If this has been included in another thread, please post the link, but if not...for us Newbies, what are some things you wish you'd known before surgery, or just during the process in general.

Thanks so much everyone, the information and support in this forum is AMAZING!

Jim' date=' a friend who was banded a year ago said the same thing, the band won't keep you from eating 1000 calorie milkshakes, it's all up to us to use the band.[/quote']

It's so true and it is one of the things I learned at the initial seminar I went to and it has stuck with me ever since.

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Good question Sissy!

I just celebrated my 1yr bandiversary last week. More than anything' date=' I wish I had known how long it would take to feel restriction after you heal from the surgery. At about week 6, I became very hungry and for 4 months it was like I was not banded at all. Come to find out, this is normal and you will be this way until you get enough fills to start feeling restriction. I started eating more, but the right things, so I didn't gain any weight.

I always share this with new people because I think we are so inundated with information, that we don't hear all the little details. This was a BIG one for me!

The second thing would be to keep your head in the game. This is not Gastric Bypass where you lose a lot of weight all at once. The Lapband is a tool. Hopefully, one of many that you have in your toolbox. You still have to do the work of eating right and exercising. Don't get fills too fast. Most problems start after being too tight.

Remember..... this is Life, not a Race!![/quote']

This is exactly what I wish I had known! I'm 19 days post op and trying to remind myself to keep doing what I have been doing to lose weight. I lost 37 pounds pre op and am down 42 pounds now, with a 100 pound goal in mind. Just hope I feel good restriction soon so I won't feel like I wasted my time having this surgery. I hear of people who go months without feeling restriction.

_{Thank you all for this information. I was thinking that I would have restriction right after the band placement' date=' I am glad I know now not to expect that.[/sub']}

_{You do feel some right after surgery but mostly due to swelling.}

Number 1 thing for me right now... I wish I had known that constipation would be an issue due to changes in my diet. It took an ER visit to understand why water intake is so important. Those of you about to be banded, please be aware of this and stay hydrated

This is exactly what I wish I had known! I'm 19 days post op and trying to remind myself to keep doing what I have been doing to lose weight. I lost 37 pounds pre op and am down 42 pounds now, with a 100 pound goal in mind. Just hope I feel good restriction soon so I won't feel like I wasted my time having this surgery. I hear of people who go months without feeling restriction.

I know that delayed restriction and slow weight loss are frustrating, but I don't think it's fair to say that they mean your surgery was a waste of time. You're young (compared to me!) and have a long lifetime ahead of you (God willing). If you could lose your excess weight and keep it off for the rest of your life without surgery, then maybe surgery would be wasted time & effort, but if you could do that, wouldn't you have already done it by now? The band is a tool for lifetime weight management.