O.K., I am new to this so please forgive the novice questions. I would really appreciate hearing from anyone who has been banded for a year or more as well as from anyone who knows of people that were not successful with banding. I just want to fully understand both sides so I can make sure I make the right decision and am successful.

I am trying to get my head around the lifestyle change. I truly want this and I truly believe I am committed, but isn't that what I said about every diet I have done over the past 30 years!!!! Is it truly a "revelation" that after surgery you just don't want to eat and don't want the bad foods?

How do you deal with not being able to eat things that perhaps you really enjoyed before? I have been told no carbonated beverages period. That would mean never tasting beer again ever?? No rice, no bread, no Pasta???

I have always had beverages with meals...sometimes that is a glass of wine, but often it is 3-4 glasses of Water. How hard is it really to not drink 30 minutes before a meal, during a meal and 30 minutes after a meal??

And finally, on the emotional side of things, I am wrestling with the mind game that everyone will think I am such a "weak" person (myself included) that I resorted to surgery. Am I a bad person for not having the discipline to lose the weight and keep it off rather than losing 20-30 lbs and gaining back 30-40 as I have been doing more more years than I can count.

If anyone wrestled with these same things I would appreciate hearing about how you dealt with it.

Thanks!!!

Answers below in blue.

How do you deal with not being able to eat things that perhaps you really enjoyed before? I have been told no carbonated beverages period. That would mean never tasting beer again ever?? No rice, no bread, no Pasta??? There is nothing I ate before that I cannot eat now. I do not drink carbonated beverages, but I didn't drink many pre-op either. Just the occasional caffeine free Diet Coke and Fresca, really, so giving those up did not bother me at all. I eat rice, bread, pasta.

I have always had beverages with meals...sometimes that is a glass of wine, but often it is 3-4 glasses of Water. How hard is it really to not drink 30 minutes before a meal, during a meal and 30 minutes after a meal?? My surgeon advises 30 minutes before and two hours after. I drink before meals. The water goes through and it is not impacting my sensation of fullness. If I need a drink during the meal I take it, but only small sips. I'm generally clear to drink about 20 minutes after eating. unless it's a slow day - then it can be upwards of 4 hours or so. I can "feel" when I'm ok to drink. A few encounters with drinking waaaay too soon taught me that.

And finally, on the emotional side of things, I am wrestling with the mind game that everyone will think I am such a "weak" person (myself included) that I resorted to surgery. Am I a bad person for not having the discipline to lose the weight and keep it off rather than losing 20-30 lbs and gaining back 30-40 as I have been doing more more years than I can count. First of all, let's say someone out there thinks you're weak for it. And you somehow know they think this. So what? What does that person's opinion matter? Does it change your life? Does it change any outcome of the band? Everyone will have their own opinion. Sometimes those opinions will change. In either case, there's little you can do about it other than be able to see beyond what others think. NEVER give anyone else that amount of power over you.