Too Much Information

[lkarelee 0]

My surgery is scheduled for 18-Aug-09 in Monterrey.

Every day I log onto this site and check out the new posts. First I read about all the complications (I highly recommend TJWOODS on this site - what a nightmare), then I read all the success stories. I read the complaints about PB's, slime (whatever that is), gas, port pain; the list goes on and on.

Then I read about how someone completely changed their life after 6 months of steady progress....and about the person who is gaining weight while on a 900 calorie a day diet.

I'm in information HELL!! One day I can't wait to get on the plane, the next I think I'm making a expensive and dangerous mistake with no guarantee of success.:scared2:

Anyone else?? Do I just need to stop researching?

[123crod 170]

I think you can read everything and then research what worries you and forget the rest. I did alot of reserch but mostly on Dr.s I did it in July 2009 so it is new to me but I have not regreted doing it not even once. I am so tired of struggling with my weight my whole life. I wished I would have done this years earlier. I was self pay and payed $12,900 which is a lot of money to my family. But I am worh it right!

[ashleysara 0]

How do you gain weight eating 900 calories a day? unless you are in starvation mode.. I have a super slow metaboloism that my doctors cant explain but I think I would certainly loose weight on 900 calories a day. LOL Is this something that I should add to my list of worries for real?

[ashleysara 0]

And congrats 123 how have you been doing? I cant wait to be in your position! (hopefully as positive as you!)

[RestlessMonkey 7]

Ok being really honest here: I took (and still do) EVERYTHING I read on there with a grain of salt (and I will include my posts in this as well). ALL this info is anecdotal and you know the nature of the internet; the info can be dicey.

Having said that, use this to get info to confirm (or disprove) using your surgeon, and published data....

For every person who is gaining weight on 900 cal a day there is one who is losing 2 pounds a day eating 2000 cal. In other words, unless you KNOW the whole picture, you don't know. People may intentionally lie. They may accidentally omit vital info. They may have undiagnosed issues. They may be just "guessing" ... at calories, or exercise level, or whatever. OR they may be telling the stone cold truth.

BUT you don't know this.

I have regular posters that I trust more than those I don't know, and some regular posters I totally dismiss (because according to my knowledge base I know they are off or wrong) but if the info impacts me, or if I am going to pass it on, I TRY to confirm it.

So remember that when you read here. Not all people are you; not all are as particular about their info. They may be 100% earnest in trying to help but misremember their doc's info, or have heard from a friend who heard it from her AUNT who asked HER best friend's doc, or whatever. There doesn't have to be malicious intent to misinform.

Even if everything you read is true, do you KNOW it will apply to you?

So...chill out, use the good brain you've got, ask your surgeon the stuff that rings true (or false) to clarify, read some books, and remember the nature of this beast. We try to be helpful, but we all have different skill levels, knowledge levels, and what is totally anecdotal doesn't necessarily pertain to you.

[hmarko 0]

This is my view on this (not banded yet). I have a slow metabolism so I worry about not losing weight. If you can't lose weight on 900 cals a day then you absolutely SHOULD be banded because there is no way someone can really sustain that sort of caloric intake forever without the help of a band so to me you are STILL better off. That's what I tell myself .. cuz it can take me a year to lose 20 lbs on maybe 1300 cals a day BUT I can gain it in a flash (like 2 months) if I slip so even if I only lose 20-30 lbs in a year - I WON'T be slipping up to the tune of 25 lbs weight gains anymore.. so i'm still better off.

[RestlessMonkey 7]

This is my view on this (not banded yet). I have a slow metabolism so I worry about not losing weight. If you can't lose weight on 900 cals a day then you absolutely SHOULD be banded because there is no way someone can really sustain that sort of caloric intake forever without the help of a band so to me you are STILL better off. That's what I tell myself .. cuz it can take me a year to lose 20 lbs on maybe 1300 cals a day BUT I can gain it in a flash (like 2 months) if I slip so even if I only lose 20-30 lbs in a year - I WON'T be slipping up to the tune of 25 lbs weight gains anymore.. so i'm still better off.

Have you really REALLY researched bypass? I only ask because of the "malabsorption" aspect. If I really couldn't lose on 1300 cal a day diet, I'd have had to really rethink bypass. i love my band but the point is weight loss. You won't get restriction for a while, and even that can be bypassed if you don't watch it. A truly slow metabolism would probably have better, longer lasting results with bypass. Have you discussed with your surgeon?

[hmarko 0]

Have you really REALLY researched bypass? I only ask because of the "malabsorption" aspect. If I really couldn't lose on 1300 cal a day diet, I'd have had to really rethink bypass. i love my band but the point is weight loss. You won't get restriction for a while, and even that can be bypassed if you don't watch it. A truly slow metabolism would probably have better, longer lasting results with bypass. Have you discussed with your surgeon?

No did not research bypass - i stopped at the point which talked about resecting intestines and malapsorption... that is too drastic for me - plus there seem to be many effects I would rather not deal with. If lap band doesn't work i would consider it.... but lap band will work just slower than others. I am severely insulin resistant w/ PCOS. THe heavier you are the more your body works to keep fat. Its a vicious circle. If i lose weight and not rebound (and the lap band will help that cuz i rebound when i slip and eat too many carbs... then i end up eating out of control).. I'm good. To me losing something is better than nothing or continuously gaining. Two doctors told me to do lap band they would not advise on bypass as the first thing in my case. I didn't really get into it w/ my surgeon because she doesn't know my history as well as my endocrine doctor and GP. I didn't say I don't lose on 1300 cals a day - i just don't lose a lot or quickly. If I end up losing more - then great. Maybe i lost my sense of calorie counting - thats always possible too as the other poster mentioned people's perception's are off. The lap band will keep me honest. My issue is not really behavioral but physical - I don't plan on eating icecream to cheat the band. I just need the ability to keep to really tiny portions and very low cal diet indefinitely. I can prob be disciplined enough on my own for a few months till full restriction.

[RestlessMonkey 7]

No did not research bypass - i stopped at the point which talked about resecting intestines and malapsorption... that is too drastic for me - plus there seem to be many effects I would rather not deal with. If lap band doesn't work i would consider it.... but lap band will work just slower than others. I am severely insulin resistant w/ PCOS. THe heavier you are the more your body works to keep fat. Its a vicious circle. If i lose weight and not rebound (and the lap band will help that cuz i rebound when i slip and eat too many carbs... then i end up eating out of control).. I'm good. To me losing something is better than nothing or continuously gaining. Two doctors told me to do lap band they would not advise on bypass as the first thing in my case. I didn't really get into it w/ my surgeon because she doesn't know my history as well as my endocrine doctor and GP. I didn't say I don't lose on 1300 cals a day - i just don't lose a lot or quickly. If I end up losing more - then great. Maybe i lost my sense of calorie counting - thats always possible too as the other poster mentioned people's perception's are off. The lap band will keep me honest. My issue is not really behavioral but physical - I don't plan on eating icecream to cheat the band. I just need the ability to keep to really tiny portions and very low cal diet indefinitely. I can prob be disciplined enough on my own for a few months till full restriction.

I think I'm the "other poster" who said perceptions may be off. I wouldn't push any surgery on any human. I weighed 405 when I got the band so I think I qualify as "heavier" and I didn't want bypass. I didn't mean to make you defensive, either, but just to point out that if you have trouble losing, the malabsorption helps. I can lose easily but I can't keep it off, and then I regain what I lost plus another 20 or so (or rather I did until I got the band). You will of course do what you feel is best for you and that's as it should be; I don't know you from Adam and wouldn't tell you what to do anyway. But I think it would be prudent to ask someone who knows (ie your banding surgeon) if bypass might be more help to you, so you can make an informed decision.

I've never thought knowledge was a bad thing, but you may not feel that way.

[Headhunter 6]

I need to create a macro where I can assign the phrase "Restless Monkey is Correct" to ONE key....because I'm tired of typing it....I type it ALL the time.

But she is.

And I'll chime in here about the idea of not being able to lose weight on a sub-1000 calorie diet.

That would REALLY indicate a super-absorbtion problem. Some people simply cannot eat very much without gaining. Those are the superabsorbers.

And those people are candidates for Bypass, rather than a restrictive procedure like the Band.

The Band simply RESTRICTS your intake. The Bypass does that as well, BUT it keeps you from absorbing a certain portion of what you DO eat.

So, if this is the problem you think you may have, talk to your Doctor.

Bypass is not the "boogeyman" some people have made it out to be. They have been performing it quite successfully for nearly 50 years, and if the patient follows the prescribed protocol, then they can almost always predict exactly what the outcome will be.

But DO talk to your Doctor about it. AFTER you've listened to Restless, that is...

:biggrin:

HH

[hmarko 0]

restless monkey - yes i have that problem - lose then gain plus another 20. I am now 240 or 235 - i had been bouncing up and down from 222 to 196 for the last 6 years. If i can eat 1000 cals a day i can lose weight. that is why I am ok w/ trying lapband. I don't want to do something drastic until lapband is proven to not work. My docs had said that lapband had cured a lot of diabetics. So I'm hopeful. And the other thing is that the rebound weight gains won't happen (the rebound weightgains are due to volume eating when i get carb 'reactions' low blood sugar and becoming a bottomless pit) - this cannot occur w/ lap band. I do tend to do a lot of research - but in the case of bypass i am not right now at the point of believing that is my best option - in 2 years maybe i would change my mind but i have to try the tamer option first. one is reversible the other isn't. one requires a lot more time off the other doesn't.. so at this point i know enough to not pursue it. Don't mean to be defensive. It just took me years to get to accepting the lap band. I think I will lose on it. I just may not lose more than 30 lbs in 1 year (40 if i am lucky) but that is fine. The following year I can lose another 30.

[Teacher07 3]

This whole time I thought Restless Monkey was a guy! I guess I should have checked the profile. haha

[gbakerc 2]

I am being banded the 23rd of September. I lose pretty easily but gain back. I feel like I have a slow metabolism as well but not that slow. I have been told unless you have a thyroid problem, the key to increasing your metabolism is to increase muscle mass through exercise. I know I, and many others find this to be a daunting task as when we start we are usually close to 100 pounds or more overweight. I used to be a runner in high school. I ran every day, lost 40 pounds and it stayed off as long as I exercised. And could eat pretty much whatever I wanted. Look at the biggest loser show. They take it to the extreme but the principals are sound. I am starting with Baby steps. I am getting back on the treadmill and I believe this will be my key to success. My Dr. said that if you incorporate exercise into the lap band program your results will be similar to those of a bypass. Not rocket science here, just Physics.

[spud.mama 7]

Back to the topic at hand...:thumbup: When I was on here before surgery at one point I started to get discouraged cuz of reading the negative. I had to tell myself that I had researched it and know what I expect--good and bad--and had to make myself just read the positives or helpful information. That helped get away from the info overload. Hope that helps.

Oh and I had surgery in June and it was a breeze! I am FINALLY out of bandster HELL!! Didn't lose much but a pound a week since surgery till my third fill. Don't stress there are many more successes than not--we all just like to vent our struggles more so (misery loves company).

Good Luck!!