Questions Answered: What exactly is a Lap Band?

Good Morning!
 A good friend of mine was asking me about my surgery this morning and I realized that I had not really explained much on this blog. Here is a link to a webpage I found that explains the surgery part  pretty well ..
http://www.obesitylapbandsurgery.com/tecmain.html

What many of you don't know is that in order to get the lap band I had to go thru a long process including two visits to a psychiatrist, two classes on food and nutrition, three months of visits to my regular doctor mapping out ways I've tried to lose weight , a few meetings with the surgeon, and a long pre surgery diet starting back  a few months earlier when I  took the classes on food and nutrition.

Before I had the surgery my BMI (Body Mass Index) was 44 (Over 30 is considered obese). I have asthma, high blood pressure and had gotten so bad with my snoring that I often had to sleep in another room so Vic could get some sleep (how embarrassing is that?!) Being obese will kill you. I know this. I tried various diets (weight watchers, Atkins, eating less) but nothing really "stuck" for me. Over the last 6 years I had both my hips replaced (not due to the weight gain,but for another problem that developed) after that I was not able to get the same amount of exercise in. I also sold my furniture store and took a desk job so my activity during the day decreased.

Two things helped make my decision to look into the lap band. One I got a bike from my mom and could not even ride down my drive way without being out of breath. And two (the reason Vic says is the thing that really made up my mind) Loren Manzo on REAL HOUSEWIVES OF NEW JERSEY got one and was looking fantastic! :)

After I made the commitment to do this I started walking everyday with my dogs, started eating more like the program suggested and had the surgery (oct. 15). I am now down 13 pounds and still in the liquid diet part of the healing process. I'll go to regular foods after this first 30 days but I will only be able to eat small amounts of food (protein first!) and I'm sure I'll learn a lot along the way. I watch many women on youtube that have had this done and they are so inspirational.

This is really "work" for me and I'm giving it everything I've got. I know I can't change some peoples opinions but it really hurts when I tell someone and they come back with "Cheater!" and laugh....what exactly am I cheating at?

Web definitions

• A laparoscopic adjustable gastric band, commonly referred to as a lap band, is an inflatable silicone device that is placed around the top portion of the stomach, via laparoscopic surgery, in order to treat obesity. ...