What I Wish I Had Known Before Banding

[54Shirley 105]

Welcome to BANDLAND !

:party:

[kmt1973 92]

Thank you for taking the time to post this, I found it very informative.

This is something I recently posted to someone researching.

I would say that there are three regularly occurring post-op posts that you should be aware of as you prepare. Being aware will help you deal with the psychological aspect of the band in the weeks and months following surgery.

1. Be aware: You may experience a lot of discomfort after surgery that is pain related. People vary so much on this and of course everyone hopes to be one of the "bounce right back" folks, but be prepared to be in a lot of discomfort for up to a week or even more. It is NORMAL to be depressed and/or regret having the surgery immediately post-op.

2. Be aware: It is very likely that your weight loss will stall or even reverse (meaning actual gains) during the first weeks to month after surgery. This is counter-intuitive to people, because they just had weight loss surgery AND they are on a liquid diet and not eating. But it is NORMAL to plateau or even gain Water weight while your body is recovering from the stress of surgery. Try not to despair. If you keep at it, you will begin to lose weight soon enough.

3. Be aware: A lot of people feel very hungry and ready to eat eat eat almost immediately after surgery. For a lot of people, the band alone doesn't do anything for weeks to month until it is filled. This is what people refer to as Bandster Hell. A smaller subset of people do feel a reduction in hunger right away-- but if you don't go in automatically expecting you'll be a lucky one, then you won't be as baffled and disappointed if you aren't. It is NORMAL to feel hungry and frustrated until you reach the appropriate fill for your body, and that may take weeks to months.

Knowing these things and expecting them will help tremendously with your emotional reaction to the band. If any of these things happen to you, you are in good and prolific company. Don't despair! Figure out before your surgery how you might cope with them when they come up and odds are, they won't be a problem for you. Knowledge is the key.

I would add the following to that list:

1. The average loss at 2 years with the band is 60% of excess weight, according to band literature. So if you need to lose 100 lbs to be in a "healthy BMI", then the average person will have lost 60lbs by the end of year 2. This is the average, which means that there are going to be a few people who lose 0 lbs in 2 years and an equally few people who lose 100+ lbs in 2 years. Most people are going to be right around that 60% mark (I wish I knew what the standard deviation is, that would be even more helpful).

2. Weight loss is not constant and linear for most people, even if they are very very consistent with their eating behavior and activity level. It seems like it should be-- calories in/calories out-- but there are a lot of people that tend to lose in cycles and you may be one of them. For me, I lose weight in chunks, then I "plateau" for a few weeks, then I drop another bunch of pounds within three days, then "plateau" again. You may also be one of those people-- don't let it worry you.

3. Exercise may temporarily stall your weight loss or even make you gain, especially if you are starting or intensifying your program. I have been working out consistently for the past two weeks after about 10 years of nothing. I have GAINED weight even though my eating hasn't changed and I'm burning more calories. That's normal. I know if I keep at it, I will drop that plus some more and have a healthier heart and more stamina to boot.

4. This is hard work, even though the band DOES make it easier if you let it. I get full on small amounts of food-- not "stuffed" full like I was used to, but "ok, I've had enough and my body doesn't need more" full. This is REALLY hard to get used to. Full is never again going to feel like full has felt in the past. But, I can still eat past the point where my band says "eh, you've fed your body as much as it needs" and very very often my brain says "do it, you know you want to, mmmmm it tastes so good, just one more bite!". It is a real struggle sometimes to listen to my band and not my head hunger. I actually have a little mantra when I'm eating and being mindful. I say "if I'm not going to listen to the band when it says stop, then why did I bother with this surgery in the first place?" That tends to turn down the volume of the head hunger.

I think people naturally go into this surgery very optimistically. They go to the seminar and the surgeon and the carefully selected successful patients of that surgeon talk about how amazing it is. They come on this board and look at the success story forum, and the "I lost 100 lbs" forum, and the "before and after" picture gallery. They see people's tickers (like mine) who have lost huge amounts in months, not years and they expect only the best , most luckiest results, and ignore the fact that the average expected loss in 60% of excess weight at two years. I understand this because I did it too, and I fully believe that I have been incredibly LUCKY so far and that it's "easy" for me to say this but I do think that bandsters who are really in touch with reality and not overly optimistic are going to be able to emotionally adjust to banded life better.

Do not get the band if you expect it to work like bypass. If you want super fast results, and you want malabsorption, then get the bypass. With the "plusses" of the band, including its adjustability and its reversibility, come some costs and one cost is that it requires adjustment which is unpredictable in some ways, and it's associated with a slower rate of loss.

[54Shirley 105]

Thank you all so much for responding. I agree with Bandaide that the seminars really can seem like a LabBandLoveFest. In order to make an informed decision, we need to know the real - the good, the bad, the ugly. After all, this is a serious LIFE change we are talking about, not simply a weight change. So, we deserve the opportunity to make an informed decision, not only on the basis of the doctors, surgeons, and clinicians that benefit from the performance of WLS, but from real people like you and I who refuse to sugar coat the facts and pass along the portrait of a real life experience living with the band. I can't tell you how much all of your feedback means to me. Lastly, I WAS APPROVED!!! I have my pre-surgery appointment with my surgeon on Monday 8/15 when I will be assigned a surgery date. I am so excited, and can't believe this is coming true for me. And, I want you to know that there would be no dream come true without people like you. Thank you. Thank you. Thank you!

Congratulations ! You have got to be very Happy.

Shirley.

[Cynthia Price 0]

Thank you for this post. It has taken 2 months to get an appointment with my doctor and go to the class and all. I get so impatient. This site and people like you have kept me going. I apprectiate your post.

[JusWannaBeHappy 0]

This forum is great. 4 days Post Ops and I'm wondering if I did the right thing. I have some pains and discomfort that I would of course rather not have but hopefully over time I will know for sure that I did the best thing for me.

[FinallyFree0812 9]

I wish I had known:

That I would go through a depression right after surgery, then again as the band got tighter and the things I could eat got less and less.

That I would reach plateaus and then pick up the weight loss again.

That I would NOT all of a sudden start to want to exercise. I still am very unmotivated. Character flaw.

How great I would feel when I reached 50 lbs gone!

That some of my overweight relatives would turn on me because they didn't approve of the surgery.

[SkinnyMiniMe 63]

I am curious to know how the surgery went for the topic starter and her reaction or "things she wished she would have known before banding" (if any)

[wannawearabikini 9]

I've been banded for 3 months now. I started at 208lbs, I'm now 191lbs! That's 5.666lbs. per month! I wish I would have known....

1. It would be way way way slower than I thought

2. That I would hate life the first week after surgery 3. That even three months after surgery my port incision would still be tender, so going to the chiropractor is painful when he pushes on my back and my port goes into the table, flexing my abs is still a bit uncomfortable

4. That almost every time I eat, the first few bites are extremely uncomfortable

5. That some days I would be able to eat anything and everything while other days I can barely get milk down!!! It's the craziest thing!

6. That eating out with friends would be a little awkward because I eat so slow and sometime have a hard time getting my food to go down

7. That some days I would actually dread trying to eat and still wouldn't lose weight!!

8. That I would have to take liquid Tylenol from now on whenever I have a head ache or menstrual cramps, and that crap is so nasty...pill form was so much easier!

9. That I would get hiccups after every meal

10. That my left shoulder would hurt whenever I got really hungry or when I got too full...it's so weird

I think that about does it...But I will also add, that if my band will help me get to my goal weight, it will have all been worth it!!!

[Texasbandit 8]

I thank the maker that after one fill and 3cc's that I do not have any digestive problems. I have a cast Iron stomach and my gall bladder was removed years ago.

I wish I would have read this post before I got the surgery! I wish someone would have told me that I would stall. I wish someone would have told me the band will make you crazy and all the rah rah cheerleaders are gonna make you sick! lol

[Debbae 0]

thank you very much for your honesty and effort to communicate with people you don't know. I am pre-band, and the fact that my brain will tell me to eat more than it needs, like it does now, will not change. I will have to change my 'inner dialog'. I'm frightened by the high rate of infections and slippages and reversals, some studies putting it at almost 50%. Yikes. But, I'm exhausting myself hauling around 100lbs. of extra weight. I plan on doing it, and I hope that I'm lucky. Hope, hope, hope. Deb

This is something I recently posted to someone researching.

I would say that there are three regularly occurring post-op posts that you should be aware of as you prepare. Being aware will help you deal with the psychological aspect of the band in the weeks and months following surgery.

1. Be aware: You may experience a lot of discomfort after surgery that is pain related. People vary so much on this and of course everyone hopes to be one of the "bounce right back" folks, but be prepared to be in a lot of discomfort for up to a week or even more. It is NORMAL to be depressed and/or regret having the surgery immediately post-op.

2. Be aware: It is very likely that your weight loss will stall or even reverse (meaning actual gains) during the first weeks to month after surgery. This is counter-intuitive to people, because they just had weight loss surgery AND they are on a liquid diet and not eating. But it is NORMAL to plateau or even gain Water weight while your body is recovering from the stress of surgery. Try not to despair. If you keep at it, you will begin to lose weight soon enough.

3. Be aware: A lot of people feel very hungry and ready to eat eat eat almost immediately after surgery. For a lot of people, the band alone doesn't do anything for weeks to month until it is filled. This is what people refer to as Bandster Hell. A smaller subset of people do feel a reduction in hunger right away-- but if you don't go in automatically expecting you'll be a lucky one, then you won't be as baffled and disappointed if you aren't. It is NORMAL to feel hungry and frustrated until you reach the appropriate fill for your body, and that may take weeks to months.

Knowing these things and expecting them will help tremendously with your emotional reaction to the band. If any of these things happen to you, you are in good and prolific company. Don't despair! Figure out before your surgery how you might cope with them when they come up and odds are, they won't be a problem for you. Knowledge is the key.

I would add the following to that list:

1. The average loss at 2 years with the band is 60% of excess weight, according to band literature. So if you need to lose 100 lbs to be in a "healthy BMI", then the average person will have lost 60lbs by the end of year 2. This is the average, which means that there are going to be a few people who lose 0 lbs in 2 years and an equally few people who lose 100+ lbs in 2 years. Most people are going to be right around that 60% mark (I wish I knew what the standard deviation is, that would be even more helpful).

2. Weight loss is not constant and linear for most people, even if they are very very consistent with their eating behavior and activity level. It seems like it should be-- calories in/calories out-- but there are a lot of people that tend to lose in cycles and you may be one of them. For me, I lose weight in chunks, then I "plateau" for a few weeks, then I drop another bunch of pounds within three days, then "plateau" again. You may also be one of those people-- don't let it worry you.

3. Exercise may temporarily stall your weight loss or even make you gain, especially if you are starting or intensifying your program. I have been working out consistently for the past two weeks after about 10 years of nothing. I have GAINED weight even though my eating hasn't changed and I'm burning more calories. That's normal. I know if I keep at it, I will drop that plus some more and have a healthier heart and more stamina to boot.

4. This is hard work, even though the band DOES make it easier if you let it. I get full on small amounts of food-- not "stuffed" full like I was used to, but "ok, I've had enough and my body doesn't need more" full. This is REALLY hard to get used to. Full is never again going to feel like full has felt in the past. But, I can still eat past the point where my band says "eh, you've fed your body as much as it needs" and very very often my brain says "do it, you know you want to, mmmmm it tastes so good, just one more bite!". It is a real struggle sometimes to listen to my band and not my head hunger. I actually have a little mantra when I'm eating and being mindful. I say "if I'm not going to listen to the band when it says stop, then why did I bother with this surgery in the first place?" That tends to turn down the volume of the head hunger.

I think people naturally go into this surgery very optimistically. They go to the seminar and the surgeon and the carefully selected successful patients of that surgeon talk about how amazing it is. They come on this board and look at the success story forum, and the "I lost 100 lbs" forum, and the "before and after" picture gallery. They see people's tickers (like mine) who have lost huge amounts in months, not years and they expect only the best , most luckiest results, and ignore the fact that the average expected loss in 60% of excess weight at two years. I understand this because I did it too, and I fully believe that I have been incredibly LUCKY so far and that it's "easy" for me to say this but I do think that bandsters who are really in touch with reality and not overly optimistic are going to be able to emotionally adjust to banded life better.

Do not get the band if you expect it to work like bypass. If you want super fast results, and you want malabsorption, then get the bypass. With the "plusses" of the band, including its adjustability and its reversibility, come some costs and one cost is that it requires adjustment which is unpredictable in some ways, and it's associated with a slower rate of loss.

[KristinInCO 2]

I just have to say, "I love you guys!!" I have been feeling like a crazy person. I couldn't figure out why I was so down when all I could think about for the past three years was how bad I wanted this band. Tomorrow is my three week post op anniversary...and I am just now starting to feel human. Thank you for reminding me I am not alone!

[quileness 0]

I wish I had known I was going to be F**KING HUNGRY ALL THE TIME.

[Ro-Jae327 4]

I wish I would have known that I would be on a plateau for a month before weight starts coming off again .

I wish I would have known that you actually have to EAT to lose weight

I wish I would have had this done sooner because I actually feel great. My journey is just beginning, Iam only 4 months post op.

I wish I would have known that you have to be patient with th band, It is not easy!!!!!!!! :lol:

Good Luck!

[FLORIDAYS 3,040]

I read through the posts in this thread and I think the relationship with the band is all about the individual's tolerance level. The first few weeks can be awful because you have to eat and drink liquids and mushies. Your body is recovering from surgery so you generally feel cruddy for awhile. Thats is a sacrifice and people should expect and accept it. How much you tolerate is very individualized.

The next few months until you get filled and begin learning to live with the band can be challenging. But again... if you have taken the step to get banded why wouldnt you make it work with a positive outlook to follow your Dr's orders, count calories and eat what you are supposed to instead of looking for ways to eat around the band. Why go through the surgery if you are not committed?

For me the band has been a life saver. It is in my opinion, the best tool I have found to not be hungry while dieting. While my physcian will club me over the head for using the D (diet) word... there is no way I would have lost 127 lbs in 10 months without dieting or watching my calorie intake no matter how much or little the band allows me to eat.

Every other eating plan I tried over the past 30+ years left me hungry. The band is the only tool which allows me to eat small portions and feel full. Eating right is my own choice. Those things combined have equalled success for me so far although I still have 60 lbs to lose.

Last week I has on vacation in Jamaica. We stayed at a very nice place so all the food was richer and more plentiful than I am used to and of course the frozen concoctions flowed like Water and the dessert bar was completly sinful. Well guess what... I actually lost 1 lb last week. Believe me it wasnt intentional...but I monitored my intake and I just ate smart, kept my portions in check and didnt really deprive myself. I was satisfied after every meal and I remembered to drink tons of Water. The band did its job.... and I enjoyed living with it.

Unless there are medical complications, anyone who can say the band doesnt work in my opinion is someone who is trying to beat it at every turn. Thats a strong opinion I know... but its honest.

I was trying to think of downsides as I was reading this thread... My Dr told me at my very first appointment just about 1 year ago that the band will do 70% of the work. I liked that percentage! I suppose for me the only downside is that I just cannot eat certain foods, I cannot eat too fast and I cannot overeat. If I do... I will bring it back up. Also I have to visit my Dr to get filled as the fat shrinks and my band loosens. But is this all really a downside when I can control those factors? Isnt that just the band doing its job?

It stinks that I have the fat genes. Like most of us considering or who have the band we were blessed with the ability to gain weight at the drop of a hat. That is unfair and really irks me. But instead of whinning about it I finally found a permenant solution and took a chance on the lap band. SO far.... I am quite pleased with myself and my choice.

[shaah 0]

This is something I recently posted to someone researching.

I would say that there are three regularly occurring post-op posts that you should be aware of as you prepare. Being aware will help you deal with the psychological aspect of the band in the weeks and months following surgery.

1. Be aware: You may experience a lot of discomfort after surgery that is pain related. People vary so much on this and of course everyone hopes to be one of the "bounce right back" folks, but be prepared to be in a lot of discomfort for up to a week or even more. It is NORMAL to be depressed and/or regret having the surgery immediately post-op.

2. Be aware: It is very likely that your weight loss will stall or even reverse (meaning actual gains) during the first weeks to month after surgery. This is counter-intuitive to people, because they just had weight loss surgery AND they are on a liquid diet and not eating. But it is NORMAL to plateau or even gain Water weight while your body is recovering from the stress of surgery. Try not to despair. If you keep at it, you will begin to lose weight soon enough.

3. Be aware: A lot of people feel very hungry and ready to eat eat eat almost immediately after surgery. For a lot of people, the band alone doesn't do anything for weeks to month until it is filled. This is what people refer to as Bandster Hell. A smaller subset of people do feel a reduction in hunger right away-- but if you don't go in automatically expecting you'll be a lucky one, then you won't be as baffled and disappointed if you aren't. It is NORMAL to feel hungry and frustrated until you reach the appropriate fill for your body, and that may take weeks to months.

Knowing these things and expecting them will help tremendously with your emotional reaction to the band. If any of these things happen to you, you are in good and prolific company. Don't despair! Figure out before your surgery how you might cope with them when they come up and odds are, they won't be a problem for you. Knowledge is the key.

I would add the following to that list:

1. The average loss at 2 years with the band is 60% of excess weight, according to band literature. So if you need to lose 100 lbs to be in a "healthy BMI", then the average person will have lost 60lbs by the end of year 2. This is the average, which means that there are going to be a few people who lose 0 lbs in 2 years and an equally few people who lose 100+ lbs in 2 years. Most people are going to be right around that 60% mark (I wish I knew what the standard deviation is, that would be even more helpful).

2. Weight loss is not constant and linear for most people, even if they are very very consistent with their eating behavior and activity level. It seems like it should be-- calories in/calories out-- but there are a lot of people that tend to lose in cycles and you may be one of them. For me, I lose weight in chunks, then I "plateau" for a few weeks, then I drop another bunch of pounds within three days, then "plateau" again. You may also be one of those people-- don't let it worry you.

3. Exercise may temporarily stall your weight loss or even make you gain, especially if you are starting or intensifying your program. I have been working out consistently for the past two weeks after about 10 years of nothing. I have GAINED weight even though my eating hasn't changed and I'm burning more calories. That's normal. I know if I keep at it, I will drop that plus some more and have a healthier heart and more stamina to boot.

4. This is hard work, even though the band DOES make it easier if you let it. I get full on small amounts of food-- not "stuffed" full like I was used to, but "ok, I've had enough and my body doesn't need more" full. This is REALLY hard to get used to. Full is never again going to feel like full has felt in the past. But, I can still eat past the point where my band says "eh, you've fed your body as much as it needs" and very very often my brain says "do it, you know you want to, mmmmm it tastes so good, just one more bite!". It is a real struggle sometimes to listen to my band and not my head hunger. I actually have a little mantra when I'm eating and being mindful. I say "if I'm not going to listen to the band when it says stop, then why did I bother with this surgery in the first place?" That tends to turn down the volume of the head hunger.

I think people naturally go into this surgery very optimistically. They go to the seminar and the surgeon and the carefully selected successful patients of that surgeon talk about how amazing it is. They come on this board and look at the success story forum, and the "I lost 100 lbs" forum, and the "before and after" picture gallery. They see people's tickers (like mine) who have lost huge amounts in months, not years and they expect only the best , most luckiest results, and ignore the fact that the average expected loss in 60% of excess weight at two years. I understand this because I did it too, and I fully believe that I have been incredibly LUCKY so far and that it's "easy" for me to say this but I do think that bandsters who are really in touch with reality and not overly optimistic are going to be able to emotionally adjust to banded life better.

Do not get the band if you expect it to work like bypass. If you want super fast results, and you want malabsorption, then get the bypass. With the "plusses" of the band, including its adjustability and its reversibility, come some costs and one cost is that it requires adjustment which is unpredictable in some ways, and it's associated with a slower rate of loss.

Thank you so much for this nsight, i think this will help me a lot!