I was banded April 3, 2008 in Monterrey, MX. I am a male, a former athlete (college football) and used to be in pretty good shape at 215 pounds. I do not not have advice for you all, because everybody's different. This is simply a telling of my experience. No one, except the medical people, know that I had the surgery, not even my wife or teen-aged daughter. I keep my shirt on or the lights off, if you are wondering. I would like to recommend banding to my brothers and one of my fat nephews but I will not because, first, I would be labeled as "goofy" and second, my weight loss success would be viewed by them as "cheating." Over the years I have lost weight through Atkins (40 pounds) and most recently Weight Watchers (55 pounds). Of course, because of the emotional nature of my eating patterns, I gained it all back and more. Banding is working for me. I have not had a fill and will not, unless I suddendly have serious problems overeating. At first (for about two weeks) I had trouble keeping food down. I told my wife I was going on a fast. About a month later I ate a small meal 1/3 chicken breast (chewed very slowly and swallowed in teeny bits) and a little cottage cheese and it stayed down, so that satisfied her that I was getting "nutrition." The thing I like about this is that if I try to gorge because of emotional turmoil, I immediately feel ill and it comes back up. After that little experience of "erping" I lose the desire to eat. It seems I read a lot about posters who about obsess over food, dream about it and so on, so I guess I'm lucky in that respect. I will not have a fill until absolutely necessary. I do chew sugarless gum and munch on a small chunk of beef jerky like its a chaw of tobacco, until there's nothing left but some grit that I spit out into a plastic cup, like a chaw. Sounds gross but the craving disappears. I do carry bottled water and little packets of sugarless crystal lite with me around in my car. I also daily drink an 8 oz protein drink mixed in crystal light, take vitamins, and a packet of vitamin C mix stirred into water. If I want a real taste treat, I will pour a plastic cup full of bran flakes or corn flakes and stir in milk and splenda and skim milk. I don't blend it, just stir it and then sip the milk. If you're worried about swallowing the cereal, use a strainer and just drink the milk. Another sweet treat is the sugarless "Popsicle" brand ice pops. 4 carbs, 15 calories. These are just some of my tricks I invented. I have lost 23 pounds, from 310 on April 3, 2008 to June 16, 2008 (2 months and 13 days). Yesterday, for Father's Day, my wife and daughter treated me to a restaraunt meal (brunch) after church. I had 3 strips of bacon, two eggs topped with hollandaise sauce and coffee and water. That special order was not on the menu, but the restaurant staff had no problem with preparing it. I ate very, very slowly so there would be no ill feeling or running to the bathroom. My family was done quickly and sat chatting while I chewed, chewed, chewed and sipped, sipped, sipped. I am so aware that there are repercussions from stuffing my face. I am okay with all this. I also started bike-riding this past week and am playing golf four times a week with my daughter (and even alone when she can't go). I have rarely played golf my entire life.
As I say, I have not had a fill, but the band is working for me. I am not "trying" to lose like before, because I know I can't do what I used to do. It's easier to live like this. Most of the time I don't even think about having this thing inside me, which is good because that thought of a foreign object within me bothered me a bit before the surgery. I thank God I found a good doctor who was competent (Dr. Rumbaut in Mexico). I do sincerely thank Jesus, for providing me with the money and the oppoturnity to do this surgery. When I saw the poverty in Mexico, I was shocked. I realized how blessed I really was and that this weight problem was minor compared to the lives many of those folks live. I gave away all my money I had in by billfold to people in stores, and the nurses and the airport. I wish I had taken more cash with me. That is all. Thanks for listening to my ramblings.
