VegasGrace

Hey! congrats! I'd email, yes, email so you can get a response IN WRITING. Ask: Doctor, after I have the Lapband procedure, and I go home. If I have an issue to arrise that requires surgery such as a slipped band, leak, port flipping or something similar, how long after my surgery will you do this for free? You should expect a written response of something...30, 60, 90, 120 days...a year...something! If they don't respond, don't use them. I used Dr. Huacuz, and have had great success. I've put my band thru the ringer and it's held up. I heard thru another person...yeah, this is hearsay so put as much weight into it you want...but this other person had used Dr. Huacuz and developed a slippage. They said, she said, he said that he wouldn't fix it. Now, I don't know if this is true or not. But if you develop some problem like slippage and you did everything you were supposed to do...then it's surgeon error. But I don't even know how long ago they were banded...a month, a year or more? Just ask the question!

Hmmmm.... don't know. But if this were me.... I'd make a plan with my doc. I'd get a fill and just as soon as I gained a pound...I'd go get another one. This will require more dieting on your part and cost more. I'd calendar it out.

If it hurts, don't do it. I don't exercise...but can tell you from time to time I hurt in my side...feels like I ran 10 miles...you know that side pain/cramp....but it goes away after awhile. Keep up the good work!

I went thru the same thing. Your body has been decomposing, dying literally. Your body is panicing that you are trying to kill it. So happy? NOT! Saddness, the blues, depression...whatever you want to call it. I had that until I reached my goal and went to maintenance. Now my body has evened out, and I find myself not as sad. just hang in and hang on!

It's an appliance, not an implant. Get your doc to order it from Inamed...don't let the hospital do it.

Call the surgeon, then the hospital, the anesthesiologist,cardiologits, etc. As for a fee schedule. The price is the same for you, or anyone else. And they already know what the bill will be depending upon the services you receive. So ask and get the list. and when the bills come rolling in.... check over them very carefully and dispute ANYTHING that doesn't look right. When you are in the hospital if they try to give you a Tylenol....refuse it. That will be an extra $200 on your bill. If they try to give you breathing treatments thru a respratory therapist...refuse it....that will be an extra $600. Do it yourself!

Thanks for sharing. I am a single mom, no insurance. So when I was looking into WLS, I had to say, "it's okay if I die"...for real. That risk...I had to be willing to take it. I left instructions to each of my children, set up direct payments for the cars...the rest of the stuff didn't need to be paid...dead men pay no bills. I had to say my goodbye's in a letter...open if I don't return kinda thing. And the cash for the procedure....whew. I went into more debt. $7,000. I chose to go to Mexico where they have more experience in banding...it was a plus they are cheaper as well. And I knew the risks 'if something goes wrong' money for more surgery. But I made the decision that if anything went wrong...I'd have it removed so as to keep costs low. Just take it out. You tried to keep yours, and you are stronger than me. Hate this didn't work out for you. Hope you didn't spend more than $7000. The subsequent hospital bills could be taken care of thru the hospital, if you qualify. Thanks for sharing, again....people looking into the band need to understand things can go wrong...and you could pay dearly out of pocket and with your life.

Just remember you will still be you after you lose the weight. Any notions you have will still be with you. Be true to yourself. IF and this is the IF...if a man would have fallen for you...he would have fallen for you...thin or fat. Remember, it just wasn't meant to be...don't blame your size as a reason you didn't have a relationship. And when you become thin, if you enter a relationship....that's wonderful. But if you don't....it's not time yet. The Lord has something special in store for you. And as much as you push/pull and try to make things happen....if it's not in the Lord's plan...you are just wasting your time. This all coming from a woman who is still single at 38. Not dated in 10 years. I always thought it was because I was ugly and have a horrible personality. But I've been told that men perceive me to be married because I'm so pretty. hahahah.... but life is too short to worry about relationships. As soon as my daughter goes off to college, I'm climbing Mt Everest....no, don't plan on going but a few feet up and turning around...but at least I can say I did it!

Hate that for you. Thanks for sharing your experience.

Thank goodness! The port should be easily accessable to the doc for fills. It shouldn't poke out or anything and standing w/o clothing on the abdomen, such as a bikini...you shouldn't see it. But boy... we KNOW it's there!

Congrats! I'm very glad Tricare covers this procedure. I was the servicemember, so no tricare, I gave my life and body to the USA and was injured....badly. 100% service connected. But will the VA cover it? Heck no! They do a few, but the requirements are worse than all the red tape of the insurance industry...with them you have to even live in a certain region. So being the Marine...I can't get it covered. But if I were married to one...I could. Boy our country is screwed up! {but Tricare covering it hopefully will open the way for the VA do follow suit}

That's a good question. Of course you can. But frankly it wasn't in my budget. I went from 22 to a 6. So can you imagine the costs of size 20s, then 18s, then 16s, then 14s, to 12/10/8/ and now 6? I can't afford it! I wore my 20+ until I was a 14/16, yes they were baggy but who cares! I went to walmart and got those $8 elastic waist jeans, a turtle neck, white, and 2 sweaters/jackets. I wore those until I got to a 8. Now I went back and got size 8 pants, and then a size 6 pant....more turtle necks and 2 cheapy jackets. This weekend I go to Vegas and plan on going to Nordys and Macys to get my new wardrobe...I'm done!

Don't worry about it. Eat and gain weight! (saying that lightly) Your innards have just been tinkered with...that's gonna cause swelling...that causes the scale to move up. What you are experiencing is normal. You are not supposed to lose even 1 pound until after you have had adjustments, and several to get restriction. And you have read people losing weight even before then, right? Don't worry! Congrats on being banded and enjoy this phase of your life. (oh, your body is a well developed machine. Once it senses you are trying to kill it...and that's what it thinks when calories are reduced or dieting takes place...it goes into a mode to protect itself....stores everything as energy aka fat cells. This is normal.) come back to the board and post your weightloss next week!

One seeking Lapband must be at the point in their life they are ready to change their relationship with food. Concerns of not being able to eat such and such is a turn off and a reason not to do the surgery.... they are not ready for banding and should not do it. Your concerns; however, are not like that. Seems you are just wondering about general things. So, you may be ready. When food gets stuck, you don't stop breating...so you won't be unble to breath. Food will get stuck in the esophogas...not the trachea. If it gets stuck in the trachea...well, that's something ALL people can have happen...not just bandsters. Just to give you some insight on my experience, I ate normally. Was on regular food by weeks end. I found hamburgers and Crunchwraps from TacoBell to get stuck...and yes, it hurt like the dickens! I had a 30+ year love affair with PepsiCola. And after drinking some ...nope...foamed it back up. Tried again a few weeks later...foamed it up again. So, no Pepsi for me...ever. But although I was addicted to Pepsi...does that mean I'm depressed or sad, or upset I can't have it anymore? No way! Me at a size 6/8 is so worth NOT having Pepsi. But I did switch to Mt. Dew, seems to go down better. I have eaten and do eat regularly sandwiches, tacos, pizza, spaghetti, salads, Cookies, candy, ice cream, etc. Not everyday mind you, but being banded for me was about quantity of food...not quality. The spaghetti and other pastas slime back up. But I still enjoy eating a few bites. So, you can still eat...but it's the amount. And if you can live with only a few bites and you have to walk away (the band forces that) then you are ready.

Wow, I just don't know. Rice, sweetpotatoes, mashed potatoes...those are about all I can eat ...in public...and not have to worry about sliming. But others can't tolerate them. I'm going to come back to this thread to get some ideas, too. Great post!

Definetly... always ask your doc... but, you wouldn't be 'drinking' it would you? It would come back up w/ the chicken. They also have a saline laxative in a bottle that I used once to get a hamburger disloged. It's really bubbly. And no, because none was digested it didn't have a laxative effect.

I found out EVERYTHING before I had my procedure. I checked with Inamed on what size band I need, how often my fills should be and how much. The surgeon follows the Inamed guidelines and so the port is in a certain position and the stoma is just so large....they have discretion to modify things a tad. Good insight! Your post was very thought provoking and all potential bandsters should KNOW exactly what they are getting, how it works, where it will be, etc.

Yes, you have restriction alright...you said you can't eat____. Anytime something won't go down or gets stuck...that means you have restriction. Now, how much you have...I don't know. But, you can eat more than me as if I ate 2-3 cups of anything I'd be sliming over the kitchen sink. Unless I had all day to eat those 2-3 cups.

Ask your doc. I didn't have to give up my Mt. Dew. So you may not have to give up your coffee.

I didn't have to drink Protein shakes. But if your doctor recommends them, he will tell you at the time he recommends them. Or you can ask your doc.

Yep. I slimed up some hot dog pieces 2 days after I ate the beenie weenies. That was weird. If you are vomiting...as in convulsions or like when you upchuck with the flu....call your doctor. But, if it's just stuck...doesn't feel good, but you kinds 'softly vomit' as in just lean over and it comes out....no worries. Drink some sodapop quickly...but do it near a sink. The soda may loosen it and bring it up. you didn't mention pain or convulsions...that's why I wrote this.

Of all the problems that can arise with the band...I think a flipped port would be the easiest to correct. Just an incision, grab the rascal and turn it around right. Got lucky! Leaks, slip, etc require more indepth surgery.

Getting the lapband was easier for me than buying a car. 1)After deciding on the Lapband, you need to figure out how you are going to pay for it. a)Self pay _cash on hand _loan b)Insurance _contact your insurance company and see what the requirements are 2) Decide on a surgeon _interview a handfull and select one you like best _but check thoroughly and get references _if you use insurance start with your Primary Care for a referral 3) Schedule an appointment It's that simple!

Hey, hey, hey! Good for you! So exciting! Benadryl, works like a charm. I didn't read if you were banded or not but if you are.... and you have restriction.... don't eat or drink anything during the flight. I've used several barfbags each leg when I fly...can't figure it out. Last adjustment I asked my doc and he said the airpressure causes greater restriction. So eat during your layovers.

Gonna guess you did one stop shopping and are locked into to the same provider because you either paid in advance a large sum (or your insurance did) and you'll have to pay out of pocket to go elsewhere...... If you can't get seen by one provider...go to another. Fill docs are a dime a dozen nowadays. But I guess that's according to where you live. But like the other posters said, make your appointment for the next adjustment for 4 weeks later (inamed's recommendation). Need it? Go. Don't need it, cancel a day or two in advance. Good luck and hang in. You are doing fine and a few weeks, although frustrating isn't that long when you look at the big picture.