azcat

He's the doctor I'm looking at. Anyone have their surgery with him?

Can someone who is 4-6 months post surgery, please give me an idea of what you eat every day. Just a typical breakfast, lunch, dinner. I don't even care that much about the quantity, just what kind of stuff can you eat? Can you still make tacos for you family and have one? Just wondering if I will be eating totally differnt things than what I serve my family.

Hi Everyone, Everyday I change my mind on whether I'm going to do this or not. I'm sort of a obsesser anyway, but I am driving my self batty on this one. I'm 47, 5'6", 225 lbs., BMI 36. I have no health issues from my weight, other than aching feet. (I'm sure the arthritis in my knees from years of playing sports would be better if they were'nt having to carry around this weight) I take no medicine, and live a pretty active life. I hate being out of breath, not being able to wear decent looking clothes, and eating out of control. I hate being fat. I'm so scared about how much my life will change with this surgery. I can count on one hand how many times I've had heartburn or reflux, and I don't want problems like that. I know that some of you have real difficult medical issues to deal with, and may think I am really being a baby, but I don't want to create problems I don't have. I also know that my weight may catch up to me as I get older. Just because I'm reasonably healthy now, doesn't mean I will always be. I think eating is supposed to be an enjoyable part of life. Obviously not in the manner I have over the last 20 years, but I do like to go out to dinner and indulge in a variety of foods. I can give up fast food and Desserts in a second, but I can't imagine never eating bread or Pasta again, or having to chew a piece of chicken until it's mush. I hear that banders have issues with a lot of foods like these. I like the idea of eating MUCH smaller portions; that's what I want. But when I hear people saying that they only spend $30 a month on groceries now, and hardly ever eat out, that doesn't sound like living. Am I overthinking all of this? Please someone respond and tell me what their life is really like now. What do you eat on a normal day? Do you enjoy food still, or is it just something you do? Do you eat the same few things everyday? Can you go out to a nice restaurant? Do you have extra heartburn, reflux, or other stomach issues that you didn't have before? Long post I know, but I really need to hear the straight story from all of you, and not just the people at the seminars who are trying to sell a product. Thanks for listening. :regular_smile:

good luck to you! I'm one of those that is still trying to talk myself out of this. Glad to hear it went so well for you.

Well said West Coast Fat Guy... I'm going to print out her response and take it with me to my doctor. This is what I want and need!!

WOW :glare: I really appreciate all you people out there expressing your fears and concerns. I actually think it's healthy to get all this stuff out. I know that in the end, I will probably get this done, but I love hearing from all the people that are still trying to decide, as well as those of you who have made the leap. If I close my eyes, I can see myself in a cute size 10 outfit. I would be happy with that!

KBINAZ...... I posted my last comment before I read yours. Can I say that your response is the BEST thing i have read on this web-site regarding my food concerns. It's not that I wanted someone to tell me what I wanted to hear, but you sound like you are approaching this in exactly the right way. I don't know anything about what it feels like to be banded, but i felt like some people were trying to do too much too fast to. I was just thinking today that maybe I would try to work with my surgeon to do this at a slow steady pace. I think most of the problems I hear about, and that scare me, are from people that are too filled. I am not trying to offend anyone here. Everyone is different, but I was wondering if everything had to be so drastic. I am going to be 100% honest by saying that if I need to eat 6 dime size pieces of food for dinner, this will not work for me. Way less than I currently eat for dinner sounds great, but my daughter's hamster eats more than that!! By the way KBINAZ, do you live in Arizona? I live in Gilbert. I'm considering either True Results in Scottsdale, or Dr. DeBarros in Tempe.

Hourly is about how often I change my mind too. I think it is normal to be scared about the unknown. I have NEVER been one to do something this drastic without checking everything. I am a control freak, and I think the big issue is that I don't have control over how this will go for me. Believe me, I would stick to the program as directed because I am a rule follower. I think it's hard for those of us who are not already banded, and a few months down the road, to even imagine how it feels and effects your everyday life. Bear with us banders, because we are trying to figure this all out! I just read a post by a doctor that was banded several months ago. He has lost a good deal of weight, but when he talked about his recent Thanksgiving meal I thought I was going to cry. Several dime size portions of food because he wanted to try everything Ok, I'm going to be honest. That sounds horrible. Dime size!! I don't want to eat the full platefull and seconds anymore, but that amount doesn't even sound healthy!

Hi SElaine, I live in Gilbert too! And Dr. DeBarros did my husband's gall bladder surgery last March. What a coincidence. I would love to have your result. I just tortured myself further by going to the complications thread. This is why I flip-flop! It's amazing that two people can have such a different experience. That's why this is so hard for me. I really have no health issues now except this dang weight. I don't want any either. I just read about slippage, reflux, pain between the breasts, not being able to swallow, erosion. Yikes!!! I wish I could do it the old fashioned way. I really sound like Debbie Downer. I feel like I have to know the bad stuff too though to make an informed decision. If I knew I could have a reasonably uncomplicated experience like you, I would do it in a second. There are no gaurantees though. Bummer.

Another thing..... I really like to work out. I just get frustrated because I don't see the results because I never could get the eating thing under control. I have a lot of muscle under this fat!

Thank you MAKE33! I really need to hear stuff from people like you. I keep wondering how it will fit in with my lifestyle with my family, grandchildren, husband. He does not need to lose a pound, and eating is something we do together. It's hard to see how that will all work out. What I meant about the fast food thing was that if someone told me that after this surgery, I could never eat at Mc. Donald's again, no problem. I sure feel like I'd miss that bowl of popcorn or turkey sandwich on whole wheat bread though! I am seriously more scared about the "afterlife" than the surgery itself. My c-section 24 years ago was way more invasive than this! :regular_smile:

Thanks for your responses. Are there some others out there that can tell us what their eating life is like post surgery? Also, do you feel like you are struglling with health issues, anoyances, that you didn't have pre-banding? I think it is the fear of the unknown that I am dealing with. I can't remember what 120 lbs. feels like. I'm so used to my life the way it has been for the last twenty years, post babies. Have any of you ever noticed that in your dreams you are never fat. I always look normal weight in my dreams!