LAP-BAND Surgery Forums

Ok, heres the weird thing. I had no bruising near my incisions untill I went out with some friends, did entirely too much walking and laughed my head off. I went home with this.. This was taken about 6 days after my surgery.. There were no bruises, now suddently a monsterous one. Is this normal? or did I break myself. -Kendra

I hope I am doing this right. I hope to be "banded" in June. I am so excited about my surgery. Can someone tell me about how much I should expect to lose? My sister had Gastric Bypass in November, and has already lost 75lbs. My current weight is 230 lbs.

Hi Everyone, Heres another update about my plastic surgery fight. IT seems that 3 medical directors at SHPS (the precert people for my insurance) got together today and yesterday to discuss my case. They are approving the abdominoplasty, but will not cover the thighplasty. My plastic surgeon called the medical director today for a peer to peer review and tried to convince the director of medical necessity. They are not convinced. THe next step is an external review by a consultant (plastic surgeon). I personally spoke with the medical director today at SHPS. I thought if I spoke to him myself I might make some headway and not need to go through the external appeal …

My sister-in-law "Bandmesoon" referred me to this site. I too hope to be banded soon!!! However I desperatley need some info on a few things. 1. Does anyone know if I can do this surgery if I was diagnosed with esophagus ulcers 9 months ago? I took medicine for 1 week to heal them and have not been on medicine since, and have not had a problem. 2. I had my thyroid burned with Radioactive Iodine a year ago. I currently take Synthroid, should this be a problem? Thank you so much, hefftynetty <!-- / message -->

done all what was asked for as far as BLUECROSS/BLUESHIELD ask for. my lap band coordinator is suppose to be sending the paperwork to them.... i am 277lbs now. cry most of the time. hope i can get this done. does anybody know DR. RICHARD ANDERSON thats with dallas.... TO EACH OF YOU THAT HAS HAD THIS SURGERY..... GOD BLESS YOU AND KEEP YOU. YOUR VERY LUCKY. KEEP THE WEIGHT OFF. maybe i will get approved for this.

Hello everyone... I have been lurking for awhile getting as much info as I can. I have contacted an office that does banding here in Ohio and I have to do a seminar and then an evaluation before any details are discussed. I'm hoping that my insurance will pay for the procedure. I had considered gastric bypass but the thought of having my digestive tract permanently severed scares the dickens out of me! In addition I work in an ICU at a local hospital and we get to see first hand the bypasses gone wrong and it is terrible. So I want to say hello...congratulations to those of you who have succeeded in getting your band. Keep your fingers crossed that mine will come th…

hey everyone =). Im finally after 4 years of trying, getting my surgery. I am both scared and excited. The only thing saving my sanity is the fact that my partner got banded by the same facility (obesity goodbye and dr Ponce de leon and verboonen) and had no complications. Still, I can't help but think I will be one of the unlucky ones. I have been reading over alot of the posts here, and I say thank you. If it had not been for alot of you posting your personal experiances here, my partner wouldn't have had it done and nor would I. Its good to hear both the risks and the sucesses (though extremely saddened by the people going through problems.) Wish me luck please. -Ke…

My weight was 221 today. Thats a loss but remember I went on vacation. South Beach Miami for a week. Only exercised 2 times while there. Pinicoladas, MArgaritas, you know! I'm very happy to still be on track. I am still running 3 miles 5 days a week at the minimum and sometimes more. I am trying to be more involved with lifting but it just isnt what it used to be for me. I do lift and cover all groups in a week but not with passion I had 10 years ago! I'd love to hear routines from some of the guys here/ :ninja

So saith my darling husband when he saw me in my new party blouse. This is not, shall we say, my usual style of dress. And it's a size 16. ETA: Now that I've seen it online it doesn't look as cool in the photo as it does in person. There's a line of sequins along the neck and the ribbon is shiny satin. Y'all probably wear girly stuff like this all the time, but it's sorta new for me.

Hello Folks. I am new to the group and am really looking forward to participating. MY name is Mark and I am about to have the Lap Band surgery on April 19th in Ft Worth Texas. Dr. Adam Smith is my Surgeon and is simply wonderful. Especially since he is a bandster himself. But I do have a question to anyone out there who might sing or entertain. I play in a variety band and have a wedding to play at on the 23rd of April. 4 days after surgery. I was wondering how much discomfort to expect and am I being realistic about being able to sing and perform at this function. I may be able to find a sub for me but am running out of time to do so. I obviously would prefer to do the g…

Hi Everyone. I had the weirdest dream last night. I have been working on getting my band for some time now...and I finally have a surgery date...It is now May 5th! So I guess I went to bed with Band on the Brain last night. I drempt it was after my surgery and I had the steristrips on...and I could actually feel the band in there holding onto my stomach. I have very vivid dreams and I "feel" everything.....Now I am wondering can you actually feel the band in there??? I am sooo excited and anxious...as you all know...been there done that. I all ready lost the 10 pounds required by my surgeon, but I have been having some really bad diet days....is this my minds last …

Well, after a whole week of being banded and miserable, I landed myself in the hospital this evening to be scoped and treated for dehydration. I think I'm running out of veins for those IV's. I feel SOOOO much better after they flooded me with a couple of liters of fluids. Unfortunately, I think I'm going to have to have another surgery Sunday to slightly change the position of my band. I'll know for certain tomorrow when I talk to my doctor. I think it's inevitable and he's already told the hospital to hold a bed for me. I must admit that I'm pretty nervous. I think more so than before I had the main surgery a week ago.

Okay gals--- I had my SECOND fill of another c.c. (2 c.c. total) last week and still no restriction. I can still eat like a truck driver. Most of the time I don't, but I did today (two parties). Although, I must say that I did eat less than I normally would have, but still too much! I am wanting the restriction so badly but it's just not there. And what if it takes to 3 c.c. or more to feel restriction? Then I won't have restriction later on, right? Don't you need an adjustment every few months or so as you lose weight? There won't be any room left in my 4 c.c band. Getting discouraged...........

In a perfect world of eating I would always prepare my food and I know what is good for me and my stomach. I would not attempt to waste anymore money in the restraunts that peddle my demise. I would not try and try again to get food down I know i shouldnt even begin. I would always eat to live not live to eat. Eating would not be a recreation at anytime. After all the time, effort, and money I have spent! Thats in a perfect world. My wants and my will are very strong. We are not perfect and accepting the progress made is accepting ourselves in reality! Thank ya very much! __________________

Its good to be back! so many new faces ( and avatars)! I have been away dealing with life and packing up the pounds..... but with my new HUGE band ( 12 mls) restriction is taking for ever! ( and I get a fill every week, but I still manage to get bigger every week.... yes, I am weak, and stressed, and food is my drug of choice, still now... not proud). As usual, I have a question that I forget to ask the doctor (every week). I am guessing I will be revealing my ignorance regarding anatomy. After my band was replaced (slipped and was changed, I found out months later, for another, bigger band) the surgeon said she had had to cut my liver which had become attached to th…

By Dr. John H. Sklare One of the biggest obstacles to overcome, for those who want to lose weight and get healthy, is coming to terms with the time it takes to accomplish this formidable task. In a nutshell, the more weight you have to lose, the longer it will take. I was getting ready to respond to an eDieter who was struggling with this, "It's going to take forever" thinking, when I ran across a short parable that brought it all home for me. Before I continue, let me share this short story with you. Once upon a time a very strong woodcutter went to work for a timber merchant. The pay was good and so were the work conditions. For that reason, the woodcutter…

hello! I had my operation last month and I’m going to have my first fill this friday!! YEAHHHH!!! I'm ready for some action man! Anyways i've been quite bad for the past two weeks – been doing some serious pigging out!! AHHHH!!!! I've been to all my favorite restaurants and stuffing myself with yummy food like there’s no tomorrow (almost true in my case!) Goodness, i must have put on all the weight i lost with that dreadful liquid diet! The good news is that i actually see a change in my eating habits! Yes I am stuffing myself – but not as much as I could before the operation - I eat LESS than half now!! Did I mention I don’t have a fill yet – lolsss! After …

My dr. told me my lungs started to deflate during surgery. Does this happen alot? I am still so short of breath and wondered how much longer it would take for me to get back to normal. Any advice appreciated.

Yippee! It's finally here. I get my first fill tomorrow and I'm very anxious! I can pretty much eat whatever I want now...I just try to make good choices. Unfortunately, I get hungry every 3 hours or so even after a decent meal. I'm hoping my new fill will help with all of that! Any words of wisdom for me?

Hi! I was banded on March 2nd by Dr. Ortiz in TJ. So far I have had an excellent and smooth time with the whole thing!! I am now anxious to plan for my first fill at my 6 week mark. I have found Dr. Spiegel will do fills on Mexican banded patients, but he doesn't use fluoro (if he can access your port easily). Does anyone have experience with fills without fluoro? Do they have a harder time getting the sweet spot if they're not looking at it? It sure would be easier to travel to Houston instead of TJ!! But I also want the best result, and many have said that Dr. Ortiz/Martinez are great with fills.... Any advice would be greatly appreciated!! Thanks, M. 1…

I have been feeling so discourage. I read a post a long time ago about not being so special.....the point of the post was to not think negatively about the band. That no one out there is special enough for the band not to work. Some of you all that have been around a while may remember it. Any how, here lately I have SUCKED at being banded. I have not been doing well at all. I am still on my first 20oz of Water. It's now almost 3:00. I OVERATE at lunch and cheated by drinking while eating......I just don't and can't understand my behavior. I am 40 pounds from goal. You would think that would be motivation enough but it's not. I am restricted just about to th…

Hello fellow bandsters, I have been off the boards for a while, been so busy with work, but hope to be back as a regular now, I need you guys and have missed you all. Latest on me. I had my revision surgery on February 26th,2005 yeehaw!:banana and have lost a grand total of 138.5 pounds to date. I am scheduled for my first adjustment or "fill" on April 26th. I realize that is way later than normal for a first adjustment but my surgeon felt like we needed to wait a while and allow my stomach swelling to go completely down and for me to get healed up after the second band placement. I am so exctied to say the insurance did pay for the second band and Praise the Lord for t…

If you are banded or not, we are all trying to lose weight in some form or another. people ask you are on a Diet....what kind? If you really want to lose weight it has to be a life style change for every thing. 1. Such as eatting habit's! change them. smaller portion's. Eatting healthy. 2.Exercise big big part in you road to weight loss. 3.You have to want to!!! 4.and it take's time. You will get there on your own time. 5.This work's for me every thing Fat Free. 6.I eat Egg beaters yogart lots of fresh fruit...I think I' am under 1200 calories 7.To finish about the life style change.. if you sit around all the time. Get up and start walking. there is aff…

Just wanted to hear from all the people that are close to goal and what were their triumphs and successes along the way I'm sure everyone wants to reach goal and need encouragement to get their.

Okay, I just need a place to post thoughts and lists and "nerval" musings and it's 10 days to my surgery date, the last place I need to be is on this dumb ole computer...grrrr...but I need you guys!!!! SO, I am changing my avatar temporarily to Jammin Jamie's little pee-pee dancer man (if I can FIND it!!) just because I'm getting really excited. I'll go get back my pretty "Blossom-y" wreath I share with Hopefull when I get back. Ya'll don't have to cheer me on just yet, I'll just journal my pre-op jitters away...Here goes!!!!!!!!! WoooooooHOOOOOOOOOOO!!!!!!!!

Being recently re-banded, I would love to speak with other re-bandsters I am thinking my doc placed in me the BioEnterics® LAP-BAND® VG System which is the biggest band there is. I would love to talk with others who have been rebanded and discuss things. Thanks,

We have our second meeting planned for the Lake Area Bandsters (Lake Charles area). The meetings will be held the second Thursday's of each month at 6:30pm at the Managan Center in Westlake. Lisa Ford

Well it has been 2 weeks since I got banded and am feeling good! I'm down 10 pounds since surgery and I had lost 13 before surgery so I'm down 23 pounds in all!!! But have not lost any more in the last few days. I am starting to wonder if I'm eating enough I am trying to count my calories and I 'm only getting around 700 -800 a day! At this point how many calories should I be getting??I think I am not getting enough and my body is hanging on to every bite! Also I eat and get full pretty quick but I feel like I can eat a little more than 4 oz and then only a couple hours later I'm hungry again. I 'm sure that once I get a fill I will stay full longer. I go to Dr. on April …

Hi, I was wondering if anyone had used Dr. Fox, in Tacoma Washington, for fills and how it had gone. Also, if anyone knows what he charges for fills if you had your band placed in another state? Thanks , Jody

So today I've been banded 1 month!!! I fit into jeans I haven't been able to in about 6 months! I've lost some weight, except gained 3 back this weekend, I think it's due to AF this week, i do usually gain some during that time of the month... I had my follow up visit with the nutrionist last Friday and walked away with some great new knowledge but also some bad feelings about this new lifestyle.. I've been kinda down since that visit. She told me to have 6 "meals" a day at only 200cal per "meal" To drink only things with no calories and that the carnation instant breakfast that i'd been drinking isn't a good choice because of the sugar. Ok, I can do the no calorie d…

I had my lapband on April 8th. I am not doing to bad except for my breathing. The dr. said my lungs deflated during surgery. Has any body else had that problem. I am very short of breath now. Just wondered if anybody could tell me something to help. Thanks

Hey just by chance do any of you have a double jogging stroller that you don't use that is sitting in some corner collecting dust. I want to start walking with my kids in the afternoons, but right now the budget is tight and those jogging strollers are so expensive, especially the double ones. If you have one and are interested in selling it at a good cheap price of course, would you send me a pm., I live in a small town and there are no places to go buy one, I checked online but they are quite high, if any one has any ideas, let me know.

I'm trying to find out about Dr. Rodrigues, in Monterrey, Mexico. Then plan is to have surgery the first week of April, at the San Pedro Clinic. Let me know what you think.

just wanted to know what kind of meats give people the most trouble with the band ie. beef, chicken, pork turkey processed meats thanks

I posted earlier on the "Weight loss challenge" thread, that I had weighed on the hotel scale and it showed I was 239 well I reweighed myself on that same scale it is showing me at 250 lbs now. SIGH!! I asked if the scales were calibrated and they said they hadn't been in a long long time. So they calibrated them. Now I have gained 10lbs. YIKES!!!!!!!! I hate this. It is awful. I hate this. I hate this. My clothes are not fitting any tighter and I don't feel any different. So I don't really know if this scale is accurate either. I know I am not eating right. Eating too much junk that is for sure. Have bruised the bottom of my left foot and can't really walk as mu…

Hey, everyone, I posted earlier this week about some trouble I'd been having with my band, and the fact that my surgeon decided to perform an endoscopy to check on slippage or erosion. I am so grateful to report that the test showed neither of these conditions. (Sound of me dropping to the floor with relief.) The doctor found a red inflamed area which he biopsied to check for bacterial infection. In the meantime he is treating it as an ulcer and has given me ulcer medication to take each day. I don't know much about ulcers--have to do some trusty internet research--but I suppose an ulcer could cause vomiting? I just wanted to thank all who responded to my post. Alex…

I was banded in Nov. of 2004 and initially lost 15 pounds before surgery on the pre-op diet. I then lost about 10 pounds during the liquid/soft mush stages. Over the holidays, I didn't lose but I didn't gain, either. Slowly over the next 3 months I did lose 10-15 pounds with the help of 3 adjustments (about one every 4-5 weeks). I am very happy to say that I have found the ideal adjustment and the weight is coming off at a steady pace, now. I have not PB'd,ever, thank God. I have some things get stuck for a very short time and that is usually when I'm in a social setting and not concentrating on my duties as a bandster. I still cannot believe that I eat as litt…

There is a book that is very informative that explains every aspect of the lap band it is Laparoscopic Adjustable Gastric banding achieving permanent weight loss with minimally invasive surgery Author Jessie H. Ahroni, Ph.d.,a.r.n.p. you might have to order from a book store but they can get it in 5-11 working days it really covers all aspects and really explains everything there is not many books out and it really help happy reading

How are you doing? I am still struggling but still trying, so that counts for something... I need to re-motivate myself,especially to exercise, which i even haven't started to incorporate into my daily habits.I did quit smoking...gained 7 lbs but woo hoo it's been two months and it's not 50 lbs so yay for moi!! Let us know how you are!!! Good to hear from you! :Bunny Chantal

I'd like to welcome Tammy (Tambonzjo) to the Banded Gentry! She was banded 4/7

Hi, I am Jody, banded 2/17 in Mexico with Dr. Rodriguez. I was wondering, when I did my research the lap band sites said that Pop was a no no. Did that mean forever, will I get to have a Diet Coca again, some day or is that a thing of the past. I have been 6 weeks without one and I when I see people with a can of Diet Coca I seriously consiter accosting them. LOL... Thanks for the Advise, Jody Banded 2/17/05 Down 27 pds.

........is there any such thing???? I feel like I'm going crazy here, struggling with this weight loss journey...and I wondered if there's any smart people out there who have figured out just what the hell happens during plateaus/weight loss/gain etc.... I was pretty discouraged recently (3 Feb) to come back from the UK after having another (2nd) fill - now at 6cc in my 9cc capacity band - I was very restricted for a week or two and then, well, not so much. So I spent a week feeling sorry for myself and then decided I needed to get my weight loss moving again...I have been dieting, since then, basically - not more than 1200-1400 cals a day, or 35g fat, making sure I eat …

Kathy, I hope everything is going well or went well.. lol You are in my thoughts and prayers ALL day! Take Care and hurry back to tell us everything! ((((((((((HUGS))))))))

10 pounds before the surgery...

:banana I want to start by saying Congratulation! to all that have been banded so far this month. I was banded on Thursday 4-7-05 in Monterrey, Mexico with Dr. Rumbaut. Wow! I can't say enough about him and his staff!!!!! Great people. Im not sure what one of my doctors names is but I know I had 3. My mother and I were treated like royalty. The hospital was very clean and very pretty. Marble was everywhere. The day of my flight was horrible. I was told when I reserved my airline tickets that a voters regerstation card was good enough to show citizenship? Well it's not, So I had to catch the later flight, run all the way back home and get birth certificate and marriage lic…

First lemme thank everyone for being my rock right now. My hubby can only say and do so much seeing as he has no clue about what I'm going through. Everyone knows ive been a major rambling freak this week and im sorry its not intentional its just all coming out!!! My surgery is in 5 days. So I figured heres my confessions to those who wonder like I did what one goes through. Am I scared? I really wasnt *scared* until the part where I was doing my pre admit stuff and they handed me the forms to fill out about life support and feeding tubes and the living will stuff. I guess then it hit me.. omg I *could* die. .. heh (Im not gonna die.. but I could) Do I think I…

Hi Michelle - just wanted to congratulate you on your one-year-banded Day!!! You have done brilliantly, and are such an inspiration to me, and loads of others! You look fantastic too - hope you have a great day, looking back over the amazing year you have had ((((((((((hugs)))))))))))) :Bunny :Bunny :Bunny :Bunny :Bunny :Bunny :Bunny :Bunny

Happy Birthday to your band!!! Hope you had a great first year, and a wonderful year ahead :banana :banana :banana :banana :banana :banana :banana :banana :banana :banana

Hello lapbanders! Okk this is my 3nd week and i am THROUGH with the liquid stage (i refuse to go near any Soup for the next few years!). Anyways my doc rang me and asked me how i was feeling- i told him for the past 2 days i was eating some solids - yes i was cheating! He said it was fine, my stomach or whatever must have swelled down, and as long i was keeping the food in and not vomiting I could start eating again!! YEAHH!! So for the next two weeks i can actually put something in my mouth which needs chewing - then i'm going to have my first fill!! Hurrayyyy!!!! Thanks!

Madeline's mom~ (Mary) came to meet me at work today!!! Well we aren't really neighbors but I figure with in 20 miles of each other is close enough!!She was banded 3 days before me so we started our journeys close together too!!! Madeline is so pretty and sweet and I really was so suprised that her and Mary came to see me. I also found out that our little girls will be going to the same school this next year!!! How cool is that!!! It's a small world !!!!! Just wanted to say that I'm thrilled to have met someone in my area from LBT!!!! I hope we will become good friends and also be good suport for each other!!!!