Toddy

I've always said you need to thoroughly vet your surgeon -- not just for lapband, but for any procedure that is not an emergency. Surgery is definitely NOT a place to bargain hunt.

I had severe acid reflux for 12 years prior to being banded. OTC meds had quit working for me, so I was on a very expensive prescription medication for it. That medication was one of the first I was able to eliminate after being banded. I haven't had any reflux at all between the pre-surgery diet and my last fill. I'm a little bit too tight now and I've had a couple of nights where I've had to take OTC meds for heartburn/reflux. From everything I've read, if you're having reflux with the band, you're probably just too tight.

My doctor's office lists info on a clothes swap. Personally, our town has a thrift store that's sole purpose is to employee mentally and physically challenged adults. That is where my donations do the most good. Check it out of Facebook if you're close to middle Tennessee: Our Thrift Store. I know the founder and this truly is his calling and it is an amazing thing!

I agree with Mis73 100%. You may feel like you're eating a fraction of what you used to eat, but you still really need to track. I love myfitnesspal.com for tracking. Also, I didn't feel a bit of restriction until my third fill, so hang in there.

No. 1, stay away from the complications section on this message board. No. 2, follow the band rules and you will avoid some of those complications. No. 3, listen to your body, and if you have a complication, you can have your band removed. The reason I chose lapband is because it is reversible in the event of a complication. Try not to stress, stressing about something always makes things worse. When you start seeing the scale moving down, it will make you feel much better about your decision!!

I'm glad you stepped up and explained the procedure. It's hard to imagine having had this surgery and not really knowing what was done. Sounds like the OP's doctor should explain things in much greater detail! Anyway, I had no restriction at all until my third fill. After my fourth fill I'm at 6 cc's in a 10 cc band and considering a very small unfill.

Oh my gosh, run, run!!! Please check out Baptist Metabolic Surgery Center!! They are wonderful! Dr. Morton gave me all the info on the different bariatric surgeries and let me choose which one I was comfortable with. The on-staff dietician was wonderful as was the psychiatrist that they recommend (same building, but not associated with). Plus Dr. Morton has ten years experience with bariatric surgery as opposed to two years that I read on your surgeons profile! My first office visit was in November, surgery in January, I've had four fills, I'm in the green zone, and honestly don't have one single complaint about their office... and I'm a picky person!!! I just couldn't imagine going through something this major without a surgeon and staff that I have complete confidence in and I'm comfortable with. They are amazing. I lost insurance shortly after being banded and they have been wonderful and very accommodating with me. I genuinely feel like they are much more concerned with me and my success than with the money they are making off me!!

176 today. I don't think I'm going to make my goal ;-(

I agree with Shauna. When I do too much pbing I go back to liquids because I know I've irritated my band. I would not be too worried about having to wait until Monday if you can keep liquids down, especially protein shakes. If you're having trouble with liquids, then you absolutely should not wait until Monday!

I have found the weight loss with the band to be slower than I had hoped ... and I didn't want to lose too fast, but now I'm really regretting not having plication with the band. If you want to lose fast, look into other options.

I'm at about three weeks since my last fill, too. I can keep food down, there's just a whole lot of things I can't eat now that I could eat before. Usually it's the first couple of bites I have trouble with. Once I "get that out of the way" I seem to have a much easier time eating. I've only had to take the Pepcid when I've had something spicy, so it's not a regular thing and I'm not coughing at night. I've only lost about 4 pounds though, so my body is obviously getting something!!

What does your doctor recommend?? That's who I would listen to.

I have chest pain and have to go to the bathroom and just kind of "urp" it up. Sorry to be gross, but that's the best explanation I can give. Occasionally I will also get a wave of nausea, but I've not actually thrown up.

I'm in exactly the same boat. I've been wondering if this is dangerous, also. I've had to take a Pepcid a couple of times since my last fill, but it keeps me from having any actual reflux. I, too, am happy with this course because I want to lose 13 more pounds by September. So, if it's not dangerous, I can definitely live with it.

My worst day was Day 7. A close friend of mine has seen my success and has decided to go for lap-band. I told her she would hate my guts for the first week! I'm glad I'm not the only one who does this -- thinks this, that is!!

I, too, am wondering why it almost killed you. My last fill has been pretty difficult. I'm trying to decide if I'm overfilled or if this is what it's supposed to be like.

I'm never easily offended !

In my opinion, life is too short to dwell on the things that irritate us, and for you to write such a long post on this board about all the things on here that irritate you, maybe you should skip the board altogether. This is a community for support and encouragement, therefore we should be supportive and encouraging, not bashing.

Funny... a post complaining about complaining. Nobody makes you read these posts, so don't read the ones you don't like and then you won't have to post a rant like this.

A weakness of mine, too. I'm glad I don't have co-workers!

If I was in your shoes, I would pass on the fill until after the wedding and honeymoon. I was in the same place, weight loss had slowed and I wanted another fill. I got a very small fill and am really having some trouble eating now, lots of foods I just cannot eat at all with this fill. Enjoy your wedding and honeymoon and get a fill when you come back.

Your brother's doctor's stats are way, way off. My doctor gave me a list of the stats of all the bariatric surgeries and I can't put my hand on it right now to quote exact figures, but I can guarantee you that if 1 in 250 lap-banders die from it, I would never have considered it. I wouldn't even have considered it if it was 1 in 2500!! My ob/gyn and my PCP were both extremely supportive of my decision! My ob's mother had actually had bariatric surgery.

I think one of the reasons that most insurance companies require a psych consult is to make sure the person having lap-band surgery knows what they are in for. No one says being banded is easy, but most of us agree that it is worth it! I went clothes shopping yesterday for the first time since being banded on 1/31/12 (Up until yesterday I have been shopping in my own closet) and have dropped two sizes!! Do I want to dig into a big slice of pizza? YES! Can I eat a big slice of pizza? No - Thank you Mr. Band!!!!! I think kll724 put it best when she said this wasn't something she wanted; it's something she needs. I feel exactly the same way!

177 today.

I have not had that "stuffed" feeling since being banded. On the occasions I have over-eaten, I find I will get hit with an horrendous wave a nausea -- that's worse than being stuffed!! It's kind of like a shock collar on a dog, they learn really quickly what not to do -- as have I!!