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

Thank you for responding. Very helpful and comforting to know that it although it will take a lot of mental preperation and mental re-programing, the band actually does help with it.

Thank you for your continued posts!! I love them!

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

I love that you gave me the pros and cons.. it helps put it into perspective! Crossing my legs is something I've always wanted to do!! Thanks for sharing!

Questions for everyone/anyone... did vericose veins or spider veins fade or go away? Also, what about stretch marks? I know everyone's body is different and excess skin depends on a lot of factors, but I'd love to hear what you all have to say.

Thanks everyone!!

Destynee, I was doing the same thing to keep my protein and calorie numbers up. My NUT told me to quit. She said only eat when hungry and just make good choices when you eat. Since I have listened to her I quit having stalls and am down 135 in 10 months (this week). I have 30 more to go and am really waiting for that big stall. It was slower this week because I ate a lot during Thanksgiving, but lost the pound I gained already this week. The band is so fickle!

Have a really good talk with your NUT they really can help.

I'm in the pre-op phase in that I am still making and going to all of my doctors before I set my surgery date. I was following a general diet that the nutritionist recommended for me up until last week and I can't seem to get back on. I'm curious to know how you all felt before you got banded... did you ever question your willpower to actually stick with the diet? I'm so scared that I'm going to have the same fragile and short-lived willpower I have now even when I get banded... this is one of my biggest fears... being unsuccessful with the band.

Hello could you please email me the egg timer info from your Dr. It is difficult getting rid of that hunger feeling!! Lol. My email add is mallotogirl@gmail.com

Thank you

Destynee, I was doing the same thing to keep my protein and calorie numbers up. My NUT told me to quit. She said only eat when hungry and just make good choices when you eat. Since I have listened to her I quit having stalls and am down 135 in 10 months (this week). I have 30 more to go and am really waiting for that big stall. It was slower this week because I ate a lot during Thanksgiving, but lost the pound I gained already this week. The band is so fickle!

Have a really good talk with your NUT they really can help.

Boy.. am I late!! hehe I just read this message!.. and thanks for the advise.. ! I am going to do that.. I still try to "fill in".. wishing I read that earlier .. lol..I will stop that! I still need to see a Nut.. that my insurance covers.. can't wait! damn these holidays. . I know i've gained 2 lbs back this week.. get em next week!

I think this is the most interesting post I've read, and I do enjoy hearing all sides. I am still in my 6 month meeting stage and have gone to at least 3 meetings (+psych mtg for insurance) so far, I'm thinking my surgery would be in May or June?. I think the newest information that scares me (but I'm still going through with it) is loss of hair, loss of gall bladder (I had no idea of that one). Does everyone really lose their gall bladder??? I just got over learning that the port will be sown on the muscle (for some reason I didn't think of that). My husband received the route n y gastric bypass and has lost 160 pounds (with gall bladder in tact). BUT I didn't want to go through that serious of a surgery, but wonder if it really is that more drastic than this? Thanks for all of the information!

Please pardon me, but what is it when you refer to a NUT?

This info has been very helpful.......so glad the question was asked. I am at the begining of my journey. I have many fears, questions, doubts and every other feelings I'm sure you all have experienced. This site is so helpful. Sometimes a comments scares the crap out of me.!! Such as someone mentioned having many side effects!!!! Can someone please address that for me. Again thanks to everyone who helps out us newbie's. I will continue to learn until maybe I can pass on my experience to others. Happy New Year!

I'm in the pre-op phase in that I am still making and going to all of my doctors before I set my surgery date. I was following a general diet that the nutritionist recommended for me up until last week and I can't seem to get back on. I'm curious to know how you all felt before you got banded... did you ever question your willpower to actually stick with the diet? I'm so scared that I'm going to have the same fragile and short-lived willpower I have now even when I get banded... this is one of my biggest fears... being unsuccessful with the band.

I have my surgery next Friday and am currently on my pre-op diet (south beach diet). The cravings are bad, and I'm scared just like you but we won't know until we are actually there to see how our bodies react. But you're are not alone!

Life is different, but I would not call it hard. Sometimes takes bait more planning and creativity, but you can do! Good luck and happy new year!

Another question- how did you all know that you've had enough food when you first got banded? I'm scared that because of my poor eating habits now, I will not be mentally aware that I am full and then I'll get sick.

. I always started every meal with 3 oz protien, 1/2 c veg and 1/4 c starch... I never ate any more then that for a meal but most times I couldn't finish it... You will know. It will be like... I really WANT one more bite... But I probably am satisfied enough so I think I will stop now.

Please pardon me, but what is it when you refer to a NUT?

A nutritionist.

Now when I eat I feel "full" not "stuffed". I never get the feeling of it hurts like I've over eaten.

Tom, Toronto

Banded July 6 06

Wt. Loss: 156 lbs

tomander@bell.net

Following the rules pay off. You don't want your band too loose and you don't want your band too tight. The green zone is where you want to be. But once you have the majority of your weight off, you have to work harder at following the rules...more so you have to be more active and healthy by exercising and moving! The more restricted your band is the more you have to abide by the rules ( corrected you should follow rules all the time) but the band will tell you when you are not. I'm two years out and I don't regret it at all. I've lost 113 pounds with 10 more pounds to goal. I'm experiencing a plateau but I'm healthy and feel good...I'm not in a rush for these last pounds.