Wondering if I am looked at differently on MFP because I had

Kebennett1

I know that I chose a different path than many of you when it comes to weight loss. You may believe I took the easy way out! I am here to prayerfully set the record straight on Lap-Band Surgery! THERE IS NOTHING EASY ABOUT IT! First off you have to have an upper GI, an ultrasound, pass a Cardiologists Exam, A sleep study, A Psychiatric Exam, Meet with a Nutritionist, then if you pass those you have a two week, liquid diet plus one Liver shrinking small meal a day at dinner! Then you have the LB surgery which takes 5 incisions. I am still tender after 3 1/2 months! I can feel the port and it is tender in that area when I try to sleep on my right side! For the first week you only get clear liquids. The Second week all liquids. The third week soft foods like cottage cheese, yogurt, Oatmeal,etc... The next week ground foods. Then up another step, etc., Well you get the point! Every 6 weeks saline solution is injected through my abdomen into my port to tighten my band keeping it in optimum adjustment so I can continue to lose! I can only eat between 1/4 to 1/2 cup of food per meal or I will get sick and vomit! I have stuck to the plan so thank GOD this has not happened! Would I go through this again, Yes! Why, because I played the yo-yo game for 30 years! Never getting below 160 pounds and then I would gain it all back, plus more! Then my health started failing. My cholesterol went up, my heart started failing, my lungs started becoming affected, I had a stroke in 2000 and a heart attack! Finally, my Cardiologist recommended that I have LB surgery to aid in my weight loss and to keep it off! Believe me I thought a lot about it. I know two people who had it done. One lost little weight because she doesn't follow her plan and she is sick a lot! The other lost 90 pounds and is now at a plateau because she is not following the plan now and she gets sick! I just keep praying that GOD will give me the strength to continue to stay with the program! He has for the past 3 1/2 months. It is a tool of weight loss! It assists me in helping me to feel full with smaller meals and stay feeling full for long periods in between. BUT, I still have to choose to eat healthy foods, small portions and there are foods I CAN NOT eat, like Bread Products, chips, crackers, candy, gum, no carbonated beverages and I still have to exercise! So as you see I am not all that different than the rest of you! I have a plan, must stick to it, and need support!

believetoachieve

Nope. I haven't had it, but there's no way that's an "easy" way out. I've had a breast reduction surgery, but that doesn't mean I took the easy way, because 1/2lb was surgically removed!! :laugh: Rock on and hold your head high. Who cares what others think of you! :flowerforyou:

beastmode_kitty

I have a friend that went through that procedure and it worked out well for him. But it sounds like quite the lengthy process to go through. Nothing I would want to try.

Keep doing what you are doing, and you will always have us MFP'ers for support

McKayMachina

I always thought surgeries were the hard way. I've only ever known people who gained their weight back because the problem is their habits and not some mysterious physical issue. The chances of having thyroid and metabolism issues that actually affect weight loss are close to zilch. So, people get the surgery, it ultimately fails, they have to do all the same non-surgical things the rest of us are doing AND live with any complications. NO THANK YOU. I definitely don't think that's the easy way.

Christine1110

I have had a hard time losing weight, and tried for many years....but I didn't give up. Everyone has a choice of how they want to do it. I wanted to learn to eat right...and exercise.

I don't really care how anyone else loses their weight.... Just glad they are doing something. I only can worry about me : )

missvics

I had gastric bypass almost 10 years ago and still battle my weight although it definitely helped me with the initial big weight loss. There is definitely no easy way out!!!

fireflyangel22

From a nurse's perspective it is far from an easy way out. Any kind of weight loss surgery is very hard on the body, and has stressful strict rules for dos and donts after the surgery. It is helpful to some people, but causes more difficulties for others. Keep following the doctor's instructions and a great healthy diet. You have just as many struggles as the rest of us on here, and we respect that!

Kebennett1

Thank you believetoachieve!:flowerforyou:

Ree_Chatelain

I don't think anyone would look at you differently. We are all taking this weight loss journey in our own ways and for our own reasons. Everyone has struggles and needs to do what is best for them. Good luck, stick to it and stay strong. Don't let anyone make you feel bad for the choices you made.

Mariposa187

It doesnt mattr what ppl think. You are doing what you need to do to get healthy. This is your choice and if you feel you need it then right on!!!! I dont view you differently you are trying to make a change in your life and that is admirable. I know that i could not do it but that is because i am scared of doing surgery type things. I have seen it help ppl who could not do it without that push...

I will be praying that God gives you the strength and determination to stick with it i would hate for you to get sick from not sticking with the plan.

Loosing weight no matter what you do is not easy... People need to respect that everyone does things differently...

Kebennett1

Thank you precious kitten!:flowerforyou:

jmjones66

My daughter had the LB surgery, as well. She lost about 90 pounds in 6 - 8 months. She stays pretty active, which is great. She was never able to have saline added to her port, because it was making her too full and she could eat. Two-years later, and she still has nothing in her port. She is maintaining her weight, but EVERYTHING makes her sick. She has good days and bad. The things that make her sick one day may not make her sick on others. I watch her struggle through this everyday, and because of her struggles, I decided that the LB surgery was not for me.

I wish you the best in you journey. The weight will be gone before you know it.

Kebennett1

Respect your opinion MckayMachina!

Wildflower3475

First of all I want to say thank you for educating me on this. I had no idea all that was involved. You must be a strong person to go through all of that. I've always said that people who bully or hurt others are usually doing it because they are jealous of something you have. Maybe they're trying everything and nothing is working for them and are jealous of the accomplishments you've made. Just continue to do what works for you and what makes you happy and don't even waste an iota of a thought on what "they" say. )
Good luck on your journey!

Kebennett1

Christine1110 We are here to support each other not worry about each other! I have finally learned healthy food choices, and to exercise, but yes, this is what it took! I guess I was a slow learner And had to do it the hard way!

Kebennett1

missvics, gastric bypass is a whole different ballgame. I hear you still always feel hungry. With LB that is a plus, you don't. I am sorry you are still battling weight issues after going through such a tough surgery. I wish you all the best and am here for you for support any time you need it.

taosan

Why would anyone look different at you? Weight loss is never an easy journey, especially if you've gone overweight 30, 40, 50 or more pounds and have been like that for who knows how long.

Gastric bypass is just yet another tool to accomplish a desired outcome, and as you have stated, if the determination isn't there, you won't make it with a band either.

So no, I wouldn't look at you differently, the tools you choose to get rid of the excess weight should be the ones that best suit your individual circumstances, for some that's hunger diets, for others pumping iron, the next one might freebase saturated fats on an Atkins diet, yet another one chooses the LB or even a combination of all the above.

In the struggle to lose weight everybody has to go through their trial and error phases before arriving at the right combination of measures that will create sustainable loss, and for every person this trip is equally demanding and taxing.

I'm not even quite sure what your motivations are to ask such a question, it almost sounded like you feel you are "cheating". Well, you're not.

It's your journey to a healthier body, you can't compare it to other's. There is no such thing as good and bad approaches (well extreme and stupid stuff excluded of course), there is only the one approach that works for you, and if it works for you, then you have achieved a goal that is by no means any lesser than that of someone using the 185-days-fluids-only or 3-months-pineapples or what have you avenue.

What I am trying to get at is this, once you've become overweight to a certain degree it doesn't matter exactly what approach you choose, they'll all be equally demanding on you and require determination, sacrifice pain sometimes even.

To that effect, all the best to you and congratulations on taking one of many possible steps to getting a healthier body.

Kebennett1

fireflyangel22, you are correct! I have to be careful and make sure I am getting enough Nutrition. I have to be careful to make sure I do not do anything to make my LB slip! I have been very blessed not to suffer from any nausea, as I follow the diet plan carefully. I do add Vitamins, minerals and extra Protein! I have a Cardiologist, Family Physician and the LB surgeon who ALL follow my progress and contact with a Nutritionist anytime I want to speak to one! Thank you for your input!

Kebennett1

schatelain, Thank you for your encouraging words! :flowerforyou:

Kebennett1

Mariposa187, Thank you for your support. It is greatly appreciated!:flowerforyou:

Kebennett1

jmjones66, Thank you for sharing about your daughter. I am sorry things are not going well for her. I will add her to my prayers. Thank you for the encouragement! :flowerforyou:

Kebennett1

Wildflower3475, Thank you for your kind words of encouragement. I am as strong as I need to be to get through all of this, GOD see's to that! I appreciate all the support I can get just like everyone else!

MeggieMae22

I think you where really brave and still are for doing what you did. I'm terrified of needles and surgery, and if I had to make a choice between staying healthy by doing the surgery, and not being healthy. I would get the surgery done. I wish you good luck on everything. I don't think what you did was easy. Your a very strong person just keep reminding your self that.

Kebennett1

taosan, Wow, I love your attitude and how you explain what we are all going through! Thank you so much for the support. The place I came from was a few people have already told me that they thought I took the easy way out to weight loss and I guess it just made me feel really bad. I see so many people striving for the same goals as I have, without the aid of the LB and fighting to keep their portions small and not feel hungry, and I guess i felt maybe I would be looked at, as a cheater so to speak on here too! I have struggles just the same, they are just a little different

Kebennett1

MeggieMae22, Thank you for the kind words of support!:flowerforyou:

jen2bhottie

I know exactly how you feel...2 months ago I reached 275 lbs and chose to visit a weight-loss clinic where I was prescribed medication, an appetite suppressant and a craving suppressant/mood stabilizer. I knew I needed help because I had no willpower...some people on MFP have posted that weight loss meds are for weak minded people looking for the easy way out and I have felt the need to defend my choice and others like myself.
What the medication has done for me is make it so I'm not starved all of the time and reaching for whatever is in sight or going to the closest drive thru, instead, it has allowed me to take a moment and think about what I'm putting in my body. I still have had to change the way I look at food and for the first time in my life, I 'get' it!
I went from having a sedentary lifestyle 2 months ago, to joining a gym, starting out on the elliptical 15 min, 2x per week and working my way up to 45 min on the elliptical 4x per week and walking in my neighborhood 2 more days a week. This past Thursday, I walked 3 miles (half of which is uphill)...In the end I was dripping with sweat, legs burning, huffing and puffing and I had never felt better or more proud of myself in my life! I have gone from someone who would wait 10 minutes in order to get the parking space closest to the store to someone who feels like crap whenever they don't get to exercise everyday (I almost feel like I'm addicted to exercising) My next step is weight training which starts this week.
The medicine does not make me want to exercise, that's all me. The best way I've been able to describe it is that it is helping me keep my head above the water while I learn how to swim.
If this would not have worked, my next step was going to be surgery. So if you see negative comments, try to ignore them or put them in their place, but do not let them get you down! They don't know you or what you've been through to bring you to the point of, what I'm sure was, one of the hardest decisions you've had to make. We're all on here for the same reason...to be healthier...and some of us are going to have a harder time than others,but at least we've recognized that there's a problem and are trying to do something about it.

We are all brave and so very strong...

sjmartinez

Who cares what other's think! You did what was best for you, what you had to do! You will succeed, if you yourself know that you will.

angp7711

I had weight loss surgery almost five years ago. I had gastric bypass. It helped me get to a point that I can battle my issues in a healthier body. All of the mental issues are still the same but I don't have any of the medical problems associated with being morbidly obese. My blood pressure is 108/65. I have cholesterol rates that make my very healthy doctor jealous. I am no longer pre-diabetic and my back is strong. So while for me it was a quick way to get down to where I am it is still a constant struggle that I will live with for the rest of my life and it is similar to many people here. My surgery no longer defines me and most people would never know that I had it. Continue with your journey and try not to let anyone with prejudices affect you.

Smiles
Ang

legacysh

Nope. I haven't had it, but there's no way that's an "easy" way out. I've had a breast reduction surgery, but that doesn't mean I took the easy way, because 1/2lb was surgically removed!! :laugh: Rock on and hold your head high. Who cares what others think of you! :flowerforyou:

I agree with this...Each person has to figure out what works for them. Some people experience great results with just diet and exercise. Some need a little medical intervention. Some have to have intervention for quality of life and health. You have already dealt with the effects fo being overweight, I pray that you will now see the benefits of this measure and that it works for you.

Like every other process be it surgical or natural, you have to continute to make wise choices and stay on track. Good luck in your journey!

shreddingit

I think it was a easy way out that is not easy, probably worse than trying naturally.....
im not a fan of any weight procedures ... thats just me though cuz I and many others try very hard with out medical help... but good luck to you

whiskey9890

i have issuses with some (not all) people that use weight loss surgery. i don't think that dealing with the restricted diets etc afterwards is easy at all i would find that to be etremely difficult. it just bugs me that here in the uk we often get stories in the press where someone says "i've tried everything to lose weight but nothing works so i'm going to have this or that procedure, but the doctors say i'm too heavy to risk the anesthetic so i have to loose x ammount of weight before i can get it done". they always manage to lose that bit of weight and its never a small amount or needed to be done in a ridiculously short ammount of time, and you hear them talking about how they ate sensibly and started exercising to loose the weight,then they go and get it done and moan because they can't eat as much or feel sick because they have gone back to eating rubbish and not following the doctors advice and end up back at square one, but then they want the nhs to pick up the tab to get the excess skin removed as well. it just bugs me that if they had continued to do what they were doing to loose the weight it would have been a win win situation as they would have learnt how to modify their diet. sometimes i think that they could do with more counselling than surgery.

but on the other hand if someone has weight loss surgery and does everything properly and busts a gut (not literally) to stay on track and seize the new oportunity with both hands and become fit and active and a role model for others then yeah go for it.

some of the people who get these procedures on the nhs with no financial cost to themselves may consider it the easy way out for them as they have not considered the impact on their lives beyond the initial weight loss.

we all have our reasons for being on this path and i am not going to judge anyone here as it shows a commitment and determination to do something, it may take longer for some (its taking me forever, but i know when i started i wasn't overly serious but that has now changed) than others but if you are making an effort to change your lifestyle for the better then its all good as far as i'm concerned