Does everyone have a great story?

[donali 57]

I'm the erosion poster child here, but I loved my band and would definitely recommend it to anyone considering being banded. You need to educate yourself, and be willing to accept the risks - occasionally things don't go as planned, but for the most part people's banding journeys are enjoyable and uneventful. If you can call losing weight without suffering and keeping it off "uneventful"...

Erosion info:

http://lapbandtalk.com/showthread.php?t=2256

http://lapbandtalk.com/showthread.php?t=2725

http://lapbandtalk.com/forum/showth...=&threadid=2250

http://lapbandtalk.com/forum/showth...=&threadid=2274

My removal info:

http://lapbandtalk.com/showthread.php?t=2288

http://lapbandtalk.com/showthread.php?t=2372&page=1&pp=15

http://lapbandtalk.com/showthread.php?t=2298

http://lapbandtalk.com/showthread.php?t=2406

[claraluz 2]

Norma, hang in there. It definitely gets better. I eat considerably more than the amount you mention, by the way. The band is adjustable, so once you have healed, you can have the band adjusted to the level of restriction with which you are comfortable. If you want to eat more, you can have a lower level of restriction. You will lose weight more slowly, but you will still lose.

Rachel, keep in mind that any and every surgery will have negative stories attatched to it, but they are the minority. I had a minor throat surgery and had the nerves to my vocal cords cut. I couldn't speak until I had had two corrective surgeries. I work in a hospital and I've seen kids die from a tonsillectomy. I think it is smart of you to ask to hear the negative side of things, though. Just remember they are rare.

Nancy

[Brandi 0]

Norma-

I was banded 2 weeks after my daughters 2nd birthday. I also had a lot of bad feelings about the band for the first month or so. I couldn't hold my daughter, or play with her. And when I was physically feeling fine, I was in a grumpy mood because I was so freaking HUNGRY!!!! So I didn't have the patience to play with her. Trust me when I say the first month to 6 weeks are the absolute hardest. My aunt was banded a year before me and all I heard was how wonderful everything was gonna be and how the weight would just fall off and I would feel great and how it was the easiest thing she's ever done!!! And for her, the weight literally did fall off....she lost over 110 pounds within a year. So I found myself comparing my weight loss to hers and became more depressed because mine was a lot slower than hers. But once you are able to start introducing "real" food to yourself and feeling satisfied, it gets a lot easier. I agree that there should be more posts on the "hard part" of getting used to this new lifestyle. But I would bet that in a few months when you're feeling better and losing weight and are able to eat more, you won't regret getting the band. Hang in there. This website is a good place for support!!!

[Guest dorothy]

Thanks I was banded 2 weeks ago and have never been so hungry and start my full liquids tommorrow and can hardly wait I really thought something was wrong because I was so hungry

/dorothy

[HarleyNana 10]

The first two weeks are the toughest, if we were all able to live on liquids we wouldn't need our band. About the 4th day, I was saying to myself OMG what have I done, I thought of stuff I'd like to eat that I hadn't eaten in many months. I dwelled on food. Then the mushy stage starts and life begins again. Just hang in there it gets so much better. There will always be "moments", and it's not the fastest weight loss, but it does happen with time. Good Luck!

[Zoe 6]

Norma and Dorothy, you're going through the hardest part of banding right now. Like all of us, you're expecting to lose weight with the band. You've had to change your eating habits (liquids, mushies) during the healing phases -- but you don't have any restriction yet, so it's as if you're being forced to keep a liquid diet without any support. Hang in there. Things should get better after you have a fill, which will tighten your band and help you feel less hungry. No doubt about it, between the incision pain, bruising, and hunger (which kicks in for some people right after surgery, for others, later if ever), the first weeks after banding are not easy. But -- to get back to Rachel's original post -- I think most of us here who have gotten past those rough weeks definitely believe it's worth it.