What are the advantages/disadvangtages of being banded

[vrodder 0]

Hey everyone! I am looking into getting the lap band. I was wondering what are the advantages/disadvantages of the lap band. What is the hardest part about it? the best part of it? Hunger is a constant battle for me, and it seems like the band might help, will it? I run regularly so how long is the down time after the surgery? How much work would I miss on average?

[54Shirley 105]

I was always Extremely Hungry, I had done my share of dieting, and working out. I use to run, then my knees starting hurting allot and they were able to look at the x rays, told me I was a runner because the bones were flattened out. They were shot. So I would need new knees. I would have to lose weight though.

I had the band done at Henry Ford Bariatric Center in Detroit. I lost 145 lbs. threw the process, then the Dr. overfilled me, and he thought he blew the band, so he deflated it, never to inflate it again.

3yrs. later I finally found a student of his, in the area where I now live. Now as a Dr. he told me he will take care of me, and it's been GREAT !

They filled me under Fluoroscope, and took me wright to my fill line. 90 days later, just a slight tweaking of it.

So since January I have lost 60 lbs.. I am not HUNGRY ALL THE TIME !, I average between 800-1200 cal. a day. I plan on going a lot further trust me.

Pros and Cons It's some time getting use to it once it is filled, you have to learn to take small peaces, chew until it's mush, and understand that eating is going to take you more time then anyone you are with. When your band is filled, and you learn to drink Protein shakes. You will find it kills the Hunger Beast.

The Band is made to teach you the proper way of eating. If you don't pay it any mind and get caught ! You will get stuck, and find yourself throwing up to try to get it up. Then you will remain swollen for possibly a few days. Which means liquids.

If you use your band the correct way, it's a breeze ! BUT !!!!! You have to eat the proper foods High in Protein, and Low in Carb. also,,, you must get some kind of exercise. They work hand in hand. Soon your weight will come off, and you will lose inches, then your cloths sizes start dropping.

Find a CENTER OF EXCELLENCE, and look for THE CHIEF BARIATRIC SURGEON, then you know you have the best, and your band will be put in properly.

you don't need a problem with Slippage, or anything. You just want success.

Hope this helps, Shirley.

[Rachel412 116]

Hey everyone! I am looking into getting the lap band. I was wondering what are the advantages/disadvantages of the lap band. What is the hardest part about it? the best part of it? Hunger is a constant battle for me, and it seems like the band might help, will it? I run regularly so how long is the down time after the surgery? How much work would I miss on average?

The hardest part of it is that for most people, just HAVING a band doesn't automatically affect their hunger. You need fills to get to a good spot, and it may take 3, 4, even more fills to get to that point. In between that sweet spot and the surgery you're just losing on willpower alone.

If your biggest problem is REAL hunger, not just head hunger, it will definitely help once you get to a good fill level.

I haven't hit MY good fill level yet, so it's hard for me to say what the best part is

I wasn't allowed to do heavy lifting or exercise for 6 weeks after surgery, but was cleared to begin walking immediately. Seems like most people go back to work between 1 and 2 weeks after surgery depending on what their job is.

[Jachut 487]

Just having a band hasnt made me not hungry or not want to eat the wrong things but it gave me the psychological push - or shove rather- that I needed to get with the program and start gettign serious about weight loss. I took up running, cleaned up my eating and the weight came off fairly effortlessly.

Now maintaining, I find that I still have to make an effort to exercise and eat right, but due to the band, I dont have to be perfect. My body can take the odd indulgence, the odd bad day, a vacation and my weight just never changes. It makes maintenance SO easy. Which means my mind isnt constantly on the topic of food, eating, dieting and weight loss, I'm just living life.

Disadvantages - I hate the random tightness that might mean you go out for an anticipated meal and find you cant eat much. Or the occasional stuck/vomiting episode. I hate that I cant eat on the run if I"m in a hurry, I have to go without. I hate walking round the foodcourt and fancying absolutely nothing because its all too darn hard.

But the pros WAY outweight the cons to my mind.

[54Shirley 105]

That's not all true at all. I'm not in a P*ss*ng contest, and I have went through a lot myself. But in the long run it was worth it.

I eat at Restaurants a couple times a week. Their is no Problem at all. I just have to read the menu, and see what I can have. Also I was given a Bariatric Card, and I am to show that to a Restaurant. They have to (BY LAW) Honor that card, give me what I ask for because I can only eat so much, then charge me reasonably for the lesser amount.

So,,I show my card and save.

As far as getting filled all the way to your band level is wrong ! You should be in the RED ZONE long before that happens !

If it's not working that way for you, you should see someone, or someone else.

I'm not a Dr. at all... I will be banded 5yrs this October. It was rough the first time, and now with the Fluoroscope fill, and specialist doing this, it's accurate.

Something to think about.

Good Health to you, Shirley.

[vrodder 0]

So, what do you mean by "getting stuck"? And, you're still hungry with the band? Ok so what exactly does this band do?

And what foods can you not eat? It seems like you must be very careful?

[54Shirley 105]

Getting stuck is when you swallow something to big, and it gets stuck in the pouch. You have to get that out, it is very uncomfortable, and this is what the band teaches you. To eat properly so you don't get stuck.

Being stuck can last a few minutes, or longer. .

You are still hungry with the band until you start getting fills, 2 or 3 or more. Depends on your Dr., and how big of a fill you get for starts. Once you get to your comfort zone, it kills your appetite, So now when you do eat, you will only eat less because you will fill up a lot faster, then it's just time before you really start to see a big difference in the mirror, or your cloths size.

Foods depend on you and your band, everyone is different. I don't eat bread. It's to dry.

I do eat chicken, steak, pork, fish, chicken salad, tuna salad etc. . Basically what I want that is high in Protein, and what I feel like eating.

I don't have much of a appetite, so,,, I don't worry about food that much. I don't have to.

But Soups, Burgers (TURKEY TOO), Hot Dogs, cheese, Protein shakes. I always like to try something new to

[vickyd 24]

mist is correct that the band doesn't work for everyone. I can't speak to her situation but I can speak for myself...

The advantages for me are being able to lose almost 90 pounds for the first time in my life and feeling confident that the weight will stay off, being completely off blood pressure meds, not feeling constant pain in my knees and feet, being able to live a more active life and not be afraid to do things, not always being the largest person in the room...and there are so many more things...

As far as disadvantages go...I can't really think of any. I am one of the lucky ones who felt restriction from the beginning and have only had one fill. I don't have any foods that I can't eat and although I have been stuck a couple of times I can always look back at the situation and point to the fact that I either ate too fast, didn't chew enough or took too big of a bite.

The biggest adjustment that a lot of people have to make is to realize that even though you have a band, you may still have to count calories and make healthy choices in order to have good results (which can feel a lot like normal dieting). What my band does for me is help me to be satisfied on a smaller amount of food - I rarely feel "full" but rather after eating I no longer feel hungry...that took some time to get used to since I had spent so many years eating until I couldn't eat another bite.

Getting banded is the best thing I have ever done for myself but it's not for everyone. You have to be willing to do your part to be successful and not everyone is ready to do that...

[Jess55 97]

I have had no problems with my band. Did not even get my first fill til 5 months post op. If your doc pushes to fill mist, you need a new one. Not once during my post op visits did my dic or PA even bring up a fill. It wasn't til I said I was feeling hungrier that my doc gave me one.

Since I only have a tiny fill and am still a bit hungry, yet still losing though, makes me feel I could have done this without surgery and I just needed a good kick in the ass. But since I have this tool now, I'm going to utilize it and get another fill when I go in next time, which I really need to make an appointment for

[54Shirley 105]

mist: I really am sorry to hear that you are where I have been. The only thing that I can tell you, (AND THIS IS THE TRUTH.) Is that it was not the band that was bad, it was the after care, that screwed the whole thing up. I know you don't believe it????? But it is true ! I went through the Humidity problems with not being able to swallow, waking up, and for who knows why? not being able to swallow. I have even choked on Water...

When the surgeon over filled me, he told me he blew the band, so he deflated me. He wouldn't have anything to do with me at all. I finally got laid off ,and got a appointment to see him. By this time I already regained around 40lbs., and he instructed his student to throw me out! Was I P8ISSED OFF... Come back when you can control yourself, and then we will talk about a fill. Now ! no Insurance at all, and a blown band, and no help at all. Just this year I found a Dr. to take care of my needs, or take the D*mn thing out.

In the Hospital, under fluoroscopy they told me the band looked Great ! Just a little 4cc band. They wanted to put in 2.5cc's in, and I told them that 2cc's was were I couldn't swallow spit. THE RED ZONE. They said leave it up to us, and we will take care of it. I said o.k., but if it don't work,,,, it's coming out. They agreed ! I was totally fine? I couldn't believe this? How was this possible? Well he was putting in more then he said,,,, and in a new band !

it messed everything up. Swollen all the time, feeling sick, feeling like someone grabbed me by the throat, and was squeezing me, like a Death Grip 24/7 it never stopped.! ! ! I wanted this Piece of garbage taken out !

Now that I know it was the surgeons bad aftercare, and I watched to see the weight loss with this band since January. I'm glad it's in. I have lost 60lbs. banded. I only lost around 20-25 with the band threw him. 12 month diet over 120lbs. so 145 total loss..., but almost all gained back.. So my weight loss now has nothing to do with a pre surgical diet. It's straight loss from 800-1200 calories a day. I'll take what I can get.

What I'm saying is it's almost to true to be possible but,,,,, it could be from the aftercare. Why don't you try someone new, and see if they can put things on the straight and narrow for you.

I know the band is not for everyone, but it is very easy to work with. You already know the ups, and downs, same as I do. If they can get you feeling well with good aftercare,, this is a snap.

I know I am not wrong about this,, or I wouldn't even bother to wright about this.

Do yourself a favor and see someone else. They might deflate you, then under fluoroscope find your fill level, and just fill you up to it.

Good Health to you, Shirley.

[Jachut 487]

So, what do you mean by "getting stuck"? And, you're still hungry with the band? Ok so what exactly does this band do?

And what foods can you not eat? It seems like you must be very careful?

Being careful becomes second nature, you become a slow eater. If I eat slowly and chew well, I can eat anything, but some things take a lot of work, have a greater risk of getting stuck and you just kind of naturally dont want them after a while. One example for me is a toasted or grilled sandwich. Even the smell of cheese grilling has made me want to vomit for the last couple of years, because I associate the smell with the experience of eating a toasted cheese sandwich - laborious, lots of chewing, lots of uncomfortable feelings and pausing to let it pass without getting actually stuck. Fast forward to having my band unfilled for another surgery, I cautiously try one, OMG it was DELICIOUS! But I never ever ever missed not eating one, I just didnt want it. I feel the same way about a lot of previously favourite foods - cakes, muffins etc one notable example. There's just one food I truly absolutely could not eat and that's a burger, just no way, no how, I'd as soon try to eat a house brick. Its honestly like contemplating that. You're not looking at the brick thinking mmmmm I really want that! You're thinking OMG how could anyone WANT to eat that let along actually DO it?

yes, I get hungry normally. I never struggled with inappropriate hunger, being starving all the time, I ate becuase I liked it, I liked sugary foods and I just pigged out on them, not becuase I was actually physically hungry. I wake up hungry for my Breakfast, but a smaller Breakfast satisfies - say one piece of toast and one egg, not two! Half a cup of Cereal not two bowls. I stay satisfied till mid morning, when a cup of coffee and some fruit will fill me up and get me through till 2.00 for lunch with no drama. lunch I fill up on very quickly, maybe a small bowl of Soup and that gets me through till dinner, I will get peckishthere again and really look forward to dinner, but a bread and butter plate sized meal is more than enough. So my hunger levels escalate at meal time, which is when you're supposed to eat anyway, and are easily satiated. Previously if I'd eaten the amount I do now, I'd be freaking starving all day long, as I ate much much bigger meals and in between meals too. So hunger is not something you're never supposed to feel again!

The trouble with a band is, that if you just feel like eating, just because, its very easy to do. True of any surgery really, and certain foods, Cookies for example, chew to nothing and you can easily eat a whole packet. The calorie level doesnt bottom out ridiculously low either for many of us, its not hard for me to eat 2000 or more in a day depending on what I choose, and how I go about eating it. For me, I like to eat still, and I choose to be very active to counteract that, I still run for an hour most days to allow myself to exist and maintain on 1800 a day or so. I lost weight though with no trouble at all, slowly but steadily and I've maintained for years now.

[Jack 855]

re: "And, you're still hungry with the band?"

One of my most unexpected and BIGGEST postOp pleasures, is coming to realize how ENJOYABLE the act of 'becoming hungry' can be.

Like a summer rain squall moving in from across the plain, you sense it in the distance, you feel the increasing awareness of the approach, and the gradual merging of the distant beauty into your immediate surroundings.

The delight of actually HAVING a physical appetite which responds to Normo size meals is blissful, after decades of simply striving to stuff as much down my gullet as rapidly as possible while planning what to eat next.

Somewhere along my life path, I lost track of this important event. Somehow I became obsessed with the dread of 'being hungry' and ate everything in my path to avoid that.

The other part of the Band that is a true delight, is that the pleasure of 'becoming physically hungry' is well balanced with the pleasure of 'becoming physically satiated'. Sometimes it may take only a bite or two. Often 1/2 a sandwich is more than it takes, rather than an entire loaf of bread. Learning how little it takes to satisfy is a delight.

PreOp typically was an adventure in "how much can I eat". PostOp the matter far more often is "how little it takes to be satiated".

Entirely different focus for me.

Cheers on your journey.