Kalipso2

honestly, the craving doesn't go away... or hasn't for me and i'm 2 years post-op. if you liked ice cream before surgery you're still going to like it after surgery! i think, for me, it's going to be a constant struggle. it honestly gets to the point where the internal struggle is so huge that i literally have to talk myself out of eating too much. you either listen to your stomach (or band) that will eventually tell you "No More Food!!!" or you listen to your head that tells you "One More Bite!!!" you're so used to just eating that one last bite that turns into finishing everything on your plate. even with the band, the struggle will be there BUT i do allow myself the occasional treat of a small vanilla cone or some snack sized chocolate!

i'll keep looking around too and let you know if i find anything! carpooling would be great!

i thought i felt my band too but during my last fill i had it under xray and i had him look at my port location too. it turns out is the tubing i'm feeling, not the band.

i was banded april 2008 and have only lost 42 or so pounds and my surgeon still considers me a success case because i lost 60% of the weight i needed. from the sound of it, you do need a fill. if i eat too much or too fast, i almost immediately throw up because the food starts backing up into my esophagus. it also sounds like you need motivation to get back on track. attend a support meeting and meet people who are also struggling or who can offer an ear to listen. the other night i splurged for the first time in forever on fast food. i got a jr. bacon cheeseburger and small fry from wendy's. i ate the entire burger (minus the bun) and fries and that's the most i've eaten in over a year in one sitting!

i'm having the same problem, sandi. i live in cleveland but had my surgery in cincinnati. my free fills are now expired and have begun searching closer to home for maintenance. i did call the University of Akron and was told they only do fills on patients that were banded there. so i'm very interested in the responses you get!!

yes, slider foods are bad... they're easily digested foods like ice cream or milkshakes or mashed potatos... foods that move very easy past the band that are high calorie or high fat. if all you ate was ice cream all day and night, you'd gain weight... even with your band!

good for you!!! it's a great feeling, isn't it? you deserve to toot your own horn! this process isn't as easy as it seems so every pound lost should be celebrated. i just bought 2 new bathing suits and i can't wait to wear them!

it made me happy to read your post! i too have the 10cc LAP-BAND® and have 4.4cc right now. i thought something was wrong because if i go any higher than 5cc i am over-filled. when i read that some people have 6 or 8cc's i was jealous. now i know i'm not alone! there are some days that i feel over-filled at 4.7 but other days i feel like i can eat and eat and eat!

i chose to tell people because my eating habits have changed so drastically. people will notice that you're only eating a quarter of food that you normally would eat. there are certain foods i can't eat... like hamburgers and bread... so it makes it difficult going out to lunch with co-workers or friends.

yesterday was my 2-year BANDiversary. i'm not going to say i'm not happy i had the surgery because i am. i feel so much better mentally as well as physically BUT.... it's a major decision. it's a lifetime effort that has been the most difficult thing i've every had to deal with. it's not the magical cure of just not feeling hungry so the pounds just melt off. it's so much more than that. even 2 years post-op, every meal is a battle. do i listen to my band that tells me i'm full or do i listen to my brain that wants to keep eating because it just tastes SO good? it's a mental game and when the brain wins i have to pay the consequenses by vomitting and risk my band slipping. just do a lot of research. talk to as many people as you can that have been banded. maybe i'm the minority and most people have dealt with being banded easier than i have. i just wanted you to see a side of someone who still struggles even after the weight has come off.

being 2 years post-of, i know my band well enough to know when i need to eat. i know if i eat an entirely high protein meal it will last longer than if i eat carbs or liquids (soups). most of the time you need to rely only on eating when you're hungry BUT you have to make sure you're getting in enough protein too.

fortunately my doctor allows diet soda 6 months after surgery. i haven't had any problems drinking it other than a gurgling sound of the carbonation going thru the band when i drink. it sounds like my stomach is growling but 10 times as loud!

although my band doesn't allow me to each many carbs, i do eat the ones i can keep down. for instance, i can only eat the crust from a slice of pizza but not the rest. i can eat baked or mashed potato but not french fries (even if they're oven baked). i can eat pretzels but not chips. i DO think it has affected my weight loss though. i'm sure i could lose the weight quicker if i stayed away from the "bad" carbs!

i would most definitely suggest a slight unfill! you should still be able to eat comfortably but just get full faster.

i haven't considered a revision but i have considered a reversal. i have had nothing but trouble with my band over the past 2 years. yes, i've lost 60% of my weight but it's been at a very high cost. i now have severe acid reflux and my stomach folds over the band if i get the slightest fill. i have a 10cc band and only have 4.4cc in right now. at one point i had around 5.5cc but was constantly throwing up from the acid reflux. *sigh* my fills and unfills have been (thankfully) covered under my initial surgery fee but my 2 year anniversary is coming up and that means i have to start paying for my fills and unfills. i'm aggravated. i'm sad. i'm scared. but my doctor considers me a "success story".

i was self-pay but when i went to see my doc for a fill this past weekend, there was a new patient and she got on the scale and got back off. she put her coat and shoes on and got back on the scale and got back off. she then picked up her purse and got back on the scale. there are ways for you to "gain" 5 pounds for insurance reasons and your doc should be aware of that. if all else fails.. a couple of ankle weights should do the trick!!

My doc charges $100 also.

congrats!! at least you've been doing some research here and probably know a lot of the answers but it's nice to hear from actual people who had the procedure done. my first info session (yes i went to more than one!) was a horrible experience. i asked the surgeon, "how many lap-bands have you done?" and his answer was, "none... yet." !!!! i was self-pay and that got the ball rolling really quick. i had my initial consult, nutrition session, pre-op surgical check and actual surgery all completed in 45 days!!

i have depression and anxiety issues. i do (or did) take medications for both but recently was able to stop taking my anxiety meds which actually helped me lose an additional 5 pounds. i hope to eventually be able to stop taking my antidepressant (with my doctor's permission, of course). i'm happier now and feel more self confidence than i ever expected!!

see... i'm not sure i agree that you totally have to give up sweets (or sugar). the key is to eat in moderation. as a binge eater, it's no longer possible for me to eat a dozen Cookies. i feel satisfied after eating 1. this is where the problem with the band comes in... whether you are going to listen to your brain or your band. if i take a big portion of food, i can't stop eating whether i'm full or not. that's listening to my brain. if i only put the 1 cup of food on my plate and finish it, my band wins. does that make sense?

my 2 year anniversary is april 22nd so i went in for a last flouro exam and small fill on 03/06/10. i've felt fine the past 3 months but the week leading up to my appointment i did feel more hungry but not overally so. as soon as i drank the barium... i hadn't even swallowed all of it yet... and the nurse said my pouch was dilated and pretty bad. i also was having reflux which i was not feeling. she took .5cc out which now leaves me with 4.2cc in a 10cc band and i was put on liquids for 3 days. she said the pouch should go back to normal and to come back in a month. what happens if it DOESN'T go back to normal? i've had nothing but problems with the band since day one with reflux and dilation over the past 2 years and i'm SO frustrated! i've lost over 40 pounds... half of what i wanted to lose... and i'm okay with how i look and feel but i don't know what to do!!

if i'm going in for a normal fill, i lay down but if i'm getting a fill under flouro i stand. i don't think i've noticed any difference other than when i'm given a fill under flouro they can actually watch the fluid flowing thru the band.

I used CareCredit and have had a HORRIBLE experience with them. The cost of my surgery was $12,500 and my payments were $224 a month for 5 years. In July they received my payment "too early" so they applied to June's statement as a double payment. They said I still owed for July. I've been battling them since then to no avail because I paid EARLY so I ended up transferring the balance to another credit card.

seriously... enjoy eating while you can because once you're restricted it will end. also remember, the band is only a tool... YOU have to CHOOSE the healthy food!

my surgeon allows his patients to drink diet soda 6 months after surgery. i've had no problems with the carbonation at all. the only thing weird is when my stomach is empty and i take a drink, my stomach makes a gurgling noise and i can actually feel the liquid passing thru the stomach and past the band. sounds and feels like my stomach is growling.