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Surgery is this week and I have lots of questions



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I am not nervous about having the surgery. But I'm worried about the after affects.

Everyone I know that has it vomits a lot, has severe digestion problems, and some

Psychological issues over hardly being able to enjoy food. Then I've also been told that

The lab band can erode into your stomach. So you see I have many fears. So many

That I'm considering canceling my surgery this week. Are my fears unfounded?

Please help!

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I am not nervous about having the surgery. But I'm worried about the after affects.

Everyone I know that has it vomits a lot, has severe digestion problems, and some

Psychological issues over hardly being able to enjoy food. Then I've also been told that

The lab band can erode into your stomach. So you see I have many fears. So many

That I'm considering canceling my surgery this week. Are my fears unfounded?

Please help!

I encourage you to talk to your surgeon and learn the actual facts. Everything you stated here is totally untrue and it sounds like you've read too many internet stories and not enough factual data.

-Vomiting a lot: Totally untrue, in fact vomiting should be avoided at all costs with the band

-Severe digestion problems: Totally untrue because your digestive system isn't changed at all

-Unable to enjoy food: Totally untrue. You can still eat normally just less of it.

-Band eroding into stomach: Possible, but if you follow the band rules and your doctor's orders the risk is very small, like 5%

-Psychological issues: Possible, and if so you need a support group or counselor.

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#1 ask the anthesiologist to give you antiemetics prior and during surgery and after. this should control vomiting and nausea. #2 if you didnt have digestion problems before you more than likely wont after, if you keep to small meals. chew your food throughly. dont eat fast and don't gulp. #3 you still enjoy all the foods you love you just won't want to eat as much. we are all still on diets. low fat, sugar free and mostly carb free. by having surgery you are confirming that you cannot lose weight on your own. you have tried and cant do it. your weight is a health issue and you should be thinking about a new attitude towards food. if you arent there than perhaps postponing your surgery is the right thing to do. i think most banders on here were looking forward to their surgery. worked hard to have it done. i know i felt like it was my last resort. and i have to tell you that losing weight is a high in itself. wearing clothes again that i haven't been able to wear, to have energy that i haven't had for years. lap band surgery is a blessing. not a curse. good luck to you

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I encourage you to talk to your surgeon and learn the actual facts. Everything you stated here is totally untrue and it sounds like you've read too many internet stories and not enough factual data. -Vomiting a lot: Totally untrue' date=' in fact vomiting should be avoided at all costs with the band -Severe digestion problems: Totally untrue because your digestive system isn't changed at all -Unable to enjoy food: Totally untrue. You can still eat normally just less of it. -Band eroding into stomach: Possible, but if you follow the band rules and your doctor's orders the risk is very small, like 5% -Psychological issues: Possible, and if so you need a support group or counselor.[/quote']

Yes I have read many many horror stories on the internet. Many say the lap band is extremely dangerous. But honestly I do have friends that have a hard time tolerating foods and vomit a lot. I will talk to my surgeon about my fears. Thank you for responding to me.

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Over the last year I've become increasingly suspect of anecdotal stories about the lap band not working. Usually with digging it boils down to the fact the person wasn't prepared for how the band actually works. I've also found that one of the biggest issues is that when the band works great people often don't talk about it. Either they're too ashamed to admit t hey used the band to lose weight or maybe they just want to get on with their new healthy life but ultimately people are more likely to make noise, complain, and repeatedly share a story when something goes wrong rather than talk repeatedly about how things have gone well.

There are rare cases where complications from surgery are an actual issue but that's true of any surgery and if those risks are greater than your risks from chronic obesity then you simply shouldn't even consider bariatric surgery.

Educate yourself with facts not stories learn about how the band works and not how people feel. The try to build good habits for eating and exercise before getting the band. The band will make those habits much easier to keep but it doesn't magically give them to you.

You are the one who will decide if Bariatric surgery is right for you it's normal to be nervous about the change but being "afraid" means you need to learn more about what you can expect in my opinion.

my 0.02

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The band is a life long commitment that you must be prepared for psychologically. Many people do have the symptoms you wrote about but there are a hundred times or more of those that don't. You are the one that will be in control of how you eat once banded. Follow the guidelines and you should be fine. Good luck!

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just like missy said; talk to your doctor for the facts and you can go to the realize & lap-band sites for in

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    • Alisa_S

      On day 4 of the 2 week liquid pre-op diet. Surgery scheduled for June 11th.
      Soooo I am coming to a realization
      of something and I'm not sure what to do about it. For years the only thing I've enjoyed is eating. We rarely do anything or go anywhere and if we do it always includes food. Family comes over? Big family dinner! Go camping? Food! Take a short ride or trip? Food! Holiday? Food! Go out of town for a Dr appointment? Food! When we go to a new town we don't look for any attractions, we look for restaurants we haven't been to. Heck, I look forward to getting off work because that means it's almost supper time. Now that I'm drinking these pre-op shakes for breakfast, lunch, and supper I have nothing to look forward to.  And once I have surgery on June 11th it'll be more of the same shakes. Even after pureed stage, soft food stage, and finally regular food stage, it's going to be a drastic change for the rest of my life. I'm giving up the one thing that really brings me joy. Eating. How do you cope with that? What do you do to fill that void? Wow. Now I'm sad.
      · 1 reply
      1. LeighaTR

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    • Alisa_S

      On day 4 of the 2 week liquid pre-op diet. Surgery scheduled for June 11th.
      Soooo I am coming to a realization
      of something and I'm not sure what to do about it. For years the only thing I've enjoyed is eating. We rarely do anything or go anywhere and if we do it always includes food. Family comes over? Big family dinner! Go camping? Food! Take a short ride or trip? Food! Holiday? Food! Go out of town for a Dr appointment? Food! When we go to a new town we don't look for any attractions, we look for restaurants we haven't been to. Heck, I look forward to getting off work because that means it's almost supper time. Now that I'm drinking these pre-op shakes for breakfast, lunch, and supper I have nothing to look forward to.  And once I have surgery on June 11th it'll be more of the same shakes. Even after pureed stage, soft food stage, and finally regular food stage, it's going to be a drastic change for the rest of my life. I'm giving up the one thing that really brings me joy. Eating. How do you cope with that? What do you do to fill that void? Wow. Now I'm sad.
      · 1 reply
      1. summerseeker

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        BTW, the liquid diet sucks, one more day and you are over the worst. You can do it.

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