LAP-BAND Surgery Forums

On my last visit with my surgeon, he told May that I may have a small leak. He didn't seem concerned about it and acted like it was normal. Even though i told him I'm gaining weight and hungry a lot. I am under the impression that if your band had a leak, if won't work properly. My band is allowing me to gain weight. Any suggestions what I should do? Has anyone had this problem? Please let me know your thoughts or experiences. I'm totally dissatisfied with my band right now.

Looking for a band buddy to possibly work out with and for general support. I had my surgery August 12 and I lost 12lbs the first week post op but gained 3 back :-\ I reside in North Las Vegas

I started my journey in December 2013, I received my approval phone call on Feb 6, 2014. I have set my date for March 26! I am very excited! Wasn't nervous at first but now that I know I can actually have the surgery, the butterflies are starting! Hope I can do this! Some people think the lapband are for cheaters that want an "easy" quick fix! But little do they know!! But I'm ready for the challenge! Looking forward to better health and finding cute clothes on the clearance rack! Good luck to all! (sorry title should be EXCITED!) couldn't figure out how to change!

Going next week but afraid of being too tight. Banded Dec 4 with 2 fills. Have never has any problems digesting food and don't want to start. Still confused when I will know the green zone. Advice?

Hi, I am interested in being a mentor for a newbie. I had lap band surgery Jan, 2002. I have maintained my weight loss for 10 years. I am a nurse and oversee support groups. I am good at keeping you positive and won't let you give up. Contact me if you are interested. Mona

Have a consultation in Dallas on Monday. Im excited but scared to death. I hear so many good things but the bad experiences I've read about have me doubting. I can think of a million questions, mainly about how it feels inside you...what does it mean when they say it feel 'tight'? Also can anyone give me an estimate on what it cost without insurance?

I'm impatiently awaiting my insurance approval, and in the meantime I've landed an interview for my dream job which means I may have a very small window of time to get the surgery with my current insurance. Is it unrealistic to expect to have the surgery on Thursday and return to my desk job on Monday? How many days did you take off work for the initial recovery?

I am just curious if anyone wants to chime in on this topic. Is there a correlation between WLS and Divorce?

Hi everyone my name is destiny and I am on here for a little information about when was everybody banded and how much have they lost since then?

Just got a fill today (I am about 7cc) and I feel bad when trying to drink my protein shake. Does your stomach swell after a fill? Should I give it a day and see how I feel tomorrow?

Yesterday I made the decision to have the procedure. My husband has been involved with the research and now has concerns. He thinks it is going to be hard for me to keep up with all the things I do and having such major restrictions on my diet. A few years ago I lost a significant amount of weight through diet and exercise and believes I can do it again without the band. He's supportive but wants to make sure this is the right step for me. He suggested I start my diet and exercise first then if having problems we can revisit the idea of having the band. One major thing is I take meds and I have to continue taking no matter what. Are taking meds a difficult process? Anyone…

I can't get used to this new site. I was pretty familar with lapbandtalk.com. This site has been difficult to navigate and find forums. Can someone please tell me where I can find the exercise forum? Or does it not exist anymore? Thanks!

Hi I am considering Dr. Jawad for my LapBand surgeon. I'm wondering if anyone has used his services & can give me a heads up of what to expect from his program? I'm curious of how his process works (preop diet, insurance issues, wait periods, etc)? Any/all info will help! I'm scheduled for a seminar but the information given at seminars usually differs from actual experiences. If you have had LapBand surgery at Orlando Regional Medical Center I'd like to hear from you as well! Thanks in advance!

What is it that makes you possibly lose hair? Is it the lack of Protein or the lack of Vitamins? I'm 3 months post op and i feel like my hair is falling out. Thoughts? Thank you....

Just trying to start approval process with Aetna. Can anyone recommend a primary care physician with experience in gaining approval (someone who understands the process and is able to provide necessary documentation). Thanks in advance!

Help! I'm a nurse and I am starting a new job and had to get a tdap vaccine yesterday afternoon. Starting this morning everything I eat gets stuck! I've had my band three months and have never been stuck until today. Anybody ever hear of a relationship between vaccines and swelling causing this? If it keeps happening I'm calling my doc!

I usually have no problems with swilling pills, but today I swallowed several together and one got stuck. It felt like it was right below my throat and back near my neck!!! The stuck feeling has lasted all day! I took the pill at about 7:30 this morning. I have drunk liquids and eaten solids with no trouble but I still have a chocking feeling at times! Any suggestions?

I've had the lap band, it was a success for me. I know all the good and been through all the bad. I would love to mentor someone and guide them through their journey to a new life. I can help with meals, exercise, support, and encouragement!

Have a question is it bad to do a cleaner with the band. I feel I am going off the path and want to cleans my body and start fresh. Any input please thank you

Guessing not too many people like to talk about this, but I figure if I am honest, perhaps I'll get some support for starting over. Sometimes life can get the best of you. Lack of a support group has been a problem for me. Nothing in my area so I am trying to start one myself. Also, I retired from my job. I'm 62 and could have kept working but my husband and I have been able to get by ok this first 3 months of retirement. I am finally not tired all the time and have more time to focus on taking care of myself. This has been a huge challenge to refocus on me. I have spent 20+ years working long days and taking care of everyone. Now I am going to try to learn how t…

Hi Ladies! Just thought I'd put a message out there. How is everyone's journey so far? My surgery is Thursday and I'm in pre- op diet hell :-)

Hi getting banded 22nd April 14 looking for friends and buddies to share my journey with.

​hello I'm from Houston Texas and wondering if any of you have went through True Results as a self pay. I am scheduled for surgery on 11/7 and have a few questions. I am going with doctor Reilly, I hear great things about him but have any of you had any personal experiences with him as your doctor? My insurance will not cover the procedure so I am putting about $5000 down and financing the rest, the total cost is $9,888. Since I am self pay will I have to pay for each fill and if so how much at true results? Also, I have heard that Dr Spiegel does the sleeve surgery, does anyone in Houston know how much that procedure is and if he finances? I know this is alot b…

I've asked my surgeon this question but he is out of the country and his secretary is not answering...so I'm putting it to you all in the meantime... I've been on a work stop for 2 weeks due to protruding disks in my lower back. Because bandsters can't take high doses of anti-inflammatories, my GP has been trying everything else to get my pain level down. I've done: Advil over a period of three days (now my band is super tight due to the stomach swelling effects, but that's OK; it will go down); high doses of Tylenol with Codeine, Valium, daily massage by a physio therapist who comes to my home, and bed rest. I finally was able to get out to get a scan which showed…

Today I am. 1 week post surgery. I can't tell where the port on my LB is, but I feel better today. My Dr told me to start the next phase of the diet over the weekend. I am kind of confused about it . Do I just blend everything? HELP

Have been doing a lot of research about lap bands and I just wanted to know what is the main different from the lap band and the realize band...

I am pretty sure something is not right, and I have an appointment with my doctor on Monday morning. But I was just wondering what it could be since I couldn't find anything concrete when I looked up my symptoms. I'm kinda freaking out and having to wait the whole weekend is making it even worse. I can't eat anything . Even sliders feel stuck....takes me an hour to eat 1/2 cup of soup and it feels like I have to burp all the time. I can't even drink coffee till about 11am...it comes back up. I have a sore throat too, but not sure if it's related since I've had a bad cold for the past 3-4 wks, which turned into a sinus infection. I have not had a fill since Septembe…

I know I asked this same question a year ago. But things might of changed. I like hearing other people's lapband stories. I'm curious to know if you know of any men that are documenting their journey on youtube.

I just had a baby 7 weeks ago my doctor removed all of my fluid completely because I've been having indigestion problems. I just got checked a week ago and thankfully the band is not slipped. However, I've been unable to eat solid foods and today I can't even keep any fluids down. Has this happened to anyone? I know that I will have to wait until next Monday to go see my doctor again but I'm trying to avoid another surgery by finding out more information on my issue.

Hi, I had my surgery in august so I am about 7 months in and have only lost about 35 lbs. I lost 10 of those on the pre-op diet. I am filled at 5.2 I believe. I get sick a lot no matter what I eat. I can eat something and be fine and the next day eat the exact same thing and it gets stuck. Also, when I do get sick because i feel my food is stuck most of what comes up isn't even food its flem. Does that happen to anyone else? I haven't lost much weight in a while no matter how good I eat. I don't know what to do. Hoping everything is ok with band and that it hasn't stopped working. I know Im eating bigger portions then I should. I don't get that same full feeling I did whe…

I'd like to share a little bit of advice to my long-time single bandsters: don't be in such a hurry to be in a relationship that you settle for the first person that shows you the attention you've been looking for. I've learned that my confidence, appearance, judgement and outlook on life changes a little bit with each passing day with my new body. Enjoy the compliments, flattery and going out on dates but don't be in a hurry to be tied down. Your dance card is going to start filling up quickly, you have choices so make them wisely when it comes to choosing someone to share your future with.

Hi Everyone, I'm starting to feel frustrated and disheartened. In 8 months I've lost 21kg (46 pounds) but have hit a massive plateau. 1kg lost since December. It's gotten to the point that I'm seeing the Dr on Monday but I don't want to, but previously I've been excited. I've upped my exercise and even gone back on those awful shakes for Breakfast and Lunch and meat and veg for dinner. But nothing is moving. Any advice would be great!

Hi to all Arizona Bandsters. I'm in Yuma and I'm looking for other bandsters in my area. :scared2: I would love to meet, and talk to others here, maybe even get together for some exercise or just coffee if you prefer. I have been banded for 10 months, I'm 16 pounds from my first goal. I will reassess at that goal and decide if I need to lose more or stay at that weight. I'm in my 50s so I'm just not sure how I will look. I haven't been this weight since 1984. :wink2: I would love to meet my fellow bandsters to mentor if you need, or just chat if you do not. I've had a great success with my band. I'm so glad I had the surgery, my life has changed so muc…

I am almost 5 years out, but I have had so many ups and down. Trying to stay positive in spite of the odds against me. Do you think this band still works? Has anyone fell off after so long?

I was meant to have my surgery on 1/3/2012. However, due to an ins glitch, it was pushed to the middle to the end of Jan. No big deal. I am on my own pre-op diet for now and will follow my surgeons diet two weeks before the surgery. In the past two weeks, I have been hovering between 950-1250 cal a day and have gone from 219 to 211 since Dec 8, 2011. I am happy with my progress thus far. If I can come down another 5 lbs before surgery, I think that's perfect. It's funny, I have been getting mixed reviews from people regarding the surgery. I work in a medical school and I am surrounded by physicians all day long. Some of them think i am too thin and others who rea…

Enjoy... This list is filled with sizeable options enjoyable enough to devour guilt-free without any diet damage. And while most of these Snacks pack a nutritious punch, a few are clearly set out to satisfy that sweet tooth (see #23!). But hey, at 100 calories or less, it’s worth the splurge. 1. Mini PB&F: One fig Newton with 1 teaspoon Peanut Butter. 2. chocolate Banana: Half a frozen banana dipped in two squares of melted dark chocolate. 3. Frozen grapes (any color): 1 cup (about 28 grapes), stuck in the freezer for 2+ hours. 4. Honeyed Yogurt: ½ cup nonfat Greek yogurt with a dash of cinnamon and 1 teaspoon honey. 5. Spiced Orange: One orange— about the si…

Hi, after 2 years having the band I find myself not dropping the weight as fast. my husband has asked to seperate, so i am starting fresh in life. I want to find new friends who have the band that can relate what I am going threw. looking for male or female 25-38 years old, within a 20 mins of clifton nj.

Am a coffee drinker. I am scheduled for lap band surgery on Wednesday . Has anyone

so I have noticed lately in the last week that i can no longer do scrambled eggs i can do fried eggs but no scrambled . Also i have noticed also that after 3 or 4 btes sometimes i ma really full and then i start to yawn . It is the strangest thing . and my nose starts to drip am i going crazy ? Nothing comes back up ever just if i eat too fast now since my last fill i burp. I have been banded for 4 years and they gave me a fill 3 weeks ago . now I defanity have restriction . How do you know if you are too tight . I have no reflux and night and nothing comes back up just have to eat and chew chew chew now more then before . Has anyone ever had the yawing etc before

Anyone using Slim Time? - I'm just a week post surgery and I ran out and re-ordered. My shipment arrived yesterday and there are two pages of information on their reformulation Less "enhances nutrition concentration" (code for 'smaller size') down 7 grams Less calories - from 230 down to 200 Less fat content - less 2 grams Less carbohydrates - down a whopping 17 grams Gluten Free and Lactose free I cannot taste any difference

I Have been reading post here for awhile now & have found everybody very informative. I have been wondering about oysters (not sure why) has anybody tried them, what was the result? Thanks

I had my lap band surgery about 10 months ago. I live in Alaska and my surgeon is a few thousand miles away. I have been getting my fills from my Dr. So far I am at 7 ccs in a 14 cc band. The only time I have felt restriction was right after surgery. And when I took to big of a bite of chicken and didn't chew good enough. The surgeon left 5 cts in my band during surgery. I was having a hard time swallow sips of water. I went back one day after my surgery and the nurse took all 5 ccs out. I was able to tell the difference right away as I was able to swallow water and my chest isn't hurt when I took deep breaths. Three days after my surgery I returned home. About a month a…

Hi y'all! So I made my favorite meal tonight and a few interesting things happened so I thought I'd share. First of all, cooking, for me, is a labor of love - I love food, I like to experience it and I find cooking gives me a sense of comfort, especially now that I am very limited in what I eat and how much I eat. Some might think that it's torture - kind of like an alcoholic around a pitcher of margaritas, but for me I'm coming to terms with the fact that I can still cook and make fantastic food - I just will only eat and taste a little bit - as much as my band will tolerate and lately it's not much - thank goodness, since that's the reason I got the band to begin …

Anyone here from Erie, Pennsylvania? Could really use some buddies for support and/or working out.

My tidbit of advice....fake it til you make it. The lapband is not a magic bullet. Your band takes time and adjustment and work. You probably will not be in the green zone a month or even 2 months after surgery. So how do you get on track and start losing BEFORE the green zone? How is it different than any other 'diet' you have ever tried? My take? Help is coming! There is a light at the end of the tunnel. Focus on that light. It won't always be this hard, because as I said 'help is coming!' Pretend you have restriction. Follow the rules. Eat Protein. Eat less. Drink, drink, drink when you are supposed to/allowed to. Still hungry after you eat? Wait an hour an…

Let me know or contact the Fatkings. Theyre looking to do a panel of lesbian wls Patients on an upcoming show.

I know I'm losing weight and I am better off but I'm so impatient for the weight to go! Even worse, I was banded in 2009 and had no aftercare until I moved back home and found a new surgeon about 3 months ago. I restarted at my preband weight. I have lost 30 pounds but I really thought I would lose faster with finally getting my fills. I have had this dormant band for so long I just wanted it to work like magic instead of working out 5 days a week and skipping sweets. I know its illogical and I REALLY understand how much work weight loss is even with the band now, but I am so frustrated. Just venting really. Blah.

Well, I've started a post here quite a few times only to get a few paragraphs in, tell myself "who cares" and log off without posting anything. The night before last I got a call from the Bariatric Clinic where I had my lap band done and they were calling to remind me to make my three year follow up visit appointment. Three years. Has it been three years? And where am I at? I'm heavier today than I was the day of surgery. To say I'm discouraged is the understatement of the century. I was 320 pounds when approved for surgery. I lost 35 pounds before surgery on Medifast because I needed to shrink my liver, per doctor's orders. I am now at 298. The lowest weight …

How do you make yours? I want to combine my coffee and morning shake into one? Should I just add a scoop of Protein to my coffee with a little ice in the blender? I know some people use instant coffee? I have a kuerig.

Ok so I am not sure if this is normal or not but for awhile now I been noticing how some liquids go down easy like Water and tea while others like milk and red juices do not go down. At first they were fine but now I cant drink them. Has anyone else had this problem?