melly Posted January 24, 2009 Report Share Posted January 24, 2009 I have read all the good things but now I want to prepare myself for reality. What do you find to be not all that great? I'm wondering if I will miss being able to eat 3 times what I should eat. Will I miss the comfort of food? Do you hate always having to plan? plan ahead? PB's? What is the worst thing for you? Thanks Melly Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
MyNewLife Posted January 24, 2009 Report Share Posted January 24, 2009 I have read all the good things but now I want to prepare myself for reality. What do you find to be not all that great? I'm wondering if I will miss being able to eat 3 times what I should eat. Will I miss the comfort of food? Do you hate always having to plan? plan ahead? PB's? What is the worst thing for you? Thanks Melly Hi Melly, I have only been banded a short time, but one thing that for me has been frustrating is the fact that I feel like I am on a diet, which honestly I am from the foods I use to eat. I eat Healthy foods now which is a GREAT thing, but I do have to weigh my food and tell my self to stay away fromt he NO NO foods. It is not this magic band that will not let you eat the foods you are not suppose to eat, you have to make that choice. Good Luck! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
AngelaAnn Posted January 24, 2009 Report Share Posted January 24, 2009 I have read all the good things but now I want to prepare myself for reality. What do you find to be not all that great? I'm wondering if I will miss being able to eat 3 times what I should eat. Will I miss the comfort of food? Do you hate always having to plan? plan ahead? PB's? What is the worst thing for you? Thanks Melly PBing is a pain in the ass. For me, it's frustrating because one day I'll be able to eat something and then the next time I have it, I PB it back up. I can't eat bread, tortillas, sometimes salad, or generally most carb things. So if you were/are addicted to carbs, you might have to kiss them good-bye. Some days I can eat solids and some days I'll only be able to drink my calories...the band is fickle like that. And yes, you will miss the comfort of food. My problem was that I was a binge eater and now I physically cannot do it or I'll PB/slime up. It's a good thing I can't binge, but it's really hard psychologically to get throught it. On the positive side, I've lost 33 lbs. in five months with just diet alone and my body fat went from 49% on the day I had surgery to 36% as of two days ago. I'm hoping by my one year to lose another 30 lbs. I've joined a gym and been exercising 4 days a week. Even though sometimes I'm frustrated with the band, I'm 100% positive that I would be well over the 250 lb. mark by now--it's a slow process that definitely does take work, but it DOES work. I wish you good luck and know that this site is invaluable to getting support from people that are going through what you will be. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
vangirl Posted January 24, 2009 Report Share Posted January 24, 2009 I have read all the good things but now I want to prepare myself for reality. What do you find to be not all that great? I'm wondering if I will miss being able to eat 3 times what I should eat. Will I miss the comfort of food? Do you hate always having to plan? plan ahead? PB's? What is the worst thing for you? Thanks Melly All of those things you've mentioned Yes, chances are you will miss being able to eat the things you used to eat and the amounts you used to eat. And having to plan can be a pain in the ass. And for me, it was and still is hard to get used to not being able to drink with my meals. But despite these frustrations, I am still glad I did it. That's what sold me on it in the end. When I was pre-band and asking people about their experiences, everyone had different things to say, including recovery time, rate of weight loss, post-surgery issues, and what they could/could not eat. But across the board, they all said they were really happy they had done this for themselves. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
losew8 Posted January 25, 2009 Report Share Posted January 25, 2009 I was banded at the end of November and have lost 22 lbs. While I would never change my decision to be banded there are a few minor setbacks. If you overeat, eat the wrong foods or eat too quickly you can experience some discomfort as the food can get stuck. However, I view this is a good thing as the band is teaching you to eat slowly and to eat small amounts and chew, chew, chew. The only other encounter that I have experienced is passing wind (more than I did before I was banded). Overall the whole experience to be banded was very minor as the surgery very minimal and I would do it again in a heart beat. I searched endlessly on the internet for something to be posted that was negative and other than the normal risks of surgery I could not find any. Hope this helps. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Amanda2008 Posted January 25, 2009 Report Share Posted January 25, 2009 I'll be totally honest. Absolutely NOTHING sucks about it. There are a few side effects (like constant burping) but who really cares? My shoulder did hurt occasionally but again it's a small price to pay. It would be nice if the band and the fills were free, but it's totally worth the cost. What RULES about the band is that I'm now a "normal" person so to speak around food. I no longer obsess about it and hardly even think about it. I don't feel like I'm on a diet at all. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jhawkchick75 Posted January 25, 2009 Report Share Posted January 25, 2009 As i've said before, this is the hardest and easiest thing i've ever done in my life. The mental hunger is by far the hardest thing to deal with for me. Also, now that I can't eat any breads (can still do tortillias) I crave them even more. It is tough because you cannot physically eat as much, but it is up to you to make good decisions on what you eat. Since you get so little, you need to make good decisions. Also, there are ways to "eat around the band" as they say. So it is definitely willpower on your part to follow the rules and do the right thing. So it does take a lot of willpower on your end - this is not an easy fix - it is just a tool. Oh, and another thing that is tough is the eating and drinking. My friends and I like to go out and waiting 45-60 min before you can drink after eating is tough, especially if others don't know about your band. Everyone seems to notice that i'm not drinking while eating and so it's hard to explain. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
BrandNewDawn Posted January 25, 2009 Report Share Posted January 25, 2009 The only thing that I feel self-conscious about is eating around people who do not know that I am banded. I was at my step-son's wedding reception and the dinner was absolutely luscious and I took about 4 bites and I was done. (I should have skipped the appetizer). So, I always wonder if people think I am weird because I don't drink anything at all and I barely eat anything. But, really, most people probably do not notice at all. I always take my food home for another meal. Oh, and I miss my after dinner coffee. PB-ing sucks in my opinion, I hate it and try to avoid it. Dawn Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
karenlynn79 Posted January 25, 2009 Report Share Posted January 25, 2009 Worst: PBing in public or in a moving car (while driving!). Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
PAMMIE Posted January 25, 2009 Report Share Posted January 25, 2009 WORST THING WAS THROWING AWAY THE THOUSANDS OF DOLLARS OF DESIGNER BRAND CLOTHING THAT WOULDN'T FIT BUT I'LL TAKE THE END RESULT ANYDAY Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
CindyLou Posted January 25, 2009 Report Share Posted January 25, 2009 Since my second fill, and now that I have great restriction, sometimes I find myself ANGRY and FRUSTRATED that I can't eat more. I'm glad the band is doing its job, but I'm also sad that I can't eat more. Maybe I'm weird, but that's how I feel. Would I change anything? NOPE! I just need to work through my issues with food and this tool is helping me do that~ Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
AngelaAnn Posted January 25, 2009 Report Share Posted January 25, 2009 Worst: PBing in public or in a moving car (while driving!). This just happened to me last week! In a car...I am so glad I had a plastic bag on hand. I figured out that I can't eat and then get immediately into a car. I get this weird car sicky feeling (never had it before the band) and then I start pbing. Weird stuff. And annoying. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
trulytangledgrl Posted January 25, 2009 Report Share Posted January 25, 2009 I am going to second what MOST other people have said in this post. I do (sometimes, not always) miss not being able to eat more - - the thing is, its all mental. Even if I am not physically hungry, sometimes I will find myself staring into the pantry or refrigerator and I am just in a daze, then I snap back and I think to myself "whats going on, why am I telling myself I need to eat?" and I will think about what was just going on or if something upset me, made me mad, etc. Generally, something happened and I got upset or angry and I immediately ran to get 'comfort' from food. That part is REALLY hard because with this band, I am forced to face my emotions instead of shutting them up with food. There have been times that I broke down into tears because I couldn't eat and had to actually work out what was going on. I think that is the hardest thing about the band Also, as one other bandster said... some days I can eat anything, other days, that same food would make me throw up. I find that stress will cause restriction in my band (I have also heard others say that too) so I have to be VERY careful about that. Another thing that sucks is if you are out to eat, or dinner at someone's house, and they don't know about your band.... the comments people make are annoying (i.e. 'Wow no wonder you are losing weight you are starving yourself to death. Have some cake' or stupid sh** like that. That really pi**es me off). Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
yoyodieter Posted January 25, 2009 Report Share Posted January 25, 2009 What I hate most is eating out with other couples, It happened last night, My first bite got stuck, I got wrapped up in the moment and forgot to chew, no one knows I was banded so making excuses to go to the bathroom to pb was tough, I was in pain and kept slimming. I kinda ruined dinner for all, The other couple thought I was sick and we were home by 8:30, 2 minutes into the car ride home my food went down and I felt fine. Other than that I love my band, it controls my hunger and eventually the amount of food I can it. (still have a tough time with knowing when I'm full) The only thing I might have done different and still might, Is tell some of my friends so I don't look like an idiot when we go out to eat! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
nothereanymore Posted January 25, 2009 Report Share Posted January 25, 2009 I hate how fickle it is, mine got really tight and I couldn't eat much while traveling and I was doing it for the last 20 days. (At least I lost the weight I put on during the Holidays) And I agree the eating out in public can be a pain, and dealing with the questions if people notice that we eat differently. It can change who you are and that can be hard on some of our friends and family. You will most likely change emotionally as you lose the weight. It’s not all about the looks and your health improvements, it changes who you are inside and that can change how you act. Some of your friends may not like the new you, confidence comes out, the ability to say no more often. I’m not the same person now that I was 28 months ago and it was hard on some of my friends. It can be hard on marriages as well, you really have to work to make sure your partner knows you love them, or they can start feeling threatened. If you lose the weight and skin is out of wack you may need plastic surgery – that can be expensive and its not an easy process. I love it too, wouldn't change it for the world. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
melly Posted January 25, 2009 Author Report Share Posted January 25, 2009 Thanks so much for the wonderful responses. I really want to prepare myself so its good to hear about things I may not think of until after its been done. Thanks again everyone!! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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