Constance

Ok, another thing. Don't you think to some extent this whole board is a tough place to find accurate statistics on people who are happy/unhappy with the band? It's sort of like when you go to a restaurant review website. (of course I use a food example) Only the people who are totally thrilled or totally disgusted will go to the trouble to get online and post a review fo a restaurant. Majority of the people have an acceptable time and feel no need to comment. Don't you think that is true here? That there are newbies considering suregery (me), newly banded (less than a year), and a handful of veterans (2+ years). There are probably thousands of people out there who don't post who feel like the band is acceptable. No need to rant or rave either way. Certainly I don't intend to diminish the comments of the members here. It is GOOD to know the pros and cons. I just theorize about getting a fair representation here.

Wow, I'm surprised that some people are unhappy with the band. But it is great to get an honest answer, too. I think it is really important to hear about the realities of being banded. Princess and Strawarts: I've wondered if there is some long term data out there. I know I've read somehwere that people in Europe have been banded since the late 80s. It would be great to hear about their successes and failures.

Jess, good for you for getting help! There is no need to suffer. Being on an anti-depressant can literally change your life. One piece of advice...give yourself a month or two and just observe how you feel physically and mentally. Don't make yourself crazy or worry with side effects. You can really start GIVING yourself side effects if you obsess over every little thing (dry mouth, dizzy, the sex, etc.). Statistically, you have a 90% chance of experiencing nothing but the good stuff. Sometimes your dosage may need some tweaking or you may even try a different drug. That is perfectly normal in treatment of depression/anxiety. Don't be afraid to up your dosage to the 50mg, that is the lowest effective dose for many people.

Hi. I am your weight issue twin. I, too, keep second guessing myself. I think there is an element of it being too good to be true. We have had so many other weight loss failures and it is hard to belive something can and will, work. I seriously go through your list of second thoughts DAILY. Me: "I could still try another diet" "I will feel so stupid if I die on the operating table" "Will I ever be able to unconsciously chew thoroughly, or will I think of it every single time I eat?" "Will the scars be hideous? (Moreso than my stretch marks? ha!) "What if I am stranded on a deserted island and I just got a fill - will I die of starvation?" (the 'desert island scenario' is fodder for countless paranoid ramblings) "Will I be 80 years old b!thcing about PBs?" So that's my list - if it makes you feel any better. But think of this. What if you were in the reverse position and someone said "Ok, I know you are thin, but I want to give you a chance to eat anything you want and never work out. You can be as lazy and gluttonous as you want. But you will get big, huge even. It will creep up slowly. Soon you'll stop ever wanting to wear anything cute or sexy and settle for baggy and elastic. You'll dread bathing suits and everything surounding them. Your pants will wear out quicker because your thighs rub together so much. You will feel embarassed when you eat a big meal in front of strangers. Much of your enjoyment of life will be in the shadow of a looming sense,'cripes, I'm huge." Sounds lame, right? Like who the heck wants to sign up for THAT?! So really, I think we are opting for a better way of life. edited to add: I'm not infering that we are all lazy and gluttonous -- just saying it for the purpose of the argument, doing nothing vs. doing something

Do you think there is a guilt associated with weight loss success? Particulary when it is paired with an outside source? Let's say you lost 20% of your weight and kept it off for some time WITH the help of the band. Do you feel like you need to say "oh no-sir-ree this wasn't easy! It was hard! It was awful" because you had help in the form of the band? Is some martyrdom attached to weight loss? Like we must suffer and be deprived to FEEL succesful - even if the scale says you ARE succesful? It is very interesting to read the different points of view on this. Ultimately, does it matter how you reach the destination? Sure it would be fun to brag that you rowed a boat across the Atlantic...But if you booked the next flight out, you'd have more time and energy to enjoy your destination.

The first time I mentioned it to my husband it was in IM (instant messenger). He said "no rubber bands around the gut, OK?". But by the time I had read him countless threads from this board (both good and bad), he started to come around. Finally, we went to an info seminar for Dr, Snyder in Denver and he was fully behind it. Ironically, I was SO concerned with getting my husbands acceptantce of the suregery and now *I* am the one getting cold feet!

Seriously one can get a food discount? That is hilarious!

Ok, I want to know, in detail, about PBs.What causes them for you? How often? If it happens at a restaurant is it a mad dash to the bathroom or do you have some warning? What does it feel like? What kind of quantity? What was the first one like? How is it different from "slimeing"? (And what is slimeing?) If I am going to do this, I want to know exactly how bad it gets. So bring it on!

I'm in the obsessed information gathering phase. I haven't decided on a surgeon yet. I will probably be self-pay b/c I'm a 39 BMI and very healthy. (Why doesn't Cigna want to KEEP me healthy?) What scares me: -I wolf my food down. I'm scared I will PB all the time before I learn the slower eating. -I am an emotional eater. I think it will be hard to face that I can no longer stuff myself. I feel like it is a break-up of sorts and I know it will be tough but it has to happen. -Eating out is a huge activity with my friends and family. I fear that I will be weird or high maintenance and not able to just relax and enjoy something off the menu. -I fear the 'being on a diet' feeling. I hope to be able to balance mostly healthy eating with some treats too. But having thinsg be 'forbidden' bothers me. -I fear the nerves before surgery more than surgery! Like I'm more afraid I'll have a panic attack as they wheel me in rather than a surgical error. -I hate barfing and nausea. I could have freakin Botulism and I would walk around the block a hundred times to not barf. Hate. It. Otherwise, I think it could be one of the best things I do for myself!

Oh man, I hear ya. I don't even have a date set and I'm already eating as if I'm never going to eat again. I agree with Terri B. After so many diets and forbidden foods, it feels very liberating to just eat whatever, whenever. But I know it isn't the healthiest thing for me. But hey, it could be worse, we could be drinking and smoking to excess. Food seems a little more benign than many indulgences.

I am not banded (yet). I have met with one surgeon (another next week) my PCP, and my workplace benefits administrator. the wheels are in motion. I have read hundreds of threads and learned many good and bad things about the band. But can you know "too much"? When this happens in my work I call it "analysis paralysis". You have taken on so much information you can't produce a clear yes or no answer anymore. I am reluctant to give myself too much time to mull it over. I have felt like the surgery is more of a "when" and less of an "if" and I think it sort of scares me that I would decide NOT to get it. Does that make sense? Since learning about this surgery, I feel so hopeful about being a healthy weight. It has been a long, long time since I felt hope. So I feel afraid of over-researching the heck out of this and talking myself out of it over time. I like information. I like to know what to expect. But is there a point where too much info is a bad thing? Could it prevent you from doing something radical (relatively speaking) to change your life?

I wish I could "untell" my mom and brother. Maybe if I told them now, that I decided against in, they would forget and then when I hav ethe surgery in a few months they won't remember. I feel so icky and sneaky - but my Mom especially, she might as well call the local news to save her time in telling everyone.

Skye did you have any co-morbidities? I don't have any. Which a surgeon I consulted with seemed surprised about considering my weight. He said "well, don't your feet hurt at least?" Um, no, thanks, my feet have somehow managed to support all this extra weight. (I know he was just trying to be creative with insurance - but still!) leatha g, that is a good point, about just taking the time to think while i do the supervised diet. I have more to say on that and I think I'll post on the main board.

I really appreciate your honesty. When I first started reseaching the band I felt like much of the comments here reminded me of chat boards from Weight Watchers or Body For Life. I thought, "ok, great, so this is just another 'rah rah, make good choices and only then will you succeed' ". So at first I thought, well, I shouldn't get banded, these people have mastered some self-control that I don't have. So before even getting banded I've already said "Yep, I will fail. I can't live up to this discipline". I'm not saying I don't or won't try. I'm saying I am honest with myself about the level of discipline I have. Reading some of this stuff I feel like I can never reach the "appropriate" level of discipline required to make the band work for me. That is a depressing thought. Hi, if I could have just "made good choices" I wouldn't be nearly 100 lbs overweight! It goes deeper than that. I am starting to wrap my mind around that. Yes, the band will help me with the physical condition of overeating but mentally I have to do my part. I know it isn't going to happen while I'm under anesthesia and BOOM I'm cured! So thanks for being honest loopylou. I feel I am not alone! And kudos to those of you who have expereinced an internal makeover. I hope to get there someday too.

This is a cheesey phrase but I think it can help when you have the 'clean plate' or 'people are starving' guilt. food will go to this waste, or to this waist. Either way, more than you need is still more than you need. I'm not banded so I can't speak specifically about how to manage big restaurant portions. But I know I have an especially hard time leaving food on my plate when I've paid for 100% of it. Maybe you could try to think of restaurant prices as an admission price rather than attached to the food. I know it's all mind games - sometimes that's what it takes.

I thought about faking to diet part, too. I certainly know how to blow a diet! But then I thought, what if they say "Well, then let's have you try for another 6 months"

So you can or cannot have sugar in the liquids phase?

Newbie here. I have scoured the posts on this board. It has almost an addictive quality as I'm trying to absorb as much info as possible and make a good decision. One big question: I've read so much of irritating foods, PBing, fills, slime-ing and other unsavory side effects. I understand that can be the risk you take. But is that forever? Do you reach a point where you can comfortably eat, dare I say, like 'normal'. (I don't mean big portions, I mean the freedom to enjoy regular food in smaller quantities). Can you go to Starbucks now and then? Maybe have some Indian food? Have something a little exotic on vacation? I'm not looking to go back to my over-indulgent ways -- just wanting to be a part of many social events which include food without having to obsess over what I can or can't eat. Be honest in you replies. Please know the I understand the need for healthy choices, however, I have suffered with the diet mentality for years and I want to feel like I can be freed of the 'bad vs. good' food obsession. Another question: Does banded fullness feel like unbanded fullness? Is it a 'fake' full? Or is it just like, 'yep, I'm full'. Meaning, I have read people talk about a tightness or a throat fullness. Is that what the band provides? Or is it a genuine sense of being full and not needing to eat anymore. That is what I would like...to simply be satisfied with less food. Thanks - this forum is great!

I'm interested in Dr. Kirshenbaum, too. I will likely end up being self-pay and he has a fair price. Unfortunately, I can't find ANYTHING on the guy other than his webiste and some stuff about him do laser hemmerhoid removal.

Do you think there is a correlation between sucess and failure and self-pay vs. insurance? I'm not judging or inferring anything of the sort. But if that is what you are examining, I think it is an interesting topic.