Another view from a band

From Jeannette:

Hi all! My name is Jeanette I am 30 years old and I was banded on November 14^th, 2008. I can’t believe it’s been 9 months already! I read MM almost daily, her blog has been so helpful even though she had a different surgery. My story is a lot like many of yours, I was chubby all my life. I did 3 stints with Weight Watchers. Each time I was somewhat successful, but then I would hit a wall, get frustrated and deciding it wasn’t worth the expense and quit. Regain. Or I would think I knew how to do it and quit. Regain. I also took Metabolife for a while, and then Xenadrine. Again, I would get results and then decide they were too expensive and quit. Regain. I quit the diet pills once and for all on the day I was jogging into my apartment to get something (not that far, not that fast) and got a bloody nose. I never got bloody noses before, so I assumed it was the pills and flushed them.

I had considered surgery for quite a while, but it scared the crap out of me. I didn’t want to have my guts rearranged. I was afraid of all the complications. I thought it was taking the easy way out. I was also too chicken of what everyone else would think, especially my hubby. I was afraid that if I suggested it, he would think it was drastic and that I should be able to do it on my own. In the summer of 2007, he had found out about the Lap-Band and brought it up to me as an option. I was so relieved to have him suggest it! So I signed up for an information session offered through my primary care clinic/hospital. He came with me. I received my packet of paperwork that would need to be sent in before they would schedule my first consultation appointment.  I sat on it until March, I was still not convinced I needed surgery. I was scared of going through with surgery. But then my annual came up and decided that I had to have my PCP sign off then or else I would have to wait a whole extra year, because I wouldn’t otherwise go to the doc. 

Going through all the doctor’s appointments and tests pre-op, they figured out that I was pretty much healthy, and the only thing “wrong” with me is that I was morbidly obese. I didn’t have any co-morbidities that would qualify me for the surgery. Sure, I had some joint pain and frequent heart-burn, but I don’t think either of those really qualify on their own. But, by some miracle, my insurance company approved my surgery on the first shot. I don’t know if it was because I am at a point in my life where this could be considered preventive or what. But whatever it was, I am very happy for it.

I wouldn’t wish the post-op pain on my worst enemy. But I am a wimp. I didn’t have any complications or anything. I am just a wimp. I think the worst was trying to stand up, sit down or get out of bed. If I just sat still I felt fine. Except when I tried to wear jeans to work on my first day back. I was still pretty swollen and my jeans just pushed up on everything. I sat at my desk for about 2 weeks with my pants unbuttoned and my shirt pulled down so nobody could see!!

But since then, I haven’t had too many problems, but it still has not been easy. I still forget to go as slow as I should or chew as well as I should. You would think I wouldn’t forget after having a few real bad ‘stuck’ episodes, especially at work. There’s nothing like sitting in my cube burping, gurgling, and foaming. But still, I forget. Mostly it happens when I let myself get too hungry, and I try to shovel it in as fast as I can.

My other main problem is eating junk food. I chose the band because it seemed like slow and steady made more sense to me. After all, in my head, I didn’t have that much to lose. I want to have babies and I like that, if needed, the band could be adjusted for better nutrition for the baby, and me.  I knew that pregnancy is possible after RNY, but the band just made more sense to me. Plus, I know the band is supposed to be permanent, but it made me feel a little better knowing that if I did have complications, it could be taken out. Unfortunately, there is not a whole lot that I can’t tolerate with my band (there are a few).  Sometimes I actually wish that I would dump after eating a lot of carbs/sugar. I think it would be a much better deterrent than I won’t lose weight as fast if I eat it.

I just started a new exercise regimen, so I hope this helps things to move in the right direction. I also have an appointment on September 3 for an adjustment. I am terrified of the complications of being overfilled, but I am hoping just a slight fill will help me stay satisfied longer in between meals, so it’s easier to resist snacking. It will also help keep my potions smaller. I didn’t get a fill in June, and pushed my appointment out to 2 months instead of 1, mainly because I was afraid of being overfilled. But I have come to the realization that if I do get overfilled, I can just go back in and have it un-filled.

It’s been an adventure, one I know will be on going for the rest of my life, and one that has been well worth it.