Guest guest Posted January 9, 2008 Report Share Posted January 9, 2008 Hi Gabs 1/ What has been the best thing about getting the band? No more lumbar punctures, Benign Intercranial Hypertension has gone, and I can ware jeans now!!! .Woo Hoo. 2/ What is the worst thing about having the band? Not being able to take a huge bite out of a nice juicy burger, and eat it as fast as I want. (I miss Burgers) 3/ Has the band been what you expected? More? Less? Much more!!! Some days, my band can get me down, not often though. I would NEVER be without it again. I love being able to ware jeans and I love being healthier, and of course healthier equals happier! Fi Random questions... Me again! As my date for the band gets closer I find myself sometimes so excited about getting the journey started i can be heard squealing with delight....other times I catch myself experiencing the very normal jitters about the operation and the settling in period afterwoods....and I guess my new life with the band. So Im interested to know - 1/ What has been the best thing about getting the band? 2/ What is the worst thing about having the band? 3/ Has the band been what you expected? More? Less? I love brutal honesty. Just maximizing this great opportunity to talk openly and honestly with a group of people who've been through it. Thanks very much xxx Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest guest Posted January 9, 2008 Report Share Posted January 9, 2008 Hi Hun It is very exciting isnt it i remember what i was like:) the worst thing...ummm i think the fact that one day i can eat something and the next i cant.....gets frustrating but not really a big deal as you soon learn to live with this minor problem the best thing....losing weight and i feel great expectations....yes and no....i guess i thought i would feel restriction from day one but ofcourse i have since learnt it takes time..... plus i didnt join any support group till after banding so didnt have the benefit of everyones experiences but in saying that im thrilled with my results so far....im only 3mths post op had one fill with the next on 23rd jan so soon.... im down 20kgs so cant complain i know i cant eat anywhere near what i used too and i rarely get hungry im now getting some mobility back no longer have to sit on a chair to prepare dinner i can stand at the sink like normal again my pain level have dropped a bit and overall i feel great So yes my expectations are being fulfilled im looking forward to next fill and one day getting the restriction others talk of im losing weight but do still count calories except these days 1500 cals is very filling whereas prior i struggled on that and was always hungry hunger isnt a problem any more so its all good you will soon be on your journey and you will be fine hugs Leeanne -- Random questions... Me again! As my date for the band gets closer I find myself sometimes so excited about getting the journey started i can be heard squealing with delight....other times I catch myself experiencing the very normal jitters about the operation and the settling in period afterwoods....and I guess my new life with the band. So Im interested to know - 1/ What has been the best thing about getting the band? 2/ What is the worst thing about having the band? 3/ Has the band been what you expected? More? Less? I love brutal honesty. Just maximizing this great opportunity to talk openly and honestly with a group of people who've been through it. Thanks very much xxx PLEASE NOTE: If you experience any problems with any surgeons, doctors or other health professionals and their Code Of Conduct at any stage of your band journey, the arena you need to discuss this will be within the privacy of their surgery or rooms, with them not us. This is not a forum to air any grievances or defame a professional persons' reputation in any way, even if they have upset you immensely. Some Doctors are members of this group and may well read what you have said about them, and anything defamatory you say could lead to legal action being taken against you by the professional discussed. This is also not a forum to defame or slander any member on this site. We are individuals with different opinions and need to respect each other and each other's opinion. This journey is about support for all of us. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest guest Posted January 9, 2008 Report Share Posted January 9, 2008 Not long to go now!! Woo Hoo!! I got banded on 5 December and I still don't have any fill yet. I was so excited about my banding date, I forgot I'd have to wait to get fill. So this post-banding time has been a bit of an anti- climax as I feel like I'm always waiting. It's been hard to see the scales creep slowly upwards (or not so slowly) as I have all my apetite back along with all my old ability to eat. I know that next week I'll get some fill and things will really start to work. It's just hard now. I started back at the gym last week and thought - yay! I can go back to my routine of going every lunch break. Not so! While I am fine at the gym, later that night and the next day I am a quite sore. So I have had to start back more slowly and re-evaluate how much I can do. I have been really surprised at the pain I get. I still get a stitch in my side on an almost daily basis (5 weeks post-op). Maybe I am just unusual...but everyone always seemed to be so quickly recovered and pain free. Just a bit flat and down. I guess my band experience hasn't had a chance to be exciting yet! I'm sure I'll feel differently when the weight starts to come off. Kate Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest guest Posted January 9, 2008 Report Share Posted January 9, 2008 Very good questions, Gabs! 1. Best thing - finally having restrictions on the quantities of food I can eat. I used to be a binge eater and sitting there so full that you are feeling very ill and knowing you did it all to yourself but still doing it over and over again.... I can eat like a normal person and I know that most meals, size-wise, are enough to do me for two or three meals now. I also like the fact that I can order an entree and its enough for me. I have also been treating myself. I eat whatever I want, regardless of expense, because I know I wont need much to satisfy me so I feel I am nurturing myself through food, but in a much healthier way than before. Oh....and very rarely feeling hungry is wonderful! 2. Worst thing - I miss eating pork and chips, particularly the chunky ones. Also burgers. I mean, chips arent good for me anyway, and after nearly 2 years of not eating them my head has finally accepted that I just CANT and I can now easily resist them but that took a while! Umm, taking one bite too many, like at my work Christmas lunch, and having to throw up in my car. So, blockages in general, I guess. It was my own fault, I know darn well when I should stop eating, but it looked so yummy etc etc, lololol. 3. More than I expected. Before my band, I have never lost more than 7kg on any plan I tried, and then promptly put it back on again. I have lost 25kg so far since I have had my band and I have my life back. I work as a personal carer for the elderly, quite a physical job, and there is no way I could have done this done when I was bigger. One thing I didnt expect though was that my weight loss hasnt been steady. Its been: lose a few kilos, plateau, lose a few kilos, plateau.....and the whole thing has taken a little longer than I expected. However, if I HADNT had the band I probably would have put ON the 25kg that I have lost in this time, so its nothing but positive. I would do this again in a heart beat. Mon From: SydBand [mailto:SydBand ] On Behalf Of leSent: Thursday, 10 January 2008 8:56 AMTo: SydBand Subject: Random questions... Me again! As my date for the band gets closer I find myself sometimes so excited about getting the journey started i can be heard squealing with delight....other times I catch myself experiencing the very normal jitters about the operation and the settling in period afterwoods....and I guess my new life with the band. So Im interested to know -1/ What has been the best thing about getting the band?2/ What is the worst thing about having the band?3/ Has the band been what you expected? More? Less?I love brutal honesty.Just maximizing this great opportunity to talk openly and honestly with a group of people who've been through it.Thanks very much xxx Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest guest Posted January 9, 2008 Report Share Posted January 9, 2008 Hi Kate *hugs* hun i had pain for quite some time too took me a good 6 weeks to feel good again the only reason i have lost weight from day one is I put myself on 1500cals plus my doc made me do 4 weeks of soup after the op so the weight just fell off and i made a determined effort not to put it back on i have had one fill and was bit disappointed there too as it didnt seem to make much difference though i know i cant eat the amounts i did pre banding dont be too down hun it will all happen i think we all have blue days after surgery i know i did we want it all to happen now....not tomorrow...hehehehe hang in there and you will be fine just take it slowly with the exercise hugs Leeanne -- Re: Random questions... Not long to go now!! Woo Hoo!! I got banded on 5 December and I still don't have any fill yet. I was so excited about my banding date, I forgot I'd have to wait to get fill. So this post-banding time has been a bit of an anti- climax as I feel like I'm always waiting. It's been hard to see the scales creep slowly upwards (or not so slowly) as I have all my apetite back along with all my old ability to eat. I know that next week I'll get some fill and things will really start to work. It's just hard now. I started back at the gym last week and thought - yay! I can go back to my routine of going every lunch break. Not so! While I am fine at the gym, later that night and the next day I am a quite sore. So I have had to start back more slowly and re-evaluate how much I can do. I have been really surprised at the pain I get. I still get a stitch in my side on an almost daily basis (5 weeks post-op). Maybe I am just unusual...but everyone always seemed to be so quickly recovered and pain free. Just a bit flat and down. I guess my band experience hasn't had a chance to be exciting yet! I'm sure I'll feel differently when the weight starts to come off. Kate PLEASE NOTE: If you experience any problems with any surgeons, doctors or other health professionals and their Code Of Conduct at any stage of your band journey, the arena you need to discuss this will be within the privacy of their surgery or rooms, with them not us. This is not a forum to air any grievances or defame a professional persons' reputation in any way, even if they have upset you immensely. Some Doctors are members of this group and may well read what you have said about them, and anything defamatory you say could lead to legal action being taken against you by the professional discussed. This is also not a forum to defame or slander any member on this site. We are individuals with different opinions and need to respect each other and each other's opinion. This journey is about support for all of us. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest guest Posted January 9, 2008 Report Share Posted January 9, 2008 Hi Juzzy, After about 3 weeks, all my swelling had gone down and I've had no restriction. It's also sucked having to wait 6 weeks for a fill instead of 4 due to Christmas. Last night we had pizza (a rare treat) for dinner and I had no problems. I occasionally feel things moving through the band - kind of a weird sensation - but aside from that, I wouldn't know the band was there. Some people go back to work after 1 week. I would not have been able to. My first week I was quite sick and in a lot of pain. I had 4 weeks off - because I had planned some vacation time as well as recovery time. I could have gone back to work after 2 weeks. I also have a " sit at my desk " job. I wouldn't have liked to be squeezed onto a bus in the first 2 weeks. However, I think my experience may have been a bit unique. Most people seem to cope a lot better, a lot more quickly than I did. Having said that - my operation went beautifully, I have a fairly high pain threshold and I can see no reason for why this happened to me. Just for what it's worth. Maybe you can have a Plan A for returning in 1 week and a Plan B for returning after 2. Cheers, kate Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest guest Posted January 9, 2008 Report Share Posted January 9, 2008 Hmm, tricky questions to answer since we are all different in how we respond to the band. So...I can only speak for myself, ok? The first few days after banding, half a cup of cup-a-soup was plenty for me as a meal! That was due to the swelling. I found warm liquids to be really good, and the home brand cup-a-soups the best because they were virtually lump free. Then gradually I could eat more normally but nowhere NEAR what I could eat before the band. You have to experiment a little bit but please stick to the surgeons guidelines on what to eat and in what timeframe. You can get really creative with mushies! I also liked eating the home made icy poles - Mel suggested this to me and it was an excellent way to get liquids in but have a variety, texture wise. I cant remember the weight loss between banding and my first fill - although I had lost 9kg, 12 days after banding. The weight after that took much longer to get off. My next 5kg took 2 months to lose. This is VERY individual and I was much bigger than you when I started, so I expected a fairly dramatic drop initially, really. Just try to remember it didnt take just a month or two to get this weight on so it will take quite a while to get off as well....and this is for life, and you WILL get there but you might have to be a bit patient along the way A week....hmmm. I went back to Uni, 10 days after my surgery. I was OK if I just sat down (my very first lesson back was dissection, lots of standing in the lab etc) and I found I was quite light headed as a result of standing too long (3 hours). If you can swing it, I think 2 weeks would be better, to be honest. I know this surgery looks simple, and it is compared to others, but its still major surgery and your body has been through a shock. It takes a bit of time for the wind pain to go and then probably several weeks for the tweaking pains from where the port is sewn onto your stomach muscles, to settle. I found sleeping was a bit of a challenge, lots of pillows and hot packs helped there, but getting comfy was tricky and this sleep deprivation doesnt help you during the day either.... I dont want to be all doom and gloom, but these are factors to consider. Anyway, hope this is of some help to you..... Mon From: SydBand [mailto:SydBand ] On Behalf Of juzzytaylorSent: Thursday, 10 January 2008 10:11 AMTo: SydBand Subject: Random questions... Hi thereI am due to be banded in 11 days, Jan 21. (day 4 optifast today yuk)I have a question or two to put out there as well!!le's question answers covered a few of my questions!* Is there literlly no restriction until the first fill?* What were others inital weight loss between the banding and the first fill? (i am 36yo, 96kg and have a goal of 69kg and to eliminate my now medicated hypertension)(I am going on a cruise in March and want to look decent-ish in my cozzie!)* I only have a week of work, is this enough?? (i have a desk job)I am worried about standing on the morning bus squash into the CBD for the first week back? Should i drive in instead?ThanksJuzzy>> Me again! > As my date for the band gets closer I find myself sometimes so excited > about getting the journey started i can be heard squealing with > delight....other times I catch myself experiencing the very normal > jitters about the operation and the settling in period > afterwoods....and I guess my new life with the band. So Im interested > to know -> 1/ What has been the best thing about getting the band?> 2/ What is the worst thing about having the band?> 3/ Has the band been what you expected? More? Less?> > I love brutal honesty.> > Just maximizing this great opportunity to talk openly and honestly > with a group of people who've been through it.> > Thanks very much xxx> Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest guest Posted January 9, 2008 Report Share Posted January 9, 2008 Hey yeah, that food moving down the band thing IS odd, hey? I have that too. I can sit here, have a couple of bites of food....then suddenly its like I have a "whoosh" on the inside and I can literally feel the food slipping through the band. The things we get used to And for what its worth, Kate, your post banding experience sounds very similar to mine.....where are these wonder women who have surgery and are back into their lives a day after, sorta thing? Oh yeah, right alongside those women who pop out a baby, slip on their pre-baby gear as they leave hospital and continue on with their lives, effortlessly, a size 10 Mon From: SydBand [mailto:SydBand ] On Behalf Of Kate SpeareSent: Thursday, 10 January 2008 10:40 AMTo: SydBand Subject: Re: Random questions... Hi Juzzy,After about 3 weeks, all my swelling had gone down and I've had no restriction. It's also sucked having to wait 6 weeks for a fill instead of 4 due to Christmas. Last night we had pizza (a rare treat) for dinner and I had no problems. I occasionally feel things moving through the band - kind of a weird sensation - but aside from that, I wouldn't know the band was there.Some people go back to work after 1 week. I would not have been able to. My first week I was quite sick and in a lot of pain. I had 4 weeks off - because I had planned some vacation time as well as recovery time. I could have gone back to work after 2 weeks. I also have a "sit at my desk" job. I wouldn't have liked to be squeezed onto a bus in the first 2 weeks. However, I think my experience may have been a bit unique. Most people seem to cope a lot better, a lot more quickly than I did. Having said that - my operation went beautifully, I have a fairly high pain threshold and I can see no reason for why this happened to me. Just for what it's worth. Maybe you can have a Plan A for returning in 1 week and a Plan B for returning after 2. Cheers,kate Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest guest Posted January 9, 2008 Report Share Posted January 9, 2008 Oh Mon! You have given me a good laugh! Thank you....I needed that! Kate Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest guest Posted January 10, 2008 Report Share Posted January 10, 2008 You're very welcome..... Mon From: SydBand [mailto:SydBand ] On Behalf Of Kate SpeareSent: Thursday, 10 January 2008 11:07 AMTo: SydBand Subject: Re: Random questions... Oh Mon! You have given me a good laugh! Thank you....I needed that!Kate Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest guest Posted January 10, 2008 Report Share Posted January 10, 2008 Hi Gab and all, 1/ What has been the best thing about getting the band? Falling pregnant with our first baby, losing 30kgs, being able to travel on a plane without embarrassment, being able to participate in outdoor adventure activities. Being able to buy clothes in normal stores. Being able to play sport. Making heaps of great friends through Sydband. 2/ What is the worst thing about having the band? Having to PB if I eat to fast or if I eat the foods my band does not like. 3/ Has the band been what you expected? More? Less? Overall it has been a great tool for me. When I eat healthy food I lose weight, when I eat crap I maintain my weight. My quality of life is so much better now and I know that it will continue to get better as I continue to lose weight and get closer to my goal. Looking forward to catching up with you all over the coming weeks at Brookvale Hotel, BBQ King and then here at my place! Cheers Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest guest Posted January 11, 2008 Report Share Posted January 11, 2008 Thanks for that - really have gotten alot out of those questions. Looking forward to the 18th too - take care Mumma! > > Hi Gab and all, > > 1/ What has been the best thing about getting the band? > Falling pregnant with our first baby, losing 30kgs, being able to > travel on a plane without embarrassment, being able to participate in > outdoor adventure activities. Being able to buy clothes in normal > stores. Being able to play sport. Making heaps of great friends > through Sydband. > > 2/ What is the worst thing about having the band? > Having to PB if I eat to fast or if I eat the foods my band does not > like. > > 3/ Has the band been what you expected? More? Less? > Overall it has been a great tool for me. When I eat healthy food I > lose weight, when I eat crap I maintain my weight. My quality of life > is so much better now and I know that it will continue to get better > as I continue to lose weight and get closer to my goal. > > Looking forward to catching up with you all over the coming weeks at > Brookvale Hotel, BBQ King and then here at my place! > Cheers > > Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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