gentylwind

I am so sorry this is happening to you. It sounds miserable. I had 3 cc left in my band at surgery and have yet to ever vomit, get stuck or PB. Let us know what's wrong and how it goes.

I have money set aside for plastic surgery after I reach goal. I anticipate needing a tummy tuck as I already have very saggy skin on my lower belly from my pregnancies and I don't anticipate any amount of exercise will fix that.

The same stuff that affects rate of loss before surgery affects it afterward.....food choices, amount of exercise, metabolic conditions...all still there both before and after the band. The band can limit the portion sizes of certain foods and result in greater satiety when used correctly. The ability of any given individual to use it correctly largely affects rate of loss along with any medical conditions and activity level. Don't compare one to another. Nobody else matters...just you!

My face and neck. I seem to lose from the top down. Bah!

I had severe back pain after my surgery and it was the only "real" pain I had. My surgeon said it looks like my port was attached on top of some nerves that run to the spot in my back that was hurting. That seemed odd to me at the time, but it did fade in time. However, upon accessing my port for my first fill, the pressure of that triggered the exact same back pain in the exact same spot, so I guess there is some credibility to it. I was very relieved when the pain went away. It never bothers me now.

Yes, I did...Dr. Manuel Castro. I get my second fill on the 7th too...but I am doing it through Dr. Castro's office rather than TLCEdge. 17 lbs is GREAT, especially over the holidays!

Embarassed no. Private yes. I don't care to share my surgery with anyone.

Yep, far too serious for anyone to play doctor on the Internet. May or may not have anything to do with your band, but blood from the GI tract on either end warrants expedient medical attention. Best of luck.

I had my surgery just over six weeks ago and this past week I have noticed that if I drink skim milk straight or have certain kinds of gluten (namely thin pizza crust or whole wheat crackers), I get severe severe stomach pains. The milk also causes me instantaneous nausea. I have managed not to vomit from it, but until it passes, its unpleasant to say the least. The gas pains are horrendous and severe from gluten stuff. I was neither lactose nor terribly gluten intolerant prior to surgery. Anyone else notice this? Can I expect it to be this way from here forward or is it something that could improve with time? The lactose intolerance seems to only be milk, not cheese, pudding, yogurt or cottage cheese.

Maranda, I just wanted to give you a hug. Validation from family members can feel SO important, especially if you have been the "big person" in the family for a long time. I wonder sometimes if we subconsciously think we will be more lovable after some of the weight comes off, or less invisible somehow, and so we are looking hard for the signs of that happening...and when it doesn't, it just crushes us. It is not conceited to value your own opinion. It is healthy and an important part of this journey I think. We are rebuilding our self esteem as we rebuild healthier bodies. We are learning that we do deserve good things in life and as that happens, those who are used to us being a certain way in both behavior and physical form are probably going to be forced to re-evaluate something about themselves and our place in their lives. People often identify themselves by those around them...and when those around them change, nothing quite feels the same. You are doing fantastic. Don't worry. Continue on the path you are on, and they will have no choice but to notice. Whether or not they comment really isn't the issue. There is no way to gain or lose 25-30+ pounds and more without it being noticable.

I have 5 cc in a 10 cc band and was banded on 11/21/2008. I have had one fill since surgery. Right now, I can eat a standard dinner plate of food before I feel "stuffed". Meaning, about 4 oz of meat, I'd say 1/2 cup of veggies and 1/4 cup of a starch. I do try to eat my meat and veggies before taking in a starch. Apparently this is still too much food for me, as the scale is not really moving at all. I have another fill coming the day after tomorrow. My significant other pointed out that I am waiting for the band to tell me to stop before I quit eating, rather than only taking in the one cup of food that is recommended and stopping there, so I have been watching that more over the last two days. I am finding I get hungry again in about two hours, so I think this fill will be a good one.

Yep, I dropped 20 pounds in the first two weeks and I too was thrilled and a little scared by it. Its a great feeling! But as RM said above, it doesn't stay that way, so don't let it upset you when it slows and/or stops. It will, usually around week 3-5. Then the real work begins! Congratulations on your band and your success so far!

I lost my 13 year old son to cancer (leukemia) on 01/10/2007. That's not quite two years ago. He was sick for about 18 months prior to his death. I saw a vital, healthy, beautiful young man get sucked up and murdered by his disease. He would have loved to have a healthy body and a long, healthy life. He was not ready to die. Watching him do so changed what I am willing to put up with in terms of my own behavior and health. I researched the lap band many times over the last four years. I got counseling for my grief, got a fantastic surgeon, rallied my supporters and decided it was time. It is part of honoring my Joseph. I am in a place in my grief now that I am ready to move forward with life and for it to be as healthy as I can make it. There are enough things on earth that can steal our vitality away, at any time, at any age. I won't court them purposefully. They have had enough impact on and power over my life already. So I decided to control what I can. I lost 80 lbs on my own prior to Joseph being diagnosed. I gained 40 back at the end of his illness. The lap band will help me get that off and get the rest of the way to goal. www.caringbridge.org/visit/josephmorrison Best of luck to everyone.

Yes, I was self pay. I too went through TLCEdge but would not do so again. I am dealing exclusively with Dr. Castro's office at this point. His price is the same as TLCEdge, so no reason to use a third party. Total cost was $9990. This included pre-op testing, all surgery expenses and six fills in one year. After the six fills are up he will bill my insurance for fills thereafter as an office visit only and I will pay only my usual co-pay.

This really belongs in the "complications" forum, not in the Introductions forum. I am so sorry your band has not been what you hoped. There are definitely pros and cons to any procedure and believe that anyone who can lose weight without weight loss surgery SHOULD. There is always a risk with surgery and anesthesia. I wish you well in the future.

Time back to work varies from person to person. I was back in four days. Others have needed two to three weeks. Its highly individual...nobody reacts to surgery the exact same way. I personally did not feel weak after getting the band. Just normal postoperative recovery type fatigue. Yes, there is some pain involved. You have incisions from the surgery. The band around your stomach feels very tight in the chest until swelling goes down. Abdominal and shoulder pain from gas blown into the abdominal cavity during surgery affects most people at some point and it can be very unpleasant. Again though, the degree of pain depends on the person. Some people need narcotics for a few weeks. Others a couple of days. Others not at all. I was banded in the Dallas area by Dr. Manuel Castro. I am extremely happy thus far.

Sometimes a complete unfill allows the stomach pouch to return to normal size. But if you don't address the behavior that caused it to stretch, you probably will stretch it out again.

I had my first fill yesterday with a very similar experience. He had to stick me a few times, had trouble getting the needle to penetrate the port...lots of poking, lots of pressure. The needle finally went in when I tightened up my abs and pushed back against the needle. I had 3 cc in from my surgery and he gave me another 2 cc for a total of 5 cc in my 10 cc band. I go back in two weeks for my next fill.

Good job! You must feel fantastic! A lot of people do have more than 5 cc in their 10 cc band. Most people need more than that to hit their sweet spot. I just got my first fill yesterday. I had 3 cc in from surgery and he put another 2 cc in, so I am at 5 cc now. Still on liquids, so I am not sure about restriction, but even liquids are making me feel more satisfied again.

Got mine done. Wasn't painful but wasn't a walk in the park. He had to stick me about six times, but I was numb, so no pain, just a lot of pressure. He put in 2 cc and I already had 3 cc from surgery, so I now have 5 cc in a 10 cc band. We'll see how it goes! Good luck to you!

Yeah, its not even been a week yet....I felt pretty good after a few days, but it seems a lot of people need 2-3 weeks to start feeling better. Tell her to hang in there and to walk a lot.

Lentil soup

First fill today for me too...I too am a little nervous. I have instructions for AFTER the fill, but are we supposed to be doing liquids or fasting BEFORE it?

That SO rocks!

My band has been nothing like taking phentermine at all.