is a more positive vibe here than on other forums. I think this is also the reason we chose to go back to TJ for our fills, despite the huge cost.

[Jacqui1]

I know exactly how you feel. Actually, I have been on such a roller coaster ride that my husband and mother both think I am wasting my time and $$ going to TJ for this surgery. I have absolutely no support, and I guess I understand and have done this to myself. My success in this surgery is so important to me, not only for myself, but to prove once and for all that I can succeed at this weight loss. My goal is not to get skinny, just to be able to feel like people are not staring at me for being so large.

Lots of luck to you!! You'll do great.

[mona-camille]

I know exactly how you feel. Actually, I have been on such a roller coaster ride that my husband and mother both think I am wasting my time and $$ going to TJ for this surgery. I have absolutely no support, and I guess I understand and have done this to myself. My success in this surgery is so important to me, not only for myself, but to prove once and for all that I can succeed at this weight loss. My goal is not to get skinny, just to be able to feel like people are not staring at me for being so large.

Lots of luck to you!! You'll do great.

You said you have absolutely no support -- thats not true! You have our support! So use it whenever you need too!! I know we aren't your blood family, but we are your band family and we have all the support you need right here!!

[kym828]

i too have gained and lost the same pounds over and over... my poor skin is now starting to show the signs of the abuse too! with the band i have been able to lose steadily but slowly (which was my intention to begin with) i know i am at the point where i need another fill as i can eat whole meals right now... i should never be able to eat a whole hamburger or 2 pc of pizza but right now i can... the thing is - i am maintaining and not gaining. yes i do exercise alot but i cant tell you how wonderful it is not to see those scales going in the wrong direction and getting frustrated and giving up like i would have in the past... i know the tool is there and i know as soon as i get this much needed fill i will start losing again. its the best invention ever and i am so glad i chose this instead of the gastric bypass which has helped millions but i know what a pig i am and if i can stretch out a stomach that has been cut in half i know i would!! my band wont let me do that - its way too painful to pb all the time.

good luck!

kim

[mom12]

I am in your same boat. If there is a diet out there I have tried whether it is healthy or downright deadly. I have lost and gained weight so many years in a row that I can't count them and when I decided on this surgery I was the highest I have ever been. My band date is May 8th and I am really excited about it. I am very hopeful that the pounds I take off in today and in the future will be gone forever but I have to admit some moments of what if this doesn't work for me or only works for a little while?

[Kittycat]

I know exactly where you are...I am 45 and have gained over 100 lbs in the last 10 years. I am scheduled to be banded on June 10th here in Canada.

I have strugged all of my life with my weight and diet after diet. Sure I lose weight when I diet, but then it all comes back.

Having the band is going to be a huge, life changing experience for me and I am scared and excited about getting healthy. I am determined to make it work. I can't say for sure that I won't struggle, but with the support of my friends, family and this forum, I know I will be able to succeed.

The band is a tool, it will not work if I continue to make bad food choices. I have started making better choices now in preparation for the future and have lost 10 lbs so far.

I wish you luck with whatever you decide to do! Cathy

[petnanny]

okay, so here is a little bit of my life to relieve your embarrassment... Over the year of 2007 I lost over 110 pounds. What do I have to show for it? Only 30 pounds have stayed off and losing/ gaining those pounds have cost me over $3000. I feel horrible when I see people that saw me at my 70 pound down mark (since that was the most that was gone at any time) I find myself avoiding friends and family so as not to have to admit I cant keep myself from shoveling it in! I turn 38 this summer and am soooooo single its sad. I have no idea how much I have lost in the past 20 ish years but I think I am up there with you! In 8th grade I used to pack an apple and a can of diet soda for lunch because I was about 20 pounds overweight and everyone was thinner! When you get your band, dont look for the ways to "eat around the band", look to this site and your new friends to make this the best decision of your life!!!

Teri - Petnanny--------due to band 5-1-08

[Paula Bee]

okay, so here is a little bit of my life to relieve your embarrassment... Over the year of 2007 I lost over 110 pounds. What do I have to show for it? Only 30 pounds have stayed off and losing/ gaining those pounds have cost me over $3000. I feel horrible when I see people that saw me at my 70 pound down mark (since that was the most that was gone at any time) I find myself avoiding friends and family so as not to have to admit I cant keep myself from shoveling it in! I turn 38 this summer and am soooooo single its sad. I have no idea how much I have lost in the past 20 ish years but I think I am up there with you! In 8th grade I used to pack an apple and a can of diet soda for lunch because I was about 20 pounds overweight and everyone was thinner! When you get your band, dont look for the ways to "eat around the band", look to this site and your new friends to make this the best decision of your life!!!

Teri - Petnanny--------due to band 5-1-08

Wow.. how many of us used to freeze a diet coke, wrap it in foil, and take it and an apple to school for lunch. I used to do that all the time. The crazy thing is, that in high school I weighted 166, and that is my goal weight now. I felt so fat...

[trulytangledgrl]

Wow... its like I am reading my own story over and over here. This is the GREAT thing about this forum - we all have such similar stories, and we can all relate. I have been on a diet since about age 12 I think. I will never forget it, my parents made me get on the scale, and my dad was mortified - I will never forget the look on his face. He was like 'YOU WEIGH 150 LBS! THIS IS UNACCEPTABLE!' and since then, I have been on a constant diet. My parents put locks on our cupboards, I was not allowed to eat without one of them witnessing me (except while at school, of course. Even then, my mom packed my lunch for me). I was even put on Dr. monitored diets (starting at about age 13-14) which all of course failed. When I got into highschool, I felt so horrible about myself that I would restrict my calorie intake to about 600-800 calories per day, and I did drop about 40-50 lbs. I eventually gained it back, plus some, once I got into college. I was eventually up to about 250 lbs or so, and then I lost like 80 lbs and got down to about 170 - but once again, I did it by starving myself and exercising like 3-4 times per day. This cannot last long - I got so burnt out, sick, and weak. I looked like death. My face was sunken in, my skin was not the correct color.... it had a tint of grey to it. Needless to say, I gained almost all of THAT weight back, too!

I have tried every diet pill ever made, every gimmick on late night infomercials, every piece of exercise equiptment, every diet program, etc. I was vegan for about 6-8 months, vegetarian for 6 months or so, and then my most recent diet was Nutrisystem. I lost about 25 lbs on NS which is great, but after that the weight loss came to a staggering HALT (due to the digestive issus it caused because of all the presertatives in that food), I saw the numbers on the scale go up, up, up... and I said SCREW IT! I am not wasting $300+ a month to do a diet thats not working. So, I stopped that diet, and have since gained maybe 5-10 lbs back, but surprisingly no more than that.

I, too, have thought to myself 'wow, what if THIS doesn't work either? what will I do THEN?' I question myself a lot, but by reading this forum and with all of the stories of success, I KNOW that I can do this. I know that I have to do the work, but I think that the band will be a great tool for me to help restrict my food intake. I have wasted SO SO SO SO much money on diets/workout stuff/videos/Dr. visits/etc.... thousands of dollars I am sure. I am so afraid to spend the $8000 for this and FAIL at it. I want to prove everyone wrong... and myself, too! So thats what I am going to do. I am going to succeed! =D>

[calicat]

I am actually afraid to lose weight for a variety of reasons. One, I will no longer have an excuse not to be successful at something. Two, I would feel vulnerable to (think of your worst fear as a woman). So....I've used my weight as a shield of armour to protect myself. So losing weight w/o a control such as the lap band - I just gain it right back in superman speed. And I never really lose that much, because I don't deal with the attention really well.

Well, with that said, now that I realize I have gotten past those barriers, I tried and tried again to lose weight in different ways. PCOS put a quick halt to that. And according to my doctor, the cure for PCOS is.....drumroll please - to lose weight!! Well, it's difficult for some of us PCOS patients, and I just knew, after seeing Oprah, that the lapband was the answer for me.

There is more to losing weight than just the physical losing pounds. There are ALOT of emotional reasons that women, and men, carry their weight with them thru life. It's a big decision to let go and make the change.

I chose the lapband because I want to feel normal. I want to eat a piece of pizza on poker night, and not feel leftout because I have to count points, or have something different. I LOVE food. My husband and I enjoy fine dining. I want to continue that, and I can, with the lapband. Instead of eating a 10 oz steak, I'll have 2 or 3 oz. Instead of an entire piece of cheesecake - I'll have a couple bites - and savour every one of them!! So for me, I enoy eating healthy, but cannot expect the world around me to change too. I have to blend in with it - and the lap band is my new friend, and my best shot to do that

Good luck - and may this forum help you find great stength - it has for me!! >

[dani]

Hello All ~

I have never posted to a forum...so I guess I will learn as I go. I have been considering lap band since I discovered my sister had it done a year ago. Of course, in honor of her weight loss...I gained 50 pounds! I am going through my closet to purge my "thin clothes" and am mourning...deeply mourning the days when I used to dress so fashionable. In the past three years I have gained 100 pounds and cannot seem to stop this upward trend. Middle age can't account for it all...and there is definite emotional eating and drinking going on. I am terrified to have the lap band done but see no ther choice as ideal body weight is critical to the work I do (which I cannot disclose lest my patients read). Is it worth it? Do I have to be concerned that I am getting this done out of the country? How do you all deal with the emotions underlying the eating? I HATE exercise which I know needs to change. Well, I am signing off to place all my thin clothes in a storage bin in hopes that I will fit into them again. I have bins with sizes ranging from 10 - 20!!!! Not a good night. Only positive is all the added space in my closet! Thank you in advance for listening.

[nothereanymore]

Hello,

I completely understand your concern. The lapband surgery takes just about 14 minutes with Dr Ortiz, and his facility is top notch. I found him when I heard that a doctor from Mexico had proctored many of the doctors in my State. (When I was researching to make my decision on who to go too). I then contacted the manufactures of the lapband, researched and found that he was well respected and highly recommended.

You should always have concern when deciding to have surgery, however for me, my weight was more of a concern, in regards to having surgery in Mexico, you are 30 minutes from the border and you are in very capable hands. You should have just as much concern as many places on LA or other inner cities. Be smart, don’t bring your jewelry or flash money, go in groups and don’t go out at night. *The hotel has a great restaurant and wonderful staff. Emotional eating, yes you have to fight that - good luck with only fitting a small amount into your stomach. Exercise - find things that are fun, belly dancing, whatever makes you feel good, who cares as long as we move our bodies. Then once your sleek and sexy, its kind of fun to put on a tight pair of stretch pants and go out and work out, and show off your sexy new body!

At first I didn’t want people to know that I went to Mexico, I was very worried about perception. However I have no concerns now and I just don’t give a rat’s ass what other people think. He’s given me my second chance at life, and I’m doing it right this time. I know based on how I feel and look and my general overall health that I’ve added years onto my life. Have I changed who I am? Absolutely, my kids are grown and I now drive a little sports car that I would not have been able to fit in before. I wear sexy clothes, love chache’ and you would have a hard time finding a shoe that didn’t have a high heal in my closet. (You would have a hard time finding one a year and a half ago) I belly dance, just got into my first bikini since the 70’s and I’m loving life!

Go for it, what do you have to loose except for 100 pounds. (I’ve lost 115). Weight isn't a shield, it’s a big wall that keeps us from fully living life!

Best,

Lisa