new girl

hey everyone. i'm new to the board. i'm trying to decide if lap band is something i want to do. my best friend since second grade had it done and she's done really well. my dad had his stomach staple about 20 years ago. he's really pushing me to do this. he says i'm in the prime of my life and i'm not enjoying it. nobody else supports this. (except my friend who had the surgery) she gave me good advice, to do it for myself. i feel like such a failure. i feel like this may not work too. i don't eat because i'm hungary. i can eat all the time and do. i eat for every emotion. blah, blah, blah. i know you've probably all have been there and done that. i'm just looking around at gathering info. i've read the horror stories and they scare me. bad! but i'm tired of not feeling like doing anything. being embarassed to go anywhere, and hurting. my knees and feet hurt so badly at times. so i'll be reading up and checking out y'all stories. thanks for any info y'all have. trish

Trish, Welcome....We've all been where you are and in some sense some of us still are. The decision will have to be totally yours. I initially was going to have lap band but since my ins. wouldn't pay for it but would pay for RNY I decided to have RNY. Its a decision I have never regretted and WISH I could have done it years ago. You do have to remember that what you dad had done 20yrs ago is NOT what they do today. Best adivce I can offer is research research research, just when you think your done, research some more. And most importantly, find yourself a GREAT doctor.....Are you in Arkansas? Cathi

i am in arkansas, hot springs. i am going to dr. lutrell seminar on the 24th of this month. i picked him cuz i was seeing another doctor in his building and saw his poster. he also does varicose veins and i want to look into that too. dad's surgery was definitely different and he's had a hard time over the years cuz he thought it would fix all his problems but it didn't. he's had to work hard to keep the weight off. i know i will too. i watched dr. oz on oprah and bought his "you on a diet" book. in the back of it, he is for weight loss surgery. which shocked me in a way, but it makes sense what he says and it's why i started thinking about it. he talks about being obese is as deadly as breast cancer for someone over 50. that scared me. my friend had hers done in branson and her nurse had invited me to their seminar just to get more info. i have researched it for about 3 years on and off. but i will research it to death before i do it. thanks for replying. trish

Trish, The seminar should provide LOTS of info, if not, find another dr. Myself I had Dr. Wellborn and just loved loved loved him. I started at 237lbs and now weigh 120lbs. Feel free to private message me if you have any questions, I'm in North Little Rock. Cathi

that's amazing. how tall are you? i'm 5'7 and 275. in 2004 i went on the michael thurmond 6 week body makeover diet. i lost 50 lbs in 6 month. felt great. it worked good. but then a series of major life changes happened and 1 year later i had gained it all back except for 5 lbs. which is unusual. i usually gain it back and then some. i could easily gain more weight, i have to struggle to stay here at this weight. my good friend from high school, size 2, asked me if i'd called jenny yet. ha! i did try nutri system this fall. nata! zippo! i lost 5 lbs but that's not really what i was paying for. If i'm not happy with Dr. Luttrel i'll make an appointment with dr. wellborn.

Trish, I'm 5'4", I'm what they called a light weight. But I did go on to lose 117lbs. the first 100lbs was in 10mos. Had a tummy tuck at 13mos postop and went on to lose another 12lbs. Keep us posted on how the journey is going. If you need help with anything or just want to chat private message me. Cathi

Welcome, Trish! Dr Gibbs did my surgery on 9/12/06 and as of this morning I've lost 50#!!!!!!! I'm a light weight too, started at 234, 5'3". I never had a bit of problems, never took my liquid pain meds, had RNY and was back to work in two weeks. I would highly recommend Dr Gibbs. Keep up posted as to how things are going for you. You'll make the right decision for YOU! Take care, Susan

Hi Trish! I'm way down here in southeast arkansas and my surgery date is just 8 days away! Dr. Gibbs will be doing my Lap RNY in Little Rock on the 19th. He also does lap band. His seminar and his office staff are really great. I've heard Dr. Wellborn is really good too. I'm thinking I contacted Dr. Luttrell's office about the RNY and was told he only does lap band now. I could have him mixed up with someone else. But you're more interested in the lap band, right? After you research and get more info, you'll know what is right for you. Good luck to you! Denise

Hi again, Sorry Denise, I saw Barbara Garcia at the top of your post, not your name at the bottom. Oh well, I'm just starting my first cup of coffee, eyes aren't quite open yet. I just wanted you to know that Dr Gibbs did my surgery and it couldn't have gone better! You certainly picked the right guy IMHO!!! None of that yuckky bowel prep or liquid diet before surgery, and Carrie, his nurse is the best. Had my surgery on Thursday, home Saturday night, and not one single problem.....ever. Ok....I was a little uncomfortable last night 'cause I had red beans and rice for dinner, had been craving it for a week. Just had a "heavy" feeling and lots of burping, so it really wasn't that bad. I have never dumped, never took the pain meds that I brought home from the hospital, and wish I would have done this years ago. Oh, as of this morning, I'm down 50#....starting weight 234 5'3" Take care, Susan

Susan, you go girl. that is 50 pounds long gone. got my hair cut and now i am cute as a button. all 5 ft of me....I kind of look like tinkerbell....hehehehe my profile has a pic of me over the summer. the draw back to my losing weight......divorced my husband of 10 years...hahaha got 3 tattoos and a piercing...hahaha the wild innner child has escaped me. ewwww bowel prep........death in a bottle. that stuff was still working on me a week after surgery......ewww. I had very little pain actually had them take the morphine drip away about 12 hours post op. I have a high tolerance to pain and to meds. dumping....in the 5 years only a few times. one time was bad i thought i was dying. i tasted ice cream and home made hot fudge about 7 months out........ewwww the smell of ice cream makes me very sick to my stomache. i have learned that just because I was able to eat something one day doesnt always mean i can eat it again. if you get that heavy feeling just relax and sip small amounts of water.....dumping usually goes away in 20-30 mins. it might make you feel sluggish for hours tho. gotta go, tammy