Gastric band - No cooperative family

neither your parents nor boyfriend have walked in your shoes and know of the struggles you may have experienced - you are doing this for yourself - not anyone else - but if you have any doubts there is no rush and just take your time cos there are a lot of adjustments which you need to make - have a good think - do lots of research -  wgt loss surgery is not an easy option - it is just a tool to help you lo9se wgt - there are negatives as well as positives and you need to work out whether you can live with the negatives - lots of considerations to make and you will still need to monitor what you eat - are you totally sure the band is the best option for you - have you discussed your options with a surgeon who has taken your eating habits and health status into consideration - is there another type of wgt loss surgery which might be more appropriate -  i personally had one member of my family who was not on my side but everyone esle was however my mind was made up - and i didnt need this persons permission or support - in the end they could see that it was a good choice for me - and they came round to my way of thinking - you are a lot younger than me - and this is a life changing decision you are about to make - try not to let arguements sway your final decision as whatever you do or dont do  is something that you personally will have to deal with and not anyone else.and could i just add that boyfriends come and go and this person might not necessarily be your forever friend in the great scheme of things - good luck  

My nephew has just had a gastric sleeve an he is in Greece. He is 6"6 and was close to thirty stone. He had his op in January and has lost 9 stone and is unrecognisable. Previous to the operation his whole day was taken up with what to eat next and when was it coming and I mean he was obsessed with food. Now he has lost all interest in food and is so busy doing new things now that he can and enjoying his new size that food is an after thought. You really need to think if this is for you. I have just asked to have it on the nhs and I am not sure and nervous if I am going to be one of the rare people who regret it and who miss food but my weight is stopping me from doing so many things like getting in a plane seat to see my sister on Greece so I think surely the positives outweigh the negative for me but you have to think solely about yourself if ever there was a time to be selfish this is it. No one knows how you feel inside not your family or boyfriend just be honest and have a conversation with yourself and see what you end deciding on. I have done it and I know it sounds weird but it helped me to think I have to give it a go. Also if you are having the band it is reversible. Basically listen to your heart. Good luck on your journey xx

could I just add that it could be your family are scared for you - worred - dont have enought information and are basing their opinions on the rubbish they read and in the media - they probs think it is extreme and it is of course - have you def tried all the other options such as weight watchers, diet pills, etc - if not why not - you need to eliminate other wgt loss options before taking this one - take some of your family with you to seminars on wgt loss surgery or support groups so they can gather some info - possibly speak to other people who have had this op - once agina good luck 

Hi Lauren,

So sad to hear that your boyfriend and parents are against you having the surgery, though I'm sure a lot of it comes from them being protective and worried for you.

I didn't tell anyone I was having the surgery - I had a gastric band fitted on 14th May 2016 so I guess you could say my journey has just started! I had my first fill 2 days ago! I have already lost quite a bit of weight - the 2 week liquid diet definitely helps with this! I didn't tell anyone as I felt it was my decision to make and to date I think I have told 4 people! This might change the more weight I lose but for me I have always been overweight and struggled and I think the older you get the harder it is. Whilst I don't have the most weight to lose I had to do something about it before I got to this stage!

I have absolutely no regrets and I think anyone who makes the decision to do this is brave but also taking responsibility for their health. It's not an easy road, it doesn't change your mindset so you have to be determined but I just keep thinking of the reason I'm doing this and that keeps me motivated. Plus it's a lot of money to pay to fail! Ha!

Sorry for the long post - it's my first one! Please feel free to message if you need a buddy. Mel xx

its a personal thing whether you tell other people or not - for me the easiest solution was to tell everyone - eating out is a social thing for me and I didnt want to have to explain why i was eating small dishes etc etc - as soon as i had a date for my op i told all my friends, relations and colleagues at work. I answerered any of their questions as honestly as i could based on the knowledge i had at that time - with something like this it had to be all or nothing for me - i couldnt have told the chosen few and expected them to keep the secret or even lie on my behalf so i told everyone but like i say it is a personal thing and some tell and some dont.