abby1

My doctor wants the smallest amount of fill that still gives you restriction and weight loss. He feels that being overfilled causes more problems with pb's, sliming, and other problems. It also can prevent you from eating properly and might cause you to limit yourself to soft or liquid foods. Having said that, I do not know your situation, if you are losing weight, and what problems or successes you are having.

It seems to me that you have not done the research you need to do in order to be ready for surgery. LapBand surgery is a permanent solution; it remains with you for the rest of your life. You will also be making other long term and permanent changes in your life - how and what you eat as well as exercise more. I think you need to postpone your surgery until you understand the commitments you need to make to be successful.

There comes a time to speak up. This lady is trying to make herself feel better and if the other people in the group are not losing a much as you help them justify their lack of weight loss. The points you want to make, in your own words is: 1) This is a support group and your words show a lack of support. 2) Everyone loses at a different rate and that your body is slower than mine is not my fault. 3) I regret you are having trouble losing weight but please do not take our your frustrations on me. You might want to do this in private first and if she continues then do it publicly in the meeting. If you do not feel comfortable doing this, then speak with the group leader. The group leader should not allow this person to poison the group.

This can be a common side effect of surgery. I had the same thing happen in a long incision after colon cancer surgery in 2001. It happens sometimes and there is no rhyme or reason.

I went to a seminar given by the doctor my primary care doctor recommended. I did not like him or his team and found someone on my own. I found this psychologist and nutritionist more interested in selling their post surgical services than in helping me prior to surgery.Having said that, what I did not like was that I wanted and expected to speak with the doctor to have US determine what surgery was best for ME. The doctor stated that if you were over 50, he only performed LapBand. There is no right or wrong weight loss surgery - period. When I had my appointment to see the surgeon I ultimately used, I went over my medical history which includes colon cancer with him. I made sure given my situtation I did what was best for me. Each of us need to do that and for some of us it may be gastric bypass.

I also was a self pay. I used money I inherited from my mother and know she would be proud. Having said that I am also an employer and in the process of determining health insurance for our small business for next year. We are a small business with insurance with a major company and what I would call very good coverage. We have needed to cut our coverage each year just to keep the premiums affordable. For us to keep the same coverage for all our employees in 2009 the costs go up almost 15%. Now one person has reached the big 60, but that is the same employees with no additions to dependents. By increasing the deductible and co-payments we can reduce the increase to 4%. What do we do? The increase is not our fault and this insurance company has the best doctor and hospital coverage for our area. Many doctors I use are not on the other major insurance company plans. What is fair for me as the employer to absorb and therefore pass on to my customers in higher costs, especially in this economy? How much more do you want or can afford to pay? What do we really want or need our insurance companies to pay? The issue of health insurance coverage goes far beyond weight loss surgery.

Whether you are talking about LapBand surgery or any other medical procedure, there are people who just will not understand. You just need to accept the fact they will not understand what you are doing on why. You need to learn to live with it and just live your life around them. Include them when you want and avoid them when you can't deal with them.

My husband and I have been married for 39 years from the time I was a size 8 to my heaviest and back down again. We have had our ups and downs totally unrelated to my weight gain and we have gone to counseling in the past. Since I can not get inside your heads or your marriage, I think it is important for you both to deal with your feelings and perhaps discuss it with a counselor. There may be someone within the lap band community who can talk to the two of you, otherwise you might want to talk with a counselor before the surgery to better handle the upcoming situtations.

i could not make the conference in Dallas. I would attend a conference depending on the time of year (I travel a great deal for business), location, cost, and program offered. The program offered is the most important.

I am having a weird problem and I do not want to get unfilled when I see my doctor on Monday, so I would appreciate any tips you might have. I have been banded almost a year (50 weeks) and this problem started last month. I also have allergies and take medication for them. Somewhere around 4 - 5 in the morning, I start getting a backup of Fluid. Sometimes it is acidic. I will cough, get up, take a sip of Water, and it will last any where from 5 - 30 minutes. I am not eating or drinking past 6:30 or 7; I am sleeping on two pillows so my head is elevated; I have started taking my allergy medication at night. What else can I do? Monday is my last free monthly visit with my doctor. I do not want to be unfilled, in fact I would like a little more restriction, but with this I am afraid to get more. I am having surgery on my foot in a week and I will be non weight bearing for 6 - 8 weeks, so I will not be seeing my Lapband doctor again until February. Any suggestions?

99% of the time I have no problem eating or drinking. The 1% problem is usually my fault - too fast, wrong food, bad girl. No new meds, nothing else is new. Now my allergies seem fine, but with the change in seasons, they could be acting up a bit and I do not realize it.

Talk with your doctors. A combination of diet and pills can work. I have a sluggish system. I am on clear liquids for three or four days. I take an OTC laxative the first and second night, followed by the pills. It works for me, but again talk with your doctors.

I am a colon cancer survivor (2001) and almost one year bandster. Before getting the band I spoke to the surgeon. He stated that they can unfill me the next time I need a colonoscopy (2010) and then refill me when it is done. I strongly suggest you speak both to your lap band surgeon and the gastroenterologist about this. They may need to consult in order to have you do the best prep. Now I have a very sluggish digestive system. I go on a clear liquid diet for three days prior to the prep.

I am going to have surgery on my right foot in November. I will be totally non weight bearing for 4 - 6 weeks. Any idea what I can do to keep fit and burn calories while in this condition? Any websites or online resources that you know of?

I have always had acid reflux and take Prevacid for it. I am having nighttime acid reflux that started after the last fill. It comes between 3am - 5am and lasts anywhere from 5 min to 15 min. I am working with my fill doctor to keep it under control and we are trying several different things to see what works. I sleep elevated with two pillows, do not eat or drink after about 6:30, take the Prevacid twice a day. I am 21 pounds from my goal and do not want to lessen the fill nor do I want to damage myself. How long is it okay to have a little reflux? Can I have it for several months so I can lose the rest of my weight? Any suggestions on what to do?

Until the last fill, my acid reflux was if not better at least not worse. I was only taking one Prevacid a day and felt able to eat most anything. I did after banding try stopping the Prevacid, but that did not work.

Speak to her privately and firmly telling her you regret she is having problems with your weight loss, but that is her problem. Tell her you are not going to accept any more treats she brings in and to save her money. Tell her you are going to do this publicly and this is going to cause her embaressment not you. Keep each response firmer and louder, letting the rest of the office know about her sabotaging you. Bring in lap band materials and hand her one each time she continues to bring in a treat for you.

I am Jewish and will be honest in saying I am not familiar with the Muslim traditions. In the Jewish faith, even the most orthodox, are allowed to bend rules for health reasons. If it will detrimental to ones health to fast, then you are allowed to break the fast as minimally as possible so as not to harm oneself. If for health reasons, one is allowed to eat forbidden foods. Does the Muslim faith have any such exceptions?

I had a fill two weeks ago and I am having no problems during the day. About 4:00 am I am waking up either choking for a moment or with acid reflux. I tried sleeping on a higher pillow and that helps a bit. It does not matter whether I sleep on my side, back, or tummy. I also stop eating and drinking by 7:30. Any suggestions.

I take a Prevacid in the morning and will go up to twice a day and see if it helps. I have been on Prevacid for a number of years and the reflux was gone. Any other suggestions?

I had a small fill last Monday and I am now getting back to solid foods. Unlike an earlier fill, I am adjusting nicely. This morning however, I woke about about 6:00 am with a slight acidic feeling in my throat and coughing. Now I know I could still be swollen and this could be making my band feel tighter and I know I am always tightest in the morning. Is this something other bandsters get? Should I be concerned about this?

I can not eat breakfast at all so I have a protein shake and coffee for my breakfast. My doctor says that is fine.

I am not able to eat soft breads, rice can be a problem as can pasta. I can eat both if I am careful, but it is usually not worth the bother; I love them both and eating just a little is not easy, so I just avoid them. I can not eat anything doughy like a pierogie, which is sometimes a great quick meal. I still can not eat breakfast so a protein shake is my breakfast and I am cool with that.

Find yourself a good alteration person and keep him or her. Explain that you are losing weight and are getting used to looking slimmer. Have them pin the alterations on you to see how it looks, to see if you want something more fitted or less. You may find yourself comfortable in less than fitted but more than baggy to start. You may find the more you lose the more comfortable you will be in fitted clothes. Now there is a warning here. There is a limit as to how much a garment can be taken in. Listen to your person.

I am going to get at least one wickedly expensive designer outfit. One that I can wear for years.