Hi all, I am a new wannabe banster. I have the opportunity to get the band and I really want to. I have to admit I am a bit scared to do it. I have been reading these great posts and learning a lot. I am glad everyone has been really honest. I have read the good and bad and all in all everyone seems to have a great feeling about the band. I am scared that after I get this done I will never feel normal again. Can anyone tell me how long it took for them to feel back to normal? And is the pain excruciating? Also has anyone gone through dr. Horgan? Thanks everyone I know this is quite an order to fill.

Welcome!!! I was just banded 8/17, so about 5 weeks or so ago....I really have to think hard about I felt after surgery since it seems like forever since my surgery....in other words, my experience was this: the surgery was quick, the recovery time was quick, my pain on a scale from 1-10 (10 being the worse pain) was about a 2, incisions very small, except for the port area (that incision is about 3 - 4 inches long), I am blessed with some resriction even prior to being filled, I have lost 36 pounds....I LOVE MY BAND!!!!!!

I know what you mean about not feeling normal. I certainly did not feel normal for a few weeks, at least. There is alot to learn about being banded, and some of it, to tell the truth, you just have to live. I resaerched for months and was surprised by nothing post-op. However, there is just nothing like living it. For me, the hardest part of the recovery was adjusting to livng on so few calories. I was exhausted! I also have 2 young children, so...add that in. I certainly wasn't hungry, but really wanted to guzzle something to drink but could barely sip. I didn't like that. But a few weeks in, I had my son and went to lunch with a friend and somewhere in there, getting out of the car, I think, I felt normal. Yep, that's what it was, just a little bit normal and back to my old self and routine. It felt really nice. Slowly, I had longer periods of time where I was normal and it has only gotten better.

Don't know about Dr Horgan, but I have seen his name on the boards here. Maybe do a Search? Good luck!!!!

Thanks so much. I think the hardest thing will be to learn how to sip. Is that something you have to do forever? Because I guzzle my drinks down. I also feel there will be no suprises. I just want to live through this. Which I am sure I will. But there is always that little voice that says. It is a risk you have to take. By the way Margo a 2 is great. I hope I am the same on the pain scale.

Welcome Hedwig, I have been banded for 10 days. Each day a feel a little more normal. Each day something happens like getting out of bed or getting in the car and you say "all right, that isn't as uncomfortable any more" I feel that I will be back to my old self within the next week. My pain was also about a 2 (the first few days that was dependant on the pain meds but I have been off of all pain meds since day 4)

I went back to my office job on day 9 and my boss commented on the fact that she thought I would be hunched over and crabby but I was just myself only a little tired.

You will be fine - so far I have no regrets.

Good luck,

I had the surgery on March 1, 2005 by Dr. Malley in Kansas City Missouri. I love it. I have lost about 80 lbs so far, and I don't exercise at all. The surgery is easy, really. I checked into the hospital around noon, surgery at 1, woke up later that night in a private room. Little bit sore, but they give you pain meds. slept the night away, with great medical care checks. The next morning I had to do a barium swallow test. Easy. they actualy brought the xray machine to the room. Went home. It was a little uncomfortable to find a sleeping position for the first week, but not to serious. by the end of three days, I could have gone back to a really physical job, but played hooky for two weeks. At the end of two weeks I had no excuse not to go to work. the scar is little. (1inch) Dr. Malley needs to be plastic surgeon. The most difficult part of this procedure is learning to eat again. You have to eat ssslllloooowww, and tiny bites. And give up some foods, but to be honest, once you eat bread and feel it get stuck, you really don't want it again. Overall, I have not regretted my decision to get this surgery. I am blessed right now, and my doctor made all the difference.

I never had to sip. I can chug with the best of them. I was back to "normal" within 3 days. I've never PB'd or had any problems. Now my only problem is finding someone to take all those clothes that are too big for me and finding cute new ones. I love my band!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Horgan is one of the most respected band surgeons in the country. His bedside manner occasionally comes under attack, but I know that for people with complications who have gone to him to fix other surgeons' errors, he is quite compassionate.

thanks so much for all the help. now you guys will never get rid of me.

I have to say, like most people I had lots of reservations prior to my banding. I'd never had surgery, and didn't like the concept of pain, of course.

I can honestly say that after the op. at absolute worst, I felt minor discomfort, nothing more than that.

Now I'm 12kgs (about 26 pounds) down and I've not even been filled, yet.

Everyone has the same concerns as you, Hedwig, you'll be fine!

I havent got mine yet but its taken me a very very long time to come to the decision. I changed my mind several times and to be honest I think it was the right thing to do. Each time i decided not to do it, I came upon another truth - like what was "normal" anyway?. It made me realise that I didnt want to be my kind of "normal" ever again since that was what got me here in the first place. I think I learned more in convincing myself not to do it - in so doing I faced what it was that was scaring me - things like losing my best friend food, my particular feelings about not being able to just hoe in when eating socially etc etc and yes, the terrifying reality of actually losing the weight.

Take your time and think about it as much as you need to. I find even now I'm focussing on the process and not thinking too much on the actual event - kind of like not looking directly at the sun - but I know now I will do it. I should find out a date at my next appointment on 13 October.

Hi Hedwig! Welcome to LBT

You're not alone in your concerns - we've all had them. It would be abnormal not to be worried a bit.

I'm a wimp when it comes to pain, but it really wasn't that bad. I would say on a scale of 1 to 10, it was about a 3 and that was just the first day (although, had you asked me at the time, I would have said a 6 lol). After I was up and walking around the hospital, I felt heaps better! A week post op I was feeling good. A month post op, I was completely back to normal (could exercise and such with no worries).

You'll do fine

GO FOR IT !!!! as long as you are comfortable with your doc . I had my band on 9/20/2005 so I am just 8 days into it now . I feel great . My incisions are a little sore , the one where the port is . I have lost 13 lbs already , i feel great and I do not regret it a bit . I would do it over again in a second . wish you the best !!

Thanks so much. I think the hardest thing will be to learn how to sip. Is that something you have to do forever?

Learning how to sip post-op and post-fill has been the most difficult part for me. But, no, it isn't forever. Unless I have a swollen stoma (such as post-op and post-fill) I can guzzle just fine. It would drive me nuts if I had to sip like that forever. It's only for a while, and it gets better and easier with time.

I've been banded now for 7 weeks and I feel great! I have returned to a strenuous job and I have begun exercising daily. Today I went for a 18 mile bike ride in 100 degree temp. I was afraid about what I would and wouldn't be able to do after the Band. There is nothing I can't do, that I did before the Band. I feel better than normal! At times, I feel like I still overeat, but nowhere near as much as before! Another fill in a couple of weeks will help out.

Take Care,

Of course, it all depends on what your definition of "normal" is, right? The normal I had grown accustomed to was not a good place to be physically, emotionally or mentaly. Before being banded, I was slowly dieing from resperatory failure. A slow lingering death, instead of my prefered "death by misadventure :D" My normal life was one filled with fear and dozens of asthma inhalers and nebulizers and so many trips to the ER I was starting to be on first name contact with the nurses and doctors.

That was my normal.

This is my normal: I have one inhaler burried somewhere in my bookbag. I have one in my purse, I think. My nebulizer is on a shelf in my closet, gathering dust and I don't even have any duo-neb in my fridge. I take the stairs, unless I need to go up more than 3 flights at once. I am not afraid I'm going to die gasping like a fish.

I'm a slow loser. Some days I'm content with my list of non-scale victories (NSVs) some days I'm not. But I'm not dead.