to band or not to band

[nita57]

Okay, So I have paid my deposit and booked my flight. The more I read here the more I think this might just be another costly mistake. Weight gain? slippage? etc. c'mn someone..some encouragement. I might cancel otherwise. I'm very depressed reading this and no where near as hopeful as I was

[Guest marys]

It can be discouraging but at the same time you also need to weigh the surgery very carefully - there is a slight chance you will have a slip or even erosion but there are some things you can do to avoid slippage (throwing up, excessive pbing, drinking carbonated beverages) unfortunately erosion can't be helped - i t's your body rejecting the implant but it is rare. Weight gain is also possible because you can certainly cheat the band - by eating ice cream, drinking lots of calories, BUT - i had the band put in in Nov of last year and i can honestly say i am happy with my choice. it has been harder then i thought - i think i was hoping for an easy answer and the band still requires work (making good food choices, eating bandster portions of food) etc. but it has helped me:

chew my food and eat slow, i don't eat in the middle of the night or before breakfast - i.e. grazing, i sit down for all my meals and try not snack between them, i don't drink a gallon of diet soda a day nor do i want to,

the band has thrown all my bad habits in my face and makes me stop and notice. But I still have to listen and I still have to fight emotional eating and I still have to try to make the best food choices possible. I realize now that while i still might not succeed - thisis my only chance of long term success. Obesity and overeating are a disease (in my opinon) and that's why people who lose the band typically gain the weight back - those bad habits are REALLY hard to break. I wish I had read or listened to more of the 'bad stories' because i only heard the good - and the band is really truly j ust a tool - one that can help in many ways that have a good chance of helping you succeed in weight loss but it is not magic and you will still have to put effort into your success. You are right to think this thru carefully - there are other chat groups - go to yahoo.com and click on groups and type in lapband and you will get as much info as you can handle! good luck

[Chelley]

Nita - I think you'll read lots of posts from banded patients that express the ups and downs of life as a lap-bander because it's a time of adjustment for us as all and as we adjust we need support of others who have gone through this procedure. I was filled with excitement on the day of surgery and then I was filled with hope as the inches and the pounds began to disappear. Most recently, I've been a little worried about weight gain as I approach my first fill and have sought the advice of others on this forum and it's been great. My fellow lap-banders have lifted me up and helped me along with gentle encouragement. I can say that in my 8 weeks post-op I have NEVER ... EVER ... ONCE ... regretted getting this band. I could shout praise from the mountain tops just because I've been insulin free these 8 weeks (was getting 4 insulin injections a day) and I'm down to the size of clothes I wore as a senior in highschool. Yahooooo! But even I need a little encouragement sometimes ... and so does everyone else on the forum. That's why it's such a great website. We are all in this together.

[nita57]

Thanks guys, this helps alot. Please keep posting and letting me(and everyone else) know how you are doing. It is encouraging and helpful to know what to expect. Thanks again

[WannaBeABrickHouse]

I am very happy to be banded. The weight loss has been a little slower than I hoped for but like everyone has said it is not a "magic pill". You still have to work hard to lose the weight. I have gotten discouraged many times by being unrealistic and expecting to be running on the beach in a bikini by now - which I am not even close to doing.

So I have to reflect on where I was and the difference between then & now. Right before my surgery I had to buy some new pants - size 20W. I bought some new jeans last week and they were a regular size 16...no more plus sizes!!! WooHoo! Anyway, my point is that I wouldn't be at this point at all without my band and there are no regrets. And I am still confident that I will get to my goal weight eventually, especially since now that I am thinner it is so much easier & enjoyable to work out.