Anyone else getting cold feet?

kimaly

I"m getting my lap band on 7/22/08, It's getting close and now i'm wondering if I picked the right surgery. lap band, sleeve, GBS, mini bypass, I'm self pay so I want to make the right choice from the get go. Maybe it's just nerves. just wanted to know if anyone is going through this or has gone through this?

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Band Date 7/22/2008

Northwest_Nance

I was self pay too, and when I first started doing my research, I "knew" that I wanted bypass surgery; I thought of the lap band as the little step-sister of bypass. But the more research I did, the more I realized how serious bypass surgery is, and how much higher the risk of complications was. I began to fear bypass surgery. And being self pay, I knew that if there were complications, those would be self-pay too, and if worse came to worse, they could bankrupt me. So I began looking more and more seriously at lap band surgery. Eventually I wanted lap band surgery instead of bypass, even if I wasn't self pay. But. For weeks and weeks I was changing my mind every 30 minutes! I pretty much drove myself crazy. My brain was overloaded with research and I couldn't stop going back and forth between the two.

Finally I came to the decision that lasted a lot longer than 30 minutes.... to go with lap band. Once I made the decision, I never looked back.

That being said.... since I got the band on May 15th, and have been introduced to the world of bandster hell and going for fills and waiting to reach the "sweet spot", and seeing the weight drop slowly since surgery.... I've had a moment or two where I thought about the fact that with bypass surgery I wouldn't be going for fills and I would have lost a lot more weight by now. But, I still wouldn't go back in time and make a different choice. Lap band surgery was a simple surgery for me, with a quick recovery. In the long run I'll be glad I lost the weight slower -- I don't see myself able to afford plastic surgery to get rid of extra skin, so the slower I lose it, the healthier for me, and hopefully less sagging skin.

In the end, I'm really happy with the path I chose. You shouldn't feel trapped into a procedure you're not 100% sure you want, just because you have a surgery date..... do more research and soul searching and decide what you really really want before you take the plunge!

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Original weight: 255
Weight at surgery: 232
Current: 198.8
Goal: 130
Banded 5/15/08

daisybug

I think it is PERFECTLy normal to feel nervous because of the "surgery" part but if you are unsure about getting a BAND, maybe you should re-schedule until you are 100% positive. I apologize if that sounds negative, but I would never go through this unless I researched it A LOT and was TOTALLY ready.

I was 100% LAP BAND READY because I didn't want to lose weight so rapidly and have to be on iron pills forever because they removed part of my small intestines.

Call your doctor and schedule another consultation !! be sure its what you want because this is your body you are dealing with.

I bet your Doctor would agree to another sit-down to discuss ANY doubts or fears about choosing the surgery thats RIGHT FOR YOU!!

BEST OF LUCK TO YOU!!!!!!!!!


278 surgery weight
234 current weight
180 goal weight

bas

Hi Kimaly -

I was just banded this past Wednesday on 6/25. I too am a self-pay and was having a hard time deciding between Lap Band and by-pass. Knowing that if needed, the Lap Band is reversible, helped in making my decision to go the Lap Band route.

A very close friend of mine had a by-pass about 5 years ago. She moved out of town a couple of years ago ..... wah!! When she called and checked on me the other day she asked a bunch of questions about the lap band, pre-op and post op diet, etc. then mentioned that she thought she needed to get her surgery re-done because she's gained a fair amount of weight back. I'm not even sure if by-pass surgery CAN be redone.

I remember in the beginning with her tby-pass, and several months after hat she had A LOT of throwing up and A LOT of "dumping". After I explained everything that I knew and experienced so far with the Lap Band, so said, Oh - that sounds so much better.

I had a flood of emotions before the surgery if I was doing the right thing, or even if I should do this at all but I'm sure that's normal. I really am glad that I've done this - and will use this "tool" to best of my advantage!

Good luck with your decision!

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Brenda
Banded - 6/25/08 10cc band - no fill
1st fill 1 cc - 8/5/08
2nd fill 1 cc - 8/19/08

mstrina27

U know one thing is to look but not to harp on the issues that others had. They are not u.. Not to sound harsh or anything but i did the same thing I was like omg look at all the issues with people throwing up and food getting stuck and shi*. I don't think this is for me... but i prayed about it and there were things that i have learned along the way. Take your time and chew your food good now, dont drink any liquid 30-60 minutes before of after your meals now.. start acting like u have the band now. I haven't had choking or throwing up at all and i thank God for that... Not saying that everyone is not ready for the change, but I was ready and still am. Just as u will always hear the band is a tool and if u dont work it nothing will happen. If u are trying to build a house and u have nails that have to get in the wood and u lay the hammer down by the nails and the wood thats all it will do is to lay there...U have to work the hammer with the nails in order to start building the house.... U can do it put the negitive thoughts out and know that u have come this far and u ain't gonna turn back now....

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Banded 5/15/2008 Pre-filled band 3-cc's
2nd fill 6/12/2008 2-cc's
Highest-327lbs
Current-273lbs
Goal-185lbs
http://mstrina-fromacaterpillartoabu....blogspot.com/

orea15

It's perfectly normal to have these doubts and second thoughts. I have researched thoroughly, too. I know intellectually this is the absolute right thing to do. And yet, I am having moments where I just freak out thinking about the surgery and everything I have to do. As you will see below, we are right on schedule!

I'm not sure who wrote this, and I wish I could give attribution, but I offer this for your consideration:

Stages of Banding

Discovering the Band
Wondering if this is for me
Investigation
Doing serious research
Joining a support group
Getting hopeful
Finding a doctor
Shock at the price
Deciding to do it
Making the arrangement
Wondering if you made the right decision
Getting nervous
Going ahead with it
Waking up and wondering what the hell you did to yourself
Post-op discomfort
Month of liquids- not being able to strictly adhere
Wondering if you've been scammed again
Seeing a little success
Getting your first fill
Changing your eating habits
Seeing more success
Getting second fill
Really losing
Seriously changing your eating habits
Being totally euphoric about your weight loss
Changing your thinking about eating
Wanting to tell every fat person you meet about the band
Realizing you really can't eat
Worrying about nutrition
Learning to eat healthy and wise
Finding other ways to meet your emotional needs
Realizing it takes a long time to lose 100lbs
Trudging along
My clothes are too big
Buying new clothes
Oops, I bought too much too soon...now these are too big
Buying more clothes
Getting near goal
Enjoying all the compliments
Feeling successful
Getting aggressive
Not taking crap from anybody
Realizing you can be assertive without steam rolling everybody
Finding balance
Wondering what comes next

**There are other stages and everybody does not go through them in the same
order or even go through all the stages. Some people might have stages to
add....and there is some looping back and forth. But these are common stages
that Bandsters go through.

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orea15

Actually I live in Vienna, which is at about 9 o'clock on the Capital Beltway. :-)

Feeling better today?

Orea

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MicheleK

I know how you feel...I'm expecting a call this week from my surgeon's office letting me know if I've been approved. I'm looking forward to this call...and I'm terrified of it all at the same time.

Once I'm approved I know I'm REALLY having this done.

__________________
It is better to light one candle than to curse the darkness -
Chinese Proverb

My Blog ~ http://butterflyfindsherwings.blogspot.com/


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Altoonasoup

That's exactly where I am, too! I joined this forum 2 years ago, only to be turned down by Anthem BCBS. Direct exclusion they said. Now two years later I find other people in the same company with the same insurance have been covered for the band. I resubmitted everything, including my new co-morbidities, and more recent diet failures

After searching the new union contract along with the newly negotiated insurance coverage, it looks as though I may get approved. I am trying not to get my hopes up.

But the dumbest part is that I have read this forum and researched and hoped for two years, and now when it might happen I am starting to wonder if I know what I'm doing.

Also I've noticed that I'm wanting to overeat even more because "I might never get to enjoy my favorite (insert anything high fat high calorie) ever again! What am I trying to do to myself?