Tell Your Weight Loss Surgery Story

I have been researching the band for about 3 months. I have only attended a seminar and am scheduling my consult this week I am very interested in this procedure and hope it is right for me. So far I have only found great things and satisfied people so I am wondering if anyone regrets having the Lapband and why? Thank you in advance!

Hello, I am scheduled to have my band surgery next Thursday 02/05/2009. I would be lying if I said I was not nervous. I keep asking myself what the hell am I doing? Well I started my journey about 8 months ago when I weighed 345lbs. I am only 6'0" tall. I could no longer ignore my bodies complaints; aching back, knees, neck, ankles, and copious periods of shortness of breath. Lets not forget the pre-diabetes, high cholesterol, high liver enzymes, sleep apnea (yes I have a pappy), and high blood pressure. Of course any illness or injury I have had in the last five years was blamed on my weight by my physician. (you got hit by a meteor, well if you were not so morbi…

I was just banded 1-19-09. I'm hungry all the time. If I didn't have the cuts or pain to show I had surgery I would never know. I see the surgeon next Thurs.Does anyone feel this way or felt this way right after surgery? Another question is I have gas and burp all the time.Is this normal? I Know the gas is but the burps and gas are all the time. I thought the gas would of passed by now since it's been over a week now.Thanks....

Hello everyone my name is Misty and i was just banded on Jan 23 2009 and just joined the site today for some extra support so I am pleased to have you all as a support system for me.:bored:

I have been in the 6 month pre program and made the weight goal of 12 pounds to be approved to have surgery. I received approval and next step is to see the surgeon on Feb 9th and the Dietitian on feb 11th. I am hoping to have the surgery by the first of March. I am nervous as not knowing what to expect. I have read alot but you never know until you go thru something how it will effect you. Any words of encouragment would be great.

I was banded April 1st in Monterrey,Mex.Best decision ever.I am in So. Texas so I drove down and drove back 4 days later.As I progressed the few discomforts are no comparison to the results.I have lost right at 100 lbs and am driving to monterrey for a fill and check up with the cardiologist next week. The gas and burping still come and go but nothing like in the beginning.I also read one or more questions about plugging up,I have learned it is a lot easier to excuse myself and go stick my finger down my throat to unplug.The first few bites are very important. After all these months breakfast is still the toughest.Message to all expectants I hardly new anything was go…

This is my first post here. I live in Manama, Bahrain and need to have some of the fill removed from my lap band. I had it done 3 years ago and have lost 115 pounds. Does anyone know where I can get some saline removed?

Hi, I am new to this site, as a registered user. I have come on many times to read posts and do the research to decide if the band is the best thing for me. I think I am finally ready! I am now looking for a doctor in the Phoenix or Tucson area that accepts Tricare insurance. I look forward to meeting many of you and beginning this journey to wellness.

Hi y'all Just got banded Tuesday the 27th - having big fun waiting for the next gas bubble attack. Live in Port Angeles, WA - 55 yr old male - 6'4" 385 and shrinking. Got a great wife, very supportive. Train Lab's for hunting dogs, obedience and hunt trials. Love my motorcycles, my "off season" hobby is re-building bikes, making a few bucks but mostly just for the fun of it. I do golf but my handicap is just that handicapped. Have 3 great G'kids. Port Angeles is on the northwest border of WA state, where the Olympic mountains meet the Pacific ocean, great place to live, fantastic outdoor activites and scenery. Just wanted to say howdy and get my feet wet with a p…

anyone use Dr. Rick Finley in Atlanta,Ga? im going to use him for my band and wanted to know if anybody liked him or not.

banded 11/17/08 dr cussatti good sam hospital, west islip ny

My surgery is now scheduled! February 6th is the date...I am a little nervous...But very excited...YEAH!

Hello Everyone! I was banded on January 8th 2009 in Cincinnati by Dr. Kerlackian at Good Sam Hosp. Have lost 32 lbs total ( 17 pre surg / 15 post) Overall have good experience. Had some left shoulder pain for about a week after surg. Going for my first fill in two weeks. Glad I found this site for questions and support! So far so good:smile:

Hey Everyone! I'm Lauren, 22 and am scheduled to get my band on March 10th!! I'm a self-paying patient and am scurd outta my mind! I only know one friend who's had the surgery and she loves it, but I have soo many concerns about how to tell people and what about my beer drinkin?? I know I can drink other alcoholic beverages, but NO BEER?? sheez- reguardless though, I'm ready to make the commitment! If anyone around my age has before after photos or any advise or wants to be a lap band buddy let me know!!!

Hello! I just had my surgery last Thursday at Yale New Haven Hospital with Dr. Kurt Roberts. I am 35 years old living in Southeastern CT. I am happily married to a Navy Submariner and am an active volunteer in our Navy military community. I started my journey back in April 2008 finding out information, the process for the insurance company and all of the doctor's appointments. I am new to all of this but will probably have lots of questions going forward. I look forward to hearing from you all what works for you. Thanks for your support! Ilene

:bored: I feel lost my starting weight was 252lb I was banded 5/5/08 and as of 1/28/09 I am 178ish I feel so suck I was so good the first 6 months I don't know if it was the holidays or stress but I feel like I am alway eating I have gain about 4 lbs in about 2 weeks. I am alone not many poeple know I have a band and poeple who do think is so easy but atleast for me it is not at this point. I want to be thin will it ever happen. I don't feel like I lost enough or as much as I should why am I gaining weight?? I hope things change I don't be like I used to be. Please tell me I am normal well I will never be normal but atleast on track. Help Elise :eek:

My name is Jana and I want to thank you for the opportunity to participate on such an amazing site. I have had most of my questions answered here, as well as a lot of my nerves settled. I am being banded by Dr. Malley on 02/03/09 and it has been such a fast turn-around since I started...my head is still spinning. Again, thank you for your posts and the hard work that goes into such an educational forum and I look forward to becoming a productive member.

Hi-I am new to this thread and I am very anxious to share my lap band surgery which I had Nov.12th 2008. I have sooo many questions don't know where to begin! My first appointment with my doctor was 3 weeks after surgery--I lost then 28 pounds. That was good I then started soft foods, second appointment was 7 weeks after surgery and I lost another 12 lbs. Total of 40 lbs in 7 weeks. Pretty happy about that. At this second appoinment I had a fill because I felt that I should fill fuller. I am fine when drinking my liquids all day, feeling comfortably full, but when I eat that 1 1/2 cups I do want more--I don't feel full to the point of hard to swallow. I am so afaird…

Hi All, My name is Maxx (I'm a woman). I am 45 years old and am in the process of being approved for the lap band surgery. I am really looking forward to losing weight and reclaiming my health and vitality. I am frightened however. I am afraid that I have ruined my metabolism and will not be able to lose any weight. It seems that I eat very little now to try to maintain and not gain (though that does not work). My BMI is 44 so I am morbidly obese. I have been on Optifast 2 times and have lost a lot of weight and feel that that is the reason I will not be able to lose. I know it seems silly but I am desperate. I do not suffer from depressions but majorly am anxi…

I am new to the forum, but not lap-band. I am one of the people who has had a rough first year. I had two fills and very little weight loss up to then. I had a third fill, which was an overfill and was miserable for several months. I was throwing up all the time, had heartburn and terrible pain. I know what you must all think, why not go back to your Dr. right away? I had surgery in Mexico, great Doc too, just moved from CA, to OR and had the worst time finding a Doc to see me; especially having had it done in MX. Anyhow, I finally did and he took out .4 CC's. I have since joined Watchers (just to keep me honest and eating healthy) and am down a total of 30lbs. I…

Hello from Charlotte, NC Just got my operation done two weeks ago exactly today. As of today, I am suposed to start the mushie diet and I am excited to have something else besides liquids!!!! already had some and it feels normal. My Physician was Dr. Carl Lowe of Carolina Surgical. Will have my first filll in 3 weeks. Lots of questions....the first week it felt like I had something inside...starting the second week, it does not feel like that anymore. It feel way too normal actually other than the pain from surgery and around the port. I havent got the full/choking sensation yet.?????????? Is that normal.....Am I reading too much about sleapage? Concerned? …

Just Banded! 1/15/09 First few days a bit hectic, but all is back to normal now -- Too normal! Loking forward to that first fill!

Just wanted to take some time out and introduce myself. I'm Melissa, a 25 year old newly banded (July 29th), married lady from South Metro Atlanta. :thumbup: I was banded by Dr. Christopher Hart, via True Results. So far so good.....:biggrin2: ~Melissa 318.7/306.2/180

Hi, My name is Debbie Kinsey, I am 58 years old and had the lap band with Dr. Rambault on Jan 8, 2009. I am not quite three weeks since surgery and have done ok so far. I work full time with the state of Florida and live on a rural farm in the northern part of Florida....no palm trees here. My husband is retired and disabled. I have two grown children who are married, two grandchildren and another to arrive any day. If someone would like to give me advice or just talk about this "adventure" please feel free to contact me. From sunny Florida, dek

Less than 24 hours and counting. I get banded tomorrow! Anyone else? I wrote my plans for this evening on my blog (so I won't take your time here), come and visit me there! But good luck to everyone. Contact me if you want to correspond! mmmm...I love water and broth. I love water and broth. I love water and broth.

New here. Praying our NEW insurance effective Feb 2nd will pay for gastric surgery. I live in Houston and have attended seminars for Dr's Spivak and Spiegel. Previous insurance would not approve surgery. I am PRAYING that United Health Care does! I'm wondering if with lap band surgery would I lose all the weight i need to lose? Need to drop 130 pounds. I see a lot of folks losing 50-75-80 pounds. Glad to be here. and still praying for coverage!

I am new to this forum and wanted to introduce myself. I am a 55 year old female from Central NC and am in the process of going through my presurgery waiting. I am in my 5th month of a long 6 month insurance required diet and excercise Dr supervised program. I have currently lost 18 lbs and am praying the insurance co will approve me. I am hoping for an April banding..... I have Diabetes and Acid Reflux as well as Sleep Apnea. My goal is to get off the pills for Dia and AR as well as sleeping without my machine.....I would also like to lose a little weight..About 80 lbs would be nice....:tt1: Everything I have read on this forum sure is encouraging and makes me anx…

Hello! I am new here, and got banded 11.25.08. I am needing support as my weight loss has stopped. I have had 1 fill, 2cc in a large band. Is any1 in this situation or have advice on what to do at next appt to ensure I get a bigger fill?

Hello, I am new here just got banded on Janurary 23,2009 still on sick leave but doing better every day. Everything going really well.:cursing:

Great Site! I have my surgical consult tomorrow. I have completed psych eval, sleep study, exam, dietician, etc. and lost some weight as recommended pre-surg. I am hopeful that I can actually set a date tomorrow to get banded. I attended the mandatory briefing last March so it's taken a while to get to this point(smoke nazis, yeah yeah its for my own good). I have Tricare Prime and they seem to be on the ball lately so I don't expect much of a delay. Knock wood.

Hi everyone! I've gone through all the appointments, etc. and my lapband paperwork is being submitted to my insurance company today. Should have their answer within a week, and my surgery is tentatively scheduled for Feb. 12! I'm excited and worried all at the same time. I'm 43 yo, been overweight most of my life, and finally want to invest in ME for better health, self-confidence, etc. I'm a little worried because I know it's still going to be hard to resist overeating - and the first 2 weeks of liquids don't appeal to me too much. But I think I can do it, especially if I use forums like this for moral support.

Hi everyone. I just found this site and its great. I just got banded on 12/17/08. I got my first fill so I am at 4cc or a 10 cc band and so far feel no restriction. I lost 10 lb during my pre-op diet and have lost another 22 after that. I just wanted to introduce myself.

Hello everyone...I like to start off by saying all your stories and advice are awsome! I can't think of a question that hasn't already been asked or talked about.... sucess stories are great also! sooo Im in the early stage of the whole pro-op stages... pretty much saw my surgen once and was told that I am 100% covered! scared ...nurvous.... ecxited.... 99% sure Im getting it done! like I said in another forum...most of the time Im 100% sure Im getting the Lap band! Im sure I will be getting to know a few of you on here... my Name is Wendy Im 30 years old I weigh 290 lbs ...Im 5'5 ....and Im so ready for a change ....so ready to be healthy!!!!!! I have a husband and a …

I met a woman in Dr. S's office in Temple the other day and she reccommended this forum to me. I was banded Dec 16th. My weight was 243 now I am 210. I am excited about lapbandtalk and look forward to chatting with all of you.

Hello All! I am new to the site and I am excited to read about everyones stories. I was banded on Jan. 22, 2009 by Dr. Fred Brody at Sibley Hospital. I could not have asked for a better experience from the moment I got my IV to the moment it came out (same day :thumbup:). The best part was waking up in recovery and the first thing I did was cry becasue I knew I had just done something to change my life at 24 years old!!! Every Recovery Nurse said, "She is so young, this is going to change her life"... they are right.

I got banded recently by Dr. Spivak in Houston and everything has been going pretty good. So I would just like to say.... Hello.

Hi, my name is Michele. I am a 41-year-old female from Wisconsin. I am the mother of three beautiful children. I received my Lap Band on 01/09/07. I was lucky to find a wonderful surgeon in San Antonio, Texas who performed my surgery. I fly back down there for all my fills as I wouldn't trust anyone like I trust him. I started my reseach on the Lap Band in 2006. In late 2006 I contacted Dr. Jorge Rincon at the saweightlosscenter in San Antonio. I was very impressed with him and decided to start my journey. Now, exactly two years ago today, I am a new, healthy, happy person. I started at 305# and as of today, I am 130#; 175 pounds gone forever!!! Thank you to Dr. Rincon, C…

hello well i just wanted to intoduce myself to all u bandsters out there.. my name is Trista i am 22 yrs of age i live in brisbane australia.. i have suffered from obesity for the last 10 yrs of my life n i hate it, im not happy with my self for letting it get to this point, i have chosen to get the lap band done my first dr app starts on wednesday to talk about procedure n everythin that will be happening...to top it off i met the love of my life 11mths back...we have now been broken up for 3 weeks and it has taken its toll on me big time im severly depressed, i have nervous break downs...our break up is not due to my weight as he loves me the way i am but to other …

Hi everyone! I had my surgery last Monday 1/19. I have to say it has been more painful then what I expected but I think it will be worth it. I don't have any complications that I know of just a little pain. I was operated by Dr Looser and he has been great. I had an issue loosing my 10% his group requires but I did it, plus a few extra pounds:thumbup:. Since the band I have lost 8 pounds for a total of 25 pounds! I am on a complete liquid diet and have been starving the last 2 days I can't wait to start on mushie foods! So I hope to meet some people to help me through this and I will help anyone I can. I have been reading the post for some help and support through this bu…

So, I talked to my doctor about getting the lapband done in September. He told me to think about for a few months to make sure I was positive it was something I wanted to do. (Because my father had just passed away and he didn't want me acting on impulse) Friday I go back in and he's going to refer me to a surgeon. I've read up a lot about this, but are any of you military? What happens if I get PCS'd(moved) to another state, or country? What should I expect when I go to the surgeon for the first time? The only thing is I'm absolutely petrified by the thought of having a tube shoved down my throat..lol. Cut me open all you want but that just freaks me out. Also, I have th…

Hi, from the Gulf Coast of Mississippi! I am morbidly obese with diabetes type 2, starting kidney problems, starting heart problems, and am scared to die. I must cure the diabetes and the only way I know is to have surgery. How long after lap-band surgery does the diabetes seem to go away. I have heard after bypass it is just days. Any help on this front?? I am so glad to have found y'all!! Hope

My PCP has referred me to the Dr. for the Band. I am just starting out on this journey. I currently weigh approximately 290. My good weight is around 180. I have type 2 and am on blood pressure meds. This should be an interesting trip. I have go for a consult with the DR, then with a nutritionist, and I am not sure what else, oh yeah attend a support group mtg. For anyone who knows the answer - typically how long does the procedure take, and how long is the hospital stay? Regards to all Hal

Hello, My name is Julie and Im 29 yrs old from NC. I got my band in July 07 and have only had 1 fill and have gained 20 lbs since. Started at 240 now 260...UUUGGHH! I know I know I didnt give it a chance. I think for some reason I didnt think it was going to work in the first place so I started off all wrong. Well Im done being negative and thats why Im here. Im getting a fill today and Im starting fresh. But I need more info than "eat half a cup every 3 hrs" or whatever the measurments r...lol Any advice would be greatly appreciated. PLZ HELP......

Hi Everyone- I just found this great site!! I have my surgery consult on February 9, 2008 with Dr. Garth Davis in Houston, TX. I so glad I found this site!!

Hi all: I'm joining here in hopes to find posts from other Ontario Canadians, who have had the lap band surgery. I am very seriously considering having it done, but it looks like no one in Ottawa does the surgery so I may be Toronto bound. I have to see my Dr in a couple weeks for a check up and am going to talk to him about it. I contacted CIBO in Toronto and have spoken to them a bit, and they tell me the price is $18,000 and OHIP will not pay. How in the world have you been able to afford the surgery? I can't afford large payments, and if I take small monthly payments I'll probably be dead before I pay it all off. :thumbdown:

This is my first night to read the forum and I'm so glad I was linked to it -- I've learned a ton in just a few hours already. My situation is ordinary in some ways, unusual in others. My BMI is 43 right now and after looking around I'm pretty convinced the band is the right choice for me. The problem is I live in Japan, have for the last three years, and will for at least six months more. My job is low-stress, I have some vacation time in a few months and if I can get everything together, it seems like a good time to get banded and start settling in with the change. (I'll start law school in the US next fall, so I'd have student-type insurance and MUCH more st…

I had Lapband on 12-16-08 in Louisville,KY and I live 3 hours away from a support group meeting so I am looking for supportive friends to chat with about our losses, gains, and tips. I have an appointment to have my first fill on 1-27-08 and I have been having the munches. How do I deal with these cravings???????:biggrin:

Just wanted to say hello to everyone. I'm just starting on my path to surgery which from my understanding will be Mayish (give or take). Dr Bissell will be doing the surgery and i'm excited and scared. This site has plenty of post to help me through so it will be my staple. Would like to find someone out there going through with this around same time and lives whithin close proximity of me to be a lap buddy.

My first post, but I have lurked here for a while. I was banded on June 13th and have lost 72 lbs. so far. The information I gleaned from this form was invaluable in my decision to be banded and helped in my expectations and my current journey. Thank to everyone that has posted and shared.

help, my hair is falling out. why?