Please give me the bad/ugly of getting banded

Hello all.  This is my first post to this wondeful site.  I have been overweight almost my entire life, and have learned about banding in the past few years.  I just got on my husband's insurance this year, so I know I have a year before I can get the surgery (since they would say it's a pre-existing condition), so I have time to find a doctor to work with me on this and get all my ducks in a row for when I finally am able to have the surgery.

The place I'll most likely be going through does the Realize Band.  I've been reading tons of good stuff about it, but I really need to know how it is going to change my life/eating.  I want all the bad stuff laid out for me.  What do you wish someone had told you about it before you got it done?  What did you least expect to happen?  Please help me know what I'd be getting myself into (I hate going into things blind).   thanks!!
~Michelle

DO IT!  It will change your life!  My only regret is not having it done 20 years ago.   Use this time to get as healthy as you can, work out eat right, learn and live the band rules.  Im not saying it wasnt rough the first few week, but the good thing is I BARELY REMEMBER THEM NOW and im just 3 months out!  Its soooooooo worth it!  e mail me anytime I would be glad to help!!

Renee

Michelle,

I can seriously empathize with your information-gathering desires. Gosh, I agonized over what surgery to have and what it was gonna be like afterward, and on and on and on. I'm glad I made a fully informed decision. I guess right now I would say that my biggest regret was not being realistic about the amount of time this was gonna take. I was banded on Oct 31st and I have had 4 fills and I still have no restriction whatsoever. That is a problem because 1. I told everyone I was having surgery. So every ******ing pound that I manage to sweat off, I earned, and my band hasn't helped, but everyone looks at me like, "Oh, she had surgery- of course she's losing weight." Which has, for some reason, really bothered me. Or at least it's put a lot of pressure on me to be losing weight, when really, the band hasn't done anything yet. 2. Emotionally and mentally, I prepared for changes in October... so now part of me is like, resistant to the idea of not being able to eat certain stuff, and of eating less and feeling stuck and all that stuff. I guess it didn't happen for so long that I almost have to decide to have surgery again in my mind, if that makes any sense. 3. it's requiring a lot more patience than I expected, and it will probably take a lot longer than I expected.

not everyone has my experience, and it doesnt always take this long, but it's a possibility. Knowing it all, I'm not sure if I would have done anything differently, but I wish I would have known it. I think if I had looked six months out or so and thought, "Wow, I will still weigh over 200 lbs" I might have thought more seriously about bypass. or sleeve.

 thank you for posting your story.  one thing i haven't understood in my readings is what restriction is.  would you be able to enlighten me about it?  also, how is the band not working?  i've heard other people say that their's doesn't work, but i just don't see how it's possible for it not to work.  any insights you can give me on that?

thank you!  :)

If it is through your husbands employer, I was told that they cannot do anything really about this being a pre-existing condition.

I went through my employer, had my new insurance about a month and was already in surgery. Aetna was great about it - might just depend on who you have though. No harm in calling customer service and asking..

 huh.....i will just have to check this out then.  i already know they won't do it unless it's "medically necessary".  i'll definately be making some calls today.

Medically necessary is just talking to your pcp - e-mail me if you have questions, I can even walk you through most of it. Forms and all :) Who is your provider? PPO or HMO? Do you have coverage for WLS or is it excluded?

Once you have those answers.. you'll be in a better position

Ive had the band for 3months now and luckily have had really minor issues. nothing that wouldve made me regret my decision.

first off....restrcition is how tight the band is around the stomach. Think about an hour glass and the middle where it gets smaller. if you tighten that area, the slower the salt or whatever will go through, same thing with your stomach and food.

2nd.... Surgery went well. only issue out of it was my back! My port site (biggest incision-others are tiny) hurt a little and i couldnt sleep on my stomach for a while, but getting up and walking etc was not a big deal. Id say maybe a week of taking it a little slower, but pain wise, not an issue.

I agree with the other posters, time really is the biggest issue with this. We get out of surgery thinking we will be thin instantly. But no it really takes 12-18 months. My friend who followed it to a T actually went from 205 to 140 in 9months. Losing 25 of that in the first month cause she was on a liquid diet.

I however was able to eat day 4 after surgery therfore only losing like 11 lbs in first month. They say 1-2lbs a week, so im 3 months out and 22lbs down.

oh and i went on a major stress eating binge the past 10days, even skipping the gym, and havent gained any weight back. so im actually very happy about this being a more permanent solution!!!!

Good luck!