Lap Band, anyone had it or doing it?

Hi
I am looking into getting a Lap Band and am just wanting to hear from anyone who has one or is getting on. DH and I want to start ttc number two next Feb and I want to get rid of at least 40 kg before I even think about another bub.

I have tried everything including Weight Watchers, Jenny Craig, shakes, Liver Clensing diet, Fernwoods Weight Loss program, Xenical....and more. I have PCOS and find it very difficult to loose weight but very easy to put on.

Would love to hear peoples stories/experiences.

Hi Macca,

I'm actually scheduled for lapband surgery this Friday, the 1st of August. I decided on it after my younger brother was diagnosed with diabetes. I've done all the pre-op stuff and just waiting now for my operation.

Check out my blog. I'm happy to chat to you about it, too, if you want more info. I have 27 kgs to lose (after losing 5kgs already on my pre-op diet).

My friend got it done in March....she has gone from a size 26 and now an 18. Lost 20kgs and looks fab!!!

I don't want to rain on anyone's parade here, but please, please research this VERY carefully before you make a decision. This is not a quick fix, and it is a major surgery. I have seen some research articles out of the US which suggest that:
1. while there is significant initial weight loss after three to five years most recipients have gained much of the weight back
2. there are high death and complication rates from all bariatric surgeries.
3. there are cases of people suffering from long term problems such as continual vomiting, and neurological problems caused by compromised nutrient absorption.
The human body is an amazing thing which is not fully understood and interfering with its natural capacity to absorb nutrients is dangerous - possibly more dangerous than carrying extra weight. Especially if you want to have a baby, it will need a mum with a full spectrum of nutrients.
I wish you the very best in whatever you decide but I really hope that you do some serious research before you make a decision.

HI Macca,

My Mum had it done 3 months ago so fire away any questions you have. I have become somewhat of an expert on it!!!

Thanks for your replies everyone it's good to just hear about other peoples experiences.

Sushee - If you don't mind me asking how much is the procedure costing you? Do you know if any of it is covered by health insurance?

Pixie - Thankyou for your concern about the procedure. At this stage I am just educating myself about the procedure. I am off to have a chat with a GP about it but at this stage my weight is causing me many problems that are starting to affect my overall health. In truth I am about 60 kg over weight.

Amysarah - If I have any questions down the track I will be sure to PM you if that is ok.

Thanks again all :)

I have done 6 months of research on it. I promise you I didn't take this decision lightly. In fact a lot of weight loss surgery (wls) does cause malabsorption but lapband surgery does not cause the kind of malabsorption that gastric bypass or even a gastric sleeve does. And it is completely reversible, so if in fact it stops working for you, or you have complications (which is rare) such as a slipped band, it can be fixed or removed.

Also a skillful surgeon and a patient who makes sure that they get their fills gradually will combat a lot of the problems with vomitting. In the States, the band is done by one Dr but the fills often done by fill centres who see many patients. In Australia, where lapband surgery has been done for 15 odd years, you receive lifetime aftercare from your surgeon. If you're vomiting, your band is too either tight or you've eaten too much. You either a) learn not to eat so much or b) see you Dr immediately for a reduction in your fill.

Also in Australia, it's been shown that if you keep your band in and restricted, you do not put the weight back on, and won't for years (they've tracked patients for up to 10 years). This is different to a lot a bariatric surgeries, where over the years, the remaining 'stomach' left behind can increase in size to accomodate increased food. Of course, even with the band, you CAN put it back on (or even not lose any weight), if you start eating high calorie, high fat foods that 'slip' past the band, like milkshakes and chips, but no wls would be able to 're-program' someone's mind. It's only a tool to control your hunger and control your portions. The remaining work comes from you. The band will assist you in losing approx 50% of your excess weight, then you stabilise. If you want to lose more than that, you're going to have to eat well and exercise, exercise, exercise. This is no quick fix.

Also compared to other bariatric surgeries, lapband surgery is the least invasive. It's done laparoscopically, so you're only in hospital a day. It can also be unfilled during pg so that you can eat normally and receive enough food to provide nutrients to both you and your baby.

In the US, lapbands have only been used since 2001, and even then less often than gastric bypass, as many of their insurance companies try not to pay for it. It isn't as accpeted there yet, but as they see more success, it is gaining in popularity. In Australia, almost all wls is lapbanding. And except for one health fund here in Australia, every single fund will pay towards lapband surgery here in Australia. They accept that it is a way to reduce obesity long term, which in turn will put less pressure on the fund from obesity-related diseases down the track.

But most of all (and why I decided to do it) it helps me combat a problem I have never been able to combat on my own - my weight. I have significant family history of diabetes, hypertension, heart disease. I also am showing athritic change in my knees.

So I can definitely say I did not make this decision lightly. Nor should anyone. But it is a tool that is there and is proving to be a permanent solution to weight loss. I only wish I'd thought to do it sooner.

ETA, Macca posting at the same time: I'm with HBF and paid $1950 out of pocket for the $12000 procedure. I do know that most funds do cover lapbanding, but not all. Call your fund and ask them.

I was going to give some info, but Sushee has done it beautifully.

Knowing all about the procedure, and long term effects and outcomes are really important to the success of it.

K

Macca Sushee and Kate - I'm really glad that you are making sure you are fully informed about the procedure before going ahead. Good on you for doing your research thoroughly. I just wouldn't want anyone to go into it lightly or without all the relevant info. Good luck with it all and let us know how it goes.

No probs hun. I never do anything without researching it inside and out. That's why it's taken me 6 months from the time my family GP discussing it with me to actually getting it done. I agree that no one should accept surgery without being fully informed. :)

thepixie - there are many steps in place that make sure that people are very well informed before having the surgery. There are many steps involved. These include many visits with your GP, a dietician and group information sessions. You also have to go on a gruelling liquid diet for 3 weeks prior to surgery to decrease the size of the liver (obese people generally have large livers which makes access to the stomach harder). It is not something one can just walk into a doctors office and say "yep, i'll have lap band thanks".

I had a bit of a wake up call when my GP suggested that it was something that I consider, so I spent a fair bit of time looking into it.

A little background info just for context:
I am the pixie's DH - She is an insurance lawyer that has spent a lot of time managing medical malpractice claims.
I've been large for a long time - I was 85kg when I was 16, and by my 20th birthday I was 175kg, at the time I was very active, played rugby at a semi-pro level and was definately the wrong person to meet running the other way. I'm much less active now, and I'm around 140kg at the moment.
I've also worked as chef and have an ongoing love affair with good food - I don't eat badly.

I'd been trying various things to lose weight - various supplements, Atkins, CSIRO, etc...none of them worked terribly well. I bought low fat foods, and drank diet sodas.

My conclusion after looking at the lap banding for a while was that it was not a step I was prepared to take, without making sure that I'd exhausted all the less-radical alternatives.

I'm now losing around 5kg a month - by cutting out all commercially processed foods (no low fat products), artificial sweeteners (so no more artificially sweetened diet foods) and reducing simple carbs as much as possible.

The principle we are working to is simple - the risks of obesity have increased massively in line with the changes in diet over the last 50-60 years, so we're trying to eat a diet that would have been available over 60 years ago.

This means that we tend now to only buy raw ingredients and work from there - we make our own jams, preserves, stocks, sauces and dressings from first principles - we've even been tinkering with curing our own meat and fish.

A big part of the diet is the concept of whole food - whether eating plant or animal, consume as much of the by-product as possible. If we buy carrots or beetroot, then they come with all the leaves, stalks, etc - cooking a chicken or joint of meat then implies making stocks and soups from the bones, pates and terrines from the offcuts.

The end result is that we are eating extremely well - we have people queuing up to have dinner with us - I'm losing weight, and the pixie has had the most amazing pregnancy - no sickness, cramps, sleepless nights, stretch marks - really could not have been better.

I'm also eating less, much less - I have a personal theory that one of the side effects of the modern diet is that the feedback mechanisms to control hunger are disrupted. Food is no longer an impulse thing, it takes time to gather the ingredients and prepare a meal. Most animals spend a huge proportion of their energy securing their food - it seemed to me that we had made it too easy and too far removed from a natural process.

As an example - I made fried chicken last week. From the point where I decided to make it, I had to wait for the weekend markets to get a nice whole chicken, herbs and buttermilk. The chicken was jointed, the breasts frozen, and a stock made from the carcass - the legs were marinaded in the buttermilk with herbs and spices for a couple of days. The chicken was dredged in wholemeal flour with more herbs and spices before being fried and then baked in the oven to render out the remaining fat - it was fabulous. The chicken was rich and creamy from the marinade, the coating was crisp and spicy - but it took me a week to make and when I finally got round to eating it I was barely able to finish the leg (one thigh, one drumstick) that was my portion.
It is not long ago that I would have quite happily have eaten the entire chicken without a second thought.

What's my point in telling you all this?

What I am doing is hard, it involves putting a lot of effort into thinking about what I eat and how I am going to prepare it - if you are reading this and thinking that the lap banding might be an easier solution then think again, from discussing the implications of the procedure with a lot of people I concluded that living with a lap band was going to be an awful lot of work and would require permanent changes to diet and lifestyle that I couldn't live with.

I'm not advocating that my approach will work for anyone else, or trying to put you off the lap banding procedure - but you do need to be really, really sure in yourself that you have done all that you can to change your diet before making this step.

as the daughter of two parents who've had gastric banding, neither of whom have made the required lifestyle changes to compliment the surgery - all i can say is don't go there unless you're ready for life long lifestyle changes - it might give you a short term fix for the weight, but if you don't do what you're supposed to long term, you'll have complications forever. my mother is now larger than she was pre- surgery (and has had both stomach stapling/ gastric banding which had to be reversed after 10 years due to complications, and gastric bypass) - she weighs easily 20kg MORE than she did pre-surgery, and continues to believe that she can eat anything because the surgery is what will help her. it's a constant point of contention - i refuse to eat with her cos she eats crap! dad had gastric banding a year or more ago, lost a bit of weight, but has gradually put it all back on

it is NOT an easy fix - as sushee said, you need to change your lifestyle - the banding is only there to boost you along - i guess a bit of an added "push" to do the right thing - if you're not prepared to do the hard yards yourself, then you won't get anything other than illness and lifelong probs from the procedure

i'm a big person, and i know, short term, i could lose a crap load of weight from the procedure (as my parents keep telling me) - but untill i'm ready to make ALL the lifestyle changes i need to make, and can implement them FIRST, there's not a chance in hell i'll go there.

My mum's neighbour had it done. She lost quite a lot of weight in a short period of time but had to have it reversed due to complications (not sure exactly what the problems were but she was quite sick). Since having it reversed all the weight has come back on and has spent much of the time depressed and barely left the house(she had suffered from it before too).

This probably doesn't apply to you from what you've posted but on Oprah recently they had a show about the after effects of lap band surgery. Nothing to do with ops gone wrong or anything, but about addiction. It showed people who had thought their problems would be solved by lap banding only to find that their initial problem was an addiction to food which after the surgery got replaced with something else - alcohol, drugs or gambling for example and their lives were far worse than prior to the op. As I said, not suggesting this applies to you, but just thought I'd mention it in the post for anyone who is reading this and is thinking about getting it done.

I agree that addiction to food is something that needs to be looked at prior to undergoing surgery. My mum met someone prior to her surgery at an information session that was unable to give up the bad food. He knew he wouldn't be able to fit in a mars bar so instead he put it in a blender with some milk and drank the mars bar. I agree that you may need to visit a psychologist to treat the addiction prior to undergoing surgery or it will not work.

My Mum's obesity had nothing to do with the amount of food or types of foods she ate. She has always eaten well and walks every single night. She had a full hystorectomy (sp?) when she was 33 and had a 6 year mental breakdown at 40. She has been on hormone treatment and anti anxiety/depression medication for the past 20 years. This is what has contributed to her weight gain. Because she doesn't have that mental issue with food this surgery is working perfectly for her. She had it done 3 months ago and has already lost 15kgs.

In her case, lap banding was the best option.

A quick note for TheBear - you are a very smart individual. Our bodies were made to digest and absorb foods and nutrients in their natural form - as they are found on this planet. So many health problems stem from humans eating processed, denatured, refined and modified foods - and far too much of them. This problem is perpetuated by advertising and supermarkets that offer pretty looking packages and convienience. I know that eating a healthy whole-food diet takes quite a lot of extra effort and preparation, but it is so incredibly worth it. Well done for making the effort, you are 100% on the right path!
All the best to you and thepixie and your bub!

Just a quick note on lapband surgery - I know one lady who had the gastric banding, and discovered she could still eat the same amount of food (or more) than she ate beforehand if she made it quite liquidy - eg. pasta with lots of creamy sauce, soups etc. She is still struggling with her weight, and the lapband didn't work so well for her. I know another lady who had the lapband about five years ago, and she lost too much weight. She had a great deal of trouble with swallowing and blockages, and this reduced her food intake dramatically. She has recently had the surgery reversed, and is feeling much better. On the other hand, I have spoken to others who found lapbanding a great temporary measure, and have lost weight, and reduced their food intake sensibly.

It's so good that you are all researching and sharing info, because this is a really difficult decision to make. Good luck in making the choice that works for you xxx

Just wanted to comment that I actually did have what I'd call a lifestyle change and moved to eating well and exercising 4 times week last year. I lost 10kgs in that time. But I've put it back on. I always put it back on the minute I ease up on the brakes. In this case I broke my foot and couldn't walk for a month. It broke my momentum, and with DH buying takeaway coz I couldn't walk, I stopped losing. And starting gaining. Because hunger is my worst enemy, and I see the lapband as a tool to fight my enemy.

If I thought I'd blend a Mars bar and drink it, I wouldn't be having surgery. Anyone who thinks this is some magic bullet is deluding themselves. But it does work. For thousands. You may hear of the few 'vivid' cases of when it goes bad, but there are many people who live among you who don't have any problems at all. In fact most choose not to share their surgery with anyone but their closest family, because of the perception that lapbanders are people who are too lazy to exercise and eat well. When in fact, the lapband does help many break the cycle and help them make those lifestyle changes that last a lifetime.

I understand that trying to control the 'head hunger' or what some might call food addiction will be difficult, and I'm also realistic enough to understand that the lapband will make help 10% of the time (inasfar as the hunger), but I have to work hard the other 90%. I understand it means I'll be forced to change my life. I'm ready for that.

Because at 38, I have to stop pretending that I'm going to be able to do this all on my own. It doesn't stay off - I fight hunger every single day. I am realistic enough to know I can't keep that up forever. I have never been able to previously, so now I'm seeing the writing on the wall, and doing something to fight the physical hunger. And for someone who is over 30kgs overweight, I do in fact eat well and exercise, though not as much as I'd like to with fulltime work and university. I am otherwise a healthy person, who in fact had a great pregnancy at 36 years of age, and who, my family will testify, is fitter than my skinny sister. But I'm also not going to wait until obesity-related disease such as diabetes and hypertension hit me, because with my family history, it's very possible, if not likely.

So if diet and exercise work for you, great. I think you're doing wonderfully btw, TheBear. It does work for many people, which is why programs like weight watchers is so successful.

But I know my limitations, and I know that each time I 'fall off the wagon' I gain it all back and more. I have tried it all, and now I'm trying this. It's not for everyone, definitely not for those who think this is just going to fix the problem with no work on their part, and it's not something I would recommend to someone without them knowing just what they're getting into, but it feels right for me. It's why I've decided to stop hiding it (which every bander I've met has told me to do for my own sanity) and start talking about it.

i haven't read all the responses but am confused...

if you are able to lose 5kg on a diet before surgery (my cousin did this also, and it also confused me) then doesn't that prove that you CAN lose weight without the surgery...?

Sush,
Good luck hun, I have had my pre appointment with the nurse to take down my detailed history and a very comprehensive history on my eating habits. My next appointment is in 2 weeks with the surgeon. I need a tool to help me manage my weight for the rest of my life.
Good luck again, I will be waiting to read your blog to see how what recovery is like. (the only thing that is really scaring me atm)
Bec
ETA: What was your BMI like I am just on the edge of the critera ..its like I am too fat for life but not fat enough for banding, I have spoke to another surgon who will do it but it is another hr away rather be near home

I dunno if I've already posted in here, but my DF had the lap band surgery exactly a year to the day today. He has been disappointed that he's not lost as much as he was hoping, but his doctor said that it'll be like that at first, and then the weight drops off afterwards provided you excerise and eat right. To this day, he's lost a grand total of 55kgs from before and after the surgery. I'm very proud of him.

Good luck with everything - I'll keep you in my prayers :pray:

Emma,

losing weight can be easy. Keeping it off is the hard part.

I lost 5kgs on a pre-operation diet by replacing 2 of my three daily meals with Optifast. I think if you can manage to do that for the rest of your life, you're a better person than I am. I have never been so hungry as I have been this last 3 weeks, and I was lucky in that because I has a 'borderline' BMI of 35, it was on a less strict diet. There are those who are only allowed to have 3 serves of Optifast (less than a cup full) and a cup of veg all day for their pre-op diet. And that, I imagine is really hard. And yet I expect, like me, the only thing that keeps them on the pre-op diet is knowing they won't have to do it forever, just until their operation date.

(By the way, it is not recommended that anyone stay on Optifast for more than 12 weeks because it starts to lose it's effectiveness. It says so on the box.)

So I do see people who show commitment and willpower. They just know that if they need commitment and willpower for the rest of their lives, they will likely fail. There will also always be those who believe getting a band means they can eat what they like, but many successful banders go about their business quietly losing the weight and changing their lives.

And just to point out, since I admitted in this thread that I am having lapband surgery, I've had msgs from members who have either had lapband surgery or know of people who have successfully had lapband surgery, who have lost and kept the weight off - some for many years. Yet even now most won't tell people about it because of the stigma involved.

Minky, my BMI when I started out was around 37 but it's now 35. But my surgeon will band anyone down to a BMI of 31. Studies are showing that it is actually far more effective for those who have 20-30kgs to lose than for those who have more than that to lose. There is also a shift in the culture of it, where Drs are starting to believe that if it looks like you've struggled with weight all your life, better to band you now at a BMI of around 35 than to wait until your weight is so out of control you have more than 50kgs to lose. Good luck with your appointment.

LizJessie, 55kgs is a phenomenal amount! Send my congrats to your DH. I know it's frustrating when the weight loss is slow, but if he's still losing and not gaining, then he's going great guns!

Sounds like a few people are coming out the woodwork in this thread too. :)

WOW it has been very interesting reading everyones experiences. I would just like to throuw in that I found a great bok titles The Lap Band Solution by Paul O'Brien. He is one of the MD's who created the Lap Band and placed the first Lap Band in Australia. Full of info on working out if this is for you and info on the procedure.

BearJust wanted to say that I think your doing great with your whole food approach, Im glad that it has really worked for you and Pixie, best of luck with your new bub.

SusheeJust wanted to wish you all the best for your procedure. I'm looking forward to reading about how it all goes.

Macca, LOL! I was just coming back to edit my post because I forgot to tell you to try to get your hands on that book!

I don't have any experience of this. Thebear, you and i have a somewhat similar approach to life i think, though i simply cannot afford to go as wholefoods as you are (financially, i'm on welfare) i do try to focus on eating simple unprocessed foods and exercise is the ABSOLUTE key for me. At this point in time i have accepted that my body has not read the government guidelines on how much exercise "should" help me stay in shape. I begin to gain if i do less than at LEAST 4 gruelling-sweating-really-pushing-it exercise a week. That is on top of my average walking mileage of about 25miles, 20 of which with DD (15kg) in the meitai on my back + shopping etc. and all the normal park/running about/housework involved in being a SAHM. When i do the daily plate or king calorie trials it looks like i have to run a 200/kcal DEFICIT to MAINTAIN weight. I love food, so i do it with exercise. I also have a thyroid problem which is medicated. Getting on meds for the condition was the biggest factor in losing my excess 20kg. My BMI is about 24-25 just now, which is pretty normal for me, though i'd like to be about 7kg lighter, they are "vanity" kg - the only "health" aspect is that i have heavily muscled thighs and any excess fat on them makes them rub together at the top which is uncomfortable when i run in short shorts. I'm living with that though! LOL. I'm also aware that probably 3kg of the 7kg i feel is excess is muscle so perhaps i should think more of 4kg of fat needing to go?

But since i am already, at a normal weight, in a place where i accept that intense cardio work and resistance training is going to have to be a DAILY part of my life, i can well imagine that if i was overweight enough that doing that exercise was impossible or difficult, i would certainly consider ALL my options, including surgical ones.

Anyway, this has been a big ramble, but what i mainly wanted to do was post a cordial invitation for ANYONE on a weightloss or weight maintenance journey to pop over to the exercise routines, tips and chatter thread for some great advice and stonking support. Some days it's all that gets me moving :D

Sush - you have to wait a few weeks until your doc gives you the ok, sorry! :D

Bx

Bx,

I've told DH I want to try the couch to 5km challenge once I've lost my first 10kgs (not including the 5 I've already lost), so I will be in like flynn once I get my Dr's all clear to exercise. Will need all the motivation I can get!

Also registered for the City To Surf, but only the 4km walk, because it's 4 weeks out from surgery. Should be easy enough, DH and I walk a lot anyway. Already decided that we've got to start training for the 12km leg next year.

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I'm also eating less, much less - I have a personal theory that one of the side effects of the modern diet is that the feedback mechanisms to control hunger are disrupted.

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So true! Take McDonalds for example. The chips and softdrink do nothing but make you hungry, the burger buns have 8 teaspoons of sugar (and therefore make you hungry), the meat is fatty, and most importantly (I think) - you barely have to chew. Chewing sends a message to your brain that you're becoming full, but with fast food, you hardly have to chew it and so that message isn't reached. Also, your body doesn't have to work hard at all to extract the energy (and, theoretically, nutrients) which means you get hungry faster. The whole fast food thing is designed to make you eat more, and the more you eat, the hungrier you get. When you are full, because the food is so easily digested, you're hungry again soon after anyway. It's a total scam!

I think it runs much deeper than that - sure, there are some well documented chemical feedback mechanisms - sugar enhancing appetite, fat making you feel full, etc - but I think there is a more fundamental issue, food has become too convenient.

Food should not be convenient, it reduces the psychological value of the food. This is a difficult thing to explain, try this as a simple test:
Buy a bag of frozen peas (I think frozen peas are really good for you as a food item, this test is all about convenience)
Set out what you think is a reasonable portion for you, weigh the portion, then cook them simply.
I tend to steam them over some boiling water, then add a little salt, pepper and butter before serving.

Now try buying some fresh peas, still in their pods from your grocer (supermarkets rarely carry them)
Sit down and shell the peas into a bowl by hand, until you think you have a reasonable portion. Don't throw away the pods, they can be used to make a soup.
Weigh the peas and then cook the peas the same way as you did before.

You should discover two things:-
1. That there may not be any difference in the portion sizes - chances are you will make more effort to accurately judge the amount you require if there is more work involved.
2. You should feel satisfied more quickly when you eat the second dish, and probably feel the need to eat less of them as a result.

Scientifically there is nothing to choose between the two plates of food - frozen peas are arguably more nutritious than all but the freshest of fresh peas. The only difference is in your head.

One of the key things with lap banding, is that it makes all food less convenient - you can work around it by 'grazing' on lots of small meals, or by doing stupid things like blending mars bars - but it is a lot, less convenient than it was before.
But you do need to ask yourself if the right way to deal with the modern diet is to artificially cripple yourself.

Hoobley - it's much harder in the UK as the supermarkets do have much more of a strangle-hold on the food supply and have discovered that if they process and package everything then they massively increase their margins - so they actively make it difficult for you to buy unprocessed food from them by charging a huge premium for it.
You might want to investigate other sources of produce - most councils still have allotment schemes running, even if you can't spare the time to grow your own, there is often surplus produce that cannot legally be sold - many growers are happy to give it away if you make it easy for them. It's also well worth finding out about local farmer's markets when you can buy directly from the growers - nobody wants to take unsold food home with them at the end of the day, so go at the end of the market and haggle...it will be better and cheaper than the supermarket.

Morning folks, great to see a lively conversation going here! I just wanted to say Hoobley you're doing such a great job with all that exercise, especially when you've got a thyroid condition.... don't forget that the BMI is a pathetically blunt instrument, not a worthwhile measure of health, and takes no account of weight from muscle so I wouldn't use it as a yardstick of your health. Sounds like you're doing a fantastic job taking care of yourself so keep up the good work.
Look forward to hearing others' thoughts and experiences....

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There are those who are only allowed to have 3 serves of Optifast (less than a cup full) and a cup of veg all day for their pre-op diet. And that, I imagine is really hard.

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My mum had to do this. Most miserable three weeks of her life!! However, she did lose 8 kgs pre-op because of this.

Sushee - I shall do. My DF wouldn't shut up when I was posting my piece in your blog and on here and I kept telling him to shut up so I can leave the message! He's slowly losing 2kgs every month, and he's not happy with it, but I'm estatic because it's something he *should* be proud of. We get out and excerise whenever we see each other (he's a school teacher and I'm a shift worker) for motivation. The doctor also did tell him that it's ok to still gain a kilo or so because it'll happen, but the overall loss he's had has been remarkable. He went from being 195kgs to 140kgs (though he doesn't think anyone can see that!)

amysarah - I know the suffering your mum went through. My DF was so so so depressed and down that he could only have the Opti-fast before the surgery and it got so bad to the point that he actually cried.. Poor thing!

Liz my mum is also slowly losing weight. She has lost 15kg in 3 months but that includes her 8kgs lost pre-op while on optifast.

I think the idea is that the weight comes off slowly. There are many problems associated with massive amounts of weight lost in a short period of time (including saggy skin) which is why the doctors prefer for patients to lose the weight in small amounts over time. I guess it also means people have time to adjust to the new lifestyle and eating habits as well.

Your DF has done an AMAZING job!!! Please tell him congrats from me.

Prior to the op my mum had severe sleep apnea (sp?) and was required to sleep with an oxygen mask. At the sleep lab she had nearly 400 apnea's in one night which is so incredibly scary. It is now three months since her op and she no longer needs to sleep with oxygen :dance:

AmySarah - Yeah, that's the same with DF. He lost 45kgs before the Op with the (the pre-op diet) Opti-Fast diet (which he hated, but still has the milkshakes cause he really enjoys them) and has lost 10kgs in a year, which he's pi$$ed about, but I'm always trying to tell him that the doctor DID say he'd lose the weight slowly. Yesterday was a year to the day that he had the surgery (he proposed to me the day before the surgery because he wanted me to know how important I was to him in case anything happened to him in the operating theatre - his words, not mine!) and he's still happy that he's losing it, he's just annoyed that it's slowly.
I will definitely pass on my congrats to him for you as well :) Pass on my congrats to your mum not needing to sleep with oxygen! That's a big achievement especially in three months!

One of the things I did realise about myself when I lost 10 kgs last year was that when I spent a lot of time looking for healthy foods and a lot of time preparing my meals, I became a little bit obsessed with food - finding it, preparing it, eating it. It took a lot of time out of my day. Which was fine back then when I was on maternity leave, but now I work 7.30am to 4.30pm, get home at around 6pm, cook, clean, put my baby to bed, then study from 8.30pm to 10.30pm. Then I flake out to start it all again the next day. In between that somewhere I also try to exercise 3 times a week, even if it's only a 30 min walk.

What makes me eat atm is hunger, otherwise I reckon I'd forget to eat. And the lapband controls hunger - so to me, that's perfect! Only eat as much as you need to feel full, except with the band it's 1/2 cup instead of a big plate.

The thing is, TheBear, I think you're doing a marvellous thing. And it's not like I haven't BTDT. But here I am back in the start. There is something very disheartening about falling off the wagon over and over again. I don't need to hear that eating better and moving more will solve my problem. I've tried that all my life. I have never been on a 'fad' diet ever. I've always tried to lose weight sensibly, but it doesn't stay off permanently.

So please don't doubt that it took me a lot of research and some real balancing of the pros and cons to have made the decision I have. If crippling my hunger is what is going to happen, then I'm ready for that.

And don't get me wrong, I think everyone should use the band as a last resort. It's MY last resort.

Hi Sushee
I completely understand that you feel this is something that you need to do. In the Bear's case, we looked at this procedure and decided it wasn't for him. What he's doing now is working for him and for us. He is extremely healthy and doesn't have a family background of heart disease or diabetes to be concerned about. He had to see a cardiologist to get his pilot's licence (purely on the basis of his weight) and the cardiologist couldn't believe how strong his heart was and wanted to show his ECGs to students!
In your case you have done a lot of research and satisfied yourself this is for you. What I get worried about is people who see this as a quick fix, a magic bullet like you said before and are tempted to rush into it without looking at all the consequences, especially people who don't have any existing health problems other than being a bit overweight. Our society is obsessed with weight and IMO promotes a body shape which is unhealthy for probably 90% of the female population at least. Health is more important than being skinny but our society does not see it that way and for some people that pressure can be hard to resist when they don't fit the image.
I wish you all the best with it and I hope you will let us know how it goes for you.

Pixie,

I think discussion is healthy, and it's been great seeing the many sides of the issue.

When I first saw this thread, I jumped in because I've done a lot of research, and already knew that this was not going to be some quick fix. I think there is a perception sometimes that this is an easy way to lose weight, but it's not.

I agree with you that bariatric surgery should be used to treat obesity-related health problems, and not for cosmetic purposes. And if anyone seriously believes they will wake from the operation as a thin person, they need to do more research. There are loads of cosmetic surgeons who can reduce your fat, but a lapband will never be a cosmetic procedure. Obesity is a real health issue, and for every one person who does it thinking it will magically make them skinny, there will be 49 others who are doing it for all the right reasons. There is so much prep involved, that if you go into it believing it is a magic bullet after all the counselling and Dr's appts, then you're deluded and no one can help you with that anyway. :)

I guess what I'm saying is that while I don't consider myself an advocate of the lapband, I do believe it is a viable tool to assist in treating obesity, and have heard so many people tell me that all I have to do is eat less/move more to lose weight that I feel sometimes there is no empathy for those who've tried it all and have now taken this big decision to seek medical intervention for their problem.

So if someone is looking at all their available choices, because they've come to the point where they know they can't do it on their own anymore, then I do believe they should hear the pros and cons of all their choices, even if it's lapband surgery.

Good luck to you and TheBear too. It sounds like you've found a happy balance in your lives. :)

I have done a lot of reading today in this book on lap banding and I have to say they go overboard to stress that the band is a tool not a solution and that you must commit yourself to the exercise and diet. If you don't you won't get the results you want.

Sushee - I know what you mean about hunger. I have to eat a big portion to feel full at the moment and only really eat at night/afternoon. I think the band will help with this hunger problem as mentioned in the book. What did you think about the bit were the author writes about the 'myth' of breakfast and three regular meals? Made me think a bit.

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I think it runs much deeper than that - sure, there are some well documented chemical feedback mechanisms - sugar enhancing appetite, fat making you feel full, etc - but I think there is a more fundamental issue, food has become too convenient.

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I completely agree with that as well, I was just pointing out the physical reasons. I'm very overweight and it isn't just because of the mushiness of big macs!