LAP-BAND Surgery Forums

So I'm 4 months out and 40 pounds down. I've started (finally!) to notice differences particularly in the size of my clothing and how things fit...and I admit that I've taken to standing naked in front of the mirror...(something I can say I did NOT do before...avoided that at all costs...) And so far...my weight is coming off in my boobs (Boooo!) and my stomach. I confirmed it with measurements... What I want to know is when that lower belly...(Ooooh that overhang lower belly that is just killing me) is going to depart. With my luck it will be the last thing to go. Where are you shedding your weight?

I can't seem to get my brain and stomach working together . I'm not hungry but u still eat why ? I don't know really I don't . I know I shouldn't and I don't eat the bad stuff but I still eat. I was told DO NOT EAT if I am not hungry . I know this but it's like automatic. Then I'm miserable and guilty . Can someone tell me what to do

hey everyone Lahey Clinic has a support group meeting tomorrow night at 6 is anyone going??

With the Lapband when we over eat do we feel discomfort or pain at all? Sometimes when I eat and its probably a little more then I should I just feel "normal' no discomfort at all. Afraid of stretching... Is that normal -BriannaXOXO

What exactly is the pre opt diet? What does it consist of?

I would love to meet others from this area. I was banded on June 2nd with Dr Irgau. Anyone else from DE?

Living in Wilmington, DE area and was wondering about locals in DE, NJ and PA

I'm getting banded 4/16/13. Would like to start support group and find an exercise buddy. Im 235lbs and I'm 42.

Well all I can do for exercise right now is walk and just barely since I'm just a little more than a week out of the surgery and I've had a bad time of it but I do have a bike in the shed and was wondering if there was anyone in the Dover/Camden area that wanted to meet up and walk since walking alone gets incredibly boring.

I was banded in 7/24 and had my first fill today.. I found out I have a 9cc band... My surgeon tried really hard to find my port with no luck... He used the ultrasound to find the right spot.. It is roughly 5 in below skin level... So pretty deep... He stuck me in 2 different times with no avail... He did use a local anesthetic to help with numbing.. Thank God.. He couldn't get I kept hearing the needle brush against the plastic.. It kind of freaked me out... He then went and got his PA and she ended up getting it in.. So I was poked 3 times.. I hope that never happens again... I had 2.5 in my band from surgery and had almost 2 put in today.. So I am a little under 5 cc's…

This is my second attempt for my first fill. The first time the dr had me hold a crunch position and stck me 3 times but could not hit the right spot. Now I am in the hospital radiology dept waiting to get a flouriscopy for my fill and the nurse just tells me the dr won't be here for at least 45 min! Grrrrr! She suggested I reschedule but I'm not going to. I am going to sit here and wait I don't care how long it takes!

Lapband coffee Group – Brampton Monday, September 9th – 7:00 p.m. Second Cup (Located in the Longo’s Plaza) 7700 Hurontario Street, Building E, Unit 504 Brampton, ON The Lapband Coffee Groups are open to EVERYONE who has had Lapband Surgery or if you’re looking into the lapband process, recently banded, or a long time "Bandster". This is a great way to find out about the lapband from individuals who have had the surgery and to ask questions or just listen to individuals share their lapband journey experience. No need to sign up… just show up and if you can’t find the group ask for Tom at the cash register. If you have any questions before the coffee group p…

I continue to be amazed and thankful for having a non-eventful surgery and an easy recovery. I'd researched and studied this banding procedure, along with reading on this website of the experiences those who went before me since Dec. 2012. This really helped me prepare. I'm feeling better than I did before the procedure and have a little bit more energy too. I've found that waiting for my stomach to actually growl before I eat has helped me work on not following head hunger cues, like I've done all my life. Following to the letter instructions from my Dr. and his Dietician have helped me avoid small problems and pitfalls that can pop up. I love my band and this web…

I continue to be amazed and thankful for having a non-eventful surgery and an easy recovery. I'd researched and studied this banding procedure, along with reading on this website of the experiences those who went before me since Dec. 2012. This really helped me prepare. I'm feeling better than I did before the procedure and have a little bit more energy too. I've found that waiting for my stomach to actually growl before I eat has helped me work on not following head hunger cues, like I've done all my life. Following to the letter instructions from my Dr. and his Dietician have helped me avoid small problems and pitfalls that can pop up. I love my band and this web…

Had my first fill (12pm) of 1.5cc to my 14cc band. I think I feel restriction? Or maybe it's that I just feel my stoma/esophagus being squeezed by that 1.5 of saline (4pm)? This is the same feeling as the swelling from surgery. Will this feeling last because I don't feel hungry, so I hope so.

Okay, I am preparing for my second fill and I am really hoping for some good results. My first fill didn't go so well and the physician believes that due to swelling from the procedure my band shifted a bit. After waiting about 3 weeks I went back for an x-ray and all is well and back in place!! My next fill is on Tuesday and I really want it to go well because although I am doing well with my eating, I notice that I want to snack a lot. I have lost about 20 pounds so far, so I am feeling pretty good with my success but I can do better!! Time to kick it up a bit and get into the gym again..Staying encouraged!!

I just got banded yesterday, other than discomfort in my shoulders and some pain when I Get up/lay down I'm doing really really great BUT I just tried to cough and it felt like I was being stabbed. Is there a way to lessen the pain when I cough??

I started a local band meetup group and that fell apart a few months ago. Is there anyone in the DMV area who is banded and would like to hang out? Janiece

I've been hearing about this low carb, recipe for awhile and I decided to try it this week, and boy was it delicious! I've actually lost 3 pounds this week, and honestly this is all I wanted to eat all week, except for some homemade Jello. Somehow after eating about 1 cup of this for lunch and dinner and I don't want to eat anything else, and makes me feel like I am eating a lot of yummy food. I made a huge batch of it and put it in the freezer so I don't have to continually make it Here are my version of the ingredients: I don't eat ground beef I substitute with ground turkey and while cooking the turkey mixed with onions and garlic powder, I add a little olive…

Saw a different Doctor at my doctor's practice yesterday as my surgeon was out. He mentioned that not only should I not drink Water within 15 minutes before eating but also to make sure to drink some water 15 minutes before eating and a glass full in the morning. This flushes out the thick saliva that accumulates around the band and makes the process of chewing and eating more consistent. Huh! Makes sense, why didn't I think of that.

I was able to start a regular food diet this week. I am really having a hard time with it. I am actually up like 7 lbs since surgery 3 weeks ago. I am so frustrated and don't know what to do. I did talk to my doctor about it and he want's me to log my food before my apt in a week and a half for a fill. I did have to have all the Fluid removed from the band 2 days post op because of swelling. Any ideas

What is your response when someone asks, "so, how much have you lost?l

Hi All- I am now about one month post op and feeling pretty good. I am tracking all my food through sparkpeople.com, so I can see exactly what I am taking in. My question for all of you is how many calories do you eat per day? Right now I am between 800-1100, most days on the lower end. I am eating enough for weight loss or too much? I lost about 20 pounds immediately after surgery, but now I feel like the scale hardly moves. I was hoping for some insight from all of you before I go back to the nutritionist. I am curious to know how many calories people take in the first 1-6 months after surgery and also those of you who are much farther out. I've read some scary things t…

I went to another website's forums as a way to more inform myself about Lap Band. I am excited about my new life. But all I seemed to find was negative stories about people whose lap band caused major complications and who later needed revision surgeries. Many did not recommend the band. It is my understanding that the older bands caused more problems than the new ones, and that the new ones are much better. Is this true? I know every surgery has risks, but after reading these stories I am freaked out and nervous that once I am banded I may develop one of these complications. I read something that said 6 out of every 10 lap bander gets some kind of revision/compl…

I'm saying I'm reading this on full liquids.. in my mind it's the same consistency as yogurt..background.. iv love chipotle it is one of my favorite restaurants.. my hubby.. not banded wanted it for dinner .. I thought I'd get Soup at the restaurant next door .. it was closed.. so starving I discovered my all time new favorite meal Guac (or just mashed avocados.. seasoned to your liking.. garlic powder, onion powder since chunks are a no go.. lemon juice etc) Ff sour cream. Hot sauce.. Stir and enjoy! Sorry not really able to get excited about food thus far and this seemed like a revelation to me! Hope others enjoy

Interesting article. http://shine.yahoo.com/healthy-living/5-reasons-skip-breakfast-142000450.html 5 Reasons to Skip Breakfast By Details Magazine | Healthy Living – 4 hours ago Once considered the foundation of any healthy diet, the morning meal may now be negotiable. The belief that we won't have our get-up-and-go unless we down our bowl of Cheerios has turned the concept of eating upon rising into a die-hard dietary rule. Original research on whether breakfast made an impact on health did find that healthier people ate breakfast. But as we know, data alone doesn't always tell the whole story. "Lots of people who skip breakfast or practice intermittent fas…

So, I am on day 2 of the 5 day pouch test and the food monster is telling me to eat everything, but I am not actually hungry. This head hunger this is annoying as hell. My question is, how does everyone deal with this issue?

I am like the person who can eat peanut butter by the spoonful. I know it's a protein but will a spoon of peanut butter, creamy hurt me?

Hi everyone, I have been lurking for a month or so. I am Anne and I live in the Chicago area. Was just banded Aug 20th and so far so good! Was on a low carb diet for two weeks prior to surgery. I am down a total of 19 lbs since the pre op diet. Surgery was pretty uneventful. I was lucky and had A LOT of gas pain that was awful but has gradually subsided. So, now I am waiting to eat real. Dr said I had to wait 3 weeks (Sept 10). I don't know if it is swelling or not but I feel quite a bit of restriction but also feel hungry a lot which is confusing. Just wanted to say HEY and GOOD LUCK to my fellow August 2013 bansters

I never thought those words would come out of my mouth , banded nearly 6 weeks ago and thankfully I am rarely hungry so far trouble is I don't thing I am meeting minimum nutrition , I get between 5-7 hundred cals per day lean proteins mostly , question how much do all of you eat ? and how can I get more protein in? , thanks

I was just wondering if anyone has tried the Unjury protein powder and if so, what is the best flavor? I haven't used that brand, I like Muscle Milk light because I can tolerate the taste, but was looking for an alternative.

I had surgery in Arizona almost 3 years ago. I had an upper GI in February of this year and everything was fine. I just moved back to Ohio and am having a heck of a time finding a doctor in Ohio that will accept me as a cash-pay patient and resume my fills for me without making me have another upper GI or EGD. The Cleveland Clinic will take me but wants $800 for another UGI when I just had one 6 months ago and can supply the surgical report. I have health insurance but they won't cover bariatric care whatsoever. I also called Summa Hospital in Akron Ohio and they won't deal with cash pay patients. Any suggestions where I could go for a fill? At this point, I may just need…

Hello everyone, my name is nicole, im 23, and I was banded on may 8th..literally 4 days ago. Even though I have a great supportive family and friends, I am reaching out to anyone in san diego that can relate to me. I need some new friends that can share stories, advice, and even vent about this amazing journey. Please get in contact with me so we can get the ball rolling

I had an endoscopy today and was told I had gas pockets above my band which was causing all kinds of issues for me. I can't find anything online about this. Help!! I might know more about this if my doctor had told ME anything after the procedure. But no of course not, she only talked to my hubby and I love him very much but he really doesn't understand any medical stuff. He also said she didn't even give him time to ask questions and he only talked to her on the phone, she didn't even go out to talk to him after it was done!! Anyway, anyone know anything about this??

Someone please help me I am scheduled to have surgery September 16 tomorrow I go for my last nutrition class and then everything will get submitted to the insurance company for approval except all of a sudden now I think I'm having some second thoughtsor cold feet I have been waiting for the surgery for the past five months now my husband is telling me I don't even want you to get the surgery I keep hearing all these complications that I'm really trying not to pay attention to so many people are telling me that I am taking the lazy way out I am 26 years old I have two beautiful children and I weigh 258 pounds at 5 foot three although I do carry my weight very well the wor…

I know many of you do not eat many things "by choice" i.e. bread, pasta, rice, beef, etc. but what I would like to know is what are you NOT ABLE to eat? So, NOT by choice. Just curious as I know everyone is different

I attended an information session at Penn Presbyterian Medical Center in Philadelphia on Tue, 6/4 and decided I would like to look further into the Lap-Band procedure. I also went for a check-up at my primary the next day and of course to discuss the possibility of WLS. The nurse practitioner and I decided that I could not be a better case scenario with a BMI of 41 for bariatric surgery. So she went ahead and sent a referral over to the office of Dr. Amy Cha at Penn Health for a consultation. My consultation is Tue, 6/11 and I couldn't be more excited. I met briefly with this Doctor after the info session as she was the presenter and found she was very friendly. I w…

I've had my 2nd fill & no real restriction yet & only have lost 5pds since my surgery June 28th. Does it take several fills to get to what they call the green zone??? I now have 6.5 cc in my band right now & was told I have a 10cc band, I guess I need the full 10 lol

i think that my band may be too tight but i wanted some input. i have had my band almost a year and have never been sick until this last fill. I can not eat breakfast at all sometimes i can eat maybe a few bites of cereal and this morning it came back up but i feel hungry!!! . then for lunch i can eat some mushies and maybe a bite of meat but i am not eating no where near a cup of food then for dinner i can eat some softer veggies and some meat. i am sick about two to three times a week if not more. and then some nights for dinner i can sit and eat everything on my plate its just so confusing. i don't know if i need a little tweeking or what i should do. any input would b…

My wife and I went out for dinner at one of the local soup and salad places. It is usually pretty busy at dinner, but tonight I guess the storms kept people home. So as we sat down I got a chuckle and said, "look honey the booth fits." Now looking forward to flying in October without having the fear of wondering if I will have to ask for an extender belt.

Does anyone here attend the support group at Wellington Regional Medical Center? They have a general weight loss surgery group and one dedicated to banded patients. Just curious if anyone attends; I've just started and am new to the area. -_Carrie

I had my surgery on may 8 2013 . My start weight was 206 and I am 179 now . Last month I 10lb and now this month I only lost 1lb and I got my 3rd fill of 7cc and no restriction at all . I still can eat 2 pastelies for those ho don't know what it is . It's a Spanish dish . I eat to turnkey burger plan with out cheese of the bun today for lunch . And I eat it and still I don't feel restriction . What is going on here I am getting very discourage ...

I am 9 weeks post-op and since day 2 after surgery I've been having heart palpitations. My surgeon told me to contact my primary care Dr. who after blood work and EKG sent me to a cardiologist for a 48 hour holter monitor which showed significant heart rhythm abnormalities. I thought it was because I was crushing my medications, once the Surgeon told me I could start taking them whole again the palpitations did get much better, I thought they had stopped but last Sat. I had a real bad day with them. Now the cardiologist wants me to wear some sort of monitor for 30 days! I can't help but think its all got something to do with the band. Anyone else had a problem like this?

hello, all recently had my lap band done 081213.So Im at three weeks so I have tried eating sugar free pudding and things like that.But it hurts really bad in between my breast .Then I not really throw up but some of the food will come up.I dont know if Im hungry or its just my stomach hurting.So then most the time I just go back to liquid.Also I have started to crave sweets.Please help newly banded.

It's been a year and a half since surgery and I had so many fills. I have only lost 30 pounds that's it.. I feel like every time I go to the doctor he really doesn't fill me correctly. Why am I not losing weight??? I eat small portions but I feel hungry all day long. I have no restrictions. I have a 8.5 fill in a 10cc realize band. If anyone has suggestions please let me know. I'm frustrated...

I was banded on March 1, 2012. I am very thankful for my lap band. It has helped me to get off of all diabetes meds after being on 7 insulin shots per day. I always wondered what the green zone or sweet spot felt like. I've done great with my band, but it took me until this weeks fill to finally understand what all the fuss was about. The band has helped me lose over 100 pounds, but I'd hit a 6 month plateau. Well now I feel like I've finally had the aha moment. I see just how wonderful this tool is. Those of you who have been having trouble finding the green zone...be patient. It took me 17 months of small fills to find it. I lost most of my excess weight by eating by…

I need an unfill due to dilation and I'm worried about weight gain. It took me 6 months to get to the green zone at first. I know I could gain a lot of weight in another 6 months. I'm thinking a prescription appetite suppressant like Adipex or some the new ones (Qsymia and Belviq) may help me as I get back to the green zone. The problem is I'm at my goal weight and they aren't supposed to be used in people with a normal BMI. Has anyone had any experience with this? Thoughts?

Hi, My first fill is Monday evening, can you eat food on the same day as your fill.

I went today for my 2nd fill and she added .5cc . I a now at 5.5 cc in an 10 cc band . Since last month I have lost 13lbs. So I'm excited abt that. I am on liquids for 2 days .

who knows where can i go for fill i n utah