LAP-BAND Surgery Forums

Hi I have signed up with the app, but don't know how to add friends. Here my name is quahog. On my fitness pal it's quahog50. If anyone would like a new pal please look me up. Thanks. Quahog

Hi all, I am new to this group but looking forward to participating. Here's my story in a nutshell: I had a Realize band placed in February of 2009. My starting weight was 268. The band was fantastic and I lost weight steadily, with the exception of a few months when I realized how easy cookies were to eat. In December of 2010, I hit the 100 pounds lost mark, I also found out I was pregnant that same week. At about 4 weeks pregnant I had a really nasty 3 day stomach flu. A few days after recovering from that, I started throwing up again. I could keep food down for a few hours, but it was all coming back up. I lost another 15 pounds in 2 weeks. I thought it was …

HAd my first fill today. I have been doing great! After my fill today I have trouble with a lot of flem. I have thrown up both times I ate today Any suggestions? I don't think it's to tight drinking water went down ok.

I've had my lap-band for almost 7 years, and it's been a good tool for me. I've lost 100 pounds and kept it off. Recently I've been having a lot of trouble with pneumonia - I was hospitalized for a week and it's still lingering, and I'm a healthy 30 year old female. My doctor told me today that my band has slipped significantly and that it could be causing aspiration pneumonia. I'm in a challenging spot....do I move forward and have the band removed all together? I'm emotionally/physically/mentally 180 degrees from where I was 7 years ago when I had the band put in. I think I can maintain the healthy lifestyle I've kept for these years. But then I wonder…

I am real new to this site and in posting comments. I am a 56 year old gramma (they call me "Mimi"). I have decided to have a lap band and my first appointment with the surgeon is the 16th of this month. I have been to a seminar, researched this every which way I could and made my decision. I appreciate the comments from everyone even though at times it's made my head spin:). I look forward to this new season in my life. Happy a happy evening!!!:)

I was banded in June 2011. I lost weight right away and was on a good track. Then I lost my Dad, fell in to a depression and ate everything under the sun. I went to my surgeon to have a slight deflate. I think with stress, I was experiencing swelling and my band was really tight. Well, that was about a year ago. Now I am 20 pounds up and scared. I have had absolutely NO problems with my band. But I am in the wrong zone... I can eat anything and not even feel it. I look like I can eat everything also. I am making an appointment to start out fresh. I am not up to my original "before" weight, so that is one good thing. But I am embarrassed to go back. I need to, and I need s…

I'm having my first fill tomorrow. Kinda nervous. I'm more nervous of the weigh in. I started Zumba 2 weeks ago going 3 days a week. I hope the scale goes down. Wish me luck!

I was banded in February of 2013, I had great loss the first few months. Since then I've been to my surgeon every month for a fill or un-fill. I can't seem to find a green zone and I'm at a loss! What do I do? I haven't lost an ounce in months! In fact I've gained almost 10 pounds back!

I'm still here. I try to skim the boards every week or so. Still doing well and enjoying my band! How are YOU? Hugs, Christy

Does anybody have any advise on how to make it through in between fills? I was scheduled for my second fill tomorrow. I was suppose to have it a month ago but my son was in the hospital and wasn't able to do one then. I'm 13 weeks post surgery and so far I've lost 29 lbs. I'm very happy with my weight loss but for the past 3 weeks I've noticed a huge change in my band. I've been able to eat more and I'm hungry often. My surgeon said he expected me to be swollen for a while after surgery because I also had 2 hernia repairs with the band. Anyway, I just found out that my fill has been cancelled because my surgeon is changing surgery centers! It looks like I won't be getting…

Hello Band Buddies Well I’m two days late celebrating 8th Banniversary” (July 6, 2006) but I have something extra to Celebrate this year. I finally have my new left hip! The past few months for lack of a better word have been horrendous but if I had not been banded the situation would have been much worse because I would have turned to food to help “make me feel better and pick me up”. The hip surgery went very well when I finally had it done (there were complications when the surgery was first started and it had to be stopped and then restarted two days later.) I’m finally had it and I’m on the mend. I spend 10 days in hospital and 28 days in Rehab. As…

Have been banded for just over 3 months and have lost about 35 pounds. I am happy with my progress so far and I understand that my weight loss will be slow. I'm annoyed because my mom keeps telling people I have lost 45-50 pounds because she feels I should be losing weight faster. I keep reminding her that slow weight loss is long term healthy weight loss and I won't be skinny overnight. It's also annoying because when I tell people how much weight I have really lost it just doesn't seem as impressive. Sorry for the rant but it is just annoying!

I am will be done with my preop diet tomorrow night and I did not cheat one time! Proud of me! I almost snatched that taco right off my hubbies plate last night but talked myself down, thought about long term consequences! Victory over the taco! My surgery is Tuesday and I am so excited and nervous! Ready to get this show on the road! Thanks for all your messages on here I have been so inspired by you.

I was banded 7/11/13 and I have about 6cc's in my band. I think my problem is portion size. I can eat more than 1 cup of food at a time so today I started eating 1/2 of my food, letting the rest cool down if it was hot, and putting it in the freezer for another day. I noticed that I was not hungry after eating just 1/2 which tells me I have been listening to my head and not my stomach. I started exercising 3 months ago and I either ride a bike or do my elliptical machine at least 5 times a week. So...why do I get on the scale twice a day only to see that I lose 1 pound a week or maybe 2?!?! I'm obsessed with weighting myself and it's only adding to me feeling like more of…

Hi All! I went for a doctor visit today and was asked the usual questions by the RN; left shoulder pain, keeping food down, etc. I told her everything was fine but I then said that I have a little heart burn, not much and not often. She advised me to get the test where you drink that nasty drink (it taste better now than it did 3 years ago) and lets see if the band slipped. Thank goodness, the band did not slip (it looked fine), but she did a treatment of taking some fill out (5.0 down to 3.0) for 30 days, liquids for 14 days and then soft for 14 days, and do a test after 30 days to see if everything is ok and to see if it healed. She stated we got it in time. She explain…

I am 7 weeks post-op and just received my 2nd fill. A little nervous when it was time to get on the scale. In In the past I would be ashamed of how much I had gained. Today I was nervous of how much I had lost. My appt. went well today bp 115/75 and I was down 8 pounds. I was told to try to get at least 30mins of exercise a day. NP says it can be 30 mins, (2) 15 mins, or (3) 10 mins. I have a 10cc band.....1st fill was 2cc and today she added another 1.5cc making that a total of 3.5 cc in my band. How do you handle the doubting that you chose the right surgery? Oh yeah she told me to eat more im averaging about 500-600 daily, she wants me around 1000. Before my fill for t…

My doc said I would need to watch carbs. Then, when I read some recipes on here, people use low fat as well. So, is it to each his own, or are we supposed to avoid carbs and fat? Just would like everyones take on this

Mixed emotions to say the least. I feel like it's great because I've been at a stalemate, yet bad because for the longest time I was able to lose weight doing essentially nothing, bad because I can't eat and because I've been able to go so damn long without a fill :/ and good because this will help me to reach goal..I guess. I think my problem is that I felt I had a handle on my own weight loss. Like I was doing this on my own because I didn't need a fill and now I feel desperate. I feel like I'm failing my band.

Hey guys, I'm needing a recommendation on a good, affordable kitchen scale. Throw 'em at me!

Is it possible for your band to seem much tighter 5 months later from my last fill. I hope I did not do something to it but this week seems soooooo tight during the day ! I mean I am struggling to eat some chicken salad. I can feel it going down the band. ! Maybe I extra tight from being on vacation last week and it was stressful had 4 teens and 2 big dogs in one small house. Bit it was I the beach. Lol. But days latly seem to be rough untill like 6 pm. Nothinh comes back up at all. Just my nose starts to drop like half way through and then I know that a it. So please help My last fil was in feb.

Hello I just need to find a female lap band buddie who has already been post 6 months or more, and doing well. Someone to give me advise who's been there done that. I am 59 years old, married with 2 adult children, retired, and involved in the music business, and live in Orange County CA. If you would like to chat please post a reply. Thank You, Bajagal101.

So for the past month or so I have been so tight that I couldn't drink till noon, and after that could only eat mostly sliders. I finally saw my doctor yesterday and he removed 1cc from my band as I was obviously too tight. He said I even developed a mild stoma dilation due to being so tight. I felt better after an unfill and was able to eat some real food today...not quite 1 cup of grilled chicken salad (I measured it). Now I have this terrible left shoulder pain, which I have experienced a long time ago...usually due to drinking something carbonated or after having a bit too much to eat? Something about a vagus nerve, I believe, causing referred pain due to stomach …

I was banded on 4/18. Weighed 283 on the day of surgery. I lost 10 pounds the first week then virtually nothing until after my second fill. Today I'm down 30 pounds but not losing much at all. I've got 2ccs in my 4cc band, and in having trouble getting in to see my surgeon for what will be my 4th fill. I've had virtually no nutritional guidance from my surgeons office. I know I need to restrict my calories more. Those of you in the "green zone" , what is your goal for daily calorie consumption and do you feel deprived when you stick to that? With my band half-filled, shouldn't I be feeling more restriction? I was told that at optimal fill, I likely wouldn't be ab…

I am almost 1 1/2 post-op to the day. Over the entire time of having my band, especially the first year, was hell for me. I was one of those "exceptions" who woke up swollen every morning. If I took my meds as soon as I woke up, they would get stuck and cause a constant downward spiral. I went back and forth to the ER, getting the Fluid out, resting and hydrating, and then another fill. However, the fill would never be enough because my doctor was concerned due to all of the issues I kept having. Then some serious issues occurred.....I got into hard drinking and ended up going to AA meetings. Then in Feb., I was laid off from my job of 4 years. One month later I h…

Well I am Happy to report that I am feeling much better today then the last 3 days with my band ! I got this really really bad cold sore in my mouth and one in my mouth. My band has been so tigt and I am wondering if it was stress all the sudden. I just was able to eat about 2 ounces of chiken and some romane and it has all stayed down. I juts am having slight heart palpitations. But I at least know now that I did not slip. I was afraid for days that I slipped. I think I was sooooo stressed cause my mouth and the weather is god awlfully humid. So I thk I am stressed. No vomiting , caughing or anything other then some heart palpitations. Thank god

I am looking for those who have been banded in Austin. We can get together and support each other. Let me know you all are out there!!!

I I decided to make a chickpea salad tonight with tomatoes and red onion and peppers ! Well after maybe a 1/4 cup I was stuffed ! I guess the beans made me full as anything ! Been feeling a little tight latly ! But I have now really started eating more dense things instead of sliders and what a difference !

Just curious for you bandsters that were either too tight or had a slip ? Just curious what the skip times were ! I just have horrible gurgle and tons of burps latly. But nothinh comes up unless I try to eat fast then I feel as I am being chocked! And I seem to have a lot of salavating latly ! I may have irritated the area where the band is when on vacation.

I'm reading these replies and other multiple threads with similar themes and I'm experiencing such mixed emotions. I was banded in Sept of '10. Had back and left shoulder gas pains from day one with them coming & going commonly over the past 3+ years. After my second fill I started having more and more problems. After every attempt of a fill I would swell within couple hours and not be able to get liquids down, and end up right back in the office for a deflate. This repeated for a year. During this time I was never able to eat fruit, fresh or cooked vegetables, chicken breasts, or any healthy lean meat without all of those things instantly getting stuck. The only way…

Any banders in the spring area? Looking for a local support group finding new friends

http://abcnews.go.com/Entertainment/pawn-stars-corey-harrison-192-pound-weight-loss/story?id=24520924

Had my second fill today Fluid removed to confirm no loss than returned and 4 more cc's added I misunderstood the amount that was added on my first fill I thought it had been 5cc's but the Doctor said that he put in 5 then drew off to 2, that now explains why I was feeling no restriction, the doctor said that my progress since surgery has been excellent a total of 41# since surgery and 71# since being approved. I have been in a kind of a stall for the last 2 weeks 220# but up one day down the next day. I hope this fill will let me get below 200 I now have 6cc in a 11cc band. 747 heavy

I have had the hiccups for the past 12 hours, the last thing I ate was tuna fish. Today all I've had is a protein shake, and water. Also, I have diarrhea too... Any suggestions.. (I know gross right)

Hi all! Had my surgery a few years ago (October 2010). I was doing okay, no complications, losing some weight. But emotional I guess I wasn't quite ready. Found ways to "cheat", felt sorry for myself ... you know the story. Fast forward 4 years ... gain the weight back plus 20 pounds. But I'm ready this time ... I mean really ready. In those 4 year, I've gone through counseling to deal with my issues. I have finally started making decisions to care for myself, finally realized that I don't have to go through it alone. So armed with love for myself, support and a new outlook, I start all over tomorrow with the liquid diet. Next week I have an appointment for a …

Had an extra 1 mill fill today that's 6 in total. I've lost 33 per cent of excess weight but I've stalled. Surgeon is happy with progress but I'm impatient. Was banded April 15' so early days......

Am I the only one who has a difficult time deciding WHAT to eat since being banded? It's not such a big deal when I don't have very many options but if we're eating out somewhere that has several band friendly foods to choose from or even if I'm at home, I sometimes have a very difficult time deciding what I'm going to eat. It's worse if I'm really hungry because I want EVERYTHING but then, I know I'm not going to be able to eat very much of anything. So then I just have a hard time settling on one option. I guess the problem is that, in the past, I would've just eaten it all. I never had any self control when it came to food. Until now. And now my band tells me when I've…

I have had my band since 2009 and never had fill until two days ago. Only 2 cc was put in now my stomach feels just like I've been hit in the gut. Is this normal?

Question is oatmeal good for u everyday?

Hello everyone, It has been a long while since I have been here and things have changed alot. I got my band in July 2009 and I did lose 60 lbs in the beginning. However for the past ohh 4 yrs I want to say I have absolutly come to a stand still.. NOT gaining or losing.. This really stinks. I actually joined a gym about 14 months ago and I do go today 4-5 days a week. I love going to the gym but other then making me stronger and building my muscles I have not lost any inches nor weight!! I have had so many test done, thyroid is fine. I have gone through menopause, I have been on and off of hormone replacement, I do not sleep well and my life is full of major stres…

Hi, I'm day 10 post lap band surgery. I was told to take off my dressings today which I have done. However, I have steri-strips over each of the wounds. I'm sure I remember in my post anaesthetic state the surgeon saying he used dissolvable sutures! Do you think I should try taking the steri-strips off as well or leave them on until they fall off?

Hi everyone! I'm scheduled to have my lap band surgery Monday 7/14. I am now on the pre-op diet and am supposed to drink 4 protein shakes every day. I can't even drink 1! I get so sick! All I do is gag! I've tried my best to drink them and I just can't. I called my doctor and they suggested other brands etc. I've tried 4 different ones now and I hate them all. Anyone else have this problem???

I'm not complaining my only problem is I already have no restriction and I'm worried about advancing my food! I haven't so far but I can chug water like its nobodies business without any pain already.

In Hudson Florida

I have heard from a few very reliable sources that Yau never left Slimband. He was in the OR last Monday. They are not being truthful to his patents when they tell them he is no longer associated with Slimband. I wonder why?

I keep reading about people who've decreased their medications since surgery and weight loss.....I guess I'm the first to increase mine. My TSH came back quite high and I have to increase my thyroid medication. On the upside of this, this might explain my weight stall. I haven't really worried about it since I'm pretty much right at goal. But, I'm still logging in MFP and exercising and the weight is just kinda staying there. Guess I'll see. Kinda glad I'm finding this now, I have appt week after next with my surgeon and was going to talk about a possible topping off, this might change everything. As said, I'm not really worried about the wieght, but it would be ni…

So, I am finding it super hard now that it is summer and everything revolves around sitting in the sun with a cocktail. I am 26 and I love to mingle..... If anyone cares to know what I have been drinking it usually consists of Firefly's sweet tea vodka with Water and lemons.... And today I found a new flavor fav which was stoli blueberry vodka with water and I used half a packet of propel's sugar free raspberry lemonade and seriously it was great. I don't drink beer or soda, but when I do drink with my friends I try to stick to sugar free drinks w/ whatever vodka... (What do you drink?!?) I do find that I am slowly loosing weight, and I don't want to blame it on the boo…

I had my surgery seven years ago and for the past three years I developed major gi issues, every year I'm getting a colo and endo done, I have bad acid reflux I'm taking Zantac twice a day and tums, my stomach is sour, anything I eat or drink comes right out my rear end, I have no solid stool strictly watery I'm finding myself eating a lot and at times throwing up because I have thyroids I'm gaining weight, I'm in and out the hospital on iv for stomach pain they give me dilotting, my gi doctor took every test on me and everything is negative, I was thinking about removing the band and opting for the sleeve, i tried just liquids and that just sit on my chest even when flu…

Hello Canadian Band Buddies For those of you that have not heard CIBO Clinic in Toronto has filed for bankruptcy. I received the following email today from Dr. Chris Cobourn at Smartshape (formerly Surgical Weightloss Centre) and he has asked me to post this message. Tom, Toronto Banded July 6 06 Wt. Loss: 156 lbs Hi Tom: We had a meeting at the clinic today and we have come up with the following option for CIBO patients. We will offer them the opportunity to join our follow up program which includes: Initial assessment/consultation with Dr. Cobourn either in person or on the phone Counseling with our team of nurses, coaches and dietitians via email, …

I like to cruise, and I enjoy the dining room! Even after being banded I've been able to take 18 day cruises, and I've been able to enjoy the dining room despite my limited ability to intake food. Eating slowly, and avoiding the rolls, deserts, and other unneeded carbs had worked in the past... for example, we did an 18 day Panama Canal cruise on Holland America... now, if you cruise, and if you do Holland America, you KNOW what the dining rooms have to offer, LOL! While I did well and survived the 18 days with only a one or two pound gain (which was quickly lost) it soon dawned on me that I could have faced some serious problems if I had become stuck for an extende…

Hi, I just wanted to introduce myself and join the June group. I am 7 days post op and things are going good so far. I still have pain in my shoulders from the gas, but overall feeling ok. I am on full liquids and it's not really too bad. I get full easily enough. I do have to work on drinking more water, although I've been drinking sugar free iced tea. I totally miss my diet dr. pepper though. That's going to be a hard one for me, giving up soda. I have one more week until I can eat mushie food and can't wait to be able to actually chew on something. So anyways, hi! I hope to get to know you all so we can really support each other on this journey. I have a f…