Poll: Are you glad you were banded?

[Lillyanne_M 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.

Kat 817, that was the best, most well thought out, and helpful reply to a post I've ever seen. I have been EDUCATED. Thank you so much.

[Sooverit! 1]

I am so confused here and was hoping someone could forgive my ignorance as I have not been banded yet. I thought when you get the band your stomach is made much smaller so you feel full very quickly and with a very small amount of food.

Do you still feel hungry even though your stomach "feels" full and you can't fit anymore into your now tiny stomach!?? This must be just terrible! Or do you not feel full and you can eat as much as before you were banded? Thanks in advance.

Marg

[IndioGirl55 32]

I am so confused here and was hoping someone could forgive my ignorance as I have not been banded yet. I thought when you get the band your stomach is made much smaller so you feel full very quickly and with a very small amount of food.

Do you still feel hungry even though your stomach "feels" full and you can't fit anymore into your now tiny stomach!?? This must be just terrible! Or do you not feel full and you can eat as much as before you were banded? Thanks in advance.

Marg

Marg

I will try - i am newly banded and don't have a fill yet -

You can feel hunger even thought your tummy is full - this is what I call "head hunger" You aren't really hungry but think you are.

As overweight people we are use to eating LARGE portions - and when you cut those down to 1/2 or 1 cup of food - your tummy is full but you think you are still hungry cuz you didn't eat as much as you use to,.

Right now i am full - but i want to go in the kitchen and eat... I am bored... So i got on the computer to take my mind off of it.

Right after surgery your tummy is swollen so combined with the band in place you can't eat much 1/2 - but as the swelling goes down you are able to eat more - last week had 1/2 cup of egg beater and was full this week i had the same amount and was still hungry - my stomach is healing and swelling is going down. Once i have a fill - i will be full on less food, but that doesn't mean i will not still have head hunger issues. Also if you over eat with the band you will pb (throw up) and that's real bad as you can have your band slip etc

This band is not the answer to our problems with food - it is a tool to help you control your portions - you still have to eat the correct foods and exercise. Just cuz you are banded doesn't mean you arent going to be hungry at times (imho)

We are "fat" people must totally revamp our minds to think like a thin person - eat less and healther food and exercise - there is no way around that.

Read - ask questions - This is a GREAT place for info..

The best of luck to you in your journey

[Kat817 19]

Awww that's sweet Lillyanne---every now and then, something that one of us was told by a Dr. or a bandster before us, hits home!!

Glad this one helped you! Welcome to LBT!!!

Kat

[Sooverit! 1]

Dear Ingio Girl:

Thank you so much for your thougtful response! It gave me a lot to think about. I can get into that thin person's frame of mind when I am gun ho and going to the gym but that only lasts for 6 weeks. I am praying this device will prevent me from the yo yo syndrome. I don't think I'm fat so much because of the food I eat ....I eat very healthy most of the time....it's how much I eat. Hope that "head hunger" as you call it doesn't drive me nuts!!

Big congradulations to you for your impressive weight loss ...and so soon! Way to go!! It would take me a year to lose 20 lbs. :clap2: You are healthier already! I see you are close to my age as well I am 48 and I know that as we enter our 50s the body tends to pack on more weight ...good for you for nipping it in the bud now! I once read that we will face heatlh issues if we are obese especially in the 50s. Good for you!

[IndioGirl55 32]

Dear Ingio Girl:

Thank you so much for your thougtful response! It gave me a lot to think about. I can get into that thin person's frame of mind when I am gun ho and going to the gym but that only lasts for 6 weeks. I am praying this device will prevent me from the yo yo syndrome. I don't think I'm fat so much because of the food I eat ....I eat very healthy most of the time....it's how much I eat. Hope that "head hunger" as you call it doesn't drive me nuts!!

Big congradulations to you for your impressive weight loss ...and so soon! Way to go!! It would take me a year to lose 20 lbs. :clap2: You are healthier already! I see you are close to my age as well I am 48 and I know that as we enter our 50s the body tends to pack on more weight ...good for you for nipping it in the bud now! I once read that we will face heatlh issues if we are obese especially in the 50s. Good for you!

Marg - this is a GREAT place for info (complications - support - what we eat - why we eat etc) Yes we are in the same age bracket and yest this menopause thing is a "B" I gained 15 lbs from last yr.. Yes I had to nip this in the bud - i carry my weight well, most people didn't think i weigh as much as i do - but the scales don't lie... I am morbity obese.

I want to watch my grandkids (16 yr 12yrs 3 yr) grow up get married etc - I want to retire in about 5 yr and I want to be able to travel and have a life - being fat, couch potato wasn't going to cut it.. So this is how i arrived here.. For my health (some vanity) but 99% health..

Again Good Luck

Janet

[BlooEyez 13]

The option of "not sure yet" should have been included in the poll.

I was banded July 28th and am only down 12+ lbs. My weight has been the same for the past week despite the fact that I am eating small, "bandster" sized portions, drinking Water and walking. If I am following the rules and eating small portions, as if I have had fills then why am I not losing? It's frustrating ...

[IndioGirl55 32]

The option of "not sure yet" should have been included in the poll.

I was banded July 28th and am only down 12+ lbs. My weight has been the same for the past week despite the fact that I am eating small, "bandster" sized portions, drinking Water and walking. If I am following the rules and eating small portions, as if I have had fills then why am I not losing? It's frustrating ...

12 lbs in 2 weeks is good... I know how you feel - it should just fall off when we compare what we are eating now and what we ate before.

What are you eating BlooEyez???? I too am eating bandster size which for me has been 1 to 2 cups of food at one meal usually 1 cup depending on what i am eating - but last week I did navy bean Soup for 4 da about 1 1/2 cups and only lost 1 lb last week - I am eating a lot less and better food.:faint:

Someone told me I might be under estimating my calories - so Sunday I went out and bought a scale that tells me all the nurtients in a piece of food - 4 oz raw salmon - 300 calories 24 grms Protein - yadda yadda - it was a bit pricey - but to me worth it ... Imho you gotta look at the calories in

We will see how this week goes...

[BlooEyez 13]

12 lbs in 2 weeks is good... I know how you feel - it should just fall off when we compare what we are eating now and what we ate before.

What are you eating BlooEyez???? I too am eating bandster size which for me has been 1 to 2 cups of food at one meal usually 1 cup depending on what i am eating - but last week I did navy bean Soup for 4 da about 1 1/2 cups and only lost 1 lb last week - I am eating a lot less and better food.:faint:

Someone told me I might be under estimating my calories - so Sunday I went out and bought a scale that tells me all the nurtients in a piece of food - 4 oz raw salmon - 300 calories 24 grms Protein - yadda yadda - it was a bit pricey - but to me worth it ... Imho you gotta look at the calories in

We will see how this week goes...

For Breakfast I have a Protein shake, then as a snack I have a string cheese. For lunch I have 1/2 can of soup (which equals about 1 cup) then as a snack another string cheese (or sometimes I'll have SF pudding instead) and then for dinner it's always something different ... last night I had 1 cup of cottage cheese mixed w/ salsa, tonight I made spaghetti for my family and had a little bit of it, definitely nowhere near the amount I would normally have had. Inbetween my meals I drink drink drink Water. I keep track of my daily intake on Fitday.com and I just ordered myself one of them fancy digital food scales too!

So like I said, I eat very little and don't understand why the scale isn't moving. I was talking to my Mom about this earlier today, told her how frustrated I was with the darn scale so later this afternoon after my oldest son came home from school, she called and talked to him and told him to hide my scale! So now my scale is MIA and I can't weigh myself everyday anymore :confused:

[IndioGirl55 32]

For Breakfast I have a Protein shake, then as a snack I have a string cheese. For lunch I have 1/2 can of Soup (which equals about 1 cup) then as a snack another string cheese (or sometimes I'll have SF pudding instead) and then for dinner it's always something different ... last night I had 1 cup of cottage cheese mixed w/ salsa, tonight I made spaghetti for my family and had a little bit of it, definitely nowhere near the amount I would normally have had. Inbetween my meals I drink drink drink Water. I keep track of my daily intake on Fitday.com and I just ordered myself one of them fancy digital food scales too!

So like I said, I eat very little and don't understand why the scale isn't moving. I was talking to my Mom about this earlier today, told her how frustrated I was with the darn scale so later this afternoon after my oldest son came home from school, she called and talked to him and told him to hide my scale! So now my scale is MIA and I can't weigh myself everyday anymore :confused:

Blooeyes - this is your biggest mistake... Don't - please don't weight every day it will undermine all your efforts. One day down 2 lbs next day up 5 lbs etc. I weighed myself every day the 1st week - loved it was losing about 1 lbs a day- but after that 1st week it really slowed to 2 lbs in one week - then 1 the next. So I do not get on the scale except for once a week. I took my measurements before sugery and this Friday will be 1 month out - so I am going to retake measurements then. I know my tummy has shrunk and I can see it in my face. Also yesterday i walked 3 miles in 1 hr - 20 min mile - great NSV for a 52 couch potato... I could barely do 30 mintues 1 week out...

Just work the program - eat correctly - exercise and the weight will come off - Remember with the band it is slower weight loss.. I understand your frustration - but be paitient...

t

[Sooverit! 1]

Sorry Bloo I 'm with your mom as well. This is a lifelong change...after a year if you are not down a few sizes I would worry but not now....now is the healing and adjustment phase...not a results focus time. scales lie anyway....they don't just weight fat...they weigh organs, Water, muscle of course and other mass. I go by how my clothes fit...I haven't weighed myself in a decade.

[Susan70 0]

<p>I rec'd my band 6 days ago. I just want my body to get back to feeling normal. I have had an upset stomach the last few days and my incision area is still a little tender. I cant say either way if I am glad I did this or not as I am still in post op. I am starving I can say that and dont know how I will get through the next week on liquids only. I am just hoping that this is the hard part and it will get better once I am on solids..</p> <p><a href="Weight Loss - Diet Ticker"></p> <p><img border="0" src="<A href="http://tickers.TickerFactory.com/ezt/t/wgEB5cN/weight.png"></a">http://tickers.TickerFactory.com/ezt/t/wgEB5cN/weight.png"></a></p>

[IndioGirl55 32]

<p>I rec'd my band 6 days ago. I just want my body to get back to feeling normal. I have had an upset stomach the last few days and my incision area is still a little tender. I cant say either way if I am glad I did this or not as I am still in post op. I am starving I can say that and dont know how I will get through the next week on liquids only. I am just hoping that this is the hard part and it will get better once I am on solids..</p> <p><a href="Weight Loss - Diet Ticker"></p> <p><img border="0" src="<A href="http://tickers.TickerFactory.com/ezt/t/wgEB5cN/weight.png"></a">http://tickers.TickerFactory.com/ezt/t/wgEB5cN/weight.png"></a></p>

Susan - I was back to work 6 days out - so I guess I did pretty good for an old lady.. Take some pecide (sp) for your tummy and yes yout incision area is going to be sore for a couple of weeks - eat according to your doctors requirement (each are wildly different) as each day passes you will feel better - tomorrow is 4 weeks for me and i feel great.. down 23 lbs - exercising - have some restriction but not alot go for my 1st fill on 9/5. You can do this - it will take work on your part - but since you chose to be banded - I know that you are willing to do that work.

My best to you..

[Wendell Edwards 73]

I personally can't wait to get mine, but I am curious to see how many

of you are glad you were banded.

Count me in as being glad that I am banded!