Poll: Are you glad you were banded?

[Kat817 19]

The only problemwith the poll was that there was only yes or no---I needed a YES!!!!!! I love my band!

Yes it can be more fickle to find the sweet spot, but just as we each react differently with our bands, so do bypassers, and some still crave sweets, others apparently do not. When I got good restriction, my desire for any food, as well as most of my cravings went away too.

My friend Pam had bypass, and has been highly successful, but it has been hard work fighting the cravings for her, and being around sweets, with the dumping, and ironically she and her DH own an ice cream shop! She has some health issues with the malabsorption that she controls with supplements.

Zen girls, I hope you find good restriction, because with it, the band is a whole new ball game. Without hunger, cravings are not a big deal. Work with your Dr. sometimes it takes several fills to perfect....but it is sooo worth it!!!

Kat

[_Becca 0]

Going back the the bypass, I have a friend who had it done 3 years ago. She has started gaining weight back and she told me her stomach has stretched, so she can eat a lot now. After talking with her, I knew the band would be better for me because I could have it adjusted.

I LOVE MY BAND!

[violeteyes37 0]

I also love my band and doing gastric never even crossed my mind. I dont understand why people would choose gastic because they are afraid that they cant control themselves. I understand that we all had a control issue in the first place and that is what got us here. But the thing I cant understand is that once I made the decision to have surgery, I also made the decision that I was no longer going to use the excuse of not being able to control myself as a reason for why I was fat. As has been stated a million times and counting, this is a life style change and if your not ready to change your life you shouldnt do neither surgery.

[MissNilsa 0]

I can't speak for others, but I know I am hungrier and less restricted than I hoped to be. I've only had 2 fills and I'm hoping to find my sweet spot really soon, otherwise I will be even more frustrated and discouraged than I am now

Best of luck to everyone...

Well, you know 33 lbs is nothing to sneeze at. Ask yourself if you would have been able to even do that in previous years. I think you are doing great

[MissNilsa 0]

I love my band!! I have had my first fill last week. I eat very little before I am just stuffed. I get ravenously hungry but then eat 1/2 to 3/4 cup of food. I generally only eat my 3 meals a day. Every so often I will have one cracker w/ Peanut Butter as a snack inbetween if I know it's going to be a late dinner/lunch. (I can be full for 2 hours on that cracker).

Zengirl - I was concerned about not getting enough restriction. I have to drive 5 hours to see my doctor so I let them know that I wasn't about to turn around next week and come back if they didn't get it right. They gave me an omnipack(Sp?). They didn't use the usual saline because it can leak out. The other stuff was much thicker and so far is working great. I did have to sign some form to get it though. Good luck on getting your next fill!

why did you have to sign a form? is it dangerous?

[MissNilsa 0]

I agree with you wholeheartedly.

Amen

[jeejee 0]

Yes I am very happy about getting the band. I feel like I'm a new person and starting life all over again. Here's to a new beginning!

[pamla68 1]

I'm one month out from lap band surgery and thankful I had it. I've lost 50 pounds and have 45 more to go to reach my goal weight. It is not a miracle pill, it is a lifestyle change. I have never had a problem loosing weight, only problem, keeping it off. I had female problems, high blood pressure, heel spurs and back pain. With just the first 50 pounds gone, I have none of the above problems. It is not an easy way out. It has saved my life. So I am a proud lap band owner, and look forward to my new life with fitness, exercise, and incorporation of good eating.

[rjonesii 0]

35lbs in 1 month.....i am so excited

[IndioGirl55 32]

I'm one month out from lap band surgery and thankful I had it. I've lost 50 pounds and have 45 more to go to reach my goal weight. It is not a miracle pill, it is a lifestyle change. I have never had a problem loosing weight, only problem, keeping it off. I had female problems, high blood pressure, heel spurs and back pain. With just the first 50 pounds gone, I have none of the above problems. It is not an easy way out. It has saved my life. So I am a proud lap band owner, and look forward to my new life with fitness, exercise, and incorporation of good eating.

Pamala

You lost 50 lbs in one month OMG that's great almost like bypass... What are you eating.. Have you had a fill yet??

[pamla68 1]

Pamala

You lost 50 lbs in one month OMG that's great almost like bypass... What are you eating.. Have you had a fill yet??

Actually day of surgery I was 245. I've lost 28 pounds since surgery. I lost 24 pre-op. I haven't had a fill as of yet, I wouldn't be able to eat. I will schedule one when my band loosens up. Keep in mind, results vary.:clap2:

[Guest ZenGarden]

Unfortunately, the band does not help with binge eating urges and they clearly tell you that prior to surgery. For me, sugar has always been my main weakness and I crave it everyday. The only reason I chose band over bypass is the risk factor. Hindsight being 20/20 of course, now I'm thinking I should have chosen bypass for myself as it would have chemically altered things inside that trigger the binge cravings. Band doesn't do this...

[StephC 0]

I love my band but yes I still have to fight the sweets and chips, BUT so do my friends who had bypass. I know SEVERAL who have had it and 4 of them go to my church. The only one who has kept all her weight off eats Cookies and candy all the time, but that may be all she eats all day. She has told me she knows she isn't eating healthy and bc of it has lost her bottom teeth. Totally malnourished. The others have been slowly regaining their weight. My sil has lost all she wants with the bypass but she also still eats Cookies and chips. My friend said people don't understand that just bc we had the bypass we don't have to continue to work at it, she said junk food goes down real easy where as some of the Proteins and stuff don't.

Bottom line, I love my band, I love the fact that I can have it adjusted and although I get frustrated at times when I'm losing I know that its still up to me, the band is only a tool, not a miracle.

[Guest ZenGarden]

I love my band but yes I still have to fight the sweets and chips, BUT so do my friends who had bypass. I know SEVERAL who have had it and 4 of them go to my church. The only one who has kept all her weight off eats Cookies and candy all the time, but that may be all she eats all day. She has told me she knows she isn't eating healthy and bc of it has lost her bottom teeth. Totally malnourished. The others have been slowly regaining their weight. My sil has lost all she wants with the bypass but she also still eats Cookies and chips. My friend said people don't understand that just bc we had the bypass we don't have to continue to work at it, she said junk food goes down real easy where as some of the Proteins and stuff don't.

Bottom line, I love my band, I love the fact that I can have it adjusted and although I get frustrated at times when I'm losing I know that its still up to me, the band is only a tool, not a miracle.

Steph:

Thank you for writing this...now I know bypass would not have been the answer for me. I guess I will just have to wait and hope that I hit my sweet spot soon because my hunger level is out of control

Best of luck to you!

[unruhlyhd 0]

So far ( 2 1/2 weeks post op) I am VERY happy with my decision and would do it again in a heart beat. I can certainly tell a difference in the way I am needing to eat - small bites, chew slowly, and get full MUCH faster - I am looking forward to my first fill so perhaps I won't get hungry as quickly after eating.

I am a huge sweet and "comfort food" craver, but haven't had really too much of a problem missing those foods, except when my daughter wanted to eat at Cracker Barrel - one of my weak spots. I had mashed potatoes with some gravy - it came in a perfect serving size (about 1/2 cup) and I milked them for all they were worth. Still wanted the peach pancakes with whipped cream .

Gastric Bypass sounded pretty scary to me - especially with the malnutrition aspect, and the fact that it can be abused and the pouch stretched - and I also read that if you eat sweets or some other foods you have a "dumping" syndrome where you get sick - yuck. I also think all of the excess skin caused by the fast weight loss would be awful. Especially some of the pictures I've seen on t.v.