I am new and I have concerns & doubts
HI everyone - I am currently considering the gastric banding surgery. Earlier this week I had my first appt with a surgeon and I will see him again in two weeks. I have so many thoughts running through my mind and its just hard to keep the doubts away.
First I am going to be self-pay. I am taking the money out of my retirement account. I am a CPA and figured the taxes/penalty to be actually less than paying interest on a loan for the surgery> I figure the retirement funds were an investment in my future so this is an appropriate use. That said - cost then does figure into my decisons like it or not.
The surgeon I saw is known to my family - he did RNY on my husband 7 years ago (before we met) and removed my husband's gall bladder after he had an attack on our honeymoon. I have great confidence in this surgeon.
My weight is currently 295 and I am 5'4" which puts my BMI at 52-53. The surgeon explained both RNYand gastic banding surgery to me but said that normally he doesn't do banding on someone over 50 BMI - he did say that since I was close that he would leave the decision of which surgery to me. He has set me up for an upper GI, abdominal ultrasound, pulmonary consult, and pyschiatiac consult. Due to my work schedule this will happen right at the same time as my 2 week follow up visit. He also has me keeping a 2 week food diary.
My husband has regained about half of the weight he lost - so the doctor really scolded him but he said that he could and would help us both as a package deal. So those are all the facts - now here is where I am going all over the place....
First I have only told a few friends, mom and sister. My mom is very supportive - she has always as long as I can remember been morbidly obese so she wants to see me become healthier. My sister however made the comment to me that if I put my mind to it that I could lose without surgery. That hurts especially coming from her because she lost over 100 lbs on WW a few years back but has put back about 75 lbs - I thought she would be more understanding.
Next fear - I have never had anything medically wrong with me..knock on wood. I have just been diagnosed with Type II diabetes but have never had any procedure more invasive than a blood test. I am extremely anxious of surgery and being put to sleep.
I am also fearful that I will fail. Just today I have had a hard time not overeating. I made some soup with tomatoes, zucchini, squash, and a little bit of lean beef and I can't stop eating it. I don't have a problem with eating healthy foods - in fact I can eat myself sick on veggies. That is why I think the gastic banding is the right thing for me. I have read that you cannot have sodas and rice when you have the lap band. I LOVE diet coke and rice & gravy!
My husband as a part of his scolding from the doctor was told to cut back to 4 oz. I was measuring that earlier and it is so small of an amount - how will I be satisfied with so little food?
I know this is the right decision but how can I make all of these questions and doubts go away?
First I am going to be self-pay. I am taking the money out of my retirement account. I am a CPA and figured the taxes/penalty to be actually less than paying interest on a loan for the surgery> I figure the retirement funds were an investment in my future so this is an appropriate use. That said - cost then does figure into my decisons like it or not.
The surgeon I saw is known to my family - he did RNY on my husband 7 years ago (before we met) and removed my husband's gall bladder after he had an attack on our honeymoon. I have great confidence in this surgeon.
My weight is currently 295 and I am 5'4" which puts my BMI at 52-53. The surgeon explained both RNYand gastic banding surgery to me but said that normally he doesn't do banding on someone over 50 BMI - he did say that since I was close that he would leave the decision of which surgery to me. He has set me up for an upper GI, abdominal ultrasound, pulmonary consult, and pyschiatiac consult. Due to my work schedule this will happen right at the same time as my 2 week follow up visit. He also has me keeping a 2 week food diary.
My husband has regained about half of the weight he lost - so the doctor really scolded him but he said that he could and would help us both as a package deal. So those are all the facts - now here is where I am going all over the place....
First I have only told a few friends, mom and sister. My mom is very supportive - she has always as long as I can remember been morbidly obese so she wants to see me become healthier. My sister however made the comment to me that if I put my mind to it that I could lose without surgery. That hurts especially coming from her because she lost over 100 lbs on WW a few years back but has put back about 75 lbs - I thought she would be more understanding.
Next fear - I have never had anything medically wrong with me..knock on wood. I have just been diagnosed with Type II diabetes but have never had any procedure more invasive than a blood test. I am extremely anxious of surgery and being put to sleep.
I am also fearful that I will fail. Just today I have had a hard time not overeating. I made some soup with tomatoes, zucchini, squash, and a little bit of lean beef and I can't stop eating it. I don't have a problem with eating healthy foods - in fact I can eat myself sick on veggies. That is why I think the gastic banding is the right thing for me. I have read that you cannot have sodas and rice when you have the lap band. I LOVE diet coke and rice & gravy!
My husband as a part of his scolding from the doctor was told to cut back to 4 oz. I was measuring that earlier and it is so small of an amount - how will I be satisfied with so little food?
I know this is the right decision but how can I make all of these questions and doubts go away?
hello,
i am newly banded, and i wanted to let you know that all these questions and fears are normal.
wls is very personal. what is the right surgery for your husband or someone else you know with wls may not be the right wls for you.
RESEARCH !
each type of surgery, how each works. look at the failed surgery board too. then do what YOU know will work for YOU.
as far as the physical part of the surgery- the soreness passes. i have not been ' hungry' yet. but its only been a week. with the band you can physically not eat the larger portions.
best of luck !
i am newly banded, and i wanted to let you know that all these questions and fears are normal.
wls is very personal. what is the right surgery for your husband or someone else you know with wls may not be the right wls for you.
RESEARCH !
each type of surgery, how each works. look at the failed surgery board too. then do what YOU know will work for YOU.
as far as the physical part of the surgery- the soreness passes. i have not been ' hungry' yet. but its only been a week. with the band you can physically not eat the larger portions.
best of luck !
SJW 
We have all had the same fears, the last posted is correct RESEARCH, RESEARCH, RESEARCH, and RESEARCH some more. If you are a healthy eatter and you biggest struggle is portion control the band should work well for you. I had my surgery amost a year ago and have lost 78 lbs so far. The weight loss is slower than RNY but I wanted to avoid the malabsorbance issues as well as I was uncomfortable with having my organs rearranged. As you have seen in your husband having surgery is no guarentee that you will lose weight or that you will keep it off. All of these surgeries are tools...they can help you to succeed, they can't MAKE you succeed. That is up to you. Good luck with your decision and best of luck with your success!
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