Hi,

I am new to this group and have gone through my whole process of qualifying for the lap band, but don't yet have a surgery date.

My main question to those of you who have had the lap band in place is...do you find it hard to eat so little after eating a lot? I personally eat large quantities food and am getting nervous that I will fail as a lap banded person because I won't be able to eat just the small amount and portions that you are suppose to eat.

Can anyone share their experience with eating before lap band and after? Was it a hard transition? Are their easy ways to cope?

Kim

Hi Kim, congratulations on making the decision. I was worried about the same sort of thing before achieving restriction. Now I know that I will suffer with too much food (I feel sick and bloated and get left shoulder pain) and am finding it much easier to enjoy the smaller amounts now. That said, I am not perfect and still occasionally eat too much but not very often! Good luck with your journey.

Hi!

To be honest, there are times (like Thanksgiving for example) where I wish I could eat more! Or watching some people eat, I wish I could eat more. But no, most of time I'm happy with eating less, much less than before. When I think back to almost 2 yrs ago and the portions I used to eat - whewww. My fiance gets jealous sometimes of my "contraption" (as he calls it) and hates to count carbs (I don't count anything, I just eat whatever I want, just much less of it)

Good luck with your surgery. Once the weight starts dropping off, you won't miss anything - except maybe at holiday time!

Marci

Good restriction means you dont even realise you're eating less because you still feel like you're eating the same - same satiation or fullness, same foods (if you're a believer in the eat everything in moderation and never diet again train of thought, which I am). I spent so many days lamenting that I was wasting my opportunity because I felt like I hadnt done well that day - I didnt feel deprived, I wasnt hungry, I wasnt doing without anything. Yet the weight just continued to fall off.

I still feel the same. Every day I think I could have done better, I've overeaten a bit, I shouldnt have eaten this, or that snack or whatever. And my weight just never budges.

Truly, on the one hand I worked hard at losing weight - I exercise like a fiend and am supremely fit. But its also like the weight loss just happened automatically once I was banded. I got realistic and sensible about my eating, but I didnt have to work terribly hard or make supreme sacrifices. I've never given up one single food. So, I never felt like I'd made that huge a change. It was relatively easy to lose about 65% of my excess weight, after that it took a bit more work and a bit more saying no, but that change came when I was already a very changed person, I was ready for it.

Thank you so much for your feedback! It really helps a lot....I have my surgery date...Oct 3rd....I am in my 2 week pre-surgery diet and struggling. My stomach does not like the Protein drinks...none of them....after I drink them I feel so sick....but I am doing exactly what the Dr told me so that I can have a safe surgery.

I hope that recovery is easier than pre-surgery diet....at least in recovery I can eat Soup.

Thank you so much for your feedback! It really helps a lot....I have my surgery date...Oct 3rd....I am in my 2 week pre-surgery diet and struggling. My stomach does not like the Protein drinks...none of them....after I drink them I feel so sick....but I am doing exactly what the Dr told me so that I can have a safe surgery.

I hope that recovery is easier than pre-surgery diet....at least in recovery I can eat soup.

Hi There!

Gosh, I'm sorry the protien drinks make you feel sick. What kind of Protein Drink are you using? I would suggest maybe trying another brand? ItI makes a huge difference to me that I enjoy my Protein shake. Most have to expiriment with different brands. There are a lot of links here on that. I like the GNC Protein shakes. Good price.

Good luck with your surgery! LIke the others said, you should adjust nicely if you follow the band rules and have the right restriction. This site is a great resource!