parisshel

My sense is once you get to the "more interesting" food stage, this will be a distant memory. Who could get excited about watery grits? That's normal! When do you get to introduce more palatable foods back into your diet? I'd wait to see what turns around for you then...it could be that your cravings are all gone simply because there is nothing in your diet lighting that part of your brain up. And imho that's a good thing, as long as it doesn't persist to the point that you merely live on Protein drinks. That wouldn't be good and that's not the goal of a lapband AFAIK. Sounds like you are getting enough Protein and Vitamins from your drinks + supplements for now.

Wow! Such a short hospital stay! I hope you are comfortable and remain painfree! Good luck with this new chapter in your life.

I think everybody fears the anesthesia aspect of surgery, any surgery, not just WLS. And really, the only way to get over it is to go through it. My advice would be to not read any "bad anesthesia" stories on any forum or blog, because it will amplify your fears. Also, bring this up at your consultation because your MD can address it and knowledge of how anesthesia works may help you be less afraid. Many hospitals will give you a pre-sedative before bringing you into the OR as they are very mindful of how stressful psychologically surgery is for some patients. Inform yourself and see if this is a protocol you could have for your situation. Lastly, know you aren't alone with your fear. I don't know of anyone who goes into a surgery fearfree.

Hi! We are bandtwins; my surgery date is also March 20th...three weeks away! Getting excited and I actually dreamt that I got the surgery....the dream was so vivid from start to finish. It was a cool dream, but now it's like I have to go through it a second time! Three weeks will go by in a flash...it will be great to be on "the other side." Wish a smooth an uneventful pre to post-op to all March bandsters!

I read on a blog (OK; not the best or most reliable source) that 85% of couples split following a significant weight change in one partner. That can be weight up or down, btw. I can understand why a couple might split with a big weight gain in one of the people, because with big weight gain comes lack of mobility, socializing, community activities, etc. Then a downward spiral begins, as the normal-weight partner either goes and does their own thing, or stays at home to be with the inactive person, but resents becoming cut off from their formerly active life. And I can understand why a big weight loss would also impact a couple. Change is often a scary thing to navigate, and when one person is threatened by the other's change (vs being supportive of it), it doesn't bode well for the couple. For me, I am very aware of how my upcoming surgery and resulting weight loss may put my relationship at risk. My BF already has a very low level of energy---much lower than mine even though his is not obese and he is younger than me--and it's always been something that bothers me. I also blame a lot of my weight gain on the fact he never moves, so I don't either (lame, I know, but it's not a lot of fun doing stuff on my own.) I know that I need to be active to be successful with my lapband. I know it will mean doing it on my own. There will be some resentment there, and I am quite aware that this may mean the demise of my relationship. But staying fat and inactive is too high a price to pay to remain in my relationship, so let the cards fall as they may. I have one life and am fed up with letting the days slip by while there is just so much to do OUTSIDE IN THE WORLD!!!!

Hi everybody, I've poked around this site and can't seem to find a "Find" search mechanism so I thought I'd post here. This place has been the greatest resource for me as I prepare to be banded. I'd love to find other bandsters who are closer geographically to me. I'm in Paris, France and the WLS boards here just aren't as developed/well-maintained/polite/etc as those I've found based in the USA. So I rely on LBT for my support and information but also wondered if there are any other Europe and/or France-based people on here. Let me know!

I'm not sure which chemical the anesthesiologist use that cause it, but for a lot of people it can cause some really serious depression and emotional instability. This is true. It is extremely common for people to experience depression after anesthesia. I read about this after my BF had a heart attack and had to have a couple of surgeries to place stents in his arteries. I noticed that he came home from the hospital depressed (and he is not a depressive) and found that this was more the rule than the exception following general anesthesia. The only time I've had general anesthesia was when I had surgery following a broken ankle. 2 days post op I was crying and crying. Well, I was sad to be in a cast for 2 months, sure, but I suspect it was also the consequence of the anesthesia. Something about it releases emotions.

As WLS gets more and more democratized, a certain type of patient will have access to it. Prior to its large-scale availability, the type of patient who would undergo the procedure was willing to do whatever it took to succeed. He/she was knew his/her life was at stake. Now, with WLS criteria being lowered, and more insurance companies covering it, or loans being made available to cover it, the patient base is much much larger. And with that, you get some people who slip through the pre-op psych evaluations...or don't even have to get a pre-op psych eval. So you get people like you report here...people who really don't have the mindset that is necessary and fundamental to success with the lapband (or sleeve, or bypass). People who will game the tool. (This is analogous to people who lose weight with something like Weight Watchers, but take all their points in chocolate, alcohol or other not-healthy foods. They may make it to goal, but they won't stay there long.) These are the people who skew the success rate statistics due to their non-compliance with post-op rules. It's a shame but it will become more prevalent as the procedures become democratized and normalized and available to a wider market. I would definitely speak up because misinformation is being diffused by this person, and that misinformation is harmful not only for the person hearing it (who won't question it, as you did), but also for the success rate of the band in general. The person delivering that information needs to be trained correctly, so the practice who is employing her should know about this. Ultimately it does no good for the practice if their patients don't succeed with the band, so they will want to hear your feedback.

Yeah, I had moments when I thought the surgery was never going to happen (things just weren't moving "fast enough" for my schedule!) and now...I sometimes think that all my life has been leading up to this moment. By that I mean that I always "knew" that one day I'd release my weight permanently. Dieting for years never did the "permanent" thing, but this...I can't put the correct words to it, but I just feel deep down that this is what I've been leading up to. Anyone else feel that way?

Am I naive to think that even an unfilled band would provide one with a smaller pouch? After all, the band is restricting the stomach into two parts. So I would think that even unfilled, it can be an effective tool to weight loss. But I'm still pre-op, so maybe I'm mistaken.

Great thread for me to read as a pre-op. I have this fear in the back of my mind that I won't be a success story, I'll be "the one person" who won't succeed with the band. I'm really glad to read all the posts on this thread to know what to expect, and what I can do to succeed (protein, protein and protein!). I'm realizing how mental this game really is. Thanks, everybody.

Look at how happy and confident you seem in the "after." Well done! You obviously worked hard and consistently.

I hope by the time you read this post you are feeling better! This reminds me that I need to write down TODAY my list of why I'm doing this...all my dreams for what I want out of this radical decision...so that post-surgery (next month), should I get the "bands blues" I can re-read my list and remember to keep my eye on the longterm. I hope for you it is all smooth sailing for here.

I don't have a pre-op diet but that is normal for the protocol of my surgeon. I don't think the goal of the pre-op is to lose weight (so doing an intense workout regimen isn't necessary for the LB) my understanding is it is to defat the liver to make entry/exit into the area smoother for the surgeon. Your liver gets "moved" if you will during the intervention, and if it is really fatty, that can make things slippery for the instruments. From reading these boards, it looks like most US surgeons require a pre-op diet, but for some reaons mine here in Europe doesn't.

Interesting thread and brings up a question. I've seen a lot of members of this site having had their LBs done in Mexico. Loads of them. How do they do their followup care and fills/unfills? They obviously don't return to Mexico each time for this. I travel a lot between France and the USA and my French surgeon has given me a list of his colleagues in California (where I travel to) who will see me should I have problems with my band on an overseas trip. I hope I don't meet with the type of reluctance many on this thread are suggesting I can expect. It would be awful to be overseas and not be able to be unfilled should need be.

Sorry that you had to go through this but glad you shared it with us. When I remet with my surgeon last week, the question of what to do when one has food poisoning or stomach flu was first on my list. He pretty much said to do what you did (if the vomiting goes past 24 hours).

could be lack of potassium...bananas are often recommended for this.

..and those waiting for your downfall are usually fat themselves.

I'd definitely be up for it if I lived there. I WISH I lived there. (Good luck nonetheless.)

Travel, travel, travel and sex, sex, sex. Both, more comfortably than what's happening now! And I'm definitely looking forward to more stamina, agility, confidence, a higher happiness quotient and stabler moods (i.e., no more sugar highs and lows).

I understand these feelings; I have them and I'm sure most pre-bandsters had them too. But what helps me when I start getting anxious is looking at the tremendous number of people who started like me, and who have had not only success, but LONGTERM success. This is where WLS differs from "just diet and exercise." The longterms success rate of keeping lost weight off is dramatically higher with WLS when compared with the 2% success rate of non-surgical methods of keeping lost weight off. For me, it is essential that I accompany my post-band time with mental health support. While I am 100% convinced I will love my image as it transforms, I also predict it will be something that provokes some anxiety...who IS this person that was fat for so long? So I've already put into place my "mental health team" (a therapist who works with my surgeon's patients) who knows how to help me adjust to loving what my new outsides will look like. This may be something you might want to consider, too, just to help take the edge of what you anticipate might be a rocky, but welcome, journey.

This is precisely what I'm planning to do. I have "nice" designer plus sized clothing; no way am I just going to give it away. And where I live (France) there's a good market for this, since so few women here are plus sized...the ones that are really appreciate being able to find nice things. Funny ebay story, also: my sister lost 150 lbs (sadly through illness, not diet) and ebayed loads of items, including her old bras. OLD BRAS! Some wierdo dude bought them and gave her an A+ rating for the transaction.

I've told my friends, but I agree with the statement that there could be some resentment at work for time taken off for what they might perceive as "elective surgery." So I'll be telling them that I'm getting my gall bladder out, too...since the work stop papers I have to submit will be saying "Digestive Surgery" on them. I do hope karma doesn't come back and hit me in the butt with one day REALLY having to have gall bladder surgery! I'll have to come up with another story if that happens

How exciting! I hope you will feel better with each passing hour/day. Now your new life begins...

This underscores what I plan to say to people/waitstaff when I'm banded (next month). "I've had WLS and can't eat a lot, but this is delicious and I'm really enjoying it." I know a sleever who always says this when ordering in a restaurant. She only gets a starter, and explains that she's a sleever and only needs a small bit to really savor the meal.