Reathy think before

[SoccerMomma73 1,867]

I'm sorry this has been hard for you. I do wish we knew more so maybe we could help. That said, banded life isn't a walk in the park. I was fairly well educated on the process but it still isn't really what I expected (I don't really think you can know until you've done it yourself and seen how your body handles it). I love my band, even when it's being a pain in my ass. It allows me to eat in moderation, like a "normal" person which allows me to feel good enough I can get out and be much more physically active. But that's just me.

You are now banded. My advice would be to make the best of it and give it some time, maybe it'll work out in the end? Take advantage of the tool you've been given, and, this was said above, do your best to work on the attitude. A huge component of the obesity battle (for most of us) is mental and emotional and looking at it the way you are, you will never like it, you're setting yourself up for failure.

Good luck.

[LapNYC 3]

You all are sooooo much nicer than I am and far more tolerant. I'll leave it at that.

[swirl 1]

To the ones that replied in a nice way,thank you for your concern. But to the others that I some how touched a nerve(so it seems). I was not trying to turn anyone off from making the choice to have LAP-BAND® surgry, just saying don't make the same mistake I made by not knowing all the facts. Yes, I went into this not having all the information that I should have. I have no one to blame but myself for that. I am sure that I am not the only person that has done this,none will I be the last. I'm sorry that I can not claim this great love for MY LAP-BAND® as some here do, but I hope someday I will be singing that song. But to try and say that my life must suck and what a damn fool I was for having surgery is a little over board. You don't know the health problems I had before the surgery and still have. Everyone will have a different experience and they will not all be so positive and in 8 months I pray that this will turn into something wonderful. And when someone new comes on here and has just had the surgery and is going though what I am now, I pry that my replies to that person are not hateful and mean-spirited as I feel some here were. Again to the ones that showed concern I really do thank you for that.

Edited August 8, 2010 by swirl
wrong word

[atlambros83 1]

One year, two months, and 115 pounds after my surgery, I am at my goal weight and target BMI and I am very happy with my decision to have this surgery. I researched and tossed around the idea of having this surgery for several years before actually having it though. The thought of going into something like this blindly is a little crazy IMO.

Edited August 8, 2010 by atlambros83

[tinksmom 0]

I had port pain for over a month. I had post op depression. I don't think I even moved for the first week and I slept in my chair...I can't take pain meds and was miserable. I was hungry and unable to eat...hell, I could barely stand at the stove to make tea. Then, I could finally eat...and eat. The needle on the scale didn't move more than 3 lbs. I wasn't 18 and size 6 like the part of my brain that still believes in fairytales thought I should be. My kids were still the same. My husband was still the same. The dogs were noisy and made messes I couldn't clean up.

Grumble grumble grumble.

It went away. But it took a few months until I felt normal MOST of the time. My life is still the same life but the pain is gone. I have found new ways to eat and not feel deprived. I like my scale. I tell everyone my weight....like it is something wonderful (it isn't). I still have to make an effort to get out and move but I did before as well. Sometimes I snivel...so I put a time limit on it. 2 hours of snivel time in my room with a book and cup of tea. I try not to drive my family and friends crazy. Sometimes I try harder than others.

The one true statement for all of life's problems is : "This too shall pass."

You'll be fine.

[swirl 1]

One year, two months, and 115 pounds after my surgery, I am at my goal weight and target BMI and I am very happy with my decision to have this surgery. I researched and tossed around the idea of having this surgery for several years though before actually having it though. The thought of going into something like this blindly is a little crazy IMO.

That is fantastic!!!!! I hope I will one day be able to say the samething. I have some other health issues that have made this harder on me then most, even my Doctor said that. Did you pretty much know what to expect or did you learn what to do and not do as you went along? Again your weight loss is great!!!

[msdv 5]

To the ones that replied in a nice way,thank you for your concern. But to the others that I some how touched a nerve(so it seems). I was not trying to turn anyone off from making the choice to have LAP-BAND®® surgry, just saying don't make the same mistake I made by not knowing all the facts. Yes, I went into this not having all the information that I should have. I have no one to blame but myself for that. I am sure that I am not the only person that has done this,none will I be the last. I'm sorry that I can not claim this great love for MY LAP-BAND®® as some here do, but I hope someday I will be singing that song. But to try and say that my life must suck and what a damn fool I was for having surgery is a little over board. You don't know the health problems I had before the surgery and still have. Everyone will have a different experience and they will not all be so positive and in 8 months I pray that this will turn into something wonderful. And when someone new comes on here and has just had the surgery and is going though what I am now, I pry that my replies to that person are not hateful and mean-spirited as I feel some here were. Again to the ones that showed concern I really do thank you for that.

I read every post and I didn't see where anyone said that your life must suck and that you were a damn fool.

It's just that you started a thread with a very , very negative post with no explanation of why you feel the way you do. There are many people that come on here with negative posts but some of them ask and explain to seek answers to a specific question or if anyone else is experiencing what they are.

I think it's shocking too that so many people seem to have this surgery without researching and reading. I have read 3 books about this surgery since I started looking into it. I have also been on this site and others religiously especially since my banding date is coming up soon . I have also been on Youtube checking out all the successful bandsters and actually writing down tips.

I have been in this process for about 3 years now. I put it off for a year because of coming here and reading posts just like yours.

I'm really very sincerely sorry that you had major surgery and now feel like you made a mistake for whatever reason. I hope you get over your bad feelings and maybe come in and ask some of the experts on here a specific question and perhaps find a solution to your problem.

Everything is not for everybody...I hope it gets better for you.

[swirl 1]

I had port pain for over a month. I had post op depression. I don't think I even moved for the first week and I slept in my chair...I can't take pain meds and was miserable. I was hungry and unable to eat...hell, I could barely stand at the stove to make tea. Then, I could finally eat...and eat. The needle on the scale didn't move more than 3 lbs. I wasn't 18 and size 6 like the part of my brain that still believes in fairytales thought I should be. My kids were still the same. My husband was still the same. The dogs were noisy and made messes I couldn't clean up.

Grumble grumble grumble.

It went away. But it took a few months until I felt normal MOST of the time. My life is still the same life but the pain is gone. I have found new ways to eat and not feel deprived. I like my scale. I tell everyone my weight....like it is something wonderful (it isn't). I still have to make an effort to get out and move but I did before as well. Sometimes I snivel...so I put a time limit on it. 2 hours of snivel time in my room with a book and cup of tea. I try not to drive my family and friends crazy. Sometimes I try harder than others.

The one true statement for all of life's problems is : "This too shall pass."

You'll be fine.

What a great reply. Sorry to hear that someone else went through what I am going through. I too could not take the pain meds. I had conjestive heart failure in March and the Doctor said it enlarged my liver and he really had to beat it up to get the band in. I was in the hospital for two days and after that felt all the pain. I have so far lost 25lbs and have had one fill, but not much there yet. Still want to eat more then I should, but I don't eat anywhere like I use to.

[swirl 1]

I read every post and I didn't see where anyone said that your life must suck and that you were a damn fool.

It's just that you started a thread with a very , very negative post with no explanation of why you feel the way you do. There are many people that come on here with negative posts but some of them ask and explain to seek answers to a specific question or if anyone else is experiencing what they are.

I think it's shocking too that so many people seem to have this surgery without researching and reading. I have read 3 books about this surgery since I started looking into it. I have also been on this site and others religiously especially since my banding date is coming up soon . I have also been on Youtube checking out all the successful bandsters and actually writing down tips.

I have been in this process for about 3 years now. I put it off for a year because of coming here and reading posts just like yours.

I'm really very sincerely sorry that you had major surgery and now feel like you made a mistake for whatever reason. I hope you get over your bad feelings and maybe come in and ask some of the experts on here a specific question and perhaps find a solution to your problem.

Everything is not for everybody...I hope it gets better for you.

Ok maybe the words suck and fool were not used, but just as you said my post came across has very negative so were some of the replies. As I sat here late lastnight looking at my feet swelling thinking...I am I have CHF again??? Doesn't feel very good. When you try and do what the Doctors tell you and it just feels like nothing is ever going to change, it's hard to write fluffy post. There are times that I feel postive, but there are and will still be times I don't feel so positive. I was not trying to stop any one from have surgery. If some one would base that decision on my one post then they really need to think about it. If reading all the posts about getting stuck, slimimg (whatever its called)on here does't stop you, I don't think mypost would either. But that is just some of the not so pleasent things that comes along with this kind of surgery....just like feeling down and doubting if you did the right thing.I am happy beyond words that in just 6 weeks I have lost 25lbs, but I still get down about other health problems and forget that lapband will not fix these over night or if at all.

[AmberK 5]

Sorry you have been having so many issues and I hope that you start to feel better soon.

[msdv 5]

I wish you the very best Swirl ..I honestly , sincerely do.

When we got 2 pages in and you explained just a little of your problem, I understood a bit more how you feel and quite honestly after reading you had CHF and problems with your liver I was thinking maybe your DR. should have post-poned your surgery until your health improved but he didn't and your here now.

No your post and none other is going to dissuade me because I have done my research and I have done everything my Dr has recommended pre-op and tomorrow I'm going for my pre-op testing. If they find I have a health issue at this point it's up to me to take charge of my own life if the Dr will not.

I hope you get better and like you said hopefully you'll be on here 1 day saying it was hard at first but this is the best thing I ever did. I'm hoping against hope that will be my story.

Like previous poster said "this too shall pass" or like my DH says "bad times don't last forever" .

[swirl 1]

Do you have a date yet? I know you will do just fine and will be happy when your surgery is done. I am happy to hear that you are making an informed decision, not like me. I'm not saying that I am not happy that I had my surgery. I just wished I know more about what to expect and not have unrealistic expectation.

[JJLaw08 4]

I cannot say that I was totally prepared before surgery because mine was basically spur of the moment. I decided in January to go visit the doctor (even though I knew in December of last year that I wanted to have surgery). I had all my labs/tests done that very same day. A couple weeks later I visitied the doctor, and we set a date. Two weeks later I was banded. So in about one month (on Feb. 8), I went from not having a band to having a band. It was a very fast process, and I have lost 51 pounds. I couldn't be happier. I'm not perfect, and I eat things I'm not suppose to, but it is a process. It will get better.

I did read up on everything, and I checked out this site beforehand so that helped me. I have to say it has been an easier process than I expected. I was afraid of not being able to eat chicken or some of my favorite foods or throwing up a lot, but it hasn't been bad.

Edited August 9, 2010 by Jessica4Bama

[jalomum 1]

Hello again Swirl, thanks for the extra info :-) Now we know what you're up against.

I am glad you are losing weight and now involved in lots of dialogue about your band and problems, I kind of feel it will be good for you to 'talk' to those on here and get support and feedback.

You have lots of problems and I don't know what has caused them but I am sure that obesity wasn't helping them and so every pound, hell honey every ounce you lose will have to lessen the load on you already stressed body.

With your heart and liver conditions it is even more imperative you give your body the correct fuel it needs to function and try to repair itself or arrest the damage.

I think the emotional side of this road you are travelling is so much harder than the physical one. I don't mean the hunger thing, I mean the 'why me' 'it's not fair' etc that makes us sadder inside.

Maybe your doctor should have postponed your surgery or maybe he thought it all important to give you the best shot to drop your BMI and reduce the strain on your heart so you could be here to fight.

I had my band as a last resort after life-long un-diagnosed health problems lead me to 138kg. I was on the verge of a heart attack and figured I didn't want to leave just yet. I didn't want a band, I didn't feel I should have had to have one but I was told by a couple of my specialists that it was the best way to deal with the major factor in my health decline regardless of the causes behind my massive weight.

So I cried and screamed, ranted and raved, made the decision and got banded within 4 weeks and 12 months later I have never felt fitter or younger or more energetic for 20 years and I still have 30kg to lose.

If I had not had the band I could have been dead...very dead. The band has not been easy but it was better than the alternative.

I do feel sorry if you feel we have been unfair but I feel very pleased that the strongly worded replies have resulted in you posting back and opening up and becoming part of the group.

I wish you well with your struggle, keep posting you struggles, loses and victories, you will be answered. They may not be quite the answers you are looking for but at least you know we are listening to you :-)

Best regards and wishes

[Froggie D 1]

I am so sorry you are having such a rough time! It sucks to have pain and not have what you expected happen.

I read a LOT before my surgery and thought I was well informed but still things happen that I am surprised by and everyday is a new learning experience with my band!

I was very surprised by my bouts of depression for the first month or more after surgery. Even though I knew not to expect to lose much the first month or two, I still was disappointed when I didn't.

I was lucky that my health was good and I did not have a lot of complications (did have an infection in my port incision) and I know when I am sick or in pain, I certainly am more negative. It is difficult to remain positive in hard times.

I am four months out now and have some restriction and am doing well. I have lost good weight and that has made it worth all the effort.

I hope you get to feeling better. One thing is for sure, losing weight can only help those other medical problems. It will take time to lose, but it will be worth it. Congrats on what you have lost so far. Every pound lost is a victory!

Please continue to post and let us give you support in working your band. Hang in there and don't give up. There is light at the end of the tunnel!