What do you wish you knew before?

[gentylwind 1]

I wish I had known the surgery would not be nearly as bad as I thought!

[Janiece 64]

I wish I had known the surgery would not be nearly as bad as I thought!

Oh wow, you got yours yesterday?!?! Congrats!

[victoryarose 0]

If I knew I was being banded long ago I would have

not ever dieted (saved alot of money)

and done it sooner

But my case is so textbook that there is nothing else. Everything has worked out like the advertising said it would.

i was wondering where in Mexico you had it doen. i am self-pay and have been checking out Dr. Ortiz..i'm scared to go to mexico though! watcha think?:smile2:

[gentylwind 1]

Oh wow, you got yours yesterday?!?! Congrats!

Yes I did. Thank you!

[RestlessMonkey 7]

Hi, I hear so many of you say that you sleep on your sides after the LB surgery. Is that a forever thing? Or is that for a month or two until you no longer notice the cord and thing they left inside for the fills?

Also, how much does it hurt when you get a fill?

Not speaking for anyone but myself...I often/usually sleep on my side and stomach. It's what I did before the band, too. So I'm just "normal" for me. And I have NEVER noticed the tube (is that what you mean when you say cord?) "inside" me. I don't feel it.

You can find out about fills by reading under those forums. For some it is awful, for some it is nothing. For me, nothing.

[karenn1 0]

I wish I had known that I would still have to diet to lose weight, and the foods you are suppose to stay away from go down a lot easier than the foods you are suppose to eat. I've only lost 22lbs in since May 7. Was $13,500 worth it ????

[MissBS 3]

Hi. I am one of the people who had trouble sleeping at first. I could not get comfortable. It hurt when I laid on my back and it hurt when I laid on my side - I've never slept on my stomach, so that wasn't an issue. I had to sleep in my Lazy Girl for the first few weeks. It wasn't bad and eventually I was able to sleep in my bed. Thanks to my friends here on LBT, I didn't have many surprises before or after my surgery. I only wish I had done it sooner. I feel great and never had a moment's doubt about having the surgery - before or after. Good luck to you!!! Becky

[Mrsace13 0]

This is real great info, like bringing a pillow for your ride home, things like that are very helpful.

I keep telling myself that since I have done crazy diets before I should be OK after surgery but like you said, until you live it, it's not the same so that does scare me but I know I will just have to work through it.

I'm glad to know upfront that I am not going to drop weight like crazy as soon as I leave the hospital, of course that is what we expect, but to know upfront the truth will be helpful.

I'm glad that I have found LBT before surgery:tt1:

[Bean_blossom86 0]

Thank you so much to everone for all these answers, and to mrsace for starting this! I have had so many off the wall questions and it's nice to know there is somewhere to ask those and nobody thinks your insane! I just signed up for insurance at work and I specificly picked it because it covers LB. so I'm hoping in the spring I will be able to get it!!!! I had someone at work make the comment 'why are you doing that it's just a quick fix' I'm sorry but does anyone here think that LB is a 'quick fix' I always thought it was a lifestyle change... Do any of you Truly miss the foods you used to eat? or is it less fun going out with people because you can't eat what you used to? or do the benifits outweigh the things you are missing?

[RestlessMonkey 7]

I'm sorry but does anyone here think that LB is a 'quick fix' I always thought it was a lifestyle change... Do any of you Truly miss the foods you used to eat? or is it less fun going out with people because you can't eat what you used to? or do the benifits outweigh the things you are missing?

Only a person who doesn't know about this surgery and the aftercare would be foolish enough to call it a quick fix.

As to the other; while I'm fairly new (banded 8/29) my doctor has told me that most of his patients can eat anything they ever did. SOME have issues with things like white bread (gums up) and stringy red meat (who likes that anyway?) He is filling me very slowly and says I shouldn't ever have issues. My opinion is this: I NEVER ate a burger fries and a shake and wished I could have 3 of each. In other words, I ate until I was full and satisfied. As I get restricted, the amount that makes me satisfied is less. Am I, next year, gonna whine because I am "satisfied" with a Jr. Burger, a few fries, and pass on the shake? I don't think so! LOL

Different bandsters have different post op lifestyles (well, duh! Just like the real world! LOL) so how you use your tool is up to you. You can "diet" and count calories, or eat what your family eats but just eat less. You will be in control.

You will maybe still grapple with "head" hunger (some feel the band helps with that, others don't) but the physiologic hunger will no longer be an issue if you eat according to your doc's rules (Ie for me: no liquids 15 min before, during, or 15 after surgery, Protein first then veggies then fruit THEN grains/breads/pastas...small bites, chew 20-30 times...each doc is a little different)

SO No don't miss food yet and don't ever plan to. I can't ever have carbonated beverages and may miss beer but didn't drink but 1-2 a year so I think I can deal. Rarely had soft drinks so I don't miss them either.

And the bit about going out? Someone told me once "it's about the people, not the food". If I don't like the people enough to stick to band eating while going out with them (in other words, if the food is the draw) then I don't need to "go out" with them anyway. If it's people I love and/or enjoy, then eating a little less is no big deal.

Hope that helps.

[gentylwind 1]

Sadly, yes, there are people who go into this surgery thinking it will be a quick fix. We see them all the time on this board in fact. It is great that you are getting your head around it now rather than after. You will do fine.

[luluc 6]

I'm sorry but does anyone here think that LB is a 'quick fix' I always thought it was a lifestyle change... Do any of you Truly miss the foods you used to eat? or is it less fun going out with people because you can't eat what you used to? or do the benifits outweigh the things you are missing?

nothing quick about this process....and no easy out either.

i don't accept either of those thought processes because i know the hard work i put in & those of others here.

a yr ago walking up & down my driveway was a chore (arthritis) - now my fitness level is where it was 15yrs ago & couldn't be happier...but i put the work in, the lap band just assisted along the way....doesn't get all the credit.

as far as foods - i really don't miss anything; if i want something, i generally have it...however my tastes have changed, i enjoy healthier foods more often & it's not a chore, nor do i view it as a "diet".

[babe134 0]

Lulac btw you are my insperation.

Also I do not think and did not think it was going to be quick

I do think it is a long process and we have to remember that during the process like any commitment there are ups and downs along the way but the end results are what we are trying to keep our eye on.

Edited November 23, 2008 by babe134

[Bean_blossom86 0]

Thank you for your thoughts, I kinda thought that lady at work was talking out her A** but just wanted to be sure as I've not been banded yet. I love this site and seeing the things others are struggleing with and overcoming is a true insperation, I can't wait to get banded and I hope I will finally be able to change my life, I want so badly to be healthy and sexy... Seeing you guy's making all this progress gives me lots of hope!

[MustangGirlRN 0]

I felt extremely well prepared before my surgery, however a couple of small things did sneak up on me that I didn't quite expect:

1. Post-op nausea from the anesthesia. I've never been one to get nauseous easily and didn't expect to. I expected to breeze through the recovery room, but it took awhile to control my nausea. I wanted to vomit, but I was sooo afraid I would mess up my band. The nurse kept telling me she had an arsenal of medications to try to take it away and when one finally worked it was wonderful! I had a prescription for phenergan which helped the first couple of mornings when I also had some nausea.

2. Diarrhea that hit me on about Day 3 and lasted for about 4 days. Didn't see that coming, and somehow missed reading about it before my band. I didn't want to bother the Dr's office over the weekend, so waited until Monday to make sure I could have imodium....which worked!

3. I had some really bizarre food dreams immediately post-op where I dreamed I ate everything that was bad for my band, and I woke up afraid that I had messed up my band. :laugh:

4. Take as long off as you can from work. I'm glad I took 3 weeks off from work to allow me time to adjust to my new lifestyle. It is wonderful to have time just for me for a change!

5. The support I've had from friends and family has been even greater than I expected. I didn't tell many people initially, and now I wish I had, I could have used their support pre-op!

I've been banded 16 days and have not regretted one single minute of it!!!:laugh: Good luck to you!