Attn: Revisions from band to DS'ers....

Congrats! I'm so glad you found a way out and got relief! I hope I feel the same way after revision

I used to have to have hot tea with every meal for the nearly ten years that I had the band, I haven't had to do that once.  The restriction is gone, no longer do things get stuck and then saliva fills up my throat and mouth, no more throwing up, no more being so very hungry.  I have to eat small amounts, and when my nose starts to run I'm full, so I stop.  I have woke up at night and felt like I needed to eat, I graze a lot, try to keep lunch meat and cheese on hand for late night snacks.  There is restriction, but it does not feel like your choking, you just know that your full.  First few months I could not tell when I was hungry,  now I do feel a little hungry.  I am still figuring out what I can eat and can't, some foods give me gas,  I'm still working thru that.   Its so much better, stomach wise, restriction wise, there is however other things that come with the DS that I didn't have to worry about with the Band, and of course thats tracking protein, taking vites and keeping fluids up.  Its the fluids thats been the toughest for me, gotta drink a little, drink a little, drink a little---

I still have the saliva that fills up and the food feels like its choking me! I can't wait to wake up from surgery and have this tight band removed. I'm willing to take the other things that come with the DS than live with this thing restricting everything I eat all the time. I mean, the band didn't help me loose any weight and keep it off, that is the worst part about it...grrrr, I want to burn my lap-band! LOL

You will be in heaven.  The band is a choke chain and nothing but a torture device.  I slimed for two hours after one sip of coffee in the morning, at work, and it was horrible.  I lived with that zip-tie from hell for three years and wish I never ever ever wanted that thing.

And then there was the DS...  OMG what a difference.  You can EAT and DRINK anything!  ANYTHING.  Dry chicken?  Bring it on!  Steak and broccoli, why not?   I wake up and drink an eight ounce glass of what ever I want with no pain, no after effects, no issues at all (unless I drink to fast and burp). 

Regarding hunger, I sometimes forget to eat because I am not hungry.   With the band I was hungry all the time and could not eat.  Now, I can eat what ever I want when ever I want and sometimes just don't care to eat.  Total difference.

My cravings are different now too.   With the band I wanted easy things like cookies and ice cream to slide past the band and not hurt.  Now I crave steak and eggs with buttered toast (usually only half slice toast, but just enough to sop up the egg yolk).   Tomatoes and cottage cheese are awesome for breakfast instead of cereal too. 

Some days I do get hungry and eat every three hours as some others do.  Usually about "that time" I eat everything in sight all day long, but those days are not the norm.

My life with the DS is so much better than with the band.  I warn everyone I can away from the band.  I highly recommend the sleeve for restrictive only and the DS over the rny.  

HTH

Oh my gosh, I agree with everything you said! "The band is a choke chain and a torture device"....Just the words I was looking for to describe this band!

I believe it will take me a while to remember that I don't have the band on, every time I eat I say, "okay Amy, this is your first bite, you need to chew this about 50 times before you can swallow" and then when I'm hungry, its so hard to chew that long. My belly is telling me, give me that food! Then I swallow, and it gets stuck! And then I'm mad! LOL

The DS does sound like heaven! I can't wait to get to the dark side

Unfortunately, I had to delete this post due to privacy concerns.