So one of the recommendations before surgery is that we attend a Lap-Band support meeting at NYU. I've done a lot of research, but it was interesting and insightful to see and hear people talk.
I'm all for therapy, but I spent my time in the session half interested and half annoyed at the few people that just wouldn't stop talking. One of which didn't even have a band!
I did learn something new about fills though. For those friends and family who aren't familiar with that term, basically, the lap-band can be filled with fluid so that it's adjustable to accommodate appetite and help people feel fuller. Some of the bands go up to 10cc's. One person asked a question about how much the band can be filled. For example, if he filled the band to 4cc's and it was too much, does that mean he can never go higher than 4cc's. I would've thought yes, but i guess as you lose weight your stomach changes and so later on, as you adjust, yes, you may then want to go higher than 4cc's. When your body is ready.
Other people talked about being frustrated about emotional eating, which is my biggest concern -- learning to deal with stress and boredom in other ways.
However, the most significant impression was that many people hadn't lost as much weight as I expected. The average might have been 40 to 60 pounds. A couple had lost more. I guess I was thinking I'd lose 40 just at the beginning, in the first few months!
Again and again people said that they were so glad they'd had it done, but it's a pretty major step just to lose 40lbs!
I'm all for therapy, but I spent my time in the session half interested and half annoyed at the few people that just wouldn't stop talking. One of which didn't even have a band!
I did learn something new about fills though. For those friends and family who aren't familiar with that term, basically, the lap-band can be filled with fluid so that it's adjustable to accommodate appetite and help people feel fuller. Some of the bands go up to 10cc's. One person asked a question about how much the band can be filled. For example, if he filled the band to 4cc's and it was too much, does that mean he can never go higher than 4cc's. I would've thought yes, but i guess as you lose weight your stomach changes and so later on, as you adjust, yes, you may then want to go higher than 4cc's. When your body is ready.
Other people talked about being frustrated about emotional eating, which is my biggest concern -- learning to deal with stress and boredom in other ways.
However, the most significant impression was that many people hadn't lost as much weight as I expected. The average might have been 40 to 60 pounds. A couple had lost more. I guess I was thinking I'd lose 40 just at the beginning, in the first few months!
Again and again people said that they were so glad they'd had it done, but it's a pretty major step just to lose 40lbs!
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