quakergirl

Have you had a fill yet? This is something key for all new post-ops to know: ANY WEIGHT LOSS BEFORE YOUR FIRST FILL SHOULD BE CONSIDERED A BONUS. Before my first fill at 8 weeks post-op, I regained five pounds of what I lost in the first few weeks post-op. Naturally, I was alarmed! But once I reached the right fill level, that regained weight came right off and I've been losing pretty steadily ever since. Just recently I decided I need another fill, because my weight loss has been verrry sluggish lately. So, if you're having regain, it may be time for you to talk to your doc about (another) fill. Hang in there. The band takes some patience, but you'll get that weight off.

I'm not a particularly dedicated exerciser unfortunately - but it IS getting easier to exercise as I get smaller. I walk for the most part. Now that it's icy and snowy out, I'm going to start mall-walking.

Eating solids too early MAY put you at greater risk of problems, but that doesn't mean you DEFINITELY will have problems. So, no, you didn't ruin your chances. Even if you do have the bad luck of experiencing a band slippage later on down the road, it's possible to fix such a problem without removing the band. So, your chances of losing weight are still good! What's done is done, so don't worry about it. Just try to take it easy for a few more weeks, and the odds are everything will be fine.

Perhaps they think the WLS will save them money in the long run by also reducing your risk of other health problems. Like the others said, you would probably qualify for WLS. My understanding is that the standard is usually 100 pounds OR a BMI >40. There is no way to predict just how much of your weight will come off your chest just from weight loss though. It depends on whether your breasts are mostly made of fat or if they're mostly glandular tissue (the latter doesn't shrink much with weight loss). I was pretty flat-chested for as fat as I was, but yet my boobs are staying pretty much the same size as I lose weight - because apparently my body wasn't storing much fat in there to begin with. I can understand your annoyance. Don't get the WLS if you don't want it. It's important to be motivated and emotionally prepared to make the lifestyle change, so being pressured into it by insurance is not the way to start. Even if it means doing the surgery as a self-pay, you're better off getting the surgery that you want, not just what works for the insurance. Good luck!

I'm glad that things went well for you. :cool: I haven't heard much about midband before, so it will be interesting to hear about your experience with it. Do you have a fill doctor lined up already? I've heard that sometimes USA doctors don't want to deal with any bands except the Inamed one. That will probably change soon, though, if the FDA ends up approving the Swedish band. It's horrible that one lady couldn't get banded. I can't imagine the heartbreak of spending your own money, traveling so far, and still not getting the band. Kudos to your doc for not charging her though. Do you know if she plans to try again? I was so afraid of having the same situation happen to me because I had not gone on a pre-op diet to shrink my liver.

Don't let that article scare you. It is VERY out of date! It's talking about people banded way back in 1996 thru 1998. Things have changed A LOT since the lap-band was FDA approved in 2001. For one thing, surgeons have improved their techniques for how to do lap-band surgery. It's been shown that surgeons have lower complication rates with their later patients than they do with the very first ones. Experience of the doc makes a big diference, and back in the 1990s not very many docs had experience with the band. Secondly, we modern day bandsters have a lot more information and support available to us than the pioneering bandsters did. Looking at how a lot of bandsters even nowadays don't get a lot of info from their doctors, I'm betting those bandsters in 1996 had NO guidance in what they were supposed to eat and when to get fills. Those people who gave up on the band and got a gastric bypass may not have been properly informed about how the lap-band requires more PATIENCE than the bypass does. A LOT of bandsters get into a panic "Oh no, this isn't working!" mode during the first few weeks post-op, because they don't realize that any weight loss before a fill is just a bonus. Back in the 1990s, there weren't any lap-band messageboards where people could find out from more experienced bandsters that the "this isn't working" panic is normal, and DOESN'T MEAN THE BAND IS FAILING! So, a lot of people probably gave up on the band without giving it a real chance to work. Like Sue pointed out, there is NO GUARANTEE that you will lose all your excess weight, but it is definitely possible! Sounds like you have the right attitude about realistic expectations. Good luck.

Sounds like you have a lot of great plans, and I'm sure you'll get to do all those things soon enough. One of my big goals pre-band was to be able to go to a "normal" store for clothes rather than the horribly expensive specialty stores for large women. I was so pleased when I went to K-Mart recently and discovered I can fit in their clothes now. :cool: Sadly, I think that I am LESS able to wear sleeveless shirts now than pre-band, because my arms are sagging and flabby from the weight loss. But I look at the "bat wings" as a good thing, because I'd rather have saggy skin than stay as large as I was before.

Finding another doctor sounds like a good idea. Good luck.

Well, if it's like the seminar my doc had, they just give some basic info about what the band does and who is a good candidate for it. No real big surprises. If you've done some research online already, you probably already know most of the things they'll tell you at the seminar. Good luck.

WOW! You're really losing fast. What are you eating?

Keep up the good work! You are definitely doing great. I know what you mean about how hard it is exercise at a heavier weight. I'm sure that you'll lose even faster now that you're able to exercise more.

Antonio, sorry about the troubles you experienced. I hope you're feeling better now that it is removed. Complications do happen sometimes, but it's not normal for EVERYONE in a support group to be having trouble. Did you all get surgery with the same doctor? So many complications makes me think the doctor doesn't know what he's doing! Shelly: I've read on Smartbandsters that drinking a little bit of hot Water before eating might help with the "first bite pain". Have you tried that? I hope you find a way to get rid of it!

Well, you know what they say...the best revenge is living well. In a year, you'll probably be at goal weight and feeling great, while he'll still be a jerk.

Hi Helen. I agree that it would probably be easier to get your surgery in the UK and then get fills in the USA. Just make sure that your surgeon in the UK uses an Inamed lap-band. Apparently a lot of American doctors won't deal with the other bands because they're not FDA approved yet.

Hi again. I had been wondering what happened to you since I remember your previous posts here. I was approved by UHC, so I hope your plan will cover the band too. Good luck!

Week 1 & 2: Clear Liquids AND skim milk, thin yogurt, Protein Drinks for Protein Week 3 & 4: All liquids; plus runny oatmeal, pudding, blended Soups Weeks 5-9: Soft foods After 9 weeks: normal food! It seems like ages since I was going through all that. I had to look at the handout to refresh my memory about how long I was on each stage.

Yeah, it's hard when you're in a hurry. With stuff that's really tough to chew (like meat) I cut it into bite-size pieces with a knife first so I can't gulp it down.

There's no reason to be disappointed. You've done a good job with the weight you've already lost. It's quite normal to not lose weight until you have a fill. Just try to focus on getting used to life with the band. Once you get a good level of restriction the weight will keep coming off.

I think those of us who start off with a high BMI usually have more restriction right off the bat because we have more abdominal fat putting pressure on the band. However, I think that just about everyone needs at least one fill sooner or later. I've had 2 fills so far and I'm pretty sure I will need at least 1 more...my band has loosened up a lot in the last few weeks. These days I sometimes even feel hungry in the morning, which is a feeling I haven't had for months! As long as you're losing weight, by all means, don't get a fill. But if things are at a standstill, don't be afraid to get a fill. You can always have it taken out again if you decide it's too much. That's the beauty of having an adjustable band.

I'm 5'7, started out 42 pounds heavier than you, and my surgeon didn't bat an eye at my size. I'm not even the biggest person he has banded. Just because we're bigger than the average patient doesn't mean that we're going to sabotage our surgery. The band has done a lot to quiet the physical hunger I used to feel so much of the time that made me eat my way up to 372 pounds. Those of us who are super-sized are at a higher risk of surgery complications, so I think that the band makes a lot of sense for us, being so much safer than the bypass. Besides, even if we "only" lost 100 pounds with the band, aren't we better off than if we had stayed our top weight, or died after getting the RNY? There is a mailing list ESPECIALLY for people who have a BMI of 50 or higher at http://health.groups.yahoo.com/group/extraordinarybandsters/ Check it out...when I was pre-op and had the same worries as you, I found it very inspiring to see some of the successful bandsters on that list who had started out at my size or heavier.

I remember your earlier post about how you had a hard time with swallowing after getting filled before. Glad that things seem to be working better this time. You're right to be taking things slow and easy this time. Do you feel any restriction from this fill?

Good luck! I am sure you'll love being banded. I do.

My appetite is so different these days, especially compared to pre-band. Lately, I don't even have to stuff my pouch to feel satiety. For example, there is a sweet potato pie on the kitchen counter right now. I figured I would take a piece, because I've not eaten much today and could spare the calories for a treat. My surgeon's philosophy is "Don't deprive yourself" (just cut down on the quantities). However, when I started to pick up the pie, I felt a twinge in my stomach and realized I have NO appetite. The pie just didn't look good AT ALL once I took a good look at it. So, I put it down and walked away. I've decided that I'm done eating for today, and I don't feel the least bit hungry. It's a great feeling. I've been debating getting another fill, but hopefully this feeling will continue for a while longer with my current restriction.

Only my immediate family and two of my best friends know so far. However, I intend to come "out of the closet" to just about everyone after I lose at least 50% of my excess weight (so that I don't feel scrutinized). There is nothing to be ashamed about with WLS, and maybe others can be helped by my experiences. I would never go up to someone and say, "YOU need to consider the lap-band" because that would be really rude...but I would like to be able to talk about my experiences so that people might be inspired to do their own research on the band. The band is a great choice that isn't used as much as it should be, so I want to spread the word.

It varies a lot from person to person. For me, I've had 2 fills (now at 2 CCs) and feel pretty good about my level of restriction. I am not 100% decided though...might bump it up to 2.5 CCs soon.