Tell Your Weight Loss Surgery Story

Hi all, Obviously I'm new but I only have one main question. I've been thinking and researching the Lap band on and off for about 4 years. I finally decided to do it. I live in OR but because I am self pay am going to Dr Ortiz in MX. I am scheduled to be banded on Aug 21st. How quick is that?!!! Now for my question.... I'm noticing that very few people seem to lose all their weight. Is this true? Is there a "norm" I know everyone is different but I guess what I'm really asking... am I spending a lot of money to lose only some of my weight? I want to lose 125 lbs what are my odds? thanks for any help and advice. I send my deposit on Monday :faint::help:

Figgered I'd nip in and drop a post... I got banded by Dr. Woody Denham at Evanston Northwestern on July 16 2007. Incidentally, very nice of him to do Medicaid work. I'm a bit a-typical here... frankly, I've been told (and tend to believe) that I would have been reverting down to my 'natural' weight with time (and was already on my way, prior to surgery). That said, enough was enough, and I'm perfectly ecstatic that I had it done. There's a bit of a story there... and it smacks of 'vicious circle' coupled with quack doctors ... this is long (just feel like writing it down right now Essentially, I was born (or acquired soon after) the autoimmune disease Celiac Sprue.…

Hi Everyone! I'm in the process of getting the Lapband. I have my first appointment with Dr. Lautz in Massachusetts on September 27th. That's the earliest appointment I could get, I've been waiting for a month now, another month and 1/2 to go. Hopefully Dr. Lautz thinks that I would be a good condidate. My PCP thinks so. I have no medical uses other than a thyroid problem and my bmi is 43. I call once a week to see if they have any earlier appointment due to cancellations. Every week they tell me know. I guess everyone wants to be thin! : How is everyone doing? Any comments on your lapband? Rosita

Hello All! I'm pre band, scheduled for surgery (if all goes well with insurance) for te beginning of October.

Hi all I join yesterday made my mind up last week to get banded. I have to get a referal from my MD. I know that won't be a problem, because she suggested bypass last year but I wouldn't even think about it. I am need to loose a 110- 120 lbs. I already talked to my insurance company and they told me some of the stuff I will need to do. So hopefully it will all go quickly. I am so excited. I have never had anything like this done. The only time I have been in the hospital is to have my son. I was in and out in 24 hrs I had it in the back of my mind maybe 5 days down and that would be it. Now after reading everything. I will plan for longer and if it is sooner good for me.…

Hi, I am considering the Lap Band. I am going to a seminar in two days. I was wondering about insurance coverage for the band. My insurance doesn't specifically say it covers the surgery, the physician group putting on the seminar say they advocate for the patient to get the insurance to cover the surgery based on medical necessity, i.e. diabetes, apnea, etc. Any input on the subject?

Hello everyone, Just wanted to introduce myself -- my name is Melissa and I'll be having surgery on Wednesday, 15 August. I'm thrilled to have been approved insurance-wise (which was the only hold-up I have encountered) and I honestly can't believe that in less than a week I'll be well on my way to a new me! I'm going to check out this site a bit more thoroughly. I don't know yet what my challenges are going to be. I guess I'm not really looking forward to the liquid diet but I'll manage . Has anyone experienced a really significant weight loss in the first few months? It'd be nice to drop a few pounds early on .

I just wanted to say hello to everybody. I'm in the early stages of considering getting lapband surgery and I have lots of questions. I will be scouring the message boards for any and all information I can get! Thanks!!

To be banded on the 9th of October 07, and I suppose I need some reasurrance that the weight will come off, it's just hard to believe that this battle that I've been fighting all this time. I'm actually going to start winning. I'm sure some people can relate to that feeling of, it's actually going to happen. So excited but scared at the same time, can't wait. penny

Hi. I found your forum through Google, and I am just now even thinking about lap banding. It just came to me a few days ago after watching a news program about a woman who had to buy two seats to fly on Southwest. And she was no larger than I am. Somehow that made me feel just fed up and I just started researching lap banding. I know it is not magic. I have read enough of your posts to know that it is not an easy fix. It is scary to think about making the changes you have made, and wondering if I can even do it. Food has a powerful place in my life right now. I am spending a lot of time thinking though, especially about how I can fill spaces in my life without food. Oh,…

Have been banded now for 2 months. Have only had two fills. One for 1 cc and one today for 1/2 cc. That seems really slow to me--but dr refuses to do faster. I lost 15 pounds in the first 3 weeks and then have not really been loosing since. That has been discouraging to me. As soon as I stopped being on the liquid diet the loss slowed to almost stopped. I have only lost 18 pounds. Is that normal to loose so slow. The Dr says yes but then you see postings of people loosing so fast. Will it pick up once I Get more fill. He says I can come back for another fill in 2 weeks.

Hello everyone!! My name is Mya... I'm so glad I found your forum. I just got off the phone with the staff at the hospital in Mexico, and I'm getting BANDED... May 16 should be the day.. a little va-cay, and a little surgery. YAY!! I'm so psyched about loosing this stubborn 20lbs. I've tried fasting, but I get sooo hungggrrryy.. It'd be nice to not have that craving, ya know?? Anyhow.. I'm looking forward to swimsuit season!!! So glad to be here.. Hey, how did you guys get those banners that say how much you have to lose? I'm at 117lbs now, and I'd like to get down to 97 (But I'd be TOTALLY happy to be at 100!!!!) Anyhow, off to work. Later Mya

Just getting all my paperwork done... I am almost ready to send it in to the insurance to hopefully be approved for a lapband. If you have been thru the New Start Program in St Alexius Hospital in St Louis, Missouri please let me know how your journey went. I can't wait to hear from you!! Auntrere10@yahoo.com

i got my date AUG 29th...yay im on my pre op diet now well on the third day!! the only thing is i think from lacking carbs/sugar...im getting headaches and feeling weak?? is this normal??:faint::help:

HI EVERYONE, MY NAME IS NIKOLE AND I'M FROM NEW YORK. I AM 26 YEARS OLD AND HAVE BEEN THINKING ABOUT GETTING BANDED FOR A WHILE NOW. I HAVE TRIED MANY DIETS AND NOTHING SEEMS TO WORK, I REALLY DO HAVE THAT LION THAT IS ON THE COMMERCIAL FOR LAP-BAND. IT IS NOW 5:15 IN THE MORNING AND I JUST RETURNED FROM THE EMERGENCY ROOM WHERE THEY TOLD ME THAT IT WAS "JUST PCOS AND I NEED TO LOSE WEIGHT" NOTHING LIKE MAKING ME FEEL LIKE THE FATTEST OF FATTY FAT LARDS EVER! I JUST NOW KNOW THAT I DO NEED TO TAKE THAT LEAP AND CALL THE DR. TOMORROW (WELL LATER TODAY) MY MAIN QUESTION RIGHT NOW IS, HOW LONG FROM WHEN YOU MAKE YOUR FIRST PHONE CALL IS IT UNTIL YOU'RE BANDED? THANKS …

Was approved on 8/8 want lap band on 8/14. Dr Herrera in Jacksonville Fl. Liquid diet 3 1/2 week now, lost 34 lbs:bounce:

Well I finally have my surgery date!! Once they received my last visit note from my primary they called and said I was good to go! Surgery is scheduled for 8/28/07 (4 days before my birthday...happy birthday to me:bounce:) I did let the scheduler know if they had any cancellations to give me a call. I was getting to the point where I didn't think it would ever happen. This has been a long journey for someone who is all about instant gratification. But I guess it is a lesson I need to learn. I have pre-op class on Monday and pre-op exam the day before surgery. Yay!!!

olah! My name is Lindsey, i am 27, and i live in Savannah, Georgia. i saw someone mention this community on livejournal so i thought i would come see what its all about. i was banded on Feb 6th of this year, so that makes me almost exactly 6 months post-op. My surgery was performed by an awesome doctor named Oliver Whipple here in Savannah. he installed a 4cc lapband and i have had 3 fills so far, bringing my total to 3cc's. i have lost 53 pounds so far! starting weight: 310 current weight: 257 goal: 150 i stupidly did not take any full body pictures to use as "before" shots - this was taken a few days after the surgery, so i had already lost about 20 pounds …

I was just banded 09/27/06 and have lost 15 pounds. I found out yesterday that I was pregnant before the surgery. Of course now I am very concerned about the baby. Has this happened to anyone else out there?

Hi everyone, my name is Karin, I was banded on 31st March 2007. I have lost 35lbs so far. I started at 285 and am now 252lbs. Had a fill yesterday so am eating mush at the moment! I need to work out how to use this forum but it would be lovely to hear from anyone! xx :help::bounce:

I am trying to get the Lap-Band, but I will have to Self Pay..Looking at all of my options now to see what I can do. My insurance doesn't cover anything to do with WLS. Needless to say - That Sucks!!!:cry

And I made the cut! My surgery date is 9/19. I met with the nurse and psychologist today, and got my date. I meet the surgeon tomorrow and if he decides I need to have a sleep study, my surgery is set out far enough so that I can get it done well beforehand. I'm going to rein my thoughts in from the ethers and try to get my personal lapband journey memorialized now. I am completely spent. Exhausted, elated, euphoric and any other happy "e-word" that comes to mind. Many blessings, band members-- Darr

I have been reading this website for about a month, and I am totally addicted. I am in the beginning stages of my journey. I am having my surgery done in Houston, by Dr. Davis the one that is on Big Medicine and he is just awesome. I am 29 years old I am about 5'0 and weigh 252lbs. I am so miserable and am so ready for this. My question is that I have to do a six month pre-op diet and I just would like to know what that entails. What did some of you who had to do it eat or drink?

HI My name is Gwen and I am scheduled for surgery on the 20th of this month. my doctor is Robert Cahn, MD here in Boise Idaho. Just thought to introduce myself my husband is also getting the procedure but on the 10th of September.

IS there anyone out there that has been banded for a long time? 8 , 10 years, more..... I wonder about the long term effects of having a lap band/ Does it really work to help you keep the weight off - even 10 , 20 , 30 years from now? I don't want yet another quick fix that then no longer works after a certain amount of time...... would love to hear from someone who has lived with this for a long time!

I was banded on May 17, 2007 and so far I have lost 60 lbs. I never in my wildest dreams would have believed that I would have been this successful this early in the process. All I have to say is I love my band:clap2:

Please call me Rose! I'm so happy to have found these forums, I feel like I've been on a very lonely and scary ride. I do have an excellent lap-band doctor (Dr. Deol in Michigan) and I've been to her seminar, had my first consultation, and I'm currently going through a lot of tests from other doctors, to make sure I'm healthy for the lap-band surgery. I've seen many doctors so far, but still have a ways to go, no surgery date yet. My starting weight is 248 pounds, my height is only 5'2", making my BMI 45.4, putting me into the morbidly obese catagory (sigh). I have a lot of health problems in my family history, including diabetes, heart disease, and several types of cance…

Hi everyone, I have been lurking here for sometime and appreciate being able to read about everyones experiences here. I am a self pay, newly-banded as of 7/23/07. I had a very easy surgery and recovery thereafter. My problem is that I was supposed to do 1 week of clear liquids followed by 2 weeks of full liquids. I did fine the first week, except there was a mishap with a slurpee (for those after me, even the fruit ones are carbonated) so its a bad choice. Week 2 and so far this 1/2 of week three I have been doing my full liquids plus taking bites here and there of my family's food that I cook. It doesn't seem to bother me, and today I overdid it and ate a full ban…

I was just woundering if anyone has had a lower body lift done and if so where and about how much did it cost and of coures how was the pain involved???? thanks:biggrin1:

Hi everyone, Been lurking around this site for months now, reading threads posts etc. Went to see a dietician a few weeks ago, and the surgeon today, he was very nice, made me feel at ease, and has booked me in to be banded on 5th September,:whoo:Go me!! i'm 39 and need to lose between 70-80lbs. this site & the people posting on it, has been so helpful in helping me decide, whats right for me, you're all a great inspiration,...........thank you;) would love to hear from anyone, or anyone who is getting banded in sept, maybe we could do this journey together??

Would like to hear from anyone who was banded by Dr. Arturo Rodriguez of Monterrey, Mexico:help:

Hi all!! I am new to the board also. Well, not really. I have been lurking for a long time. I made the call, now have my appt. with the surgeon in 2 weeks. Anyone else on here from Michigan? :bandit

Yes, I am a new lapbander. I had my procedure done on the 20th of July. I've already lost 12lbs according to the doctors scale fully clothed. You know how you figure clothing weight, or am I the only one who does that. I figured that I should start communicating with other people have done this, so I could get some honest feed back.:clap2:

hi everyone i am so dissapointed. of course it would happen to me because i have had bad luck most of my life. i only lost 3 pounds and i am so discourage and upset. i lost some inches but no weight so what am i doin wrong. i spent so much money and was so lookin forward to the scale sayinat least 10 pounds for first week. i read other peoples threads and they lost plenty an had surgery same day. what am i doin wrong guys please help. i hardly eat anything adn someties feel hungry.what can i do.:think:think:think:think:think:think:think:faint::faint::faint::faint::help::help::help::help::help:

<p>I am considering lap band surgery. I am 4'11 and weigh 175 lbs. That puts my bmi at 35. I have been overweight my ENTIRE life and think it is finally time I do something about it. Over the past 6 months I have gained 20 lbs. It seems that I lose a little dieting and then once I stop I gain it all back and then some. The most I seem to lose at any giving time is about 15 lbs never any more. I have tried almost everything out there. Weight Watchers to Medifast and everything in between. I am tired of spending all this money on failed attempts to lose weight. These last 20 lbs that I have put on has started to affect my quality of life. I am a mother of 2 and hardly…

I am a Sacramento Kaiser member and my doctor has just referred me to see a surgeon in SF to see if I'm a candidate for the lapband. My BMI is 37-38 and I have sever sleep apnea. I currently use a CPAP and have had it almost 2 yrs. I am now having allergy issues and I'm finding myself waking up during the night and wanting to take it off. I too have done the diets, Atkins, Weight Watchers, Herbal Life to only hit that plateau of 25 lbs and then gain back more than when I started. I am currently at 225, but have been as high as 230 and I'm 5' 5". What I'm looking for is hope that I will be approved to have this surgery and I can get on track again and see a light at the …

Hello everyone, my name is Brandy I am 26 years old and on August 2, 2007 I had Lap-Band surgery. I live in California but i am a college student with no insurance so i went to mexico and had surgery by Dr. Joya. Being only a few days out, i am very excited and have a lot to learn. Right now i'm on a clear liquid diet and so far so good. I hope to meet others who have had surgery or who are interested in it.

Hi all! I have been reading and gathering info from this board for about 4 months. I have learned so much from everyone here. I haven't posted before because I didn't feel like it was actually going to happen for me. Now here I am 4 months into the process and finally allowing myself to believe it. I have completed everything my surgeon required me to do, now.... yes thats right.... doing the insurance dance. I have finished 4 months of the 6 supervised diet, and now they say I have to do 6-12 months visits with a dietation. Why didn't they tell me this before?!? I am alittle upset, but I know these are things that everyone goes through. I have my 1st sleep over tonight a…

I got the band on Aug. 3rd. Started full liquids today. Feel good but a little groggy from the pain meds. I'm excited to get on my merry way. Starting weight: 271 lbs. Dr. Kirkland did the surgery. I'm looking for members in Philadelphia. I have a 5 year old boy starting kindergarten in Sept. I have been heavy all my life w/ the exception of a 10 year reprieve when I stopped eating sugar and flour, weighed and measured everything I ate, and exercising. I re-gained my weight when I got pregnant and haven't been able to loose any. In fact, I have been gaining. Obesity runs in my family and I'm so tired of dieting. I'm excited about the possibility of loosing weight. I'v…

Well here is where my journey starts, well not really, but you all know that I mean. Just about to leave for the hospital, I am Doc's first procedure of the day. I hope that is a good thing. See you all on the other side. Jim

well, it is 9 days til my lap band....it is very hard at the present time to eat 1 small meal a day and drink all my water and protein...my life has been such focus around food...i know this will be the new start of my new life....looking forward to the change...even though food thing now is hard....:omg::clap2:

I had the band 4 weeks ago. My doc added 2 cc's last week because I told him I had no restriction. I still feel very little restriction. I am working so hard and I lost 23 pounds, but the surgery seems to have little to do with it. I could still eat enormous quantities if I I let go.:phanvan

Hello All, My name is Allyson and I am 25 years old. I attended the informational seminar for Dr. Malley on July 28th and have my consultation scheduled for August 24th. I am getting very excited!!! I am hoping to have my surgery between Oct. 22-26th. ( i already have some time off of work, so that would work out great!) Just wanted to say hello and see if anyone had any advice! I am using Dr. Malley in Kansas.

Hi everyone - I had lapband surgery May 15th in Monterrey with Dr. Rumbaut. I lost 9 lbs in 8 weeks and since my first fill a month ago - I have only lost 6 lbs. Since my fill I can eat much more than 1/2 cup of food. More like 1 - 1 1/2 cups of food 3 x's a day. Do you think I need another fill?

Hi all, 35 year old guy from melbourne in Australia here. Have a serious weight problem and am given to binge eating. Have dieted off and on all my life, I can lose weight but then it all comes back with a 10% bonus. Am considering getting a lap band, as i am now over 150Kg and at 5 foot 8 that is a little scary for me. I think a lap band would help me control the binging by forcing me to recognise when i am doing it, and then slow me down. I am worried about a few things though. One is that I guess I am binge eating as a way of dealing with depression or stress. I dont know what would happen if that option was taken away from me. Secondly, I have off and on been …

Hello I am from Michigan and am getting banded July15 in Mexico with Dr. Ortiz. Will anyone else be there then? I am looking forwasrd to this but I am nervous. Any tips?

My name is Deb, I am a 51 year old housewife. 10 years ago, I had a vertical banded gastroplasty, and lost over 100lbs. I was very pleased with the results. But over the years, the staples pulled apart, and I have now regained all that I lost, plus a lot more. In fact, I have never been so fat in all my life, and it feels really uncomfortable. I am jumping through the hoops the surgeon makes you go through before you have surgery. I was told by him that gastric bypass was not an option, because I have had other abdominal surgeries. After reading many, many posts from this site, I am not so sure now that the banding is for me. It seems a high percentage of…

So here I am, day 5 of 7 of the pre-op liquid diet. *sigh* I've lost 12 lbs though! Uhh.... a little bit about myself. Well... uh, I'm a college student. I have two bunnies and a boyfriend and a roommate and we're a happy little family. My mom and i are going to Monterrey, Mexico tomorrow morning to have Dr. Rumbaut put in a lap-band for me. I'm a little scared I admit. Anyone on here that has gotten banded by Rumbaut? I know he bands like a million people a year.

:nervous I am going to TJ to get banded on Thursday. I am a lower BMI. I started at 32, but the preop diet has my BMI down to 30. Anyone else out there got a low BMI. I am beginning to wonder if I am the only one out there getting banded at my weight. I've tried a million diets, diet pills, hypnosis, weight watchers and everything else. They all worked! For a while, then I gain it all back. I've lost 250lbs! That is 50-`60 pounds 5 times. I've always been pretty good at losing weight, but rotten at keeping it off. I hope I can make the band work for me Marsene 207/196/135 5'8'' Dr. Ortiz

Hello all. I have my first consult this Friday. My current BMI is 31. I plan to look into a self pay option. :help: I have friends that have been banded but they actually had more to lose. People tell me that I dont need such a drastic measure as lap band but I have tried everything else. I am currently 195 pounds and growing and I am 5 '7. Can I be a serious candidate for the procedure?