new and getting banded on 4-11-11

mandajo0304 · March 14, 2011

hi my name is manda, i just turned 30 on march 4th and i've decided last summer to get the lapband surgery. my surgery date is april 11, 2011. as the surgery approaches i find myself getting more anxious about it. i'm not just nervous about the surgery itself, but more nervous about post op. is there anyone out there that can help? for 6 months now i've been going back and forth with my decision. unfortunately i still live at home with my parents and neither one is supportive of my decision. both of them seem to think i can do it on my own since i've done so well pre-op with the eating plan my dietician has put me on. did anyone else feel this way before their surgery?

skinnybitchtobe · March 14, 2011

hi my name is manda, i just turned 30 on march 4th and i've decided last summer to get the lapband surgery. my surgery date is april 11, 2011. as the surgery approaches i find myself getting more anxious about it. i'm not just nervous about the surgery itself, but more nervous about post op. is there anyone out there that can help? for 6 months now i've been going back and forth with my decision. unfortunately i still live at home with my parents and neither one is supportive of my decision. both of them seem to think i can do it on my own since i've done so well pre-op with the eating plan my dietician has put me on. did anyone else feel this way before their surgery?

Yes, I am feeling the same. My date is March 31. I am getting ready to start my pre op diet on March 16. I am freaking out.

Sarabi · March 15, 2011

Manda, I felt the same way. I am almost a week post-op and am so glad I did it. I know I have a long way to go, but really believe I made the right decision for me. You just have decided what you want. Some people have been able to lose weight without being banded, but I felt like I had tried every other avenue and this one seemed the best fit for me. Recovery hasn't been super easy, but it hasn't been difficult either.

Keep your chin up!

KINGSKID66 · March 15, 2011

Hi Manda,

I got banded in April '06. I've lost 90lbs. It was the BEST decision of my life. I was sooooo nervous wondering if I was making the right decision. I was self pay and my husband was reluctantly going along with my decision. I felt a lot of pressure. I have not looked back. It has changed my life. This year I will finally post before and after pictures. I've gone from a size 20 to a size 6/7. Very few complications other than my port practically sticks out now that I'm so thin. That's a small price to pay though. I've had very few complications. No, I don't get to eat everything I want but isn't that the purpose of the band??

Recovery time .... what recovery time? The day of the surgery I recovered in the hotel room and the next day my husband and I were up walking around Tijuana. That was the only recovery time I needed. Afterward I went sight-seeing in San Diego for a couple days before returning home. The 'gas' people talk about is not gas like burping or farting but shoulder pain. I believe it's described as the gas used to inflate your stomach for the surgery or something like that. I bought Gas-X strips to help with the pain and was fine. Be sure to pack those.

I wish you the very best and hope this helps you in your decision Manda. Let me know if you have any other questions.

crzyfry · March 15, 2011

Manda, You are not alone! I too was very nervous I had lost 30lbs and tried to talk myself out of it. Luckily for me Ha I started gaining weight back right away! I was stressing myself out and therefor eating.

Well I had it done and it was hard at first and I may have even ask y on the 3 day but I went home the same day and it was a breeze unfortuantley I did not take it easy!

Needless to say I have lost 41lbs in 3 months and my only regret is not doing the surgery sooner!

Here if you need to talk!

AmyLamy · March 15, 2011

Hey, Manda. My name is Amy, and I'm scheduled for 4/7/11 surgery. I am nervous, scared, freaked out, and excited. I am wondering if you want to become "Band Buddies"? We are scheduled for surgery around the same time, and maybe we could support each other a bit, as well as relying on all of the fantastic people on the boards. Let me know what you think... Thanks!

Amy