carol285

#5 #6 & #8 should all be happening for you already!! Clearly you are a new person already, don't doubt that, which leads me to #5 & #6. I have been on the weight loss journey my entire adult life (I'm less then a month away from turning 49), only the last 3 years of which were Lapband related. Anyway I have come to some very important realizations along the way. No one will be more confident when at goal weight unless they find things to build their confidence along the way. I don't even know you but I can tell you that you should be confident for the reason you have hopes & dreams for your future (weight related or not). Even better you had the courage to come here & post them. Way to go, that is awesome & inspiring!!!! Furthermore no one smiles like you are in your profile picture unless they believe in themselves....see confidence!! Now get away from your laptop & live the life you were meant to lol :)

I did all the pre op tests needed during the 6 month supervised diet with my Primary Care Doctor. I finished all that within 4 months they submitted all & I was approved!! So you never know

So let's recap....You lost 55lbs in 3-4 months give or take & you have now been away from your doctor longer then you were with him & your weight has held steady during this time.......on what planet is that a failing????? I don't know about everyone else here but prior to banding I had never maintained the same weight for a year, it was always gaining or losing not maintaining. Even if your doctor is wrong or horrible (not saying he is or isn't) the band IS doing something. Yes, it may not be working to it's max potential if you are not filled enough but it clearly hasn't been useless. So find a different doctor if you don't feel you can face your old one, not I didn't call him your current doctor because he can't be considered current if you haven't seen him in over a year. None of this meant to hurt you & it can be directed to many many posters here because after reading posts for 2 years now I have come to realize many people who already have the band do not really get what the band can & can't do. Worse, they lie to their doctor about how much the can eat & their hunger levels to get filled to the point that the band is a strangulation device since that is the quickest way to weight loss. I will be banded 2 years on October 25th and have lost almost 90lbs, which is slower then some & faster then others. I have spent 2 approx 4 month stretches during these almost 2 years where my weight stayed the same. Being 100% honest I can say it was because I didn't do the level of work I needed to keep losing. I ate/drank to many things that just slide on through our little band buddy. Told my doctor flat out didn't try to pretend otherwise. Then got my S#@t back together and started going down again. Pick yourself up, dust yourself off and start all over again & good luck :)

Long story short, boys can suck!!! You need to heal now so don't bottle up your feelings, vent to friends who have siblings and can understand the dynamics involved.

31% and still going

At GNC you can buy just 1 of each flavor in their refrigerator section, or by 4 pack or case. I started out with 1 of each flavor & quickly went back for more. Of course like someone else stated Protein shake tasted are very person specific! Good luck & let me know what you think of them Oh & a GNC bonus, if you sign up for their free discount card you get a 10% or 20% discount(I forget which sorry) the first week of every month!

I used the EAS Carb Advantage also, they sell it in many place including BJ's. However, I have since become addicted to GNC Total Lean ready to drink shakes, they are awesome! They come in vanilla, chocolate & strawberry. The strawberry tastes just like strawberry nestle quick, talk about a flashback to childhood lol!!

The diets Doctors use varies greatly! For instance I had no pre op diet except only clear liquids for 24hrs prior to surgery with nothing from midnight the night before. As for post op, I was not discharged from the hospital until I ate a small meal of mushy foods, was then on mushies for a month, then onto solids. My doctor also considered soft moist ground meats as part of the mushy phase, meatballs without breadcrumb fillers in sauce was a fave. With these small limitation I had a much easier time then most people I am sure. I have to wonder why the major differences? Maybe I have you lose faster with the stricter requirements but I have had no health issues with the band and am currently hovering jut under a 90lb loss.

I don't have a problem with liquids or soft food during my period, but must be careful with solids. I have bought a lot of high protein yogurts/puddings & shakes from the health food store for these occassions. Your daughter may just be very irratated now and may very well need a small unfill If not next month maybe she can stick to soft foods or liquids during her cycle.

I am in my later 40's so my period does what the hell it wants already so not sure if the band contributes! However, I can say now that my fill level is higher I can't eat as much during my period, just always feel a bit fuller during it.

Even with the band & especially as a women our weight rarely declines or even stays the same on a daily basis so don't beat yourself up trying to attain that! Everything and everything effects our daily weight, from the time of month, to if we ate a bit saltier food then usual, to not drinking as much fluids. You are doing great so try not to stress yourself while your tummy heals from it's trauma!

Once you get past the liquid phase things will go much easier I think!! I am about 20 months out & I won't lie to you by saying I NEVER emotionally eat anymore BUT the band keeps it down to just a few bites. I can eat 1 or 2 bites of any food so that is what I focus on if it is an emotional or pure taste need I am filling. Of course with the band there are certain foods that are not user friendly but again taking 1 small taste usually works. Plus I have truly found there are so many wonderful things I can eat that after some time you no longer focus on what you can't eat.

When I went back to work full time in January it turned out I would have a very early lunch hour so I have a protein shake every day either for Breakfast or Lunch. The meal are too close together for me to want real food for both but I also need my protein to keep me going until dinner time. I asked my doc & he was fine with it as long as I wasn't drinking them because I COULDN'T eat solids.

After being away for 11 years I found it today!!! Thrilled is not a big enough word to describe how I feel

You will find that there are many many different post op food protocols. For instance, I was not allowed to leave hospital day after surgery until I consumed a little tuna salad & cranberry sauce. I was on soft/mushy food immediately & 4 weeks post op. On my list of mushy was ground beef in either beef broth or red sauce, even baked potato was OK as long as I mashed it with my fork. So as long as your doc is OK with the types of food you consumed I would concentrate more on keeping the quantity under control. As for the random post about the Mexican Surgeon it was posted as an original topic a day or so ago & got numerous posts on it, including one from myself. I have no idea why it was posted here other then to get further attention. I am sorry if that sounds harsh but something just seems funky about it now that I see it tacked randomly on someone else's question/post.

I have never heard of this doctor BUT if what you are saying about your condition is true the LAST thing I would want is him to care for me!!! Why haven't you sought a 2nd 3rd 4th opinion from another Lap Band doctor? No medical problem is treated in isolation, with all those issues you list why hasn't the fact that you have a lapband been looked into. Also what has been your follow up care? Have you seen the surgeon at all since he operated? After all you don't get the band placed & then go off to loose all your weight with no follow up appointments. Surely you had to have known this??

LOL, yeah Marci, my doctor has you on mushies starting the day after surgery, then for the next month, with solids starting 4 weeks post op.

Frankly I am shocked your insurance paid a much as they did, that seems incredible to me! My surgeon billed around the $20K mark and received about 65% from insurance but I wasn't responsible for any of the difference.

I happen to totally agree with the above post but figured I may not know some particulars about your surgery LOL!!

I have never heard of 3 years of weigh ins & I have HIP/Emblem Health in New York. They did require 6 months of weigh in but it turned into only 4 months when they approved me. They did look at my medical history/files and clearly saw I was overweight my entire adult life so I don't know if that is what they mean for you.

I wouldn't panic as most doctors bill more then insurance companies pay without expecting full payment. Kind of the price for accepting insurance. Of course call doctor on Monday but try not to stress until then!

I had mine the morning after surgery before they discharged me from the hospital. The liquid tasted a bit foal after nothing except ice chips for 12-15 hours but not dreadful. Then test was quick and easy as described above. After mine they sent me back to my room to eat a bit of tuna salad & cranberry sauce then they promptly discharged me

I was in almost your exact position!!! I did 6 months post op no sweat, lost almost 65lbs, then life's complications got me off track. About 2 months prior to my surgery my husband had a massive heart attack followed by 3 heart surgeries & 10 days in a coma. Ironically he was the thin & healthy one! Oh & we also have a teenage son with Autism. Anyway, hubby went back to work but it became clear he needed to apply for medical retirement, which was a long stressful & financially draining thing so I had to get a full time job to supplement. Yes, all these are excuses I let get in my way but we wouldn't be in need of weight loss surgery if food wasn't our comfort of choice. Anyway for the next 9 months I was up/down 20lbs of what I had lost. I couldn't see the doc for 4 months because of insurance issues but in February all was straightened out with that & I decided enough wallowing had happened. I had long chat with doc & told him how much I could still physically eat & he agreed I needed an adjustment big time. That was on February 22, I went for a follow up yesterday & 12lbs are gone!! I am now up to losing 73.5lbs and yes I am bummed I wasted 9 months of weight loss time but the rational side of me says so what. After all I lived 40+ years as a fat person so if it takes me 3 years instead of 2 to become a healthy normal weight person so be it. The way I see it now is everyday is a new chance to get things right PS I agree your Doctor should be more nurturing. I don't mean lie to you that all is well but a little support goes a long way!

Let me say I completely respect peoples decision to keep the surgery a secret even though I don't get it myself. Of all the comments I am more intrigues me is Jess55 who stated she has hardly any fill & doesn't want any! I realize there is a very small percentage of Lap Band patients who never need a fill & I also realize there are Lap Band patients who take it to the opposite extreme and turn it into a strangulation device. However, I hope you know that you may in fact need fills along your journey and they are not something to be viewed negatively.