friend and surgery......

Hello all!! 
Where I live, alot of people haven't heard or are not filmiar of the Lap-Band/Realize Band surgery.  I am very open and honest about ALL aspects of the band surgery to any one that asks me about.  I have said how much the pre-op and post op diet sucks ass, but its a VERY important part of the process. 
That being said I have gotten a lot of questions regarding how to get surgery.  My 1 friend is very interested and actually has an appt w/ the same doctor I used.  She asked for any tips.  I told her the best that I could.  I told her:

#1 you HAVE to be willing to work at it, there is no other option(like just sitting around the house not putting in the effort to exercise etc.....)
#2 you HAVE to follow the rules and they have to become your "food bible"'
#3 like w/ ANY surgery their can be complications, and they include:  slippage, port flip, getting to tight or not tight enough, and thats where #4 comes in
#4 you HAVE to learn to speak up.  If something feels off or weird, you have to listen to your body..Learn your bodys signals for being "full", not hungry...
#5 I let her know there are different types of surgery, including RNY, lapband, DS, and the sleeve.  I shared that she needs to make the best decision after she does her research. 

I went on and on, but the point being, every surgery has risks, whether it be wisdom teeth, a knee scope, RNY, or the band...There isn't one surgery that comes with out risk.  I know there are many more tips, and i have told her a lot more, but I can't type all of them here!!  LOL

Any thing any of you can think to tell her please let me know.  I have also told her about this board.  I told her sign on and ask a lot of questions.  everyone on here is very sweet! 

The first time I tried to copy and paste this it came out to big...this is my reply on another threadwww.obesityhelp.com/forums/lapband/4378987/Need-advice-Pros- and-Cons-of-Lap-Band/page,2/#36195424

I want to share my experience with you, and also put a disclaimer in...these are my experiences and do not reflect upon another person's choice of surgery or results.


Pros:

It is adjustable
It is removable
It keeps me feeling satisfied between meals for at least 4 hours.
I can change my diet to suit my current needs as I get older.  Malabsorbtive procedures do not allow for this...
It will not cause malnutrition in and of itself.  If you find you are too tight, you must take action quickly to reduce your amount of fill to avoid complications.
I can eat like a normal person in social situations with my band at optimal fill (for me) and get right back on my food plan for my regular meals.  I have never been faced with a situation where I could not eat anything, with one exception, in 11 months.


Cons: 

Post-op care can be a pain.  Because I have a Med-Advantage insurance plan and needed to follow medicare guidelines, there was only one hospital I could go to for care.  I had surgery in Seattle and see my doctor and PA in Federal Way a good hour and 20 min away.

When I travel to a warm and humid climate, I can have issues with tightness for a couple of days...now that I know what to expect, I am more prepared for it and plan accordingly.

It is a slower way to lose weight unless you are an exception or exercise addict.  I am neither, but I have lost almost 50% of my excess weight without excercise and without "dieting".  I eat pretty much what I want and socialize a lot.  I drink wine 2-3 times per week...

You will never feel "full" again the way you did pre-op.  This will require you to stop eating before you are "full"...if you keep eating to the point of discomfort, you will risk real complications, such as a slip or heartburn.  Learn your soft stop signs pre-op...a runny nose, cough or hiccup, for example and practice stopping then.

The biggest con I have come across thus far is the abuse we bandsters take from a few of those who haven't had a good experience with their band, will constantly berate your choice of surgery with a vengance.  It honestly borders on bullying.  If you have had your band for 6 months and are happy, they will tell you it will eventually fail you...if you have had it 7 years, they will tell you to come back in another 7 years and bet you won't be so happy then...they honestly believe this and I don't hold their unhappiness against them, but once a person is banded and posts a question, they should be left alone.  If you have a thick skin, you will be fine, if not... I wouldn't let it deter me from my choice and WLS is not a way to win a popularity contest....

Some things to consider:

You will need to change your lifestyle for quite a while to accomodate pre-op and post-op requirements.  This is a good thing...at least for me.  I have changed more detrimental habits in the last 18 months than I ever did in the previous 60 years. 

The following can be pros or cons depending on how you look at it:

You will need to be diciplined in measuring, weighing and logging your food intake to ensure you are getting enough protein and other nutrients and keeping your carbs and fat to a minimum.
You will need to drink at least 64 oz of non-caloric (water) beverages per day
You should not drink with meals or for at least a half hour after
To lose more than 1-2 lbs per week on average, you will need to exercise daily at least 30 min.
You should take a multivitamin daily
If you have a problem, your first resource should be your surgeon and staff, not an internet forum. 

There are some "complications" or "side effects" that can happen with or without any kind of WLS...these include but are not limited to:
Heartburn and GERD...ask to be tested for a hiatal hernia before surgery.
Constipation...less in, less out.
Noises coming from your stomach...before surgery most of us had pretty full stomachs...this might be the first time you are aware of "true physical hunger"
Lightheadedness...another way people who are naturally thin know they are hungry...


Most WLS will require you to cut your food into tiny bites and chew 15-25 times per bite and stop eating when you get a signal, runny nose, hiccup, cough etc.  If you overdo it, there will be consequences.

I hope this helps you and that you are successful with whatever surgery you choose..

Steph

Invaluable information.  I understand what you say about the bullying, it's very frustrating.  I've learned to ignore.  My heart geniunely goes out to those that had band problems, it really does.  But I don't need to see that when I am trying to get used to having my band inside of me.

Thank you for sharing, I am actually bookmarking this to read along the way.

On April 30, 2011 at 6:59 AM Pacific Time, Steph M. wrote:

When I travel to a warm and humid climate, I can have issues with tightness for a couple of days...now that I know what to expect, I am more prepared for it and plan accordingly.

What issues have you had and how do plan accordingly?  
~ Barbara

It seems like my band gets a bit more tight.  It doesn't happen immediately, but within a couple of days.  Flying doesn't bother me at all, but heat and humidity cause me to retain water which could be affecting my entire body (not just feet and hands) and since I am pretty much in the "green zone" just a little bit of swelling in the tissues can mean I need to be extra careful.
I made the mistake of ordering a burger without the bun when we were at Wailea (hubby was golfing and we came in for lunch) and it was very lean and very well done (dry)...no amount of ketchup or chewing or tiny bites was going to work...by the end of the day, ice cream wouldn't go down.

I went on liquids for 24 hours and avoided dry foods for the rest of the trip seems funny eating hot soup in a warm climate, but it works...hasn't happened since.

Now I am very cognizant of the weather and how I am feeling before I eat anything...even in warm weather I will order a cup of hot soup to relax my stoma a bit and then eat.  I order moist fish or chicken and immediately put my portion on a salad plate and offer the rest to my hubby or friends...so far so good!

 Thanks for clarifying.  Good info to know.
~ Barbara

 This is really good info, especially the part about full not being the same after surgery as it was before.  Learning to recognize this is a challenge for me and sometimes it is easy to miss the signals that is why it is a good idea to eat REALLY slow. 

Pam

Steph thank you so much!  That is wonderful info and I plan on copying and pasting it in an email.....

Thank you again so much!!!