Pre-op and curious.

bluejay · March 25, 2007

I have so many questions I just dont know where to start. I am really in a delima because the more I read this forum the more it makes me nervous. I haven't called a doctor yet to even get approved to get banded. Which I am sure they will approve me. I am 5foot5 and 260 lbs with a BMI of 43... I think.

My insurance said as long as my doctor approves it, then they pay for everything. Anyhow getting off track. I hope that you guys can answer my questions for me....

1. After you get banded and all healed and done with the special liquid and mushie diet can you eat regular foods? I mean I can't live without pizza forever. Yes I realise that I will have to eat healthy and it will be a different way of life but can you eat regular foods?

2. Do you have to get fills for the rest of the time you have the band on? or is it for a certain amount of time?

3. Can you do regular exercise, especially like sit ups?

4. I know this is depending on the person but do you have so much extra skin that you CAN'T wear a bikini? I know that sounds really shallow, but I have never been able to wear one before.

5. How long did it take for you to complete the whole process, getting approved to actually getting the band on?

I cant think of anymore but I think the rest I could probably ask my doctor... I just want to make sure this procedure is for me.

Thanks for the answers.

Alexandra · March 25, 2007

1. After you get banded and all healed and done with the special liquid and mushie diet can you eat regular foods? I mean I can't live without pizza forever. Yes I realise that I will have to eat healthy and it will be a different way of life but can you eat regular foods?

You can eat any food you want, you just have to eat it differently. Once you have restricttion, you will never again be able to finish off a slice of pizza on five bites. But think about it: isn't that how you got here?

2. Do you have to get fills for the rest of the time you have the band on? or is it for a certain amount of time?

You get adjustments for as long as they're necessary. An adjustment either increases or decreases the amount of restriction you feel, and are up to you. Most people have several adjustments in the first couple of years to increase restriction, and it seems common also to have adjustments to decrease restriction down the line for whatever reason. But it's personal and there is no definitive rule about.

3. Can you do regular exercise, especially like sit ups?

Yes, absolutely.

4. I know this is depending on the person but do you have so much extra skin that you CAN'T wear a bikini? I know that sounds really shallow, but I have never been able to wear one before.

This is unique to the individual. I know I would never wear a bikini, but I've had two kids in addition to losing 130 lbs. Lots of post-op people wear bikinis.

5. How long did it take for you to complete the whole process, getting approved to actually getting the band on?

My situation was unique, so don't go by me. The insurance process is what's time-consuming, and that just takes as long as it takes. Once the insurer has ALL your information, they should get back with a yes or no within 30 days (usually much faster). The surgery is then arranged, and of course that all depends on your surgeon's schedule.

I cant think of anymore but I think the rest I could probably ask my doctor... I just want to make sure this procedure is for me.

You will think of more, don't worry. Welcome to LBT and keep asking questions!!

marjon9 · March 25, 2007

I'll give you my .02

1. After you get banded and all healed and done with the special liquid and mushie diet can you eat regular foods? I mean I can't live without pizza forever. Yes I realise that I will have to eat healthy and it will be a different way of life but can you eat regular foods?

There is something about getting banded that people can't really understand until they have the band. That is, most people find that their food preferences actually change. Many people who loved pizza on longer want to eat it. I'm one of those. The way the band works is that it creates this speed bump in your digestive tract. It allows you to get "full" on much less food, and then have that little bit of food that you ate slowly move on down the road. Since you can only eat a little bit, your body starts to want the things you need. I don't mean that you start thinking you "should" eat more nutritious foods. I'm saying that your body actually starts to prefer and want more nutritous foods. You may very well find that after you are banded you feel about chicken breast and vegetables the same way you feel now about pizza. I'm not saying you will never want pizza or chocolate or cake or whatever. But many people find that they really and truly want less of those things, and more of the good things. I know this is had to believe, but many bandsters will tell you that this happened with them.

2. Do you have to get fills for the rest of the time you have the band on? or is it for a certain amount of time?

I agree with what Alexandra said. I can just say that for me, I still have restriction just from having the band put in, and I do not have any fill yet. Some people go a long time with adequate restriction before they get their first fill. I am starting to find that my restriction is not quite enough now. Still good, but not quite enough. I'll probably go get my first fill in the next few weeks. The only other thing I want to add is that being overfilled can be a serious problem. You can get dehydrated. Remember that when you are a bandster. If you get a fill and find that you can't eat anything, or even drink Water, deal with it right away. Usually getting just a small unfill solves the problem completely.

3. Can you do regular exercise, especially like sit ups?

Yes, you can exercise. But who would want to? Just kidding. I'm not a lover of exercise, except for walking, which I do quite a bit with my dogs. From what other bandsters say, I know that you can exercise normally after you are healed from the surgery.

4. I know this is depending on the person but do you have so much extra skin that you CAN'T wear a bikini? I know that sounds really shallow, but I have never been able to wear one before.

You might want to check out a thread on this forum called "Lower Body Lift Fun." Some people on there show photos of themselves after they lost weight and then had a lower body lift. The result is that they look like slender, fit women without extra skin. This might be something that fits into your life at some point, especially since you are so young right now.

5. How long did it take for you to complete the whole process, getting approved to actually getting the band on?

I was a "self-payor." So I did not have to wait much at all. If insurance is going to pay for it then it can be a slow and frustrating process, depending on your insurance coverage. With some people it goes fairly quickly and smoothly. With others it seems to take forever. But again, by "forever" I mean six months or a year. I know this seems like such a long time it would be unbearable. But you know the old saying, in a year you will be a year older anyway, whether you get the band or not. So you may as well get the ball rolling.

I cant think of anymore but I think the rest I could probably ask my doctor... I just want to make sure this procedure is for me.

As Alexandra said: You will think of more, don't worry. Welcome to LBT and keep asking questions!!

purplemonkey · March 27, 2007

Marjon9 I totally agree with you about how your relationship to food changes once you are banded, and you REALLY can't understand it until you are banded.

I was always an emotional eater and now that I think back on it, it seemed like I was always in a state of desperation...I had to have it and nothing was going to stop me. I needed the food, whatever it was. I would buy bags of candy or Snacks and just eat without thinking. I'm not explaining this too well, but there was this panic desperate feeling that was always driving me.

I've only been banded a week but things have changed so much. I feel like I'm on prozac or something because this desperation is no longer there. I'm eating/drinking about 800 calories and getting all my Protein and Water and am quite satisfied. I still do have cravings, weird cravings too LOL (like pizza with peppers and bologna... don't ask me why) but the fuel that was driving me to eat is no longer there. I feel in control of myself for the first time and it's so exciting! I can live with this and I look forward to the positives that will come from it.

Alexandra you are such an inspiration. I was at the seminar last August when you spoke to the crowd about your experience. :bolt: Dr. Abkin is fabulous! I couldn't be happier with him as my doctor.

BTW, I don't know why anyone would choose the gastric bypass without giving the band a shot first. The bypass was wayyyy too extreme for me and I will never regret going with the band.

Best of luck to you bluejay!

Virginia