HI MY NAME IS ERYNN AND IM NEW :clap2: . I DO NOT HAVE THE SURGERY BUT I AM EXTEMELY INTERESTED IN GETTING IT DONE. I WAS WONDERING IF ANY ONE COULD HELP ANSWER SOME QUESTIONS I HAVE. I WOULD GREATLY GREATLY APPRECIATE IT.

1: NOT THAT I 'M A BIG LUSH OR ANY THING BUT I'M ONLY 23 AND I DO LIKE TO GO OUT EVERY NOW AND THEN (MEANING EVERY WEEKEND OR SO ) BUT I WAS WONDERING IF YOU CAN DRINK AND HOW IT EFFECTS YOUR STOMACH.

2: IS THE SCARING FROM THE SURGERY VERY VISIBLE????

3: HOW DO YOU EMOTIONALLY PREPARE YOUR SELF FOR SURGERY AND FACING THE FACT THAT YOU CANT JUST EAT ANYTHING YOU WANT ANYMORE????

THANK YOU SO MUCH FOR YOUR TIME

Hi Erynn, welcome to LBT!!

1: NOT THAT I 'M A BIG LUSH OR ANY THING BUT I'M ONLY 23 AND I DO LIKE TO GO OUT EVERY NOW AND THEN (MEANING EVERY WEEKEND OR SO ) BUT I WAS WONDERING IF YOU CAN DRINK AND HOW IT EFFECTS YOUR STOMACH.

Drinking is "allowed" post-banding, but anyone who is serious about weight loss will realize that alcohol is the worst kind of empty calories. Another downside is that it can relax inhibitions, making it too easy to eat too much, too fast, or not carefully, with negative consequences that night or the next day. (Or so I'm told, not being a drinker myself.) But there's no physiological reason to avoid alcohol after banding.

2: IS THE SCARING FROM THE SURGERY VERY VISIBLE????

NO! Of course, everyone heals differently, but most of the incisions from laparoscopic surgery are more like punctures than regular incisions. I have three of these that I can hardly find now, and one slightly larger scar that is also virtually invisible.

3: HOW DO YOU EMOTIONALLY PREPARE YOUR SELF FOR SURGERY AND FACING THE FACT THAT YOU CANT JUST EAT ANYTHING YOU WANT ANYMORE????

Well, this varies for everyone. For ME, it was a matter of being completely, totally ready to get healthier. There was nothing more important in my life than my children, and I was literally unable to be an effective or competent parent to them. So that was my "bottom" and once I hit it, food was easy to give up. I was emotionally ready the moment I heard about the band.

HI MY NAME IS ERYNN AND IM NEW :clap2: . I DO NOT HAVE THE SURGERY BUT I AM EXTEMELY INTERESTED IN GETTING IT DONE. I WAS WONDERING IF ANY ONE COULD HELP ANSWER SOME QUESTIONS I HAVE. I WOULD GREATLY GREATLY APPRECIATE IT.

1: NOT THAT I 'M A BIG LUSH OR ANY THING BUT I'M ONLY 23 AND I DO LIKE TO GO OUT EVERY NOW AND THEN (MEANING EVERY WEEKEND OR SO ) BUT I WAS WONDERING IF YOU CAN DRINK AND HOW IT EFFECTS YOUR STOMACH.

Hi Erynn123, welcome to LBT. I'm not a big lush either but I enjoy an occasional alcoholic drink! My doctor says it's not a problem that will bother my band but gave the fairly common - and completely accurate (DANG IT!) - caution about the super high calories in alcohol. The other thing you should know is that carbonation is a no-no with a lap band, which means if you enjoy beer, or Rum and Coke, or Scotch and Soda (blech! lol), or any mixed drink that involves carbonation you'll have to find a new favorite. Beer is my lost love, *sigh*, and I will always remember it fondly, but we had to split up!! Oh well, I'll just have to console my loss with a Margarita! Problem solved.

2: IS THE SCARING FROM THE SURGERY VERY VISIBLE????

You can see it, sure, but its not horrendous or anything. If you want to see some pictures, there is a thread called Scar Stages Show Yours - just use the search button and type in Scar Stages and it will come up. You'll see some people have more visible scars than others but none of them that I've seen are awful. Mine looks very much like a friends appendicitis scar. I'm only 11 weeks post-op and my scar is getting more and more faint. I'm using Maderma on it. Some people use Vitamin E. When you talk to a surgeon about getting a lap band, ask if he can use plastic surgery type sutures - it's called subdermal - and glue rather than using staples and you'll end up with less scarring.

3: HOW DO YOU EMOTIONALLY PREPARE YOUR SELF FOR SURGERY AND FACING THE FACT THAT YOU CANT JUST EAT ANYTHING YOU WANT ANYMORE????

THANK YOU SO MUCH FOR YOUR TIME

LOL before I went for surgery I attended more "Last Suppers" than Jesus on black velvet! Guess what? It was totally unnessesary. So far I can eat pretty much anything I like just in smaller portions. Granted, I haven't had a fill yet - I haven't needed one - so that's going to change as I lose more weight and have the band filled, but there are lots of people who eat the things they enjoy with their band, AND still lose weight. So far, the best benefit of the band for me is that I'm very aware of what I'm eating, I don't feel hungry all the time, and I eat less. There will almost certainly be things you can't eat - I recently discovered that scrambled eggs are off my menu because I got some stuck and had to bring it back up (it was unpleasant). But that's OK, there are plenty of other ways to enjoy eggs since I like them and they have a lot of Protein with low calories - over easy worked great, hard boiled with a little mayo was great, I haven't tried it but I'm betting coddled eggs will go down fine. Stuff like that. It's not the last time you'll get to eat. It's the last time you'll get to shovel it in with wild abandoned! But, in my case, that was a good thing! lol

The lapband isn't magic. It does take work - read my signature line for a great analogy! - but for the first time in years I feel like I'm back in control of my weight.

Good luck to you Erynn in whatever weight loss journey you choose. Keep posting on LapBandTalk, there are a lot of people here with a lot of good advise and insight.

HI MY NAME IS ERYNN ... I WAS WONDERING IF ANY ONE COULD HELP ANSWER SOME QUESTIONS I HAVE...(snip)...

Hello and Welcome!

1: NOT THAT I 'M A BIG LUSH OR ANY THING BUT I'M ONLY 23 AND I DO LIKE TO GO OUT EVERY NOW AND THEN (MEANING EVERY WEEKEND OR SO ) BUT I WAS WONDERING IF YOU CAN DRINK AND HOW IT EFFECTS YOUR STOMACH.

That's a very common question. Once you are FULLY healed from surgery, you might find you can tolerate a glass of wine or a mixed drink or two. I'm single also and I like to go out on weekend with my friends too. Luckily, my banded friends (I have a bunch) can all drink a bit. With our surgeons' knowledge.:party:We still have fun but we tend to split one appetizer or two instead of ordering a bunch of food with our drinks - so we drink much less. Some RnY/GastricBypass patients have trouble with alcohol, but most LapBanders can take a drink here or there in moderation. Remember that any carbonated beverage (like beer or soda) can be very difficult to deal with. MOST IMPORTANTLY because you eat less, the band might well cause you to feel "buzzed" a whole bunch faster than you did before you were banding. Too much booze is just worthless and counterproductive though - it's carbs and calories that do your body no real good if you over-indulge. :sick But you can still have fun!

2: IS THE SCARING FROM THE SURGERY VERY VISIBLE????

LapBand scarring isn't as bad as old-school, "open" surgery with the one long scar. There are usually 4 or 5 mini scars. The scars are not large - most are shorter than the length of the first section of your index finger. See that first 1/3 of your finger? My longer scar is shorter than that. But if you look at this thread right here on this forum you can see actual pictures of the scars. Check the thread out here

3: HOW DO YOU EMOTIONALLY PREPARE YOUR SELF FOR SURGERY AND FACING THE FACT THAT YOU CANT JUST EAT ANYTHING YOU WANT ANYMORE????

I didn't have this issue. I was tired, tired, tired of being obese. I wanted the surgery as soon as I learned more and did my research. I mean, I've eaten anything and everything I ever wanted - from junk food to caviar. What would I be missing?

If you don't mind me elaborating, I'll try to address your question fully. Being banded changes your life but it doesn't mean you're automatically going to have to give up eating and enjoying foods. Quite the opposite.

So for me, the pay off of being thinner, fitting in hipper fashion clothing brands, and the thought of going out with my friends to parties and clubs and not being the heaviest girl there :paranoid - those FAR outweighed me wondering about what I'd ever be able to eat.

Basically I don't eat THAT much differently than I did before. I rarely eat any empty carbs and starches so fried potatoes, biscuits, doughy breads or soft breads don't even tempt me. I don't even reach into bread baskets at restaurants anymore cuz if I eat a couple of bites of any doughy soft breads then it makes me too full to eat anything else! I'd rather eat real, solid foods so I limit stuff like that. I already didn'tt eat meat or pork so skipping hamburgers and hot dogs was NOT an issue. But as someone who eats almost every dinner out (I am single & many of my pals are too) I have yet to miss a meal, or not be able to find something "band-friendly" to eat on the menu. I eat smaller portions or just eat appetizers for my entree. I have one glass of wine (instead of several drinks and a bunch of shots - come on, you've done it ) but other than that, my eating is not much different, I'm just eating less of what I eat.

So hopefully this is helpful. If you choose LapBanding you'll never be bored on this very interesting journey.

Good Luck to you!

Happy Band (And Life) Journeys To All...

OMG (Oh My Gawd!)

JINX! JINX! JINX!

Donna was replying at the exact same time - it looks like her answers (which are always inspirational) pretty much mirror mine. Just remember we both hit SUBMIT at the same time - I wasn't trying to duplicate her comments. :-)

But listen to her too: if for no other reason than the fact that she has the cutest LapBand surgeon in all creation!

Happy Band (And Life) Journeys To All...

LOL NewSho! I noticed that too! You Copycatter you!

I'm going to be banded on June 5. I don't drink alcohol but am a diet soda junkie, which I know I have to give up for the band to work. I've stocked up on juices and other things to take the place of my diet drinks. You have to totally commit yourself to the fact there are some things you have to do in moderation if at all. I have heard an occasional drink won't hurt (not sure on that) and that I can have a flat soda pop if I choose but that sounds horrible.

It's a very personal decision to get the band and it takes lots of work to get to the stage that you know it is what you want. You found us, so apparently you are quite interested.

Where did you plan on being banded. In the US there are some tests required which vary state by state such as sleep studies for sleep apnea; a psych test to be sure you are ready; sometimes an upper GI. By the time you are through hassling with insurance (or perhaps you are self-pay or going to Mexico) you will be ready for your surgery. I've been preparing for the better part of a year now. Emotionally, I am more than ready. Physically I know I have to have this done in order to enjoy life to the fullest. I have aches in my feet and knees and am hoping that taking the weight off will help.

I wish you the best of luck and welcome to LBT. It is a great source of support and strength and some very good friendships.

Hi, Erynn...Welcome!

Funny thing about the scars from surgery. My port was placed at the sternum...right where the bottom band of my bra sits.

Well, the bra is still there, but the scar has moved south. Way south. It is now about FIVE INCHES below my bra...headed toward my navel.

If you have a lot of weight to lose, more scar tissue than you might imagine may well end up being removed in plastic surgery!!

Oops. I always rave about how cute Dr Rumbaut (he's not my surgeon, but besides being a world-class and internationally respected LapBand surgeon - he's GORGEOUS) is but I usually forget to attach pictures.

Happy Band (And Life) Journeys To All...

I posted the following in your other thread.

Hi Erynn and welcome to LBT!!

I'll try to answer your questions as best as I possibly can.

1) My surgeon recommended that I stay away from alcohol for the first 8 weeks and then only drink it in moderation as it is empty calories. You may find that after not having it for 8 weeks, you may no longer desire it.

2) Everyone is different when it comes to scarring. Mine are somewhat visible but I've seen others where they're almost complete undetectable. Please check out the "Share your scars stages" thread for some pictures.

3) I prepared myself by reminding myself what the ultimate outcome will be. I was going to lose weight and be healthier. Keep in mind that you can eat almost anything you want but they will be much smaller portions. You also have to be smart when it comes to the bad foods, such as chips, Cookies, cake, etc. and only have them on rare occasions as a treat. Eating these things all of the time will only sabotage your success.

Good luck to you!!

Oops. I always rave about how cute Dr Rumbaut (he's not my surgeon, but besides being a world-class and internationally respected LapBand surgeon - he's GORGEOUS) is but I usually forget to attach pictures.

Happy Band (And Life) Journeys To All...

MY band surgeon is cuter than YOUR band surgeon...oh...wait...same guy. Never mind.

I've got you BOTH beat - I spoke with the man himself tonight!!!! LOL - he is quite handsome and just SUPER friendly. Love him. *Throwing kisses to Dr. Rumbaut!!!*

Oops. I always rave about how cute Dr Rumbaut (he's not my surgeon, but besides being a world-class and internationally respected LapBand surgeon - he's GORGEOUS) is but I usually forget to attach pictures.

Happy Band (And Life) Journeys To All...

He's hot. Love him.

Dr. Rumbaut was my surgeon and lemme tell you Newsho, that picture does him no justice. I plan on flying out to Monterrey in a few weeks to maybe have my first fill. I will take pictures of us together and post them somewhere here, lmao (with hopefully me kissing him on the cheek.....) hehehehehe!

Ok Ok maybe no kisses but definately my arm around him