Met a Very Successful Bandster Last Night!
In a bar no less. He was banded in 2003, the same year I had surgery. He showed me his before pics and he has every reason to be pleased, he lost and kept off more than 250lbs. Stunning result for a SMO person. Honestly, I didn't believe the band could be worked that well.
Of course I was curious about how he did it. And how he felt about the band. He was very open and honest. He got the results but there was/is a price to pay. He can only eat ground meats, no steak or chicken and a meal for him is exactly 5 small bites. Never one bite more of he will be throwing up. I was drinking diet coke and he had cranberry juice. He can't do any carbonation or he will be visiting the men's room.
He said the band more or less rules his life. He has to plan for eating and going out is no fun. All he really gets to do is watch other people eat. And he knows he will never be able to eat most of his favorite foods. The part that gets me was "Rules my life". Of course, he said it all evens out because I have to worry about dumping....was he ever surprised when I explained the DS. He had never heard of it before! And this guy is no dummy. He is a well educated professional person.
So here I sit this morning feeling grateful. I had a sugery that lets me be simply, normal. I can eat like a regular person. And to this day, I have never thrown up. And I hate throwing up. Even when compared to a successful banding, the DS rules. What great decision I made all those years ago.
Of course I was curious about how he did it. And how he felt about the band. He was very open and honest. He got the results but there was/is a price to pay. He can only eat ground meats, no steak or chicken and a meal for him is exactly 5 small bites. Never one bite more of he will be throwing up. I was drinking diet coke and he had cranberry juice. He can't do any carbonation or he will be visiting the men's room.
He said the band more or less rules his life. He has to plan for eating and going out is no fun. All he really gets to do is watch other people eat. And he knows he will never be able to eat most of his favorite foods. The part that gets me was "Rules my life". Of course, he said it all evens out because I have to worry about dumping....was he ever surprised when I explained the DS. He had never heard of it before! And this guy is no dummy. He is a well educated professional person.
So here I sit this morning feeling grateful. I had a sugery that lets me be simply, normal. I can eat like a regular person. And to this day, I have never thrown up. And I hate throwing up. Even when compared to a successful banding, the DS rules. What great decision I made all those years ago.
I saw your post and immediately thought "Oh HE'S the ONE that did well" 
I know how he feels but it still didn't work for me. Because, like Lori, I'm STARVING all the time. So I eat foods that slide down. Like today, I had 3 bites of a hamburger, no bun and 20 minutes later as I drove home I had to pull over to throw up. And I have a pathological fear of throwing up. But I do several times a week.
But then I got home and had some "cheese" (it was that port wine stuff in a tub. Not sure it is actually cheese or cheese-like product). I was still hungry so I tried some pepperoni (trying to do low carb) and it came right up. 20 minutes later I'm famished and in the middle of an earthquake. So I did what any good American would do and ate some mashed potatoes and a cookie. Slid right down, no more hunger. But that, my friends, is why the band didn't work and I'm fatter than ever. Is it my fault or The Band? It's both. I suppose in theory I could be hungry all the time and live on my 20 bites a day. But I just haven't been able to do it. Call me weak. I just can't. And the band was supposed to help me eat less so that when I make healthy choices I have smaller portions. What it did was make healthy choices impossible to get down (most of the time I can't eat chicken, steak, seafood (except crab), lettuce and any vegetable or fruit that hasn't had every bit of life cooked out of it so that it resembles baby food.
Can't wait to get this Godforsaken thing out of me.
I know how he feels but it still didn't work for me. Because, like Lori, I'm STARVING all the time. So I eat foods that slide down. Like today, I had 3 bites of a hamburger, no bun and 20 minutes later as I drove home I had to pull over to throw up. And I have a pathological fear of throwing up. But I do several times a week.
But then I got home and had some "cheese" (it was that port wine stuff in a tub. Not sure it is actually cheese or cheese-like product). I was still hungry so I tried some pepperoni (trying to do low carb) and it came right up. 20 minutes later I'm famished and in the middle of an earthquake. So I did what any good American would do and ate some mashed potatoes and a cookie. Slid right down, no more hunger. But that, my friends, is why the band didn't work and I'm fatter than ever. Is it my fault or The Band? It's both. I suppose in theory I could be hungry all the time and live on my 20 bites a day. But I just haven't been able to do it. Call me weak. I just can't. And the band was supposed to help me eat less so that when I make healthy choices I have smaller portions. What it did was make healthy choices impossible to get down (most of the time I can't eat chicken, steak, seafood (except crab), lettuce and any vegetable or fruit that hasn't had every bit of life cooked out of it so that it resembles baby food.
Can't wait to get this Godforsaken thing out of me.
On August 23, 2011 at 6:23 PM Pacific Time, shelli_5 wrote:
On August 23, 2011 at 12:30 PM Pacific Time, Lynmarie S. wrote:
I saw your post and immediately thought "Oh HE'S the ONE that did well" I know how he feels but it still didn't work for me. Because, like Lori, I'm STARVING all the time. So I eat foods that slide down. Like today, I had 3 bites of a hamburger, no bun and 20 minutes later as I drove home I had to pull over to throw up. And I have a pathological fear of throwing up. But I do several times a week.
But then I got home and had some "cheese" (it was that port wine stuff in a tub. Not sure it is actually cheese or cheese-like product). I was still hungry so I tried some pepperoni (trying to do low carb) and it came right up. 20 minutes later I'm famished and in the middle of an earthquake. So I did what any good American would do and ate some mashed potatoes and a cookie. Slid right down, no more hunger. But that, my friends, is why the band didn't work and I'm fatter than ever. Is it my fault or The Band? It's both. I suppose in theory I could be hungry all the time and live on my 20 bites a day. But I just haven't been able to do it. Call me weak. I just can't. And the band was supposed to help me eat less so that when I make healthy choices I have smaller portions. What it did was make healthy choices impossible to get down (most of the time I can't eat chicken, steak, seafood (except crab), lettuce and any vegetable or fruit that hasn't had every bit of life cooked out of it so that it resembles baby food.
Can't wait to get this Godforsaken thing out of me.
Your post describes my experience with the lap band exactly. I starved myself for the first 6 months or so and lost about 40 pounds. Then I couldn't stand feeling hungry all the time anymore. I tried to eat healthy foods, but the chest pain, sliming, and vomiting was awful. I got to the point where I was eating lots of "slider" foods. Even then, I had to drink tons of water to push the food down through my band or I'd throw up/slime. I could actually feel a twinge of pain in my chest as whatever I swallowed passed through. I knew it wasn't safe to take another bite until that happened. I got to the point where I was afraid to eat unless I had a full glass of water in front of me. That's when I realized that this had gone on long enough and I had to seek medical attention.
I feel so much better since I had all the fluid removed from my band last month. I'm not back to "normal," but it's not torture to eat anymore. It's lovely to be able to swallow chicken, steak, and veggies again. Like you, I can't wait to get this damned thing out of me. I hope my insurance company comes to their senses soon.
Shelli
Stupid band, I hate it so.
Banded in 2001 at 217 lbs - Band to DS revision 10/25/11 at 310 lbs
If life with your band sucks, you are not alone and it's not your fault. Check out the failed lap band group!
If life with your band sucks, you are not alone and it's not your fault. Check out the failed lap band group!
Ms. Cal Culator
on 8/23/11 1:46 pm - Tuvalu
on 8/23/11 1:46 pm - Tuvalu
On August 23, 2011 at 7:03 PM Pacific Time, prettypixels wrote:
On August 23, 2011 at 6:23 PM Pacific Time, shelli_5 wrote:
On August 23, 2011 at 12:30 PM Pacific Time, Lynmarie S. wrote:
I saw your post and immediately thought "Oh HE'S the ONE that did well" I know how he feels but it still didn't work for me. Because, like Lori, I'm STARVING all the time. So I eat foods that slide down. Like today, I had 3 bites of a hamburger, no bun and 20 minutes later as I drove home I had to pull over to throw up. And I have a pathological fear of throwing up. But I do several times a week.
But then I got home and had some "cheese" (it was that port wine stuff in a tub. Not sure it is actually cheese or cheese-like product). I was still hungry so I tried some pepperoni (trying to do low carb) and it came right up. 20 minutes later I'm famished and in the middle of an earthquake. So I did what any good American would do and ate some mashed potatoes and a cookie. Slid right down, no more hunger. But that, my friends, is why the band didn't work and I'm fatter than ever. Is it my fault or The Band? It's both. I suppose in theory I could be hungry all the time and live on my 20 bites a day. But I just haven't been able to do it. Call me weak. I just can't. And the band was supposed to help me eat less so that when I make healthy choices I have smaller portions. What it did was make healthy choices impossible to get down (most of the time I can't eat chicken, steak, seafood (except crab), lettuce and any vegetable or fruit that hasn't had every bit of life cooked out of it so that it resembles baby food.
Can't wait to get this Godforsaken thing out of me.
Your post describes my experience with the lap band exactly. I starved myself for the first 6 months or so and lost about 40 pounds. Then I couldn't stand feeling hungry all the time anymore. I tried to eat healthy foods, but the chest pain, sliming, and vomiting was awful. I got to the point where I was eating lots of "slider" foods. Even then, I had to drink tons of water to push the food down through my band or I'd throw up/slime. I could actually feel a twinge of pain in my chest as whatever I swallowed passed through. I knew it wasn't safe to take another bite until that happened. I got to the point where I was afraid to eat unless I had a full glass of water in front of me. That's when I realized that this had gone on long enough and I had to seek medical attention.
I feel so much better since I had all the fluid removed from my band last month. I'm not back to "normal," but it's not torture to eat anymore. It's lovely to be able to swallow chicken, steak, and veggies again. Like you, I can't wait to get this damned thing out of me. I hope my insurance company comes to their senses soon.
Shelli
Stupid band, I hate it so.
They once made a gastric device
Said to make diets easy and nice
But, oh..what bad luck
'twas not worth a fuck
'cept to those who set the price.
Glad for his very unusual success with the band, but that success comes at a price I would be unwilling and unable to pay. It sounds sad to me. I truly enjoy food, from the smell to the taste to the chewing to the oh, just everything!
Good for him for making it "work."
Nicolle
Good for him for making it "work."
Nicolle
I had the kick-butt duodenal switch (DS)!
HW: 344 lbs CW: 150 lbs
Type 2 diabetes and sleep apnea GONE!
He is very lucky. My sister has the band and I have watched her go through all the episodes. From pulling over on the side of the freeway (yes the freeway) to throw up to watching her make a mad dash for the bathroom at our grandmother's retirement community because the baked fish didn't stay down. She has terrible gerd all the time. She is now looking into a revision to the VSG.
I am so glad I didn't go with this torture devise disguising itself as a medical procedure.
Elizabeth
Back in the U.S.A.
"I have lost the lumbering hulk that I once was. I don't hide behind my clothes or behind my door. I am part of life's rich tapestry not an observer." Kirmy
That's exactly it, 5 bites...............what it did for me and that on top of my band being empty. I realized then more and more how unhealthy the eating is with the band. Well, at least he is not hurting, like I was for most of the time I had the band.
I feel sorry for most of those people, because you get so used to eating like that, that you think this is the way normal people eat, and that is the way it should be.
I would say "My Condolences" to this guy for losing a normal life.
I feel sorry for most of those people, because you get so used to eating like that, that you think this is the way normal people eat, and that is the way it should be.
I would say "My Condolences" to this guy for losing a normal life.
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