Be Honest- Is Banded Life Hard?

[Skyvic 226]

Following the rules pay off. You don't want your band too loose and you don't want your band too tight. The green zone is where you want to be. But once you have the majority of your weight off, you have to work harder at following the rules...more so you have to be more active and healthy by exercising and moving! The more restricted your band is the more you have to abide by the rules ( corrected you should follow rules all the time) but the band will tell you when you are not. I'm two years out and I don't regret it at all. I've lost 113 pounds with 10 more pounds to goal. I'm experiencing a plateau but I'm healthy and feel good...I'm not in a rush for these last pounds.

[ireallywannabthin 286]

thank you all for your responses! I'm happy to see that your comments are not only helping me but other fellow newbies also. I hope that I will be just as successful as many of you are on the band. I'm trying to be as realistic as possible. I am changing my lifestyle- I will follow the rules and I will eat what I am supposed to and exercise the way I'm supposed to also.. I also know that I will make mistakes and I will overeat and I will have a taste of cake here and there because I am only human and no one is perfect.. but it's learning not to dwell on those rare treats and make them an often occurrence that will make me successful.. it's about having that treat and going right back to following that healthy regimen that I, right now as a food addict, can not grasp.

Thank you all so much! Please, lets try to keep this post active! This post is filled with amazing questions and answers and has helped me so much! Thank you to everyone for each and every one of your posts! It has helped me tremendously!! You are incredible people!

[gwendlyn702 2]

Hi everyone, I am 1 1/2 months post op, this is an amazing post. I love ny band. I have lost 25 pounds so far and 3 sizes in such a short period of time. I think being mentally ready to make a life change is one of the keys to success with the band. The band is only a tool to help you, and you have to be willing to put in the discipline for it to be successful. If you do what ur doc and nut tells you u will see success. I still eat treats sometimes but in way smaller portions when I do. For me the band has been most amazing by controlling my portion size allowing to feel satisfied so I don't have the need to overindulge. I would def recommend the band.

[blondegal_ 1,028]

I think this is the most interesting post I've read' date=' and I do enjoy hearing all sides. I am still in my 6 month meeting stage and have gone to at least 3 meetings (+psych mtg for insurance) so far, I'm thinking my surgery would be in May or June?. I think the newest information that scares me (but I'm still going through with it) is loss of hair, loss of gall bladder (I had no idea of that one). Does everyone really lose their gall bladder??? I just got over learning that the port will be sown on the muscle (for some reason I didn't think of that). My husband received the route n y gastric bypass and has lost 160 pounds (with gall bladder in tact). BUT I didn't want to go through that serious of a surgery, but wonder if it really is that more drastic than this? Thanks for all of the information![/quote']

My surgeon told me that about 25% of ppl who get WLS have to have their gall bladders removed. He said he doesn't believe the WLS causes it for everyone as some of those ppl were prolly going to get gb removed anyways but there are some that it causes issues for.

[brannewmee 103]

I have not been banded yet but I am anticipating getting it done soon hopefully. I'd love your open and honest opinions about whether you find that following the new lifestyle is easier or harder than expected. Do you still have cravings? How often are you hungry. Do you feel that you have more control with the band than you did without it? Anything and everything you would like to offer to future bandsters would be great!

Thanks- Jennifer

Hi I just started reading this thread yesterday n still am not done reading it, but I wanna thank you for asking the questions you have on here. I won't get banded till January 2nd n am just curious, it's now almost January, did you ever start the process of surgery? Did you have surgery yet?

[FLORIDAYS 3,040]

My surgeon told me that about 25% of ppl who get WLS have to have their gall bladders removed. He said he doesn't believe the WLS causes it for everyone as some of those ppl were prolly going to get gb removed anyways but there are some that it causes issues for.

Twenty years ago i was on a liquid diet where I lost a crazy amout of weight in like 8 months... Well over 100 lbs. Then my gall bladder went into overdrive and started producing toxic something or other and I had to have emergency surgery to remove it. The dr said he is 100% sure it was my rapid weight loss which induced the problem... So I would think it would make sense that if people lose weight quickly with the band or other WLS the gall bladder might be a problem. But of course it may not happen to everyone.

[brannewmee 103]

I agree this is a great thread. Congrats on deciding to be banded. I also agree the preop part was the hardest. I had to do one months worth and by the end I would be gagging just preparing my liquid meal but I stuck to it as I was determined to make the change and follow my surgeons instructions and prepare for the journey ahead. Since being banded I have not had one Protein replacement meal and told my surgeon if I have to have any post op I just couldn't as they would make me ill. I didn't worry so much about protein requirements on my liquid/mushie stages' date=' I just made sure I stayed hydrated as I wasn't hungry for the first three to four weeks, once I started on solids then I was strict on getting the required amount if protein every day.

Until you get to the greenzone you'll have to muster up all your will power and determination to stay within the amount of one cup per meal or spread that meal out over a few hours. Some days were hard but I kept myself really busy doing other things.

You need to stop eating at the twenty minute mark because that's when you reach satiety and that's what we aim for now not the full feeling like in the past. Satiety is when the hunger feeling has gone away, it gets much easier as you get closer and hit the greenzone. Up until you hit the greenzone is the time to put all the new rules into practice, it doesn't happen overnight but with persistence it will eventually become second nature.

With the band since I started the whole process including pre op and a few extra pounds before my liquid diet I've dropped 80 pounds. Yesterday I took my daughter and a friend to a clothing warehouse, normal size clothing. I found one top in large, it was a looser type style and in my head I was like there is no way I will fit into it but I'm going to buy a large and keep it till I can wear it, it was too good of a bargain to pass up. I tried it on when I got home and I nearly fell over backwards, it was huge on me, lol. Ill be able to take it in but I am so used to buying from large women's stores that I haven't realised I can go to normal stores now and fit into some of those clothes.

There are ups and downs with the band, there are weeks if total frustration at times but if you keep chugging along its so so much easier than not having the band. Best decision I've made regarding weightloss and keeping it off. I can easily walk an hour and not feel like Im dying at the end of it too these days. Love the feeling of feeling lighter and being able to move around quickly without my body creaking constantly.[/quote']

Love that about your cloths size. I can't wait till that happens to me. I will be banded on Jan 2nd n I'm so exited to finally b able to keep the weight off. Doing the pre-op diet right now has helped me understand what hunger is n eating for fuel n not as a hobby. You reminded me of a time I went to an amusement park with friends n did not fit on one of the rides. I was so embarrassed n said that was it I was gonna lose the weight. I lost about 26 lbs n went again n I remember being so scared that I wouldn't fit again but I did. That was a couple of years ago n since then have put all the weight back plus another 25. Can't wait till I'm a size large n b swimming in it.

[brannewmee 103]

Thanks to everyone's responses n feedback. This thread is literally bringing tears to my eyes. I can't wait to get banded on January 2nd. Down 13 lbs since I started my pre-op liquid diet n looking forward to many many more.

[brannewmee 103]

I'm in the pre-op phase in that I am still making and going to all of my doctors before I set my surgery date. I was following a general diet that the nutritionist recommended for me up until last week and I can't seem to get back on. I'm curious to know how you all felt before you got banded... did you ever question your willpower to actually stick with the diet? I'm so scared that I'm going to have the same fragile and short-lived willpower I have now even when I get banded... this is one of my biggest fears... being unsuccessful with the band.

I don't know how it will b after the band but right now I am on my day 11 of my liquid diet. I have tried doing weight watchers for years now n believe that the band is a great tool for me. We are all different. See my problem is really sweets n goodies my problem is good food. The band will help control some of it and my portions the rest n choices the rest of it. On my liquid diet I have been doing great. No cheating n made it through the holidays. Ya meaning no tamales no people. Did I want it... check ya I did but knew that I couldn't so I didn't. Once I get banded, I know there's certain things I can have n can't n am determined to stick with the rules. We just have to just like the liquid diet rules. If it's no then it's no...I'm so exited I've dropped 13lbs already and looking forward to many more.

[brannewmee 103]

I don't know how it will b after the band but right now I am on my day 11 of my liquid diet. I have tried doing weight watchers for years now n believe that the band is a great tool for me. We are all different. See my problem is really sweets n goodies my problem is good food. The band will help control some of it and my portions the rest n choices the rest of it. On my liquid diet I have been doing great. No cheating n made it through the holidays. Ya meaning no tamales no people. Did I want it... check ya I did but knew that I couldn't so I didn't. Once I get banded' date=' I know there's certain things I can have n can't n am determined to stick with the rules. We just have to just like the liquid diet rules. If it's no then it's no...I'm so exited I've dropped 13lbs already and looking forward to many more.[/quote']

Ha ha many errors on this sorry. My problem is not sweets it's food. N no tamales n no pozole not people. Haha we had lots of people... it was actually at my house n ya peeps were like " not even a taste" I would say "a taste will turn into a couple of bites, and a couple bites will turn into a whole plate" NO THANKS I'M SOOOOOO FULL WITH MY shake N TEN CALORIE sugar free Jello REALLY HIT THE SPOT....very sarcastic

[brannewmee 103]

Please pardon me' date=' but what is it when you refer to a NUT?[/quote']

Nutritionist

[brannewmee 103]

Please pardon me' date=' but what is it when you refer to a NUT?[/quote']

Nutritionist

[ireallywannabthin 286]

Hi I just started reading this thread yesterday n still am not done reading it' date=' but I wanna thank you for asking the questions you have on here. I won't get banded till January 2nd n am just curious, it's now almost January, did you ever start the process of surgery? Did you have surgery yet?[/quote']

I am in the process now.. I'm completing all I my pre-op doctor appointments then ill set my date.

[Skyvic 226]

What I like about the band is...when your tummy is full...the band pretty much stops you in your tracks. I have done friends with bypass. That feeling doesn't happen till after they have eaten too much...pay now pay later. I love my band it is such a behavior tool that has been successful for me:)

[Skyvic 226]

Wow oops I haven't done friends I have SOME friends with bypass!!!!lol