The WLS Wars~

It’s interesting to me how WLS patients insist that their surgery is the best! I believe the Lap Band is the best, the best for me! It may not be the best for someone else, but for me, I couldn’t have agreed to have any other surgery.

I needed something that was going to allow me to keep my body intact, not have malabsorption issues and something that, to be quite honest, made me accountable.

The Band is perfect for me! I am forced to pay close attention to my body’s cues. I am able to eat just about anything I want and I must use my willpower to keep on track. But if I wanted a bite of a homemade cookie or a small bite of cake, I could have it. It forces me to prepare my meals with nutrition in mind.

I believe it’s made me grow up! Unfortunately, I must admit, I wasn’t using my head when I’d eat previously. If I was hungry I ate. If I happened to be driving past my favorite fast food place, I’d pull in and order something I felt was good. Good tasting, perhaps, but not good for me.

They say the Band isn’t good for people with higher BMI’s. Why is that? Is it because they think, if you allowed yourself to get to a BMI of 60 - it must mean that you’re lazy, addicted and unmotivated to lose weight, if you have to do any of the work? I heard this from my insurance company when I called for coverage. “We don’t pay for the Lap Band.” and then she went on to say, “With your BMI, you better get the most drastic procedure.” What was I, some mindless blob who had to have my body drastically altered in order to lose weight? I was offended by that remark and I am offended when I see the surprise on people’s faces when they hear that I’ve lost weight with the Band. It’s not rocket science, after-all. It takes a mature approach to eating, planning and forgiveness.

A mature approach means - seeking good and nutritious meals. Planning ahead of time, knowing that once hunger hits, it’s very difficult to resist the bad - easy to grab foods. And it means forgiveness - forgiving myself for the past, for overeating for 20 years, for mindless eating and for allowing my body to trap me in a sedentary lifestyle that just kept slowly destroying my well being. It means forgiving myself - if even today - I mess up. I’m human. I do mess up occasionally.

I have nothing against any of the other WLS’s. Everyone has to research and do their part to find the best choice for their life. The Band doesn’t work alone. It really does very little to help you. It’s only a tool. If you a snacker, a grazer or someone who is addicted to sweets, it will be more difficult to lose weight with the Band. I could easily eat my small meal, wait an hour and then eat another small meal. Or I could drink with my meals, pushing the food down below the Band.

I could gain all my weight back by not following the rules. Scary, isn’t it?

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October 17, 2008 | Filed Under My Everyday Life

Comments

One Response to “The WLS Wars~”

GreenChrysalis on October 17th, 2008 9:24 am

Dee, that is why I can’t read some WLS boards because they seem to be all about arguing which type of surgery is best. As you point out, there is no one-size-fits-all approach when it comes to WLS. I personally could not handle the idea of having my stomach permanently changed. I wanted to be able to live normally, which is what I do. I am not on a diet, which I am quick to point out to people. There is no “bad” food. So the band is perfect for me!

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