considering
Run run run run run run away from the band and don't stop....
I'm one of a million bandsters *****vised to bypass and am very happy. I can eat again without puking on a daily basis.
Lap band induces bulimia.
I started having problems after only SEVEN months and suffered for another year and a half before I revised.
Bypass or Sleeve might be better choice for you. Sleeve acts like band but much better!
I'm one of a million bandsters *****vised to bypass and am very happy. I can eat again without puking on a daily basis.
Lap band induces bulimia.
I started having problems after only SEVEN months and suffered for another year and a half before I revised.
Bypass or Sleeve might be better choice for you. Sleeve acts like band but much better!
246 in Dec 2008 before banded 1/28/09 at 215 lbs, band crapped 9/09 at 170 lbs and struggled with it and regained to 203 revised to bypass on 8/1/11 and am very happy.
I am 8 months out from the band and would say I have had very good results and little issues (one stuck incident that passed on it's own).
That said, I would recommend you look at the sleeve as a more viable option. I'm not saying do it, but do the homework and look at it closer. I too was hesitant to get any surgery that alters my physical anatomy but I think now I could consider the sleeve. I do get the mindset of equating a physical change to being more invasive and in the end you have to do what gives you peace of mind. Best wishes on your journey!
That said, I would recommend you look at the sleeve as a more viable option. I'm not saying do it, but do the homework and look at it closer. I too was hesitant to get any surgery that alters my physical anatomy but I think now I could consider the sleeve. I do get the mindset of equating a physical change to being more invasive and in the end you have to do what gives you peace of mind. Best wishes on your journey!
I will say I do love my band. If and when you get restriction it works out wonderfully. I received the band 4/19/2011 and did awesome for 5 months. I lost almost 60 pounds in that time and had great restriction. When I found out I was pregnant, I had a complete unfill due to morning sickness. After the pregnancy I am having a hard time getting back on track. HOwever, I have had a couple of fills and I am getting my restriction back and doing better.
Things I love about my band:
1. Restriction - I can only eat at most 1 cup of food per sitting and my band MAKES me stop even though I want to keep going. In the beginning this was hard. I didn't like, in a sense, that I had to quit eating. I actually cried a couple of times. LOL I loved what I was eating and just wanted a few more bites, but had to physically stop because of the band. Pathetic I know, but I enjoy food and couldn't eat the way I wanted to, which is why I was 250 pounds at the time.
2. Being satisfied with very small amounts of food.
3. Fitting in smaller clothes.
4. Getting my confidence back.
5. Not worrying about diets anymore. Prior to getting the band I fell for every lofty diet idea out there. I was a Weigh****chers junkie. I would join and do well for a month and then quit. I did this all the time. I would see a new diet plan book and know this was the answer to my weight loss. Usually I might lose ten pounds but then gain back thirty when I figured out it wasn't a life long diet I could stick with. With the band, when I have good restriction, I do not have to worry about counting calories or anything like that. My band tells me when enough is enough and I lost weight. It was like magic to me.
6. Giving up the "bad" stuff. It was hard at the time and I thought I was literally going to die without bread and soda. However, giving them up let me lose my weight. After a while I got to the point I was turned off by them. THe band made me realize that I couldn't intake pop or bread or I was going to be uncomfortable. Therefore, I felt awesome giving them up. I had more energy and felt great.
Things that I get frustrated with:
1. The fear of getting stuck. This is HUGE for me. The band is very finicky. You never know when you are tight or loose and you usually find out the hard way by getting stuck. I have never been stuck so bad that I vomitted, but it is quite uncomfortable when you get stuck. For some reason I get stuck ALOT when I go out to eat. I am not for sure why, but it has taken the enjoyment out of eating out for me. I think it is because I am socializing when I go out to eat and not paying attention to my bites and chewing. I always keep Papaya enzymes in my purse just in case. They always work for me when I get stuck. It is frustrating though because after getting stuck you have to go back on liquids for a day to let the swelling reside.
2. The joy of eating is gone. I know that when I got the band it was because I was obese and needed to change my relationship with food. The band has changed this relationship. I do not like it, but it has. I do not necessarily like this change, which contradicts itself I know. Eating has always been my source of entertainment. Especially with two little ones at home. It is difficult to go and do things as a family in our area because we live in an extremely small town so there isn't much to do. We would go out and eat as entertainment. With the band, I do not want to go out and eat anymore because there is very little I can eat at restaraunts and can only eat very little of what I do get. I do not want to pay for a meal that I can only eat a few bites of. Eating at times is frustrating because I have to eat very slow and chew, chew, chew. With little ones I need to be able to eat quickly often times. Eating sometimes feels like a chore now instead of for enjoyment.
I am like you in terms of not wanting an "invasive" procedure. I needed something with a quick recovery due to having a small child at the time. I am very happy with my decision so far. It helped me lose 60 pounds and will hopefully help me lose the next 60 pounds. For me, it was the right choice and I am happy with it. At the time VSG was not covered by my insurance. Had the procedure been covered, I probably would have went with it instead, or now I would. It is not because I am unhappy with my band, but for longevity I feel that VSG is a good choice. I hope I NEVER have to revise, but if I should I would consider VSG. I think you should follow your instinct on this. If you feel like the band is right for you, go for it! I wish you all the luck!
Things I love about my band:
1. Restriction - I can only eat at most 1 cup of food per sitting and my band MAKES me stop even though I want to keep going. In the beginning this was hard. I didn't like, in a sense, that I had to quit eating. I actually cried a couple of times. LOL I loved what I was eating and just wanted a few more bites, but had to physically stop because of the band. Pathetic I know, but I enjoy food and couldn't eat the way I wanted to, which is why I was 250 pounds at the time.
2. Being satisfied with very small amounts of food.
3. Fitting in smaller clothes.
4. Getting my confidence back.
5. Not worrying about diets anymore. Prior to getting the band I fell for every lofty diet idea out there. I was a Weigh****chers junkie. I would join and do well for a month and then quit. I did this all the time. I would see a new diet plan book and know this was the answer to my weight loss. Usually I might lose ten pounds but then gain back thirty when I figured out it wasn't a life long diet I could stick with. With the band, when I have good restriction, I do not have to worry about counting calories or anything like that. My band tells me when enough is enough and I lost weight. It was like magic to me.
6. Giving up the "bad" stuff. It was hard at the time and I thought I was literally going to die without bread and soda. However, giving them up let me lose my weight. After a while I got to the point I was turned off by them. THe band made me realize that I couldn't intake pop or bread or I was going to be uncomfortable. Therefore, I felt awesome giving them up. I had more energy and felt great.
Things that I get frustrated with:
1. The fear of getting stuck. This is HUGE for me. The band is very finicky. You never know when you are tight or loose and you usually find out the hard way by getting stuck. I have never been stuck so bad that I vomitted, but it is quite uncomfortable when you get stuck. For some reason I get stuck ALOT when I go out to eat. I am not for sure why, but it has taken the enjoyment out of eating out for me. I think it is because I am socializing when I go out to eat and not paying attention to my bites and chewing. I always keep Papaya enzymes in my purse just in case. They always work for me when I get stuck. It is frustrating though because after getting stuck you have to go back on liquids for a day to let the swelling reside.
2. The joy of eating is gone. I know that when I got the band it was because I was obese and needed to change my relationship with food. The band has changed this relationship. I do not like it, but it has. I do not necessarily like this change, which contradicts itself I know. Eating has always been my source of entertainment. Especially with two little ones at home. It is difficult to go and do things as a family in our area because we live in an extremely small town so there isn't much to do. We would go out and eat as entertainment. With the band, I do not want to go out and eat anymore because there is very little I can eat at restaraunts and can only eat very little of what I do get. I do not want to pay for a meal that I can only eat a few bites of. Eating at times is frustrating because I have to eat very slow and chew, chew, chew. With little ones I need to be able to eat quickly often times. Eating sometimes feels like a chore now instead of for enjoyment.
I am like you in terms of not wanting an "invasive" procedure. I needed something with a quick recovery due to having a small child at the time. I am very happy with my decision so far. It helped me lose 60 pounds and will hopefully help me lose the next 60 pounds. For me, it was the right choice and I am happy with it. At the time VSG was not covered by my insurance. Had the procedure been covered, I probably would have went with it instead, or now I would. It is not because I am unhappy with my band, but for longevity I feel that VSG is a good choice. I hope I NEVER have to revise, but if I should I would consider VSG. I think you should follow your instinct on this. If you feel like the band is right for you, go for it! I wish you all the luck!
“Do what you can, with what you have, where you are.? ~Theodore Roosevelt
Out of curiousity, why did you post to this board?
You asked what people thought and, if their views are not telling you to go for it, you seem to be shooting them down. If you want thoughtful, well-considered information from experienced banders, this was the right place to go. If all you wanted was RAH RAH, go for it, it wasn't.
I don't much about the outfit you are going to but the name brings to mind the 1-800-GET-SLIM and similar outfits, who, basically, try to skim patients' insurance way over the top. For instance, in a support group I used to go to, one lady started off with them until they billed her insurance $25,000 for a sleep study for which her insurance paid about $1,200; no, it's not a typo. Since she changed surgeons and had her surgery with someone else, she got out of their rachet. Which was fortunate, since, the way the agreement was written, she wasn't on the hook for ANYTHING until she actually had surgery. May not be the case with yours but the name is very similar to the scam outfits, which are largely in SoCal.
From your responses, I'm pretty sure you won't use the good advice from people who are telling you to consider different option or otherwise have a viewpoint different than your. I hope I'm wrong.
Whatever you choose to do, good luck. I hope it lives up to your expectations.
You asked what people thought and, if their views are not telling you to go for it, you seem to be shooting them down. If you want thoughtful, well-considered information from experienced banders, this was the right place to go. If all you wanted was RAH RAH, go for it, it wasn't.
I don't much about the outfit you are going to but the name brings to mind the 1-800-GET-SLIM and similar outfits, who, basically, try to skim patients' insurance way over the top. For instance, in a support group I used to go to, one lady started off with them until they billed her insurance $25,000 for a sleep study for which her insurance paid about $1,200; no, it's not a typo. Since she changed surgeons and had her surgery with someone else, she got out of their rachet. Which was fortunate, since, the way the agreement was written, she wasn't on the hook for ANYTHING until she actually had surgery. May not be the case with yours but the name is very similar to the scam outfits, which are largely in SoCal.
From your responses, I'm pretty sure you won't use the good advice from people who are telling you to consider different option or otherwise have a viewpoint different than your. I hope I'm wrong.
Whatever you choose to do, good luck. I hope it lives up to your expectations.
I am taking everything I have been reading into condsideration. I posted on this board because like I said I wanted everyone's opinion. I'm not shooting down any of the information. I"m not looking for any "rah rah" as you put it. All I am asking is everyone's opinion. I realize a lot of people are having negative impact. I always know what I'm being told on this end that a lot of people from Canada who get it done here are having great results so like I said I am hearing both ends of the spectrum which I am taking all into consideration as I have not yet made up my mind.
And this company that I am going to I don't know about the 1-800-Get Slim,. This one has nothing to do with my insurance at all it would be 100% out of my pocket therefore I am taking it all into consideration before I decide what it is that I want to do.
So please don't think I'm not taking it all into consideration because I really am.
And this company that I am going to I don't know about the 1-800-Get Slim,. This one has nothing to do with my insurance at all it would be 100% out of my pocket therefore I am taking it all into consideration before I decide what it is that I want to do.
So please don't think I'm not taking it all into consideration because I really am.
On August 14, 2012 at 4:30 PM Pacific Time, XamerzX wrote:
I am taking everything I have been reading into condsideration. I posted on this board because like I said I wanted everyone's opinion. I'm not shooting down any of the information. I"m not looking for any "rah rah" as you put it. All I am asking is everyone's opinion. I realize a lot of people are having negative impact. I always know what I'm being told on this end that a lot of people from Canada who get it done here are having great results so like I said I am hearing both ends of the spectrum which I am taking all into consideration as I have not yet made up my mind.And this company that I am going to I don't know about the 1-800-Get Slim,. This one has nothing to do with my insurance at all it would be 100% out of my pocket therefore I am taking it all into consideration before I decide what it is that I want to do.
So please don't think I'm not taking it all into consideration because I really am.
~ lot of people from Canada who get it done here are having great results so like I said I am hearing both ends of the spectrum which I am taking all into consideration~
A lot of ppl in the US that get the band have great results also..............SHORT TERM. How many do you know that have had a band 5 years??? The band works for many temporarily. Then after just a few yrs. the complications set in. Then you will be in the same position as many of us..........needing a revision, or at the very least a band removal!
Think twice, cut once!
Hey, all the best on your journey!
They say the bands tend to be more successful in Europe and in Canada
. I truly don't know. We've got to do what we've got to do. At least you are moving on something and wanting to change your life for the better.
Layla
They say the bands tend to be more successful in Europe and in Canada
. I truly don't know. We've got to do what we've got to do. At least you are moving on something and wanting to change your life for the better.Layla
3/30/2005 Lap Band installed 12/20/2010 Lap Band REMOVED
6/6/2011 Vertical SLEEVE Gastrectomy
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