Gastric Banding next month. Newbie, would love new friends.

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  • OmahaRocks
    OmahaRocks Posts: 22 Member
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    Congratulations on taking control of your life and doing whatever you have to do to lose weight. Don't pay any attention to mean people who will make wisecracks and criticize you for having bariatric surgery. They have their own weight to lose and you should just reply to wish them well, completely ignoring their insults.

    I respect your individual right to decide for yourself what is best for you. You go girl!
  • auddii
    auddii Posts: 15,357 Member
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    Remember that any weight loss surgery is a tool, and you will still need to make a lifestyle change. My mom had her stomach stapled (very different than banding I realize). She did not follow the instructions on what she should be eating and in general did not take care of herself. She developed several vitamin deficiencies, and her hair was falling out in clumps (granted, some hair loss can occur just because you lose weight).

    She did not incorporate regular exercise, and she refuses to do any weight bearing exercise (this is needed to maintain bone health). She'd do short bursts of water aerobics, and then stop going. She slowly started eating more and more and stretched her stomach back out. She lost a lot of weight, but has since put at least half of it back on. She is going in for a revision in a few months. It may work again at first, but if she doesn't change how she eats and exercises, it's not going to make much of a difference in the long run.

    It is possible to lose the weight without surgery, but if you and your doctor feel that you need it, get lots of advice from people who have gone through surgery on the best things to eat, and what your doctor says is important to eat. It's still going to take hard work, will power, and a lot of changes.
  • shadylady_57
    shadylady_57 Posts: 8
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    Hi ! Minibandit
    I had gastric sleeve surgery on July 29,2013, I live in
    Lufkin, Texas which is considered Deep East Texas.
    Iam 57 yrs old, if I had a dollar for every diet I've tried
    I'd bee rich lol. I know what ever type of wls yoh decide
    to have it is scary and there is your fat brain telling you
    all sorts of things, the best advice I can give you is this is
    not going to be a magic bullet where the weight is just going
    to fall effortless off. It is a tool to help us we have to make good
    Choices in what we eat. Drink plenty water and take your vitamins,
    my Dr., has me on a multi vitamin 2x day, Calcium citrate with
    vitamin D 2x day, B complex 1x day, vitamin B12 2 1x day. My
    Dr told me not to be weighing at home because at first you
    may gain with all the fluids that they pump in you and he did
    not want me to be discoruaged if no weight loss but gain
    so put your scales up and wait until your first post op check
    up. I know it will be hard not to weigh but you will be able to
    tell your losing by how your clothes start getting loose on you.


    Good Luck and keep in touch Louise
  • minibandit
    minibandit Posts: 77
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    Congratulations on taking control of your life and doing whatever you have to do to lose weight. Don't pay any attention to mean people who will make wisecracks and criticize you for having bariatric surgery. They have their own weight to lose and you should just reply to wish them well, completely ignoring their insults.

    I respect your individual right to decide for yourself what is best for you. You go girl!

    Thank you so much, that meant a lot :flowerforyou:
  • awtume9
    awtume9 Posts: 423 Member
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    I don't think that getting the band automatically means "no more gaining it back". If you can't change your habits, no surgery is going to work for you. And as far as someone "derailing" your thread, she posted her experience and how she was successful without the band. Kind of rude of you to dismiss that!
  • minibandit
    minibandit Posts: 77
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    Remember that any weight loss surgery is a tool, and you will still need to make a lifestyle change. My mom had her stomach stapled (very different than banding I realize). She did not follow the instructions on what she should be eating and in general did not take care of herself. She developed several vitamin deficiencies, and her hair was falling out in clumps (granted, some hair loss can occur just because you lose weight).

    She did not incorporate regular exercise, and she refuses to do any weight bearing exercise (this is needed to maintain bone health). She'd do short bursts of water aerobics, and then stop going. She slowly started eating more and more and stretched her stomach back out. She lost a lot of weight, but has since put at least half of it back on. She is going in for a revision in a few months. It may work again at first, but if she doesn't change how she eats and exercises, it's not going to make much of a difference in the long run.

    It is possible to lose the weight without surgery, but if you and your doctor feel that you need it, get lots of advice from people who have gone through surgery on the best things to eat, and what your doctor says is important to eat. It's still going to take hard work, will power, and a lot of changes.

    I've had three assessments so far and I've been (excruciatingly) honest with all the professionals I've spoken to and I'm really hopeful that this will really help me. I can lose weight without surgery and funnily enough they all saw that as a positive - even though I've gained back. I guess because gaining it back is not quite as easy with a band.

    I've read and read and read and it seems that, so long as you do what you're told, it should be ok. I'll be seeing the dietician every month for a year also - so I'm hopeful that she will be a useful 'tool' as well.

    Thanks for your post and I hope your mum cracks it this time!!
  • auddii
    auddii Posts: 15,357 Member
    Options
    Remember that any weight loss surgery is a tool, and you will still need to make a lifestyle change. My mom had her stomach stapled (very different than banding I realize). She did not follow the instructions on what she should be eating and in general did not take care of herself. She developed several vitamin deficiencies, and her hair was falling out in clumps (granted, some hair loss can occur just because you lose weight).

    She did not incorporate regular exercise, and she refuses to do any weight bearing exercise (this is needed to maintain bone health). She'd do short bursts of water aerobics, and then stop going. She slowly started eating more and more and stretched her stomach back out. She lost a lot of weight, but has since put at least half of it back on. She is going in for a revision in a few months. It may work again at first, but if she doesn't change how she eats and exercises, it's not going to make much of a difference in the long run.

    It is possible to lose the weight without surgery, but if you and your doctor feel that you need it, get lots of advice from people who have gone through surgery on the best things to eat, and what your doctor says is important to eat. It's still going to take hard work, will power, and a lot of changes.

    I've had three assessments so far and I've been (excruciatingly) honest with all the professionals I've spoken to and I'm really hopeful that this will really help me. I can lose weight without surgery and funnily enough they all saw that as a positive - even though I've gained back. I guess because gaining it back is not quite as easy with a band.

    I've read and read and read and it seems that, so long as you do what you're told, it should be ok. I'll be seeing the dietician every month for a year also - so I'm hopeful that she will be a useful 'tool' as well.

    Thanks for your post and I hope your mum cracks it this time!!
    Also, I forgot to mention, there are online forums/boards specifically for people with weight loss surgery. I'd find one where people have had the lapband. The specific boards will have a higher concentration of personal experience/advice than this site.

    MFP is a great site, but there's a lot of variety of the type of people who use it.
  • minibandit
    minibandit Posts: 77
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    Hi ! Minibandit
    I had gastric sleeve surgery on July 29,2013, I live in
    Lufkin, Texas which is considered Deep East Texas.
    Iam 57 yrs old, if I had a dollar for every diet I've tried
    I'd bee rich lol. I know what ever type of wls yoh decide
    to have it is scary and there is your fat brain telling you
    all sorts of things, the best advice I can give you is this is
    not going to be a magic bullet where the weight is just going
    to fall effortless off. It is a tool to help us we have to make good
    Choices in what we eat. Drink plenty water and take your vitamins,
    my Dr., has me on a multi vitamin 2x day, Calcium citrate with
    vitamin D 2x day, B complex 1x day, vitamin B12 2 1x day. My
    Dr told me not to be weighing at home because at first you
    may gain with all the fluids that they pump in you and he did
    not want me to be discoruaged if no weight loss but gain
    so put your scales up and wait until your first post op check
    up. I know it will be hard not to weigh but you will be able to
    tell your losing by how your clothes start getting loose on you.


    Good Luck and keep in touch Louise

    Thanks for your advice - I shall hide the scales!!
    I've been told to take a multi vit whilst on the liver shrinkage diet but, after that I should be ok because the band doesn't change the anatomy of your stomache, although they take blood tests to check for quite a while after.
  • robjohn75
    robjohn75 Posts: 2 Member
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    Hello....my story is the same as yours. I could have written it myself. In March I am having the full blown gastric bypass. I am 56 years old, married with three grown children, four grandchildren, and I am a school teacher.I have started having health issues and my physical activities are limited.

    My doctor suggested I try this program to keep track of what I eat. I have done everything else, why not this? Today is my first day. I have made it to lunch. Good luck to you and have a good day.

    I hope to hear from you.

    RS
  • AllOnMeWOL
    AllOnMeWOL Posts: 26 Member
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    I was on the waiting list in November 2012; I was told I had to lose at 5% of my body weight before I would be considered & I was given 12 weeks to do it. On the 24th January 2013 I had to make up my mind if I wanted to have surgery or go down the lifestyle route; I had lost 9% of my body weight, so I opted for lifestyle.... Here I am today (14 months later) weighing 123lb less & feeling pretty darn proud!

    I was too chicken to go through with the surgery lol

    I wish you well with the surgery & although I've not had it, please feel free to add me xXx

    Good for you!
  • AllOnMeWOL
    AllOnMeWOL Posts: 26 Member
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    Hi, I'm 36 years old - short and fat. I'm married with three children. I live in the UK.
    I have lost and gained so many times now and I am currently at my biggest with my BMI being slap bang on 40.

    For over 6 months I have been considering Lap Band Surgery, having nearly inflicting brain damage with the amount of research I have done. I'm now booked in for surgery next month.

    I am an awesome dieter, I know everything there is to know, I have a mind full of useful and useless information where it comes to food and diets and lifestyle and, and, and....

    But, for some reason, when it comes to myself I just can't make it stick. So, not only am I an awesome dieter, I'm also a competent gainer. Which is where the band comes in. No more gaining it back!

    I have struggled with my weight for 30 years and I very, very much do not want to carry on struggling for another 30+ years.

    I would love to gather up some friends who are in a similar position - to give and receive support, ideas and experiences.

    Thanks :smile:

    Keep in mind you'll be eating a HUGE number of pills for the rest of your life EVERY DAY just to keep yourself healthy. It doesn't mean you have to exercise less or can eat more. OVER 50% of people who have wls gain more weight. You have to lose a certain amt of weight before surgery, why not just keep going? Goodluck
  • toridehaven
    toridehaven Posts: 95
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    Sorry you are getting flack for the choice you have made! Good luck to you and I hope everything works out for you. :wink:

    We are all learning here and what works for some people may not work for everyone. But why not just offer encouragement and positive words? Anyway, good luck! Keep us updated!
  • muffinchikodaisy
    muffinchikodaisy Posts: 7 Member
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    I have a band (Realize band) and let me tell you this, it is not easy. Nor is ANY gastic surgery. It does not magically make you thin. It is a TOOL. You have to make it work. You have to put in the effort no matter what and you need to make a drastic lifestyle change. The band is probably the hardest in my opinion because it will ONLY be successfull if you excercise and eat well. The band will not prevent you from eating fries and chips. The only thing it does is HELP YOU feel full longer on smaller portions. I know many people in my WLS program that have gain it all back. Because they have not made the decision of changing their eating habbits. These people were not well informed on the way the band works.

    All that being said, if you do chose the band and use it correctly, you will be SOOOOO happy. For me it has changed my life. I Was operated in March 2013 and already 50 pounds lost. :-)

    The best advice I can give you is to inform yourself as much as possible. And if you do go for it, make sure you are ready to change habbits and excercise excercise excercise!!!

    Good luck in your journey :-)

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