dacr64

Yeah! Good for you...that's great work. I'm still in the getting ready stages. My surgery is in May so I'm hoping to be feeling better soon.

Morning everyone! You've got me thinking Lou.....I'll give you the reason I think I overeat......there are a lot of issue that revolve around that....lots of past crap that just kept piling on...I'm sure you and lots of other here if not most have the same thing....BUT, somewhere, when I was a child having what I wanted to eat was my independance...my own little life taht I could control...I could sneak or take the food when I was upset and go sit in my closet and create my own little world and console myself. I think I still do that...I have 4 kids, a overweight husband, cook big meals and Desserts...that's just the ways it's always been. BUT, when I binge...I do that alone...it's my place and it's always and emotional eat....I don't even care what it is that I'm eating so it isn't the food believe me...it's something else and I haven't quite gotten to that part yet with my therapist. I am bi-polar and taking medication for it...it helps keeps me even but when I fall into a depression again I eat....so we added a 3rd medication to even me out. I mentioned to her that I was researching the band and she thought it might be a good idea.....I feel it's my last resort...I can't continue to live like this....I just plain don't want to but I am too weak to do it on my own...I think that's what pisses me off the most...I'm too weak and then I punish myself with eating because I"m so angry with myself for letting myself get out of control. I think you may have some of the same feelings..... So there, I laid it out!....ok, lets deal with it now right.

Lou, I definately think you should seek professional therapy...the mention of suicide makes me nervous. That is a depression issue and you need to take care of that. If or how you loose weight, with or without your band, you need to heal all of you and make all of you healthy, not just your body. Help yourself and get your mind healthy first...then maybe you will be in a better state of mind to get your body healthy. Keep plugging along...we are all struggling with our inner demons...some are just struggling more.

Wow.....and to think I started all this! Lou, I was the one asking why should we get the band if everyone is having such a hard time! Well, atleast we stirred up some attention. I have been researching this thing for some time...and I've gone ahead and made an appt to get started. A side note...make sure you research your doctor!!! How many he/she has done, malpractice, everthing. Ok, back to business...when I started my research I did think, like many I'm sure that the band is the know all see all magical genie that makes life great again! After reading so many posts from so many different catagories my bubble has been burst. But, that's not a bad thing....I know I will still want to binge...I know I will still want a donute or a cookie or pizza....but like it was mentioned above...I won't be able to eat 6 donuts or a bag of Cookies or a whole pizza...that is a plus in my book! So, I will look at the band as a tool and not a magic wand...I will try my best to work with the band...that doens't mean I'll be perfect and it doens't mean I will have the life altering bolt of lightening...it just means I'll try and do the best I can and hope and pray for the best outcome. I didn't become 100 pounds overweight over night...so I can't expect to wake up and be thin and healthy right! Stay strong and keep plugging away...we have to learn to be better to ourselfs and not let a bad day overwhelm us....I know easier said than done...I'm full of self loathing so I've been down that road many times...I'm sure I will again but hopefully not many times.

Ok....can someone explain the term "no restrictions" ? Do it mean that you don't feel any pressure to know your full??? I'm confused. Obviously not banded yet! : )

How much extra flab are we talking??? Scarey...I have 100 pounds to loose....well, I hope to loose 100 pounds anyway. They say if you take it slow and excercise, both cardio and weight training it really helps with the skin getting back to normal...(somewhat) But...you never know who THEY are do you!

I have yet to be banded but have my first appt on Tuesday. I have done a ton of research on the proceedure; pro's/cons, ect and am very happy in my decision to go to Tufts NEMC> This is a web site about the doc at NEMC: Dr. Shikora is very well educated in the proceedure. He is well published on by-pass, lab banding, nutrition and obesity. He has been doing bypass surgery for 20 years. The Obesity Clinic has done over 3000 lap band procedures since it became legal in the US> Dr Shikora has no malpractice suite payments recorded in the past 10 years. The site I used to search only went to 10 years..ofcourse I can't remember what it was...still trying to find it again! http://www.nemc.org/home/findadoctor/Default.aspx This is the site that give you info on the NEMC Obesity Clinic http://www.nemc.org/surgery/html/bariatric/default.htm This one is informative on the proceedure itself. http://www.smallscars.com/

Thanks, looked at the scars. Wow, not bad at all....I had laperscopic surgery on my ovaries...he went in through the belly button so there is nothing to see! Invention is a wonderful thing. Ok, next question...is there any other post-op care for the port site after the scars are healed? What happens when you get a fill...just a band-aid deal?

The pictures really DON"T do it justice then.....that sounds painful. I'm researching banding and trying to be open minded and look at all the issues, food, failing, weight loss and maintenance, problems post-op, long term results, ect. Is the site infection something that happens often? Also, does the port stay in forever?? Can you see or feel it under the skin or does it stay open? I'm not getting that part.

Thanks for the info.... But, if that is the case and you get the dumping syndrom with sweets and gastric which bypasses your intestines...shouldn't you NOT get the gastric bypass if sweets are you issue???

I didn't think they were bad....pretty cool actually! heheh Why does it have to be open like that?? Did you get an infection, not healed properly??

Ok....I'm researching getting the band done. I just read here that lap-band for quantity and bypass for sweets! My dilema.....my quantity is sweets! I am crazy!...hehehe....just bi-polar crazy and my manic binges are always sweet related! I wonder if this is going to be an issue as I havne't even cosidered bypass because it's so invasive and there are so many bowel issues after the surgery. I have enough bowel issues on my own..... Does anyone know why the "dumping" happens with the sweets?

OH>>>I"m so excited. Thanks so much for the excellent recommendation for the TUFTS NEMC. I have my first appointment there for counseling on Tuesday! I have researched quite a bit and was so impressed with the department and all the support services they offer. Thanks for reassuring me....

The bread being sticky I understand...but I wonder about the red meat...especially since protein is such an important issue. Is it because it can't digest as quickly and gets stuck?

Thanks Jack for that! Ok, so I understand there are ways around the band so to speak! High calorie foods, too much food, not excercising and expecting the band to do all the work! Right? Sooo, we need to participate also...eat proper portions, right foods, make better choices and excercise...it's still a battle but we have added a tool to help us along the way. Thats what I thought but was getting so concerned with people complaining about not loosing..if it's a problem with the band I can understant that...I hope I have the will power to make it work for me.

I keep reading about people not really loosing weight...is this normal? What is the purpose of having the proceedure then if it's such a struggle to loose the weight...this is a last resort for me~ HELP! Not banded yet!

Don't feel bad...I threw a bag of Orea Cookies at mine....they smashed all over the place and the dog had a field day! Needless to say...we don't have Oreo's in the house any longer!

Hi, I'm researching getting banded and trying to read as much "real" info from banded people. Getting questions answered and weighing...no pun intened...the pros and cons for me. I've always been a "big" girl...not really fat when I was younger but that quickly changed....have a lot of hormone problems and I swear that has a lot to do with it. I also have a huge appetite like many here and an an emotional binger. I have bi-polar health problems and have a lot of manic episode when I want to hurt myself....my hurt of choice is food. This is why I need to feel that the banding is right for me. I've been on every diet possible...can stay on it for about a month...loose 15 to 20 pounds and then regain all+ like many of you. This has been a life long stuggle and I need to end the stuggle somehow. I am so full of self loathing it makes me sick....I'm a bit scared of the surgery but I can't live like this forever...I don't think I can make it and it def is not healthy for me as I obsess about it every day! Thanks for listening!

Hi, I'm researching having the surgery done...was given this site to find answers to a lot of my questions. The swallowing this is interesting, I'll have to add it to my questions for the doc. They do say you may have to get your meds in liquid form or split pills that are larger than an asperin but I assumed that was so it didn't get "stuck" in the stoma...gross! Anyone know if that is possibe...to get something stuck in there!! Hmmmmm