Fantasy

My opinion is that you should think about getting a complete physical and blood work done. It could be a number of issues including poor diet. You should be getting at least 60 grams of protein a day. Besides a physical and blood work see a nutritionist. Good luck.

I have a friend who has had both surgeries and she is having a lot more problems with the sleeve. Unfortunately this surgery cannot be reversed. Just make sure you do your research, have an excellent surgeon and follow the rules as best as you can. A word of caution, no weigh loss surgery is an easy fix, there is a lot of work involved on your part. Good luck.

Fortunately I never had any experiences with being called "fat". I am so thicked skinned (or insensitive) it wouldn't have bothered me. There are so many other things that are so much worse that being called fat.

Hopefully in the future there will be diagnostic tests that will be used for all bariatric surgeries that will rule out future problems. I will soon have my band 8 years and so far it has been totally successful for me. Hope everything works out for you.

This is kind of a tough one. The band works best when you have adjustments and it takes months to get to good restriction. You can get a fill then a few months later you will need another one and so on. You are only a few months out so you haven't experienced that yet. I would probably get the smallest fill you can and then check into where you can get some "cheap fills". Good luck.

I have been banded over SEVEN YEARS and have maintained my size. I never state how much I lost or what I weigh. To me it is all about size and how I feel and my heath with regards to high blood pressure and diabetes (all normal now). Those are the most important numbers for me. Now I did have to change the way I eat and resort to healthier meals. Also increase activity (I did not say exercise, I hate it). One of the biggest lessons I have learned is I still have issues with regard to what caused me to get banded in the first place. I still have the same brain as I did before I was banded. However and this is a big one, the band has helped me keep it in check, not always, but enough to maintain my size six. I still overeat, soft foods like cheesecake and banana cream pie go down so easily. I have to remember not to weigh myself constantly (it has been 3 mos. since I weighed myself). Size 6 pants still fit. Not to diet, but keep track of what I am consuming so I know how much protein and fiber I am taking in, notice I didn't say carbs. Weighing myself every day and watching carbs and doing exercise and dieting all the time is what caused my obesity in the first place. I do have to say the first year was a committment to lose the weight and get to good restriction. After that I dealt with adjusting the regimin to what works with my particular imperfect self.

LAP BANG ? Must be a "Freudian Slip" I think you mean lap band, bang, well I need not go on. Thanks for the laugh..

I had one tenth of a cc put in my band and it made a huge difference. So much so I had to have most of it removed. When I first got my band I had my first fill eight weeks after it was put in. I must have been the only one I know who was never in a hurry to lose weight. So after the first two fills I only had one tenth of a cc put in everytime I got a fill. It took about 9 months before I got perfect restriction. By having the small fills I knew exactly when I was overfilled and what was perfect. By not being in such a rush I think it has helped me maintain my size 6 for seven years. Also maybe that is why I haven't had any issues with the band. I took the time for my body and mind to get used to the change. This is what worked for me. Good luck.

I paid cash and it was the best money I have ever spent on myself. I have always believed that where there is a will there is a way. You have gotten some good suggestions here. Good luck.

I have had my band for over seven years. It has been an overwhelming success for me. It took awhile for me to learn to slow down and chew my food more. I think that was the hardest part. I lost all of my weight in almost a year and have consistantly worn a size six. I still have to pay attention to what I eat, but do not diet anymore. I don't like to exercise so I do as little as possible when I feel like it. I did not get this surgery so I could diet and exercise more. You have to do a lot of searching and decide which surgery works best with your lifestyle. I discovered I was a volume eater. No emotional issues, I just liked to eat large portions. The band solved that. The reason I liked the band over all of the other surgeries, is it can be adjusted. No other weight loss surgery has this option. It just made sense to me. When you gain weight with the other surgeries what is your option? With the band you just get it adjusted. After 4 years I gained 15 lbs. I got the band adjusted and lost the weight. That was 2 1/2 years ago and I haven't needed any more adjustments. Just make sure you do your research and decide which surgery is best for you. Good luck.

This "doctor" needs an attitude adjustment, sensitivity training and needs to be disciplined by her superiors and a state peer review committee. Her unethical and unprofessional attitude is a disgrace. You need to see that she is put in her place and realize she is just an employee and is supposed to be working for you, not against you. I would definitely get another doctor. Remember you do need a good medical support team after your band and this includes your general practicioner. What ever her negative personal attitude is about weight loss surgery is she does not need to "bring it to the office".

SEVEN very successful years.

Whaaat?? Are you bragging or complaining?

Only you can learn from your "mistakes". I have the 4cc band and so far it has worked perfectly for me. I went to a highly respected Dr.in San Francisco and paid cash. It was the best money I have ever invested in myself. Did I have to change my way of eating, you bet I did. Not everyone has a good experience with surgery or anything else in life. What doesn't work for you doesn't mean it won't work perfectly for someone else. It doesn't do you or anyone else any good to be so bitter. Life in general for most of us doesn't ever turn out the way we want it to and sometimes that can be a good thing.

You might want to get the smallest fill possible. Sometimes it just takes a little tweak.

Well for me it has been the easy way out, and I just love it. It is easier than having and raising children. it is easier than going through a divorce. It is easier than living with all the issues and health problems overweight can cause. It's easier than going through a family tragedy. I have maintained my weight loss for 7 years now. and it has been easy, really easy.

After seven years being banded, for me lap band is the easy way out. Yes, there is a committment to get the weight off, but chances are the people who took the "hard way out," will gain it all back again, "the hard way." For me it has been so easy to maintain and have control. That never happed to me before I took "the easy way out."

I have always had good self esteem and no matter what I weighed (I wouldn't have had the surgery if it wasn't for my health). I felt good about myself and always had a good time wherever I went. I have known exceptionally physically beautiful people and after getting to know them they became very ugly to me and other people. Don't do this to yourself, it will keep you and your better half from have the wonderful time you deserve. Go check out Special Olympics or volunteer for the Alzheimers Associaltion or your nearest vetrans hospital you will come out of it not worring about physical beauty. Why does everyone always wonder what other people think. Who and the he** are they anyway and why is it so important?

Well, you are talking about milk sugar. I wonder also why you are doing shakes after seven months. I think 22 grams is too much sugar. Four grams is approximately 1 teaspoon I think. Would you want to put that much sugar in your system all at once? Also how many carbs are you taking in each day? You might want to do some more research. Seventy five lbs is great, keep up the good work.

There are pro and cons to each of the weight loss surgeries available. I have a friend who had the band. She had it taken out because she felt she was not losing the weight fast enough. She had the sleeve done and now is having so many problems. Leaks, major acid reflux, other problems, and still is not losing the weight. Do you know that you have to take an acid reducer for six monthbs after a sleeve (maybe for the rest of your life). They don't tell you that. All I can think of when I think of her and her problem is, well they can't put her stomach back together. So do your research carefully, chose your surgery and surgeon wisely. Take care, good luck.

I have had my band seven years. I have had no complications at all. I have maintained my weight loss for six years. It has been a complete success for me. I was never in a hurry to lose the weight and never put any pressure on myself if I had a bad day, actually there were a lot of days I didn't follow the rules. Bad habits are hard to break (some of them have been impossible to break). The good days out numbered the bad and eventually I had more success then I ever dreamed I would. I still have good and bad days. Just take it one day at a time. Do the best you can. We are all different so don't compare yourself to anyone else. Good luck.

I would write the doctor a letter expressing your concerns and feelings. Then I would send a copy to your County Medical Association Peer Review Committee. The guy is letting his personal not his professional feelilngs get in his way. He needs retraining especially in the sensitivty dept. It can take a year or two get the band to good restriction. You are not getting what you paid for. Document everthing that has happened and possibly consult an attorney. I know this may sound harsh, but spending $14,000 and not getting what you paid for in follow up care, is malpractice in my opinion. Good luck.

Fortunately I have never needed a seatbelt extender. However if I did I would have purchased one a at travel store or online. This would be a good option and save you from the embarassment of asking for one.

I am a bath person. So I took baths. Guess what after I filled up the tub my fat stomach was sticking out of the water. So it was real easy not to get the incisions wet. Oh well can't do that now.

The doctors have thier rules and expectatons. These are good guidelines. However, our bodies and our minds and emotions bounce to a different tune. I never got worked up over what my doctor expected. As long as I was following the rules as best as I could. I didn't expect to be good all the time as I sure wasn't before the surgery (this wasn't going to change overnight). I figured I would never be perfect, but I would do the best I could most of the time. So I didn't put too much pressure on myself. I did what worked for me physically, emotionally and my everday way of living. It was a slow process. My doctor soon realized I was slow but successful. Now seven years later I am one of his most successful patiients.