ReneBean

It varies wildly - I have seen it from $12,500 to $17,000 or more... but that's about the range. It is pretty available at about $15k including a year of fills - but it will depend on where you live and stuff. If you have the surgery in Mexico - it can be lots cheaper... Just research your doc really well - with life-altering surgery, cheaper is not always the best option. Good Luck!

Hi All. Newbies... take heart. It all gets better. The pain goes away and the appetite gets smaller - and suddenly you find yourself horrified at the amt of food your Sister is eating for Thanksgiving Dinner... I had to laugh at myself - cause the year before, I would have matched her bite for bite. I pretty much slept (sitting up on the couch) for the first 2 days. It got better after that. The port pain will last the longest - cause it is attached to the muscles in your belly. Lying down was problematic for the first 3-4 days - after that, I could sleep in my bed - and that made ALL the difference in how I functioned during the day. After a year, I am finally under a BMI of 50. I am currently at 49.5 I have to say that it took at least 6 fills to get close to good restriction. I have the Vanguard band "The big one" and I have 8.8 cc right now. I am VERY close to the sweet spot. I haven't lost very FAST - mostly because I haven't dieted at all until 2007. I did exercise (sporadically) and I tried to eat sensibly (except when I didn't) but for the first year, I pretty much let my band do all the work. I lost 36 pounds that way - which is great, considering the fact that I really did eat pretty much everything - just in smaller amounts. Now that I am working a little more - eating low carb and exercising a bit more - I am seeing much faster results. If you have the motivation to follow the rules - to work with your band instead of dragging along behind it, you will succeed. I managed to lose 36 pounds by without great restriction and without very much exercise. How cool is that? Good Luck and Happy Healing to all of you!

I would say that you don't have to reveal all to your personal trainer. My Advice: 1) good shoes are important. make sure they fit properly, and are comfortable. Pretty is so not important in an exercise shoe. LIGHT weight is important, good arch support and good fit. 2) Don't skimp on the abdominal work. It won't actually do anything to make your belly fat go away faster - but it WILL support your back and save you agonizing pain. If you have ever thrown out your back, you know what I mean. If you haven't - TRUST ME on this. Do your abdominal work. They have cute little machines for that at the gym and it isn't nearly as hellish as the countless crunches you may have done in the past. Good Luck! I hope you find something that is not too agonizing for you and that you can stick with it. I suspect that after a few weeks of acclimating to the whole concept, you will drag a little bit less. :]

Yes - if there is only one surgeon on the approved list for your insurance - then go for it. Schedule with him. If you need to do more, then he will tell you. Good Luck!!

Oh Yeah. LOVE the spicy food. We eat lots of curry and mexican food. No problems here. I drink occasionally - but not often since I favor rum in sugary punch... or pina coladas. NOT exactly lo-cal delights... Just avoid the Champagne. I took a SIP on New Year's Eve... and lived to regret it. Carbonation is very uncomfortable. Research all the choices and make the best choice for you and your life. Good Luck!

So far as life-saving surgeries go... I beleive lap band to be as safe as anything! If you have ever been under anesthesia before, you should be ok. That is why you have to do pre-op testing.... to be sure that you can withstand the surgery, itself. If your pre-op tests are clear, you will probably fly right thru, with no problems. I was over 300 lbs at surgery, and certainly NOT in anything resembling good health - but I came through OK - and so will you! I felt that it was certainly worth a small risk to gain control over my eating.... and if I was so weak that surgery would kill me, then I was going to die soon, anyway. Hugs and good luck!

Hi One65! Welcome to LBT! Slow seems to be the order of the day, for me... but it's alright by me. I am just thrilled to be losing anything at all while eating pretty much whatever I want. More restriction WILL help. Good Luck!

Hey Court Welcome! I would say the first step, after reading here a whole bunch, would be to go to a local doc's informational seminar. If there is a local center that specializes in LapBand nearby - they will surely have regular seminars. The seminar gives you the chance to ask questions of doctors and usually at least one prior patient. They will also discuss costs of surgery if you self-pay. I did a lot of research here - and obviously continue to hang out here - but the seminar was really the first official step. From there, I scheduled my first consult with the doc and got started on my pre-op testing. Good luck!!

Go, Julie, GO!! What a deal. I wish my Daddy was a PS. :] Good luck with the 10 lbs. I'll be thinking good thoughts for you! Oh - and GREAT JOB on the 150 lbs~!! :]

Yes, I take my Synthroid pill and a Capsule for another med. Neither one is huge - and I take them at night when I have the least restriction. If you have problems taking the pill - ask your pharmacist if the pill can be cut or crushed. Good Luck!

Good Afternoon! I am kinda pumped up today because 1) it's a new month. 2) I am on vacation next week. I am also excited because all my self denial & exercise seem to be paying off. If my scale is to be believed, I have lost another pound since yesterday. That is just so danged exciting!! It looks like I am on my way toward that 10 lb goal! Yee Haw!! I am here to tell you that my vacation can't come a day too soon. I am so ready to be away from my desk for a few days that it isn't even funny. It is way too slow for me to be here, doing this. But, I guess the low stress thing is ok. It would be better if I wasn't worried about getting laid off all the time, though. :] My exercise for February was 12 days - 24 miles. Add that to my big 14 miles in January and my Year-to-Date total is 38. I am going to work hard to improve that number in March. I guess DH & I will have to walk while we are at Mom's house next week. Cindy - the pound of feathers is a good visual... Try not to get TOO pooped. You are supposed to be retired, after all... :scared: Sherry - Thanks for starting the March thread! What class were you in?? (Nosey, aint I??) Oh - and you will have to really scrutinize Tattoo Boy and fill us in on whether or not he is a suitable beau for our Chrispy! Kat - I really hate losing those posts... It's not fun. But, hey - 34 miles for February ROCKS!! You get gold stars for exercise. :clap2: Hugs! Eileenie - A promotion? BOSS MAN is putting you in for a Promotion? So, did he finally pull his head out of his @$$ or what? I guess all your stressing has been toward a good cause. So will he still be your boss? Or will you get a new one? Hope you get it! :gluck: Chrispy - how fun... you get to play with a young 'un; snuggle a baby and get concerned phone calls from Tatto Boy. Glad to hear all is going well. Andy sounds like a winner, so far. :love: I am counting on Sherry to give us her honest opinion. Mandy - it sounds like you might finally be on the mend. Be good! Hope you are feeling better, at last. HUGS!! Well - I have to run. Hope everybody is having a great day!! Hugs!

Hey NJ Loser :welcome: Choose the NJ forum and click on NJ March Chat. Come on over and set a while... :]

I usually eat raw veggies with striclty portioned & calorie counted dip. Calabeza squash (like zuccini only milder flavor - see your local hispanic market), (peal on or off) Chayote squash - crunchy/melonish kind of flavor (peel & eat) Kolrabi - root crop with greens on top. You can put the both parts in Soups and stews, and I like the root-part raw. It is very cruncy and tastes like a cross between brocoli & radishes. (peel & eat) I also love snap peas and the occasional carot or cherry tomato - but those all have a higher carb count. Chewing is (as always) the key to eating raw veggies. I have to also add the disclaimer that I have never had tight, tight restriction and I can eat anything - anything at all... Good Luck!

Sorry Ryan. You are no longer a PB virgin. Here's what you need to know. A PB causes swelling - which makes the band all tight, just like after a fill.... so - just like after a fill - you need to do liquids for AT LEAST 24 hours after one of those nasty things. Otherwise, you will cause a viscious cycle. You PB cause you were eating too fast, or whatever - you swell up - you try to eat again, PB again... cause more swelling and irritation... If you don't do liquids, your esophogus will stay irritated and so will you - cause you won't be able to eat. Give yourself a day on liquids, graduate to mushies and soft stuff and then try to eat solid food again - very carefully. Good Luck!

My doc's scale is consistently 4 lbs over what mine says. That's why you really should always weigh on the same scale... and why my "official" weight is always posted. I only call it "official" if I go to my surgeon's office, or the fill center. (those scales seem to match) I don't really care what the number is. I just want to be able to see the trend. :]

Oh Dianne - I am so sorry... but it's better for Bambi - and really better for both of them not to have to worry about her. Hugs!! Well, I am off to the gym. DH relented and is coming with me.

Ah - Another day has passed... I have tracked my exercise at 11 days for the month-to-date. I will check in with my total in the AM. I am planning on going again tonight. 12 days out of 28 is still pretty wimpy - so I am going to have to do a whole lot better than that in March. Unofficial weight for today (per my scale + 4 lbs variance) would be 292. That's still only 39 pounds since my surgery date - and 55 pounds all together. I need to move that along just a smidge. I need to have this a little bit more under control by the time the next set of food holidays roll around. I think I will be able to pass up Easter Candy - so then I am clear until at least the fourth of July - and probably until Thanksgiving. Today, I have successfully avoided eating any of the evil carb laden treats lying around the office. With the exception of some veggie-dip which had some sugar in it, I was pure. I purposely avoided the dessert section of the office... I resisted the chips that were staring at me all afternoon - and I didn't even smack my idiot co-worker when she repeatedly blathered on about how delicious the Desserts were - AFTER I asked her not to mention it. GOLD STARS for me. (and lucky for her that I didn't snap) So, going into March - it isn't all that bad. I have lost a few pounds, I am hitting the gym, and I am not doing too badly on the whole food concept. Now all I have to do is improve on my ability to stop eating when I am full. Since this has always been the hardest thing for me to do, I forsee some fluctuation in my success rate... I will try not to bore you too much with the blow by blow daily report. I am determined to lose a minimum of 5 lbs in March. That is my goal. I would like to see at least 10 - but 5 is an attainable number, considering a week of travel food & no exercise might occur. That trip is a double edged sword. It's so fun - but so bad for me! Mary - sorry your computer is such a punk. Hugs to you and the boys. Cindy - I will totally call you when I get back from Tuscon. I could really use some veteran assistance. And I am so there with you on the body changes being the flip side of no weightloss. I only lost a couple of pounds in the whole month of February - but I am wearing a shirt today that I wouldn't wear three weeks ago cause it was too tight in the belly. How cool is that?!? Mandy - I hope you actually got some rest today. How nice that your DH isn't Kitchen-Phobic. Kat - I worry about you with that nut-ball around. Geez - the mediator thought she needed an escort to her car! All I can say is I hope the judge doesn't spank him so hard that the Nut-Ball feels the need for revenge. He sounds almost as scary as Crispy's neighbor. I hope he isn't someone that you will have to see on a regular basis in the future. Sherry - hope you get a break from the late hours soon. xo Eileenie - Hugs!! I can't wait for tomorrow! Now, how can we arrange for Boss Man to be away... permanently.... :heh: LOL! Darcy - Huge Hugs! I hope FIL is ok and the surgery was a great success - but there isn't anything you can do if people won't take care of themselves. I am thinking good thoughts for you & your DH. It's hard when your Daddy is sick - even when Daddy is an alcoholic. Well, I am off toward home, now. DH is flaking on the gym - but I am going without him. So there, NYAAAAA. Love you guys! (Where ARE those stinking flying Monkeys, anyway?? We are still short of a few of our peeps...)

I love Dr. Fox - and I really love the Surgery Center of Richardson. I had my surgery there and it was wonderful. Plus, I have had no complications, and the fill center is awesome. :]

I think that is a problem, everywhere. I had to fight BC/BS of CA to get my band due to my BMI being over 50. If that is the only problem that you have in getting approved, e-mail me. I will send my letters and the research links. Good Luck!!

I started at 358. It isn't hard to lose, if you have ANY self control at all (I don't!) If your doc is biased toward Gastric Bypass (and lots of them are) then consider checking out other docs. If you don't mind them chopping up your intestinal tract, then there is nothing wrong with bypass - but if you do (and I sure did mind!) then get a doc who is willing to work toward getting what YOU want. I had to fight with my insurance company - cause there was some study that showed some stupid short-term result about by-pass losing more than the Band - but that was a short term result. Call a few other docs. Good Luck!!!

Last time I checked, I think Self Pay at the Surgery Center of Richardson was $15,000 and it included a year of fills. Check them out. I love Dr. Fox - and there are several other great docs there, too. They offer regular information seminars - and cost is always covered in that. Good Luck!!

I get on the scale almost every morning - just to see what's happening. I just keep in mind that my weight can easily fluctuate 2-3 pounds in a day depending on how much sodium I am eating and how much Water I am drinking (and the phase of the moon, and the shift of the tides) Personally - I can pretend that I have been better than I have really been if I go for too long without checking. It's better for me to see the daily fluctuations. It doesn't depress me too much and it keeps me on plan. But that's just me....

I picked a doc close to where I work. I did my stuff on my lunch hours and first thing in the AM or late in the PM. A long lunch hour might be more acceptable than coming in late or leaving early. Good Luck!

Sorry, Soph. Get a second opinion - but it may be best for you to get a different option with GERD. Talk to at least one other doc - and check out all the varieties available besides the band. Hugs!

Brandy When you got your second band, did he put in the one that holds 4cc's (the smallest one) or did he use a different size? A bigger band holds a lot of saline - so maybe THAT is the problem. It's worth asking, anyway. If you really have the smallest band - and you have a full 4cc's, I would think you would feel SOME restriction... Good luck!!