Filled with trepidation

[Helski]

Hi
I've got an appointmen to see the consultant re gastric banding next Monday. But I've got a ton of questions that I would really appreciate honest answers to.
I'm about 6 stones overweight and I hate feeling so unfit and unattractive but I am also really worried that my life as I know it will change so much with a band that I won't be able to cope.

Is it true that banders vomit a lot? I spoke to a friend of a friend and she said that she carries nappy sacks with her so that she can vomit discretely?
How do you cope when you go out to eat or to a dinner party?
How do you cope when you can't eat a certain food ever again?
Is the appearance of loose skin as repulsive as the fat in the first place?

I'm not sure what to do. I will go and see the consultant but I wondered if these life changes are the same with any of the surgeries ie band or sleeve?

Thank you in advance for any feedback you can give me.

 

[frankyboysh7]

Hi there.
I can't answer the majority of your questions, as I've only had my band 2 weeks.
But I'd rather put up with giving up certain foods, and perhaps a bit of loose skin - rather than another 10 years of no confidence, not being who I want to be and only being able to order clothes on the net.
Sod that.
It's early days for me, but it's a great thing.

 

[sarahrob]

Hello Helski, and welcome!

I've only been banded since august, but I've yet to vomit. I take small bites and chew a LOT! I go out for meals a couple of times most weeks, and I choose a light option or a starter. If I order a normal main course a good chunk of it will be wasted.

I've yet to find a food I can't tolerate, but I'm sure that day will come! When it does, I'll just avoid that food from then on. I need to lose weight more than I want to eat any particular food.

I need to lose around 10 stone, so I'm sure I'll be left with a lot of skin and all the attendant complications that brings. Loose skin won't kill me. It won't make me diabetic, or give me heart issues. I may save and have cosmetic surgery, I'll have to see how I feel when I get there

I can understand your nervousness - it's a big decision to make. I can honestly say I've not regretted having my band fitted for a second.

Good luck!

 

[Val]

I think all your worries are to be understanded
I have only been banded two weeks but I have 2 daughters that are long term banders and they have never vomited..they have good healthy diets and my older daughter has lost 8 stone and as yet still requires no skin surgery
my younger daughter has lost 5 atone and her body has shrunk back beautifully

I hope you can make a decision based on facts and not horror stories
Good Luck xxx

 

[Helski]

Thank you

It's so difficult when you read so many different accounts. If I knew I wouldn't be vomiting every five minutes and that I could enjoy a wide variety of food I don't think I'd hesitate.

Is 'dumping' a common side effect too?

Thank you so much for taking the trouble to answer.

 

[sarahrob]

As a bander, I don't get dumping, that's more common with bypass or sleeve. If your foodie downfall is sugar, a band won't stop you eating sweets where a bypass will as they will make you dump.

 

[WeightlossDreamer]

They say that the more you exercise, you keep the elasticity in your skin so it should shrink back pretty good! All depends how much you have to lose too tho x

 

[sarahrob]

I think when you're deciding which procedure to go for the important thing is to be brutally honest with yourself about your eating habits. When you have your consultation you can then decide which surgery sounds most suitable.

For me, the band will (hopefully!) answer my issues. It's not the solution for everyone!

Ask any questions - I'll do my best to answer to the best of my experience

 

[flutterby1966]

Hi
I've got an appointmen to see the consultant re gastric banding next Monday. But I've got a ton of questions that I would really appreciate honest answers to.
I'm about 6 stones overweight and I hate feeling so unfit and unattractive but I am also really worried that my life as I know it will change so much with a band that I won't be able to cope.

Is it true that banders vomit a lot? I spoke to a friend of a friend and she said that she carries nappy sacks with her so that she can vomit discretely?
How do you cope when you go out to eat or to a dinner party?
How do you cope when you can't eat a certain food ever again?
Is the appearance of loose skin as repulsive as the fat in the first place?

I'm not sure what to do. I will go and see the consultant but I wondered if these life changes are the same with any of the surgeries ie band or sleeve?

Thank you in advance for any feedback you can give me.

Good luck with your consultation. As previously said, honesty with yourself and the consultant is best. Personally I have lost over 11 stones with my band. I very rarely have episodes when the food pops back up, but if I do its because I have been hungry and eaten too quickly without chewing enough. I eat out 3 times a week on average and tend to have a starter size portion as I know that will be enough to satisfy without being tempted to demolish a whole large plateful (my empty a plate demons have not totally gone ) ... Or if I am going to eat a main meal, I just order mine to come to the table at the same time as everyone's starters so I can take my time to eat it while everyone has their two courses. Seems to work for me, and then I don't get the comments about hardly eating anything. Being relaxed when you are out really helps, as if you are stressed the band seems to kick in unexpectedly.

Loose skin-wise, my arms have a bit of loose skin, but my stomach (which used to have an apron when I was 154lbs heavier) is now flat as a pancake ... More so even than when I was a teenager ... And I am 46 now

Best of luck. There are no guarantees how things will end up, but if you stay overweight the risks are greater than if you lose some of the excess baggage xx

 

[top_kat]

hi,

I am a bander at 13 months post op. But one that took me over 7 years to go through.

Some people will be sick with their band - a majority if that isn't to do with the band but the way and how they eat, you have to be prepared to take small mouthfuls, chew lots and as you work towards restriction there maybe foods that you cannot tolerate and as such if it's not been chewed etc it won't go down so will come back up. It doesn't need to be a constant thing, for some it doesn't happen, but if you are being sick it could also suggest that the band is actually too tight in terms of having too much fill.

Over time, you will learn what you can eat, but you will also get used to taking very small mouthfuls and chewing lots, it's important with a band. As such you can still eat out and still lead a normal life in that way, just wth much smaller portions.

You get used to being without foods that you cannot eat, but you may well be able to tolerate all foods so this often isn't an issue at all. But dumping isn't a band issue as the band just restricts the entry to the stomach. Some people do digest food differently which can cause some similar feelings but it's not dumping in the sense of the word like you get with bypassers.

Skin. I'm not going to lie to you, there's only so much exercise can do, and some people may not have issues, some people will. I am one of those that has serious skin issues. It kicked in after I'd lost about 6 stone or so, I've now lost almost 11 and still have almost 3 to go. But I do have problems, skin infections, itching, boils and cysts. And a very low apron and also skin issues around the pubis area

It's not nice and it's not pretty and it brings me personally a lot of feelings of disgust in how it feels. But I am learning to deal with it, and am now saving for surgery.

However I am lighter now than what I was at 18 years old. I am fitting into a size 14 top nearly 12 and heading towards 16 bottoms. I've taken up running, I gym 4-7 times a week. And I love my band and the changes it has made to my life.

My journey hasn't been easy, it's taken me 13 months to feel any restriction from my band and since my 9th fill, I'm having difficulties with over restriction and may have to have some taken out. But although I've not had restriction it's given me the ability to make changes, to make choices and to actually feel alive.

On a recent holiday I went tubing with my son down the river - before he would be lucky if I even went to the pool.

The skin, the issues, the difficulty in finding restriction and even the difficulties I'm now facing has been totally worth it.

But, you have to know and feel it is the right decision for you, for your life. But you must be aware it is a tool and only does a small % of the work! and you must be prepared to do the rest.

If there is anything you want to know, please do ask. I will always be honest in answering

 

[Banderbird]

I'm very new to all this, but had similar worries to you.

The reason I went for the band is because it's both adjustable and reversible. I like the idea that once I've lost all the weight, I can have some saline removed to allow me to eat slightly more normally - if I want to.

I'm not on solids yet, so I don't know what food I can and can't tolerate, but I don't think it will be that dramatic. The idea is that banders can eventually cope with virtually all food if it's well-chewed and eaten slowly with small bites.

I also chose it because I'm currently a size 16, and realistically I 'only' have around 4 stone to lose. The rest will just be a bonus. I didn't want anything as drastic as a bypass, and I'm not sure they would have done it anyway. As for loose skin, I've lost nearly that amount of weight before and didn't have any, I hope it's the same with the band - but I exercise a lot which helps.

Plus a band was the cheapest!

So far I've had no problems at all *touch wood*. I recovered quickly with no pain, and I've managed to stick to all the post-op instructions.

I think you just learn to live with it, and that is what I will do.

 

[frankyboysh7]

Great post Top Kat,