Why Are You Banded???

[B-52 7,113]

Why did you have this WLS? Did you do your research before hand?

Maybe I should say, "What do you expect the band to do for you?" You went through all the preperation, anxiety, hassle, and perhaps out of pocket $$....

All that, and to what end??

There can be 1000's of people on this forum at any one time...and as you read all (many) of the posts you can read just as any different "Opinions"

I have read:

**You should be able to eat anything anytime, the band should not stop you from eating, and should not take away certain foods...

**You need to measure/weigh your portions, food passes through the band quickly and does not prevent over eating

**Hunger is normal and good, and should be expected.....

Also, you read all the time people saying "I need a fil"...I know why I wanted/needed a fill....but I wonder what other people expect?

I can go on, but that's all that comes to mind at 5am...For the NEW PEOPLE reading the posts on this forum, all this information must be VERY CONFUSING....

Myself, I'm somewhat glad I found this website AFTER I had surgery and AFTER I did my research ad maade up my mid why I was doing this.....

Perhaps people can chime in and explain "Why did you have this surgery?" and "What are your expectations?"

And please don't say "to loose weight", that's obvious....I mean HOW do expect the band to get you to loose weight.....

I had certain expectations of what the band would, and should accomplish, and to this day I still hold firm on those expectations and was not pleased with this surgery untill I acheived that level of satisfaction...

And for myself, I will not compromise for anything else...but that's me....other people have different expectations....

Well, just a thought I woke up with this am, finished my 2nd cup of coffee...took a Protein shot, my Vitamins and supplements, heading out to the Gym ( in the snow) to be there when they open at 6am on weekends....5am on weekdays....

I am, as I'm sure others are, curious as to what people think/expect this band to do for them, and how......

[krzy4vt 109]

I was banded 12/3/12 with not a specific goal weight but I want to be healthy.

I have always played sports and was very active until my pregnancy. I have always been heavy but the real weight packed on then. She is now 4 and does tap/ballet, soccer, tball. I have the worst time keeping up with all her activities due to no energy.

So I did my homework for 9mnths before I was banded. I wanted the good, bad and ugly so I was prepared for anything. I knew it was a tool and I would still have to do the work, so I was mentally prepared for my journey. The doctors suggested gastric bypass instead due to people with alot of weight to lose not being successful with the band. However I came on here and saw many people very successful with the band and I'm determined to be one of them.

I decided to have the WLS to jump start my weight and when the energy comes back I would be ready to get back my life the way it was prior to pregnancy. I want to be able to keep up with my daughter and enjoy life with her instead of watching her from a distance.

I have hit a small bump in the road. Right now waiting till this week to have surgery on my band due to scar tissue has grown on one side so the band can't be filled properly. I was upset since I have been following the rules and made life changes.

But as always there is a silver lining and i have lost 40lbs since being banded. I don't regret my decision at all. This was one of these rare cases so I'm not going to let this get me down.

Bottom line I had the surgery for ME to be healthy once again. ???€

Have a great workout out the gym and a great Super Bowl Sunday!

[bethcav 68]

I was banded May 7 2012 preop wgt 270 current wt 160. After much research I choose the band because I felt it was the safest weight loss surgery. I'm 47 had htn, elevated cholesterol, elevated trigs, and pre diabetic. I wanted to get off these meds and also wanted to be able to look in the mirror and like what I seen. I was aggressive with my fills. My Dr was ok with that. When someone asks how did I lose weight my answer is I watch what I eat, I exercise and I had lapband sx. My opinion is if I didn't change my lifestyle first then I wouldn't of been successful with the band. The band only signals that I had enough to eat but it doesn't know what I was eating that I had enough off. The six month preop diet was key to my success I changed most of my habits then which in turn helped me now. Happy Superbowl Sunday!

[♥LovetheNewMe♥ 1,216]

I was banded 2 years ago and why was I banded? Simple, I was tired of being fat and unhealthy! I did my research and knew what I was getting into, I thought. I did have my remorse and mourning over some foods and how I used food to cope but I was able to get this under control and be successful with this journey.

Your post is good and I hope a lot of people who go into this process thinking the band will fix everything read it.

The band is a tool, us successful banded people state this over and over and often we piss people off but it is still true. The band should not prevent you from eating or tell you when to stop eating. It should be your tool that helps you learn these things. I wanted the band to help me learn Portion Control, I have only had 3 fills in 2 years and do not plan to get any more. I wanted the band to teach me portion control and that is what the band has helped me do, learn what a portion is and it is nothing like I used to think it was.

I do measure my food, I do still record my foods, these are my tools to keep me honest with myself.

When I hit goal I wrote a blog about how the band was a tool but the true success and use of the band was more about me learning control than the band control anything and it really struck a nerve with some people. But honestly that is how I feel, yes the band helped me reach my goals but if I had not embraced a healthy life style and changed my relationship with food I would not look like I do today.

Look at you B52, it is Sunday and you are going to the gym to work out even in the snow. Great Job!

My motto these days, if you want to be thin and healthy you have to think like a thin and healthy person.

No stinkin thinkin it will only lead you down a path of no return!

[Summerrain 520]

Hmmm had I have been asked that question prebanding the only answer I would have given was to loose weight and get healthier.

I researched for a whole year and spoke to the only person I know that was banded in that time. Also before I plucked up the courage to make my initial appointment I went on a few diets to see if I could give it one last shot to be able to do it on my own. Of course I did well for a month or so then failure, then regained the weight and again repeated the process a few more times in that year. This yoyo dieting had to stop because I truly believe it only made me fatter and fatter as the years rolled by.

I knew what to expect after banding with all the research I had done and also I was given Professor Obriens book to read, I read that book over and over to help prepare myself for this new journey I was about to face. I was so nervous and so excited at the same time because finally I was going to get a tool to help with my weightloss battle.

Fast forward seven months and my way of thinking is so different with what the lapband could do for me. You actually have to experience each day with the band to truly understand life with it. Not only has the yoyo dieting stopped, not only has it allowed me to loose weight but it has helped me get control back when it comes to food, it has taken away the constant hunger, it has taken away the daily obsession I had with food, it has given me back confidence, it has taken away my depression ( mainly because I was so overweight and so unhappy), it has helped me develop a healthier relationship with food, it has taught me how to eat like a healthy person, it has reminded me how good it is to be more active. Most importantly to me the band has made me feel like a normal person again not this freak that lived every day to see how much food I could shovel into my mouth. I now eat to live and be healthier not live to eat all day long and be an overweight mess.

Did I think the band would have such an impact on my mental and emotional health way before being banded? The answer is no, now that I have this amazing tool it surprises me everyday how its changed me both mentally and emotionally.

I no longer need to diet, I've learnt how to eat well, I no longer have to calorie count, I've learnt how to Portion Control, I no longer feel deprived, that's how dieting made me feel hence the dieting failures, I've learnt I can still from time to time still have a teeny bit of the unhealthy stuff if I so desire and not put myself on a guilt trip.

What do I want from my fills? Answer is simple, to keep me in the greenzone that way my band is working for me as it should be and I can easily do my part.

My band and I are a partnership that respect each other, if I disrespect my band it shows me authority and makes me tow the line.

My tool is my life saver, I've researched, I've gone through surgery, I've made major changes, I've accepted my band, I've gone through weeks of hunger and survived, going through it all has been so worthwhile and would do it all again in a heartbeat. The band for me has so far done what it was supposed to do and what I expected it to do and a bit extra. Fingers crossed I don't develop any issues but if I do I have my wonderful aftercare team to sort things out.

At 50 years of age I can finally say I have developed the lifestyle I was supposed to follow all my life. Thank you lapband.

[ladybabie3 109]

Good Morning all,

I myself am newly banded band date 01/21/13 highest weight 250 pre-opt diet two weeks liquid weight 240, and two weeks of post-opt diet I'm down to 229. First let me say reading each and everyone of your posts is great inspiration. I'm following all the rules, and will have my first two week appt with my doctor on this coming Tuesday.

Now to answer your question, I'm doing this not to just be healthy for my husband and kids but for me. Life is not promised to anyone, but I can do what I can to make. I wanted something that will hold me accountable for over eating. I made a promise to myself if I was going to go through something like this that I have to give it 1000%.

To me it's one of the many tools to help the second is the gym which I have already joined and as soon as I get the ok will be going. For me this is a life style change. And have included my kids and husband in this to have a healthy family.

[Rojasanoll 920]

WE can answer our own needs and justify it, no matter if it's right or wrong. It belongs to us and nobody else. We are probably here because diets don't work very well. Maybe our quality of life has slipped or slipping into despair. There are always health issues to worry about, now and future health issues.

I did my homework probably in Jan 2012 on the lapband. Saw all the Youtube surgeries, videos and then finally visited this forum. Truly, my mind was made up after my research and this forum didn't have much influence. On the very good side, most of my research was from Allergan company and my sister. She works in Goleta, Ca Allergan site and checked out lots of infornation and studies done on the band in a long term study. Once I read about all the risks and realized this is about my health, I went forward with the journey. I actually started in early July 2012 going on a liquid Protein diet and a small salad with chicken about 30 days prior to even seeing a doctor about Banding. I had lost 34 total pounds prior and during pre-op surgery for myself and finally for my doctor.

I was banded on Aug 6, 2012 and have never looked back and thought, Should I or Shouldn't I. I was all steam ahead for me. Only higher BP readings were my concern, the rest of me is very healthy. I have longevity in my parents, 92 yrs my dad( recently passed on Oct 29, 2012) and my mom, 87 yers old. This has been easier than I expected. Now and then, I tweak myself into drinking Protein shakes for a few days to boost jump losing weight from a plateau stop. Unfortunately, I could have lost many more pounds up to now, If I liked or was truly motivated in exercising. But, I'm not!

My job stops lots of days where I don't feel like doing much except rest. I work at Vandenberg AFB, Ca with a private civilian contractor in the Missile launch business. Most launches unfortunately, do not have an 8 to 5 work schedule. We shoot around the clock in many early mornings and my body clock has been on 4 hours of sleep per day if I'm lucky. I've been during this for years. Not complaining because I have a interesting and exciting job and I'm loving every moment in my work.

Best wishes and Keep the Faith!

[Terry Poperszky 2,784]

The band was my option of last resort, I WW, exercise and phentermine were no longer keeping the weight at bay. I was back up to 299, and I had sworn to myself I would never see my weight start with a "3" again. Why the band? I have a real bias against re-routing my plumbing. The complication rate was one tenth of the more drastic surgeries. And the most important part, I was chasing something that had happened to me when I first started taking phentermine. One meal, I pushed away a half eaten plate of food, because I simply wasn't hungry any more, the first time in my life that had ever happened.

So far Mistress Band has been more than I could have dreamt, I am 4 weeks out and I may never need a fill, based on how I feel about food right now. I know that may change, but I want to go out on the front step of my house and scream at the top of my lungs "I AM NOT HUNGRY!" This is what I have been searching for all my life in my relationship to food.

Based on what I have read I truly don't think that the Dr.s understand the mechanism, but I don't care. It works for me.

[Jewelsm1127 351]

I didn't have any health problems pre-band. No apnea, no hypertension, all my bloodwork came back perfect, EKG, echo, etc. all were a.o.k. I'm 38 and I know that wasn't going to last forever. I was always overweight but his past year (dad died due to West Nile, I broke off my engagement due to a cheating fiance, found out I was pregnant after that and then miscarried at 12 weeks, and found out a very dear friend of mine of 17 years has HIV) my weight steadily went up to the highest it's ever been. My range of motion suffered - I was having issues bathing, using the bathroom, putting on socks and shoes, always huffing and puffing just walking around, back aches, sweating like a pig and just feeling like a pile of crap.

I looked into the band years ago, but partly due to cost and partly due to my fear of surgery I dismissed it. Well, the time had come. 2012 was an awful year, but I knew 2013 was going to be awesome. I went to my first seminar in September 2012, went through all the consultations...nothing scared me out of having this surgery so I did it in December 2012.

For me the band is insurance. I don't have a fill (yet) and don't plan on having one until I absolutely need one. Right now I'm following the guidelines of Portion Control and eating high Protein and staying away from carbs. I know I can run right in and get a fill, but I don't want one. Why don't I overeat? Because I know I can stretch the band, I know I can throw up or make myself miserable, or I can make my band slip. I don't push it because I know that band is there like a hot poker waiting to stick me in the eye if I do something wrong. It's like having someone following you around constantly waiting to club you if you do something you shouldn't. I am a "rule follower" so if my doc/WLS group tells me not to do something, I don't do it. I don't "test it" to see if I can get around it. I just take it day by day and do it. Why would I put my health at additional risk?

Now fortunately I am tremendously blessed with a very supporting family (parents, aunts, siblings, friends) that are all cheering me on. They even set my small salad plate at the dinner table instead of a full size plate. They no longer offer me extra food or tell me to eat up. They are proud.

My doc is also awesome. He slightly discourages the band but the reason he does is because most people are not compliant and they don't realize how much work it really is and how slow it goes. They were very informative and most of the information discussed and asked on this site is info I already knew before I even had the surgery. I am actually astounded (and appalled) at how many people jump on here so mis-informed about how the band works and expecting miracles, and running to get fills because that will solve all their problems and they will lose 10lbs a day. My doc actually made me take a true/false test (written) a few days before surgery regarding how the band works and the myths about how it works. If you failed, you were not cleared for surgery because you still didn't have a very good understanding of what you were getting yourself into. And if you didn't know, how could you have success?

As the vets say, it's a tool...the fills will help, but don't expect the band to work miracles if you are not willing to do your part.

[B-52 7,113]

All good Answers, we all want to be healthy, fit, etc, etc,

But why not weight watchers? Jenny Craig?

Why the band? What is it you are expecting the band to (mecahically) do?

Terry said it makes him "not hungry"

I agree....the band does take away hunger.....that's 2 votes.....I also believe it does other things.....

Anyone else have a opinion on what the band does?

There are thousands of people her who have had the lap and surgery....why?

Why not weight watchers?

Like I said in my OP, if I had found this website BEFORE I had the surgery, I probably would have not had it......

You all are not very convincing.......many have good things to say about the weight they have lost, but people want to know what the band had to do with it....

[Jewelsm1127 351]

B - Like I said, my band is insurance...just like Terry's Mistress Band...if I dare stray from the rules and overeat the band will whoop my butt. It may make me vomit, it may cause me pain by getting stuck, or it may cause me horrific issues and a lot more money due to slippage and erosion and additional surgeries. Your band is tight to the point that it will stop you right then and there and even though mine won't stop me right away, I know it will retaliate eventually if I keep pushing past it's boundaries. :-)

Having a support team like WW's or Jenny Craig is nice, but being cheered on by other people doesn't do it for me. Knowing something is physically wrapped around my stomach and in my body does. Too many wrong steps and I can totally jeopardize my health and make my life miserable. Why in God's name would I want to do that to myself? I'm a surgery wuss so that type of risk is not an option for me.

And although I don't have any fills, the band alone has curbed my hunger completely. I eat my 3oz of Protein 3 times a day and nothing outside of that. And I'm not hungry outside of those meals. I don't have plication and I know that's not common for most (from what I'm reading on these boards), but I also fight to not let head hunger or the munchies get the best of me.

So I suppose my answer wouldn't necessarily encourage people to run out and get the band because they have to "work" at it, but at least it doesn't tell everyone, "sure, no problem, keep getting those fills and you'll hit the green zone and all your weight will just fly off". (not saying anyone's posts say that - in fact, they don't). But if you are of the type that has no issues following rules if you know someone is keeping an eye on you, then it would be a good option. My band is always watching me...it's with me constantly and I know it so I'm not going to test her limits.

[bethcav 68]

Ok B 52...What the band has done for me is to be full on small amounts of food. When doing weight watchers if I have 30 points a day I would use them up even if I wasn't physically hungry I knew I had them points and I made sure I used every one. If I cheated or ate to much I convince myself I could restart next week and that would turn into next month etc. My experience with the band is that I'm full longer with less food. My band reminds me that I ate to fast and slow down. My band also reminds me that liquids make me feel full. My band makes it physically hard to over eat. My band sends me my signal which is a soft Burp that I'm full.

[♥LovetheNewMe♥ 1,216]

All good Answers, we all want to be healthy, fit, etc, etc,

But why not weight watchers? Jenny Craig?

Why the band? What is it you are expecting the band to (magically) do?

Terry said it makes him "not hungry"

I agree....the band does take away hunger.....that's 2 votes.....I also believe it does other things.....

Anyone else have a opinion on what the band does?

There are thousands of people her who have had the lap and surgery....why?

Why not weight watchers?

Like I said in my OP, if I had found this website BEFORE I had the surgery, I probably would have not had it......

You all are not very convincing.......many have good things to say about the weight they have lost, but people want to know what the band had to do with it....

I was a life time member of WW pre band, and I had also done Jenny Craig. With both programs I lost weight, with WW I reached my current weight I am today from 196 to 125 within a year but gained it all back during the next year. With Jenny Craig, I did that and lost from 225 to 170 within a year but injured my knee and gained it all back plus an additional 27 lbs prior to my surgery.

I consider my band added insurance, I have always been able to lose but never able to maintain the weight and keep it off for any length of time. I have been at my goal weight for 5 months and have not gained one ounce of my weight back and have actually continued to lose inches and tone through exercise.

I guess if I had to pin one thing down that is different with being banded I would have to say, I do not always feel hungry and have to remind myself to eat. I can pretty much eat anything I want most days. I consider the band my second conscious, it is always there as a constant reminder that I need to eat my planned meals and Snacks and not just eat because it is there. Also I now know if I want to maintain this new me I have to exercise and I have to be conscious of my food choices, like I have said, if you want to be thin you have to think thin and if you ever notice thin people they are not junk food junkies!

I think what you want to know is if we think we could do this without the band, today probably not, I still have days when my mind wants things I should not have but with the band it keeps me from binging. But my goal is to continue to work on my head hunger days to make sure if I do lose my band due to complications that I can continue to maintain this healthy life style. For me the phys. side of hunger has been a battle and one I work on daily, I love food, I love to cook and I love to eat. Hunger was not why I always ate so having the band helps me with issues.

Hope this helps clarify some things.

[☠carolinagirl☠ 18,722]

i was at my highest weight ever, it was hard for me to walk and it was getting hard going to the bathroom...i felt i was as wide as i was tall..i was in serious trouble...i researched for 6 months all wls and liked the band...it took me some time to find a dr who accepted my insurance..by the time i found one, i was about to give up and then i found out i was going to be a grand mother....i wanted to be able to push the baby around the block...that was my goal..

my band and plication helps me eat less (and i mentally make myself aware of the foods i eat..if i eat, its going to be something good for me and filling and what i want)..my band helps me and that is why i love my band.

why was i banded...so i could save my life

and for this:

my grandbaby eryn and my air force son wyatt

[Jewelsm1127 351]

i was at my highest weight ever' date=' it was hard for me to walk and it was getting hard going to the bathroom...i felt i was as wide as i was tall..i was in serious trouble...i researched for 6 months all wls and liked the band...it took me some time to find a dr who accepted my insurance..by the time i found one, i was about to give up and then i found out i was going to be a grand mother....i wanted to be able to push the baby around the block...that was my goal..

my band and plication helps me eat less (and i mentally make myself aware of the foods i eat..if i eat, its going to be something good for me and filling and what i want)..my band helps me and that is why i love my band.

why was i banded...so i could save my life

and for this:

my grandbaby eryn and my air force son wyatt[/quote']

Awwwww! How cute are they?