I'm new...and in need of support!!

[Melissa S 1]

Hello all...

I've started my lapband journey.... I've been to 2 out of my 3 required life skills classes, I've seen the cardiologist and passed the cardio stress test, I have met with the program psychologist and nurse practitioner... I have a psych clearance on 4/2 by my own doctor , Pulmonolgist and life skills both on 4/3 and final clearance on 4/23...phew!!! TOO many appointments..

Anyhow.. surgery is tenitively 5/14... I am very excited but very afraid of failure. I'm an eater. Not stress eating or nervous eating.. I'm ALWAYS hungry!! I'm trying my best now to eat right and exercise at least 5 times a week for 20 minutes a day... but I'm finding it very hard to stick with it.

I have wonderful support from my family and friends.... but I think what I really need is advise and support from those who are dealing with being banded...

any advise would be greatly appriciated!!!

[LapBandit 5]

Hi Melissa, this is how I would've described myself too. I don't really feel like I have an emotional tie to my eating. Sure, PMS kicks in and I crave junk food for a day or so but typically I'd say I don't really have "food issues". But, pre-band I always ate huge volumes of food at each meal. I don't know if this is you too, but one of the things I did pre-band that contributed to my eating habits was that I had no set eating schedule. I'd wait until I was hungry then I'd eat til I was stuffed. So, some days I didn't eat until 7PM at night but that one meal was literally an entire frozen pizza and then an enormous amount of ice-cream or something for dessert.

Any way, part of my bariatric center's requirement was to switch to 6 small meals a day spread out throughout the day. It has made all the difference in the world to me---honestly. Part of my weight problem was that my eating schedule was so random that my body never knew when it would be fed again so my hunger pains were out of control and I'd just eat til the cows came home.

Now, my body has a schedule. I feel better and I don't experience those huge spikes in blood sugar.

Perhaps this is something you could look into for yourself? For me, if I had been doing this all along I honestly believe I could've controlled my weight way better over the past few years. I hope this story helps!

[Melissa S 1]

Thank you SO much for your advice.

I'll try the 6 small meals...hopefully it'll help!

[juliegeraci 7]

Melissa, everything will be okay. Let the band help you. Its a great tool. Just follow your doctors orders and you will lose. Once you start getting your fills you will feel restriction which will help you with your overeating. Your hunger should go down too. There are sensors at the top of the stomach and when you are banded it makes the pouch smaller thus filling up faster. The sensors send messages to your brain that you are full and not hungry. You will do great. Congrats on getting banded soon. Julie