Caribear

Excellent list! This should be required reading for anyone considering the band.

I can share a super positive experience with you! I am almost 10 months out from my surgry (april 12, 2011) and I have lost almost 130 pounds altogether! I feel absolutely fabulous!! I will be doing my monthly check in in a few days with more details.. but just know that the lap band works VERY WELL if you are dedicated to losing the weight! I currently weigh 150 pounds and I can say without a moment's hesitation that my lap band not only changed my life, but saved it! It works if you work it!!

That is so funny you mention the "food port". For the first month after my surgery, I too recognized how many food commercials are on tv and how much everyone is always eating in sitcoms! Food I never craved, never had, never had a desire to have, LOOKED GOOD! I wanted to taste everything.... I think it was because of the weeks of protein shakes and liquids. LOL!

throw the cake away!or give it to a friend or family! eat some fruit then go for a walk around the block or down the rode to the park etc turn the food porn off i know its tempting i was on the lemonade diet before and i went nuts gave up and ate the night away so stay strong and best of luck to u

The bypass and duodenal switch (DS) have been shown to quickly reverse diabetes as quickly as overnight, it may have to do with the malabsorption feature of these procedures. The band can also help to improve diabetes but I believe that it comes with the weight loss which is slower when compared to those procedures.

i was wondering about the comment you mentioned regarding gastric bypass for diabetics? I was never really given an option or discussed which WLS would be best for me. I am diabetic and I have fibro and pcos and was told about the lap band. I am wondering if they stated in the show rather the lap band or the gastric by pass was better for diabetics? guess it doesnt matter now seeing how I have already had the lap band performed LOL but was just curious. thanks

that is great and I must say I laughed when i read everything taste better with bacon and cheese LOL I am going to make one of these list myself, thank you for paying it forward, good luck to you. I also watch videos on youtube, I have made a few in the very beginning but stopped doing it, I might go back and try again. thanks

Its so great that you now have the support you longed for! We can all support you here, but there is nothing like the support (or lack of) from a family member. I know its hard with the cake, but remember the band allows you to have everything in moderation, try having a portion much smaller than a portion you would usually have. But if you think that will set you on a rampage (I cant have stuff like that around without it callllllling me!) then maybe you better stay away!

I am sure we have the same concerns going in. However: going back to my old way got me into BIGGER trouble than thoughtfully advancing toward the tool we need. I am almost 3 years ahead of you. Looking back is like a mirror... however now the ME looking back is strong and more healthy than I even imagined I could be. There was NO hope in where I came from. Look at my album and see how life has been gifted to me. I was 57 and felt 90. Now I am 60 and feel 30. Praying for you to have "peace like a river" going forward!

I so fill your pain! I am also a fibromyalgia victim. I understand the brain fog, the food issues, and the constant pain. I tell my doctors I have more restrictions for fibromyalgia then I do with the band. I miss apples and bananas. I have resolved that any bread at all is not for me. Not just white bread.
My biggest problem has been the exercising. Summer was a breeze because of our pool. Now, everything I try starts out fine but I can't seem to progress for any length of time because of pain set backs.
I am going to look into the yoga tape you suggested, I'll try just about anything to gain success.
I am so ready for summer and my pool!!!!!!

I have to practice eating when I am hungry not when my Brain signals that it's "noon" time to eat or" hey it's 5pm it must be time for dinner." I grew up with specific meal times and eat whats on your plate or you cant get away from the table. Who thought that up?! I have made it a point to never make my kids finish whats on their plates if they don't want to, I think it sets up bad eating habits. Now I have to train my brain to eat when I am hungry, not just because it is a certain time of the day. Hard to teach an old dog a new trick!

I really liked your post. I am going to try the tool box as I think it is a fabulous idea. you sound just like myself with battling over food. I try to explain to my husband about my food addiction and although he pretends he understands I know that he does not. He does not get excited over food nor care if he even eats period. when i am cooking food I get so excited over the smells and cant wait for the taste and he doesnt acknowledge it, makes me jealous in a way. I believe that I have food addiction due to the fact of being lonely and depressed for most of my life and food was my "everything" even though I am older now, not so much depressed anymore and not lonely, the food addiction is a long standing "addiction" and "habit" that is hard to break. makes me sad sometimes that I have complete control over everything in my life except food. again, I appreciate your post and I am going t try the tool box. thank you again and I pray for both of us with our ":head hunger" struggle. god bless

Congrats..... now don't get discouraged when that weight loss evens out in the next few weeks. The next couple months are the hardest. You may get on the scale and have none to very weight loss. This is because you have little to no restriction in your band. This is when your will power will be challenged the most. I could eat most anything and a pretty good bit of it. When i realized this .... these are some of the things i did. Not saying this will happen but if it does......
I stayed away from buffets and all fast foods. Lets face it, they are two of the reasons most of us gained weight in the first place.
When I went out, i tried to order soup or if nothing appealed to me i ordered and i told the server to bring a go box when my meal was brought. I immediately packed away 75% of my food and only left what my portion should be on the table. Do not reopen the box...... Refuse the drink.... the server will look at you as if you have an alien on your face... would you like water.... you say... no thanks. You will have to get use to this. Better start from the get go. Practice taking a bite and putting your fork down... remove it from your hand. This will help you get use to eating slowly and to chew your food till it is mush in your mouth.
Put the scale (aka the Devil) in the trunk of your car..... i know this sounds crazy. But if its there you will stand on it.
Exercise..... i can't stress this enough.... i started walking and then Zumba... When i first started i couldn't do 30 min on a threadmill, and about 5 min on the elliptical. Take it slow, but move as much as you can.
Oh and muscle milk lite.... Latte..... yummy
wishing you all the success in the world....

Great job, you're doing awesome!
food probation officer...LOL! XD

I struggle with the persuasive "voice" in my head that say's ....hey whats in the kitchen...lets go get a snack! That's when the "just say No" voice steps in and so far I've been listening to the good voice and going for a walk instead! I'm a strong person and I think that eventually the persuasive voice is going to know it's place! good luck!

Yay for your victories! and dont call them small!!! You are changing habits formed over years and years and years. This is a big damned deal. I'm so glad you like your nutritionist... i think they are just as important as the surgeons. The surgeon might do the surgery but the nutritionist teaches us how to eat, which for us is how to live. GOOD LUCK AND BE PROUD OF YOUR BIG VICTORIES!!!

Everyone feels these fears but you just have to decide if you think it will all be worth it...I admire you for knowing yourself and putting them down here!

These are normal fears. Any type of surgery is scary. You are reacting very normal. I have the same fears, if we didn't, then I would worry

I agree with everyone here. It is not surprising that we all have many of the same fears. I hang on to this verse for dear life:
Phillipians 4-6
Be anxious for nothing, but in everything by prayer and supplication with thanksgiving let your requests be made known to God.
Worry is unhealthy--concern is healthy..........
Be concerned sure, and study and investigate the options....but don't let fear hold you back......

Here's a good old saying: Worring is like a rocking chair, you can do it as much as you want, but it won't get you anywhere! Good luck and stay positive! YOU CAN DO IT!! I have just started my journey as well...the head games you play with yourself will always be there I think - it's just how you manage through them that counts.

After being banded for 3+ years and now going through a rebanding surgery I can tell you that many of your concerns are very valid. So many people and things happen that are beyond your control but all you can do is take it all in and use the information to help yourself or completely throw some of it out and move on. I was surprised to find that the people who have always been thinner than me were worried that I would somehow be thinner than them and it bothered them - That's there problem not ours. THe ups and downs of the weight will happen and you will work through it. Your Fibro will get better and more manageble. Breast size doesn't really go down but back size does. Slippage and rebanding happens to some but it is easily dealt with and you move on. Worries and concerns are part of being an intelligent person and you seem very intelligent and thoughtful about things so you have to address your concerns and feel as comfortable about things as you can. I hope this is helpful and not hurtful. You can always message me if you want to talk. Good luck I'm sure you'll do great and just take one obsticle at a time. Lisa

Never think that something you feel is irrational or insignificant. I have thought many of the same things that you have. My main fear, after having surgery, was that I would gain weight back. You know what? I did - put on 10 lbs after an unfill at Christmas 2010. It was like getting the first scratch or dent in your brand new car - you freak out for a minute and then think "Whew, glad that first one is over". I have hit the reset button and started doing the things I did when I was first banded - exercising and watching my liquid/mushy calories. The weight is coming back off.
A year from now, when you read back over your fears, you won't think they are silly - but you won't be as afraid of them. :-)

None of these is silly! You are right with a lot of us who are going through this! A lot of those same things are what I worry about. I am afraid of judgement any way. Be it fat or thin. People are judgemental and it would suck to be them. This site is the best place to go for support! I think we understand each other most of the times.Keep up the good work and just know that what you are feeling is COMPLETELY normal!

I had a BMI of 47 going into surgery (it's now just over 32) (i weighed 277 before surgery). My surgeon, too, tried to persuade me not to do lap band - basically letting me know that for "larger" patients it's not a good fix because a lot of people (in fact most) do not lose anywhere near what they need to. However, my mind was made up - for the same reasons as you -this is the one and only surgery i was doing - period. Six months and 88 pounds later my surgeon is very, very pleased with my progress. I guess I am falling into the 20 percent of patients in his own practice that are successful. Obviously anything can happen in future but so far so excellent! By the way, my husband literaly cried and begged me not to do the surgery (he is a total man's man and NEVER cries) and it took everything i had but i stood firm and insisted on doing this (he now tells me i was right and he was wrong LOL). He kept saying "give us one more chance to take the weight off together - give us 3-4 months - one more chance and if not successful i'll support you in the surgery - i promise!!!" I kept saying - I know i can lose weight - i just can't keep it off - i've proven it time and time again and i'm not willing to put the surgery off another 4 months just so i can prove i can lose weight one more time (which will inevitably come back on). Finally, he gave up fighting me and although he did not go to the seminar with me (i actually secretly went to that hee hee!) he did go to the inital surgeon appointment with me. He asked my surgeon (center of excellence, very experienced weight loss surgeon) how many lap band surgeries he had done and how many people either died on the table or within days/weeks of surgery - and the surgeon said - at least 200 and NONE. That was all my husband needed to hear (i was a healthy obese person - no co-morbid conditions and he figured most of those undergoing the surgery had co-morbids so I would be safe no problem). Six months and 88 pounds later - i'm THRILLED with my decision. BEST OF LUCK TO ALL OF US ON OUR JOURNEYS!!!!

There's nothing wrong with wanting support while going through such a major stressful life decision. And it does take a lot of strength to admit that we can't always do everything on our own. I don't know how you feel about God, but He is always there to hold your hand when you need it. And there are plenty of people here going through similar experiences as you who would be willing to hold your virtual hand, myself included. Don't hesitate to send me a message if you need someone to talk to, I'm on here a lot. I will help you in any way I can.
You can do this. <3