Weigh In at the Bander's Cafe!

[LuLuXo]

Hi all glad I found some banders in here! I've been reading a lot of your posts (hope that's ok, I'm not a creep I promise!) and I'm so inspired by your stories, it's really helping me today. I'm only on day 3 of the preop diet and struggling! Also giving up my beloved Diet Coke which is much harder than I thought it would be.

Just wondering if anyone did the chicken/fish and veg preop? It says I can have tomatoes but not sure if that means tinned tomatoes? I can have peppers so was looking to make a tomato and pepper soup.

Any info is appreciated thanks!
Jill xxx

Hi Jill! Not creepy at all
Welcome! I know what you mean, when I was first banded (four years ago on the 12th!) this whole site was full of banders but I think other kinds of WLS surgery seem to be way more popular now. It was always important for me to have something that was reversible, should I want it to be! I can totally relate to giving up the diet coke, at one time I was drinking about five cans a day! SOOO bad for you. I promise it gets easier though, one day you will consider one can (if at all) to be more than enough. I never had to do a pre-op as my surgeon did not require his patients to, but I can imagine how hard it is. If you are fancying something sweet, skimmed milk and no added sugar crusha makes an awesome treat

Please feel free to contact us with any questions whenever you feel like it, this is such a great source of support for us all- I am always dipping in and out- especially when my morale is low. Just good to know that there are people who know what you are going through!

When are you getting banded??

Keep in touch

Lu xxx

 

[LuLuXo]

The banders cafe is back in service - wahoo! Belated Happy New Year to you all.

Lovely to hear from you all, I thought lulu and crystal had dropped off the grid!

I'm with you Lu, so glad xmas is over so I can get back on track. Since my last post we went on a mini break to marrakech for New Years and I bought myself a whole new size 12/14 wardrobe which was the funnest shopping experience I've had for over a decade! Looking at the photos I am so pleased that at round about this time last year I took the plunge and decided that the band was for me and I had to stop putting it off and get it done already. 10 months ago I was over 15 stone, size 18/20 if I was lucky and felt like a complete failure and frump. Now I feel like a springy, cocky dare I say it slim(mer) more positive version of myself.

What I've learnt from this site and you amazing ladies is that this a life long journey and we all knew it wasn't going to be a quick fix magic operation that was going to make us size 0 over night.

I'm looking forward to this next part of my journey, albeit a little scared at how hard it's going to be to get back my head back into gear, and thank you ladies immensely for all your support and being that voice of reason when I need it.

Xoxo

Helllooo Neti! I did drop off the grid, but now my porky bacon is back and ready to go (again) . You're so right, ive just resigned myself to the fact that I will always be on some form of diet/healthy eating mission for the rest of my days, but six stone down is better than nothing! I really would be happy if I could just lose another four!

Marrakech sounds great and congrats! 12/14 is amazing! Im still waiting to get there . Im aiming to lose a good few stone before July- me and my BF are going to the Dominican Republic in july and I can only imagine how attractive and well figured most of the women will be there... ahh pointless insecurities. Dont you just love em??

It's so nice to hear that you are feeling so positive and with a spring in your step. i only started back properly a few days ago and I have to say I am already feeling so much better about myself physically and other areas in my life too

Keep on trucking!!


Lu xxx

 

[MissB'sjourney]

Hi Jill! Not creepy at all
Welcome! I know what you mean, when I was first banded (four years ago on the 12th!) this whole site was full of banders but I think other kinds of WLS surgery seem to be way more popular now. It was always important for me to have something that was reversible, should I want it to be! I can totally relate to giving up the diet coke, at one time I was drinking about five cans a day! SOOO bad for you. I promise it gets easier though, one day you will consider one can (if at all) to be more than enough. I never had to do a pre-op as my surgeon did not require his patients to, but I can imagine how hard it is. If you are fancying something sweet, skimmed milk and no added sugar crusha makes an awesome treat

Please feel free to contact us with any questions whenever you feel like it, this is such a great source of support for us all- I am always dipping in and out- especially when my morale is low. Just good to know that there are people who know what you are going through!

When are you getting banded??

Keep in touch

Lu xxx

Hi lu, thanks for the lovely reply

Im getting my op a week tomorrow and now starting to panic! Mainly because my friend watched a tv programme today and apparently Someone was on it, who has had a band, and she was saying how it's not helped her relationship with food and if she were to get it taken out she would pile it back on. My friend was coming from a good place telling me about it and is worried about me, but it has made me panic slightly. Even though I have done all my research and I know the change lies with me not the band and obviously if you make wrong choices you put weight on that's why I'm at this stage, I think I'm thinking the extreme and that is I will never be able to enjoy food again. I am a glass half empty kind of person and that's something I need to work on too.

My LSD is coming on much better now, I'm on fish/chicken veg but was craving everything at the weekend but I'm nearly half way through and it's easier. Amazingly I'm not bothered about missing Diet Coke, I think cos I'm constantly drinking water to hit my 3ltrs a day I don't get thirsty.

I just want it over and done with so I can get started with the new way of life. As terrifying as it is to me!

Miss B xxx

 

[LuLuXo]

Hi lu, thanks for the lovely reply

Im getting my op a week tomorrow and now starting to panic! Mainly because my friend watched a tv programme today and apparently Someone was on it, who has had a band, and she was saying how it's not helped her relationship with food and if she were to get it taken out she would pile it back on. My friend was coming from a good place telling me about it and is worried about me, but it has made me panic slightly. Even though I have done all my research and I know the change lies with me not the band and obviously if you make wrong choices you put weight on that's why I'm at this stage, I think I'm thinking the extreme and that is I will never be able to enjoy food again. I am a glass half empty kind of person and that's something I need to work on too.

My LSD is coming on much better now, I'm on fish/chicken veg but was craving everything at the weekend but I'm nearly half way through and it's easier. Amazingly I'm not bothered about missing Diet Coke, I think cos I'm constantly drinking water to hit my 3ltrs a day I don't get thirsty.

I just want it over and done with so I can get started with the new way of life. As terrifying as it is to me!

Miss B xxx

Hi Jill,

Honestly I think that getting the band has been the best decision of my life, but I was scared and panicky too- I think the feelings you have are completely normal. As long as you know the band is only the tool that helps and you are willing to really try, I am sure you will be just fine!! Funnily enough, when I got my band, I had this crazy idea that as soon as I had hit my target weight that I would pay to have it removed. As soon as I got my band though, it became (without being a complete bloody freak) like my best friend. I would hate to be without it!

In terms of being scared that you will never enjoy food again, I would say it was the opposite for me, and I can be a pretty pessimistic person lol. I was worried about that too, but being completely honest with you- I enjoy food even more when I am on a diet. Before I got my band it was all about shovelling it in as much and as fast as I could- I couldnt even remember what it felt like to be hungry! Now, if I am eating how I should be, or I have worked really hard and I am allowing myself to have a little treat, I enjoy the food SO MUCH MORE! When you are hungry even mediocre things seem like an amazing treat lol

Do you mind me asking whether you're private or NHS? How much do you want to lose? I know it is hard but try not to worry too much, you have been doing your research so you must know what is going to be required of you and I am sure you will do great I was absolutely before I had mine!

Lu xx

 

[MissB'sjourney]

Hi Jill,

Honestly I think that getting the band has been the best decision of my life, but I was scared and panicky too- I think the feelings you have are completely normal. As long as you know the band is only the tool that helps and you are willing to really try, I am sure you will be just fine!! Funnily enough, when I got my band, I had this crazy idea that as soon as I had hit my target weight that I would pay to have it removed. As soon as I got my band though, it became (without being a complete bloody freak) like my best friend. I would hate to be without it!

In terms of being scared that you will never enjoy food again, I would say it was the opposite for me, and I can be a pretty pessimistic person lol. I was worried about that too, but being completely honest with you- I enjoy food even more when I am on a diet. Before I got my band it was all about shovelling it in as much and as fast as I could- I couldnt even remember what it felt like to be hungry! Now, if I am eating how I should be, or I have worked really hard and I am allowing myself to have a little treat, I enjoy the food SO MUCH MORE! When you are hungry even mediocre things seem like an amazing treat lol

Do you mind me asking whether you're private or NHS? How much do you want to lose? I know it is hard but try not to worry too much, you have been doing your research so you must know what is going to be required of you and I am sure you will do great I was absolutely before I had mine!

Lu xx

Hi lu, well today has gotten the better of me and I've cancelled my op. I don't feel 100% right now about it and feel like I need a bit longer to get my head around it all.

I was using a private hospital and I am around 10 st overweight so quite a bit to lose! I've decided to give myself 6 months to research some more but try my absolute best to lose weight as well then reassess the situation.

My parents were offering to pay for me so I think I just ran with it and within weeks I'm here and suddenly realised maybe I've been a bit rash.

Thank you for the support though, I will stay on the forum as it all helps with the info and personal stories. It's still something I think I might need however I have been wearing rose tinted glasses and kind of blanking out the possible problems post op and not really realised how drastic a change it would be, so I need to get my head around that a bit more.

MissB xxx

 

[LuLuXo]

Hi lu, well today has gotten the better of me and I've cancelled my op. I don't feel 100% right now about it and feel like I need a bit longer to get my head around it all.

I was using a private hospital and I am around 10 st overweight so quite a bit to lose! I've decided to give myself 6 months to research some more but try my absolute best to lose weight as well then reassess the situation.

My parents were offering to pay for me so I think I just ran with it and within weeks I'm here and suddenly realised maybe I've been a bit rash.

Thank you for the support though, I will stay on the forum as it all helps with the info and personal stories. It's still something I think I might need however I have been wearing rose tinted glasses and kind of blanking out the possible problems post op and not really realised how drastic a change it would be, so I need to get my head around that a bit more.

MissB xxx

@MissB'sjourney Hey hun, and sorry to hear that but you have to do what you think is best. The band is not something to get done unless you are 100% sure of what it entails. I hope that you will manage to get some answers in the next six months that will help you with your decision. My mum also paid for me to go private- only took me about a month to decide- I too had ten stone to lose, just on the last four now! I really hope you aren't feeling down about this and please do keep coming on here and ask as many questions as you want. I knew a lady who had been booking and cancelling for seven years because she had a son and was terrified of anaesthetic. She lost ten stone in a year with a band- but the point I am trying to make is that the time has to be right for you- you know yourself the best, and only you will know if/when you are really ready.


Wishing you lots of luck,

Lu xxx

 

[Neticak]

I was like you too Lulu my mum paid half of mine and I had been toying with the idea of it for a couple of years before finally realising enough is enough I need to get it done. That was this time last year, from decision to surgery took about 6 weeks.

Its a huge life changing decision MissB so take your time with it, getting as much information can be all well and good but like with everything you're going to have fabulous success stories and horrible failures; I tend to go with my gut and the thought of starting and failing another diet made me miserable. There's a psychological aspect to having the surgery done too, I can't put my finger on it but knowing its there and also the sacrifices to pay for it will help you through at the beginning.

I have say I have noticed there is a lot of band bashing going on nowadays, I've seen quite a few mums net posts about people thinking about gastric surgeries and most of the replies say don't get a band whatever you do! For me it was knowing that it wasn't altering my anatomy permanently and it seems to have the least on going issues; if something terrible does happen you have it whipped out and end of (maybe a little naive of me I know but that's my logic)

Anyway, on my to do list this week is to call up and make a dietician appointment, I think I need some tweaking. I've had enough of this larking about and need to get back on track, only way to sort that out is to have some more put in.

I had some crackers with tuna for lunch that have done the trick, not very exciting but quick and easy! No idea what to make for dinner tonight. My hubby said we seem to be eating the same thing every night cheeky sod. I challenged him to make something healthy and different every day for a month and see how he got on. He declined the challenge of course.

xox

 

[LuLuXo]

@Neticak haha! The bloody cheek of them sometimes. I don't think they always realize just how much effort making something tasty that is low fat can be

I totally get what you mean about it being reversible. I just couldn't stand the thought of having any part of my stomach cut away so the band was the best option for me. The fact my mum paid for it also meant that I felt extra pressure to succeed which in the long run I think was quite good for me psychologically. It hasn't always been easy but I really mean it when I say it has been the best decision of my life! So much more confident and happy now than I have ever been which has opened up a lot of different doors for me. I would have been way too self conscious to do half of the things I have/would do now!

@Neticak is the dietician through your provider or nhs? Good to hear you're raring to get back on track! We're all behind you

 

[Neticak]

The dietician is through my provider I went private with the hospital group. Who did you go through?

Had a lovely salmon salad with olives and a little feta it was gorg. Can't believe it's Friday tomorrow this week has flown by, I will call the dietitians tomorrow!

 

[Neticak]

Hoping some of the older timers are still lurking on the site like me!

So it’s been roughly 2 years since I last checked in and so much has happened! I managed to get down to a size 10 and held it steady until I fell pregnant! The band didn’t affect my pregnancy at all and I didn’t need any adjustments to it. Gave birth to a gorgeous healthy little boy at the end of July and have been on a bit of high since then. Started to get back on track but then accidentally fell pregnant but unfortunately have recently miscarried. Ive gone up 2 dress sizes but I’m ready mentally and physically to get myself back on it to get back in shape and eating healthier.

Would love to hear how everyone has been doing. Seems as though the band boards are very quiet xx

 

[Bling Babe]

Hoping some of the older timers are still lurking on the site like me!

So it’s been roughly 2 years since I last checked in and so much has happened! I managed to get down to a size 10 and held it steady until I fell pregnant! The band didn’t affect my pregnancy at all and I didn’t need any adjustments to it. Gave birth to a gorgeous healthy little boy at the end of July and have been on a bit of high since then. Started to get back on track but then accidentally fell pregnant but unfortunately have recently miscarried. Ive gone up 2 dress sizes but I’m ready mentally and physically to get myself back on it to get back in shape and eating healthier.

Would love to hear how everyone has been doing. Seems as though the band boards are very quiet xx

Hiya I’m not a banker but wanted to wish you luck, you certainly sound like your in the right headspace right now, I’m sorry for your sad loss but lovely that you have a healthy baby boy, with so much going on it’s easy to take our eye off the ball, keep in touch x

 

[Irene44]

Hoping some of the older timers are still lurking on the site like me!

So it’s been roughly 2 years since I last checked in and so much has happened! I managed to get down to a size 10 and held it steady until I fell pregnant! The band didn’t affect my pregnancy at all and I didn’t need any adjustments to it. Gave birth to a gorgeous healthy little boy at the end of July and have been on a bit of high since then. Started to get back on track but then accidentally fell pregnant but unfortunately have recently miscarried. Ive gone up 2 dress sizes but I’m ready mentally and physically to get myself back on it to get back in shape and eating healthier.

Would love to hear how everyone has been doing. Seems as though the band boards are very quiet xx

Oh sweetheart I’m not banded and only been on the forum since March time. I’m so sorry for your losses words can’t help I know. But we will all support and help if we can. You sound like your in a good place now big hugs hunni xx

 

[Mazza]

Hi @Neticak, it's good to have you back and boy have you been through it!

I'm not sure how many banders are still around but hopefully someone will come along soon and say hello x