I bought a house and then...

Ok, so stick with me here, I kinda have a point (eventually). See I bought a house 3 years ago. It was 17 years old, bank owned with all light fixtures and appliances removed and hole*****hed in walls, doors, etc. A major fixer upper. Even at what seemed to be an amazing price, it turned out a few months later I was completely upside down with the failing economy. Now friends of mine are buying brand new houses with upgrades like wood floors and granite countertops in tip top shape, twice the square footage and paying less than I did. Does my house suck? No! But by comparison it would seem I didn't make the best choice. So what do I do, walk away and destroy my credit or stick with it and learn to love my house for the reason I bought it to begin with?

Has anyone caught my point yet? Like the 30 year loan I took out on my non returnable mortgage, I picked the lapband when I didn't know much about the other procedures. I knew what my insurance would cover and it was only RNY or Lapband. RNY was not an option for me so I chose lapband and was happy to get it since I really needed something to help with my obesity and its side effects. I have been very happy to lose weight regardless of how hard it sometimes is. Does it turn out there might have been an easier option with fewer potential complications long term, yep. Can I return my band to the bank and start over? NO! I am usually not interested in getting into the conversations where people start pushing around POST OP banders and making them feel like they distroyed their lives by getting a band, BUT...IT'S ALREADY IN THERE!! Let them try their best now, they cant go back and they may just be ok with it. Share your stories with preop patients so that they may benefit from the knowledge and maybe not share your same regrets. There does come a time however when the hateful words have crossed over the barrier of being supportive and just show how bitter and remorseful some people have become. I mourn for anyone who has had complications and think you have a right and duty to share these stories if you feel called to do so, but you do not have to be like a linching mob esp with post op's who are not having any complications and are trying to do their best to get through their daily banded lives.

 I'm with you. I have worked hard to maintain my wt loss of 50 lbs for over 5 years. Pre-band, one time in my whole life, I maintained a wt loss for 9 months, and each gain brought me to a new high. I wasn't promised a miracle, and yet it has been a miracle to get off the merry-go-round. I do feel lucky to have had no complications, so I can't say what my reaction would be. 

Yes, I caught your point, and a good one it is.
Maybe I liked your story because Iam in the same boat (house and band).
If I could win the lottery that would get me a nicer house for sure.  Wonder if all that money would help me with my weight problem??

Great post Sarah.  I also had the choice of RNY  or band through my insurance company.  I knew the band was the best option for me at that time.  I am so thankful for what the band does to help me.

You're right Sahra, but also look at this "angle" You buy a car,,you love you're car......novone told you the next year a new model comes out..the new and improved model, with better gas milage and great no charge options.....MY new model hasn't come out yet....I'm still driving the Lapmobile...and I am very happy with it.....however...the new model is down the pike somewhere....Soo waddo I do?? Wait for the new model (or cheaper house to get back to your POV)....or be happy with the "old model" and make it work .....

Just a thought....What's the old saying?? Hindsight is 20/20

Petra

See if it was as simple as trading in the car even if we had to rollover the remaining balance I think it would be a worthwhile adventure to continuously talk about the new options. I have my days when I think, damn it all, maybe a different procedure would have had me to goal now and it wouldnt be so much work, and if I could go see my dr and ask him to trade me out, I probably would, but sadly its not that simple. Hind sight is most certainly 20/20 so we can learn for future experiences right? Thanks for chiming in :)

I didn't consider that. When I buy a car I usually drive it till the wheels fall off..Which actually happened with one back in Germany... I have lost around 60 lbs and, honestly, if I don't loose another lb I'd be good..I'm off my BP meds, my cholersterol is good and I'm more active..Maybe it's an age thing. I'm pushing 50 and being a "supermodel" is not in my near future...I'm what Maria would call "one of the very few" who has had no issues...of course I'm not even a year out..I wouldn't trade it for a "cut me up".. But then again the "New" model might just be that "wonderpill" that cures it all... :))))


Petra

I agree with you!  I am a pre-op lurker and this is the first time I've said this or much of anything really.  I am so tired of the drama on this site.  It's not just the con-banders but the pro-banders as well.  Just a lot of negativity here.  It's hard to make MY own decision because people put their opinions out here is such a negatively intense way.  I would take what people say MUCH more seriously if they just put their own stories out there in a factual way.  Then I go over to the revision site and I see people that are on here.. **maria** ... talking like a teenager... and bad mouthing the lap band site.  How can I take anything she says seriously. 

I have been trying to limit my time on this site because of the way people post and attack each other. I gain much more when I PM someone than reading some of the garbage posted on here. 

Just a general post to everyone out here... US newbies are OBVIOUSLY trying to gain the most knowledge before making a life long decision.. that is why we are on this site.  If I was just jumping Blind, into this.. I wouldn't be on here.  I would be on my way to the operating room.  I've looked at EVERY board on here including, DS, RNY, Revision etc.  I've read tons of articles and researched this to death.  I'm reading everything because this is a HUGE deal.  I'm not stupid, I'm not impressionable,  I'm not un-realistic.  So when people constantly use SCARE tactics to try and sway my mind to LOVE the lap band or HATE the lap band.. it makes me angry.. it does nothing to change my mind.  It makes me lose respect for your opinion, not use it in consideration.  Further, I don't know if I would even want to come here post-op for support, because of a select few whom make this a negative forum.

What does help me are your stories, your factual experiences, your questions and respectful answers, your kind words, your inspiration.  I like to read your horror stories, I like to read your positive life changing stories.  That's how I will make my decisions... but the progoganda is tiresome and and entirely unhelpful.
Just my two cents. 

Caidkin  you are right I was scared when I first came in here also . I was scared and I stayed away for awhile also I got tired of it also so I know how you feel.

It's scary enough when you are 350 pounds going into surgery knowing something could happen to you let alone people telling you oh you will be back in the ER getting that band taken out , or it will only work for you the first 1 yr maybe 2 if you are lucky.  I had the same things told to me also.

In fact my doc told me to stay off the site because I didn't need the negativity and stress right before surgery .

I made my decision and now I have to live with it through the good times and bad times .  If it comes down to me getting my band out then I will thank God for the amount of weight I have lost and  hopefully I learned some valuable lessons during that time , because this will be my one and only WLS done its the band or nothing :o)

Good luck with your decision and just make the right decision for YOU. We are not the ones paying the bills, and we are not the ones that know you or your body like you do . 

All I can do is give you advice on what I went through everybody is different.  What I might be doing might not work for you and so forth .

I am glad you shared. It can get frustrating even for me and i have been on these boards for over 3 years listening to it. You kinda have to take what you can that benefits you personally and then move on. Some of the posts that share complications are also helpful so you can be aware should you have problems what it will feel like and to act quickly hopefully avoiding major or perminate damage. People like Maria are not just sharing their complications, they want to be validated and vocalize it with such distain they end up having very few genuine listeners. I had to block her myself because it was just too grading and it provoked way too much anger out of me. Best of luck on your journey!!