pjsims

Don't give up!!!! I was thinking the same way. I had surgery May 27 and have not been very successful. I had my fourth fill on Wed (10/26) and I have finally reached my sweet spot and I'm loving it. I now have 9cc in a 11cc band. My doctor says she has never filled an 11cc that full, but everypone is different. Good luck and just believe you'll get there.

I think I kidded myself in thinking that I was a good lap-band patient. I have unresolved food issues and without addressing them, I will never be successful. Had my surgery at the end of June and weighed 306. I think I am hovering around 295 right now and have been as low as 289. I drink too much alcohol and eat too much of the slider foods (chips, ice cream, Pasta, etc). So far I have had 4 fills and am around 7 ccs in a 11 cc band. I don't think I need anymore Fluid because I haven't "mastered" this current fill. A few times a week, I vomit from eating to quickly or not chewing well enough. However, tonight I had about 3/4 of an 11oz steak, some potato, some bread, and some appetizer. I didn't think I would be able to eat that much food, particularly that much steak.

Thanks for letting me vent.

I have Anthem also. I live in Alabama. No 6 month diet plan. I called customer service and got all the requirements before I ever went to my surgeon so I knew I had to pay 20%, psych eval once I got all that done I gt approval 6 days later. Good Luck!!

WOW! Just WOW!! Thanks for those valuable tips. I was banded on May 27, 201 and am awaiting my first fill on July 5. I'm ready to see results of this journey.....

I think it's great you've lost 40 lbs!!!! Thats a great accomplishment.

I basically just need to vent. And if anyone has encouraging advice, or is feeling the same way... all inputs are awesome! however, don't get snooty. This is a forum, and I am allowed to say what I want, so please for the sake of just being a decent person, don't put me down.

-With that being said..

I feel like the band is disappointing.

I have been heavy my whole life. I went from the chubby kid, to the overweight teen to the obese adult.

My mother had always been heavy too, so back..many years ago she got her stomach stapled.

She lost 117lbs in six months. She was so young (my age, 21) that she didn't even have any excess skin.

So when I turned 21 I decided I was SICK of being the fat person in the room, so I got a appointment with a weight loss surgeon.

He told me about the lap band. He said it was the best bet at my age, due to the possibility of having children.

So, my surgery date was Jan 7th 2011. I did A LOT of research on the band, and realized that it really wasn't much like my mothers surgery.

I just figured I would get it so tight that it would be like hers, and I would drop the weight off the same way she did.

Yeeeeeah, not so much. I went from 306lbs to 266lbs. I am stuck. I can't seem to loose anymore weight. A couple months ago my band was WAY TOO tight and I got sick, so I got it unfilled...and have been scared to get it filled since then. I am what I think is a good fill, HOWEVER I can still eat a WHOLE double cheeseburger and a medium fry.(Yes, I do go to McDonald's every now and then, because I freakin' love food. Obviously)

So, my doctor tells me last visit (after me not losing anything for three weeks) that I need to start calorie counting......

....seriously?!

Truth is, if I wanted to calorie count I would have NEVER gotten a surgery. If I wanted to calorie count... I would have NEVER gotten fat in the first place.

Will power is something that I obviously don't have.

And the exercise? Again; if I wanted to go to the gym i would have. I would not have spent the money and the recovery time on a surgery.

Everyone says that "The Lap band is a TOOL"... my thought on that?! I did not want a HAMMER to start building a new house... I just wanted to move into a new house!

Nobody wants to go to the gym when they are over weight. I don't know if you've ever drove by a bally's(where there is a HUGE front window and you can see all the people on the machines)...they all look like they could be modeling the equipment.

And I know that you can exercise without a gym. But, I live in a state where it was 107 today, so... unless I want to have a stroke i am not gonna power walk.

I actually feel a lot better now that i have gotten that WEIGHT (LOL) off my shoulders and vented!

Again, i understand that some people may want to respond to this with 'Your STILL going to MCDONALDS, you DON'T exercise, no wonder your still fat!', but if you are going to reply... maybe reply in a nicer way than that?!

I know it's hard to keep your thoughts under control when you hear/read something that just boggles your mind. I am VERY out spoken, so I know how it is. But... I feel like instead of being mean, I could use some encouragement.

Great News!!! Insurance process can be a hassle sometimes!!!!

Hi everyone!

I'm scheduled to have lap-band surgery on June 21st. I was originally scheduled for next week, but because of some very stupid insurance problems (as in, screw-ups by work insurance reps) it took so long to get approved that we had to move the surgery date.

BUT!

I am now approved completely, have the date set, arranged for child care for the week (I'm a stay-at-home dad with an almost-3 year-old and 4-month-old boys), started the pre-op diet already but set for a couple of extra weeks to shrink my liver a little more, and pretty much bouncing off the walls.

So, so excited about this next phase of my life, particularly how it will allow me to fully enjoy being a dad for much longer.

I have May 27!!! Excited for you!!! I'm a bit nervous right now.

I went today for my second visit with my surgeon and got scheduled for May 27th ... I'm soooo happy!!!! I start my liquid diet tomorrow (only 8 days). Anyone with the same surgery date?

I am being banded on May 27!!!!! I'm excited and nervous!!!!