Who I Am...

This is copied from my profile. I just wanted to put it out there as an introduction of sorts. It is long and I won't be offended if NO ONE reads it lol. Just doing this for me. =)


I am a healthy, yet obese, 23 year old from North Carolina. I have been considering WLS for a couple of years and have finally got to the point in my life where I feel like it is right for me, any sooner and I would not have been successful. I had a small setback in February 2011 when the surgeon I had decided to use showed me that he wasn't going to be very supportive of my decision to have the band and I realized that without a supportive surgeon I would not succeed. So I fired him. =) lol. Only after giving them their $100 program fee plus my office visit co-pay. UGHH. But I am one of those people who believe that everything happens for a reason. I had that consult on a Friday, that night I found the contact info for the coordinator at Hickory Surgical and was told that their next info session was MONDAY and guess what? I was off work on that Monday and going to be 5 minutes from where their session is held that evening. So I went, and met Dr Monty Cox(who did my best friends band surgery in 2008) and knew instantly that he was the surgeon for me. Things progessed rather quickly from there. And I was banded on June 8th 2011. It's definitely taking some getting used to but so far, so good.


My decision to have this surgery was an easy one. I'm fat. Always have been fat. And wasn't about always be fat in the future. I am young. I am healthy...literally no health problems other than joint pain from carrying 300+ pounds around(and that wasn't gonna get any better over time). All the girls at the surgeons office, the NP, my surgeon, the coordinator, dietitian, even the pre-op staff at the hospital kept saying "well you make the job easy, there's no problems we need to worry about, you have no history" And that in and of itself kinda made me happy. It made me feel like the odds were FOR me rather than against me. And that is a good feeling. Lots of people ask me why I didn't want to do the RNY, my reasoning is simple...I did not feel comfortable with the idea of my intestines being rerouted, especially at my age. Then I'm asked about the sleeve, truth is I went back and forth between the band and sleeve and who knows I may eventually wish I had gone with the sleeve. But then I look at my best friend who had the band nearly 3 years ago. She fell off the "bandwagon" and gained about 20 pounds or so in the last year and isn't happy with that. Guess what? She's getting an adjustment in 2 weeks and getting back on track. The best point of the band is that as long as you have it, you can work it! I see so many people who stretch their pouches with the RNY and who stretch their sleeves...but they can't be tightened back up!! I know there are pros and cons with EVERY WLS, and one surgery isn't right for every person...but I honestly believe that at this point in MY life, the Realize Band is for ME.

Congratulations to you! I had my band done july 2009 and I won't change a thing I am very happy with my decision and even through I have had medical setbacks not with the band I know they would have being worst if I didn't have wls. Good Luck to you!
Cathie

Great attitude we can suffer complications or problems with any WLS surgery.. there is no stamped guarantee... there can be future weight gain because our relationship with food but learning to change behaviors is what will make us most successful in the end.

Good Luck .. welcome to the board :)

Welcome and congratulations! 

The band worked for me and changed my life in so many positive ways it's impossible to list them all.  My only true regret is that the band wasn't available when I was 23!  (26 years ago)!  Keep coming here for support.  This forum was key to my WL success and I now have many friends from this site.  I even started my own Support Group made up of many of the great women I met here on OH!

Wishing you continued success!

Lisa O.

Thanks ladies! I've been around the boards for a couple months just haven't posted a whole lot. I've really learned a lot from ya'll though!

Hello

I am 40 (just turned 40 on Monday) and I have been obese for 20 years.  Most of those years I was perfectly healthy, like you.  I didn't start having health issues till I was 36 and it started with my period.  The next year it was my blood pressure and cholesterol.  The year after that I was told I my hip xrays are showing that I have arthritis...at 38!!!!  Then I had a doctor tell me that if I didn't lose a significant amount of weight I would see a dramatic drop in my quality of life in less than 5 years...again I was only 38!!!!   It was starting to go down hill fast. 

Just so you know I have lost 150 lbs and I am healthier and more fit than I ever remember feeling.   

So I think it's great to get the surgery before the health problems start, because I truly believe eventually we will all have health problems directly related to obesity.  Good luck with your journey.