Savannah26

It is a very personal decision - I chose not to tell anyone except my daughter and favorite cousin. I didn't tell my family or my best friend or anyone else. It was definitely the right decision for me. It has allowed me the time I need to learn how to live as a banded person without having to deal with the constant barade of questions regarding how much weight have you lost. Most people do not understand that the lapband is not bypass surgery. With the lapband, your weight is 1-2 lbs. per week - IF you are lucky. With bypass, the weight appears to fall off. I began to prepare everyone by letting them know that I was on a diet, trying to lose weight and eat healthy. I have ALWAYS eaten very slow, so they are used to that - lol. None of the above is untrue - you have to diet and eat healthy and exercise, along with the lap band to see any real results. By the way, I checked in the hospital at 7am and was on my way home before 2pm. The surgery was very easy and so was the recovery. I took 4 vacation days, stayed with my daughter during that time, returned to work on Monday - no issues. Take plenty of Gas-X to prevent / help the gas pain from surgery. Good Luck! Stay on this website - it provides awesome support for our journey!

Glad you did good!

Good luck - this is a journey for sure. I understand the weekend mentality. I eat so dang healthy during the week and am very disciplined, however, I usually go out to eat every weekend day with family, friends, etc. and am so busy that I wasn't getting in any exercise. This past weekend, I did sweaty home projects (cleaned the garage, back porch area, built some shoe shelves) and was too busy to think about eating. I did go out to dinner Sunday night with my Daddy, but I kept my calories way under budget, then ended up losing like 3 lbs. just over the weekend - a total a 6 lbs. in the past week. It was my best week ever!! You can do this - you got this. We are all here for you and each other. Keep us posted!

I don't think my last entry actually posted, so this may be duplicated. Anyway, NO it doesn't hurt - at all. My doctor doesn't use any numbing medicine either, which freaked me out because I have a huge needle phobia. He has me lay down on the table and put my hands behind my head, then lift my head up, which tightens the stomach, making it easy to find the port. He locates the port, puts the needle in and extracts a little Fluid to ensure he is in the port, then pushes it all back in. Easy and less than a minute - no biggie. By the way, if they offer numbing medicine, I wouldn't take it - that's two sticks and the numbing medicine burns. It's not bad at all. Good luck - let me know how it goes.

It does not hurt - at all!!! My doctor does not use any numbing medicine either - which freaked me out when I heard that. I have a huge needle phobia. However, it was so easy. My doctor has me put my hands behind my head and pull my head up, which tightens your stomach so he can feel the port. He locates it and puts the needle in, sometimes he has to wiggle it a little to hit the port - none of it hurts, I promise. He will extract a little fluid to ensure he is in the port, then pushes it all back in. It takes less than a minute - no biggie. Good luck - let me know how you do.

Hi Smalltown - so very glad you started this thread. I was banded in January and am in the same boat. I haven't lost much - averaging less than 1 lb. per week. I called my doctor, who is very agressive with fills, and went in to day for another fill (my 4th). I have 10cc in an 11cc band. Yes - that is correct. I am so disappointed that I am on the below average side of losing weight. I know that exercise is required for me to lose apparently. I stay so busy, but that doesn't count as exercise. I asked for my doctors help. He wants me to log every thing I put in my mouth and send him the log every 2 weeks. I am hoping that this final fill along with extra accountability and forcing exercise will finally be what I need to be successful. I could use some prayers too! Good luck to everyone. :wub:

One more thing - I had suregery on a Tuesday and just took vacation the rest of the week. I returned to work on Monday just like normal. The surgery was such a piece of cake (ha ha) that no one needed to know that was what I was doing on my vacation!

I only told my daughter and out of state cousin - that's it. No one else will ever know. Last summer when I started this process, I went on a diet, started exercising, and eating healthy. This is what I told people - which was all true. Losing weight is such a slow process with the band and people who do not understand the whole tool concept. I don't want to be judged for my decision or for the contents on my plate. Just telling people I'm on a diet does that. I had surgery 4 months ago. I am a slow loser and have only lost 17 lbs. since surgery and 13 lbs. before, so a total of 30 lbs. Just this week, I have had someone compliment me every single day regarding my weight loss and slimming down. That is so much nicer than the other invasive questions people tend to ask if they know you had WLS. I don't regret my decision for a second! Love it!

Are you diabetic? Perhaps it was due to low sugar?

I did that once right before surgery and a couple of times afterwards. I am normally a very outgoing, happy person - we all can just have a bad day. This too shall pass. Trust me!

In my opinion - the sooner the better. It typically takes multiple fills to get restriction, so if your doctor thinks you are ready, I would definitely welcome that. My doctor is very aggressive, which I love. I am one of those patients that didn't feel any restriction until I got to 9cc in my 11cc band, and I am going next week for another fill. He gave me 5cc on the first visit, 2cc's on 2nd and 3rd visit. So, at 4 months banded, I have received 9cc's (almost unheard of). Lots of doctors only give 1/2 cc at a time, once every 4-6 weeks. By the way - my doctor doesn't use any numbing agent, which I was freaking out about, however, it didn't hurt at all. I so look forward to my visits. Good luck!

Congrats on your decision to join the band wagon. I have BCBS and I had to also go through six consecutive months of medically supervised "failed" weight loss attempts. I didn't know about that until after I did everything else, then they denied my surgeon's first approval request. I was very upset as that delayed my surgery for 7 months, 6 months of doctors visits and another month of waiting to be approved. They have a policy which they can send you - think it's called something like "G15", which tells you ALL about their true requirements. Please call them and request the documentation now - plus if you miss ONE monthly visit, you have to start the six month process all over again. OK - now that is out of the way.... for me, this was the easiest, most painless surgery that I have EVER had. It was the best decision I have ever made for myself. Just remember to stay active in this forum - it has been instrumental going through the same process at the same time others are. Word of advice - act like you are banded now, during, and after the surgery. It is a tool and you will still have to make good, healthy food choices. If not, you will not lose weight as expected. At first, I was frowning upon only losing 1-2 lbs. per week - I wanted faster results. Now, I am thrilled if I lose that much per week. I have to remember all of the reasons I choose the band over the other invasive options even though they typically result in faster weight loss. Those also result in hair loss, lots of recovery time and other potential problems. No one knows that I had the surgery - it's been 4 months and people are noticing, which is AWESOME!!! It's my little secret. I love knowing that once I get to my goal weight, my lap band will help me stay there, providing I do my part. Good luck and congrats to all!!

I struggle with the mental hunger - I think they should have banded my head instead - lol. One thing I have learned is that even though I want to eat something full of calories, I try to opt for a better choice. I get satisfied and forget about the head hunger for a while. Yesterday was one of those days where I wanted to eat everything in the house. When I went to the pantry and the refrigerator - guess what? There was nothing bad for me to snack on. So, I had an orange instead. Another thing that has helped me, although many frown upon it, is the use of OTC appetite suppressants. It actually helps me more mentally than physically. It is nice NOT thinking about wanting to eat all day long when I use them. I don't like taking pills and am not pushing my views, it just works for me, for now. Good Luck and keep us posted!

Great advice! I already do #3, 4, and 5. I have had to wrap my mind around NOT ordering a huge meal and have started ordering appetizers, saying I'm not that hungry or that I had a big/late lunch, etc. I told my family that I am trying to eat healthier and lose weight - ALL TRUE! At a party this past weekend, my neice actually mentioned to other people there, that I was trying to eat healthier when I passed on some sweets. Since the lap band weight loss is so slow - it's easy to keep the secret. I have only told my daughter and my out of state cousin. I didn't want anyone to judge me or what I had on my plate. No one else knows and that is what I wanted - it works for me! By the way, after my last fill a week ago, I experienced my first painful stuck episode with bread at lunch with a friend. I felt bad, but I totally told a white lie, saying that my esophagus was narrow and sometimes I get choked or food gets stuck - this is a real problem that 2 other family members have and had to have surgery to help the problem, so I claimed that one too - lol. Again, it worked for me!

I only told my daughter and my <out of state> cousin, whom I do not keep any secrets from. No one else in my world knows. I am very happy with my decision to keep this private, especially since this is a VERY slow weight loss journey and didn't want to constantly be judged by anyone regarding what is on my plate or if I didn't live up to their rapid weight loss expectations. Two of my friends have confided in me about WLS for themselves, so I am most likely going to share my story with them in confidence, of course. It is a very personal thing - good luck in your decision. To share or not to share - that is the question!