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Question about the band and hunger control


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Hello all!

I'm 30 (almost 31) years old and have been overweight my entire adult life and am tired of it! I've pretty much decided that I'm going to the lap band (after countless unsuccessful changes in lifestyle). The timing just depends on when I can talk my husband into spending the money. I'm hoping for the first 1/2 of next year. Anyway, I have a few questions...

I've been told that the band will not control your hunger, that you have to learn to cope with that yourself. Is that true? I stay hungry especially if I don't get "full" during a meal and a lot of the time it takes a lot of food to feel full! However, if I could learn to cope with my hunger, then I would not need the band!

How is it decided what size or type of band that is used?

Are there only certain days of the week that surgery is preformed on?

Is it documented that people have a more successful time if they go to the OCC for fills instead of a local US practice?

Any advice, input would be appreicated!

Thanks, Mandy

Also, have you been open about your procedure to everyone or to just a select # of people. I'm comfortable telling my family and friends, but I'm not so sure about my hubby's family or my co-workers. What do you tell people when they ask you how you lost the weight?

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Hello!

First of all, you have came to the right place to research your decision, this is a WONDERFUL place! I deceided at age 32 to get banded after fight all of my life of being overweight. I weight 262 when I started my preop diet a year ago. I chose not to hide my decision, I was SO excited about it and I told everyone that would listen, I think this is all I have talked about for the past year...lol. My hubby is VERY supportive with my friends and family as well. I think it is a personal decision as to whom you talk to about your decision. As far as the band it is a tool. It helps you but you have to do ALOT of work yourself! It does monitor the amount of food that goes in your mouth with proper fills, but just not the type of foods. There are alot of foods that I stay away from because they are "slider" foods for my which mean I can eat ALOT of, Ice Cream and Chips and Dips are a couple. The band does "keep me full". When I do eat my little amount of food, I do get that "full" feeling. It is mostly head hunger for me, just want to eat bacause that is what I have always done, not tummy hunger. If I ate when I was "tummy" hunger, I would not eat much at all!! I would really suggest you read as much information, good and bad through out this board, there is some really great stuff that you will find!

Good Luck to you!

Carrie

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Hello all!

I'm 30 (almost 31) years old and have been overweight my entire adult life and am tired of it! I've pretty much decided that I'm going to the lap band (after countless unsuccessful changes in lifestyle). The timing just depends on when I can talk my husband into spending the money. I'm hoping for the first 1/2 of next year. Anyway, I have a few questions...

I've been told that the band will not control your hunger, that you have to learn to cope with that yourself. Is that true? I stay hungry especially if I don't get "full" during a meal and a lot of the time it takes a lot of food to feel full! However, if I could learn to cope with my hunger, then I would not need the band!

How is it decided what size or type of band that is used?

Are there only certain days of the week that surgery is preformed on?

Is it documented that people have a more successful time if they go to the OCC for fills instead of a local US practice?

Any advice, input would be appreicated!

Thanks, Mandy

Also, have you been open about your procedure to everyone or to just a select # of people. I'm comfortable telling my family and friends, but I'm not so sure about my hubby's family or my co-workers. What do you tell people when they ask you how you lost the weight?

Hi Mandy,

The Doctor I had my band consultation with put it best...

"Hunger is a psychological condition. Feeling Full is a physical condition. Often we confuse the two. The band is designed to help you feel full. It can not and will not stop you from being hungry."

I needed to go home and wrap my brain around this for a few days before I decide to proceed with my banding.

I hoped this help.

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Ditto to the above. I am very rarely hungry (if ever) but I still battle with grazing just because the food is there. My band just stops me from being able to totally pig out like I used to. For me, it's "forced behaviour modification"- which sadly I need!

Sabrina:)

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Hello all!

I'm 30 (almost 31) years old and have been overweight my entire adult life and am tired of it! I've pretty much decided that I'm going to the lap band (after countless unsuccessful changes in lifestyle). The timing just depends on when I can talk my husband into spending the money. I'm hoping for the first 1/2 of next year. Anyway, I have a few questions...

I've been told that the band will not control your hunger, that you have to learn to cope with that yourself. Is that true? I stay hungry especially if I don't get "full" during a meal and a lot of the time it takes a lot of food to feel full! However, if I could learn to cope with my hunger, then I would not need the band!

How is it decided what size or type of band that is used?

Are there only certain days of the week that surgery is preformed on?

Is it documented that people have a more successful time if they go to the OCC for fills instead of a local US practice?

Any advice, input would be appreicated!

Thanks, Mandy

Also, have you been open about your procedure to everyone or to just a select # of people. I'm comfortable telling my family and friends, but I'm not so sure about my hubby's family or my co-workers. What do you tell people when they ask you how you lost the weight?

I have been banded for one year. I still struggle with the head hunger every day!!!!!!! I got my band when I was 37. I just wish I had gotten one when I first heard about them.

The doctor decides what size band you need once he sees the size of your stomach.

As far as I know they operate M-F.

I get my fills from a local doctor that performs lap band surgeries. I have only lost 55 lbs. since getting my band, but I lost 27 lbs. in preparation for surgery, for a total of 82 lbs. so far. The band is just a tool, and I have done OK with it, but also a bit inconsistent. I don't think you have to go back to the OCC for your fills to be successful with the band. Many bandsters use private physicians and the fills centers and have done well with their weight loss. Really and truly it just depends on the person and how committed they are to making consistent good choices and lifestyle changes. It won't magically make a person skinny.

I tell pretty much anyone and everyone. Without my band I would still weigh 252 lbs. It helped me improve my quality of life and it was so worth the $$$. Five months after I got my band my husband got one too.

Good luck on your decision.

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Hello all!

I'm 30 (almost 31) years old and have been overweight my entire adult life and am tired of it! I've pretty much decided that I'm going to the lap band (after countless unsuccessful changes in lifestyle). The timing just depends on when I can talk my husband into spending the money. I'm hoping for the first 1/2 of next year. Anyway, I have a few questions...

I've been told that the band will not control your hunger, that you have to learn to cope with that yourself. Is that true? I stay hungry especially if I don't get "full" during a meal and a lot of the time it takes a lot of food to feel full! However, if I could learn to cope with my hunger, then I would not need the band!

How is it decided what size or type of band that is used?

Are there only certain days of the week that surgery is preformed on?

Is it documented that people have a more successful time if they go to the OCC for fills instead of a local US practice?

Any advice, input would be appreicated!

Thanks, Mandy

Also, have you been open about your procedure to everyone or to just a select # of people. I'm comfortable telling my family and friends, but I'm not so sure about my hubby's family or my co-workers. What do you tell people when they ask you how you lost the weight?

I forgot to mention;

The Doctor is the one who decides what band you will get. I am still a little upset about this so I will not say anymore on this subject. Let's just say I wanted a different band then what I got.

As far as fills, the doctors at the OCC say that people have more sucess with fills if they are preformed under Flouroscopy (Xray). The are done this way at the OCC but you can also find other centers/doctors throughout the US who also do them under flouroscopy (not near Los Angeles however...go figure).

I have decided to keep my mouth shut at work regarding my band and the reason is people can be vendictive. I learned form WW that whether you have the band or not people will talk and when it comes to weight loss people can be rude. If someone were to question me about my weight loss my canned answer is "I have been watching what I eat and excercising" which is the truth. They do not need to know about my band. My immediate family members know and 2 people at work that I trust and that is it. I may be a little peranoid but when it comes to my career and oppertunities for premotion and advancement I do not need executives getting a preconceived notion about me due to my band. You just never know and why take the chance.

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Thanks everyone! I appreciate all of your info!

Now I have a another question. I saw and questioned on another board about foods that are restricted once you have the surgery. It seems that bread, rice, pasta, & carbonated drinks are big NO NOs...however these are basically my current fav. foods. I guess the only thing that I can reassure myself with is that the band is a tool and if these foods make me uncomfortable, then I won't desire them???

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Thanks everyone! I appreciate all of your info!

Now I have a another question. I saw and questioned on another board about foods that are restricted once you have the surgery. It seems that bread, rice, pasta, & carbonated drinks are big NO NOs...however these are basically my current fav. foods. I guess the only thing that I can reassure myself with is that the band is a tool and if these foods make me uncomfortable, then I won't desire them???

Mandy,

Since I am still on a liquid diet and have not tried consuming the above mentioned I really can't comment. However, I was told by the nutrionist at the OCC that Breads (non-toasted), pasta & sticky rice would cause pain and discomfort. At what stage (1st fill, second fill?) well everyone is different I supose. You are not to have any carbonated beverages until 6 months in then you can have 1 carbonated beverage per week as a treat (per nutrionist). Since I do not have any ristriction in my band right now I have a hard time believing that I will not be able to get down a piece of bread in a few weeks but I could be wrong. The main thing to remember is that eventually I will not be ablie to comsume non-toasted breads and for me that is sad (no more red velvet cupcakes, 98% fat free bologna sandwiches, naan, sushi...) but worth the sacrifice.

In my opinion the biggest change is going to come when I cannot have a beverage with my meals. That sounds scarier then giving up breads, sticky rice and pasta.

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