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Did I really do this? No U-turns on this journey!

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merred

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I decided to get a lap band after one of my dear friends had it done and told me it was the best decision of his life! Six months later, he still felt that way even though going out to dinner with him was an unusual experience. Mexican for him consisted of two margaritas and spoonfuls of guacamole sans chips! He kept telling me how amazing it was and you don't even feel it. So after lots of deliberation, I found a wonderful surgeon and started the process... and what a process that was. My psych evaluation had some of the strangest questions ever and had I answered yes to any of them forget the lap band, send me straight to the nut house. But luckily I passed and my insurance cleared me for take-off. In my mind, I'd wake up to a krispy kream donut, eat one bite and be on my way home.

 

It was definitely a rude awakening and felt a little like the movie "Death Becomes Her" after Meryl Streep has taken the potion, and Isabella Rossellini says “and now a warning…” Suddenly, I feel like I’ve woken up after being caught in a dark alley and I’ve been beaten in the stomach and can only drink liquids for the next year of my life (ok, it’s only two weeks, but it’s like a year in foodie years). It had been explained to me that this is what it would be like, but my brain was obviously in denial.

 

 

 

 

I’m officially 7 days in and can’t believe I made it this far! For the first few days I was nervous about what I’d gotten myself into (who am I kidding, I still kinda feel that way), but am also excited about being reborn (to the food world anyway). I’m on the other side and it feels good, but scary. I feel like I’m going through this alone even though my husband has been amazing (but I still hate him when he’s eating in the other room). The pains are foreign to me, but are subsiding every day -- the weird tremors, the hiccups, itchy sutures, catching my breath and feeling like a water balloon half full.

 

 

 

I see other people’s blogs who have the surgery and return to their normal lives by Monday… these are super people. I am not a super person. And as much as I would like to return to my donut/pizza/candy eating ways there is a gravity of responsibility that comes with this gift. I realize that I can’t just eat guacamole by the spoonful. I need to be mindful of my relationship with food and re-evaluate it. And there’s the deep fried thought for Friday!

 

 

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I myself am not a super person, it took me 3-4 weeks of bruping, gas pains, throwing up, and feeling like utter crap, your normal... I have been banded since 1/14/11, and the same thing, the person i spoke to was all for it, described it as a "GREAT THING"... I want to shake that person and say.."YOU LIED"..... I personally feel like I was lied to and I hate this thing, BUT I am going to make the best of a POOR decsion......

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Wow... I am scared now!.. Do the pains feel as bad as when you can't fit in a movie theater chair? Or when you have to put your leg on a chair to tie your shoe? These are the pains I am having. If getting the lap band is worst than the over weight pains.... I may need to reconsider. More research needed. :(

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I am almost 2 months post op. I feel amazing. The first 2 or 3 weeks I honestly felt like I was going to die! Kept thinking "what the hell did I get myself into? Why do I have to be going through this just to get skinny?" It was emotionally draining and got to the point to where I jusdt wanted to GIVE UP! I don't get my first fill till Thursday. I've had to wait because my dcts only do fills tue and thu and my job didn't allow me to take off. Back to the point... everyone experiences this whole process differently. You just have to remember to keep your head up and remember what this could bring you in the near future. This isn't an easy fix. We have to work for this.... it sucks that we can't go eat a big mac or fried chicken :(. Stay strong and don't just rely on the bad! No this isn't meant for everyone, but please stay strong! We are all here for support!

Good Luck!!! <3 :D

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I am 8 months out. I remember thinking those first few day..."what the *&%# did I do? If I can do this stupid liguid diet, I should have been able to do it on my own!!" However, I realized that the hardest part was not the physical aspect of the diet, but the mental. I had to redefine my relationship with food. I was use to drinking 3 or 4 diet soda's a day. I did not think I could go without it. However, I do not miss it at all. I feel great and have loss 63 lbs. Although, the scale has not move more than a lb this past month. I am going to persevere and keep moving forward. I knew I would eventually hit a plateau. Previously, I would have given up. Not this time....I have been reevaluating what I have been doing and my stress level. I am contributing most of it to stress. I have had to travel 3 out 4 weeks this month. I have done a good job eating when traveling. However, I still retain a lot of fluid.

I was also like you. There was NO way I could have gone back to work right away. It took me a week to just feel like I was on my way to recovering. I truly was not ready to go back to work until I was able to eat mushy food. The liquid diet made me feel like crap.

As far as pain, I can honestly say that it was very minor for me. I did have annoying gas pains for a few days. LIke everyone else...I walked (small and short ones) to help get rids of those.

Would I do it again? Absolutely!!!

Just know that it is normal to questions things as you go through this process! Good luck on your weight loss journey!:)

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It will get better!!!! It will it will it will! I PROMISE! See me myself I was Christmas shopping at Walmart/ Costco/ and Target the day I came home from the hospital, but I had AWFUL mood swings! It was bad lol my husband told me that it was worse then when I was 9 months pregnant! LOL but once you can eat again and get a fill...you are going to feel a lot better...and once the scale starts moving you are really going to feel good :) good luck and keep us posted! PS I love mexican girl you will be able to eat nachos and refried beans and taco salads and crispy tacos...I can do anything as long as there is no (unfried) tortilla or rice :)

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Thank you all so much for your supportive comments. It's definitely going to be a journey, but one worth taking! I'm drinking a shake right now and feeling pretty good. I'm only 6 days away from "mushies" (sounds like a weird sex thing like plushies and furries)!

Determine-Gem... I totally didn't mean to frighten you and I think you should do what you feel is right for you. I'm pretty sure it's like one of those things a few months out and you forget what you went through. I'm not there yet, so I'm complaining. Just think margaritas and guacamole... no chips! LOL! Just make sure you have someone with you the first few days to help you up and down, as that was the hardest part for me. And walk the pain off. It seems like it would cause more pain, but the more you walk the less pain you're in. Crazy, I know. Good luck and keep us posted!

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