BellaOnline Forums Health and Fitness Weight Loss Getting Lap Band- any advice?

I've known several who have had bypass surgery and one who had the lap band. The girl who had the lap band did better than the ones who had the surgery when it came to recovery from the procedure. Her 2 biggest problems after words was getting enough protein and extra skin. As a professional driver she had to quit because she kept falling asleep from lack of protein. She could eat so little at one time and hated stuff like yogurt and protein shakes. Then the extra skin became a problem for her. Unfortunately med. plans don't pay for skin removal unless skin form places like the abdominal apron creates health issues. If you can eat the stuff your body will accept after words you probably won't have too much trouble. Remember, like any surgery it takes time for the body to adjust. Good luck, keep us posted.

Good luck to you Maureen,
I would love to have it done
But i have Medicaid for health ins. Don't think they would cover it

I know somebody who had the lap band and they didn't change their eating habits then regained all their weight and more.

I don't know how this would happen. Isn't the lap band supposed to keep you from eating like a pig? This guy was eating like it was going out of style.

Anyway, you still need to eat right to keep the weight off and if yours is a hormonal issue then a lap band is just a band aid for what is really going on hormonally which you will still need to address with a hormone balancing diet and supplements.

One of my coworkers had his stomach stapled about 18 years ago(according to what he said I didn't know him then) At first he lost a lot of weight, then started overeating and eating all the wrong stuff. He ripped his staples out and gained tons of weight. Consequently he had the surgery done a second time (I did know him then) and guess what he did...yep...did it a second time. This time they couldn't repair his stomach, had to take it out and make a pouch out of the top of his intestine to hold the food he ate..but there were no digestive juices. Believe it or not he still ate junk food daily. About 2 years after his stomach was removed we attended his funeral. The entire episode killed him. Moral of the story, if you don't change your eating habits you'll gain back the weight and mess up your surgery whether it's the bypass or the lap band.

The various weight loss surgeries work by causing you to feel physically full (and painfully full) sooner and with less food. If you are someone who ignores or is unaware of that feeling, then it is unlikely to work. Either you will gradually stretch the stomach out or you will cause a rupture at the weakest link (ie the staples.)

On the other hand, if you are someone who does pay attention to those body signs and is eating carefully, but not losing weight, decreasing the stomach size can help a lot!

I personally wouldn't get it because a friend of mine died of post-surgical complications from gastric bypass. I'm paranoid about surgery anyway, because when I was about 4 I got to see my mom having a horrible anesthesia reaction from dental work. But those are irrational reasons!

Maureen, from what you mentioned, you sound like you have or are learning the proper habits to succeed prior to surgery and the fact that you are asking these questions means that you know you are making a lifelong decision, so I'm sure things will go well.

Julie

Wow that is insane! I don't understand people who eat so much. I always hated that full feeling when I was growing up and I really resented being in one of those you will eat every last bite on your plate even if you're stuffed families.

It took years to re-learn what a normal portion is but it can be done. People who tend to overeat and can't seem to control their portions or choices seem to be dealing with more of a psychological/emotional issue or addiction issue.

Best book I read on this is Structure House Weight Loss by Dr. Musante. Click the link for some helpful tips from his book. Great stuff for troubled over-eaters.

As I understand it, different people feel the sense of fullness sooner or later and some not at all. Also, for some people at some times the comfort of eating is stronger than the pain of fullness.

Julie