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Hi there.

I'm a low BMI (34) self payed bandster from the UK.

I started reading these forums about a week before I went for surgery, and I wish I had joined up back then. I saw a lot of what I was worried about in the pre op threads which helped and then after my op I have been hooked in to the post op thread thinking 'yup, thats me' :thumbup:

The reason I have only just joined? Well, for some strange reason I was sure that lap band surgery wouldn't work. That somehow something would go wrong ... enlarged liver, band slippage, you name it. Sad I know, but that's the truth.

It is only after I have had my first fill today that I realise it has worked and that all that worrying was for nothing. OK so it is still early days yet. I have only just started my journey out of bandster hell and I'm sure I will need more fills and encounter problems along the way, but I'm feeling positive now!

I've joined up to share my experiences so far and to offer advice to anyone who has had the same concerns as me if I see them on the forums.

Good luck everyone and see you around in the forums :mad2:

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Never too late though!:mad2:

Welcome, glad you made the step.

Hi there.

I'm a low BMI (34) self payed bandster from the UK.

I started reading these forums about a week before I went for surgery, and I wish I had joined up back then. I saw a lot of what I was worried about in the pre op threads which helped and then after my op I have been hooked in to the post op thread thinking 'yup, thats me' :thumbup:

The reason I have only just joined? Well, for some strange reason I was sure that LAP-BAND® surgery wouldn't work. That somehow something would go wrong ... enlarged liver, band slippage, you name it. Sad I know, but that's the truth.

It is only after I have had my first fill today that I realise it has worked and that all that worrying was for nothing. OK so it is still early days yet. I have only just started my journey out of bandster hell and I'm sure I will need more fills and encounter problems along the way, but I'm feeling positive now!

I've joined up to share my experiences so far and to offer advice to anyone who has had the same concerns as me if I see them on the forums.

Good luck everyone and see you around in the forums :w00t:

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Congratulations. I know I had some of the same fears... that and changing my lifestyle forever. I am so glad I did it and I wish I knew years ago my insurance would cover it!!!! However I may not have been ready at that time mentally. Never the less here we are! Yeah!

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    • LeighaTR

      I am new here today... and only two weeks out from my sleeve surgery on the 23rd. I am amazed I have kept my calories down to 467 today so far... that leaves me almost 750 left for dinner and maybe a snack. This is going to be tough for two weeks... but I have to believe I can do it!
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    • Doughgurl

      Hey everyone. I'm new here so I thought I should introduce myself. I am 53y/o and am scheduled for Gastric Bypass on June 25th, 2025. I'm located in San Antonio, Texas. I will be having my surgery in Tiajuana Mexico. I've wanted this for years, but I always had insurance where bariatric procedures were excluded. Finally I am able to afford to pay out of pocket.  I can't wait to get started, and I hope I'm prepared for the initial period of "hell". I know what I have signed up for, but I'm sure the good to come will out way the temporary period of discomfort and feelings of regret. I'd love to find people to talk to who have been through the same procedure or experience before. So I look forward to meeting you all. Hope you have a great week!
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    • Alisa_S

      On day 4 of the 2 week liquid pre-op diet. Surgery scheduled for June 11th.
      Soooo I am coming to a realization
      of something and I'm not sure what to do about it. For years the only thing I've enjoyed is eating. We rarely do anything or go anywhere and if we do it always includes food. Family comes over? Big family dinner! Go camping? Food! Take a short ride or trip? Food! Holiday? Food! Go out of town for a Dr appointment? Food! When we go to a new town we don't look for any attractions, we look for restaurants we haven't been to. Heck, I look forward to getting off work because that means it's almost supper time. Now that I'm drinking these pre-op shakes for breakfast, lunch, and supper I have nothing to look forward to.  And once I have surgery on June 11th it'll be more of the same shakes. Even after pureed stage, soft food stage, and finally regular food stage, it's going to be a drastic change for the rest of my life. I'm giving up the one thing that really brings me joy. Eating. How do you cope with that? What do you do to fill that void? Wow. Now I'm sad.
      · 1 reply
      1. LeighaTR

        I hope your surgery on Wednesday goes well. You will be able to do all sorts of new things as you find your new normal after surgery. I don't know this from experience yet, but I am seeing a lot of positive things from people who have had it done. Best of luck!

    • Alisa_S

      On day 4 of the 2 week liquid pre-op diet. Surgery scheduled for June 11th.
      Soooo I am coming to a realization
      of something and I'm not sure what to do about it. For years the only thing I've enjoyed is eating. We rarely do anything or go anywhere and if we do it always includes food. Family comes over? Big family dinner! Go camping? Food! Take a short ride or trip? Food! Holiday? Food! Go out of town for a Dr appointment? Food! When we go to a new town we don't look for any attractions, we look for restaurants we haven't been to. Heck, I look forward to getting off work because that means it's almost supper time. Now that I'm drinking these pre-op shakes for breakfast, lunch, and supper I have nothing to look forward to.  And once I have surgery on June 11th it'll be more of the same shakes. Even after pureed stage, soft food stage, and finally regular food stage, it's going to be a drastic change for the rest of my life. I'm giving up the one thing that really brings me joy. Eating. How do you cope with that? What do you do to fill that void? Wow. Now I'm sad.
      · 1 reply
      1. summerseeker

        Life as a big person had limited my life to what I knew I could manage to do each day. That was eat. I hadn't anything else to look forward to. So my eating choices were the best I could dream up. I planned the cooking in managable lots in my head and filled my day with and around it.

        Now I have a whole new big, bigger, biggest, best days ever. I am out there with those skinny people doing stuff i could never have dreamt of. Food is now an after thought. It doesn't consume my day. I still enjoy the good home cooked food but I eat smaller portions. I leave food on my plate when I am full. I can no longer hear my mother's voice saying eat it all up, ther are starving children in Africa who would want that!

        I still cook for family feasts, I love cooking. I still do holidays but I have changed from the All inclusive drinking and eating everything everyday kind to Self catering accommodation. This gives me the choice of cooking or eating out as I choose. I rarely drink anymore as I usually travel alone now and I feel I need to keep aware of my surroundings.

        I don't know at what point my life expanded, was it when I lost 100 pounds? Was it when I left my walking stick at home ? Was it when I said yes to an outing instead of finding an excuse to stay home ? i look back at my last five years and wonder how loosing weight has made such a difference. Be ready to amaze yourself.

        BTW, the liquid diet sucks, one more day and you are over the worst. You can do it.

    • CaseyP1011

      Officially here for a long time, not just a good time💪
      · 0 replies
      1. This update has no replies.
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