I have not been banded yet but I am anticipating getting it done soon hopefully. I'd love your open and honest opinions about whether you find that following the new lifestyle is easier or harder than expected. Do you still have cravings? How often are you hungry. Do you feel that you have more control with the band than you did without it? Anything and everything you would like to offer to future bandsters would be great!

Thanks- Jennifer

I find l can lose weight very easily... I've done it so many times in the past... but I've never been able to keep it off.

The band has allowed to keep my weighed off but still enjoy food but in smaller portions.

It's the best thing I ever did for myself.

Tom, Toronto

Banded July 6 06

Wt. Loss: 156 lbs

tomander@bell.net

The best advice that I could give you at this point is to think very long and hard before you have this surgery. It is life changing and will effect you everyday. I sincerely wish I would have worked a little harder on natural means of weight loss before deciding on this procedure. There are lots of side effects that I just couldn't comprehend before having surgery (but I sure do now) . I wish you the very best of luck and hopefully if you decide to have the surgery, you will be like so many others and love it - but do know there are many people who wish they never had it done think, think, think long and hard - it is a tremendous decision.

I do not like it when I get stuck. I need to be better at chewing.

I do not like that I can feel the port.

I do not like fills. (It hurt the first time; I have not been back in for another.

I wanted to be as honest as possible about all the things I do not like about band, I am having a hard time coming up with items that are negative.

I bet I could list way more things that I love about the band.

I can now cross my legs.

I can wear smaller sizes of clothes.

I can shop in any store for clothes (not the plus size)

I take way less pills, I am down to one.

I can now stand naked before my husband and not feel embarrassed.

I can now sit in the middle seat of an airplane and not feel I am crowding out the person next to me.

There are so many more but you get the point.

I would do it again and wish I had done it sooner. Of course there are times when I wish I could eat something my husband or friends are eating but it passes so fast. I occasionally have something that is not on my new way of eating list. (At the movies last week I had some chocolate raisins) the movie was Argo it was very good. J

Good luck on your journey and it is a journey.

Hugs

Lassie

You guys are so inspirational!!!

Hi Jennifer

Yes.. I still have cravings and I do still have my treats now and then but in smaller portions.

I find living with the band VERY easy.

Here's some advice that I've talked about here before specifically for new bandsters... please feel free to e-mail me if you have any questions.

Try and take it one day at a time. Don’t compare yourself to others. Don’t go into this journey saying “I’ll never be able to eat this or that ever again.” I can eat ANYTHING except rice and apple skins and no carbonated beverages. Follow the guidelines given to you by your doctor.

Remember… take tiny bites (the size of your pinky fingernail) and remember to finish what you have in your mouth before you take your next bite.

When I was losing weight I checked in every month with my family doctor to get weighed and measured. (I don’t own scales) I also attended two coffee groups for people that were banded.

These things really kept me motivated and on track. I still check in every month with my family doctor to get weighed-in and I host two coffee groups. For me support from fellow bandsters plays a big part in this journey.

Back when I was banded my doctor suggested something called the “Egg Timer Distraction”. It’s kind of difficult to explain here but I’d be happy to email you the .pdf document. It REALLY helped me with “head hunger. I can’t tell you the number of people in my lapband coffee groups over the years that have said how helpful this “trick” has been in dealing with their head hunger.

Also' date=' I’m not really a “diet” book type person but I recommend you pick up two books.

Eat What You Love, Love What You Eat: How to Break Your Eat-Repent-Repeat Cycle – by Dr. Michelle May

I had the pleasure of hearing Dr. May speak at a conference when she came to Toronto and her book and guidelines really work well with the lapband journey.

The second book is:

The End of Overeating: Taking Control of the Insatiable American Appetite – by David L. Kessler

Please feel free to e-mail me if you have any questions and also if you would like a copy of the “Egg Timer Distraction Document”.

Tom, Toronto

Banded July 6 06

Wt. Loss: 156 lbs

tomander@bell.net[/quote']

I would really like to read your egg timer distraction document. I am going to email you. Thanks in advance!

Tomander- can you email me that .doc? Email is in your inbox. Thank you

Sent from my SAMSUNG GALAXY SII Skyrocket using LapBandTalk

Hah! I just read lassie's remarks. They are so true, except, I love feeling my port. I guess it reminds me of my weight loss. After you have surgery, you do feel the port somewhat, but, as you keep losing, the port becomes more prominent. Mine would actually stick out when I am in the pool.

I love my band. It is not always easy. I still, even after 3 years, have occasions of getting stuck, and pb'ing. Usually it is either thinking I want more to eat, or forgetting to chew enough.

Smaller plates and smaller forks and protein 1st are my,(and will be your) best friends! Learn to eat off salad plates, and if you go out, share a plate. Even the most expensive restaurants I have gone to, do not mind if two ladies ask to share their meal.

I will tell you, from someone who has probably lost and gained 1000 lbs over the years, it has been the best experience at losing weight that I have had. Usually, I get bored with diets, but lapbands are not diets, just an assistance tool. It is there to remind us that we are either in the process of losing weight or maintaining our weight loss. But, if we want, we can get a removal, see Sharon Osborne. Best wishes, I hope that my opinion helps. Karen

Wow! I am overwhelmed by the amount of responses! You are all amazing people.. Your willingness to share your stories with me and everyone interested is beyond generous. I have read all of them and overall, I can tell that yes, there will be sacrifices and there will be times when you struggle but in the end, it's all worth it. It was comforting to know that many of you do not have cravings... That's a big fear.

Again, thank you very much!

Sincerely,

Jennifer

Thank you Jennifer for posting this......I loved reading all the responses! I'm hoping to be banded too!

The hardest part for me was/is liquid diets.

Remember, that anything worth having is worth working for!

I find l can lose weight very easily... I've done it so many times in the past... but I've never been able to keep it off.

The band has allowed to keep my weighed off but still enjoy food but in smaller portions.

It's the best thing I ever did for myself

that is exactly why I was banded.. I had lost the same 60 - 80 lbs. more times then I can count...but once I got off the diet... It went back on in record time. Not with the band... I just physically cannot eat too much. I love it.

I agree with the above posts, the lap band is definitely NOT the "easy way out" . . . you still have to work at portion control and NO slider foods ~ because it is possible to eat around the band. This process is slower than some of the other weight loss surgeries, but it was the best choice for me. . . no regrets

Thank you all very much for continuing to post ands hate your thoughts! This is more helpful than you know!

The hardest part for me was the pre op diet, I had to do a months worth, I wasn't perfect and ate a couple of things that weren't on my list but I was 90% compliant. I still managed to loose over 20 pounds in those four weeks.

There were a few days of struggling after the band in relation to mourning food and feeling sorry for myself and days of crying till I worked out why I was so emotional. There were weeks of constantly feeling hungry till I got to the greenzone but it was manageable, I just kept myself busy and stuck to my instructions but a few times I ate more than I was supposed to but with the right foods not junk food.

I'm just over four months banded, my obsession with food has gone, I eat healthy now with the occasional treat, my cravings have gone, my tiredness has disappeared, my confidence levels are returning, I'm sleeping really well, was snoring a lot pre band, I wake up refreshed and full of energy. And the best thing is that in the past after having lost weight if I hit a plateau or got frustrated I'd be back to my old eating habits and put all the weight back in plus some, then do it all again. Now if I get to that stage I'm more determined to break the plateau and work harder to keep loosing. Being in the greenzone, not having constant hunger makes this so easy. If I don't go to the supermarket with a shopping list I walk around the aisles not putting anything into my trolley as nothing interests me.

There are ups and downs at the beginning but if you be honest with your surgeon/care team they help you work things out.

I've been lucky as I've had no issues but unfortunately some people do.

My only regret is not doing this years earlier.

The band is making weightloss so much easier for me. I eat when I'm hungry and don't think about food till I'm hungry again and these days that's anywhere between 5 to 6 hours.

My advice is educate yourself, ask a million and one questions and make sure you understand all your instructions because that part can be daunting initially.

Life with the band is good!