Has anybody had a gastric/lap band?

duchy

I know a few people who have had this done -and they fall into two very distinct groups. Those who used it as a kick start and were ready and prepared mentally to completely change their lifestyle (eating and exercise) post op and those who wanted a quick fix and treated it like a band aid rather than a new start. One lady was actually researching how to cheat two day before her op !!

I think a lot depends on if you are honestly prepared to completely change the way you look at food after-a good start would be to see if you can break the habit of eating the rest of the family's food-If you can't then it may not be worth going through an op to end up back in the same situation in a couple of years time. If you can -it's likely to be a useful procedure.

A few years ago (before gastric bands became fashionable) a friend had her jaw wired to stop her eating. She was miserable on a liquid diet -and didn't change her eating habits when the wires were removed so of course the weight piled straight back on. I do wonder if your mental attitude to food hasn't changed if you could end up just like her and if therapy wouldn't be a better solution.

sadie22

i had a gastric band fitted 4 years ago in belgium, my surgeon has been fitting gastric bands before it was available in the uk, i met the surgeon in the uk and again at his home in brussels with my partner.
knowing i was going to visit his home gave me my last bit of reassurance also.
I used to eat like a horse and finish off everyones plate, i loved food!!
and was always a hungary person, big apatite.
i had tried atkins, weight watchers, low fat diets etc but i always felt hungary soo
i done tons of research, joined a weight loss surgery forum for loads of info.
i was 15 stone 1 lb and i am now 10 st 7, my ideal weight for 5ft 7.
i would never be without my band, it works!
since my band was fitted i hadto have fills, i had 3 fills to get to my 'sweet spot' and it took me a year to lose all that weight.
in the mornings my band is always tighter, but i accept that and drink milky drinks, soup etc, but i dont normally eat till lunchtime because i dont feel hungary, sometimes i will eat natural cereal bars.
flights and hot countries and your menstural time do tend to tighten the band, but i adjust my eating, homemade soup, readybrek, crackers, chicken salad, veg ,fish grains,beans etc And i do not get an unfill because i know my band tightness will adjust in the end.
I see silly women getting unfills because there going on holiday and so they can stuff there face on holiday -
Dont tamper with the band getting unfills, for reasons like that.
i can lose 4 lbs in 2 days if i want, its that effective, but i dont need to because im happy with my weight now.
i wish i had it done years and years ago,
if you want me to give you any other information, pm me.

I

Pennylane

By coincidence I saw Fern Britton on the front of a womans mag today. You will remember she had the GB and lied about it.:rotfl:

They are estimating she has put on around 2 stones again. She certainly looks a lot bigger than she was just after the op.

I know several people who have had gastric bypass op and all of them have put on weight again a few years down the line.

Weight loss ops only deal with the body, not the the mind and that's why people regain weight.

sadie22

well i havnt gained weight, it has taught me to eat healthier foods and chew my food properly !!

Erinnire

Ive no experience of the band but I am having a bypass in the next 6 months! eek!

I think for any gastric surgery you have to realise that it's not a magic cure it's a tool. I am starting to go to weight loss support groups and to counselling to help unserstand why I eat like I do well before having surgery.

I eat, happy or sad... Binge on savoury and sweet foods. I also eat for comfort and for punishment. I know untill I am able to deal with my food issues that having the gastric band will only get me so far.

I've met my surgeon and my dietician already and they want me (and everyone having this op) to start getting into the routine for eating that I will have to follow after the op. So it might be worth looking into the diet post surgery

eg: can you eat and drink at the same time, how many meals a day can you have. What time should you stop eating for the day.
Try to get into these habits before the surgery and you'll find it easier to adjust afterwards (so I am told!)

It's hard, I did tons of research into the gastric bypass but didnt actually realise just how restrictive it was untill I met the Surgeon, But I also know that I need it to lose weight and to effectively save me life.

Best of luck with it, I hope it works with you.

P.S. My surgeon also said that about 30% of the operations they do now are removing the bands where peoples bodies have started to reject them. Don't want to scare you obviously but I was quite shocked when he said.

jenhug

my friend has just had the sleeve done, with great effect at the moment, long term we don't know how successful this will be.

From alot of the reading up I have done, The sleeve seems to be the best option I feel.

Windscreen_Viper

I had a gastric bypass done exactly 7 days ago as I type (well actually, I was sat in my surgery gown awaiting the op, which happened at 10am) - I had the Roux En Y bypass which is by far the most common and most successful of the types of Bariatric surgery.

I am fully aware of the mental need and commitment required to fulfil the aims of the operation. I went on a diet immediately after arranging a date for surgery with my surgeon (I simply cut out Bread, Potatoes, Pasta and rice and drank water instead of milk) 4 weeks of this and I have lost 12 pounds. I then went on to a strict regime to shrink my liver prior to the op so that I could be operated on laporascopically (sp?) - I lost a further 6 pounds.

I have been on a liquids only diet for the past week and have now graduated to mushy food, NOT baby food but the consistency of it, in another 2 weeks I will be weaning myself slowly but surely to eating solid food again. From then onwards it is a lifestyle change. I know what caused my problems and maintained them in the first place and I know what I need to do from now on. I am very confident I can and will do this.

So why didn't I take the easier option of dieting alone if I have been so successful with it in the past 6 weeks? Simple - I would have eventually cheated and excused a high fat meal as it "was only once as we are out with friends" etc. I managed this well as I had a target to get to before surgery. For the same reason a band would not have helped. As others have pointed out on this thread, it is perfectly possible to blend down a creme egg if you must, and that would easily pass through a band. For me though, whatever the consistency the sugar content alone would cause me to "Dump" (not quite as gross as the common meaning of dump i.e. I would feel nauseous if not actually vomiting and would suffer feeling of unwellness for quite a period - not worth it).

I had a long and thorough discussion with my surgeon about the options and what is required of me, both beforehand and post op. I know this is right for me and am confident that this will achieve my aims.

Cheers

WV

marywooyeah

my cousin had a gastric bypass and has now lost just under 12 stone - she looks amazing and feels fantastic.

I'd love one too but am "not big enough" although I'm a size 16 so can't have one on the NHS but can't afford to pay privately either.

heartbreak_star

I really want one...my weight affects my mental health so much that I think I don't deserve my boyfriend because he's stunning.

I am 5ft tall and 14st....and I wear a size 14 so even my BMI of 38 does not make me eligible

So I keep plugging with the diet and workouts...

HBS x

Windscreen_Viper

heartbreak_star wrote: »

I really want one...my weight affects my mental health so much that I think I don't deserve my boyfriend because he's stunning.

I am 5ft tall and 14st....and I wear a size 14 so even my BMI of 38 does not make me eligible

So I keep plugging with the diet and workouts...

HBS x

With a BMI of 38 you would not qualify for bariatric surgery under NHS rules (unless you self fund) however, you WOULD qualify is you can show co-morbidity e.g. also has type 2 diabetes mellitus. you would then qualify with a BMI of between 35 to 40

Generally you would need a BMI of at the very least 40, likely more, to qualify for NHS funding without any co-morbidity factors