my rant & your positive band stories!

[emma&alex]

Hi guys

I've been trawling through the pages here over the last week. I am going in for a lap band on 23rd July, I'm going private & like i've read lots of times, If I could afford a bypass, I would, but the 7k for the band is our absolutle limit.
I don't have an option of going through the nhs, because my doctor told me to do diet pills for 6 months, then an other 6 months, then told me because I have no other health problems, I won't be sucessful with my pct.

anyway, thats a bit of my background..but what worries me is I seem to be reading over and over again (not just here) of people going down the route I have and eventually having to have a bypass. or the band 'not working' & or 'should have had a bypass' feeling.
Before I've even had the band, I'm starting to feel negative towards it, thinking whats the point if its just another diet that I can cheat etc.

I have lost weight before, 3 times , and managed each time to put it back on plus some. The first twice doing weight watchers, the third cambridge. I never got down to my ideal weight, but I was a size 16 which is impressive for me (22/24).
I am detemined to stick to the plan I am meant to and I know I can do it...but I've also had that determination every other time I've dieted & it only lasts a couple of weeks and I come off the diet & get miserable & put the weight back on...so whats going to stop me this time?
I'm scared I'm wasting a LOT of money.

I know its probably normal to have these doubts, but I keep thinking, if I've got to have the will power to lose weight after I've had the band, whats the point? I might as well just try and use this will power again without the band & the cost. Then i'm thinking, its pointless because I've tried since being a young teenager & i'm still fat now..so my will power alone isn't enough.

ah sorry for my HUGE RANT, but the point in the whole thing was, I want to hear peoples positive comments about the band & sucess stories pleaseeee...

 

[phatmomma]

Why won't your pct cover your surgery? Do you have any comorbidities? Diabetes or sleep apnoea are 2 that i know of? When were you last checked for diabetes? Research the symptoms of sleep apnoea see if it sounds familiar. Have a look on BOSPA website to see what the criteria are for surgery in your area... Some gp's are not very wls friendly, if you are entitled to the surgery then if you have the facts for the criteria you can show it to your gp and ask 'nicely' for a referral. If you need to do tablets/weight management for a while beforehand then surely it will be worth it to not only save 7k but also to get a surgery you have faith in?

Good luck xx

 

[phatmomma]

Sorry just noticed your ticker!

If you are good at dieting and know the kinds of food you should eat then hopefully your band will work as an additional tool to that and exercise and you will be successful. We have some very successful banders on here and am sure they'll reassure you xx

 

[Neen]

I think as a person in a similar situation to you when I chose to go for my band I would bring up a couple points.
I also had an absolute limit money wise to consider, also was worried about the bypass being a more serious operation and more life altering longterm afterwards. I did not have time to research on here as much before my surgery and I think I would have gone in to it better prepared if I had.
First thing I would say is to maybe change your Doctor, either to another in the practice or a totally new practice.
I know it feels like you want it done as soon as possible but if there is a chance to put the brakes on and just double triple check wether you can get funding then it is so worth the effort. If the money is findable now then it is still findable a few weeks down the line, you may be able to save a huge amount if you are able to ask another doctor for assistance.
You can go to the NHS website and check what doctors surgeries in your area are registering new patients and you do not have to give a reason why you wish to change. This is something I never thought to do when I ran up against problems with NHS. Looking back I would say do this first and foremost.
Secondly, really think hard about your current eating issues...having a band is not much different to going on a conventional diet, especially at first. You will get a bit of restriction from the start but as you get used to it you will find you can eat more again.. The sweet spot fill is not usually the first, there is normally quite a bit of fine tuning involved.
Also big point to raise here is if your downfall at the moment is sweets choc and other such things the band will not really prevent you from eating them. All that stuff still slides down without a problem.
This is just what I have found out through trial and error and my impatience to get the op done.
I am definately more suited to a bypass however I have lost weight with my band as you can see. It has stayed off for the main part despite my frequent battles with comfort eating. No op can solve that one for you but you do get a degree of damage limitation with a band / bypass in slightly different ways.
If you can follow the eating guidelines you get with a band it can work well.. it is not as forgiving as a bypass initially but bypassers can still regain as well if they don't change their eating and exercise habits permanently as well.
I definately think it can work, I also know that it is not automatic and you will be rewarded with a steady weight loss if you can find it within yourself to stick to healthy foods and start exercise.
You do feel satisfied on reduced portions with a band which means sticking to a diet / healthy foods/ calorie counting is ten times easier than without a band.
There are loads of successful banders on here , we all have struggles with stalls and plateaus and so do bypassers..but in spite of the drawbacks of wls , it HAS helped me get going with my weight loss. I could never have made a dent in my excess weight without my band..I have lost about 9 stone and I feel confident I can lose the rest eventually.
I'm not trying to put you off a band but I think you have the opportunity to stop and double check this is really the right option before you commit all that money. Speak to a different doctor and see what happens from there x

 

[j.u.s.t.l.i.z.]

hey i can understand your feelings on this one, yes there is alot of people complaining or having problems with banding, i LOVE my band and both have worked well for me, if the plastic surgeon hadnt of damaged mine i would of loved to continue being a bander, i lost 8st 10llbs with mine, if you are determined to make this work for you then you will, i was dertermined & followed band rules and i got the desired results, if you want that from banding you can also have it too but its hard work, whats happened to me is rare so please dont let my story detere you from banding as banding has changed my life for the better, good luck & huggs from me to you xxx

 

[Mazza]

Hi

I love my band too. For me it was the right choice of op. I had 6 1/2 stone to lose and had got into a habbit of eating huge meals. As you have probably heard the band works well for volume eaters. The weight came on slowly - 4 years and is coming off slowly but as you can see from my stats I am well over half way there.

My problem foods were pasta, rice and pizza. Over a year on I havent touched these foods, in the main banders are told to avoid or limit consumption of these foods so it was easier for me to ban them lol! I still have the odd treat but in the main stick to band friendly meals consisting of low fat proteins and lots of veg and fruit.

I also loved a curry with the works, I still have a curry but can only manage half with none of the usual trimmings!

If you are ready to commit to a healthy eating and exercise regime the band will help you by restricting your portion size.

Good luck x

 

[mucklem]

Hi emma&alex, I am so pleased you have started this thread as this is exactly what I have been going through, I have also decided on a band over bypass mainly due to financial reasons however it is disheartening sometimes hearing more negative things regarding the band.
Anyhow I have booked my surgery for a band so my decision is made. Fingers crossed. x

 

[emma&alex]

thanks for your replies ladies.

my main problem is pasta, rice, pizzas, take aways. im not all that fussed about chocolate & ice cream etc, of course i do like them but they've never been the biggest issue for me. its unhealthy take aways and carbs/portion size. when i have lost weight before (on weight watchers) i completely cut out any bread/pasta/take aways..and i think thats why i managed to lose the most weight ive lost before...as soon as i started eating them again it all went on again.

i have my first appointment today & im meeting the surgeon etc, i think im going to be honest with them & mention all my doubts & worries. if they told me id be best having a bypass, i'll probably just leave it and get saving. i won't tell them i can't afford a bypass right now though.

i watched the ugly face of beauty last night on channel 4, and im sure everyone is out to rip me off now haha!

oh, and another thing that im worried about. i know i shouldnt care what people think, but ive discussed (before deciding for sure) about having a band before, and a couple of people i know, know of people who have had a bypass. the most of the people i spoke to didnt really know the difference between the bypass & band and i kinda fear that people will judge me if i dont lose weight as fast as someone with a bypass. i really know thats a silly thing to worry about.
my brother said to me the other day 'if you cant lose weight with a gastric band, then you've got serious issues & you may as well give up and accept you'll be fat forever'. i know hes being an ignorant idiot, but if my own brother thinks that, god knows what everyone else will think.

im not bothered what people think of me having one, im happy to argue with them all day...but im scared of having one and failing...then i dont really have a case for an argument.

 

[emma&alex]

Hi emma&alex, I am so pleased you have started this thread as this is exactly what I have been going through, I have also decided on a band over bypass mainly due to financial reasons however it is disheartening sometimes hearing more negative things regarding the band.
Anyhow I have booked my surgery for a band so my decision is made. Fingers crossed. x

i also decided band due to recovery time as i have a 2 year old boy.

ive got my op 3 days before you. where abouts are you having yours done?
im going to suricare in manchester

good luck!

 

[Mazza]

my main problem is pasta, rice, pizzas, take aways. im not all that fussed about chocolate & ice cream etc, of course i do like them but they've never been the biggest issue for me. its unhealthy take aways and carbs/portion size. when i have lost weight before (on weight watchers) i completely cut out any bread/pasta/take aways..and i think thats why i managed to lose the most weight ive lost before...as soon as i started eating them again it all went on again.

Hi - wow you sound just like I was!

As I said with a band you are usually advised to not eat these foods anyway. They are difficult to chew and digest post band and can cause discomfort and vomiting - yuck!

Sounds like you are going to do just fine!

 

[Neen]

It sounds like you are suited well to a band then, from what you say about your relationship with food. I feel sure you are going to be just fine, especially with the support of a site like this.
Ref your brother and other potential naysayers...well that is largely through ignorance of what a band actually does.. if only it was magic!! I would love nothing more than to have just had the op and lose everything on auto pilot.
Try and block all that nonsense from your mind. Some people are so convinced they know it all after watching something on Telly or reading some way off the mark article in the newspaper or crappy magazine. You are better off leaving them to wildly speculate, you have the information from your surgeon and all of us ready and willing to help out in any way we can. A lot of us have had unhelpful input from those around us..eventually they will either back off or take the time to find out what's really happening and help you out.
There is no time limit to weight loss with this tool, everyone is so different, don't worry about people checking up on you to see if you are losing fast enough...what do they know??? You will lose weight safely and steadily at the right rate for your body and it will stay off, that is the most important thing.

 

[mucklem]

i also decided band due to recovery time as i have a 2 year old boy.

ive got my op 3 days before you. where abouts are you having yours done?
im going to suricare in manchester

good luck!

I'm going to Belgium to have mine done, done lots of research etc and I have my docs approval. I watched the tv programme too bah, it scares you doesn't it.

 

[emma&alex]

it does scare you, im just blocking it out of my mind & telling myself they had boob jobs and im having weight loss surgery!

thanks again for your replies girls, you're all lovely!

 

[Bullyfun]

banding is fab, lol im lucky its worked well lost 10 stone but it is all down to mindset with a reminder when you try to push it (ugly side of throwing up, chest pain, thinking your going to die...... soon learn not to push it)
thing is its a lifestyle change not just eating its a whole of life kinda thing.... im lucky got mine on nhs and was so humbled to be granted the op so grasped it..... if its you hard earned cah hell grasp jump and hug it,
I for one am glad to be a bander.... had some unexpected issues but the band priceless.... hope this helps
good luck x

 

[emma&alex]

thanks for your reply


ive just got back home from manchester, ive met my surgeon & he didnt try and push the bypass or sleeve, im pretty chuffed.
everyone was lovely, the nurse had a band herself & has lost 3 stone since march, and i met some really lovely people in the waiting room, including a guy who lost 7 stone in 10 months with a band.
i changed my date from 23rd to 24th as they offered me that date too, and its easier for childcare.
mr ammori was really lovely too, he made me feel at ease.

im so pleased tonight

 

[thinkbethin]

Glad you found your consultation worth while. I'm a bander mainly due to the fact the bypass scared the sh*t out of me. I have had my band for a year now and have lost just over 5 stone. I had a huge stall because my band was too tight so I was eating too many wrong foods. Since having my de-fill I have started losing again even though its slow. I never had any illusions that it was going to be an easy ride (which I'm glad about because it is'nt) but with out my band i would still be over 20 stone and gaining. Good luck with your choice xxx

 

[mucklem]

Hi, hi, I'm so pleased your consultation went well. Wow, not long now. I booked my flights etc yesterday so very excited. It's good to read the positive band stories too. x

 

[emma&alex]

Hi, hi, I'm so pleased your consultation went well. Wow, not long now. I booked my flights etc yesterday so very excited. It's good to read the positive band stories too. x

I bet you are! I'm excited too. Feeling so much better about the whole thing. When do you leave & return?

 

[mucklem]

I fly on Saturday 14 August have the op on Monday the 16th and fly home on the Tuesday. Eek.x

 

[emma&alex]

you go the day after my birthday.

good luck!
do you mind me asking how mush youre paying for it all? if im being too nosey tell me to shut it!

xx