LAP-BAND Surgery Forums

"diet" low fat, low sugar foods? I just found a low sugar honey substitute and a low sugar apple butter, yum. ~Mandy

Hello, I haven't been here for awhile. I lost over 100 pounds and have kept it off until about 1 month ago. I just noticed that I felt my restriction was almost gone. Went to the doctor for a fill and to see if I had lost any of the fill. No, I was still at 1.5cc so I got a small fill to 1.8cc. I had gained 10 pounds and was really upset. I have since lost 3 and am determined to get off the last 7 again. The problem I am having now is acid reflux. Darnit....I know how bad this can be and the only way I might be able to rid myself of it is to get unfilled but I don't want too. I just find it strange that .3cc's can make that much of a difference. I'm so bummed. I have suc…

Hi my name is erica and i was just banded sept 1st by dr lopez. i had some problems but none really related to the band. I got the flu the min i went back to work. Stay away from sick people. Anyway on my first dr visit back i had lost 30 pound in 2 weeks. I am very happy and hopefully a roll. Just surious about everyone else and would liek to get to know somemore bandsters. Goodluck to yall

This story is too long to really write, but I need a doctor here in the US. I got banded in Mexico and all is great, however, I found a doctor here who would do the fills and I can tell he's not too interested in my welfare. I understand many doctors in the states have an attitude towards what I've done, or they have legal concerns, but it's a little scary to know there's no one here to help me should I need it. My US doctor gave me a fill that was too tight and I had to go back to Mexico to get it out due to the holidays and his lack of effort to help. In Mexico, the fill using fluorscopy, but this man did not. I don't blame him for his methods, for I know the are c…

Hi Ladies. As you may see, I'm rather new but am very frustrated and need to hear that I'm not all alone out here! Okay here goes....... My husband and I started researching the lap-band last Spring and over the summer decided that it was going to be a good thing for me. I had my first appointment w/ the doctors office in late August/early September and they filed w/ my insurance company. I got a letter sometime in October requesting a psyc and nutritional evaluation for the insurance company. I made the found the right people, made the appointments, got the evaluations and faxed them to the dr.'s office. They sent them into insurance. On November 15th I received …

As far as eating and drinking at the same time? I see a lot of you eat cereal, and it's on my doctor's suggested list of okay foods... but I'm a little confused about it.

Hi, So, before I made the decision to go with Christiana Hospital in Delaware for my surgery, I had checked out Barix clinics and asked them to send me a packet. I received the packet and a few phone calls from their "patient coordinator" who seemed alot more like a saleperson than a medical professional. She kept calling me at work asking me to sign up for their free informational seminar. I did sign up but then didn't go, and she called me asking me why. I told her that I was busy and would call her back IF I was interested. After that I researched the one surgeon who would have been doing my LAP Band surgery there and found out some lawsuits have been filed against h…

I've been pb'ing since my surgery 9 days ago (it's gotten remarkably better since last night-it's like my band finally gave in and said "Ok, ok, you can keep some fruit juice down!"). I don't even WANT a fill for a long time. Anyone else out there who doesn't like the severely "restricted" feeling? Granted, I want to eat less, but I'm scared of not being able to eat at all!!!! Cindy

Does anyone know if you can eat cranberry sauce while your in the liquid stage?? I would think you could because it's just like jello. I guess I am getting pretty bored about now and I am looking for some new things to taste. I am not neccesarily hungry, just needing some new tastes. Anyone got any ideas for me??

Day 4...ideas please!

OK I need advise please. You all may think I"m being stupid, but here goes. I started with a really bad cough over a week ago. I do have asthma that comes and goes, never that bad though. A week ago today my cough added a bad cold to it. Last Wednesday I went to the doctor. She did not take an xray, but gave me an antibiotic and Predisone. I remembered how nuts my daughter was when she had been on Predisone so I decided I'd wait to start that. The I remembered the weight gain also goes with the crazy moods. I'm crazy enough as it is, I sure don't need help! My girl friend told me that she was on them for a few days and she had the weight gain and her face got …

Hey guys. I am thinking about calling my surgeon tomorrow and requesting a slight unfill...I had yet another BP tonight. I was stuck for a while, slimed slimed slimed and then burped up a wad. Nasty but...Relief~~ I ate chicken and I dont know if I didn't chew good enough, I thought I did. It wasn't a huge piece, maybe three ounces. I wasn't eatting fast, or at least I didn't think I was....I think that this last fill that I had, which brought me to 2.25 cc's has been the toughest fill to get use to. I have had it a while now, two months....and the stuck feeling has been more so than usual. My nerves have been bothering me a lot lately too....so in the interest of trying…

Is anyone else waiting until after the first of the year for a fill? I know I need one, but I want to be able to eat a little bit during the holidays. I'm just curious if I am the only bad one?

Hey y'all! I wanted to see if anyone would be interested in starting our own Challenge? It would last 10 weeks, starting weigh-in this Friday, and we would post our weights every Friday to motivate and encourage eachother to lose some weight! We could post our starting weight this Friday along with a goal for the 10 weeks, and then post every Friday. Others could drop by and see us bustin' our butts and get inspired. Anyone interested???? Let me know and we can get this party started...

I'm handing out godivia chocolates for the holidays for work. I have in my trunk at least 15 pounds of the stuff. I have to admitt I opened two tiny boxes (4pcs each - 220 calories each box) But I am dreading going to work today uuuuuuuggghhhhh! I'm on a great roll and this is tempting me beyond my control. Help!!!!!!!!!

After my last fill, I have been BPing about everyday. I am guilty of eating too much, too fast, and up it comes. I am trying to be conscientious about eating smaller bites much slower. While I know this is not good for my band, I am also concerned about my teeth. Although BPing is different than regular old throwing up because the food isn't sitting in stomach acid, I'm still wondering if stomach acids do come up and can effect your teeth. Does anyone know if it does have an effect on your teeth? I'm also wondering if chewable vitamins are bad for your teeth . . . I'm just thinking that if trace minerals are left on your teeth they could cause discoloration. Any thoughts …

Okay, tonight I discovered something truely gross. When you PB on chopped creamed spinach, it's form doesn't change from pre-PB to post-PB. I don't think I can ever look at it the same ever again.

Hey Gang, I'll be home for the holidays, anyone want to see if we can get together for coffee? I'll be home for the Thanksgiving week, and then again for a couple of weeks in December. Eastside works best for me, but Downtown Seattle is a quick bus trip away By all the Gods, I miss home!

Has anyone followed the weight watchers points system after banding? I am having all kinds of trouble sticking to a healthy eating program. I kinda thought I would have it easier than this. I have had 2 fills and still have room to be bad!

I'm not banded yet, I've just started the process. I know you have to take your time and chew very well. I'm worried about this. I know that I eat too fast. I eat 2 meals a day at work, dinner at home. I'll give you an example why I'm worried about this. Today, I'm off work. First thing, I take my thyroid meds, I have to wait 2 hours before I can eat. This was at 6:30 am when I got up. I needed to leave the house at 8:20 to take my kids to school (which I don't normally do, they usually are run to daycare) and then I had a bunch of errands to run. By 8:20 my stomach is screaming hungry. I grab a pouch of oatmeal and make it up. Put plastic wrap over it and head to the …

The survey that is listed in the thread Survey get 50 dollars is working tonight. Hurry

Hi Everyone... I just wanted to tell everyone Happy Holidays! It has been a while since I updated everyone. I am as well as I can. I have retained a lawyer to help me with the legal matters I will now have to involve myself in since Jason left me in October. I still have no answers from him as why he left except --he seems to blaim EVERYTHING on me. Whatever. My girls are the only things getting me through day by day. I am not looking forward to the holidays. This will be the 1st ones that I do not have Jason to spend them with in 10 years. I need to believe though that everything happens for a reason. I just do not have the reason yet. As far as the BAND. I feel w…

Has anyone else had this awful "mineral smell" after the surgery? I started noticing it about 2-3 days post-op. It has become less frequent, but it is bad when it happens. Every thing smells, my clothes, skin, water, food etc. I realize it is not all those items, but it is making me crazy! My husband feels it is a side effect from the anesthesia. What do you all think?

I initally had great loss, I was going like gang busters. I lost 35 pounds by almost the 3 month. Yes, 10 or 15 pounds were water weight because I had a sever edema problem. Yes no more edema was one of my first NSVS. But whee! the weight was coming off! Then my weight loss stopped. I gained about 5 pounds before my first fill. After my first fill last month I lost 1 pound. This month I lost 1 pound. 2 months, 2 pounds. At the support meeting this week, I had my official weigh-in. 1 pound down since last month. I was so angry and pissed off and discouraged, words fail to express my disapointment. I have attempted to be the model bandster. I feel like I had good r…

when I eat and drink. When I take a sip of something or swallow food I get this strange pain on the left side of my neck and it goes down my arm as the food/drink goes down and then it subsides. Wierd or what? Also after drinking or eating I keep having to burp.

I feel great!!! I hit my 6 month mark yesterday, I had an appt with my Dr Monday and found out that I have lost 39% of my excess body and my BMI is under 40 (38). I have lost 67 pounds. I have have dropped 2 clothing sizes and I will dry my clothes now. Never would have done that 6 months ago. Have meet some wonderful friends here on the LBT which offers great support. I have a new best friend...my band! Things I still need to work on...exercise more. Chew my food...I still eat in a rush sometimes and can get caught. I am sure there are more but I am still so happy about my where my life is headed I just had to share. Any others 6 monthers out there?? How are you do…

between a PB and "Sliming"? And what causes the sliming? I do not always have the pb but frequently have a "sliming" attack. Is it that I am eating to fast, not chewing good enough? I just had a fill last Thursday, so I may still be getting used to it, but I am really wondering what actually causes it? Anyone know?

Hello everyone, I just was banded yesterday dec 16. I was unable to sleep at all last night. I had a lot of gas on my stomach and in my back area. I woke up every 30minutes. Is this normal. Also, i havent had the urge to eat anything. I had to make my self eat 1 can of broth yesterday and 1 can so far today. I fill so full. I mean really, really stuffed. I guess that's good in a sense. The pain is bearable, but its very uncomfortable. My husband has been a big help. So anyone thinking about the band, please have some sort of support team. Does anyone have pointers for me for the next few days?

Dang gum it !!! Normally I don't eat after 7 pm b/c I go to bed at 8 and it just doesn't feel good sitting in my chest when I'm laying down and its to close to dinner. Anyway, I decided to let myself have some Snacks tonight. I had a few crackers (okay alot of cheese crackers), a handfull of M&M's and let me just say it was the WRONG thing to do. My chest didn't hurt, I didn't pb but my left side felt like it had a knife in it. I had to walk around like crazy and about 1 hour later I sounded worse than a room full of drunken sailors. I bet I came close to the world record with those burps. I feel better but what has me baffled is why would my side hurt? St…

This morning I got out of bed, washed my face, got dressed, fed the cat and left for work. It wasn't until I'd gone down three flights of stairs, got to my car, started the ignition, and started to back out of my parking spot that I realized I was wearing a raspberry colored shirt with a red and black skirt. Not an attractive combination of colors. It made me realize that I never really see myself anymore. I can look in a mirror and see if my hair is standing on end or if I've got toothpaste on my face. I can see the individual parts, but I can't see *ME.* Where did I go? I'm used to being invisible to the general public. It's so strange that the bigger you get, the les…

Listen up everyone, this is from my friend who just gained back 50 pounds after losing 150 from her Bypass operation. This is a real-time post since we are chatting right this second. She just joined Weight Watchers, and I've been telling her I'm considering getting the bypass. These are her words, so getting a bypass (for me) is currently out of the question. I realize I'm fickle on my decisions, but listen to what's going on at Weight Watchers RIGHT NOW: Lisa, The woman at WW told me there are a lot of women at the meetings that had surgeries like ours. Women that have busted their staples and had to be rushed into ER for overeating again. You dont want to do tha…

Can you, as a surgeon with experience in removing the LapBand, give me a ballpark on this? I was dx'ed with esophageal dysmotility secondary to adjustable gastric banding. The band was removed two weeks ago and a BPD/DS was performed. Have you any idea--based on your experience or that of your colleagues--how long it takes for the esophagus to heal itself? I'm having trouble getting in all my water because once the esophagus "clamps down," there is no point in trying to drink anything. Have you any wisdom to share? Sue

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Hey Joe... I know you were having your surgery today and its probably all done and over with. Well I hope you are doing well.. I kow you will be sore and full of gas, but thats the pleasure of having just being banded. Let us know how you are doing.. You are in my thoughts and prayers! Take Care

My surgery tomorrow has been changed from noon to 9 a.m. Hopefully, that will mean I get home sooner. I'm not the least bit nervous. I may be in the a.m. I am just so excited. I will post as soon as I feel like getting on the computer. I'm almost a bandster!!!!!!!!!!!!!

NSV: No seatbelt extender for me on the plane! It was snug, but I could pull the loose tab 3 or 4 inches if I needed to; it's so nice not to have to ask for that extender! Vegas was WONDERFUL. I've honestly never had so much fun, and as "silly" as it was to get married on the bridge of the Starship Enterprise, it ended up being a very meaningful, religious ceremony, and a memory I'll treasure for life. Here are the wedding photos taken by the Star Trek people. http://images.mellette.net/wedding/bridge Jonathan

I feel like everytime I eat I am worried that my band slipped. Like, just now, I ate lunch and I worried about my band slipping b/c one of the signs is being able to eat alot of food right,,,,,, well, it's funny how now that I'm banded I think eating 1/3 a peice of pizza and 3 chicken wings is a VAST amount of food!!!! Then I have a reality check and tell myself I haven't slipped b/c that really is hardly any food!!! I'm crazy.

welp, just got home, what a looooong trip. i am so glad to be home. me and mom stayed an extra day just in case there were any problems, in fact, that idea was more geared towards her. her being older, much more overweight and diabetic i was worried about her having problems. welp, of course SHE BREEZES right thru it. it's like she didn't even have surgery. no pain, no gas, no soreness, no hunger, restriction right away....and here i am, younger, lightweight no health problems and there i was on the other bed dry heaving with unbelievable nausea, sooo sore, STARVING, gas to DIE for. in fact, i'm still suffering with the gas!! ughhhhhh! seriously, not to be over dramatic …

I'm getting geared up for surgery here, scheduled on 1/9/06, but my dr has me on a pre-op liquid diet starting 12/26. So Christmas day is my last "official" day of eating as I have been my whole life! I'm excited and scared at the same time. Anyone else here have Dr. Quebbeman in Huntington Beach as their doctor?

I'm considering moving out of my house. I currently own a house with my sister, but she's incredibly hard to live with, not because she has a difficult personality but because she's totally unmotivated. She's a workaholic with her business (she's a photographer), but does NOTHING to help at home. She's always just taking or editing photos. Our arrangement was for me to clean the inside of the house while she takes care of the outside. She does nothing outside. This weekend was the last straw for me. We had two Christmas parties at our house and both times she didn't help me get ready or clean up for them. Does this sound like the stupidest reason to move out? It's just so…

So i went to get a fill on Friday and the saline from my first fill is MIA... Maybe it's a leak she says. We can just replace the port ...Its a small procedure...less than first surgery.... RIGHT..... so is she going under anesthia? By the way is this covered under warranty? HELP so now i have to go back and they(Doc) will inject die and find out where it is leaking.... Anyone else gone through this? what leaks ? she said port but how does she know? angie

My nurse at Dr. Ren's office suspects that I have a leak at the port sight which slowly allows my band to open. It will be confirmed the next time I go back in after the holidays. I know this means surgery. Anyone have this experience? Please share. . . Lizzy

Well, I go in for my band on the 21st!!! Tonight was my 'last supper' so to speak! lol! My kids have had a blast this weekend eating with me all the things I know it will be awhile before I can eat again..and then never totally pig out again! It was a fun way to say good-bye to the old habit! Going to meet w/ the anistesiologist (excuse the spelling!) in the morning. Tomorrow starts the clear liquids for me which will be a challenge but I know I can do it. The hard part will be Wednesday w/ nothing to eat or drink after midnight and surgery isn't until 2pm! YUCK! lol! I'm hanging in there better than I expected through the pre-days, had a little crying jag …

I'm sorry ya'll this may be rather long winded, but I am so angry! I have been looking at this surgery for over 1 year and when I finally decided to do it in Sept. I was working with a Dr. Fox. They didn't kow if I would have time to get it pushed through my insurance by the end of the year, and since my insurance was going to change to a harder insurance (Aenta) Jan1 2006. So I kinda gave up till next year. Well one day on line I did a BMI calc through the barix Clinic web site. I filled out a form for information on their clinic. They called me, and talked to me at length. I told them the situation with my insurance and they said they believe we can get it pushed throug…

Lord o mercy I had the worse PB tonight...I mean I had the fist in my chest, sliming like crazy and then even throwing up a little...it lasted for about 20 mins and I thought it was never going to end!!! Gotta watch that damn broccoli.

This may have been asked before so if it has please forgive me. How long were you off of work to recover from surgery after the lap band? My surgery is scheduled for this coming Thursday and I am so nervous. Karla

Ok I have been reading several testimonies & this may be a stupid question to some but I have to ask anyway. With the lap band for the people who have had it, what does it mean when you get a fill @ the doctors office after your surgery and what is the purpose of having that done !!!

I was banded on 12/13 and spent the night due to being very nausious. The operation was 2 1/2 hours instead of 1- 1 1/2. My Dr. told my husband that she had a hard time getting the band into me, but everything was fine after that. I have five openings, one is a bit large. I am swollen and bruised as well. Did this happen to anyone else? I am not hungry, but can drink almost all day and do not feel anything, is that normal? I have been up and moving around since the day of surgery and I feel great overall. I am still on pain medication due to the swelling and bruising my Dr said to stay on it for while, as well as having a patch for the nausia. I also did the silly th…

Hey everyone, I am happy I got my band, and I am happy about the weight I have lost, etc etc etc,,,,, but I have been at a 9 week stall since 2 weeks after surgery. I am so frustrated b/c I have been filled up twice and with each fill I had hopes of losing and I'm not losing anymore. I don't understand why - I'm counting calories, I'm eating pretty decently, I am eating 1/3 of the food I ate pre-band. I know some people are just turtles and I will probably be a turtle, but it makes me want to cry sometimes b/c I just don't understand how someone can cut thier calorie intake by 2/3 and not lose weight. Fitday.com said I needed to eat 1200 calories per day to lose and I am…

You guys are the only people in the whole world I can share this with (except my husband)... Nobody knows I had surgery and they wouldn't understand my excitement anyway.... I did it!! I'm below 200!!!!!!!!!! I haven't been here in years!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! I"m so happy!!! Ignore the bad nails and the hairy toes (which I did not know were hairy until this moment). Anyway I'm stoked beyond belief!!!!! OH HAPPY DAY!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! thanks for letting me share!