Band or not?

[gillianr2]

Hi everyone,

I've been overweight for about 9/10yrs now and "morbidly obese" for around 8 of those years. Basically I stopped smoking and replaced that addiction with food. I went on to have children in a short space of time, all c-section. I've been on every deit you can imagine including hypnotists, therapists, cambride, WW, SW and orlistat tablets. Nothing has worked for me. I always start away well and lose a few stone quickly but just don't have the willpower to do it long term and creep back in to really bad habits. I'm now at my heaviest ever, 16st and 5ft 2". I have really bad confidence problems due to my "overhang" from pregnancies, it's not just a normal one but like the ones you see on the tv in programmes. After years of asking my gp said that if I lost the weight she would fight her hardest to get me a TT on the NHS and she gave me orlistat tablets again. That's the thing I have been wanting for years - I got the pills about 5mths ago and I now weigh more than I did back then. Even with the incentive of getting what I want more than anything I still can't do it. Have been looking in to a band as an option, I couldn't afford it privately so would need to ask gp again, BUT I am scared. Scared of the operation (I have a heart arrythmia problem) and scared of what if I am the statistic that die son the table (drama queen I know!) or the one that gets an infection. Also know if I get a band on the NHS there's no way I would get a TT aswell later and I know I will never have the financial means to do it myself as i'm a stay at home mum (and carer) and my husband doesn't earn alot. Can anyone give me some good basic info on the band and how it worked for them aswell as the negatives? When you read providers pages they obv gear it all up for the positives only

Thanks x.

 

[WeightlossDreamer]

Ermm firstly I think you should possibly see if you can get some free consultations with private companies so they can run through everything with you. I think a doctor is more capable of assessing your individual needs.

Secondly I would look at your own habits. Are you a big sweet eater? I was but have had to banish sweets from my diet because the band would not stop me putting on weight if I continued to eat sweets. Anything cake, biscuit chocolate wise passes straight through the band, so if you continue to eat in large quantities it will not stop you gaining weight!

As for cons at the moment I am nearly 4 months out. I don't really have anything to complain about. But also I'm not a typical band patient. My band has remained tight from surgery and as a result I've only had one fill of 1ml.

It will not completely solve hunger pangs. I still feel hunger if I eat the wrong foods, slider foods etc. with a band obviously it is a foreign body within your body. If you don't treat it right and stick by the rules you can encounter problems such as slips where the band slips up your stomach.

It's not been easy but has so been worth it for me it has changed my life! Post op I have lost 2 stone 3lbs so far and I lost 1 stone 2lbs on pre op. Some lose faster, some lose slower but good luck with everything and I'm sorry I didn't see this post sooner x x

 

[top_kat]

I am 17 months post band op. I had it fitted with Healthier weight as it was my last resort.

It is not an easy option. 17 months out, I am still battling to find restriction from my band and after 13 fills they have discovered that it is actually potentially leaking. This actually goes to explain why after every fill, I have not felt a difference, and that my levels of hunger have never been taken away from my band.

As such, the weight that I've lost has been through willpower and strict control of foods, diet and exercise. That willpower is needed even if you have restriction, as it doesn't stop you eating the "bad things", it doesn't stop any issues that you have with eating. You need with a band, to be able to stick and follow those guidelines which if you don't have long term willpower like you say, then it may be that the band isn't for you at all.

It is not an easy option. And despite the fact that I've got issues with my band that is now being investigated which could mean having it replaced, my band has changed my life.

Even without it working in the way that it should have done and which it does for so many, I've lost 1lb short of 11 stone (reminder to self, update stats on weigh in this week lol) and I've dropped 11 dress sizes.

I do wonder what I would have achieved and would I have already lost the remainder of what I have to lose if there weren't issues with the band. I also wish that my provider had listened to me when I say that something isn't right. But this is now being investigated and I remain thankful for the fact that I have a 3 years warranty (this is in addition to the 2 years aftercare) which will cover against slips, leaks and band erosion.

I can still eat all foods, in whatever quantity I want, so its not plain sailing if you don't have good will power and lots of self control while you're working to find restriction.

I also have serious skin issues and I could have quite easily have fitted into the "baggy body" programme that was on C4 last week. Unfortunately, NHS TT are very rare, and when I approached my GP about it, they said no chance. Even have a case where someone is suicidal so i need to start saving for any hope of sorting that out.

Look at the options, but consider carefully the options in relation to your eating habits. the band will not "cure" a lack of willpower and that is needed, neither will it take away any emotional eating or other food issues. But you can look into CBT or counselling to deal with those and I would recommend doing so if they are an issue for you ahead of having surgery.

Good luck!