Terry Poperszky

Sorry Mara, you have to do the research and choose for your self. Some things to look at: 1. Success ratio - Average excess weight loss. 2. Complication ratio - What type, and the frequency of complications for a particular type of WLS. For instance, banders don't experience dumping or malabsorbtion, but they do experience getting "stuck". 3. Mortality rate - My wife would rather have me fat and alive, then dead and skinny. 4. Recovery time. 5. Cost Now, the problem with coming on to a bander board and asking which is better, is you are going to be talking to a bunch of people who have already made that decision for themselves for what ever reason, Same with a sleeve or a GB board. Their reasons won't necessarily make sense for you. Personally, I chose banding because while it had a lower Excess Weight Loss Average, the complications and mortality rate were also much, much lower than the other surgeries. Additionally I had a philosophical problem having my stomach cut away and my intestines re-routed, and the accompanying mal-absorption issues that would accompany that type of surgery. With that said, if my band ever fails and I can't have it replaced I would probably opt for a sleeve or GB. After loosing 50 pounds with the band, I would put up with the additional issues to continue to be thin. I don't ever want to go back to where I was. I want to echo Missy's comment, WLS is not a magic fix, it is a hell of a lot of hard work. But the thing is, with the WLS the hard work means something. Good luck on your research and your journey. BTW, Alex sells a book on this forum that will really tell you everything you need to know about what being banded means.

Yeah, I learned the benefit of moist heat before exercise during PT from my knee surgeries.

This is what I ordered. roadid.com

I have no information for the person who started this thread other than what you are doing isn't research. What you are doing is collecting negative stories to feed and reinforce your fear and uncertainty. The are WAY TO MANY PEOPLE on this forum who are successful, and happy with their band surgery to come up with a 99 percent complication rate. Fact is a large majority of the people on this forum who are complaining are on in the very first stages of the journey and are still healing and adjusting to the new lifestyle. Another fact is people are more prone to post on a forum if they have something to b***h about, those that don't have problems don't have a lot to say. I mean, how many times can you say "It just works!" I did research before being banded as well, I looked at the industry rates of weight loss for several types of surgery, then I looked at the complication rates for those same types of surgery. Then I looked at my surgeon's stats on those same areas. What did I find? Banding has a lower average weight loss than more radical forms of surgery. It also had a lower complication rate than any of the other types of surgeries, and it had a lower mortality rate (1/10th) of those other forms of surgery. Then I talked to my surgeon, I asked him about the lower average weight loss. He told me that the average weight loss for banding was 60% of the excess weight, then he turned and pointed to his nurse a hot young blond bander who had lost all of her excess weight (100+), and said "or you can be like her and lose it all. You get to decide what group you want to be part of" Frankie, REALLY do the research, stop listening to the horror stories, start looking at the successes, because I can guarantee you that the highest risk option for anyone is to try and live their life weighing 500 pounds. Is banding for you? Haven't got a clue, all I can tell you is I would choose it again in a heartbeat. That and no WLS is going to be automatic, I know a lady who has had GB who could eat me under the table before I was banded. And you will find people with all three types of surgery that have lost the weight and gained it back again. Good luck with your research.

eating on Vacation that is. Away from my home, my scale and my kitchen for a week visiting family in Northern California. An Easter brunch that my sister-in-law served that centered around a ham, chicken and lasagna, side dished, appetizers and deserts from Hell. But the real villain were the chips and candy at my Sister's house. The good news is that I am only up .75 of a pound for the week, and after I flush all the excess sodium out of my system, my weight will probably be a wash. I just kept B-52 and others on the forum in mind who weren't counting calories, and tried to listen to my band, watched my bite sizes and speed. I had one stuck incident that caught me totally by surprise, but other than that eating was no problem. Glad to be back home though, although I would like the rain to stop so I can get on my bike, Catfish is getting ahead of me, and that just won't do!

Josie, thanks for the encouragement of your success story

May I respectfully disagree? As long as it is non-caloric, it will hydrate you and give your body the necessary fluids. Even caffeine which can act as a diuretic, only does so at first and not in people who consistently consume it. Personally I only drink water if forced to at gun point, coffee, Crystal light, Tea are my hydrates of choice.

I bought myself a set of "dipping" bowls to use to eat my food out of, additionally I pre-cut my food before putting it in the bowls and use chop sticks to eat with. There is also a smart phone app call "Eat slower" that helps me slow down.

No personal experience, but my LB Nurse said that hers tightens under a lot of stress. Fact is she had it emptied during RN school because it was so stressful.

Please don't confuse reality TV with reality! I have lost hundreds of pounds, and gained back even more. I had the band because I can't lose and keep the weight off.

You won't have any doubt when it happens to you! DAMHIKT

So Elcee, when is it fun PBing?

On the plus side, I don't have to log the calories from that chicken thigh.

Restriction that is, you just may get it. Got a .3 fill on Wednesday and ate something this evening that I have had absolutely no problem with in the past (chicken thighs). Mistress Band threw a hissy fit and I know know what being stuck and PBing feels like. Back to liquids for a day or two, and a hell of a lot more careful.

Unusual, but not unheard of. Each Surgeon has their own protocol based on their experience and your physical condition.

Now, this is an obvious generalization, so please bear with me. There are two types of people on this forum, Moms and Dads...And it has nothing to do with gender. Moms are the empaths, sympathizing with the hurts and bruises of the people here, taking into account their feelings when they give their advice. Patting them on the back as they are bent over the toilet puking their guts out because they tried to test their band. Dads are the authoritarians, telling people who ate a cheeseburger and fries on the way home from post-op "WTF did you do that for, are you stupid?" and "I was able to work my band, what the hell is wrong with you"? The friction I see on the site comes many times from the Moms and Dads fighting over the best way to help the kids, when in reality, both types of advice and help are necessary for the people who come here. We need to stop beating each other up, and start realizing that we NEED both types of people. So, in the words of that great wise man Rodney King, "Why can't we all just get along"? BTW, as I said at the start this is a generalization and the reality is not quite so clear, I personally relate more to the "Dads" on the board, but my heart also weeps for those who are struggling getting the band to work for them, especially when it has been so easy for me.

B-52, I don't always relate to everything in your posts, but I always appreciate them. Same as with CG, and several others, I pick what makes sense to me, and walk away from the rest. It is what makes this forum valuable to me. Personally, I am not normal when it comes to food, I was/am broken for whatever reason I was not able to control the amount that I ate over a long period of time, which is why I needed WLS. When my wife wants to lose weight, she eats less. She can eat a single cookie, or a sliver of cake. That is how a normal person interacts with food, these are things that over a lifetime I tried to do, but failed. Now the band helps me imitate how a normal person eats, but too often that my brokenness leaks out in other areas and I need a reminder that I am not really normal. Perhaps, one day.

My Dr. told me to get used to drinking a Protein shake for Breakfast for the rest of my life

During the day of a fill, I usually just drink my shakes straight from the carton and the skim milk and OJ are simply ways to get more calories in and stave off the hunger. Now when I am home, I blend frozen strawberries into my chocolate shake, they are to die for.

This would be me, I actually started counting calories to force myself to get enough nutrition so that my body wouldn't shut down. Believe me you will look back on these days with fondness

I went for my 5th fill this morning, so today is liquids and tomorrow is mushies. Normal for me is to pick up a quart of milk and a quart of OJ to supplement my shakes and get me through the day because I am so freaking hungry. Just got out of spin class and sat down at my desk and opened a shake and started reading the forum. Pretty soon half my shake was gone and I picked it up for another sip, and Mistress Band said "Sorry Bud, but you are done". Now, she didn't say it in a mean way, she didn't bring out the spiked heels, I just looked at the shake and thought to myself, ewwww! (And I love my shakes). Interesting...

I haven't tried them, but I just looked on their website and they average about 10-1100 mg of sodium, when I looked on the lean cuisine site they were in the 6-700 range. Frankly, either one is more sodium than I prefer.

Ok, for the future, when I first read your post I was freaking out. Different people react differently, up until my latest fill the only food that gave me trouble was pancakes, and only first thing in the morning. I ate stir fried asparagus last night with no problem at all. As you travel in your lap band journey you will find things that you can't eat, just take it slow and easy. Don't try a bunch of new things at once, but introduce things one at a time and see how your body reacts. Congratulations on your decision, and welcome to the forum.

I told only close friends and immediate family before the surgery. Afterwards, anyone who comments on my weight loss I tell them how it is being done. Reasons? Before, I didn't want to deal with the negativity or unwanted advice. Afterwards? Anyone who has the balls to tell me I made the wrong decision, will not have them after they make that statement. But that is my personality, yours may be different

Your profile says you have been banded for less than a week and you are doing salad and lasagna? Well, if your Dr.s instructions say it was ok, then who am I to say anything. Wait, your Dr.s instructions did say salad and pasta were allowable after 6 days, right?