Be Honest- Any regrets with Gastric Band?

[Lily White]

Urm......no-one accused you of scare mongering did they????? I said I wish I didn't read it .......not that you shouldn't have said it. I also haven't *burried my head in the sand* it is a FACT that more cases work than fail, 70% more to be exact an I find it quite offensive that someone I don't even know can be so presumptuous about how I feel and call me * ignorant*
I actually appreciate stories like your's but as I had just handed over 5 and a half thousand pounds it wasn't exactly what I wanted to read at the time.....that's all.
I am very pleased that your bypass is working so well for you and wish you luck as you continue your journey but please don't assume that something that didn't work for you wont work for others.

good on ya Donna!!! i had my band fitted 2 weeks ago and yes still worry will it slip am i eating right but that actually helps. I am now constantly aware of what i eat i dont just down large portions of food like i used to as i cash in my life savings to have this op it cost me 9000 euro and im not willing to mess that up. I worry like everyone else that il be the one it goes horribly wrong for but so far so good.

 

[Decking Jim]

Hi
No weight loss surgery is a miracle cure, Ive read about people who have hand problems with band erosion, Band slippage etc yeah it may not evan be down to you if it doesnt work but for the majority of people its seems successful
You have to change eating habits and increase physical effort or you can beat the band
Interestingly I have also read about lots of people with gastric bypass who start regaining weight after 1.5 to 2 years as the new smaller stomach stretches so none are guaranteed
Whatever procedure chosen you have to work with it else it will not work
I only want to lose 3.5 stone but cannot do it on my own no matter how hard I try so Im hoping that the band will help me with portion control - Now if im gonna microwave mars bars and eat whole tubs of ben n Jerrys it wont work
Im going to monitor and collate in a journal everything I eat and drink from day 1 of pre op and increase exercise once settled down after op

Cheers

James

 

[donnax658]

Brilliant attitude to have James. I wish you luck and I hope you get to your goal in no time x

 

[Skip]

Hi Liz

Thank you so much for your message, I was a little worried after yesterday!

Can I ask you a question (as you seem to know what you are doing).... how can I see people's gallery's/photo's? I keep getting a no access message???

Looking forward to hearing from you shortly.

Skip xx

skip, listen to me im one of them statistics of having my band removed, mine was removed replaced after 3.5 years, what happened to me is RARE, compared to all the many successes of banding thats out there, yes bands dont work for everyone but the majority of banders that has been done it does work for.


i have had two bands now and i still have no regrets.

liz x

 

[caroline4013]

Hi Guys

I have a couple of questions I'd like to ask
Firstly what is the criteria for NHS funding and also if you have to do 70% of the work yourself and have liquids etc to start with then isn't just following a shake diet like Cambridge or Lighter Life going to give the same results?
I have about 5 stone to lose and am currently trying to do the Cambridge diet but am finding it really tough!!

 

[cherylxx]

hi caroline,
the criteria for NHS funding differs for different PCT's although many seem to follow the NICE guidelines.
with regards to the liquid diet, it is only for a few weeks then u build up to normal eating.
i have followed cambridge in the past and although i did lose weight well on it i would hate to live on it for the rest of my life. the band teaches you how to restrict the amount u eat enabling smaller and ultimately healthier meals.
hope this helps.

 

[Decking Jim]

Hi Caroline
I did Lighter Life for 4 weeks with great results but found on only 500 cals per day I did not have enough energy to do gym, cycling etc
Also I became bored of skakes and soups very quickly the only thing you were allowed to add was tabasco sauce so it was hard from that point of view and my underlying worry was would I be able to maintain my lower weight when came off it
My pre op diet is 4 slimfast per day plus 5 portion of fruit and veg so thats like way easier for me than LL and gives me some variety
The reason why Im going for a band is to assist me in portion control
I eat well during the day its just at night I tend to go overboard with too bigger portions than I need and then when get some wine down me dreaded munchies kick in
In hoping with bands help this will help me overcome this issue
Good luck with the CD I see some people have had amazing results, also people on LL and Lipotrim
Cheers
James

 

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

Hi Liz

Thank you so much for your message, I was a little worried after yesterday!

Can I ask you a question (as you seem to know what you are doing).... how can I see people's gallery's/photo's? I keep getting a no access message???

Looking forward to hearing from you shortly.

Skip xx

you need 50 posts to view gallerys, your now just over 50 posts so it should give you access now.

 

[Skip]

Hi Liz

Thank you, I can view them now.

OMG!! your tummy looked sore!

Good on you!

I have added you to my buddy's list thing - hope you dont mind!

Skip xx

you need 50 posts to view gallerys, your now just over 50 posts so it should give you access now.

 

[prinny]

I must say having caught up again on this post I know what Donna is saying. I so really don't want to offend anyone in saying this but I think when you are lucky enough to get NHS funding for a bypass it is maybe a bit easier to say that a bypass is a better option ( which I think it is) etc.......and to remind people of the band faults. It's not that we don't want to hear as such it's just hard to take when we have self funded at a massive cost, I personaly face the risk that if there was to be a problem with my band I do not have the money to rectify it and the nhs won't touch me. I am not in a nhs comfort zone and I must say this petrifies me and I am scared stiff. But I am going into this with my eyes wide open it's just hard sometimes reading the negatives (even though thats what the forum is about reading both sides!). I would have loved the oppertunity for a bypass but I have to take what I can afford which to me is better than nothing. If something goes wrong it goes wrong but I know that hand on my heart I have tried to my best ability. Good luck Donna, and like I said I hope I haven't offended anyone.

 

[lesleyweb]

I must say having caught up again on this post I know what Donna is saying. I so really don't want to offend anyone in saying this but I think when you are lucky enough to get NHS funding for a bypass it is maybe a bit easier to say that a bypass is a better option ( which I think it is) etc.......and to remind people of the band faults. It's not that we don't want to hear as such it's just hard to take when we have self funded at a massive cost, I personaly face the risk that if there was to be a problem with my band I do not have the money to rectify it and the nhs won't touch me. I am not in a nhs comfort zone and I must say this petrifies me and I am scared stiff. But I am going into this with my eyes wide open it's just hard sometimes reading the negatives (even though thats what the forum is about reading both sides!). I would have loved the oppertunity for a bypass but I have to take what I can afford which to me is better than nothing. If something goes wrong it goes wrong but I know that hand on my heart I have tried to my best ability. Good luck Donna, and like I said I hope I haven't offended anyone.

hi prinny this is only a suggestion, but would ur pct not do a deal with u and pay towards the by-pass...if that is what u truly want...it could be worth a try, good luck in what ever u decide xx

 

[Skip]

It's nice to see that there is a lot of positive vibes comijng through now! I did get a little worried after I read the post about majority failing etc

I am feeling much happier now!

Skip x

 

[donnax658]

Prinny.....thank you for your good luck wishes.....sending some right back to you xx
Glad your feeling happier skip. At the end of the day there is only one way to find out if this is going to work for us ...and that is to go ahead and do it. Wishing you lots of luck too xx

 

[Skip]

Hi Donna

Yes I am feeling much happier now!

Hope everything goes well for you too!

Skip xx

Prinny.....thank you for your good luck wishes.....sending some right back to you xx
Glad your feeling happier skip. At the end of the day there is only one way to find out if this is going to work for us ...and that is to go ahead and do it. Wishing you lots of luck too xx

 

[cah-ching]

I havent been on here for a while and this is the first time that I have read this thread..... I just wanted to quickly tell my story and hope it helps people that are thinking and worrying that they have handed over £5k and the big question 'is it going to work?'.

Well 'bloody Fern Britton' was my whole reason for having the band done and that is what my husband calls her everytime he sees her!! I just saw how fab she looked and it seemed like 'the miracle cure'. I booked my consultation went along and Mr Sigursson said its not a miracle cure you will have to do 70% of the work, I thought yeah right book me in!.

Done the milk diet and thought mmmmm maybe this is not going to be as easy as I thought, went for the op and all went well. Thinking to myself at least I can still eat anything I want but in moderation..... how wrong was I!!!!!!!! I havent had bread for 4 months, cant have anything with batter or breadcrumbs on, cant have any red meat apart from mince. Sometimes I can eat chicken somedays I can't, not good when u go out for a meal and you dont know whether its a chicken day or not. Then there is the goodies that never ever seemed to bother me I would have a chocolate bar prob once a week was always a savoury person, chocolate, crisps and buscuits can be eaten anytime anywhere!! 3 weeks ago I had a real bad time with choc and was having 2 bars a day and one day ate an easter egg!! Its the only time as being a bander I have stayed the same weight wise. It is really really possible to cheat this band I know that, its not a miracle cure!! I often get things stuck, get sick, have to walk out of places to eat cause I have took one bite too much. It is really not as easy as 'bloody Fern Britton' made it look BUT I do love my band, I have lost 58lb in nearly 4 months. I work with it 99% of the time and It is hard and occassionally it can get the better of me, but NO ONE is perfect. I do think if you are prepared and really really want it to work it will.

Good luck from a happy bander.

Dee xx

Ps God sorry I said I was QUICKLY going to tell my story!

Thanks Deebol!

Reading Alexa's comments got me very depressed. Its not that I don't want to hear the negatives, but sometimes shouting the loudest can attract the greatest number of ears .... if you know what I mean?

I got so concerned I contacted the company I'm due to have my band with to ask if they'd consider doing the by-pass instead. Crazy uh?!!!

 

[Bullyfun]

wow actualy read all of that.... got a bit hairy there for a while lol.
well im a week and a bit into it, and feel great i'm one of the i know its down to me not the band type of guys so really took time considering the op, now its done im over the moon, not starving, i know im still swollen and really looking forward to a fill to see how they do it, as with every operation, procedure or decision take your time and decide whats right for you, its you that has to live with it and the resulting lifestyle, if worrys about failure stop you, you'd never get up in the morning, be positive research, ask questions then decide.

 

[tray]

im still pre op.. when i first looked into haveing wls i was adamant i was only ever going to have the band, noone was going to talk me into the bypass , but since i have been reading posts on here i have totally changed my mind i will go for the bypass right away so hopefully i donthave to go through the op again , as with the band it seems a lot more people have problems losing the weight with it. i dont want to go through all this to end up not losing anything or it not working so its bypass for me ....

 

[Bullyfun]

starting to wonder if us banders are seen as second class citizens

 

[cah-ching]

Decisions, decisions ... omg I'm so confused.!!!!

 

[cah-ching]

skip, listen to me im one of them statistics of having my band removed, mine was removed replaced after 3.5 years, what happened to me is RARE, compared to all the many successes of banding thats out there, yes bands dont work for everyone but the majority of banders that has been done it does work for.


i have had two bands now and i still have no regrets.

liz x

Thanks for this. I'm still so stressed and indecisive :cry: