MissJ482

I am in the very early stages of considering the band. I know everyone is going to have varying experiences but I would just like some input on this. I'm wondering how hungry you are after the surgery. I'm just afraid that I won't be able to stand it. And what about the pre-op diet? Are you hungry the whole time or are you getting enough to feel comfortable? Thank you!

Congrats on getting off the meds! But I gotta say I'm with everyone else on this...GIVE YOURSELF SOME CREDIT!!!! You have lost 67 lbs.!!! That is amazing!

Finally Did It--I think that's exactly how I'd be...it's easy for me to say now that I would follow the diet strictly so as not to jeopardize not only the potential for weight loss but more importantly the healing process. I really wouldn't want to mess anything up, like I've been reading on here about the potential for band slippage, etc. but that's so much easier said than done. Hope it gets better for you very soon so you're not starving all the time!

Thanks for the reply HeatherinCA...my biggest concern is in the mornings. I tend to get ravenous in the morning. As long as I eat something, like regular food I mean, then I'm okay after that. But I'm just thinking of times when I've tried Slim-Fast or other shakes like that and it almost makes me feel sick because I get so hungry and then I end up eating something unhealthy an hour later. But maybe it's just that Slim-Fast does that. I've tried Herbalife shakes that I had someone at a smoothie store make me where they add a bunch of stuff to it, and those were actually pretty filling, but I also drank the whole thing, which was probably equivalent to 16 oz. or so, and that was one at Breakfast and one at lunch, but then of course I still ate regular food for dinner. But you're certainly right, I will live. And I've asked myself several times, is it going to make me happier if I can eat whatever I want and be fat or make some sacrifices and be thin and healthy and enjoy my life. And of course the answer is always the latter.

DIVA79--Congrats on your weight loss so far! Thanks for sharing all of this info. I'm considering being banded so right now I am just reading as much as I can on here to learn all about it so it is great to read about someone's personal experience/advice in general.

WOW! Thank you all so much for your responses! This really makes me feel a lot better. Melissaande--I didn't even know that some surgeons start out with a small fill in the band so thank you for sharing that, that will be an excellent question to ask the surgeon. Rachel412--That is good to know that immediately after surgery you weren't hungry. I've only had surgery one other time (totally unrelated to this type) but I kind of wondered if this would be like any other surgery in that aspect, I certainly don't remember waking up hungry at all. CheckYes--That is awesome! I will hope and pray that if I do have the surgery I will end up that way, but with my luck that won't be happening. Jess55--I've been reading that a lot on here, about the weight loss stalling in the beginning because of the low calorie intake, that is definitely something I will have to remember because I get discouraged so easily when it comes to weight loss (or lack thereof). reverie--That is a great point about not waiting unti you are super hungry. I do that almost all the time. I am getting better about it but sometimes I still wait too long and then of course I eat everything in sight. Gunnersgal--Sounds like it's going really great for you! After reading on here about how imperative it is to really chew up food, etc. I've been trying to be more aware of how I eat and trying to chew my food up as much as possible and take smaller bites just to get into "practice" if I do get banded. That has really been a lot harder than I thought it would be. vickyd--Sounds like you are having a great experience. That is wonderful. That will be really hard for me, too, as far as not eating until I'm full. I'm so used to eating until I'm stuffed. The measuring is a great idea...it would definitely make you more aware. I tend to do a lot of mindless eating so measuring would be very beneficial to me. fluffytofabulous--That's what I'm so afraid of. I keep telling myself that it is such a small amount of time in the grand scheme of things but it still really concerns me. slauren14--You should be a motivational speaker or something! You really have a great attitude. I honestly don't know where my willpower went. A few years ago I lost 97 lbs. in 6 months on a doctor-supervised Phentermine/very low calorie diet. And of course I have gained it all back. I realize I had the Phentermine as a "helper" but I had no problem with basically starving myself. I've tried so hard to lose and I might get into the groove for a few weeks but then suddenly I fall off the wagon once again. I have no self-control anymore. I could see if it was right after the diet and I had felt deprived for so long so I was just eating whatever but it has been a few YEARS and I still just eat whatever I want whenever I want it and however much I want. Anyway, thank you all again...I am just overwhelmed by all of the responses, I really appreciate it.

That is so wonderful!!! What a great, inspiring story to read! It's too bad it took awhile but glad you got it fixed and can now move full steam ahead!