Ok Im going to break it as gently to the new folks as I can. YOU ARE GOING TO BE HUNGRY. If you are never hungry you would be skinny. Just because you get banded does not in any way shape or form take away your hunger. Even after fills you will be hungry. Your stomach is still there and when its empty you are going to be hungry. Over and over I see this post and it is just plain and simple you are going to be hungry. Please make a note of it. People wonder why old bandsters stop posting or leave the site its because everyone keeps asking the same questions over and over again. Your going to have gas, pain, hunger, shoulder pain, a runny nose, hiccups, gas may never go away. It is a diet forever forever forever. You can not eat whatever you want and lose weight just like with every single diet we all tried before the band. Who knows when you will get restriction. You may never but measure your food and know its enough. You dont need a whole plate of food to satisfy hunger. Write down every single thing you eat all day and drink drink drink.

Ok Im going to break it as gently to the new folks as I can. YOU ARE GOING TO BE HUNGRY. If you are never hungry you would be skinny. Just because you get banded does not in any way shape or form take away your hunger. Even after fills you will be hungry. Your stomach is still there and when its empty you are going to be hungry. Over and over I see this post and it is just plain and simple you are going to be hungry. Please make a note of it. People wonder why old bandsters stop posting or leave the site its because everyone keeps asking the same questions over and over again. Your going to have gas, pain, hunger, shoulder pain, a runny nose, hiccups, gas may never go away. It is a diet forever forever forever. You can not eat whatever you want and lose weight just like with every single diet we all tried before the band. Who knows when you will get restriction. You may never but measure your food and know its enough. You dont need a whole plate of food to satisfy hunger. Write down every single thing you eat all day and drink drink drink.

Kinda have to disagree, I do not get hungry. as for all the pain I had it for about 3 days post op but have felt wonderful since. I really doubt that is the main reason old bandsters leave the site i would think maybe it is because they are moving on in life and no longer need the support they have gotten here, which is wonderful. I would say if you are tired of people asking all these questions maybe you should think it is also time to move along. I have found the questions here very helpful as alot are the questions i myself have had. So smile and don't let life and the actions of others stress you out. and always give to your fellow man and you will find most will be grateful and return the favor.

Well we are all new and unsure about the band and come here to ask questions and get answers. We haven't been on here for a year or more and are still learning. You have the most sour attitude that I've ever seen. If it bothers you what we new bandsters say then don't read it or reply to it. We are new and aren't sure how often or how hungry we are supposed to feel so we come here for help from experienced bandsters not to get bashed by you. (and you seem to bash new ones regularly). Get off of your high horse.

Its not that Im tired of people asking questions its the repetition of the questions. If you search the forum you can find all the answers to any question that everyone keeps asking. Its just being lazy to not look to see if someone else posted the same question. I think I give enough to my fellow man every day of my life. If you are not hungry then that is great but you are probably one of the few that wont be. If you look at all the post op forum there are probably a million times posted HELP IM HUNGRY come on its not hard search the forums to find your answers.

Kinda have to disagree, I do not get hungry. as for all the pain I had it for about 3 days post op but have felt wonderful since. I really doubt that is the main reason old bandsters leave the site i would think maybe it is because they are moving on in life and no longer need the support they have gotten here, which is wonderful. I would say if you are tired of people asking all these questions maybe you should think it is also time to move along. I have found the questions here very helpful as alot are the questions i myself have had. So smile and don't let life and the actions of others stress you out. and always give to your fellow man and you will find most will be grateful and return the favor.

thank you Iowaguy. I am still newly banded and I appreciate every peice of advice the posters to this board give us. I have read a few of fluffy's replies and posts and I must say if she were the first person I encountered here i would have never came back. It is people like you and others who make this board great. SO from the bottom of my heart THANK YOU for every minute of your busy life that you give to post to this board. Sometimes all it takes is someone saying the right thing at the right moment to change someones perspective,

Fluffy, I am by no means an expert, and while I'm still relatively new to all of this, my experience is different than yours:

I find if I eat properly, I'm not hungry for several hours at a time. My doctor tells me that's how it's supposed to work. I'm not hounded by unending hunger. And that's a pleasant feeling. Oh yeah, and I'm also actually losing weight, which is supposed to be the entire point. I may be newer at this, but for now, I'm very pleased with my progress.

I'm not at all bothered by the newbies asking the same questions over and over. How would they know their questions have been asked a zillion times? This site is very hard to navigate, and searching for a specific topic is quite difficult. So it's easier to just ask the question and hope for a reasonable reply. I've done that, and I'll wager so have you.

If I find a thread that asks the same questions I've asked as a newbie, and grown tired of answering as someone on the other side from surgery, I don't reply to the post. I know there are a number of newly-educated semi-newbies who are fresh from learning the answers who are itching to answer posts like that. Its something they CAN do for someone else, and it's empowering, because it validates that they themselves are learning enough to begin giving back. In the name of support for fellow bandsters who are following in their footsteps, it's a nice feeling to be able to think, "Oh I know the answer to that!" And they hit REPLY and offer advice and support to someone on the journey behind them. That's an excellent feeling.

Because this site is relatively anonymous, it's easy to pass judgment on others, and to criticize others for whom we have little or no respect. I try to not unduly judge anyone, as I try to respect everyone for their hard-fought opinions and experiences with this topic. But I also find it unconscionable to stand in total pronouncement of others, and declare something as being THE WAY THAT IT WILL BE. Nothing about banding is so cut and dried as that, and no such be-all and end-all is so widespread as to be the same for everyone. Yes, SOME people will be hungry. But many others will NOT be hungry. As we have read here many times, everyone has a separate journey, and what works for one may not work for all.

I had the typical aches and pains I expected to have after my surgery, but they went away within a few days. I also had a few speedbumps during my recovery, but I kept at it, and I was soon feeling quite good. Now, nearly five weeks after surgery, I'm feeling better than I have in years. I've lost 46 pounds as of this morning, and I'm celebrating both my scale and non-scale victories. I have the solid support of my family, friends, and coworkers, and I have to say, I'm delighted to hear the praises from others about how good I'm looking these days. I internally giggle like a kid when someone calls me "skinny." I'm far from that, but God love 'em for saying it.

My larger point in replying to your post is to suggest that maybe you should back up a step or two, and consider how blanket-pronouncement posts like yours aren't all that effective. At best, people are going to be unduly stressed out, expecting something that may never happen. And at worst, it paints you as an opinionated extremist who others won't take seriously. Neither is a good place to be.

You have solid experience with being banded, and as I recall, you work in the industry. So maybe the best approach is to offer your comments prefaced with a "in my experience" kind of thing. YOU may be hungry all the time, but there is no reason to expect everyone else will be, too. Just my feelings on the matter.

Wishing you a kind and successful New Year.

Dave

Fluffy, I am by no means an expert, and while I'm still relatively new to all of this, my experience is different than yours:

I find if I eat properly, I'm not hungry for several hours at a time. My doctor tells me that's how it's supposed to work. I'm not hounded by unending hunger. And that's a pleasant feeling. Oh yeah, and I'm also actually losing weight, which is supposed to be the entire point. I may be newer at this, but for now, I'm very pleased with my progress.

I'm not at all bothered by the newbies asking the same questions over and over. How would they know their questions have been asked a zillion times? This site is very hard to navigate, and searching for a specific topic is quite difficult. So it's easier to just ask the question and hope for a reasonable reply. I've done that, and I'll wager so have you.

If I find a thread that asks the same questions I've asked as a newbie, and grown tired of answering as someone on the other side from surgery, I don't reply to the post. I know there are a number of newly-educated semi-newbies who are fresh from learning the answers who are itching to answer posts like that. Its something they CAN do for someone else, and it's empowering, because it validates that they themselves are learning enough to begin giving back. In the name of support for fellow bandsters who are following in their footsteps, it's a nice feeling to be abe to think, "Oh I know the answer to that!" And they hit REPLY and offer advice and support to someone on the journey behind them. That's an excellent feeling.

Because this site is relatively anonymous, it's easy to pass judgment on others, and to criticize others for whom we have little or no respect. I try to not unduly judge anyone, as I try to respect everyone for their hard-fought opinions and experiences with this topic. But I also find it unconscionable to stand in total pronouncement of others, and declare something as being THE WAY THAT IT WILL BE. Nothing about banding is so cut and dried as that, and no such be-all and end-all is so widespread as to be that same for everyone. Yes, SOME people will be hungry. But many others will NOT be hungry. As we have read here many times, everyone has a separate journey, and what works for one may not work for all.

I had the typcial aches and pains I expected to have after my surgery, but they went away within a few days. I also had a few speedbumps during m recovery, but I kept at it, and I was soon feeling quite good. Now, nearly five weeks after surgery, I'm feeling better than I have in years. I've lost 46 pounds as of this morning, and I'm celebrating both my scale and non-scale victories. I have the solid support of my family, friends,and coworkers, and I have to say, I'm delighted to hear the praises from others about how good I'm looking these days. I internally giglle like a kid when someone calls me "skinny." I'm far from that, but God live 'em for saying it.

My larger point in replying to your post is to suggest that maybe you should back up a step or two, and consider how blanket-pronouncements posts like yours aren't all that effective. At best, people are going to be unduly stressed out, expecting something that may never happen. And at worst, it paints you as an opinionated extremist who others won't take seriously. Neither is a good place to be.

You have solid experience with being banded, and as I recall, you work in the industry. So maybe the best approach is to offer your comments prefaced with a "in my experience" kind of thing. YOU may be hungry all the time, but there no reason to expect everyone else will be, too. Just my feelings on the matter.

Wishing you a kind and successful New Year.

Dave

Well done, Dave. I couldn't have said it better myself.

I agree with everyone. I have been very frustrated by some of the negative, know it all posts that some people have posted. I agree that this is a support sight and if people post the same questions, and you don't like it, don't respond to it. The same thing happens if you go to a support group, the same questions get asked and the people that have more experience answer them over and over agian to SUPPORT the new people. Some people's generic response is always, "ask your doctor" then go on to give their judgemental opinion and personal experience as an answer. If there is one thing I have learned on this sight, it is that everyones experiences and surgeons instructions are very different. When people are asking a question, it is usually followed by a statement of them just wanting to get an idea of everyone elses experience, not neccesarily because they are taking the information they get on this sight over what their doctors have told them. I personally have learned many things from everyones different experiences, but still rely on my doctors instructions. I am personally a lucky one, I am almost 6 weeks post-op and still have not had any hunger pains, so my experience is different than a lot of other peoples. We are all in the same race, it's just that we are all at different legs of the race and it's great to hear everyones different experiences. Good luck to everyone, I wish everyone success and happiness

Thanks to everyone that makes me smile and be hopeful!

Dave, u rock!

Yea..there is a handful of people on here that have major personal issues...posts like this are just not necessary and do no good...it makes me wonder if people that post these types of things just do it to get a rise out of the bandsters..cause they have no life.....do us all a favor and take your negative energy somewhere else

I agree with Iowaguy. And frankly I am getting annoyed with your (fluffytofabulous) know it all attitude. So maybe you've been banded a year, the rest of is are still learning the ways. And I am sure people asking questions did not drive older members away. People come here to ask questions on their journey to being a thinner person. Yes searching for answers instead of posting sometimes can be useful, but it is ok to post. You posted up your "bible". If people are interested they can read that. But it is ok to ask questions as well.

Thank you for your post Dave. As a person who just got the band 8 days ago, I'm not interested in reading anything remotely hostile at this point (I'm just trying to settle in and adjust to my body's changes) and your response was kind and informative.

Just as an FYI...I don't log into this board via my computer, I do it on my iPhone so I CAN'T search the forums as F2F suggests.

For those who ask repeat questions, I usually skip over them and move on. I'm here to learn and be built up, not beaten down for seeking the knowledge I lack.

My thoughts on the original post:

I don't think the surgeons do a good job explaining the band at the required pre-op seminar. That is why so many are surprised that they will be hungry after surgery and before a fill. Or that they may have permanent left shoulder pain. Or that you could have significant pain after surgery Or that some would require the band to be so tight as not to be able to eat Breakfast in order to lose weight. Or - and this is the one no one would be told - that the band doesn't work for everyone like it is promoted.

It is promoted as controlling your hunger. It has never worked that way for me (and others on here) at any fill level I was at. My inability to eat due to restriction did not translate into satiety.

As to searching for things - I find the search feature on this forum to be very frustrating and not easy to find things. The old way was much better before they updated everything. So it could be that people want to find specific things but can't.

And I am not a newbie. I have been around for awhile.

I'm glad to see so many responses to this. I too am tired of reading these negative posts about newbies asking questions. It's just plain rude! I was at one time a member of a support group for Moms of Marines. When your son/daughter ships off to boot camp, it is a life changing event for the parents. I'm sure that I asked so many questions that had already been asked and there were so many parents that came back to the "Boot Camp Forum" just to answer the same questions asked over and over by new parents. I am so thankful for that. I feel the same way about this forum because this too is a life changing event. I'm sure I've asked questions that have already been asked 100 times, but I wrote my questions anyway and felt so much support when the experienced bandsters answered. All of you newbies keep asking and if I know I'll answer.

Thank you all for responding and defending my point. i have never met FTF before but I know I battled enough odd feeling and heard and still hear every doom and gloom story there is about how evil the band is and I do not need her little miss cloudy outlook bringing me more down. I do not know her or what she does in the industry but i am glad she had nothing to do with me.