DrWatkins

Yes it is. Angie runs that group and she has had the band surgery. You can find out more info by calling the Cincinnati office at 513-939-BAND (2263). They'll give you the exact location (I'm embarrassed to admit that I don't know!) If you have any difficulty locating it, please let me know.

Most surgeons now use the newer AP bands (Allergan Health). They are widely available. If any practice or hospital doesn't currently have the AP bands they can certainly order them and the company will exchange the "old" ones for the AP bands. They are both great bands but you might as well have the newest & greatest, right? The new-to-market REALIZE band (Ethicon) is so new that not too many surgeons are able to offer this currently. That will change rapidly throughout 2008 as they proctor surgeons on the new band.

We know lots of band surgeons around the country. Where do you live? Maybe I can help you find a great band practice close by.

There is also a gastric band surgeon in Cincinnati (Dr. John Mobley) who has had the surgery himself. You will love him. His wife is also banded as well as many members of their family. To say he is passionate about helping people lose weight with the band is an understatement to say the least. He offers both bands as well (Allergan band and the new REALIZE band). His office is in West Chester, Ohio off of I-75 just north of I-275. In addition to Cincinnati he sees a lot of patients from Dayton and Columbus as well. The nurses that help him do fills are also banded as well as all of the receptionists in the office. His website is Synchrony Health :: Home. Click "Our Locations" and "Cincinnati, OH". If you travel, there are also Synchrony Health locations in Washington DC, Chicago and Seattle where you cand get fills. He offers free initial consults and it would be worth it to visit with him.

It's fun to help people who are working hard to accomplish amazing things.

Lynsay, Follow these steps: 1.) Look yourself in the eye in a mirror 2.) Point to your image in the mirror 3.) Say, "you're going to be a star" 4.) Go enjoy the rest of your day with renewed hope

There are certainly different styles and opinions regarding fills. My opinion is that if you are still hungry and can eat a lot after your first fill then more saline should be added until it's perfect. The sooner it's perfect, the sooner you are on your way to superstar status. If you put it in simplest terms: Too loose = hungry, can eat a lot, feel like you're on a diet, "band not working", maximus frustrationus Too tight = everything wants to come back up, heartburn especially at night, all food consistencies even well-chewed will be seen again shortly Just right = easily lose 1-2 pounds per week (or maintain once at goal), full on small meals, not hungry between meals, think your surgeon is a miracle worker, send your gastric band practice a Christmas card that will bring tears to your eyes

Lizzie, don't be so hard on yourself. The stomach tissue swelling that may have given you some restriction and therefore appetite suppression after surgery is gone at this point. This is the classic time of maximal frustration after gastric band surgery. Give yourself a break. Once you've had your first fill and are perfectly adjusted, you'll be full on small meals, not hungry all the time and the dieting mentality (and being hard on yourself) will be over. Hang in there. You're doing better than you think. Focus on the fact that you're in the healing phase. The weight loss phase begins after your first fill. Celebrate the fact that you have this powerful tool healing inside that is going to help you achieve your goals like never before.

What typically happens after gastric band surgery is that you get some swelling of the stomach tissue initially due to the surgeon handling and stitching it. Since the stomach tissue is inside the band it will naturally restrict the opening. And like all swelling, it will decrease over time. It is typical for patients to experience hunger reduction and fullness on small meals the first few weeks after surgery but when the swelling goes down they are able to eat more and feel more hungry. The good news is that once your first fill is done and you become perfectly adjusted, you will feel full on small meals and not be hungry. It will finally take away the feeling of dieting and be a powerful way to help you lose and maintain weight loss. Focus on the fact that you are in the healing phase. The weight loss phase happens after your first fill. Hope that helps.

Most American doctors do secure the stomach over the top of the band to prevent slips. I've heard of surgeons not doing this but only in other countries, outside the U.S.

You're welcome.

You are welcome to attend our monthly Columbus Lap Band Support Group (513-939-2263 for details). We have a lot of Columbus patients come down to West Chester, OH north of Cincinnati because we do Lap Band surgery full-time and one of our band surgeons (Dr. Mobley) has had the band himself. We provide fills locally in Columbus and have so many patients we are going to send one of our surgeons up there so patients don't have to travel for consults, etc. Also feel free to call the office because all of the receptionists are banded and our two fill nurses are banded and you can ask them any question you might have about the band.

Most band surgeons have switched to the AP bands which stands for Advanced Platform The APS (small) holds 10cc The APL (large) holds 14cc Australian surgeons do lots of band surgery and they've had the AP bands for years and are seeing better weight loss and fewer pouch dilations ("slips"). The new bands (AP) are also easier to unbuckle if you would need the band repositioned due to pouch dilation. The REALIZE band is the Ethicon Company band. It too has been in Europe since the early 1990's. It has a single size so everyone has the same band. It has slight differences from the Allergan bands but the research on weight loss is very similar to the existing Allergan bands (APS, APL). Hopefully, now that two companies have bands on the market the price of plastic will go down.

Older Inamed/Allergan bands were sized 9.75, 10 and 11cm. The 9.75 and 10 held 4cc. The 11cm (Vanguard) held 10cc Now, the new bands are called APS and APL which stands for Advanced Platform small and large. The small holds 10cc The large holds 14cc Patients have different sized tissue around the stomach just like we all have different shoe sizes. We determine the proper size in the operating room.