Having doubts. Does this really work?

[ThePoolGirl 1]

:biggrin:I'm still pleased with what I learned at a recent seminar and with what I'm reading on this forum...but...

I'd love to hear from any of you post-op banders. Are you really satisfied with the smaller amount of food? I get the difference between "head hunger" and "real hunger". I'm sure I have problems actually following that or I wouldn't be planning on banding :scared2:. I crave sweet foods much of the time and usually end up eating way more of them than I should. Are you really satisfied and too full after the Protein, veggies, etc.? I have read many posts from post-ops and it sounds like you are...but I need some assurance please. While life after banding sounds so great, I know it's a lot of work and there are ups and downs. I am not giving up on the band at all!! I already have an appt. with the surgeon. I'm just really curious to hear what some of you have to say. All the brochures and literature give you are facts and figures. I wanna hear the "real" stories of being hungry enough to share you dog's dinner :wink2:. Thank you so much.

ThePoolGirl

[Jachut 487]

Look, you have to be realistic with the headhunger and craving thing. Nothing will absolutely make that go away and you can over time get lazy and revert back to those foods.

I'm no low carb fan but I do notice that when I lurch from carb filled meal to carb filled meal with simple carbs (think donuts, Cookies, vanilla slices) and coffee in between, I just get on a roll that I find very difficult to stop. The band STILL works for me, becuase my portions are small, and I run daily, so when i do this I dont gain weight.

However, if I eat small and often - 3 to 4 hourly and I eat only low GI wholegrain carbs combined with Protein then I feel better, my energy level is constant, and the urge to eat bad foods really is managed better. I still get hit with the temptation and I find it very hard to stick to a routine like this - life, work, kids etc all get in the way but I've also found that as long as I'm pretty good about 80% of the time, then my weight stays stable (or kept coming off when I was losing).

I lost well over 100% of my excess weight to take me well past the top of my healthy range and I've kept it off for about 2 years now. I'm not perfect, and I never will be, but its about a change in the balance of good v bad behaviours, not in sticking to a "diet" faultlessly.

I'm going to Sydney next weekend for my sister's 40th, my parents are meeting us there and my other sis is coming up too. It will be a weekend full of booze, eating and celebrating, and coz we're staying in hotels, every meal will have to be eaten out. I dont fuss and fret about how I'm goign to stick with my program for these types of things - who CARES? I will go, enjoy myself, not eat past full and not get myself hopelessly tanked, lol, just do it moderately and enjoyably. Then I get back with program first thing Monday! Its really not so hard.

You can do this with some effort!

Edited July 17, 2009 by Jachut

[RestlessMonkey 7]

Jacqui is a great success...

here's my take (a success in progress! :scared2: )

Yes, it really works, but like any tool, you have to use it, and use it properly. You have to hold a pencil properly to write with it, you have to start and drive a car (and maintain it) and so on. The band is no exception.

You have probably eaten when you were full...?

You will still have to struggle with that urge. You've overeaten? Still can happen. You have to make good choices.

The BIG difference, as I see it, is the fact that if you do overeat, it often HURTS. You have to bring up bites of food. That makes an IMMEDIATE connection between overeating and pain. Does that make sense? Used to, for me at least, I overate. I got too full. But, my thighs didn't automatically expand, I didn't get another chin, etc. In an odd way, there wasn't much to stop me. Now, there's PAIN. And it is GREAT! It's almost like my band spats my hand and says "you've had enough. Stop now!" LOL (I mean, if a real human tried that, oh man. But, I chose the band) Ultimately I have more control now over my appetite than I ever have. It is "easier" to make good choices because the better I choose, the less hungry I am later. I don't count/weight/chart/measure a darn thing. I just follow the band rules and live my life. I LOVE it. It is just about exactly what I dreamed of. I can eat anything I CHOOSE (no WW guidelines, no Jenny prepared food in the freezer) and I eat less of it and lose weight. That I usually choose leaner meats, things without breading, etc is because I want to lose. 3 oz of lean steak keeps me full longer than, say, enchiladas, rice and Beans. I think it is wonderful.

[ClaudiaJ 0]

Hi :cursing:

The success of lap band depends on how you well you are keeping up with your restrictions. I guess you just have to follow it when its there. Don't let you body or your urge control you. You should be the one controlling them. It may be difficult but you really have to put some effort to be able to succeed in your weight loss journey.

A lot of patients have succeed. Some would even go for a lap band surgery in Mexico, Argentina, and other parts of the globe just to get it at a low cost because they couldn't afford it in the US. You've already started your journey so keep moving. Good luck!:confused:

[malissa 0]

I am still fairly new, but so far it is great!

Amazingly, I DO feel full after eating a small portion. And when I have tried to overeat - ouch! Let's just say I don't do that often - LOL!

Friends and relatives say I have transformed into a different person. I eat healthy (lean meats, fresh fruits and veggies, complex carbs, & no sugar). I have taken up jogging and have complete two 5ks. The old me would have NEVER done that!

I have said this SO many times.....but my only regret is not getting it sooner!

Good Luck.

[Headhunter 6]

Hi, PoolGirl;

I like your name AND avatar....:cursing:

The best advice that I can toss in here is to make sure that you have looked at ALL your options, in terms of surgeries.

You indicated that you have a VERY strong sweet tooth, and in some situations that might indicate that going a different route, such as the bypass, would be more successful.

So really do yourself a favor, and attend some additional seminars and see some other doctors if you can. This is a surgery that you only want to do ONCE, and you want to get it right the FIRST time.

There are several different types of surgeries, and they are meant for different bodies and personality types. It's not a matter of simply picking the one you prefer; you need to pick the one that is RIGHT for YOU.

Again, you mentioned your sweet tooth specifically, so if I were you I'd do a little further research and investigation and educate yourself on ALL the various options.

Best of luck!

HH

[ThePoolGirl 1]

Thank you all for your thoughts. I am really comfortable with the idea of the band. I've looked into all the bariatric surgeries and feel the band is the best for me.

I'm one of those people who does the research, reads everything, finds forums like these and that's what I've done this time. I also have a sister going thru the same thing with me. We support each other which is great. I won't get to see the surgeon until the end of July. I think I'm just getting too eager to get moving and am halted by an out-of-town-surgeon :cursing:. So, I get bored and nervous and start to question things. I've settled down again...honest! I know that I can do this and will do this because I deserve to. I'm worth it and no Cookies or candies will make me feel as good as leading a healthy, thin life!! Again, thanks for the input. This is a great forum.