New, stressed and confused

 Hi Everyone :)

My name is Tracy and this is my first post. 

On the 15 April I am having lap band surgery. I am a self payer and it is costing me $20,000 whi*****ludes 2 years after care.

When my GP referred me for the Lapband I was so excited. After attending the Info Evening, I was even more excited, I sang all the way home. Could it be true, dare I believe than there was hope that I could lose weight but best of all keep it off. 

After attending the appointments with the nurse, nutritionist and surgeon my bubble burst a bit...wasn't the miracle  answer that was going to totally control my hunger and stop me putting crap in my mouth, do all the work for me...bugger!

They explained to me it was a tool that would help me diet without feeling I was straving myself and it would help control my sweet cravings. It would take away my constant thoughts of food.
 
Ok, not as easy and simple as getting a band and bam! all my weight probelms are solved. No, it was going to take a big commitment to lifelong healthy eating and watching everything I eat...I thought, I can do that. Now not so sure. 

But after finding this board and reading all the negative things about being banded, I don't know anymore if I am doing the right thing. 

So many things can go wrong that I did not know about until reading this board. Seems like having a band can be a lot of hard work and worst still, painful. And very, very restrictive on what I can or can't be able to eat. I don't know if I want to live my life being too scared to eat something in case it gets stuck.

I really wished I had looked into the sleeve but as a volume eater I thought that I will end up stretching what was left of my stomach.

I am really scared I am going to be a big fat  Band failure...and I do know that if I am, it will be because I did not stick to the rules.

And it is about the rules I am most confused. Now this seems like to really stupid question I am sure....but the rules seems like being on a life long diet  (3 small meals only a day) one where I can never ever give in to my sweet tooth or enjoy normal food or even all food. One where I will be struggling every day with my head hunger and cravings for sweet food I enjoy. SO I am thinking what is the point of getting the band... sounds just like dieting!

I guess what my question really is...does the band really help control portion size and control hunger?

Make you feel full and satisfied for a long time even after a very small amount of food?

Does it really help take away the cravings for sweet food?

Help take away the constant thoughts of eating and when I can get my next fix? 

Will the sleeve do all the above?

Sorry for the long and rambling post...just so stressed! 

Thanks Tracy

http://www.obesityhelp.com/forums/lapband/4366828/What-to-ex pect-with-the-band/#4366828

Posted this yesterday!

There are more positive experiences than negatvie ones - the negative ones just shout louder!



I guess what my question really is...does the band really help control portion size and control hunger?   YES

Make you feel full and satisfied for a long time even after a very small amount of food? YES

Does it really help take away the cravings for sweet food?  NO! NOT DESIGNED TO

Help take away the constant thoughts of eating and when I can get my next fix? YES

Will the sleeve do all the above? YES

I have never eaten just three meals a day. i eat 3 meals and 2 or 3 snacks. And in my case, the best way to see how I eat is to look at a slim friend - I probalby eat like her! Small amounts, healthy choices most of the time but not depriving myelf of anything.

Kate

Hi Tracy - first of all welcome to the board. You are smart to ask yourself these questions now before your surgery - it is not too late to change your mind.

The lapband certainly isn't for everyone. I had great success with it in year one, getting to my goal by losing 100 lbs. It took a lot of exercise to do that but I didn't really feel like I was hungry or being deprived. My plan of attack was to eat foods I like and stay around 1600 calories / day. With the level of exercise I was doing (2000 minutes / month), it worked for me.

Does the band really help control portion size and control hunger?  Yes, I believe it can - if we are eating the proper foods. If I eat a real meal (e.g. meat and potatoes), I can't eat alot of it. If however, I choose junk (e.g. cookies, candy, ice cream), I can eat and eat and eat and eat. So it definitely can help but we still have to make the choices to eat the better foods. I am a food addict so I struggle with this. I'm now out 4 years and have gained back over 40 lbs from my lowest weight. Depressing but I have to do the work now if I want to lose again.

Make you feel full and satisfied for a long time even after a very small amount of food? In year one, I would have to say yes. Now? Again if I eat proper foods, yes.

Does it really help take away the cravings for sweet food?  On this one, I would say absolutely not for me. I love love love sweets and I can't imagine that ever happening.

Help take away the constant thoughts of eating and when I can get my next fix?  For me, again, no. I am a food addict though - you may or may not be.

For me, the band was a Godsend. I still have no regrets about it. I haven't had many problems compared to some. A little reflux. Some added, some removed, some added, some removed and now am leaving my levels alone. I don't like being in agony from the reflux so I'd rather be a little bit hungry. Just joined WW last week as I need that extra help.

I can't answer about the band as I really have no experience there. The band can definitely work ... but it takes a lot of committment.

I guess what my question really is...does the band really help control portion size and control hunger?

Yes --- for some people it happens right away, for others it can take several 'fills' -- which are spaced 3 - 8 weeks apart, depending on your surgeon.



Make you feel full and satisfied for a long time even after a very small amount of food?

Well -- not really 'full' the way I used to feel full, but I can eat about 250 - 350 calories of food and not be hungry again for 4 - 5 hours

Does it really help take away the cravings for sweet food?

No -- not at all.  None of the surgeries do that --- the RNY does not remove the cravings, but it can cause 'dumping syndrome' in people when they consume sweets --- that seems to only happen to about 40 - 50% of the RNY population.
With the band, you have to control the kind of food you eat --- sweet foods are especially soft and 'slidery' --- which means that they will slide down through your band very easily and not satisfy your hunger --- it is very easy to overeat sweets with a band (unfortunately).

Help take away the constant thoughts of eating and when I can get my next fix? 

Most of the time -- again, when I am optimally filled, I don't spend all day thinking about food.
Some days that is easier than other days. 

Will the sleeve do all the above?

It will keep you from feeling hungry between meals on a very small amount of food, if it is the right kind of food.

It won't take away your cravings.

It won't take away your constant thoughts of eating.

The sleeve works very similarly and won't take away cravings either.

Hi Tracy,

Right before till the time you have surgery you will second guess yourself all the time . I know I did I wanted to cancel my surgery 24 hrs before it was suppose to happen.  That is part of human nature right there.

If you have made the decision and feel its right then what anybody says isn't going to change your mind or at least it didn't change my mind.

The band does control portion control or at least it does for me .  I know if I would over eat there is a chance I could get sick, or if I eat to fast there is a chance that I could get sick so why take the chance ? I dont . Or if you overeat all the time that could make the band slip and it could lead to another surgery who wants that .

I was never a sweets eater Tracy so I cant honestly answer that question.  I have sweets laying all around my house. My husband is this week so I have donuts, candy, all that stuff laying around.  I never did eat that stuff before the band so it dont bother me now having it in my house.   With hubby and son both home this week its sweets heaven here lol.


You will need to learn the difference between head hunger and physical hunger.  That is with any WLS you have done.  WLS does NOT take the head hunger away that is something you have to work on yourself .  The sleeve, the lap band the gastric will not do that for you .   And I hope to goodness no doctor would tell you it would because it would be a lie :o) .

I fight head hunger all the time but I deal with it . some days I give in and some days I dont.  When I do find myself wanting to eat because I just want to I find something to do and that helps alot.

There is no magic WLS out there . Every surgery out there requires diet, exercise, and drinking your water . You dont do them three things the odds of you losing weight are slim to none .

Since you're asking, I'm going to say this point blank. Don't do it.  I had the band done in 2002 and had horrible complications, so yes, I'm really super biased. But, I had it removed 6 years ago and I STILL have tons of problems stemming from banding. I had multiple surgeries and chronic pain, I've regained every pound I lost. 

I've watched friends revise over and over and over.  Especially due to the fact that you're self pay, I'm concerned... many people have to have multiple surgeries to correct the band placement, port placement, slips, etc. Referred left shoulder pain is a common occurance with the lapband. If you go through the board history, you'll see this issue come up over and over. It's something to seriously consider. I lost my job and went into debt and I had insurance that covered most of my costs. The part that it didn't cover was enough to break the bank, though.

I'm telling you this out of care and concern and I hope you believe me. I don't tell you these things to be "negative."  It's just that I know how hopeful a person can be when they're told they can lose weight and feel good... and it's very disappointing when the reality of the band is so much less than promised.  It IS dieting with the band. That's exactly what it is. Dieting with an aversion tactic thrown in... if you eat too much, you'll spend an hour or more gagging and throwing up and then another couple of days babying your inflamed stomach.

There's a chance that you'll be fine and successful with your band... but it's important to know beforehand the things that can affect the quality of life. I think you're smart to be concerned... you're not sticking your head in the sand and saying, "lalalala, can't hear you!" I'll tell you that *I* did that. There was no research to speak of when I had my band surgery, but people told me NOT to do it, that it sounded horrible... and I said, "Well, it won't happen to ME. I'll be fine." 

I wish you the best with whatever direction you go. And I'm sorry if my post was too blunt. I don't know any other way to put it. I can't in good conscience recommend the band.  To me, it was like a medieval torture device that caused ridiculous amounts of pain... and I hate to see anyone else go through it.

I've had a great experience with my band, but I also was very prepared with a realistic idea of what is involved when you have the band.  Here are my answers to your questions.

I guess what my question really is...does the band really help control portion size and control hunger? Yes, once you have a few fills AND if you maintain the fills as neede over time.  You will need a plan for when you are past the 2 year mark.  While not as much, the band does require regular visits to your surgeon for fills and annual testing to make sure everything is working as it should.

Make you feel full and satisfied for a long time even after a very small amount of food?  Yes, for me this is true, but it doesn't do anything to help head hunger.  That is an emotional problem best dealt with by therapy, group or private.

Does it really help take away the cravings for sweet food? No, not at all.  The band generally does not stop you from eating sugar and crappy foods that turn to nothing once they meet the saliva in your mouth.  It also doesn't stop chips, popcorn, etc.  You have to be prepared to take responsibility for WHAT you put in your mouth.  The band will help you with how much, but the responsibility to make better choices ultimately falls on you.

Help take away the constant thoughts of eating and when I can get my next fix?  No, again, that is an emotional issue but if you listen to your body you will not be physically hungry between meals IF you eat a protein rich diet.  Carbs and other junk will not keep you full.

Will the sleeve do all the above? No, I don't think the sleeve is a cure all either, but it doesn't require the adjustments that the band does so if you are self pay it is worth considering.  You can stretch your pouch with the band by over-filling it's capacity often, over a long period of time. The same can happen with the sleeve or RNY. 

If you are really not sure you should delay your surgery and do more research and thinking on the sleeve or other surgeries.  It's too important a decision to rush in to anything.

Best~
Lisa O.

HI Tracey,

I kind of understand what you are going through, I was freaking out before the surgery. For no reason I burst into tears and had second thoughts and thought really? Shall I really do this to myself and my body and to my perfectly healthy tummy? You know what? I did it. I had doubts to the very last second before they put me to aneasthetics. When I woke up, I thought ok, it's done. The first few days I was obviously in pain (even if small- it is a surgery after all), and I was crying again and thought I made the biggest mistake ever.
I am out now for only 4 weeks. I didn't lose any weight in the last 3 weeks, but also did not expect it, because I do not feel too much of restriction yet (band is not filled yet). But it was great to get back to work and everybody was complimenting me already (and they dodn't know about this surgery!).
It will NOT be a miracle. But you will be amazed when you fill your plate and you eat half of it and you are full! But to make the right choice- that is up to you. I am a sweet tooth as well, BIG TIME, but you know, after you ate, I personally feel so full...even when I ate chocolate (yes people, I know, I am only out 4 weeks and I eat chocolate- I love it and I am trying very hard to cut it out) normally I would eat a whole box- that is not even possible. It may now be maybe 2 pralines and that's eat.
However, if I am being honest with you: If I was a self payer, I probably wouldn't have done it. I do not think that the sleeve would be the answer to all your prayers either, the sleeve also is not a miracle- very unfortunately. No WLS is a guarantee for a permanent and successful weight loss.

I originally thought I was going to get a band. Then I went to the seminar...there were 2 ladies (sisters) that were banded by my surgeon 2 years ago going and starting the "pre-ops" process again...seminar, insurance approval...all that jazz. One was revising to RNY and the other was going back for VSG. One sister was kind enough to tell me her story after it was over and at the end she said to me "you are way too young (i'm 24) for this type of fight. Do NOT waste your time on the LB. If you are serious about losing weight, the band is not the way to go." Because it is mechanical, you CANNOT rely on it...you just cant. it WILL fail. It's not made to last a life time...its just not. Maybe you will get 10 years our of your band, maybe you will only get 6 months; but what about the rest of your life? You have to have another surgery to get the band removed and 6 weeks later to back to revise to another surgery or deal with re-gain after the band is removed?
I had VSG done on 8/16/10...My main problem was volume eating also. I have done fantastically well. Lost 107 lbs in a little short of 7 months leaving me with 30 lbs to my goal. I had tons of regret for about a whole 2 days because I was convinced I would miss my huge tummy and I got over it REAL quick when I lost 4 lbs overnight...what has my huge stomach done for me anyways but let me get to 277 lbs?? just my .02......