Is it worth it?

Band Chick · 07-01-2007, 08:52 PM

Is getting the Lap Band worth all the risk, side effects, complications and major overhaul to your daily life?

What happens when you get sick with the flu? Is it worse?

Thank you, for your help.

ELoo · 07-01-2007, 09:12 PM

I have only been banded for 4 months and have only lost about 10 pounds. I knew it wasn't going to make losing weight easy but I thought it would at least be a little easier than it has been. I was hoping that I would be full faster, no matter what I ate. This is not the case. I can eat just as much ice-cream, cookies, chips, popcorn, and other junk food now with a band than I could before without it. So you still have to "diet", make good choices, or you won't lose. Another thing that is dissapointing is that sometimes after a few bites I just can't eat anymore and it's not because I am full but because it feels too painful or uncomfortable to continue eating. I know you've heard it a million times but I cannot express enough that this is only a tool. You still have to make choices and fight your food demons on a constant basis. I will say it does prevent bingeing because I physically cannot do that anymore but the drive to binge is still there. It hasn't been all that long for me so I am still learning and fighting my 30 years of bad habits. I never realized I was so much of an emotional eater until being banded. Sometimes I hate the band and a lot of time I am dissapointed that I haven't lost more but I would still do it all over again because I know that at some point I will figure it out and learn to control my emotional eating and the weight will come off. I believe you have to choose to make it work for you and I am trying to choose that everyday.
As far as the flu goes, I know you want to control the vomitting but how often do you vomit? I know that is a rare thing for me so I'm not worried about that.
Hopefully that helps a little...:o

TerriDoodle · 07-01-2007, 10:35 PM

Check out this poll!

http://www.lapbandtalk.com/f17/would...tml#post504967

MEW · 07-01-2007, 11:29 PM

I'm 5 weeks out, and I can honestly say...I'd do it all over again in a heart beat!! I've lost some weight, not as much as I hoped to, but its a start, and I know the rest will come off soon!
As for the flu...I was told by my surgeon that if I feel the flu coming on to call the office and get some anti-nausea meds ASAP to avoid vomitting.

WASaBubbleButt · 07-02-2007, 12:19 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by ELoo

I have only been banded for 4 months and have only lost about 10 pounds. I knew it wasn't going to make losing weight easy but I thought it would at least be a little easier than it has been. I was hoping that I would be full faster, no matter what I ate. This is not the case. I can eat just as much ice-cream, cookies, chips, popcorn, and other junk food now with a band than I could before without it. So you still have to "diet", make good choices, or you won't lose. Another thing that is dissapointing is that sometimes after a few bites I just can't eat anymore and it's not because I am full but because it feels too painful or uncomfortable to continue eating. I know you've heard it a million times but I cannot express enough that this is only a tool. You still have to make choices and fight your food demons on a constant basis. I will say it does prevent bingeing because I physically cannot do that anymore but the drive to binge is still there. It hasn't been all that long for me so I am still learning and fighting my 30 years of bad habits. I never realized I was so much of an emotional eater until being banded. Sometimes I hate the band and a lot of time I am dissapointed that I haven't lost more but I would still do it all over again because I know that at some point I will figure it out and learn to control my emotional eating and the weight will come off. I believe you have to choose to make it work for you and I am trying to choose that everyday.
As far as the flu goes, I know you want to control the vomitting but how often do you vomit? I know that is a rare thing for me so I'm not worried about that.
Hopefully that helps a little...:o

Are you following bandster rules such as eating protein first? Then veggies? Then carbs? Nobody should be telling you that you can't have ice cream, candy, etc., but the real key is to fill up with the right foods first. IF you have room, eat cake. ;)

PrincessChey · 07-02-2007, 12:36 AM

i just went to my pre op...dont have the band yet. but they told us not to eat chips & popcorn. problem is that the acid in the mouth breaks them down quickly so u can eat a LOT of them. doc said he had a pt that could eat a whole bag of popcorn no problem everynight which really slowed down her weight loss. he said a good plan is to drink a big glass of water before eating so that you are already getting fuller. ;) just thought i would share that stuff i just learned!

ELoo · 07-02-2007, 12:42 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by WASaBubble Butt

Are you following bandster rules such as eating protein first? Then veggies? Then carbs? Nobody should be telling you that you can't have ice cream, candy, etc., but the real key is to fill up with the right foods first. IF you have room, eat cake. ;)

Ya, I am following the rules at least 90% of the time, but it seems like I always have room for ice-cream, unless I am painfully full. Thats why I can't keep that crap in my house. I'm afraid of giving into head hunger. I honestly don't know why I haven't lost more weight than I have, now I don't expect to be skinny at this point, but only 10 pounds? I'm not eating near as much as I did pre band. I feel like I have lost more weight than the scale says but not many people notice anything, so maybe its all in my head. I do believe that I will get this all figured out and the weight will come off.... even if it is at a snails pace! :guess

ELoo · 07-02-2007, 12:43 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by PrincessChey

i just went to my pre op...dont have the band yet. but they told us not to eat chips & popcorn. problem is that the acid in the mouth breaks them down quickly so u can eat a LOT of them. doc said he had a pt that could eat a whole bag of popcorn no problem everynight which really slowed down her weight loss. he said a good plan is to drink a big glass of water before eating so that you are already getting fuller. ;) just thought i would share that stuff i just learned!

hmm, that's interesting, thanks for sharing.

Band Chick · 07-02-2007, 01:56 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by PrincessChey

problem is that the acid in the mouth breaks them down quickly so u can eat a LOT of them.

Thank you for sharing that. Very interesting. It explains why my hubby can plow through a big bad of popcorn and still have room for a meal less than an hour later. I'm not a big popcorn eater, but everyone else in our family is.

Quote:

Originally Posted by TerriDoodle

Check out this poll!

http://www.lapbandtalk.com/f17/would...tml#post504967

Thank you! That answers my question!!! :D

Quote:

Originally Posted by ELoo

I believe you have to choose to make it work for you and I am trying to choose that everyday.
Hopefully that helps a little...:o

That helps a lot. Thank you for sharing so many personal details. Mentally I am trying to prepare myself for many of those same kinds of things, but I'm sure there's no way to really do the work until I get to that point. One of the things I had to go through was "do I really want to give up all these yummy things and behaviors?" The answer I came up with is "No, but I have to one way or another in order to lose weight and live. So, maybe it will be easier with the LB that without."

Thank you everyone! This is such a great group!

Jachut · 07-02-2007, 03:28 AM

ELoo, you sound like you just havent reached optimum restriction yet - how many fills have you had? Some people get terrific after surgery restriction due to swelling/healing and lose tons in that initial period, others dont but it takes most people a good few fills to reach optimum restriction. Dont lose heart, you'll get there.

juliegeraci · 07-02-2007, 12:28 PM

I am very happy with my Lap Band. I have lost 56 lbs this year. The easiest 56 lbs I have ever lost. I am 46 lbs from goal. My goal is to lose that in the next 5 months. So by Christmas I should be to goal! The benefits far out weigh the risks.