LAP-BAND Surgery Forums

Hello fellow bandsters, I am a little more than 3 month post-op. I've been doing great. I've almost lost 40lbs. :-) I had a fill on Monday of 1cc. I am now at 5.75 cc's. I was doing great until yesterday. All of a sudden I got a horrible pain in and around my shoulder blade. I took gas-x and had my morning Protein shake. I was a bit nauseous all day. Then at dinner I almost threw up. Couldn't eat much at all. I was in pain (shoulder/back) all night. I called the dr this morning asking about the shoulder/back pain. They said they didn't think it was the band or fill but said to try warm liquids today. I felt the "I'm going to throw up feeling" several times throughout…

Does anyone else ever feel this way...??? Sometimes, I wish that no one would notice my weight loss. Sometimes I wish that no one remembered when I was much fatter. I'm truly thrilled with my success so far with the lap band and will be more proud of myself when I reach my goal (about 30 lbs to go). BUT my weight has been in the forefront of my mind since I was in second grade. I am almost 40 years old, and I want my weight to be a little lower on the totem pole in my thought-life. I want to just live life, make healthy choices, and not obsess about my weight or body image. For the most part, conversation with others about my weight loss (their questions about …

Hello There =) My name is Kristi and I was banded in March 2011 in Tampa, FL. I did pretty well and kept up with things but then moved with my hubby to Fayetteville, NC in Dec. 2011 and just completely de-railed. After a couple months being sick and subsequently losing a fair amount of weight, I have decided to get back on track and finish what I started. Having said that, I don't know anyhow here who is banded and it would be nice to have someone who understands things from an inside perspective. I would be great with even an emailing buddy too. =) Please message me if you are interested.

Hello Everybody, I had my surgery in June 2011, I lost 45lbs and seemed to come to a plateau. So I recently went to see my surgeon for a fill (I had not seen him since last year). He gave me a fill of 1.5cc which took my band to 9cc. I've been trying to watch what I eat but I'm finding that I'm either PBing or purging more than I want to. Some days I do good and other days the food just wont stay down. It's only been a couple of weeks since I got the fill so maybe I should give my body more time to get used to the band being this tight and stick to Protein drinks and soft foods. Any advice????

I am feeling pretty good today! Have my post op check up tomorrow and happy about that have plenty of questions for the doc. Still not able to get much down. I am nervous about getting nauseas when drinking my liquids. Has anyone else felt like that?

I just got my third fill today. I was banded the 20th of June. I had my first fill on July 15. I found out I had a 10cc band and already had 4.5ccs in there so I got 1cc that day and felt nothing. I waited thinking it would hit me later that week but nothing. So I go back for a second fill two weeks later and get .5cc and was up to 6ccs in my band. Still. Nothing. So today I go in and get another .5ccs. I am now up to 6.5ccs and they are hopeful that I am in the green zone now. So I'm asking, when you were in the green zone, how many ccs did you have in your band?

I would like to know if the cc level of your band decreases, where does that go? My lap band surgeon told me during my June 2013 visit that I had 7 cc's. Went to the doctor today for a small fill and he informs me I know have 6 cc's. I have NOT had an unfill; so, this does not make sense to me (?) Any insight or feedback is greatly appreciated.

Public Service Announcement :-) Just in case anyone else out there is uncomfortable, yet fears getting a small unfill, I wanted to share how absolutely AMAZING I feel now that I got .2 taken out of the band!!!! I've been having great weight loss, so I wanted to stay super tight, but I was also having a bunch of annoying symptoms. Heartburn when I'd never had it before. Totally unable to drink anything cold in the morning. Not able to drink more than a tiny sip at a time. Back ache after eating. etc... Anyway, went to the doc for an unfill and now feel UNBELIEVABLE... I didn't realize that I'd end up feeling so good, or I would have done this a while ago... Every s…

Surgery date: 7/20/13. I've only lost 10 pounds post op.. My band is not filled yet.... I can eat pretty much everything. I'm embarrassed to go for a fill due to the fact that I haven't lost any more weight since I was in the office. Will I loose weight after my 1st fill? I sure hope so... Will I feel some restriction?

I'm back and of course with issues and need your input. In October I will complete 3 years of being banded. Two weeks ago I have had pain in the port area that comes and goes. The pain is like a stabbing needle and soreness and is at its worst when I come up from a sitting position. Pain is absent when I'm laying down. There is absolutely no redness or warmness to the area, which eliminates infection. I have been applying ice and heat to the area which helps, but, as I said comes and goes. I had this occur once and lasted a few days and out of the blue felt a subtle pop in the area and the pain went away never to be felt again until now, 1 year later. I talked to…

Hello, My name is Ashley.I was diasgnosed with PCOS in 2008 when my finace (at the time) and I couldnt get pregnant. I was really tore up abou it and my fiance left me because of it. I went into a deep depression in which I used food as my escape. Finally in December 2012 I decided enough was enough and started looking for help. I found myself using my PCOS as an excuse as to why I will always be fat and gave up on that notion and decided I didnt want to be this way anymore. I was banded on March 26, 2013. I am 29 years old and have yo-yoed all my life so after alot of research I decided the band was for me. When I first went for consultation I was 311 lbs with a BMI of…

Before I say anything..let me say I have already called my doctor and have an appointment scheduled..but I just want to talk about it on here. I was banded Feb. 14, 2013. I felt like I have been doing good..I was 405 the day of surgery and I was 362 yesterday. The problem with that is..last week i was 358. I gained 4 lbs in a week and didnt change anything. I havent felt a lot of restriction since my last fill. I had a minor adjustment because I felt like I was close and now I Feel like I am further away from the green zone. I have only gotten stuck and had to vomit 1 time..it was my own fault..I ate too fast and the food had to come back up. That was 3 weeks ago.…

I've been craving a nice healthy salad, but have not been brave enough to try and eat one. Just curious on everyone's experience with salads??? I'm 5 1/2 months post op with 10.3 cc's in a 14cc band.

Hi there... I had my surgery April 16, 2012 and have lost 52 pounds. I am extremely happy with my weight loss and hard work and do not regret getting the band but it can be difficult at times. I was one of the ones who did not tell anyone except my husband. So now that I have such a great weight loss and my parents and other family members can really see my weight loss why do I feel bad or guilty? I am one and a half years out but do not want to mess up my hard work! I honestly don't know how people will react....any advice???

I want to make this broc and cheese casserole but I don't want to use mayo bc then my fats are higher then my proteins any suggestions

Banded May 10th and kept going and kept going and doc wouldnt give me a fill. I made appt with his wife and partner and went to see her yesterday and she never hesitated. Asked me a few questions about my eating and exercise habits and gave me a 2cc fill. This is my first and I hope to see at least some results but know it might not be my last. I also got to ask her some questions that he just seemed to evade and she gave very sensible answers. I hear sometimes it takes 3 or 4 days to feel the restriction after the fill, so I'm waiting. I was on liquids yesterday and mushies today.

Hi Has any experienced an extremely tight fitting band even though there is no fluid in their band? I had a barium swallow which showed no fluid in my band. I have a lot of discomfort; am feeling like my band is very tight. It's hard to get comfortable. Im wondering if it is swelling? Has anyone else felt this way with an empty band? My surgeon visit was postponed for another week. I am arranging to have the band removed. It's been a pretty miserable day. Thanks for any insight you might have! ~hiddn

Hello:) I'm just over 5 months post- op and have had several fill to get to 8.5 cc in my 14cc band. I've lost 60lbs most of the time with no noticeable restriction. For about 4 weeks I was feeling like I was just about in the green zone and lost pretty well and noticed a definite difference in what and how I needed to eat( at last) So 2 weeks ago I saw my Dr. and we decided to just try .5cc more. Since then I feel like I don't have as much help from my band. I can tell its there sometimes, but not even as good as before this last fill. Anyone have any insight or have had this happen to them? Thanks

I had my surgery 8/14 and I am up a few pounds. Anyone else experience this?

I have not posted on here in a long time, ( a few years) I used to be a regular post on Obesity Help too, until all the band bashing made all the veteran bandsters leave. It seems like a place now for people seeking revisions from the band to something else, and it is no longer a place where anyone with a lap band or seeking a band should post, in my opinion. I also got busy with life, marriage, traveling, etc, living a great post op life, and I have not posted in any forum for a while, and thought I would come back home to LBT to share my journey /accomplishments and struggles and help newbies. I had a hiccup in my journey last year due to an un-diagnosed hiatal hern…

Pretty sure I had my first - albeit minor - stuck episode. My 5 year old and I I stopped for happy meals. I apparently reverted to my post band ways and was eating fries way too fast. Happy meals now only come with like 8 French fries so I'm not sure where I thought my fries would go. Anyway, about half way through the little carton I started to feel a tightening and pressure like I couldn't swallow. I figured it was either being stuck or it was "the big one". A couple of minutes of stretching and breathing deeply and I felt like it slid down. Not positive because Im still a newbie, but I'm assuming. No more fries for this dad. It was a horrible feeling.

Hi all I was just filled on Tuesday 6wks post op down 2lbs. I see everyone at work eating these lean cuisines and I always wanted to eat them but they were never enough. Can I eat them now I think they can deff get me full.. I don't regret any decision in my life because at the end I will make it work

I am at my appointment getting my first fill I am nervous about eating lunch later today. What am I to expect? After surgery when I was able to eat this past week it was easy to eat regular I just don't want to be on a date and puke everything up. Hahaha

My band date is August 5th! I'm excited, nervous, eager... all rolled into one! Anyone else getting banded on the same date?

I was banded on 4/19 and have struggled with no restriction. I went for my fourth fill last Thursday for a total of 3.8cc. Finally, I have restriction!! It has been wonderful. I am soooo excited.

I have been stuck at 123kilos (270 pounds) for about 9 days. Using myfitnesspal.com to track calories and exercising as instructed. My scales were staying as still as a deer in headlights. Have not been to upset as I have been losing inches and my clothes are fitting better. Today I got on the scale expecting the same results. Ugh???? Are the scales broken? Has old age finally hit my eyes? Do I need to see the doc about glasses??? I screamed at my husband to come downstairs. (He is a workout aholic and does not need to lose weight however he weighs in with me twice a week as support) He came downstair…

I had my surgurey 8/7 and I was so excited my starting weight was 254 day of surgery 245 and a week after I as 233 not that I started aright fruit and more protien I'm up 238 and I'm getting scared that I won't lose any weight Im feeling so much pressure for the weight to just start fallig off and I get scared of everything that I put in my mouth .

Since it seems to come up now and then about our port sites and how they look "after," I had to share this recent pic of me. Just got back from a grueling week-long hiking vacation with my 21-year-old son, and he took this pic of me pretending to be P90x tough girl. This is the first time my port was so visible in a photo. (Hope the pic is big enough that you can see it.) It's just the combination of my position and the clingy shirt, but it cracked me up. So for those of you wondering what CAN happen when you hit your goal and tighten up, this is it. Not worth it to me to have more surgery, but it does drive me crazy sometimes.

I was banded in 2008 but in the past year on four occasions and now I get jaw pain and I am thinking it is realted to the lap band. I had been to my medical doctor and everything was fine but it is strange and I was wondering does anyone else get jaw pain at times.

Significant Others Do you ever feel that the people who are closest to you are the ones who resist the most as you try to change for the better? Sometimes, when we are committed to personal growth and change, family members or others who are close to us will do everything they can to try and get us to change back to the way we were - even when the way we were wasn't so great. Did you ever wonder why that might be? Well, for one thing, when people are used to their lives being a certain way, any change - even when it is an improvement - can be threatening. It is also fairly common for people who…

Am I the only person in Spfld,IL that's getting banded??

I am 3 months post op. I have 8.5cc in my 14cc band. After each fill, I feel great for about 3 weeks, then I have NO restriction. I can eat anything! Am I doing damage by eating more/not taking small bites during this time? I don't get stuck at all. I have a fill tomorrow but have been out if control today!!!

Waiting for my FIRST fill. Excited, nervous & hungry

Would it be too much to e as t at the mushy stage a yogurt and a mini egg omelette? ? Please advise

Please dont get me wrong this is a success story but i need someone to help me out. So i had the band almost 3 years ago and everything was fine until i loosend the band before goin on a long vacation, i still love and enjoy food:) When i got back i tightened the band again, but its still not the same. I eat awful alot. I even sometimes feel that my band has mood swings. I am not sure why some days i can eat as much as a large combo from Mcdonalds and other days i'm simply blocked why is that any one knows? Also i cough alot and i get reflux when i sleep even if i eat early. Why is that. I really need to tighten a bit since i gained 3kg. What do you think. Shall i do…

Anyone have trouble eating broccoli? I had grilled chick and steamed broccoli. I recently had my 3 fill and I had to run to the bathroom at the restaurant anyone experience that?

Okay, so here's how this happened. I was banded back in 2007, had it filled almost all the way in 2009 and that seemed to work for a long time. I struggled with actually losing weight because (I admit) I was cheating a little. Finally, in 2011, I decided enough was enough and I made a vow to change my life. The weight seemed to melt off. I was down 50 pounds from my original starting weight and feeling great. What everyone says is true: you have to be ready to make the change yourself! I was proud that I got there and that I was really able to use the band the way it's supposed to be used! Then, a few months ago, I started having bad acid reflux. I was throwing up in …

Hey folks!! I like in Birmingham, AL and I will be having my surgery Monday. =) I work full-time and go to Nursing school. I am having this procedure between semesters. I have been overweight my entire life. I recently had lots of success with MyFitnessPal.com by losing 76 pounds, but this semester knocked me off course.... bad! My mother has the band and I have been considering it for the last 5+ years so here I am! My husband and I want babies and I want to stop hurting so much. I would love to have some friends to go through this journey with me! Good luck to all of you and hope to talk to some of you guys soon! =)

My back has been hurting a lot lately and I suspect it has something to do with the band, because if I overeat just a little even, it will also start hurting... Anyone ever have this happen? Is there a correlation?

My favorite canned soups were on sale, and so I bought a can of chicken pot pie, my very favorite. I brought it home, pureed it, heated it, and prepared to have a delicious lunch. WOW! What a disappointment! I gave most of it to the cat, who didn't like it very well, either. When I get back to real foods...

I had my surgery 5-days ago and need your advice.

Hi, I'm new here. Probably should have stopped in quite a while ago. In any event, I'm about 3 years out from my band surgery, and at one time was down from 312 to 205 lbs. Since then I'm back up to 250 lbs. I relocated about two years ago, and ever since then, I've had issues with my band being too tight or too loose. Never a "right" spot. For quite some time, until about 3:00 PM, I can't hold anything down. liquids, solids, nothing. No matter how slow I go. Then, after that, the only thing I can get down and keep down is chocolate soy milk. Once I drink some of that, then I can sometimes eat and hold down 4 oz of solid food of some sort. Anyone have any advce on what …

I read that I need to bring my C-Pap machine for after surgery, does it help?

I got my second fill in june...putting me at 5.5 in my 10cc band. I have restriction and have been losing ok....but the past 3 weeks or so i have noticed ALOT more restriction...to the point that i have been getting stuck almost daily. I was great for a month and then sudden tightness. I'm still able to eat...just seem to be having more sticks...not every day, just more. Just wondering if anyone else has had this happen. I don't think i need an unfill...but was wondering if this could be a slip? Or if its normal.

Hello everyone! I recently got a fill of 0.5mls (I usually get 0.25mls) in my band and for the first week and a half afterwards felt fine. I was eating appropriate amounts and not struggling with it too much (no pain, no stuck incidents). I've been staying with some friends for the last week and a half whilst I undertake a voluntary midwifery placement in Ireland (which is very stressful ) and have been really, really restricted since. I'm having difficulty drinking water sometimes. I'm finishing up my placement on Wednesday so I should be more relaxed but I wanted to ask what you thought - is this a common thing? Should I perhaps consider having a TINY amount removed f…

Anyone been told they have a kink in their band?? If so whats the outcome. I dont see the surgeon till Tuesday.

I have a pain in my thought after throw up if feels light I have a rich in my thought

Well long story short, got lap bad surgery, got blood clots in leg and lungs, ICU visit, blood thinners.. Second hospital visit had to be rushed to a city hospital, all the clots still there all worsened, created more clots in my leg while on blood thinners.. Now being checked for cancer, clotting disorders, etc.. Question is... Anyone have a fill while on blood thinners? Massive amounts of blood thinner injections I give myself twice a day I'm not talking pills or nothing. My surgeon says he will not give me fill while on the thinners for obvious bleeding reasons... But if I have to be on them forever if I have a clotting disorder then I never get a fill... I don't want …

So today I went for my third fill and had 2cc put in bringing me to a total of 6cc. But immediately had to go to the restroom a throw up my water. It was pretty intense discomfort and i was a little concerned that it was a bit much this time so my surgeon took. .4cc back out and now I can drink without pain/puking. Anyone else had something like this. Did I do the right thing taking a little back out? I got my band back in early June and have not felt restricted enough yet so I hope I did the right thing. ????

Hey! looking to meet some chicago teens who are or have been banded? I am actually 20, but 1yr doesnt make a difference! LOL