melzie_99

I will offer my honest band experience, both good and bad. Have I had complications? Yes. Do I regret getting the band? Absolutely not. Here's a little back story...
I was banded Jan 2011; highest weight was 284, lowest since being banded 165. My weight was in the 270's when I started this journey, so I can safely say I have lost about 110lbs. My normal weight is around 170-175, though I am up to about 177 due to being 5 1/2 months pregnant. While I will say the band is responsible for about 75-85% of my weight loss, I will honest and admit that I used Weight Watchers to help shed the last 20 or so because I needed the accountability. I unfortunately have been someone who has rarely if ever felt satisfied eating just 1c of food as suggested, but getting another fill would be too much for me. I currently have somewhere between 6-7cc's of Fluid in my band.
Like Megan mentioned, reflux and vomiting are possible, even with the new bands. I actually got aspiration pneumonia as I would wake up vomiting and would then hyperventilate because I have a very sensitive gag reflex; the band only exacerbated this. It was to the point that I would wake up vomiting even sitting straight up sometimes, not just lying down. To this day I am aware that I cannot go to sleep within 2 hours of eating or drinking or risk having this happen. Another thing Megan mentioned was vomiting and having food from several previous hours come up; I have no idea how or why this happens but this has occurred to me. I have seen food regurgitated that I hadn't eat in 10+ hours, so perhaps my pouch doesn't empty properly...I have no clue.
That being said, I do not regret my decision. I am healthier than I have been in about 14+ years, and I know I have the band to thank for that. Being banded helped me not only physically but also emotionally, as it forced me to find positive ways to deal with my problems instead of using food as a crutch. I feel so much more confident and believe I am finally able to be that person that was hiding under all those pounds. I can't tell you what your experience will be, I can only share mine. I accept the responsibility of knowing some of my issues were probably caused by the fact that I have not followed the 'lifestyle' to the letter...had I who knows if I would have had these things happen. What I do know is that, like I said, I am grateful for what the band has done for me and should complications continue then I will take the necessary steps, but I will not badmouth the band because at the end of the day I made the decision that was the best for me at the time.

I got my band in Jan 2011 and am currently 24w pregnant with my first. Surgeon asked me to wait at least 18 months before trying to get pregnant, which I did. Have had no Fluid removed so still somewhere between 6-7cc's in the band. I've noticed my appetite has diminished these past few weeks, almost like it was when I first got the band, so I suspect my growing belly might be affecting things a bit. Otherwise my only concern/complain is that my port is beginning to protrude horribly and feels like it's trying to flip when I lie down, though this was a problem before I got pregnant due to weight loss. I've only gained about 5lbs, and my OB is well aware of the band and has no problems or concerns about it. ETA: Oh, and I'll be 32 next month.

Wonderful responses from catfish and the others. I think the emotional eating component is the hardest thing to deal with as far as the band is concerned. Because you are physically unable to eat away your emotions you're forced to face a lot of demons, and it's HARD. The beauty of it all though is that as you grow into a new person physically you will also be growing emotionally, and it's a wonderful thing. I'm 2.5 years out and I still struggle sometimes with that urge to eat away my feelings but have been able to learn so much about myself because I've finally had to confront the things in my life that were keeping me overweight. This is a lifelong journey and we all stumble along the way. Congratulate yourself on taking the first step, and remember it DOES get better!

Wonderful responses from catfish and the others. I think the emotional eating component is the hardest thing to deal with as far as the band is concerned. Because you are physically unable to eat away your emotions you're forced to face a lot of demons, and it's HARD. The beauty of it all though is that as you grow into a new person physically you will also be growing emotionally, and it's a wonderful thing. I'm 2.5 years out and I still struggle sometimes with that urge to eat away my feelings but have been able to learn so much about myself because I've finally had to confront the things in my life that were keeping me overweight. This is a lifelong journey and we all stumble along the way. Congratulate yourself on taking the first step, and remember it DOES get better!

Wonderful responses from catfish and the others. I think the emotional eating component is the hardest thing to deal with as far as the band is concerned. Because you are physically unable to eat away your emotions you're forced to face a lot of demons, and it's HARD. The beauty of it all though is that as you grow into a new person physically you will also be growing emotionally, and it's a wonderful thing. I'm 2.5 years out and I still struggle sometimes with that urge to eat away my feelings but have been able to learn so much about myself because I've finally had to confront the things in my life that were keeping me overweight. This is a lifelong journey and we all stumble along the way. Congratulate yourself on taking the first step, and remember it DOES get better!

Wonderful responses from catfish and the others. I think the emotional eating component is the hardest thing to deal with as far as the band is concerned. Because you are physically unable to eat away your emotions you're forced to face a lot of demons, and it's HARD. The beauty of it all though is that as you grow into a new person physically you will also be growing emotionally, and it's a wonderful thing. I'm 2.5 years out and I still struggle sometimes with that urge to eat away my feelings but have been able to learn so much about myself because I've finally had to confront the things in my life that were keeping me overweight. This is a lifelong journey and we all stumble along the way. Congratulate yourself on taking the first step, and remember it DOES get better!

Wonderful responses from catfish and the others. I think the emotional eating component is the hardest thing to deal with as far as the band is concerned. Because you are physically unable to eat away your emotions you're forced to face a lot of demons, and it's HARD. The beauty of it all though is that as you grow into a new person physically you will also be growing emotionally, and it's a wonderful thing. I'm 2.5 years out and I still struggle sometimes with that urge to eat away my feelings but have been able to learn so much about myself because I've finally had to confront the things in my life that were keeping me overweight. This is a lifelong journey and we all stumble along the way. Congratulate yourself on taking the first step, and remember it DOES get better!

I'm with Catfish on all counts. Please do NOT beat yourself up for this. None of us are perfect! Pick yourself up, dust yourself off.....and move on.
As far as your "mental state healing about food", I'm not clear on what you're thinking about that. If you're thinking that the surgery will heal your relationship with food, and your emotional compulsion to eat, it won't. That is the most difficult part about WLS; it does nothing to your brain. We all have to work on our issues with food. The band helps a great deal with hunger, but it does nothing on our brain. Band or no band, there is a lot of work to do in our relationship with food.
Please......stop beating yourself up. It will do you more harm than good.
Good luck

How did you guys find out you had scar tissue? About a year or so ago I had such bad reflux I ended up getting aspiration pneumonia because I would wake up vomiting on a regular basis and would then hyper-ventilate...it got bad enough that this would happen even if I dozed off sitting up, not just lying down. They did a slight unfill but I'm back to I think about 6 cc's and can't have anything to eat/drink at least an hour before sleeping or risk the reflux. That being said, I haven't had any x-rays of my band since my original swallow test so just curious what made your doctors check for scar tissue...

I will be honest with you: I have been banded since Jan 2011 and I STILL struggle with my diet. I would have to say that after about 4 months out I have almost always been able to eat at least a cup or more of food at a sitting and not feel stuffed, and I have I think 6-7cc's in a 10cc band. I started my journey at around 275 (highest weight 284); I got down to my goal of 165 but am usually somewhere between 170 and 175 (pregnant at the moment so I'm up to about 177).
That being said, I think you already identified your problem: you stopped tracking. I personally ended up having to do Weight Watchers to lose my last 30 or so pounds because I needed the accountability, and it did the trick. Some will undoubtedly argue with me on this, but I don't think it's realistic to expect an adult to eat half a cup of food for the rest of their life and be healthy and satisfied. That being said, I think one of the biggest mistakes we can make with the band is not listening to our bodies; there have been way more occasions than I'd like to admit that I got stuck or ended up in pain because I took too big of a bite or kept eating even though I was satiated. Emotional eating was a hard habit to break and I still have moments where I want to cram my face, but have had enough negative experiences to know better now.
Remind yourself why you chose this journey in the first place, and don't be so hard on yourself when you have slip-ups; it happens to us all. Use the resources available to you, whether it be your doctor, support groups, or even posting on here. There are days when I curse my band, but I look back on the "life" I used to have and I thank God I had the opportunity to get the help I needed. Just remember to take it one day at a time. Here is a link to a page I have used when I feel like I have 'strayed' from the path (don't always do the full 5 days but 2-3 is usually enough to get the ball rolling)- http://www.5daypouchtest.com/plan/theplan.html . I wish you well and please continue to check in so we can see how things are going!

I haven't been on this site in forever, so it's nice to be posting again. A little back story: I was banded in Jan 2011; starting weight for this journey was 278 and my lowest weight so far has been 165 (my goal; lasted about a day...lol). I'm normally somewhere in the 170-175 range and I'm happy with that. At any rate, I'm currently 5 months pregnant with my first child and just wanted to reconnect with others having band babies. I have been very fortunate that I have had minimal morning sickness and though my appetite was voracious during the 1st trimester I didn't really gain any weight. I was about 172 when I got pregnant and am 176 as of this morning so weight gain has been minimal, though it fluctuates depending on my food/fluid intake.
SOO...on to the questions: how much weight did your OB's tell you was okay to gain? Because of my weight history my OB said he would love it if I stayed within the 10lb range though 20-25 would be acceptable for someone my size. If things continue the way they are currently that shouldn't be a problem, but I have to confess I have a history of being a little scale obsessed so it worries me a bit. Other than my belly and a slightly bigger chest I look pretty much the same thank God, so like I said I feel very fortunate that things are going so well thus far.
Port: *sigh* I have a love hate relationship with my port. Before I got pregnant I spoke to my surgeon concerning my port; it's not very noticeable when I'm standing but it protruded horribly when I would lie down, especially if I was a bit bloated. He told me my protruding was minimal and that it was something he would revisit after I had a baby but to leave it alone for now. Fast forward about 8 months and it now seems as though my port actually tries to flip when I lie down due to my growing belly; it's not horribly uncomfortable but it looks and feels awful to the touch. For those of you who are further along or have already have babies, should I just expect this to get worse? I know my port is stitched to my muscles, but I have this awful fear it's going to tear and I just moved to a new area so I don't even know where the nearest gastric surgeon is located.
Finally: appetite. I have not had any Fluid removed or added to my band in probably about a year and a half; I think I have somewhere between 6-7cc's in a 10cc band. Like I mentioned earlier I ate like a cow first trimester but now there are days where I have to force myself to eat and after about 3 bites I already feel myself getting full. I'm having a hard time getting enough fluids as well . I'm not feeling sick or anything and baby seems to be doing okay, but has anyone experienced this and had issues arise later on down the road? I've never been at a place expect for right after a fill where I have been able to eat the suggest 1/2-1 c of food and feel full; I'm curious to try one of those pouch test diets to see if I stretched it or something but I know now is not a good time for that. Did any of you ladies have trouble eating while pregnant, and did you OB's express any concerns about your caloric intake? How will you know if you're not getting enough, or will that fact that most of us probably started a bit overweight be enough to buffer any possible nutritional concerns for the baby?
Sorry for such a long post, but I look forward to hearing what others have to say. Thanks in advance!

I've gotten mixed messages on this one; I guess it depends on your starting weight. If you've lost most of your band weight then they'd probably tell you no, but I've known women who got pregnant like 2 months after getting banded and their doctors were okay with them losing weight because they had a 'buffer' to work with. I know my doctor told me to wait at least 18 months after surgery to try and get pregnant (it was a little over 2 years since surgery for me) so I don't think he'd be thrilled if I was still losing weight while I was pregnant.

I still struggle with this one. I have been banded for almost a year and a half now and have lost a good chunk of weight (over 70lbs). Because of all the blood, sweat, and tears (literally) that have come with this journey, I am proud of what I have managed to accomplish. I have told a few select people about the surgery, and while most of the responses have been positive or neutral, I have met a few people who decided to give me the whole "you could've done it without surgery if you tried harder" speech. It makes me feel bad when I see others who have lost just as much weight if not more than me without surgical intervention, but I feel I made the best decision for me. That being said, I have chosen to pick and chose the people I share my story with.

I still struggle with this one. I have been banded for almost a year and a half now and have lost a good chunk of weight (over 70lbs). Because of all the blood, sweat, and tears (literally) that have come with this journey, I am proud of what I have managed to accomplish. I have told a few select people about the surgery, and while most of the responses have been positive or neutral, I have met a few people who decided to give me the whole "you could've done it without surgery if you tried harder" speech. It makes me feel bad when I see others who have lost just as much weight if not more than me without surgical intervention, but I feel I made the best decision for me. That being said, I have chosen to pick and chose the people I share my story with.

I still struggle with this one. I have been banded for almost a year and a half now and have lost a good chunk of weight (over 70lbs). Because of all the blood, sweat, and tears (literally) that have come with this journey, I am proud of what I have managed to accomplish. I have told a few select people about the surgery, and while most of the responses have been positive or neutral, I have met a few people who decided to give me the whole "you could've done it without surgery if you tried harder" speech. It makes me feel bad when I see others who have lost just as much weight if not more than me without surgical intervention, but I feel I made the best decision for me. That being said, I have chosen to pick and chose the people I share my story with.

I've jumped on the 'wrap' bandwagon and decided to give it a try, as a have a pretty good pooch in the belly and my arms are awful. I'll let you know if and how well they work when I get them!

I still struggle with this one. I have been banded for almost a year and a half now and have lost a good chunk of weight (over 70lbs). Because of all the blood, sweat, and tears (literally) that have come with this journey, I am proud of what I have managed to accomplish. I have told a few select people about the surgery, and while most of the responses have been positive or neutral, I have met a few people who decided to give me the whole "you could've done it without surgery if you tried harder" speech. It makes me feel bad when I see others who have lost just as much weight if not more than me without surgical intervention, but I feel I made the best decision for me. That being said, I have chosen to pick and chose the people I share my story with.

I still struggle with this one. I have been banded for almost a year and a half now and have lost a good chunk of weight (over 70lbs). Because of all the blood, sweat, and tears (literally) that have come with this journey, I am proud of what I have managed to accomplish. I have told a few select people about the surgery, and while most of the responses have been positive or neutral, I have met a few people who decided to give me the whole "you could've done it without surgery if you tried harder" speech. It makes me feel bad when I see others who have lost just as much weight if not more than me without surgical intervention, but I feel I made the best decision for me. That being said, I have chosen to pick and chose the people I share my story with.

What to do you do to work around that? I've never been much of a Breakfast person and can't even tolerate yogurt before 11-12 but my dr keeps saying I'm messing up my metabolism by not eating breakfast...it's driving me crazy. Every now and then I'll try a Protein shake but I can normally get only a few ounces down before I start getting slimy...

Hi Jen,
I know how you feel. I was banded May 23 and have lost 36 pounds including the pre-op diet. Since starting regular food of Proteins, fruit and veggies my weight loss has significantly slowed and pretty much stopped.
I am doing my best to be patient. I am eating about 800-1100 calories a day. Lots of Protein and very little carbs (less than 50). I have started some very light exercise and hope it will kick things into gear.
It is not realistic to expect to lose 35 pounds a month...4-8 pounds a month is what my doctor told me to expect. So I am trying to focus on that. Sticking with the plan and staying focused. I know it is hard when you look at the scale and its not moving. I say, dont weigh yourself for 2 weeks and see what happens.
Good Luck...

Your doctor is right; you WILL lose weight faster with the bypass but like others mentioned, it may not be easier to keep off in the long run. Honestly, though the slow and steady weight loss drives me crazy sometimes, I know in my heart it was the right decision for me. I am someone who NEEDS to have to work for the results, otherwise I'll learn nothing from it. Now I appreciate every pound and inch I lose because I know I've been watching what I eat and being more active. Youth is no guarantee your body will bounce back; I'm only 29 and fear I'm going to have loose skin when all is said and done. I wasn't good about diet and exercise pre band either, but once you realize eventually the weight loss will stop unless you change your habits you learn quickly! Don't let the doctor's bias sway your decision; remember there are risks with both but at least you know the band is reversible if something goes wrong. Definitely something to keep in mind...remember anything worth having is worth working for.

Hi Kayleigh, and congratulations on taking charge of your weight loss.
You don't mention which type of Tricare insurance you have. There are several varieties of it. Depending on the coverages you have, there may or may not be out-of-pocket money you may have to pay. You need to find out exactly how much (if any) you'll be required to pay in order to have the surgery. The last thing you want is to get things done and end up having a big unexpected bill.
Tricare is very straightforward as an insurer, but it all starts with a referral from your primary care doctor to a weight loss surgeon. You should research weight loss surgeons in your area that accept Tricare, and find the most experienced surgeon you can. In this surgery, even though it's very specific, there is no substitute for experience. Find the right person to do not only your surgery, but also your aftercare, because you'll be needing fills and followup support. Most weight loss surgeons have programs to take you through the steps, and usually can provide all the various appointments you need.
After you have a referral to a good surgeon, you'll want to contact their office, and arrange an appointment. Many surgeons require you to attend a free weight loss seminar before they'll meet you in their offices. That way you'll know what to expect from the surgery, and you can ask the right questions.
When you meet them, the surgeon's team will tell you what they require before they'll submit the request to Tricare for you to be approved for surgery. It usually requires meeting with a psychologist, a nutritionist, and having lab work done. Other things may be required, depending on the surgeon. Tricare does not require a six month managed diet, but some surgeons do.
After you've done everything required, and the request for surgery approval has been submitted, Tricare is usually very quick to approve people. In my case, it was three work days till I was approved. Once you have your approval, the timing is up to you and your surgeon to schedule things. It can all go very fast, or may drag out, depending on how quickly you can get things done. In my case, it took a full month after the weight loss seminar before I could see the surgeon's team. But from that day till my surgery approval was only about three weeks. Others report it was even faster for them.
Search the threads here for more specific information. But before even that, I'd strongly recommend you make some phone calls. Start with your Tricare rep and/or the Tricare regional offices to see exactly what they require for your kind of insurance. Then call your primary care doctor, to see if he/she will even refer you. (You may need to see a different doctor.) Finally, start shopping for a surgeon. Your primary care doctor can refer you to that specific surgeon, if it's the best choice for you.
Wishing you great success with these steps. It sounds like a lot of work, but once you're on the pathway, it's very straightforward. Good luck!
Dave

I went for the first time last week and just about died...lol. Proud to say I made it the whole hour and had more energy than girls half my size (biggest person in class unfortunately). My body hurt for days but I can't wait to go back tomorrow; I even rescheduled a date with the hubby just to make sure I have time to get to class. Hoping this will be the breakthrough I need to get excited about exercise again...

No worries; at least you stopped! I had a few slip ups on the pre surgery diet. I would, however, recommend trying to be good at least the day before. My dr's office was more concerned about that as all liquids will decrease your risk of nausea after surgery. I also think it helped mentally prepare me (somewhat) for life with the band. I was kinda depressed the first few days that food had become totally unappealing but then thought to myself "it's no worse than the last 2 weeks, lol" and was able to get over it. Do the best you can, and remember WHY you're doing this and you'll be fine!