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Thinking of a band
- Thread starter salty
- Start date
Val
Committed Weight Loser
Hi everyone, I have failed miserably with diet and exercise, I lost 3 stone with ll diet but put it all back on. have an appointment tomorrow to discuss a band with consultant, im currently 15 st 3.
im just scared I guess! but know I want/need to loose weight.
I would advise that you look into all options..have you tried everything diet wise
I'm supposing you have..
A band is a tool 30% will be the band working for you and 70% will have to be your effort
I had a band as I was sick to death of loosing the same 4 or 5 stone only to put it all back on
I hope now I have a band I shall loose my weight and NOT put it back on....ask lots of questions do your research make sure its for you
If so you will never look back
Good Luck xxxxx
Val
Committed Weight Loser
I had a band fitted in august, and it's been the best thing I've ever done for my health. I was 24.7 at the start of my pre-op, so for me surgery was last-chance saloon.
Any questions, just ask
Just realised we were the same start weight Sarah
hi top kat, enjoying your posts, I think I loose some weight then put it back on, but I know I can have discipline if I do something like this as when I did ll I did well and lost 3 stone, but then sneaked back into bad eating habits.
im reading Judith beck book which is helping me to prepare, when I lost weight I worked part time and had more me time to focus on diet, I work full time now but would be willing to drop my hours to stay focused. xx
im reading Judith beck book which is helping me to prepare, when I lost weight I worked part time and had more me time to focus on diet, I work full time now but would be willing to drop my hours to stay focused. xx
top_kat
Well-Known Member
Thank you
You can still work and be focused just be prepared. Do menu plans for the week, have things made up in the fridge chicken, prawns etc to snack on, and even ready meals to hand. I now always keep weight watchers meal in freezer just in case I don't have time to prepare and to stop me reaching for the bad stuff.
The band doesn't stop us sneaking back into those bad habits unfortunately, it would be nice if there was a band around the brain, but with time it can help us to make positive choices and to find a balance
I think if you're prepared and wanting it to work that is a foundation that we need, but I think a lot of oroviders really fail to tell people just how hard work it can be, that the band needs a huge amount of willpower and lots of self control and is a tool to help us rather than being the answer
I still have a long way to go, I'm battling to find restriction and then had a stint of over restriction so with a defill have taken steps back, it's a roller coaster at times, one which isn't easy, but even with that, I will never regret my band.
flutterby1966
Well-Known Member
Salty, welcome back you have proved you can lose weight and it's now around understanding what your triggers are that make you put it back on. Will any of the surgeries stop bad habits creeping back in? I am doubt it? Tbh I love my band and didn't want/consider anything more invasive tool but do plenty of research to understand what is the most appropriate option for you and your behaviours. Best of luck
you have proved you can lose weight and it's now around understanding what your triggers are that make you put it back on. Will any of the surgeries stop bad habits creeping back in? I am doubt it? Tbh I love my band and didn't want/consider anything more invasive tool but do plenty of research to understand what is the most appropriate option for you and your behaviours. Best of luck Thank you
Thankyou topkat
Went for appointment today and was feeling a bit better . Think I need to do more reading, was advised to get band and she said I don't need pre op diet as bmi 34, which I thought was odd.thinking of going in January to get banded
Salty, welcome back
Thankyou flutterby
Went to see consultant and she said I could have a band, thinking of January. Gunna do a bit more reading, you have done so well
top_kat
Well-Known Member
Not every surgeon requires a pre-op, and it will depend on you, weight, BMI etc so just go with what they say. There's nothing to stop you getting ready and starting on a low cal diet etc to prepare yourself for post op
Banderbird
Active Member
I didn't need to do a pre-op diet either, I just had to stay off alcohol for two weeks and try to keep fairly low-cal.
I will say the band does not control what you put in your mouth, you can still eat all the 'bad' stuff if you want to. It doesn't stop you eating chocolate, cream, cheese, crisps etc etc, so you have to have almost as much willpower as you do on a diet.
As others have said, it's just a tool to help you, not a magic wand.
The bypass is the surgery that DOES effectively control what you put in your mouth. It might be worth considering.
I will say the band does not control what you put in your mouth, you can still eat all the 'bad' stuff if you want to. It doesn't stop you eating chocolate, cream, cheese, crisps etc etc, so you have to have almost as much willpower as you do on a diet.
As others have said, it's just a tool to help you, not a magic wand.
The bypass is the surgery that DOES effectively control what you put in your mouth. It might be worth considering.
flutterby1966
Well-Known Member
Not sure if I agree with the comment re the bypass. We, at the end of the day, are ultimately in control of what we put in our mouths with whichever op we have. A band, bypass or sleeve do not stop the physical act of what we choose to eat. For bypassers many have dumping if they eat the wrong things, for others however though they don't. Likewise with the band, we are told the rules and can choose whether or not to the follow them. Lots of people choose not to follow their providers guidance and then blame the procedure/tool for failing
top_kat
Well-Known Member
It is a big decision and I think its important that you can be well informed. And if you are feeling only 50/50, I would say that you need to be much closer to making sure its the right decision for you. It isn't an easy answer. I love my band and how its changed my life, but it can be darn hard work. Its not as simple as a couple of fills and away you go, it can be a longer term battle to find restriction, but it is only a tool and we have to be prepared to work with it to get the results. What flutterby said above regarding people not following the guidelines and then blaming the band for not working is quite common, but I also think some providers do not really give the full picture of the band, banded life and how much the work after its placement comes down to the wearer and not the bit of plastic that goes around the stomach.
sarahrob
New Member
I love my band, but I'm so glad I did all the research I did as my provider (THG) stress all the positives and don't really give a true picture until after the op. My nurse and dietician are great and give me loads of support and info, but I didn't meet either until the band was in situ.
When I was choosing a provider I met some who discussed my eating in huge detail to decide the best procedure for me, I met some who just told me "you need X" without knowing anything more than my weight and I met others who just asked what I wanted, and if I was prepared to pay they would go ahead without discussing other options!
It's a big decision and a huge commitment, so it's important you know you're doing the best thing. Good luck, and if you have any questions at all just ask x
When I was choosing a provider I met some who discussed my eating in huge detail to decide the best procedure for me, I met some who just told me "you need X" without knowing anything more than my weight and I met others who just asked what I wanted, and if I was prepared to pay they would go ahead without discussing other options!
It's a big decision and a huge commitment, so it's important you know you're doing the best thing. Good luck, and if you have any questions at all just ask x
Banderbird
Active Member
Not sure if I agree with the comment re the bypass. We, at the end of the day, are ultimately in control of what we put in our mouths with whichever op we have. A band, bypass or sleeve do not stop the physical act of what we choose to eat. For bypassers many have dumping if they eat the wrong things, for others however though they don't. Likewise with the band, we are told the rules and can choose whether or not to the follow them. Lots of people choose not to follow their providers guidance and then blame the procedure/tool for failing
I should probably clarify what I mean.
Of course we all control what we put in our mouths, but the consequences vary.
Many bypassers on here talk about how careful they have to be with what they eat, and how they dump with too much sugar or fat. I cannot imagine there is any bypasser who could eat masses and masses of sugar without a care in the world. Maybe there is, and if so, I misunderstand how the bypass works.
With a band, we could (probably) eat two bars of melted chocolate with no issues ... aside from feeling sick!
The point I'm trying to make is that the bypass has - or appears to have from the many posts I've read on here - more of a control over what you can eat than the band.
If I'm wrong, then my mistake, but MOST banders surely do not dump like MOST bypassers do.
In my limited experience it appears that the band requires more willpower.
I dunno.
(in other news, I just took a mouthful that was far too big while writing this - OW!!! That'll teach me...thankfully it's only shepherd's pie)
