sassyfrass

Sorry to read the bad news on your cousin. I am not banded yet, but I can tell you that the stomach is first place I feel anything when I am shocked, upset, etc.... so it makes sense to me, that you felt it there. It's so good to read these posts to get lots of info since I'm getting banded on Feb 29. I try to get heads up on all that I possibly can, although, I realize that each person can be affected differently.

I am definitely not going into this, thinking the band will be a 'FIX ALL' for me, but I do look forward to it being a good tool in addition to my eating lesser portions in order to lose weight and get healthier. I wouldn't necessarily say I am a food addict although there are times when I'm so down and out about what "seems" like a food addiction to me. There are times when I have certain trigger foods, that it's very hard to stop so I end up eating 2,3 or 4 servings of somthing before I MAKE myself close the bag, or quit grabbing that item. I do know my trigger foods, for the most part, but I also KNOW that I won't go through life avoiding those items forever, either. I just have to be better about portions. I have found that for the most part, if I separate items out in individual portion sizes, I do better. I DO NOT do well at at buffets even when I try to eat mostly healthy. Even just getting little bits of the things I want to eat; it ends up being a plate solid full of TOO much food. If the band will help me NOT do that to myself because I won't physically be able to do it.....then I will be happy. And probably wouldn't even want to pay for a buffet. I could just order off the menu, only. ( AND take joy in taking half of the meal home with me). :0) I agree with some of the posters above; it's definitely a mental thing. I know I'm an emotional eater so I just have to find other things to take the place of food. May God bless you all on your journey.

My Dr. has patients go on a low carb diet 2 wks prior to surgery. I have done low carb in the past and it's not so bad, really. I just happen to love love LOVE carbs, so I just have to ween myself off slowly and I have been doing that some since I'm back doing Weight Watchers, trying to eat healthier, for the most part, but not all low carb, yet. It does work, just as the article above says. I know your Dr. says liquids, but everyone I know in my area that has had the surgery, did a low carb diet (not just liquids) and it worked great for them. I will be following my own low carb diet in a few weeks, before surgery. I wish you well on your journey.

I , too, am so very nervous about surgery also, so you are definitely not alone. I have my last appt next week where my surgery date will be planned for the next 30 days after that. I have never had surgery of any kind, so I am not looking forward to it, but......I know I NEED this tool to help me get it off and KEEP it off once and for all. I wish everyone well with their upcoming surgeries. I said a little prayer for all on this forum. May God bless and keep us all.

I have actually tried parts of this also. From time to time, I do the small bites and chew, chew, chewing thing, but I tend to get impatient and just eat like normal. I will defintely keep working on this, as I know it will be a challenge for me too. I sure have to get a grip on it because I sure don't want that to lead to gettins stuck right away. I also tested myself on giving up carbonated drinks during the late summer and found that it was not nearly as hard as I thought it would be. I didn't have one for 6 weeks. I was quite impressed. I have a diet soda occasionally, but mostly have unsweet tea with splenda or water. I mostly have water. That part, will be a breeze for me. I just have to get a handle on the chewing mainly. And having no water while eating will be tough one for me as well. The things we have to do in order to be healthy. :-) It will be all worth it.

Nicole, hope all is well with your surgery! I am in the process with other doc visits before I even get a surgery date. Probably in January. I prefer to NOT have to deal with the liquids, etc....smack in the middle of December. I want to start the new year out with a start to a new me. :0) Until then, I strive to follow my Weight Watchers plan. I wish you all well.

I am glad to read of even more stories of band with plication. I finally have my consult scheduled for mid Sept. Nervous and anxious.

OH, I have to admit this makes me nervous about getting banded.

Thanks Davey and Melissa. I often try eating that way now just to try to get a feel for how it will be. I just wasnt sure exactly how small the pcs should be. I have found that by the time I chew it over and over and over that there isn't much taste left. Very interesting. Thanks for your input. I really appreciate all the comments and advice. I have learned so much on this site in order to be prepared as much as possible before my surgery.

Oh, but the docs were not in on that one.

Glad you are having good results momofthree. Scuffy, I actually did sit in on one of the support meetings right after the seminar because a gal I know who has lapband suggested it because I was so full of questions and fears. The people are nice and it was good to hear how different it is for everyone.

I am right there with ya. I have figured out that I am truly a food addict. I have been overweight at least 34 of my 43 years of life. It's a HARD thing to battle. I have said that same thing so many times about how this is one of the hardest addictions to have since we NEED food to live. I have cried in prayer many times, wondering why this is my cross to bear, but it is something I KNOW I will have to deal with the rest of my life too, even after I get banded. My only hope is that the band will HELP me during those times that I would normally binge. I have been up and down with weight loss so so sooooo many times. It's such a struggle. You are definitely not alone. I just wish that others would not be so judgemental. Those that do not have this problem can NEVER truly know the horrors of having this addiction. I wish blessings to all of us during this process.

I will definitely store this advice in my memory for when I'm banded. Thank you for sharing. I LOVE this site! So helpful.

I have to say that this is the topic that scares me to pieces about getting banded. I feel like I will be too afraid to try anything at all. Can ya'll explain the actual size of your 'small' bites that you cut your meats, shrimp, etc. into? Thanks.

Hmmm....I haven't heard of the micro procedure. Interesting. I may have to ask about that. (But I'm thinking of plication with band, not sure if that's an issue....?).

Good for you Steph! That's great! I am not banded, yet, but I'm sure in the process of getting there, as far as insurance. After Sept I can move forward with it, but I'm told I won't have any problems with my insurance (BCBS of NC) plus I have talked to BCBS myself. I have been reading up on lapband for months now, plus I know quite a bit of people that had it done and have had much success. I look forward to being a bandster too. I wish you much success.

Scuffy, that is awesome. I thought I heard their nurses/ admin assistants say it hadn't been certified for it yet with plcation. Maybe it was another hospital they were speaking of. That is fantastic. Local is better. Wow, I will have to keep up with you to see how it is going for you. It is great to connect with others that have the same doc/procedure and hospital. Thank you.

Fefe, that is pretty much what the doc said to us about plication. He said there is no actual cpt code to charge for it at this time so it is basically a free add on to the band surgery. Jan, I am in NC so I would be seeing either Dr. Bell or Dr. Johnson in Morehead City area but with plication I thought I understood them to say it has to be done at an approved hospital....like in Greenville or Wilmington. Not sure on the details.

I am thinking of having it done when I'm banded. I will ask more questions at my consult, but the docs mentioned it at the seminar I attended in June. I don't really want it for faster weight loss (as that will just bring more questions from outsiders ) but they say it's less chances of band slippage and won't need as many fills, possibly. I am all about that.

I am not banded yet, but I do know a girl that is banded and she did not have to have even one fill until 8 months out. I can only hope to be like that .

Well, I am divorced so have no dh to tell, but my dear mom knows and she is actually the one who suggested I think about it as she knows how unhappy I am with my roller coaster of weight loss/gains over and over. I get so depressed about it. My sisters and brother know I'm looking into it. My brother's mother in law had it and he is very supportive in me getting it. ..and surely my dad will know eventually. I just know that at first he will be one that's not too supportive of it.... He just doesn't understand how I can't just make up my mind and lose it and keep it off. He just doesn't get that. ..and more than that....I fear he will blab it to others. That's what I don't like about him knowing, but he will have to know before hand. Other than them, just a few of my friends know that I'm planning on it, if all works out with my insurance and they are supportive, except my very best friend has some issues with it, because she has heard negative things, but she KNOWS my weight issues as we've been friends for many years. I think in the end, if I choose to tell her before hand, she will be supportive. There is one gal at my work that had it a few years ago, although she did not have the funds to continue getting fills so she hasn't done much to help herself lose anything more than the first 20 lbs or so. She knows that I'm looking into it because I have asked questions over and over, but she also knows that I'm not putting it out there for the whole office to hear. I am NOT ashamed of it, but like some others, I just don't want to hear the opinions of those who DO NOT understand the emotional eating/binge eating roller coaster of weight gain all their life. They DO NOT understand what it's like to be a thinner/healthier person inside of a fat and unhealthy body. I do not need them critiquing everything they see me eat.....as they sometimes do now . I don't do well with "food police". I would be under less stress with them not knowing. And I really do not plan on telling the manager/supervisor. I will just tell them I have a dr. appt. for each of the appts. It's none of their business why. And as for the sugery....I have vacation time to take still, so I'll plan it at least 30 days out if all possible. Also, after being banded.....you are not lying when you tell people that you are eating healthier, lesser amounts...etc. That is true. From what I understand, YOU are still the one making the food choices and how much....so even though you have a tool to help you, YOU are the one making the choices that lead to the weight loss, so I won't just automatically tell people I'm banded if my weight loss comes up. Most people I know, also know that I have been a follower of weight watchers for years. I have lost over and over to gain over and over. Now if they flat out ask if I'm banded, I cannot lie, so I will tell them...but also point out that it's all about the food choices I make, just as before. Educate them.

Well I am not banded yet but, just as a couple looks forward to the baby they are adopting, I am doing the same here. So...when I refer to my future new "baby" so to speak. I always call HER Bandelina. She is small like thumbelina and hopefully will assist me with her "fairy dust". Lol.

I am glad I came to this thread. I am going to keep all of this great info in my head for when I get banded. A funny thing....about the hot liquids.... ...me and some of my friends always laughed at another friend when she ordered a hot water at the restaurant AFTER the meal because she felt too full, but.....after reading this post (although you are not talking about being too full...) there really must be something to the hot liquid thing. Hmmmm.... I guess we do learn something new every day.

Congrats on your loss! Don't let them make you feel bad. A loss is a loss!! and at least it's not a gain. That's why I won't be telling many people. I'm so OVER people thinking they know what I can or cannot eat! Just because they know I have folllowed a weight loss plan so long...they try to point out the things they THINK I cannot have. So annoying. I'm more of a private person, for the most part, so it's my coworkers that I shall strive to keep it from when it happens.

At the seminar I attended, the Doctors I will be seeing, say that it has to be done at a center for excellence with a hospital stay that's required. At least that's what I got from what they said. It was the very first seminar that they mentioned it, so it was kind of brief since they say they will talk more about it at our consult. I have not scheduled my consult just yet. I have to wait until Sept. (insurance change). And as, the poster before me said, there is no added charge, because there is no cpt code for them to use to charge it, so basically it's a 2 for 1 if you want to look at it that way. I'm thinking about it, but not quite sure. The thing that attracts me to it, (from what they say), is that there is lesser chance of band slippage and won't have to have fills for a while/or as often. That part alone is good, since it seems that the fill process is the most annoying. (as in, not enough, too much...getting sick...stuck too often.....etc....).