Strike Up the Band: Questions and Answers

Linda O has been waiting forever (okay, a little over six months but that is forever in Amy time) to get banded, and now as the day gets closer, she has posted some very interesting questions on her blog. I am reposting them here with my answers!

ANY REGRETS? Are you happy with your decision and would you do it again?
I do not have one single regret. I will be honest though, every once in awhile...for just a few milliseconds, I wonder if it would have been easier if I would have chosen gastric bypass. These moments usually come when I am indulging is candy...but for me, the flexibility of the band was worth those times when my eating gets a little too flexible for my liking.

ARE YOU SORRY, YOU DIDN'T GIVE TRADITIONAL DIETING ONE MORE TRY? hell no. Funny, but before I ever thought about WLS I didnt want to "give up" and "cheat" by getting the band or having gastric bypass. I "knew I could do it if I set my mind to it". But in truth, I never had...and statistically, with only about 5% of those who lose weight through traditional diet and exercise keeping it off, the odds were against me. Once I went to the first "Meet the Doc" seminar at our hospital, I felt hope. Why do we get stuck in that mindset that something is wrong with us if we choose WLS? Society? Family? Ourselves? We should feel empowered because we are making a choice to succeed. To live.

WHAT IS THE WORST THING ABOUT HAVING THE BAND?
Missing eating foods in the familiar ways. While I can still eat a hamburger, and it's damn good, but never the same as with a big ol bun! Also, the hardest part was using my willpower during the time of Bandster Hell.

WHAT IS THE BEST THING ABOUT HAVING THE BAND?
The weight loss. Having something stop me when I can't stop myself.

On a scale of 1 to 10 HOW HARD WAS/IS IT PSYCHOLOGICALLY TO GET OVER THE FACT THAT YOU CAN'T EAT THE SAME WAY ANYMORE?
You know, besides the missing big bready items, I don't miss being able to pig out. And for the most part, I can still eat the same thing...just slower...and less of it! SO, I would say...3, with one being the low end of the scale.

HAS BEING BANDED MADE YOUR PERSONALITY CHANGE? For the better or worse?
That's a big old negative good buddy. My personality is exactly the same.

Are you still able to party a little? (I am a wine drinker...can't imagine giving it up completely) and are you a party pooper now cause you can't party as much?
I don't really drink...so I am going to have to answer with a n/a on this one.

HOW MUCH HAPPIER ARE YOU WITH YOUR BODY? I am wondering what I will look like 50-80 lbs thinner. I am 47 and will have a "lose skin" issue.
Hmmm...thinking....This is a tough one for me to answer. I look at pictures from before surgery and I am TONS happier with my body now. I didn't realize at the time how fat I looked...thanks to self preservation and my reverse body dsymorphic disorder. So far, besides my bat wings...no loose skin. Of course, I am still 220...so things may change. But, I would rather be healthy and loose skinny then no loose skin and morbidly obese!

HAVE YOUR RELATIONSHIPS WITH OTHERS CHANGED? Spouses? Family? Friends? Strangers?
No difference for me. I think this one correlates to the personality question. BC my personality hasn't changed, neither have my relationships. I think that this question and the personality question really depends on how being fat hinders you before surgery. For those that feel like they can't be themselves, or live to their full potential when they are fat...there will certainly be a noticeable difference in their personalities and possibly their relationships when they start shedding the pounds. If you had trouble finding confidence before, and now suddenly feel it coming on strong...things are going to change. This is not necessarily a bad thing, but working with so many people who have had gastric bypass, and seeing how they have become a TOTALLY different person after losing all their weight...this is what I notice as a big difference. I was sure of who I was weighing 327, and I am still sure at 220.

DO YOU FEEL LIKE THE SAME PERSON OR COMPLETELY DIFFERENT NOW THAT YOU HAVE LOST WEIGHT? haha, I just answered this didn't I?

Linda...I think these are all wonderful questions and I bet there a few pre-banders wondering the same things! I think we all went through a little "OH CRAP WHAT AM I DOING PHASE"!