Ever feel its not worth it?

nan42 · June 16, 2008

I was banded Oct 11 2007 once I made it through the rough spot and through lots of bad fills I found my sweet spot and was never hungry It was awsome the band works. Yesterday I found out i have a leak and need a port replacement $3900 so today I wonder if it is worth it or is it a money pitt.

Carrie_C · June 16, 2008

It will get better when you get passed the liquids and can have some real food. I was banded May 22 and I already feel like it was worth it. I had a really big cry around 4 days after my surgery and I regretted doing it, but I think almost everyone goes through that. I am fine now. Just hang in there and you will feel better.

patty jean · June 16, 2008

Hang in there. It does get better and you will look back on these days and feel it's been all worth it...well worth it. Stay in touch with the doctor if you feel this is something very unusual...but just give yourself more time. Rest, relax and watch the weight melt away. It really gets much better. It's a process and one worth going thru.

kbinaz · June 16, 2008

I sympathize with you! I remember those early days after surgery - everything just seemed so complicated. It seemed like everything required so much thought and I felt like you -like "will I ever just be normal again?" Well, I am almost 8 months out from surgery and I can assure you it was worth it and I do feel normal again. Just hang in there and be patient. You had major surgery and it is going to take time to heal and adjust. I can honestly say it WAS worth it, 100%!!! I would not go back and undo this for the world. You will never go back to exactly the way you were before surgery, but that was kind of the point!!! That means the gluttony and guilt will be gone and the numbers on the scale will get smaller and smaller - the other adjustments involved after banding are small prices to pay for those results. You will soon feel much more 'back to normal' - just hang in there!

Bandguy · June 16, 2008

Hi All,

I would like to hear from others who have gotten of track what steps you have taken to rebound.

I am 1yr. 5 mos post op and need help getting back on track. I was going GREAT for 9 mos and stop following my plan. I have put back on weigh and feel too embarrassed to go back to my doctor. I do not want to feel that my band was a waste of time. Mornings my band is tight but in the evenings I am hungry.

I do not have the sense of fullness, but rather a sense of feeling blocked. I am having night coughs and reflux. Please post or email me at kbinns101@comcast.net.

Bandguy

SanDiegoPhotog · June 16, 2008

It was exactly at 5 days post-op that I burst into tears. I was regretting my decision. I was sad. I didn't even attempt to venture out, because I knew the movies meant popcorn and candy and soda. The mall would have all the usual food smells. I just stayed home and had myself a pity party.

Well, I'm 12 days post-op and I can't tell you how much better it is. Yeah, I'm still on liquids -- yeah, I get the occasional pain now and then . . . but they're more like twinges now. No, I still can't pick up my babies (which is killing me).

BUT, I went for a speedwalk today and had almost as much energy as I did pre-op, even though I am on liquids. I'm down 31 pounds since I started this process in April, 14 of which are post-op. And my clothes are hanging on for dear life. I even went to a wedding in a dress one size smaller and it looked awesome on me! I got so many compliments that I didn't even care that I was drinking Water at the reception.

SO, YES, IT DOES GET BETTER!!!!!!!! A little bit easier, but infinitely BETTER.

Hang in there. It will be very soon that you will be excited about your band.

Hastings · June 16, 2008

Bandguy, go back and see your doctor, you will not be the first of his patients to gain weight. A fill might help you get back on track.

To get back to the thread topic. Yes it was worth it, but somehow I missed the drama queen phase so many seem to go through. I didn't have much pain at all. Day three I was exercising. You'll do fine, but you must be committed to the process.

Carrie_C · June 16, 2008

Hi All,

I would like to hear from others who have gotten of track what steps you have taken to rebound.

I am 1yr. 5 mos post op and need help getting back on track. I was going GREAT for 9 mos and stop following my plan. I have put back on weigh and feel too embarrassed to go back to my doctor. I do not want to feel that my band was a waste of time. Mornings my band is tight but in the evenings I am hungry.

I do not have the sense of fullness, but rather a sense of feeling blocked. I am having night coughs and reflux. Please post or email me at kbinns101@comcast.net.

Bandguy

Go back to your doctor. There are a lot of people who get way off track. They see it all the time.

picturemethin · June 16, 2008

I was banded mid-March 2008, for the first two months I felt it wasn't worth it and imagined what my future would be gaining 8 lbs a year eventually being 400 lbs and miserable. I figured I'll give this band a chance considering that I just spent two weeks in misery. I had my second fill end of May and wow I think I have fallen in love with my band... While I still work hard to make it work for me, it has made 'dieting' super easy. I have another fill next week, can't wait...but not sure I need one, yet. Give it some time, work with it and enjoy your moments of bandster hell... Good Luck to you!

conniecasino · June 17, 2008

This is from the gas they fill you up with for the surgery. Try a heating pad.....put it on where ever it hurts and this will help. It is worth it believe me. This will be life changing and you will fill like nothing ever happened in a few days. :sad:

Bandguy · June 17, 2008

Thanks for your advise and suggestion. I will go back and see the Dr. next week. The first 6 mos I was doing great and the weigh was coming off, then I got lazy, stressed and reverted back to old behaviors.

Bandguy

Hastings · June 17, 2008

Recognizing the misstep and admitting the error is a huge step, Bandguy. Best of luck.

flirtyangel · June 17, 2008

I was banded on Friday the 13th. I have had hardly any pain. But I think that was becauseI was told to walk 10 minutes every hourI was a wake and make sure one of those walks are outside. Trust me thats a tough one when its 113 out here. I also do my breathing every hour. I amnow staying onmyown and I feel good. I had lost 17 lbs pre op. 6 lbs since friday. So yes it is very worth it. I would not have been able to losethat weight without it.

Daisalana · June 17, 2008

I ended up in the ER 4 days post-op thinking I had a blood clot.. I had actually just pulled a muscle because I didn't take my pain meds and was holding my body funny. And for what it's worth, I read how easy the surgery was, minimal pain, etc.. and my threshold is high for pain.. but I thought I was dying the first 2 days. It was extremely painful for me, like someone shredded my insides. Everyone experiences it differently! But it's all a distant memory now, and I'd do it 100x's over (if I could afford it!) if I had to.

Take your pain meds, you're early out, don't get discouraged yet. It's common thought right now, you just did something major to your body and right now you're not reaping the benefits. But hold strong, within 6 months you'll likely be praising the band :tongue:

jojo7 · June 17, 2008

I'd do it again and I'd recommend it but mine was not without problems. I had an infection in the port right after surgery. I didn't eat for a week while and had to get IV antibiotics. Then I was better for a while and then the first fill and all hell broke loose. I was vomiting air for two weeks. Saw a gastroenterologist and lap band doctor (who took out all my fill) and neither could figure it out. Was diagnosed with H Pylori. Took the meds and got better. Then the infection came back. Wouldn't go away so I had to have the port removed. 6 weeks later had it replaced and a small fill (ok I asked for a small fill but the doctor went overboard). Got sick again. Didn't eat for three weeks while both the lap band doctor and gastroenterologist went through the series of tests. Got unfilled again. Finally it went away. It was decided but not known for sure that fills change the shape of my stomach and cause it not to work so I will not be getting a fill. I haven't needed one and have lost 123 pounds in a year. Yes I've been sick but I am so much healthier now and I know without the band I would still be morbidly obese and facing diabetis and high blood pressure and all the other things I was dealing with. I won't say I didn't have days that I said WHAT THE HELL AM I DOING. But now they are in the past and I'm moving forward to loose my last 50 pounds without a fill. I've been on a plateau but I'm starting to excercise and I'm seeing a difference. Good luck and hang in there. No one said it was an easy solution. It takes work. Anything worthwhile usually does.