Vinella

I do love my band and it has worked very well for me.
So many factors come in to play with this thing. You never really know all the details that will come in until you get the band. As you read through all the posts here at LBT you see just how different it is for everyone. You don't know how hard you may have to work at it or how easy it may be for you. You just have to have your mind set on doing whatever you need to do no matter what.
For me it's been easier than I thought it would be, but a big part of that might be mental. If you find yourself with emotional stuff after you get banded, go talk to someone about it just like one of the above posters does.
After I got banded I had a very strong feeling of wanting every pound gone right now! Today! All of it! It's tough to have to accept the weightloss may seem slow and it may be a long road ahead, but at least you are doing something to get that weight off. I keep remembering the old saying, "how do you eat an elephant?" ........."one bite at a time." With weightloss, how do you lose 80, 90,100, 150 pounds? One pound at a time. The first year I lost 100 pounds and then it slowed down to about a pound per month. Today I have lost 109 pounds ...... gone forever! I lost it all one pound at a time.

Hey all, I'm home! It was a crazy day, but I I'm all banded....i should change my screen name!
My pain is mostly achy and the percocets and heating pad help with that. If I can stay still, I'm perfectly okay....trying to change positions is a killer! But a nice, well-enunciated curse word seems to help some. I'll do my sugery day story in the other thread soon.

Just one more day to go............. I am so excited. I pray that everything goes well. I am happy that my mom and I are doing this together. I will let you know how it goes. We have to be there at 5 am. Please say a prayer.

My diet is a 10 day liquid diet of high Protein Shakes, broth, sugar free Jello and pop cycle's. Since I am also having problems with really bad leg cramps, surgeon told me to have bananas also. Hope the snow allows me to not have to post pone till next week. I am from Delaware just next store to you, live close to Dover. I think everyone is scared, this is the unknown. But what helps me keep positive "NOW" is that, yea the diet sucks but it is such a short time in my life, compared to the lenght of time I have battled obesity and God willing there will be some "Awesome" changes in my life and yours .........Thanks for your good wishes and the best of luck to you as well!! Will keep in touch

I am getting nervous about the surgery Monday... I wonder if it is going to be worth it, if I am going to be able to maintain this new diet lifestyle and if it is going to be the tool I need to be successful. Anyone else having the same thoughts? I have been on the diet for 5 days... doing alright, although I a few too many calories today. Also, have you told people (friends? family? coworkers?) I have told a few close family members but I havent really told anyone else - not really sure how to tell them...

I had another thought about this topic I wanted to share.
When I was first exploring whether WLS was for me, I was checking out different websites and the various surgical procedures I could have done. (Band, sleeve, or RNY.) Someone (I wish I could remember who it was) leveled me with a comment to the effect of "In a year or two, after the weight is gone and you're living your new life, all people are going to see is the new, slimmer you. Does it matter at that point HOW you lost the weight? Isn't the point to get control again and be healthy?"
So if some folks want to think WLS is an easy way out, maybe it's not all that big of a deal. They aren't the ones who are in charge of your life. This journey is about YOU, not anyone else.
Just my 2 cents. (Well, three or four... )
Dave

This is one of the main reasons why I don't tell people I had the surgery. My close family knows and thats it. I know that people will always judge and say stupid things and thats why I made the choice to keep my personal business to myself.

Yes, it was so hard to not cheat. But hang in there as it gets easier. Today is my last day of the pre-op diet - getting banded tomorrow (yea!) and even last night I had to finally go to bed because I had so many cravings. Use this time to your advantage. For example, I never thought I was an emotional eater and during my pre-op diet I realized that food provides me comfort. I never really understood this and now I will look for other ways to find comfort. I rarely ever let people comfort me because I am so "strong". Now I know that I either have to find other ways to comfort myself or let my family be the ones to comfort me when I need it. I am so thankful that I now understand this. I have been trying for years to find out why I eat.
There were also times where I wanted to give up, especially since my pre-op diet was over Christmas and New Years. I have 3 other friends who went through lapband surgery over 1 year ago and neither of them regret their decision, so this kept my eye on the prize. Good luck on the 13th!

I'm scheduled for January 18th and am starting the 2 week Low Cal Diet. My surgeon has set daily goals of 1,000 cal, 60-80 gram Protein, 64 oz Fluid. I can use two prepackaged low cal meals and Liquid Protein supplements. I got some Muscle Milk Light in both chocolate and vanilla to help out.

I am also on my preop diet.....What wonderful words of encouragement....I sooooo want to cheat...

Hello fellow January Banders!!
Looks like I might be one of the first ones in this group to become banded as my date of surgery is January 4th!! Yikes!!! I now only have 4 days left of my pre-op diet left and just wanted to tell you guys that it does get easier as time goes by. I am on the 2 week Protein Shake diet for pre-op and it was very hard over Christmas. It was actually unbearable. What was the hardest for me is knowing that I couldn't eat like I used to over Christmas. Even though I know I can still enjoy alot of the same foods, the thought of losing that control of over how much I could eat really scared me and opened my eyes to maybe why I am overweight. I never thought I was an emotional eater but there must be something there that food does for me - I think it just provides so much comfort. But, as much comfort as it has provided it has provided far more discomfort for me and this is what I need to remember. If you ever feel like cheating while on the pre-op I encourage you to come back to this forum as it really helped me to stay on track. Also, I had several headaches over the first week days and was really tired. There were also lots of days that I just wanted to give up surgery just so i could eat and try to do it on my own. But again, I guess this is why I am here. I always gave up just to give into the temptation. Good luck everyone and if you need any encouragement don't hesitate to contact me!!!

I have read again and again on the post-op forum that newbies are "hungry" and "can eat anything and everything" they could eat BEFORE surgery. YES, THIS IS TRUE. Before you have restriction (via fills that tighten the band and press on the vegus nerve inhibiting the hunger hormone ghrelin) you will be hungry and because you don't have Fluid in your band you do NOT have restriction. So, be forwarned that (once the swelling from surgery goes down) if you want to lose weight AFTER surgery and BEFORE you reach (some) restriction, you are going to have to watch what you eat. And, yes, you will be hungry sometimes. It's called "bandster hell", but don't worry it doesn't last forever and we all get through it.
Also, this is a good time to learn when you are "physically hungry" and when you are "head hungry".
I am amazed at how many people are surprised that they have to participate in reaching their weight loss goal (i.e., changing their diet, being hungry sometimes). The band is a "tool". It only works as hard as you do. I am more surprised that surgeons are not explaining this to their patients BEFORE surgery. What's THAT about??
Hang in there folks, barring complications, this is a great WLS. It can "help" change your life.
As you will learn in the post-op forum, lapband surgery is not for everyone, but many, many people are succeeding with this surgery eveyday. I wish I had done it years sooner.
Knowledge is power folks ... read, read, read. And, read the post-op forum for experiences and information from those in the "know".
Good luck to all of you!