LAP-BAND Surgery Forums

Does anyone know of an advocate for the appeals process???? On second appeal with second insurance company and I'm trying to get as prepared as possible. Anyone that has appealed through M-Plan I would appreciate your advice. Thanks, Kadtie

I was wondering if anyone out there has had No weight loss after having a fill. I had my first fill almost a month ago. I was told by Dr.Rumbaut that he put in 2cc in a 4cc band. Some days I have great restriction & cant keep much down & other days I can eat but always much less than before I ever had the band The scale just I'sent moving. Still at -19 and Im starting to feel like Im failing at this. Before I was ever banded I could loose about 40lbs in 3 1/2 to 4 months. Ill be 3 months post-op on the 22nd & no change. Please Help

I understand the PBing thing, but My question is this: What happens if you get the flu, food poisoning, or the like? Slippage is a bad thing I know, and vomiting effects that. Do they give you a permanent perscription for antinausea medicine?

How does the doctor determine what size band you need? Pre-surgery testing? Also, how would someone know their band is not placed right? I was looking at the pictures posted.....curious how you'd even know? Thanks!

Hi! I am new to this website. So I am hoping I can get some help. Does anyone know of any support groups that I can actually go to ever so often. The one Atlanta Bariatric-Emory offers has mainly Gastric Bypass patients so I don't feel like I get out of the meeting what they do because the support is mainly geared toward them. I live about 20 minutes North of Atlanta. If anyone knows of a support with majority lap band patients, please let me know. I would really love to have some support outside the internet. Thank you! Wendy Banded 4/13/05 Dr. Macik- Atlanta Bariatric 360/290/???

because i don't know wheres the right place to make this comment to you and to be sure that you will read it i post it in main I watch your progress and i have to say that you have done amazing work! i saw your pictures and i can say WOW what a difference!!! body + face!! do ya remember you were saying about astronomical numbers of weight loss and look at you now what a great loss!!! you must be proud and happy with yourself! keep doin your perfect work galfriend!! im very happy of you! you are such a beautiful girl inside and out and you deserve the best! TAKE the best of life!!

Hey there, I finally was able to make my fill appt, but I am disappointed that I don't feel the restriction. He took my fill out, there was 1.5 cc's and he filled me up to 2 cc's, I hate that he is so conservative w/ his fills at $300 a pop, I want to get my monies worth, I'm calling today to schedule another appt. Wish me luck.

and I am to be at the Surgery Center. I am excited and terrified at the same time. I will post an update when I get home.

I am so nervous and scared that I am actually shaking. I check in in a couple of hours, and from there...I just hope and pray that all goes well for me and that the surgery is a successful one. I will update all of you as soon as possible. Thanx for everything, and take care.

Ok...I know this was really wrong but I never told my Dad and Stepmom that I had surgery. I never even told them I was thinking about it. I saw them right before I had it done (3 1/2 months ago), and now I am flying to Florida to visit them next week. I have lost 50+ pounds since getting my band and I don't know what to say to explain it. Plus how do I explain my new eating habits? I should have told them before having the surgery but somehow it didn't feel right. Now, 3 1/2 months have passed and I don't know how to bring it up. If it was the other way around, I would be very hurt to know that a family member had not told me before having "major" surgery. Should I tell t…

Although I hate everything that crossed my path in the last month, except for small children, I have not gained a pound! My weigh in on 9-29 and today are the same! What the hell? I swear I ate for all my future hunger and have nothing to show for it, except a REALLY BIG grocery bill. Started liquids today and can't believe you can live on less than 500 calories a day. That was today. Tomorrow you may find me on here pulling my hair out. Come on November 16th. I want some cream soup!!!

How are the June bandsters doing??????

I am 12 days pre-op. Iam doing the liquid Protein and surviving. But my doctor says to quit 2 weeks prior to surgery. I am smoking 4 a day now, down from over a pack. I feel bad about this but I am addicted to the nicitine. Anybody out there in the same boat?

ok. i am worried that my band has slipped or something. how much food are we supposed to be able to eat at one setting? i just had half a bowl of veggie Soup. that is way more than i figured i would be able to eat. is this normal? i have been eating ALOT more than i thought i would be able since being banded. i am going to speak with my DR on friday but until then i thought i would consult with you guys. Amos

Just wanted to wish you a happy birthday and here's hopes for a great year ahead !!!! Hope you had a great day!!!

Hear Ye, Hear Ye! Honorable Citizens of Texas (and anybody else who wants to stop by...), Bubbame (Mary) is coming to Irving.... Since so many of us live in the Dallas area, we are going to have a little get-together and meet each other and Mary. Right now, we are planning on meeting up in the Lobby of the Howard Johnsons in Irving - BUT, if we are going to be more than 10 or 15, we probably need some slightly more formal arrangements. Please RSVP to this thread if you will DEFINITELY be available for lunch at 1pm in Irving on November 5th. (That would be THIS Saturday). If we are going to be a huge group, I will see to making some reservations and stuff for us …

There's a short commercial b/4 the video. http://video.msn.com/v/us/v.htm?g=82b0583c-db80-41db-bb8a-2e3657ce6aa8&f=email

I have been lurking on this broad for some time now and decided to share my news with you guys. I got the good news last Thursday and its a go 100% covered. Wish me luck out there. Dr. Carter in Dallas TX is performing my surgery.

I am one month post op and have suddenly been hit with a huge wave of depression. It is so bad I can hardly get myself out of bed! I suffer from bi polar depression anyway but it has been under control with medications for years. It scares me to feel these old feelings! Does it have anything to do with the changes in my body ect ect? I just wondered if anyone else experienced post surgery depression like I am going thru?

Questions, Questions, Questions!!! Today after eating a very minute amount of canned tuna with mayo, I felt like I had eaten a whole 20 lb. turkey. (I still feel that way, but may be a bit better). I feel like there is a bowling ball sittin on my stomach. Coincidentally, I had my first fill last week on 11/1 and this was only the third time since banding on the 10/10 that I had tried "solids". Also I seem to have a temp, not quite a 100. So what is the consensus- do I have some food stuck and happen to have a temperature due to another cause? Or can being stuck cause you to have at temperature. I already called my doctor about the full feeling, however no temp the…

I stay tired and woreout all the time, I take the centrum vitamins everyday like I'm supposed to but they are not helping. No matter how much sleep I stay tired. Can anyone help me and tell me what to do if you have experienced this? It has gotten worse since the weather has changed. Also has anyone every experienced tightness with your band when your nerves are messed up? If so what do to lossen it up so that you can eat?

Surgery is on Monday and I'll be shopping this weekend for the weeks to come. I'm going to buy some Isopure and was wondering if anyone has a favorite flavor or one that might have been just terrible. How about liquid vitamins? Any favorites or suggestions? Thanks!

anyone in Vallejo area? I get my fills in San Jose, and I am willing to travel there for support groups too--or anywhere in the north bay SF area basically. I am a member of several online support groups--but I really want to get the up front support of some others who have been and are going through the same things I am. My hubby really tries--but since he has never been here......most of you know what I mean, I am sure. shrina 7/12/05 Dr. Kuri 272/230/125-150 1st Fill Dr. McKeen 8/26/05 1.5cc 2nd fill Dr. McKeen 10/06/05 .5cc (2.0 current in a 4cc capacity band) 3rd fill scheduled for tomorrow--yeah!!!!!!!!

Ok, I am one of the few people on here that is allowed to have carbonation. My doctor said I could have it 4 weeks after surgery. I have tried 3 times to have a bit of soda and after 1-2 sips my stomach immediatley hurts. I did fine without it for 4 weeks and I decided I would have it only if I really wanted it, but now I never want it b/c I know it will cause a tummy ache. I just thinks it's ironic that I'm allowed to have it and I physically cannot drink it, while others are not supposed to have it and can't stop drinking it. Now if I could only have this problem with candy,,,,,,,

Does anyone have any nice low fat desserts, especially cheesecake...(can that ever be considered low fat ). My family likes to have dessert once or so a week and Id like to try and make something. Thanks

This past friday i had my first un-fill. I feel much better and i have not PD'd since then. I was having lots of problems with eating since july. I had lost 30 lbs and 10 inches on my body since, but all that sliming, just didn't seem worth it. The question i have is, had anybody ever just gone buck wild after getting an un-fill? or gained a lot of there weight back? I'm kinda nervous about that.

I just wanted to mention my fill doctor, Dr. Garwood. I was banded in Mexico and he does my fills. He is really great and so is his staff. He is in College Station which is a hike for me but worth it. (I am in Austin) I know those of us badned outside the US are always looking for options. Just thought I would throw this one out. I will recieve no coompensation or anything for this referral. Just trying to be helpful. Someone through LBT gave me his name originally. THANK GOODNESS! His number: (979) 485-0395

Just curious if 3 days of liquids followed by another 3 days of Soup, yogurt and liquids are the norm. Thanks!

HI my name is michelle im 43 and getting ready to go to my seminar It has taken me a year to decide to go forward and have the lap banding done. lots of surfing the net for information lots of talks with my dr and lots of questions! most sites dont give you all the info you really need but dr said i will get that at seminar. im a bit nervouse but also excited at the same time i weigh 210 have been over weight for 20 years . my highest was 330. i lose gain lose gain in the mean time i have gotten diabeties graves disese and lupus Hopefully this will help me maintain weight and get off meds. if any one could give me some words of wisdom on what to exspect before and aft…

I see people refer to "the other board". In searching for message boards, this was the only place I could find. Not that it isn't great - don't get me wrong, but could someone post or PM or email me with the URL to the other board people refer to? IME different boards usually carry different perspectives and I'd like to get as much information as possible. I don't see any retail here or anything, so I'm assuming there is no issue with asking for other support places...

Okay, I lost 18 pounds the first week of my surgery and have only lost an additional 5 pounds. I really do not feel any restriction when it comes to food, but I limit myself and try to ignore the hunger. I work out 5 days a week and notice that I am losing body fat but not actual weight. Is this normal or is there something possibly wrong? I cannot go for a fill until 7 weeks out. Please tell me what I am feeling is normal.

OK, I'm new to stuff gettting stuck, but some chicken didn't go down about 2 hours ago and I coughed/pb'ed/whatever it up. Thought everything was ok, waited awhile (20 min or so), drank some tea. Tea came up. Now something still feels stuck and I am sliming like crazy. Any suggestions?? Colleen

Need Anyone's help with M-Plan that has been approved. They require 18 months of physician weight loss. Just found out they wont include my time using Meredia or Adapex-even though I had to go for monthly check ups and blood work and weigh ins with doc. I am getting very discouraged. Have been up and down scale with Weight Watchers, LA Weight Loss, Tops, otc diet pills, curves but not under doctors care-what do I do????? Is there some sort of advocate that I can contact. My mom has had procedure and she said there might be. Any help would be much appreciated!!! Thanks! Kadtie (Still Hopeful)

I was banded on the first of the month and i am on the "soft diet" now and i am wondering if anyone has any food ideas that they would like to share with me for this diet. i am also wondering if we can have bread during the soft diet stages, something like muffins or toast. i appreciate all your help. Amos

I have been reading these forums for a few months and I am schedlued to be banded on Wednesday the 16th. Here is my question: Have you found that too much reasearch can be a bad thing? I like having all the input I can but I have found the more I read and study, the more afraid I become. There are always going to be "worst possible cases" but I read about so many on here. I guess if everything was peaches and roses we wouldn't need a support group! I think I am letting the bad parts of the surgery and life after get to me. I am going through with it but it has caused a great deal of stress and panic in my life since I set the date. The site, in many ways, has become …

First off I need a fill BAD!!!! I have been able to eat way to much. Anyway last few days when I eat my shoulders start to hurt.. Like they get sore, a feeling like the gas pains maybe or even a feeling like a chest cold is coming on. Well it ONLY happens when when I eat. Plus it cant be a cold, Im on 875mg of Amoxicillin (sp) twice a day. Well Im off them now but I was on them two days ago. Anyway Im not sure what it could be. Im going to see my Band Dr. on the 18th so I am hoping he could tell what it is. Im going for a fill and he is going to check my stomach since I have been in much pain from it for a while now. I just wanted to see if any of you had pain in your sh…

Ok, I just got banded yesterday and i have some questions? I was released from the hospital today and my dr told me that I could have a combination of clear liquids and full liquids. Basically he said that I could have anything that I did not have to chew. He suggested chicken and beef broth, pudding, jello, mashed potatoes really soggy, and creamy soup as long as I did not have to chew it. This is a little concerning to me because I have read alot on these threads and most people have to do all clear liquids for a short time and them move to full liquids and then to mushies. This is odd to me because pudding to me is considered a mushy and so is cream soup. The dr. sai…

Hey - just wanted to let you know I decided to go with Dr. Gonzales for my first fill. I actually ended up talking to him on the phone. I called the office and his staff was in Texas at a training seminar - he was in catching up on some paperwork and answered the phone. He took the time to talk to me about the surgery, Mexico, his diet and excersise plan for me... it was pretty funny. I even told him that I met a girl in Mexico who was there for a revision lap band because her port tube got punctured during a fill. He called her by name and admitted he caused the leak. He said it was because she refused flouroscopy. He says he likes to do them in the office and …

This may be nothing, or it may be something, I'm just not sure (thus I'm posting for advice lol). I woke up this morning and when I hopped out of bed (yes literally - I'm a morning person hehe), I noticed my stomach was hurting. Not like tummy ache, but more, something in there was hurting. Around the top of my stomach. As the day went on, I didn't notice it much. Probably because I was sitting at the desk all day. But when I stood up and picked up my bags to go home, my port area started stinging. Like, sharp pains right around the muscle there. Now, I've felt pains around the port area once or twice after serious ab workouts, but nothing quite like this. I h…

I've read all the threads from the slow losing turtles & then read all the successes from the rappid weight losing rabbits. I am somewhere in between. I had great success in the beginning, but can't seem to get going anymore. I have stayed at the same weight for a whole month & this morning I GAINED 2 lbs!!! What the heck?!?! I'm so frustrated!! As much as I LOVE all you turtles out there, I WANT TO BE A RABBIT!!! I had my first fill 8 weeks ago & have lost only 5 lbs since. I feel restriction, but my problem is that the band doesn't restrict junk. I think I truly have no control over food!! I tried to eat broccoli yesterday & slimed it up. …

Does anyone know if I absolutely have to have my band unfilled for my tummy tuck (11/29). And if so, why???? Did you? And would anyone be kind enought to let me see your before and after pictures? Or, any links to where there are real people like us getting them done? Thanks.

I was banded on October 12th and have lost 8 pre op and 21 post op, however, now I am at a sudden stop and worried I'll start gaining before my first fill on November 17th. Is this normal? And, how do I put a weight loss ticker at the bottom of my profile, those are cool?

Going in for my first fill ,any words of encouragment. Please tell me what to expect.

i havent gone to the little boys room and drop the duece in 4 days, i tried tonight but it just hurts way to much to even try to push, i do not believe i am constapated, just that im under so much pain i can manage to do it... any suggestions?

Okay...here is what I ate that was on plan today... decaf coffee with 6 oz of steamed milk 1 cheese stick 2 tblsp hummus with 2 cracker like sticks 2 wedges of laughing cow light cheese 1/2 english muffin 1 another cheese stick sugar and fat free hot cocoa with 6 oz of steamed milk 50 oz of Water total 8 oz of fuze Total calories 530, protien 47 carbs 55, fat 14.5 but then...I had 3 peppermint patties......the mini ones...and I dared hubby to say a damn word about it. Am I loosing the will power. The damn things cost me 170 calories, 34 carbs, and 3 fat grams. I could have had another couple of cheese sticks and another 18 grams of protien instead . …

I can't stop eating... I think I am pmsing and just can't stop! Today I have had 1 1/2 eggs with a piece of toast for breakfast, a Lean Cuisine (Chicken with Lazagna) for lunch, some halloween candy, small snack size but enough to make about 2 candy bars, then had some pop corn. Then a few more pieces of candy. The scary thing is that I still have not felt that I have had enough! What is happening to me??!! I must regroup and pray that this is gone by tomorrow. It has been a slow process already, I would hate to gain some of the weight it took so long to lose!! Thanks for listening... just had to put it in writing so I would realize I need to stop!!

I spoke with Cathy Head, ANP, with Dr. Kuwada's office today. She said she hasn't received the reports from my evaluations last Tuesday, but would expect to any time now. She said if I can get the results of my sleep study faxed to them timely, they may be able to get a letter out to UHC by Friday. I'd love to start my New Year with a Band!

This is what your stomach looks like when the band is improperly placed. This is what happend to me at the Molding Clinic in TJ Mexico. Dr. Huacuz was my surgeon. The band did not slip. The band was improperly placed. http://photos.yahoo.com/shannoncomer71

This is my first post. I am housesitting for someone who told me she had Gastric Bypass Surgery. She showed me her before and after pictures. I went to see her surgeon. I was favorably impress with her surgeon. I began the discussion saying that from what I've read online, it seems like lapbanding would be a good choice. He seemed adamant against it. He said it is an easier surgery and he has done it in the past. (He has been doing weight loss surgery for 15 years.) If I remember correctly he said it only had a 50% success rate. That many lapbanded patients don't eat correctly afterwards. And they get lots of adjustments. That the band costs about 5K and it makes more…

I'm concerned because I know that when i go on liquids my metabolism is going to drop and everything and I don't want it to stay that way and gain when i start eating again.