LAP-BAND Surgery Forums

Hi I don't have anything bad to say about the lapband I was a poster child for them as far as having one. I stop seeing my WLC because of being billed for fills I never got and it got to the point that they sent me a letter saying they would no longer see me............. I have a question about it getting removed if it has to come out do you have to have a weight loss surgeon to do it or can any dr remove it? The reason I am asking is yesterday I got my CT report from my cancer dr and he said it had moved up alot and he felt it needed to be removed right away........... I got my band in 09 lost 150 lbs and have kept it off all this time with only 4 cc in my 10 cc ba…

Getting the Lap band surgery is something I have been thinking about for a little over a year now, and now that I have met with my surgeon and started making plans and appointments and now that things are becoming more solidified I'm having trouble deciding how/if to tell my family and friends about the surgery. It's not that I don't want them to know about it, it's more that I'm afraid they will judge me for doing it or worse, try and talk me out of having it done. So basically what I'm looking for is anyone's stories or anyone who has any suggestions on how to go about telling the people who are closest to me that I'm going to be having this surgery soon. Thanks in adv…

Hi, I was banded 1/25 and I've lost 53 pounds since my surgery date.... I am so insecure with myself and this is something I'm not used to feeling and I have no clue how to handle it. I recently met a guy and after talking he told me the reason he wouldn't date me is because "I don't take care of myself enough". Normally, I would have just brushed someone telling me I'm over weight off.... But now, I feel like all of this is a waste of time and I just want to be myself again..... Has anyone else had these issues? How did you handle them?

Hello Everyone. I am one of the many Soon to be Banded (with insurance approval hopefully). Right now I am in the beginning of the 3 month process for Aetna and wanted to reach out to all of you. Nothing beats motivation like having people in your area that are LIKE you and going or have been through the same situation. I would like to form a group, keep in touch, meet up, exchange meal ideas, etc.... This is a new journey to me as I have never had surgery and I am sure it was or is a tough decision to most. I personally felt like a failure when deciding to have the surgery. The "fat kid" loses again and has to take the alleged "easy" way out. Upon joining this websi…

Hello. I'm not exactly new here but I keep up with the forum quite of bit. I know it's alot of information down below but PLEASE READ and GIVE ME ANY KIND OF ADVICE OR SUGGESTIONS! SW: 227 CW: 205 GW: 155 First of all, I had my surgery in 2010 and it didn't go as well as I would have liked. Since then I've been struggling to find a diet that would actually work well with my body and my metabolic syndrome and have found that a low carb diet works really well for me. I just found this out in February of this year and have lost 22 pounds so far. The weight loss has been incredibly slow and I've tried my best to remain calm with the fact that I've only been a…

Hello. I'm not exactly new here but I keep up with the forum quite of bit. SW: 227 CW: 205 GW: 155 I know it's quite a lot of information down below but I just thought I'd thoroughly explain myself and my situation. PLEASE READ and OFFER ANY ADVICE OR SUGGESTIONS First of all, I had my surgery in 2010 and it didn't go as well as I would have liked. Since then I've been struggling to find a diet that would actually work well with my body and my metabolic syndrome and have found that a low carb diet works really well for me. I just found this out in February of this year and have lost 22 pounds so far with a low carb diet. The weight loss has been incredibly slow …

I would like to communicate with people are GA state employees and are using United Health Care Insurance. Since this is new for us, I feel that we could offer support to each other and stay on top of what the requirements are, etc. Hope to hear from you! Gypsy

Hi, I am 50, had my lap band surgery on April 15, 2009, and have lost 40 lbs. All of a sudden I am starting to lose a lot of hair. I normally don't lose any hair but now I am leaving hair every where. Has anyone else experienced this after the lap band surgery? I have an appointment this week for blood work and I am hoping that I will find out what the problem is. If anyone can share their experience with hair loss after surgery I would appreciate it. Vagabond:frown:

I have sleep apnea and have a cpap machine so that is not my issue. My lab result show vitamin d and b12 are fine and thyroid is fine any ideas???

so I had my lap band surgery in January of this year and now...I have gallstones. it's the WORST feeling I've ever had in my life. I'm scheduled for surgery this Friday. just letting you all know that getting gallstones after weight loss surgery is very common. just be cautious about the symptoms because it can get serious if you don't take care of it quickly.

i am so excited and happy!! im nervous too lol my doctor at first was being a butt and was saying well this would be a challenging one... and kept dancing around saying it, then finally said oct25th sound good? and i freaked out saying you mean its a yes?!?!?! lol then i got light headed and felt like i was going to throw up! lol now i know some people will read this and think im being too excited... yes i know this is not THE answer. its just a tool. but a tool i am excited to use to help me!!!!!! GAHHHHH

The day I had surgery, I decided to tell two of my "best" friends of my decision. I couldn't be more disappointed in their reactions. One said, "I think you're crazy. You were doing so well on your own." The other didn't verbally express any kind of disapproval but you could hear it in her tone. Unfortunately, I somewhat expected it but it doesn't change the disappointment. Now, I know that not everyone will understand, approve of or support my decision. I don't expect people to and frankly, I don't need their approval. But my two best friends whom I have helped and supported through some very tough times, can't support me? I don't expect approval -- just support. One…

Hello fellow banders, Heaviest -330 Day of surgery - 283 Most lost- 250 Today- 278 I was banded back in Sept 2010. I was so excited to get banned and knew all the things i had to do. eat slow, chew chew chew, eat right, and exerciser. I was ready! Fast forward to today's date and I have no idea what happened. I feel so embarrassed to see people I know that knew I had the surgery. I have been on this odd funk emotional that I'm not used to (not depressed) maybe ashamed. This started about 1-2 weeks ago. I guess I must have realized I failed my band. So this was how I found this web link. I'm glad I'm not alone. I have not returned to get a fill or a follow up with…

How long do these things take? I am nearly two weeks post and those suckers are still on tight

I went to my PCM the other day for a check up. She still has the old dinosaur weight scale. I had always wanted to not have to move that huge bottom weight past the 100 mark. I thought by the time I lost that much, those scales would be long gone! But none the less......it happened! 149.25 lbs. I did not have to move that bottom weight!!!!!! [ATTACH]27938[/ATTACH]

This stuff is D E L I C I O U S! I try to plan my meals in advance, but sometimes I don't want what I've brought for lunch and today was one of those days. I was at Walmart anyway and decided to check out the frozen food section for new things to have at work. It's really hard finding frozen meals that aren't loaded with carbs - they all seem to have rice, Pasta or potatoes in them, argh! However, I thought since this was Atkins, I'd suck it up and have the small amount of pasta in the meal. I'm so happy I did. This tastes almost home-made and it's very filling. I think this could easilly be 3 meals for me, it's plenty of food. Here are the nutrition facts: 360 …

I feel like I'm not eating enough-about 900!

I was banded on 6/11/13 with a 14cc band. Had my 1st fill today of 4cc's. Very easy & it didnt hurt at all. The Doc told me to do liquid for 24 hours than soft food for a day & then start introducing other foods. I am happy to report that I am now 40 lbs lighter! Also lost 2 pant sizes and a shirt size! Also my blood work came back Awesome!

I had my surgery August 26, and my first fill will be this coming Thursday. Does it hurt when they fill it?

A bathroom issue is what I'm having here! Had my first fill yesterday felt great got 2 cc in my band had broth and ice pop yesterday must have been in the bathroom 6 times with cramping and diarrhea Today had shake for breakfast and yogurt for lunch....same thing! Is this the norm?

I hear some people can have bread and some can't. They say toast is better. Well how is grilled cheese sandwich? Is that a no too?

After almost a year I was finally banded yesterday, Sept 19th. All went well. Came home and laid down for a bit, then started thinking about what many people go thru on the shoulder pain from gas, so I tried to get up and walk around the house as much as possible. Woke up thru the night some, but when I got up this morning, no pain in shoulder, yet. Just really sore where they did procedure. I can't believe I was actually a little hungry yesterday after I got home, but all is good. Tried some black coffee with sweetener this morning, could not handle it. So drinking my no calorie Gatorade. Plan to walk more today and do some work from home.How is everyone else doin…

I just went to BJ's and bought the best looking golden pineapple. It was too hard to chew, too stringy. Anyone else have pineapple eating troubles? My husband is thrilled, he gets to eat all the delicious pineapple.

Has anyone had trouble with them??

I just had my very first piece of chocolate cake (my former addiction) since being banded 3 months ago and I'm happy to say that it's not as good as I thought it was. I'm officially over it and find more pleasure in a single piece of Jolly Rancher or Worther's hard candy. Yay me! I think it gave me a headache, I know I was feeling better than I do before I ate it.

Hello....I need some advise...I am 4 weeks post op today....have lost alittle over 30 pounds since is started (2 weeks of diet before surgery) anyway....I am struggling with vitamins and meds....I bought the VitaFusion Gummies for my multi-vitamin and Calcium....everytime I take them I get the worst headache of my life and I feel like I can not swallow....I chew them to death....I mean nothing left of them before I swallow...I get all this pressure in my throat and jaws start hurting really bad ( sorta like when you have sinus trouble) and my head hurts....I am just wondering if anybody else has had this problem or anything like it? What types of vitamins do you all use? …

I'm sorry, but this is absolutely insane. I cannot believe anyone would think it's ok to perform bariatric surgery on what is essentially still a baby. My heart breaks for this little boy. He's had 80% of his stomach removed by no choice of his own and now he will have to live with the consequences forever. -------------------------------------- A MORBIDLY obese two-year-old has become the youngest person in the world to undergo bariatric surgery. The parents of the toddler from Saudi Arabia who weighed 33kg and had a sleep apnoea that caused him to stop breathing while asleep. Two attempts to control his weight by dieting failed said the medics who carried out th…

Should I ride my motorcycle now that I'm 270lbs? Okay here is my story, a few years ago I purchased a sports bike (which I love to ride). I was about 200 to 215lbs when I got it and I rode any chance I got. It was like my therapy and it worked every time. Well about two years after I got it my then boyfriend, now husband took it for a ride without my permission and crashed into a wall head on:mad3: . He was fine but my bike was not:laugh: . It was going to take $2,500 to fix so we kept putting it off for other things. This past weekend my husband decided to surprise me and take it to the shop. It will be ready next week, but now I'm having second thoughts about riding…

I was banded on Feb 1st 2013.. Ive lost 38 pounds so far... which i am ecstatic about. About a week ago i went in to see my doctor thinking somehting was wrong, because I was feeling hungry often and eating more (i thought my band had slipped or something). The doctor told me this was normal, because as you lose weight your band gets looser. make sense. so she gave me a fill and sent me on my way. BUT since then its like ive lost my mind. I know i am making bad food choices but its like i convince myself its ok (like eating ice cream bc it eventually turns to liquid and doesnt take up space in my tummy-!!crazy !!), and then feel horrible afterwards. i know what it s…

I'm 4 days out of surguery and I been drinking water like a dog and the doc and nutritionist is saying that he wants me on liquid diet for the first week then the following purred foods and then the following week I can begin solids!! But I'm Effin starving I can't take it when I cook for my family I put things in my Mouth and chew it up and sadly spit it out in the trash!!!!' This is freaking redicilious and I know there's no fluid yet in my ban until 6. Weeks post op, but damn the surgeon still says my stomach is now the size of an egg with out being filled yet!!! Then why am I so freakin hungry!' As much pain as I'm in still I still feel starving!'anyone????

I have an appointment for a fill on September 9th and my appointment is not until 3:30 Pm which means I can't eat all day! I can have liquids though so maybe I'll sip on some broth for lunch. Lol I am hungry just thinking about it. It will be my first fill in over 3 months.

just found out my plan (self-pay) will only cover 3 fills. After that I will have to pay $200 for each fill. Wondering what the average number of fills needed to get to the green zone is for each of you. I know there is no one right answer for this so any other info explanation would help...

I'm still on liquids, but just thinking ahead. If your NUT/dr tells you not to eat more than a cup of food at a time, how do you keep track of that if you are having something like pizza, or quesadillas, or <insert whatever tough to measure food here>? A newbie question, I know, but I can't help it!

Hey everyone. So today I caved and ate fast food after holding out for so long. Before my head caught up with my stomach I looked down and my two tacos were already gone! I feel so disappointed with myself and I know that this is an extra 5+ hours in the gym just to get rid of it. I haven't hated myself this much in a long time. I've been so good losing 3+ pounds a week! I know I can work it off but seeing what I just did scared me. I felt I haven't seen this part of myself since before my surgery. My confidence is shattered right now.

Just wondering how long you all are on liquids/mushies after a fill?

Well it happened again %!& !! The last time I thought I would die was only a little over a week ago and I swore I would never ever let it happen again. Impossible to with all the chewing I am doing now. Wrong I did it again today. Both times I was eating chicken. Could it be the chicken and not necessarily my eating to fast or not chewing enough? Is anyone else finding chicken hard to eat after surgery? Chicken was always a staple in my food choices. Maybe in a week or so I'll try it again and see if it happens and if it does it definitely is the chicken because it has only happened the 2 X and both was with chicken.

Vitamins, minerals and other dietary supplements are important for staying healthy when you’re a bariatric surgery patient. Not every patient receives the same advice and some patients don’t know the best options. This forum is a great place to let everyone know which bariatric supplements YOU take. Can you please take a few minutes to share which dietary supplements you take? Thanks for spreading the word! 1. Do you take a bariatric daily multivitamin/mineral supplement? Which brand and formulation specifically? For example, you might take Centrum for Women or One a Day Women’s Active Metabolism. 2. Which bariatric vitamins and minerals do you take each day? What is …

I just got filled today and I felt like eating so I did and nothing happened, why are we supposed to have NO solids 24 hrs after a fill?

I'm traveling for business this week and have not been able to eat since I landed. Does flying cause complications? I tried to have dinner tonight but vomited several times. Only able to tolerate broth. Cold liquids come right back up. Does this mean I have a slip. Should I go to the ER? My co-working know nothing of my surgery. How do I explain this? Need all the advice I can get. Surgery date 5/8/12 6.8cc in 10 cc band

Hello my name is Tina I've had Lapband for three years now And have had no complications till now I started noticing I could eat more than usual went to my doctor Did a xray and found out I have a stretched out pouch So he deflated my band so my pouch could heal has anybody else Had this problem and how did it go I go see him in six more weeks to see how it looks

How long did it take you to see results and lose 20+ pounds after being banded? Just curious to see everyones results. :-)

Had my surgery on July 1 I've had 3 fills I'm at 6cc now I have only lost 14 pounds and that's great but since my last fill I have not lost a pound Getting a little frustrated I'm working out eating right I slipped up one day and had some fried shrimp that was it I don't know if my body thinks it's in starvation mode and I'm not losing but I don't know what to do My friend who had the surgery to an a half years ago tells me to be patient it will come I'm just trying to figure out if I'm doing something wrong I see people losing 40 pounds a month

Just wondering how long you all are on liquids/mushies after a fill?

Another year of graduate school has begun, but this year I am banded. I have terrible anxiety (already on 2 meds for it), and I have a bad habit of anxiety eating. I have not gained weight, but I've kind of gotten stuck on the scale. I find myself eating when I'm not hungry to cope with the anxiety. I need some help/tips on how to deal with anxiety instead of eating. I also already exercise every day to help with the anxiety. THanks in advance

My day has started well!! A few of you have asked me what I have done to maintain my weightloss for almost 4 years and what I have done to keep away from the dreaded lose skin.Here are a few examples from my daily routine.. 1. Wake up 4:30am at the gym by 5:00am stretching by 5:15 2. Spin class from 5:30-6:30am 3. Drink A protien shake 10-15 min after work out 4. Get ready to work by 8 am 5. Eat first meal, small oat meal OJ and a half apple sliced 6. lunch half chicken breast spinach salad, lemon juice for dressing and cottage cheese table spoons 1:00pm 7. Snack dry almonds 8-10 pieces 8. dinner 1/2 Ground turkey patty 1/2 cup mashed potatos brocolie 7pm 9. Wal…

I had lap-band surgery four years ago(Sept. 10) and have been successful at losing 90+lbs. Now, I am hoping someone can help as I am very frustrated. About three months ago I started having pain in my left side abdomen. I also have pain (in the same area) when there is pressure on my port . About the same time, I started having major acid reflux. Thinking it was all connected, I went to my lap-band surgeons office and met with the PA. She gave me meds for the acid reflux and sent me home (did not remove any fill). Four weeks later, I was back in her office because I couldn't swallow anything. Prior to the acid reflux and this appointment, I hadn't been in their office …

Hi all... I'm seriously thinking about getting banded within the next 4 months. My insurance does not cover it, so I will be paying for it myself. Going to Mexico is not an option for me. I'd like to know if anyone has gone to Dr.James Atkinson (I went to his seminar in October) or any other doctor's in or around Las Vegas or Henderson areas. Also who you would recommend and why... I'm 36, 5'2", 265lbs... Thanks in advance for any help!

So, I went to see my primary doc on Friday. Last time I saw her was in June. I was down another 16 lbs. and she was flabbergasted. Total loss so far around 85-86 lbs. She asked me what I was doing that her other patient's with bands were not as she told me no one else has had the success I've had. Told her I was just following the nutritionist's recommendations. She asked me what I had eaten so far that day and when I told her, she looked at me and burst out saying 'that's not enough food!' I told her I didn't have dinner yet and when I said what was for dinner, again she said 'that's not enough food!'. Well...since I'm still 30 lbs. shy of my personal goal, an…

I wanted to share this because it made me cry. I'm on holiday with my husband and I am climbing up a hill , when we get to the top there is a small area to squeeze through to get to the other side. I tell my husband I can't do it and turn around to climb back down. He asks me why and I say because ill get stuck because of my size. He takes my hand and leads me to the area and pushes me forward. I walk through with a space each side. I sat and cried for five minutes whilst my husband laughed at me. I cannot express my thanks to all the people who have walked with me through this journey and the ones who will continue to walk with me till I get o my goal. It's a great feeli…

I had a fill last Wednesday so a week and a half ago. I have been doing really well until the last two days and barely can keep food down after the first go round. I tried to eat my salads for lunch and instantly get heart burn and then toss it all up. After about an hour I'm good and can eat a little. Also had trouble at supper but tossed it up then ate again. Weird! Am I too tight! Anyone else go through this? Not having any trouble with fluids though. Any suggestions?