kacee

I am almost 2 years into my band and I wouldn't change it for the WORLD. I got 25 pounds BELOW my doctor's goal and 10 pounds below MY goal. It gets easier and easier as you go along, but you HAVE to be vigilant about your fill and KEEP GOING BACK until you get it right! I have two friends who got the band and then stopped...never followed up to keep the fill correct. One has lost only about 25 pounds in a year and the other has actually put ON weight. You HAVE to follow through. The procedure is one thing...the follow up is everything. That being said, I cannot TELL you how my life has changed for the better. Yes, people treat me differently! I exude confidence now. I don't hide (I basically "hid" in my house for 25 years...how sad is that!). I actually LIKE myself...I LIKE looking in the mirror...I can actually stomach seeing me naked for the first time (though gravity and age has taken its toll, I am happier with my body now than I EVER was in my 20's or 30's!!!!!!!!

He banded me a year and a half ago and I have surpassed ALL my possible dreams of success. He said "Get down to 160"....I thought..."I'll show YOU...I'll get down to 150!!!" and now I am 135, feeling fantastic....LOOKING fantastic....my life has totally started over for me. I could not be happier or more satisfied. I TOTALLY recommend him.

Bunch of us, trust me. I was banded a year and a half ago. MORE than reached HIS goal (160!!!) and more than reached MY goal (150!!!).

It can take 2-3-4 or more fills to get to the sweet spot. First fill generally does "nothing". Keep getting fills as needed. Trust me....even if you WANT to, you CAN'T eat too much if you have proper fill. It's not a single step process tho. You have to stay on top of it.

HAHAHAHAHA!!! I couldn't sleep on my stomach BEFORE (big tits and big tummy!). I can sleep on my stomach now just fine.

You'll do fine. Just go with the program. I was VERY religious in my restrictions for the first 6 months, but then I got the hang of it and it was natural. Maybe I am unusual, but I found the weight FALLING off, and now I am 5 pounds BELOW the lowest goal I set for myself.

Beware of pasta. It can expand and cause a problem. Just take it REALLY slow.

I'dsay give it a week or two and then call them back for another fill.

Chances are very good that you may need an unfill. If you are not having problems PB'ing, but doing the coughin, you may be on the edge. I was overfilled and was having horrible night coughing and waking up ready to vomit with lots of acid. The minute I got an unfill it went away. You need to call your doctor. I tried to "stick it out" and suffered for two months before I gave up and went and got the unfill. I'll never do that again.

It is scarey...but my anticipation of my new life totally overrode any fear I could have had. I fairly bounced (a real feat!) into the hospital. When they took my blood pressure in the room before they took me down, it was something like 90 over 60. They laughed and said, "Wow, you aren't stressed about this at ALL are you!" and I said HECK NO...Bring it on!!!! But then they said my BP was too low and the anethesiologist wouldn't take me with that number, so I had to get up and march around until it went back up (hahah). Listen to me here folks....you are NOT giving up the foods you love. You are only giving up the GOBBLING, CRAMMING and INHALING of the foods you love. I can eat ANYTHING I could before....if I take ENOUGH time to do it. I too felt like I was giving up an old friend...until I woke up and I was just the same, except my NEW friend was helping me shed pounds like I have NEVER experienced before, and knowing it was permanent made it pleasureable (as you know, when dieting when you are overweight the goal is just a stopgap. You and I always know we'll just sail those numbers right back up within the year...it's pretty much a guarantee...so it's really hard to get excited about ANOTHER diet in a long list of diets we go through in our lives....). You will hear all kinds of stories on the forum, but I got my band at 55 years old, breezed through the surgery (WITH all the ammunition I had gained by researching before I went in...ALL my bases were covered and there was NOTHING that could surprise me...I was ready for everything), and I have to say all things considered breezed through this last year. All of a sudden it was over and I was at goal and I couldn't believe how fast it went and how great I felt and how happy I was!!!!! There is no substitute for knowledge prior to getting banded. You need to know, expect, anticipate EVERYTHING. Prepare for the worst and you could be pleasantly surprised. Prepare for the gas. That's probably the worst thing you will face. Get your gas-X and know your de-gassing positions. USE your pain meds as you need them. Don't be a martyr. Make sure everything you COULD possibly need is within arm's reach for the first two weeks and you will be fine. Better to be overprepared than underprepared. I'll be thinking good thoughts for you all!!!:crying:

Yep...sounds just like me too. I finally got sick of it all, and my moods were really out of control so I went to my GYN and now have a patch I wear around my belly button. OMG!!!!!!! Change was within 48 hours!!!! NO more hot flashes and I am pretty much a normal person now! WHEW!!!! Thank God for hormones!

I was banded in May 2007 and have lost all my weight and then some. I used Dr. Hadar Spivak. He is excellent, and unlike Dr. Spiegel's office staff feedback I consistently hear about, Spivak's staff is GREAT. Never had problem one with the office, scheduling, getting in....anything. And he is one of the most experienced lap band doctors around.:crying:

I don't take it, but my boss does so I know what it looks like. I could get a Boniva down. Some of my meds are close to that size. See if it's okay to split it. I was just splitting pills the first three months after surgery, then slowly introduced them back in, smallest at a time. I can now take a handful at a time, like I used to. I think that would be considered a Boniva+

My knee pain totally went away. Had knee and foot pain initially and they both are gone now. I mean, hello....I just unloaded 8 10-lb bowling balls off my back!!!! The thought of carrying that is boggling!

I split my pills for the first three months (those that could be split) and thereafter I was able to take them in their whole form. You ned to be careful initially until you figure out how your system tolerates pills.

Wow, Boo Boo...you've changed your pictures!!!! You are lookin really really good girl! I've got to get some after pictures of myself and put them up. Amazing changes in the last year. I too am considering some ps work. Probably more in my face though....neck tightening and eyelids (the stuff we 'old ladies' have to mess with)...haha Good luck!

You can still vomit with the band. However, I would be concerned about the dislodging business. Call your doctor. You need something for the nausea while your system goes through the bug.

Bumping this up for all newbies and anyone else who should be aware!

My doctor suggested 160 which I thought was WAY too high, but I think he was just being very conservative, Then I arbirarily put my own goal at 150, but by the time I got down there I realized I could get into the 40's pretty easily so I revised it to 140. Figured I didn't have a snowball's chance of getting any lower because of my age, but I was wrong. I don't want to get ANY lower than I am right now (135-137) because things are starting to droop. You gotta take into consideration your height and age.

Here I am! Yep....I am part of the SPIVAK FAN CLUB! Last fill was this last spring, and glad to say I am nowhere filled near the limit of my band AND am below goal weight now.

Just go in there with a BIG smile on your face and say Bandland here I come! My surgery day was so exciting for me...and NO trepidation whatsoever. I was in good hands...I was doing something RIGHT for myself finally. This entire past year has been the most exciting year of my life! EVERYTHING has changed! This is literally the first day of the rest of your NEW life...embrace it!

Just guessing here, but it sounds like this is just a final checkup to make sure everything is going the direction it should be before surgery. I am very excited for you and humbled at your pre-op work you have done! I didn't have to do anything pre-op (except not gain weight)...of course I paid for it because I didn't want to have to wait 6-9 months to jump through hoops with my insurance, which probably would not have okayed me anyway. I consider myself to be a supreme success story with the band. I cannot say enough positive things about it. Everything I "went through" as a learning process has been totally worth it. I feel great, I look great, my health is good...LIFE is good! Welcome to Bandland!

I did mine in May of 2007. I went in completely excited and looking forward to my different life. I came out thankful that I had done it...from day one...NO reservations. I am now 5 pounds below MY goal...25 pounds below my doctor's goal, and I AM LOVING LIFE!!!! I'll tell you...I worried about perceiving myself as a fat person in a skinny body. I am amazed to say that was NOT SO!!!! (except for the last time I went to the mall to try clothes and the salesgirl said, "Oh, no dear...that 12 will be WAY to large on you...I think you'll take an 8!" and I looked at her and LAUGHED.....but she was right!) I look good and I KNOW it and I don't shudder at the thought of entering into a room full of people anymore. AND....I eat any darned thing I want...all the time. Just in way way way smaller portions and obviously attempting to eat healthy (I mean, 5 oreos a day as five meals just doesn't cut it, folks!). There are things I have given up due to the logistics of eating them (hamburgers for instance...but I don't miss them!)...and I tend to order out at restaurants from the appetizer section of the menu (which is becoming more and more automatic for me!). I consider myself a HUGE success story.

Reached my goal back in February or so. Sailed past it (my doctor's goal) and sailed past my temporary goal of 150 and then plummeted past my "never in my wildest dreams" goal. I fluctuate between 135-140 lb now. I wear a size 8-10 and I am no longer even considered "overweight". I look at other people who I used to envy and think....I look BETTER than THEY do (i.e., more healthy). Food doesn't rule my life ANY MORE. My mindset has changed. I don't deprive myself...I eat WHAT I want....but nowhere NEAR the amount I used to. I love my life now and my whole mental outlook on the world has changed. This is hands down the BEST decision I EVER made in my life. Worth every penny of the out of pocket and THEN some. I was a self-pay.

These things do happen. Glad you are investigating and being proactive to get a new plan together. It shows your determination. You will succeed!