Jkgbander

GOOD EVENING, EVERYONE.
jUST LIKE WE NEED TO HEAR ABOUT THE SUCCESS OF THE LAP-BAND i BELIEVE THAT WE ALSO NEED TO HEAR ABOUT THE FAILURE OF THE LAP-BAND AS WELL. i AM NOT SAYING THAT THE LAP-BAND ITSELF IS A FAILURE, JUST THAT i FAILED AT HAVING THE LAP-BAND. i AM FROM SHREVEPORT, LOUISIANA AND DR. GEORGE MERRIMAN WAS MY SURGEON.
HELLO, MY NAME IS LISA STARKS AND I BECAME A BANDSTER BACK IN 2011, I FORGET THE MONTH AND DAY. WHEN I FIRST DECIDED TO GET THE BAND I REMEMBER FEELING NERVOUS, EXCITED, AND SCARED ALL AT THE SAME TIME. I REMEMBER THINKING, I AM FINALLY GOING TO LOSE THE WEIGHT AND BE SOMEWHAT SMALL AGAIN. HOWEVER, I STILL WAS ANXIOUS AND COULDN'T WAIT UNTIL THE VERY DAY OF THE SURGERY.
AFTER WAKING UP FROM THE SURGERY I REMEMBER FEELING SO MUCH PAIN AND HUNGRY TOO ONLY TO HEAR YOU HAVE TO WAIT UNTIL THE DOCTOR SAYS YOU CAN EAT SOMETHING. WHEN I FINALLY DID GET SOMETHING TO EAT I REMEMBER FEELING FULL AFTER ABOUT 3 OR 4 SIPS OF THAT YUCKY broth.
ANYWAYS AFTER GETTING SETTLED IN AFTER ARRIIVING HOME, I MADE MY FIRST MISTAKE. i WAS DRINKING 4-0Z OF broth OVER A PERIOD OF ONE HOUR, MAN WAS I HUNGRY, ABOUT THE TIME OF THE SECOND PHASE, I WASNT READY TO CONSUME SEMI-SOLIDS AS I THOUGHT I WAS BECAUSE food STARTED TO GET STUCK IN MY ESOPHAGUS. THAT IS SOME PAINFUL ORDEAL LET ME TELL YA. ALL THOUGH I WAS CHEWING SLOW, TAKING SMALL BITES AND TAKING MY TIME THE food JUST KEPT GETTING STUCK. i COMPLAINED TO THE DOCTOR AND HE WENT IN AND PUT A SCOPE DOWN TO SEE IF I HAD ANY BLOCKAGE OR IF SOMETHING WAS STUCK IN MY ESOPHAGUS THAT WAS PREVENTING ME FROM PASSING THE FOOD CORRECTLY AND TO OUR SURPRISE THEIR WAS NOTHING WRONG AND RIGHT TO DAY I AM STILL EXPERIENCING THIS.
NEVER THE LESS, i STARTED OUT DOING GOOD ONCE I GOT BACK ON THE RIGHT TRACK WITH HOW MUCH I WAS SUPPOSED TO CONSUME BY THE HOUR AND THE FOOD STOPPED GETTING STUCK. iN TWO MONTHS TIME I WAS DOWN 29.9 POUNDS AND I WAS 308 POUNDS WHEN i STARTED. i CONTINUED TO FOLLOW THE DOCTORS ORDERS BUT i WAS DOING LITTLE TO NO EXERCISE. NEEDLESS TO SAY BY fEBRUARY OF 2012 i HAD GOT DOWN TO 266 POUNDS. i WAS SO EXTATIC. i HAD LOSS A TOTAL OF 42 POUNDS. YALL I FELT SO GOOD , I WAS ABLE TO DO THINGS LIKE TAKE THE STAIRS, BEND OVER AND TIE MY SHOES, AND WALK LONGER WITH OUT GETTING SHORT OF BREATH. i WAS ALSO ABLE TO FIT IN A DRESS THAT HUNG LOOSELY ON ME. i WAS EXCITED ABOUT LOSING EVEN MORE WEIGHT AND THEN THE DEVIL KICKED IN. i STARTED EATING THINGS THAT WERE NOT PART OF THE PLAN AND SO i GAINED ALL THAT WEIGHT BACK.
NOW I AM MISERABLE AND TRYING TO LOSE THE WEIGHT ALL OVER AGAIN. IT IS HARD BECAUSE i AM DIABETIC AND I AM HAVING TO TRY TO CONTROL THAT AS WELL WHICH IS NOT GOING SO WELL. THE DOCTOR HAS BEEN TRYING FOR OVER A YEAR NOW TO GET MY A1-C DOWN TO THE CORRECT LEVEL. i WALK ON THE TREADMILL BUT I'M NOT ABLE TO DO MUCH MORE THAN THAT BECAUSE OF SEVERAL PHYSICAL IMPAIRMENTS AND HEALTH ISSUES. BUT TO GOD BE THE GLORY I AM GOING TO BEAT THIS THING, BECAUSE GREATER IS HE THAT IS IN ME THAN HE THAT IS IN THE WORLD.
I HOPE I HAVENT' BORED YALL TO DEATH WITH MY STORY BUT I NEEDED TO TELL IT JUST IN CASE SOME ONE ELSE IS STRUGGLING LIKE I AM. HANG IN THERE AND THE LORD WILL SEE US THROOUGH.
THANKS FOR LISTENING.

I was considering a fill last fall. I was gaining weight and even able to eat a lot of fried and carby and junk foods. But I talked to my nurse practitioner, and together we decided that I would try to clean up my food plan first and see if that made a difference. Well, lo and behold, here's what happened. I gave up fried foods. I gave up my carby meals. I eliminated alcohol.I changed back to eating lean Proteins and green veggies. Restriction returned and I have been losing weight.
After one and a half years of being banded, I finally had to start working hard at losing weight. The first year and a half, it came off easily. The band was doing all the work for me. I could've been eating nothing but fried chicken and would still have lost weight. But after that first hundred pounds, the scale would not budge. Except it did budge. It started to go back up. Anyway, moral of the story is, I am living breathing proof that cleaning up the food plan helped bring back my restriction. I am quite tight enough. Matter of fact, if I swallow my salad or meat too quickly I get stuck.I hope to keep my band for a long, long time. In order to do that, I need to work with it, not try to eat around it.

Are people saying they definitely had GOOD restriction, and not just for a few weeks, but genuine and sustainable, and then they start to notice they are eating more with less effort? Hunger returning? Etc??
I have been banded over 5 years...had 3 fills, all withing the first 4 months after surgery...never had a fill since.
I have very good, comfortable restriction, definitely in the Green Zone....no hunger/cravings, eating does not interest me, and when I do eat I am only able to eat so much.
Then I'll notice I am eating larger portions than usual. (I Can't believe I just ate all that!) Then I realize the restriction is just not what I am used to....
So, what I do, is I will lay off solid foods for a few days...go all liquids. Protein shakes, Soups, etc...Give everything a rest.
This. for me, usually brings about results...it will not give me something I never had, just let things return to what I call normal. Give it all a rest.
I have a theory why this is, but that's a different topic.
But this is me, I know myself and how my life is with the band...and my restriction, life in the Green is real, not temporary and has been consistant for over 5 years....
Can't speak for others, perhaps even after a few years it's time for another fill? Up till now it has been more you than your band doing the work and you are getting slack?
There are just too many variables, one must learn themselves.

Dr. Benavides is my Dr. at True Results and am very happy. From seeing some of the posts on here and the uneducated banders, I wonder did they not listen to what they could eat and do or not do after their surgery. I have hit my 40 pd mark and was banded on 5/29. I eat nothing white; no sugar, flour, no carbs only sweet potatoes lots & lots of fish, salmon, tuna, halibut and my own homemade Protein Shakes. Its been 4 months since I've had a steak and since my band so many cravings have gone bye bye and beef is one of them. I walk 3-4 miles 6x a week so weight training too. My goal is a size 6 to 8 and I am now in a size 10. Love my band!!! I was such a foodie before but now I eat to live not live to eat!!

I feel really bad for you and went through same ordeal. I even went to a chiropractor thinking they could help. It will all go away I promise! It was from all that gas being pumped into us, please know it will quit hurting but takes time.

I was told its easier on you to not drink or eat anything 2 hours prior to flying. The band tightens while in air do to the change of air pressure. I have not flown yet but have talked to many friends with band and they have given me the 2 hour rule. Also wait for a little while when De boarding so band can adjust. Happy travels!

I'm so surprised as to hearing some banders on here eating & drinking things that's not recommended. I have to ask, did your Dr. not instruct you on bad or accepted foods? I have been banded since 5/29 have lost 33 lbs and very very happy! But I have followed instructions and have only had one fill a 1/2cc in a 10cc band. No issue with being "stuck" no throwing up, I can't wait to get the next 30 some pounds off so I can reach my final weight of 135.

I was banded 5/28 and have had 1 fill only. I had complications right after surgery with band being to full and all cc's were taken out. I've had 1 fill in July 1/2 cc in a 10 cc band. I'm losing and down 33 lbs. I eat small portions and sometimes get a little hungry but not to bad.

I'm over 3 weeks post op and the shoulder pain was HORRIBLE!!!! I was told about it but I'm with Hub's old lady on here, I wanted my husband to chop my left shoulder off. I walked I did the pain meds I did the Gas X and it took 2 weeks to go away. Heating pad and I bought one of those neck things you microwave and the heat felt good but it's a pain that you cannot describe. Good luck and it will leave but it takes a while.

day 5 to about 8, i wanted hub to take his chainsaw and remove my left shoulder
it will pass, i promise...take pain meds to help (walk as much as you can)...gas x did not help my shoulder......use a heating pad, a hot water bottle and my fave, stand in hot shower with Water hitting my shoulder..i can promise it will get better even though it doesnt seem like it now.

Wow there have been so many ups and downs and I'm not even banded yet!!! I went through all the red tape for Aetna, and I was denied. I appealed, I was denied. My husband and I decided that the best thing would be this INVESTMENT in my health, and we are paying out of pocket. So today I called my surgeon and I have my pre-op appointment on July 17th! That's when I get my surgery date!! I couldn't be more excited! I've been quiet on this site because I didn't have anything to post, but now I finally do!!! I dont know how long it takes to get a surgery date once you have your pre op appointment, but Hopefully my surgery date is sometime in August! So excited!!

I was just swollen all over my stomach but not my port area. What I did experience was a stinging sensation around the port when I would bend over or turn over, but I'm 19 days post op and that has all gone away now. The worst was the gas pain in my upper left shoulder/neck area. OUCH!!!!!

I was just banded on 5/29 and I lost 20 # boom. Now just stuck and scales haven't moved in the last 7 days. I get my 1st fill on 6/19 and have had 0cc in my band since post op 10 days, I had complication and they had to remove all liquid. I am excited to begin this journey and walking and excising is one of my top priorities and which I have been doing so I feel your frustration on scales not going anywhere. LOL...

I was just banded on 5/29 and I lost 20 # boom. Now just stuck and scales haven't moved in the last 7 days. I get my 1st fill on 6/19 and have had 0cc in my band since post op 10 days, I had complication and they had to remove all liquid. I am excited to begin this journey and walking and excising is one of my top priorities and which I have been doing so I feel your frustration on scales not going anywhere. LOL...

I'm a seafood eater so when I go to Longhorn which happens to be one of my favs I order and share with my mom their Salmon. I also love Red Lobster. Fast food, I choose Wendy's chili or Chick-fil-A child's menu nuggets with applesauce. Haven't mastered steak yet, can't bear the thought of chewing it to pieces, just the thought of a piece of "meat" in my mouth for that long grosses me out. But I do have to admit I'm craving a good steak just can't step up and do it. at Cracker Barrel I order Soup or their grilled chicken tenders off their children's menu. The thing I miss the most is a good sub sandwich from Subway, now I'd like to sink my teeth in a low fat turkey sub with veggies but can't handle the bread anymore. I do however eat the meat/cheese and veggies without the bread at home. O'Charley's I of course order Tilapia or Salmon. J. Alexander's I order Salmon, sorry I am just a seafood eater.

Order what you normally eat, just small bites and chew chew chew.