LAP-BAND Surgery Forums

Anybody out there? Head for the chat room!

I had my band done on the 7th of April. first of all let me give you the background. I'm 5'9", surgery weight of 530lbs., 27 years old. Anyways, I'm in big doubts of having this done. I'm constintly tired, my back has numbness & sore as hell. During the surgery they had to "open" me up because of a large liver. My Dr. who is very good, nicked my sleen, so i had lost some blood. At this point I'm just tired & really full of self pitty. I feel nausues alot lately. can someone here help me out. I find it hard to get answers & help do to my size.

Just wanted to let anyone that has thinning hair know that I bought some shampoo called Nioxin and it has been working great. I've used it for about two months now and I can tell a big difference in my hair volume

I will meeting Dr. Chiang in May 2004. I'm really exciting about the process. I initially started out with Dr. Chua, but some missed information didn't fly with the insurance company. Therefore, I have choosen Dr. Chiang. There are not very many people voicing their experience on this web site. You know when you go to the information sessions the Dr.'s always say how many procedures they have done. That being the case why aren't there more participants on the lapbandtalk web site telling their story. We'll when my time comes, I have no problem telling the world of my ups and downs. I think I would be a little less afraid of the procedure if I would not have suppor…

I just want to wish everyone who's about to go the distance the best of luck for a smooth surgery. Congratulations to all of you on taking this big step, and you're lucky to be starting at this time of year. What a great way to start a new season! GOOD LUCK TO EVERYONE!! :banana :banana :banana :banana :banana :banana :banana

If anyone is interested, the yahoo group MN_Bandsters is having a support group meeting on Sunday at 6:00 in Columbia Heights at La Casita. It will be the first meeting of this group, so I thought it would be a good opportunity to invite anyone from this forum, as well. If you'd like more info, please let me know! Megan

Hi Everyone, I was banded on January 12, 2004. Lost 34 pounds in 10 weeks and loved the band. Still do to a degree...LOL. I had my first fill the beginning of March and haven't lost weight since. Don't have much of a restriction either. I seem to be able to eat anything and everything without any trouble. Which isn't good, I've even found myself eating more and more, maybe I'm testing it out or just plain stupid. They put 1.4cc's into the port. I need more... I'm doing everything I shouldn't and can't seem to stop. I need help. What do I do now. I'm getting very depressed. Dawne :cry

Hi All, I just want to repeat what I have read from so many postings about the advice given on this site: Listen to it but find out first what your Dr. wants you[/b] to do. I listened to someones advice without checking with my Dr. and she wasn't happy with me. :mad: It wasn't a big deal, but just reminded me that each Dr. wants/expects different things. 10 days out and feeling Great!!

http://www.findarticles.com/cf_dls/m1355/15_102/92524814/p1/article.jhtml after reading this it looks like a surgical error. i just thought i would share it since mistakes are always possable.

Hello everyone: I love this lapband site.........and read all your posts. Sure would be fun to chat with some of you. Everytime I go to the lapbandtalk chat room I'm the only one talk there...........Although I'm such a yacker that I probably could entertain myself for a whlie anyway. Could we schedule times to get some folks in there? I feel as if I know many of you and it sure would be a great palce for the newbies too. Just a thought .................Gabby

Has anyone in Nevada been banded? I'm getting ready to schedule my surgery and would really love to talk to someone else that's local. I'm very close to California and Arizona, but it seems nobody has posted in months.... is there anybody out there?

Howdy all, this is my first post. I just got financing and will be making my appointment for band surgery in Mexico as soon as the funding paperwork is complete. Holy smoke... this is life changing. Please tell me if I have anything to worry about while in Mexico. I'll be going alone since it's only a 45 minute flight for me. Is there anyone from Nevada or the Las Vegas area out there that would be willing (please please please) to exchange phone numbers? I do have one friend that I met online that had the surgery. She flew to Vegas last weekend, so me & my husband met her in person. She looks amazing, and I think her sharing her lap band history with us was w…

I tried beer for the first time in 2 years.BAD IDEA>It sat there and felt all stuck then i pb'd foam and felt sick. Oh well i'll have to stick to Marguerita's(yummy:D ) Chantal ps... this was after about 4 sips

Hi, Is there anyone out there? It would be nice to get a group going here. Maybe we could meet sometime. Hopeful,

I got my 3rd fill last week. I'm up to 7cc in the 11cc Inamed. In the mornings I have trouble even drinking. It goes down, but it gurgles. So I drink a Protein shake for Breakfast (around 9am). Sometimes I get hungry by 11 again, sometimes not. Sometimes I can eat anything, sometimes not. I have been having problems with meat and bread getting stuck in my chest. I've PB'd once. Usually it goes down on its own. My question is this: Is this was restriction is? What causes the food to get stuck when you know your stomach can't possibly full? I don't usually feel very full, but then again I don't get really hungry like I used to either. I'm so confused. Is t…

I AM SEARCHING FOR INFO ON THE BAND PROCEDURE, I AM IN THE FIRST STAGES I AM 288 LBS I USE TO BE 190 WOULD THIS WORK FOR ME? ANY SUGGESTIONS ON WHERE TO START? I AM A DIABETIC , IS THIS SAFE FOR ME? I AM IN TALLAHASSEE FL, ANYONE KNOW ANY DOCTORS HERE?? I HAVE CIGNA INSURANCE DOES ANYONE KNOW IF THIS IS COVERED? HOW MUCH IS THE PROCEDURE. I GUESS I HAVE ALOT OF QUESTIONS......I HAVE YAHOO MESSENGER IF YOU WANNA ADD ME TO CHAT..DIFFICULTSUMO IS THE SCREEN NAME.THANKS ALL!

I was banded back in October. I have had 6 Fills up to 3.8 cc and still feel no restriction. The last fill was done by floro and the doctor said everthing looked fine. I have not lost any weight yet. I am beginning to think the lap-band was not put in properly. Has anyone had this experience?

Hey everyone... Melissa from Texas is being banded today! Wishing you all the best Melissa... congratulations!!!!

Hi Gretat, Well, your day is here, hope it all went well and that we hear from you very soon! Let us know what it's like to be in Bandland! My thoughts are with you on this day! Baileym _______________________ No date yet! Dr. Deol

I have always enjoyed margaritas with friends at the local cantina along with the rich food. Since the band yes there were major cut backs. I continued to drink though and really to much and to often. My weightloss was consistent but slow. For the last 5 weeks I have not been to my favorite spanish resturaunt and the scale has noticed. My weightloss doubled over the last three weeks. I was drinking a lot of calories bottom line. Eating the food went hand in hand. I am now getting back into cooking my own food. My band is good to me as I can eat most anything with caution and limits. I wanted to share this because I did not think a couple drinks a couple times a week would…

Hi All, I just got back from Disneyland where I walked what felt like 40 miles a day. And I have lost nothing??? I assume that I didn't lose any weight because I did tend to eat higher fat foods(not much else available at Disneyland) but not in large quantities. Is this all part of the course? Why would I be able to eat a small bowl of frozen yogurt without a problem one day and then a couple days later take a couple bites and not be able to eat any more?? At three and a half weeks, is this still an adjustment phase or is this normal? The other thing that was strange while I was on vacation was that now that I am eating more soft solids, I find I am having a hard time fi…

Friday night for supper I ate more than what I should have. Saturday and today I have super restriction. Liquids even hurt. I tried to have a snow-cone yesterday and 1 bite and it would not go down and Boy it hurt. Just wondering if Friday night I possibly irritated my stomach and now it is swollen? I am gonna do just liquids, as much as I can, for a couple of days and see if things get better. Just wondering if this has ever happened to anyone else before. Thanks

After reading this message, I have the sae questions. I want to know if all of you had to do it again would you do it? has it been worth it? Have a lot of you had problems with the bands and had to go back in for more surgery? Is the weight lose worth the pain you have gone through? And any other question you would like to answer or any information you would like to share. Thank you, To be banded

down 50lbs. banded on 3-5-04 got fisrt fill 2.1 cc today 4-14-04. so far so good, my wife is now looking into getting banded...... start 348, 288 now, going down to 240......

I have 4 daughters. Only one of them is heavy with a slow metabolism like me. The rest of the family is normal weight. She and I are both approx. 100 pounds overweight. Last year she decided she would do the full surgical bypass and I was horrified. Luckily, her insurance was very slow on the approval. Purposefully, I went on a diligent diet to prove to her that weight loss was possible for us if we tried hard enough. I followed the Atkins diet. I joined a group at work that cooked for each other and shared lunch time and hints, products information etc. The South Beach diet became popular, and several were following that. Some lost a lot of weight, and I was basi…

Good morning! I am getting close to my surgery day (1 week away) and I'm starting to get very nervous. I've received numerous helpful hints from people on various sites, however, now that I'm down to the wire, I wish I would have written them down. By chance does anyone have any tips for the following? 1. What to bring to the hospital with me... 2. What to buy before surgery so I don't have to deal with it when I come home... I know I need Protein drinks, but what type and where do you get them? Any help you can provide would be GREATLY appreciated!!! Melissa G. Banding on 4/19/04 Dr. Hamn

Hello everyone: Well, it's been a little over three months since I was banded. The energy has kicked in big time and I am conquering all those neglected chores. I'm down 45 lbs. The weight is certainly coming off more slowly, but, the key word is "coming off". Today I went shopping and purchased a much needed new bra, lost a cup size and the bra is 2 sizes smaller. I am into 18-20 clothing from a 26. Folks are noticing and the posistive re-inforcement feels so good. I feel the best I have in years. I find myself looking in all mirrors I pass, when before I dodged them like a plague. For the first time I bought the kids Easter candy the night before, instead of we…

I've noticed the more Water I drink...the less restricted I am, as well as vice versa...the less water I drink...the more restricted I am. Have any of you noticed this?

I was just wondering if anyone has ever been really resticted at night and not so much during the day i have always heard that people usually have restricton in the morning. It seems that i have a real hard time keeping anything down at night i pb i couldn't even keep a pudding down yesterday. I go back to the dr on tuesday and am planning on having another fill becasse i can eat all day long.

Hey there Utahns! How much does the procedure cost here in Salt Lake City? This would be cash/financing, no insurance. Thanks!

Well I went for my fill yesterday and low and behold, couldn't get the job done.. The doctor tried for over a 1/2 hr. and it just wasn't working.. I had written in earlier posts that I was having some abdominal pain/groin pain.. Well I went to my doctor here and they took an xray.. Everything looked fine, he felt I had just pulled a muscle.. But there was all this tubing showing up .. I told him I had the band.. I thought my apendix was rupturing , it was pretty painfu.. So my fill Doctor is asking me to fill him in . So now I go back next Friday and they are going to check this x-ray I have and then do a x-ray (floro) . Doctor feels the worst case scenario will be that …

Does anyone know of a Dr in NE Florida that will fill a midband that I got in Mexico? I was banded 2/27/04 and planned to return to TJ in July for a fill but I will need one much sooner! I don't mind driving an hour or two, but would like to be able to make the trip in a day from the Jacksonville area. Thanks Rili

Hello~ I'm wondering if anyone knows how I could find a doctor just in case I need one in the Killeen Texas area? I want to keep my Indiana doctor but just in case I'd rather be safe than sorry! Thanks Ginger

I just posted friday abut how restrictied i am i have 1cc . I felt really tight now i can eat more and am getting hungary about 2 hrs after i eat i was just wonering what i should do. Thanks,

The new Labor Day Weekend TJ Bash message board is now up and running! I would like to invite everyone to join. The link is: LaborDayTJBandsterBash-subscribe@yahoogroups.com Don't miss the Bandster event of the century! Please come over and join us. This is YOUR Bash! Hope to see everyone there! Sandy

hi any one out there from ohio and would like too talk email me

My friend and I decided to take our kids and go to Florida for spring break. She had the lap band surgery in Nov 03. Her last fill in January put her at 3.0 cc's. For the past 6 weeks she has had trouble eating any foods and had been living on chocolate milk and decaf coffee. I knew she needed an unfill but she was determined to get below 200 from 262. She was in the 190's when we left for Florida. She then decided that she wanted to get to 180 before getting an unfill. Once we were down in Florida, she started throwing up liquids even Water. On the third day of no fluids or food, I drove her to the emergency room. She spent the entire day in the emergency ro…

tadjustments *nothing solid to eat after Breakfast day of adjustment only liquids. you pouch needs to be empty * 3 full days of liquids following an adjustment *slowly add soft & solid foods on day 3-4 measuring only 1/2 cup portions and drinking only between meals *after the fill you will be: a. too loose *this means you arent getting full on 1/2 cup portions and getting hungry within 1.5-2 hours of eating. drinking only between meals * call to schedule another fill. dont let more than 4 weeks go by. b. just perfect *you stay full off 1/2 cup portions and stay full until the next meal *some foods may not go through breads, Pasta, meats eliminate thes…

so i had a three day weekend and monday i went to the dr for a checkup and possible adjustment. when i checked in the nurse gave me a sheet for when you need and adjustment. after reading that i decided YES! i do need one so i had an adjustment. (i will post the info from the sheet my dr gave me. its in the car so maybe this afternoon) anyhow i got .2 cc's. More than i wanted but i am not the 'expert'. after the fill i got to the FUN part... WEIGHING!!! 1 month ago i got 'restricted' weighing 286 yesterday i weighed in at 268!!! thats a 18 pound loss in 1 month!!!! i did this by ALWAYS choosing protien first, not eating sugar or bad carbs that turn into sugar, drinkin…

:banana :banana I have finally landed in Bandlandia. After almost a year of research and some complications enroute, I was finally banded on Monday, April 5. I am doing wonderful. Haven't taken any pain meds since leaving the hospital on Tuesday. I even had a 2 1/2 hour drive home and made it without any problems. :banana :banana I am a little sore in the lower left part of my stomach but it's not bad. I also had some constipation but milk of magnesia took care of that! I think I am just so happy to finally get banded that nothing can bring me down! Sheila

Hello all, I just went to a meeting this week and one of the questions was beer. I like to drink about every other week, or maybe ever week in the summer. He told the lady that ask the question, you might as well not have the band if you are going to drink. Is this so? I have lost weight on diets while still drinking beer, shouldn't it be the same here? Another question: I do not eat a lot at one setting, but eat often. Is the band going to help? I see a lot here talk about exercise. If I exercised in the first place I wouldn't be here now, how does the Lap-band change this? I have pretty much given up on loosing weight and will not diet anymore. With th…

I have been eating like a crazy person for the last few weeks. My restriction is adequate, but at night I eat the wrong foods all evening long. Evening always was my problem. I'm not gaining any weight, probably because I'm exercising. But I don't understand why I'm doing this. My life situation is not exactly ideal, but it hasn't changed recently. My mood has been good. I'm not stressed about anything. I don't get it. I've started writing in my journal again, hoping that something will occur to me to explain this behavior and help me change it. Then again, I'm wondering if part of the explanation could be that overeating is just a bad habit that is going to re…

I am being banded in TJ on thursday. At some point I am going to need a fill and I would profer not to travel all the way back to TJ since I live in Eastern Maryland. Anyone know where I can find someone to do fills after a banding in Mexico? Thanks

this is down 61 lbs

how do you put your pics on here help.

Banding Soon: I take Cardizem which is a time-released capsul with instructions NOT TO CHEW BUT SWALLOW WHOLE. I forgot to ask the Dr. about this. Also take a thyroid tablet, guess I would just chew that up a lot and sip with water?

Just an FYI---- This Tuesday, April 6, 2004, from 7p.m. to 8p.m. there will be a Bandster Support group at Troy Community Center, Troy Michigan. If you are interested, you can pre-register through Dr. Debbie Greening #(248)203-1770 x138 or Patrizia Jesue, (248)320-1469. There is a cost of $25.00 per person. Hope to see you there!!

Well, I've had two fills ( the first one didn't work, it turns out...evidently some leaked out after the injection) and I'm feeling more restricted. Not very restricted, though. Last night I had a small piece of fish, about 4 tbsp. of couscous, and about 1/2 cup of mixed veg. and I was still hungry after I ate dinner. Most of the time I feel full when I eat, though. I've been exercising 6 days a week, 3 aerobic, 3 aerobic/weight workouts. I hadn't lost anything since my last fill, and since this most recent one, I have GAINED a pound and a half. I've lost 1% body fat in one month. I don't know. I thought this morning I should go on shakes or something. But d…

Ok, I moved to Wisconsin in June of 2002, so I guess I am officially a Wisconsinite now - from Oregon originally. I live in Thiensville, north of Milwaukee. My doctor is Dr. Chiang, wonderful doc! I was banded on 3/1 and am down 29 pounds now and no fill yet - WOW!! Thanks for making a home for us Wisconsin peoples!

Glad to hear you had your band placed! I was banded on 3/1, 6-weeks postop tomorrow, and it took me probably about 4 weeks before I wasn't sore at all. My pain was also on my left side, right above the waist, Dr. Chiang said that's where they inserted the port, though my port is right above my belly button he said. I kept bandages on those two sites for an extra couple weeks just to make sure things were ok. At 6-weeks out I am down 29 pounds! I just started wearing jeans again last week, and now they don't fit - time to go shopping! Good Luck, and keep us informed of how you are doing!