early

Hello All! This is my first post - scary...:lunch: I live in the UK and I have a BMI of 41.5, with about 85lbs to lose. I had a consultation with a very nice surgeon yesterday for lapband surgery. He is happy to do the operation for me if I want it (self-pay). Now I have to make the decision to go for it or not. The surgeon said that 92% of his patients were very satisfied and making a success of losing weight with their bands. Sounds good!:wub:. However, apart from patients who were unhappy because things went wrong during surgery, or afterwards with the band (leaks, slippage, port flipping etc.), he said the other unhappy patients were those who weren't successful in losing weight because they weren't able to stop their bad eating behaviours - eating chocolate especially. Now I have a huge chocolate and sweet food problem. I would love to think that I will have the willpower to curb this bad habit after I have been banded. But I know that a band won't make it hard for me to eat chocolate. If I want to lose my weight i'm going to have to kick the habit one way or another. I would love to hear from anyone who was a chocolate addict like me before they were banded. Please tell me if you've been successful with banding or not. How long have you been banded? Has being banded helped you to beat sugar cravings? Has the band made any difference to your desire for chocolate? How hard has it been? Have you got a strategy that allows you to have a little bit of chocolate without going too far? I want to know it all! Thank you in advance to anyone who is reading this and replies.:w00t: xxx

Hi, I had my first fill on Monday and was given 5ml. I think this is the same as a cc, but not sure. Not feeling majorly restricted to be honest, but definitely more than before the fill. I have a large lapband (allergan).

Hi All, I had lost 20lbs but since I started back on solids and realised I can manage to eat most things in near normal quantities (no fill yet) I have regained almost 2lbs! Although there is an explanation for it, it is very disheartening. It is getting hard for me to be disciplined about what I eat again. I'm hoping the fill will get me back on track again, and trying not be too hard on myself in the meantime. I am worried about how the fill will restrict me, and secretly enjoying the feeling of eating normally for a little while! X

A bit yucky, but just wondering if anyone else is having this side effect? I have noticed quite a build up of stuff on my tongue. Sometimes it is so thick at the back that it feels a bit like there is something I need to swallow in my mouth. Disgusting.:redface: My husband has told me in the nicest way that my breath is smelly... I've been using a mouthwash and trying to scrape my tongue clean but it isn't clearing up. I wonder if it is being caused by the relatively small amount of food going in. But does anyone know what might be causing it? I'm drinking plenty of Water most days. I am starting back with solids again and I'm able to eat quite a bit more now, so maybe that will improve it. Incidentally, I ate some pork meat yesterday and didn't chew it well enough. It didn't get stuck or come back up, but it must have been a squeeze to get through as it was quite sore in my chest for a few minutes. It wasn't like massive pain, but I did get quite scared. The same thing happened with a bit of cooked spinach another day - I think the stalk was too fibrous. I haven't had a fill yet. Anyone else having this sort of thing? x

Can I join in here? Early.........................15lbs...........................?..........................1 May.............................?......................................? Thanks!

Juke-box, 18lbs in13 days is amazing! Imagine trying to do that without having this 'medical' reason (having a new band) not to go over on quantity of food, or eat the wrong textures. I know I wouldn't have the willpower for that. I have lost 13lbs now, in 14 days. I am thrilled with that, but unfortunately my hunger has now come back, so I am finding it much harder. I doubt that the rate of loss will keep up, even if I keep eating on track (which I will!!). I am just hoping I can manage not to gain any more until my fill, so anything I lose will be a bonus. I don't get filled until 8th June, so it's going to be a hard few weeks! Is this bandster hell? x

Hi BG! I haven't been on here for a few days, so have just read this thread. Sorry to hear about your experiences, but SO glad you're home again. Take care! X P.S I didn't thank you for your lovely messages before my surgery. I wrote a huge reply and then it disappeared into cyberspace. I was just home from hospital and v. tired, so I thought I'd get round to writing again later. I went back to work yesterday, so the time just never came! Sorry about that. And thank-you!

My diet sheet allows us me to have purees and soft food straight away. Well, from day 3 anyway. The dietician and surgeon both said that as long as it will drop off a spoon, it should be fine. They said a lot of places were more cautious than they really need to be. They said soft foods shouldn't get in the way of healing. Also said it was fine to swallow tablets, but bigger ones need to be broken in half. I know this is contrary to what a lot of you have been told, but jus thought I'd post it anyway.

Hi again! I had my band placed last Wednesday at the Nuffield Hospital in Glasgow. It was my first experience of a private hospital, so I can't compare it to any other. The room was lovely, everything really clean, great bed with electronic controls, TV, free Wi-fi etc. The nurses were a bit of a mixed bunch, but very friendly. A registrar doctor came round to take blood, and both the surgeon and anaethetist visited me in my room. The dietician came to see me there too, to go through the diet book for post-op. It would maybe have been nice to meet some of the other band patients that were there. But I basically stayed in my room the whole time. I can't criticise the hospital, and you will probably find the same surgeons working for a few others in your area. I guess you have to decide who the best surgeon is, find out where he works privately, and then weigh up what each group's package offers you in terms of aftercare and cost. The Nuffield offers up to 4 fills and 4 dietician appointments over 2 years, and they will do any revision surgery needed in that period. One thing that was a bit 'off' was that the catering service brought me biscuits with my tea. I had the strength not to eat them! I hope this helps! Good luck whatever you decide. x

Hi Heather, Thanks for asking! I got home yesterday. Surgery went well, but have 'scoline' pains as a side effect from the anaesthetic. EVERY muscle in my body hurts like I've climbed 20 mountains and done workouts at the top of each one. I have been told to expect them to last 2-3 days, so hopefully they'll be gone by tomorrow night or the next day. It's making it impossible to get in or out of bed, or to turn to get toilet paper etc. My husband has had to look after me beyond the call of duty! I very nearly chickened out of the surgery at the last minute, but I think I'm happy I've done it now. Time will tell! I told my parents and sister last night, and they were great about it. Such a huge relief! My kids are wondering what on earth is going on, especially seeing me eat sloppy food with a teaspoon. Thanks again for asking about me! I just haven't made it to my computer 'til now. Early x

Thank - you SO MUCH, scooby-doo!! It's lovely to find someone in the same boat. I've just had a big hug from a friend in the know, who popped round with a candle for me! So feeling a bit stronger! Glad to hear you're feeling well, as I was getting worried about the amount of pain being reported from some of the other bunnies. xxxx

Hi All, I am just about to go up to my room and pack for hospital. I leave home tomorrow morning, ahead of my surgery on Wednesday. I feel really emotional and weepy. Mostly because I've just said goodbye to my mum and dad. They don't know what I'm doing and they think that I'm going with my husband on a quite exciting business trip (which he really is doing- and therefore a good cover) for two days. I feel really awful to be doing this behind their back, and I am dreading how I'm going to tell them what I've done on Thursday when I'm home again. I don't think they'll approve, and I don't want them to worry about me. I won't have any visitors on the day of surgery as it's 100 miles from my home, and as my husband will be 400 miles away in London, and it's all beginning to hit home. Boo! Hoo! I am so glad I have this forum, and reading all the stories so far, I am reassured that it will be okay. Good luck to all my band buddies, and all the other bunnies still to go! x

Hi Guys! I'm going on 22nd April. I started my pre-op diet today. Had a bit of a wobble last night as I raced around the kitchen looking for one last something or other to eat! I felt a bit panicked. Had to just remind myself that I will be able to eat again soon. Weighed myself this morning and measured every bit of me that I could think of. I hear that this is a good way to boost your confidence in weeks when the scales don't shift. I can't quite believe I am doing it! Still having difficulty reconciling myself to it when I am trying to get to sleep! Not really feeling excited. Just hoping that everything will be alright.

Hi All! Well here I am, just finishing a cool glass of wine! I start my pre-op diet (one week) in the morning. I think I'll have one more little snack before bedtime, and then that's me on the way to my band!!!! I can't believe it's all really happening. Had all my pre-op assessments done this morning. The nurse was really supportive of my decision. I am always really worried that people will be disapproving, and it's so nice when they actually say something positive. I had all the tests done at my local GP surgery as I live in a very remote part of Scotland, and will have a long journey to hospital in Glasgow next week. I have to go in the night before the op. and will stay in the night after as well, before they let me travel home. I will be banded on 22nd April! Good luck to anyone going in the next few days. xxx

Hi there! I'm getting banded with Nuffield on 22nd April, in Glasgow. I will post about it soon after (all being well!), so check for my posts a few days later. I like the fact they offer 2 years aftercare and will cover any re-operation. It is a bit more expensive, but I think their package gives a high degree of peace of mind.

Good luck for Friday by the way!

Hi Jersy Girl! I have just paid my £1500 deposit to the hospital. OMG... it's getting more real for me too - 2 weeks today. I wish I wasn't so damned busy, so I could take it all in a bit more!

Hi, I am Dawn. I'm 37, and I live in Scotland. I'm married (12years) and have two kids (8, 5). I thought about getting banded about a year and a half ago, but when I told my mum , dad and sister about it they were very hostile. I caved in, and listened to their opinions that it was too drastic and that I was silly to even think about it. Since then, I tried seeing a psychiatric nurse for a year, tried another diet or two, and even enrolled on a course that aimed to teach you how to stop the need to overeat... I am about 15lbs heavier as a result. I am now in the morbidly obese category, and feeling myself struggle with doing the day to day things more than ever before. My health is still reasonably good - no high blood pressure, diabetes, or high cholesterol, so I am lucky that way. Still, when I look into the future, I see myself getting bigger and bigger, and developing health problems along the way. I have some super obese aunts who can do very little for themselves, and plenty of heart attacks, strokes and arthritis in the family. I started looking at being banded again in February and now have a date fixed for 22nd April. I am mega- busy at work at the moment, so I have had little time to really come to terms with how soon my surgery is. However, I am happy I'm doing the only thing left to me to fix myself now. I haven't told my mum or sister, but my husband is fully supportive. He is excited at the thought of me getting my energy back, and being a bit more like I was when we met, before I started really gaining weight. I have tried to get the message through to him that I will still be 37 if I'm thinner, and won't be 22 again!!! I've told 3 really close friends. One of them can't quite believe I'm thinking of it, as she doesn't think of me as having a weight problem - just being a curvy girl. Although my weight is high, I don't really look quite as big as the scales say. Even the surgeon was surprised. I carry a lot on my legs, right down to my feet, and it's pretty evenly spread elsewhere. But I feel REALLY HEAVY, and the weight IS there, and I am carrying it around everywhere I go! I want to have the energy to run around with the boys, go for big walks, bike-rides, maybe even RUN!!! I am scared a bit about the surgery, but not too much. I'm scared I will have something go wrong with the band later. I am scared that I might fail to quit overeating chocolate and therefore fail to loose weight. I am scared about telling my family. I still haven't decided when to tell them. I'm scared how I'm going to disguise what I'm (not) eating in the month after surgery. I'm scared that my secret will get out in the small community i live in, and how I might be judged. I'm scared that I will miss eating special dinners. I'm scared about choking and being sick when I'm eating. Sorry - this is turning into quite a story!! So, enough about me! I'm glad to have found this forum, and to get to know all of you other Bunnies! x

Good to hear from the banded bunnies! Well done! Look forward to hearing more progress updates...

Good luck for tomorrow!

:tongue_smilie:I think I have got the signature and ticker worked out at last. Thanks for your post, Band_Groupie. I am sure we are all worried that we'll end up being one of the unlucky statistics. My surgeon told me that 92% of his patients are big successes. That's a pretty good number, isn't it? 5% have complications, although most of those are still losing weight, and only 3% 'fail' to loose significantly. He said that they are the ones who try to cheat... of course, I only have his side of that story! Good luck to the first bandsters of April. x

Hi Everyone! Good luck with all that this month will bring. I am being banded on 22nd April, so haven't started my pre-op diet. I only have to go on it for a week, and it's a normal food diet, albeit quite low calorie and repetitive. Still, it doesn't sound as bad as some of you are having to endure. Is anyone else still wrestling with themselves in the middle of the night? I have only told 2 friends about this, and haven't told any family (other than my husband). I am so scared what their reactions will be. So I have a lot of anxiety over keeping it secret for now at least. I am also thinking - am I doing the right thing? Mostly because I am getting scared. Both that something might go wrong, or that this will be a painful, expensive waste of time. Anyone else? I have to keep telling myself that I really have tried other routes and failed every time. I do want to get the weight off and be healthy for my kids future, as well as my own. And I want to wear nice clothes, and get shoes that fit again. And be able to walk without huffing and puffing. Would love to hear if anyone else is torturing themselves mentally?

Hi All! I am being banded on 22nd April. Super-scared now it's becoming a reality, but excited by the thought that this time I might actually lose my weight. Good luck to all of you. Now I have to figure out how to add fancy tickers and stuff to my posts....

Hello! I am pretty new too. I had a consultation last Monday and I have been offered 22nd April for banding. Things are happening fast! It is frightening, but exciting. I have been overweight since my early 20's and never succeeded in losing weight and keeping it off. I can't really believe that it might actually work with banding. Good luck! I'll look out for you on the forum. xxx

:sneaky: Thank-you all for the great replies. I was just worried about going through surgery, only to discover that it made no difference to my eating of things that have made me fat in the first place. What I am reading from you has encouraged me that I will be able to cope, and I will be asking the surgeon for a date soon. (WOW - I am going to be banded!!!!) BIG THANKS!!!!!