Considering lab band surgery... lots of questions......

yeah - i'm going to stick with my original statement, that healthy eating doesn't have to be more expensive than crap food.

in a little short while, my husband & i will head to our monthly co-op & stock up with more fruit and veggies and whatever else looks good and not even spend $20.    that $20 will provide us & my brother's family with enough to last a month.  there is also dairy & meats, but since i have chickens - i get my eggs walking outside.

in my rural county TX, there are food ministries.   i volunteer every tuesday morning, so i know what it entails.   for $68 a family of 4 will get enough protein (chicken / ground meat / pork loins) whatever is donated essentially - to last 3+ wks.    pasta, grains, cereal, canned tuna etc are also included in that price.   ANYONE can sign up for this - not just the poor.   some of these are run by churches - but not all.

so, as i said - it takes planning not to eat ramen noodles, but it can be done.   

It is wonderful that you have that program there.... I would love to be able to do something like that but unfortunately my husband makes too much money to qualify for any kind of program like that.  We do not have a monthy co-op here.  It would be nice... but unfortunately not.  And why would me being a stay at home mom make it doable??  This statement makes no sense to me. 

you must have missed the part that food ministries are for everyone, regardless of income.   they are not government run & know they are all over the country.   i've volunteered for them when i lived in NY & now in TX.    food co-ops may not be run in every county (i live in an ag rich area) - but there are farmers markets in most cities, small or large.

and why would it be doable for a stay at home mom to find these resouces?   because anyone online can research - just makes it easier.

if you want to eat healthy it's not that hard & if your even considering WLS - i'd start planning now how your going to manage 60-70g of good protein daily.

ALL surgeries are risky including lapband. 

I have had problems with the band after around a year.  I couldn't eat protein without throwing up, wasting food and money , eating slider foods.   Too many random tightness and several unfills.   I stopped losing weight after 8 months of being banded.

You must not be phoboic of needles as that will be part of fills and unfills.

Now I went with the bypass, I knew the risks, but luckily I have no complications so far.  It is just fantastic being able to eat without throwing up all the time. 

I am newly banded, as of october 2011.  Here are some points I'd like to make...

I believe that THE most important thing in a person's weight loss surgery, IS the surgeon.  I really don't care if the individual has good bedside manner, I care about results!  I picked my surgeon based on teh following:

more than 500 surgeries performed
whom he trained with
his dedication to the patient-no one else touch's me.  The surgeon did the surgery himself (no residents helping).  for fills, all are done under floroscopy and ONLY by him.
is he a touch arrogant?  mmmm, not to me.  is he dedicated to wanting the highest success rate?  oh yeah.....we're in this together!

I understand that many people have had problems.  I hope to heaven I never do.  I appreciate that they post about their problems, because it's education and education is always a good thing.   because of them,  i didn't rush my first fill, and i specifically requested that we approach it very conservatively.  I haven't puked or slimed yet, and hopefully never will.

if you don't want to think about what you eat...lap band isn't going to cut it.  you need to count your proteins at the very least.  it's a very protein dense diet.  Pizza, pasta and noodles are NOT going to do it.  Do i think it costs more to eat healthy?  no, not really.  we are a family of four....and if anything, ive seen the grocery bill go DOWN, while we, as a family, eat healthier.  But, i plan my dinner meals, there is healthier snack food in the house, and everyone is happy.  I've also had to give up the big love of my life--diet coke .  now, i don't miss it. 

I said to a friend recently "if only i could have eaten this way BEFORE surgery, I would never have needed it"  I guess it took the surgery to "force my hand".  I'm eating so much healthier, and as a result, ive lost weight, i have MORE ENERGY, and am currently on NO prescription meds. 

OK everyone, i edited.  this is what i get for typing past my bedtime last night!

more than 500 surgeries performed
whom he trained with
his dedication to the patient-no one else touch's me.  The surgeon did the surgery himself (no residents helping).  for fills, all are done laproscopically and ONLY by him.
is he a touch arrogant?  mmmm, not to me.  is he dedicated to wanting the highest success rate?  oh yeah.....we're in this together!

Check my surgeon. Been there done that, was compliant with the eating program. Still had problems, same surgeon won't place bands anymore yet was one of the pioneers of the surgery.

However I do agree with you that having a competent surgeon is imperative for success. It just won't guarantee it.

@twoxover:  Thank you for your very helpful post!  I am thinking the same thing right now..... why can't I just eat healthier and exercise and commit to that now and not have to wait until i get the surgery.  But I have tried for 8 years now to do better and I'm obviously doing something wrong.  And thinking maybe that the band is just the tool that will 'force' me to eat better.  While yes... I know it will make me have to make some very strange changes such as eating pureed food after fills and all that... It will change my whole approach and relationship and love for food... which could actually be what I need in the first place.  So thank you for sharing... May God bless you with much success and never have any issues with your band.  =)