Hi All"

Im new here. Have doctor's consult in February. My sister lost over 100 pounds with gastric by-pass but Im considering lapband.

My questions: What makes the "addiction" to food go away? Do you all of a sudden just dont care to eat anymore? What keeps you from eating? Is it because you will feel really sick?

Im probably going to have this proceedure. However, in the back of my mind probably from years of failed attempts at weightloss, Im thinking this isnt going to work for me. Im so depressed.

Any information, encouragement would help!

Thanks!

The addiction never goes away. That's why it's an addiction, and not just an affinity for. It will always be there, but it can get easier to deal with. Like all addictions, knowing you are an addict is the largest step in the battle. Forgetting you are a food addict is the first giant step down the path of failure.

Since I've been banded I've found that even when I do delve into a little emotional eating, I can't eat that much, I've got some restriction, even before a fill. When I can't eat mass quantities of anything I get very anxious. So I must grab my own thoughts and turn them 'round to work on my actual feelings and emotions. In this way I'm able to fight against the demon of overeating. This way is working for me right now. But, whether food, or something else, I know addiction. It will change and twist. I will have to constantly learn new skills, and I will lose the weight.

That's what works for me. Hope it helps.

It's really important that you research, research, research before you do anything. There is so much to learn and you need to have realisitic expectations. How much weight are you wanting to lose? Do you have any co-morbidities (weight-related health problems)? The band will help you to lose weight much slower (but healthier) than the RNY does. The band is a tool that will help you, but you have to be able to do your part. If you make healthy food choices, drink lots of water (but not with meals or 1 hour after), and do some form of exercise consistently - you will lose weight. Everyone that's gotten a band felt that they were the one the band would fail on. We've all tried numerous diets, only to gain more back than we started with. Diets don't work! The band helps you because you are eating less and feeling satisfied. It is easy to eat out of boredom, but once you're aware of it, you'll try to avoid those situations more. As you lose weight, and your energy level picks up, you'll find things that you really enjoy doing - that don't revolve around food. There is a lot of "headwork" to do, along with the physical work. But one thing is that when you start losing weight, you start feeling better - physically and emotionally. You start losing that "whipped down" feeling that you've had for so long and realize that you are a valuable individual. I can honestly say that I feel better now, medical problems seriously improved, meds. reduced, than I have in YEARS. I've discovered that I now enjoy bike riding and mountain hikes - something I never even considered doing for so long. Best of luck to you on your search for better health!

Hi Angel...

My sister had the RNY Gastric bypass as well but I am still very happy that I chose the Lap Band. If I have good restriction... which usually starts after you have your band filled... you just aren't able to eat the big quantities of food. If I wanted to work around the band... I could eat candy and icecream and have done that a couple of times. It's an exercise in patience and learning and the band helps you control yourself... it helps you take charge. I am unable to binge eat like I used to and am trying to learn different ways of dealing with emotions and fears. BOTH surgeries are tools and both have their advantages and disadvantages... the best thing about being banded is knowing that your GI tract is not being altered permanently and you well be able to absorb all the nutrients that god intended your body absorb.

Oh... if I don't listen and eat ONE MORE bite after I am full... I get a sensation of pain and something being "stuck"... it's not pleasant and it has really helped retrain my brain.

Good Luck!

Darcy

The fact that you are asking this question indicates that you have insight into your eating disorder as well as insight into what the band can and cannot do. Good for you! I think you are on the right track.

I've been banded for 16 months. In the beginning the weight just fell off and I don't remember being very conscious about what I ate. I didn't follow many of the band "rules." Now it is different and if I want to lose the other half of my excess weight, I will have to work for it and that is what I am doing. I am watching my diet, exercising - all those good things.

But to answer your question: If you eat as you are supposed to - meaning Protein first, then veggies - you won't be able to eat very much. First you will get some mild feelings, usually in your throat, that tell you it is time to stop. If you continue eating, you will feel pain and the food may even come back up. This is called a "productive burp" or a PB. If you choose to eat foods that go through the band very easily such as chips, ice cream, etc. nothing will really stop you from overeating. We call this "eating around the band" because you are choosing not to let the band help you. I got into eating around the band for months and I didn't lose any weight, but I didn't gain weight either, so I guess the band was keeping me from eating as much as I would have before. Overeating with the band is not quite as fun or as soothing as overeating without the band. When I "got the spirit" again, I started losing weight again.

Losing weight helps motivate me to continue losing weight and so I do all the right things that I need to do to lose more. As Marie said, I feel so much better now and I am so much healthier that I want to maintain these gains and that motivates me not to overeat.

I also began psychotherapy when I got banded and I continued for a year. I think it helped me to learn how to cope with feelings without overeating and that is a very important skill for us.

The short answer is if you really want to overeat with the band, you can, but you won't be able to eat quite as much, it won't be as fun, and it may lead to pain and a PB. Losing weight is fun, it's exciting, and it's motivating.

I, too, was depressed prior to getting banded, but I've learned that there really was hope for me. I just couldn't see it. I hope you feel better soon and I can't help but hope that you get the band.

Nancy

hi, angle

i aggree with all of what they say, if is your health, or your peace of mind, and feeling better, keeping looking for more info. till your satisfied, the difference in the two surgerys is one is reversable lapband , the other is not.gastrobypass.

best of health,to you,

margie

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margie

295/257/140gol

4/5/04

no fill yet.

Make sure to do TONS of research, and read alot of these posts on the boards. Beyond the 'specifics' you can get from places like the Inamed website, here you can get real questions and answers that people asked just after being banded, and real experiences. And know that no matter how much research you do there's going to be things that you aren't expecting. Or that you are expecting, but you just don't know how it's actually going to feel.

I personally have to eat slowly, and chew insanely well. I know when I'm done eating because I feel a certain pressure in my chest. I know that if I keep adding to this pressure, my meal is going to come back up on me.

Good luck!