Poll: Are you glad you were banded?

[IndioGirl55 32]

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!

Zengirl - What were your expectations with the band?? I know that you were told it's just a tool - but did you really think (like a lot of people do imho) that this was the answer to all your weight issues.

I have never looked at my band as being the 100% answer to my weight problems - I look at the band its self as 25% to help - but the other 75% is up to me - watch what i eat - exercise - so that put 3/4 of the job on my shoulder.. I am hungry right this minute - I want to eat.. But i say to myself - do you want to waste 200 calorie right now on junk or would you like to have a decent dinner.. I vote for dinner and a couple of puddings for dessert... I love junk as much as everyone does, but i have chossen not to even eat it... In fact the other night i was very tired and not feeling good (and the is a BIG trigger for me to OVER EAT COMFORT FOOD) - Well i started to fry the bacon to make white (cream gravy) to go on top of my mash potatoes - but as i looked at the pan - i said to myself "Janet - did you spend all that $$$ (dr had a large prgram fee) and pain of surgery just to "f" it all up by eating the wrong kind of food jsut cuz you don't feel good" The answer was no - so i threw it out and just ate my 3/4 cup of mash potatoes with NO gravy...

Maybe I am just super motovatied right now... but again I don't want everyone looking at me saying - look what she did and she didn't loose the weight... So I am WORKING VERY HARD at not eating too much or the wrong thing and to get my exercise.

I don't care if you are banded or bypass - but whomever chooses to go thru major surgery to have either procudures should also put the work in to make it work... and 75% is all head work (imho)

[Chickie 15]

Yes. Very. I am two and a half years post op, and have been at goal for a year.

Without my band, would be where I am today? I highly doubt it.

[Guest ZenGarden]

Zengirl - What were your expectations with the band?? I know that you were told it's just a tool - but did you really think (like a lot of people do imho) that this was the answer to all your weight issues.

I have never looked at my band as being the 100% answer to my weight problems - I look at the band its self as 25% to help - but the other 75% is up to me - watch what i eat - exercise - so that put 3/4 of the job on my shoulder.. I am hungry right this minute - I want to eat.. But i say to myself - do you want to waste 200 calorie right now on junk or would you like to have a decent dinner.. I vote for dinner and a couple of puddings for dessert... I love junk as much as everyone does, but i have chossen not to even eat it... In fact the other night i was very tired and not feeling good (and the is a BIG trigger for me to OVER EAT COMFORT FOOD) - Well i started to fry the bacon to make white (cream gravy) to go on top of my mash potatoes - but as i looked at the pan - i said to myself "Janet - did you spend all that $$$ (dr had a large prgram fee) and pain of surgery just to "f" it all up by eating the wrong kind of food jsut cuz you don't feel good" The answer was no - so i threw it out and just ate my 3/4 cup of mash potatoes with NO gravy...

Maybe I am just super motovatied right now... but again I don't want everyone looking at me saying - look what she did and she didn't loose the weight... So I am WORKING VERY HARD at not eating too much or the wrong thing and to get my exercise.

I don't care if you are banded or bypass - but whomever chooses to go thru major surgery to have either procudures should also put the work in to make it work... and 75% is all head work (imho)

My expectations with band were two-fold: (1) to not be hungry all the time; and (2) to eat less than 3/4 cup of food per sitting and be STUFFED. Hasn't happened yet...

[Janesse Voss 0]

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.

Wow, 50 pounds in one month! That's incredible. The information I have read says that you only lose one pound per month, so that made me think twice about being banded. Now I know more is possible.

[Guest ZenGarden]

Double WOW! 50 pounds in one month is an AMAZING achievement, but VERY RARE for most people. Just don't get false hopes

[justwant2lose 0]

Thanks Terridoodle. I think the results from both polls definitely speak for themselves.

[MichelleA219 0]

I was just recently banded on 7-26-07 and as far as right now I think this is the best thing that I have ever done! I can't wait to get my first fill to see what it is going to be like and how eating changes, but I am so excited for the experience.

[aluckygem 0]

I am only three days out so I cannot say I am glad yet that I am banded, but I am certain I will be happy when I see results and begin to feel like a normal person with regular foods to eat. I am in the Full Liguid stage and doing ok but I do feel a bit hungry.

[losingjusme 12]

i LOVE my band ...

i am almost 10 months out and have lost 115 pounds. i still have a ways to go and have had my ups and downs, but i have only had one month where i have gained (last month was REALLY bad eating and exercising for me)...

my only regret i have heard from many is that i didnt do it sooner.

[Dianna 0]

I was banded 07/10/07 and I haven't had a craving yet .When I went for my first check up I had lost 14lbs,I was very happy!!!!! but I didn't think I had gotten realy hungry either.But listen to this!!! so I ask the nurse if the rumble in my stomach was normal or should I be concern.Her reply."your hungry" after that little reply I felt hungry.So I let her rumble for awhile before I eat.I do believe I am eating more now,I eat about a cup of food and then I stop.

[jbates 0]

I had my band three months ago. I have a 10cc band. My first fill was 9 weeks after the surgery. He filled 4ccs and I still did not have restriction. Two weeks after the fill I went back and he reluctantly filled 1 cc more. Still no restriction after that.

I called the behavior specialist... told her that my exercise was going great (I walk for 10 minutes and run for 10 to 15 minutes four days a week and walk for 45 minutes in the evenings 5 days a week).

She scheduled me for another fill three weeks later. Well, now three days after the fill, I still don't feel restricted.

This is getting so frustrating for me. As I told my doctor, I think I'm doing my part with the exercise and diet...I just want the benefit of the surgery to help me with this. I could eat LOTS if I didn't just stop.

I know that I'm loosing some weight...I just don't want to have to do it on my own. The dietitian called me yesterday and suggested that I stay on the liquid diet for three to four weeks and this would help with my weight loss. Well duh... If I could do that I would have before the surgery.

Also, why do I feel like I have to beg the doctor to give me a fill. He says I'm not giving it enough time, but I can tell if I'm not restricted. Why do we have to wait so long to get to the "sweet spot"?

At the point I am now, I wouldn't recommend the surgery to anyone. The only thing that I see that weighs less now is my bank account.

[Guest ZenGarden]

I was banded four months ago and like you, still have very little restriction and am hungrier than I ancitipated. I hope I hit my sweet spot soon, because I am getting frustrated with the hunger and lack of restriction.

Perhaps there are only a small handfull of people out there who suffer from hunger and lack of restriction??? I wish I were among them

[kreich 0]

I am with Zen girl and Jbates- I feel no real restriction, and have to use mostly my own will power to not eat too much. When does the lion become the kitty cat?

[Kat817 19]

Zen girl, I feel your upset and frustration in your posts, and wish there was a way to help you!

You are right, every one reacts differently, and that includes their hunger triggers...the Dr. who did the seminar I attended, explained it to us this way. There are 2 nerves in the upper part of the stomach, he called them Vega or Viga (I have no idea of spelling, he was talking it was not wrote down) nerves. He said in order for the brain to be signaled that you were full these nerves had to be stimulated. He went on to say the nerves like everything else, are not always located in an identical spot in everyone---same as some people have wide set eyes, and others close set. These nerves, being hit is what makes you feel so miserably full following a big holiday dinner...when you REALLY stuff yourself, and food is all the way up to the top of your stomach. Back when dieting and you tried the old trick of drinking a full glass of Water before your meal, and it worked for a little bit---but the Water passed through fast and the nerves were no longer triggered.

Ok now---when the band is placed, or the stomach cut depending on which surgery you have---sometimes those nerves are right there, and affected. Which eliminates hunger. It sounds like some of the bypassers you know had this happen. Personally I believe my band is placed in a way that it has kept my nerves triggered where I seldom feel true hunger anymore, but it took 2 fills to get it squeezed onto them and leave it that way. With the band, when it gets adjusted/filled to a good level of restriction, where it holds your food in place for several hours--the food will come in contact with the nerves, and the hunger will dissipate. No one including your Dr. knows where those nerves are on you. Some people come out of being banded with the band putting pressure directly on those nerves, and they lose all their weight with no fills....most of us are not that lucky!!!

Keep at it, go slow with your fills, I know some of us have a long drive, mine is 6 hours each way---but several trips in comfort are better than one emergency for an unfill---that just sets up problems in the long run. Take it slow, and steady, and learn a new way of eating and training yourself in the meantime. Should there ever come a day you lose the band, or someone with bypass who has stretched their stomach, the knowledge you gain, and the habits you changed will make maintaining the loss that much easier.

Hang out, and vent as you need, and we can try to help you figure out ways to cope until you reach a level of restriction that allows the band to really work!!

Kat

[SD Chick 0]

I am wondering if you have kept track of exactly what you are eating. It may be just a little thing that is stopping you from loosing weight - with all that exercise you should be loosing something! I know it is discouraging but hang in there and it has to come if you are doing everything right!

Good Luck to you!