Tanya lost 100 lbs thanks to the lap band, which has completely transformed their life emotionally, physically, and spiritually. Before the procedure, Tanya struggled with various diets and constant thoughts about food, feeling trapped by the cycle of weight gain and loss. Deciding to get the lap band was challenging due to feelings of shame and failure, but the support and positive reactions from others have been encouraging. Post-surgery, Tanya feels respected, free from the burdens of weight and food, and enjoys a newfound confidence and contentment.
My name is Tanya. I lost a lot of pounds and I love the lap band. It’s the best thing I ever did; it has completely changed my life emotionally, physically, and spiritually. I mean, in every aspect.
Prior to the lap band, I tried every diet from a very young age. I exercised all the time and tried every popular and crazy diet, including starvation. I was constantly thinking about food. When I was dieting, I was always thinking about what I shouldn’t eat, which made me want to eat more. It was a heavy burden—food, dieting, weight gain, and weight loss were a constant cycle. It was exciting when I lost weight, but very depressing when I gained it back. I just didn’t feel free; I felt trapped.
The hardest part of deciding to get the lap band was that I was ashamed. I felt like I should be able to do it on my own and that I was failing. It was more about embarrassment and shame. Now that I have the lap band and have told different people, it’s funny the response I get. They’re like, “I’m so proud of you and you’re brave,” which is completely not what I thought. Now, I feel like I’m not a victim; I did something to help change my life.
Insurance did not pay for my lap band, so I financed it, and there are several wonderful options. It was worth every penny. I chose Dr. Davtyan after looking at several doctors and interviewing them. I really liked how empathetic and one-on-one he was. He also has a lap band, and you can tell because compassion just oozes out of him. He’s a wonderful physician.
After surgery, the recovery was very easy. The first day, I went home and slept. The second day was a little more annoying—not painful, but just annoying. The third day was magical. You wake up, feel better, can eat, and get full. You don’t have to wonder whether you should eat something or not. You just eat whatever you want, get full, and stay the way you want to be.
I feel more respected when I walk into a store now. People look at me, whereas before, it felt like I was invisible. Now, I’m more catered to with the lap band. It’s not that you don’t get hungry, but you never feel ravenous. You get hungry and are easily satisfied. I’m free—I don’t have the burden of weight, food, or what people are thinking about me. I feel confident, happy, content, and normal.
