StephieNana

That is rather aggressive, in my opinion. I have a 10 cc band and just had my fourth fill bringing me to 5.5 cc's. I've struggled with my weight loss even with the Lap Band, so this visit he actually prescribed me an appetite suppresant as well. This is the first time I've gone home after a fill and can actually feel full after I eat. I think this pill is really helping me...either that or I found my sweet spot finally. I shouldn't complain too much about my slow weight loss though because I have never been sick or had food get caught or anything. Plus, I have been able to lose weight, but still live life. I haven't eliminated my favorite foods just because of the band...I just eat smaller portions of those foods and indulge less often.

I have been having the same issues with my fills. I had surgery on 3/10/2008 and have lost 40 lbs. Well, all but 7 lbs of that came off during the 2 weeks prior to surgery and 2 months after surgery. Now I keep going between 227 and 223...up and down all the time. I have had 3 fills. I have a 10 cc band and the first fill was 2 cc's, then 1/2 cc, and the last one was 1 cc. It is very frustrating to me because now I feel like this was a waste of time. I have quit going to the gym because I didn't feel like it was helping me and I eat what I want. I have no restrictions. I'm really down and have been for the last 1 1/2 months. Sometimes I think I am happy the way I am, but then other days I really do want to lose the weight. It's helpful to read the other posts and realize I'm not alone, but I am still very frustrated.

I, too, have been feeling discouraged, but recently realized this is just a tool. I really do still have to work. It's frustrating because my dad had lapband before me and in 1 year he lost 100 lbs....10 lbs per month...and he has lost an additional 40 lbs since. I lost 25 lbs right away and now I have lost a total of 34 lbs and my surgery was on 3/10/08. I was mostly discouraged because I hired a personal trainer 3 weeks ago and in the first two weeks I only lost 2.5 lbs. I figured with the surgery and working out 3-5 times a week (with a trainer twice a week for an hour each), that I would do double what I was doing on surgery alone. Then the realization hit me this morning when I put on a pair of pants that were tight this winter. I am sitting here at work today and can't stop pulling my waist out to remind myself that sometimes it's not just the lbs that drop but the inches! I am going to remeasure myself this weekend. I didn't measure before surgery...and I should have....but I can at least compare to my measurements before my fitness plan started because my trainer took measurements for me.

I am right there with you! I was just banded 3/10/08 and lost 25 lbs before my first fill. My fill was on 4/15 and since then I have lost 5, but then gained 2 or 3 and then lost one....then gain, then lose! It is really starting to irritate me! I have now lost a total of 28 lbs. Only 3 lbs lost since I had my first fill 2 weeks ago??? What's up with that!? At first I didn't think I was getting enough calories, so I increased them, but increased too much. Now I am trying to only have liquids and mushy food again... at dinner I make sure I eat my protein and for breakfast I have a slim-fast protein drink. Lunch has been either homemade soup or a side salad with reduced fat dressing. LOTS of water...I am walking 1 to 1.5 miles every night and doing way more yard work than I ever have! I am going on Saturday and joining this new club in town and I am hiring myself a personal trainer! I should have done this years ago, but I think it's the only way now. I want and need to lose this weight. I'm sick of hearing "Oh, your face is so pretty." "When are you going to have babies?" "I heard you had the surgery? Have you lost a lot?" UUUGGGGHHH!!! Here we go...........

WOW! I went for my first fill on Tuesday and my doctor pushed around on my belly and then marked me with a marker, cleaned the area and then stuck the needle in. I didn't even know the needle was in and out until he told me I could sit up. The only strange thing was that I could hear my tummy grumbling while the saline went into the band. I can't beleive your band is so full either. I have a 10 cc band and it was filled with 2 cc. How has your weight loss been? Have you lost a lot or has it been slow? My doctor wasn't even going to give me a fill because I had lost 25lbs in about 5 weeks, but I hadn't lost anything in 1 1/2 weeks, so he agreed to give me a fill. I'm just curious how your weight loss is going with such a small band and being filled so much.

My dad's doctor told him the same thing, but when he finally came out and told the doctor that he would just find one that would refer him, the doctor came around and made the recommendation. My dad and his doctor are both THRILLED that he had the surgery now. He lost 140 lbs with lap band in 1 year. He is in the best shape he has ever been in. Now, I'm just hoping to follow in his footsteps! :thumbup:

I prefer the nectar protein drinks. I have had strawberry kiwi and caribbean cooler. They are the least expensive I have found so far and they taste pretty good. They have 23 grams of protein, only 90 calories, no carbs and no sugar. The flavors available are apple ecstasy, strawberry kiwi, lemonade, caribbean cooler (tastes like pina colada), fuzzy navel, twisted cherry, cappucinno latte, lemon tea and crystal sky (blue raspberry). They are only $27.95 for 2 lbs right now at SAVEONSUPPLEMENTS.COM: The lowest prices on BSN EAS CYTOSPORT ISOPURE LABRADA MET-RX MUSCLETECH NUTREX PRO-RX PROLAB. The shipping was pretty reasonable, too. Someone I talked to said she mixes the caribbean cooler with a chocolate protein drink and loves it! I don't care for pina colada, but the blue raspberry is my next one. The protein amount is lower than most of the ones mentioned here, but it is tolerable to drink. Plus, if you have one of those every day in addition to any other protein you might have in cottage cheese, eggs, etc. it won't take long to get it all in. Or find two of these you like and have two per day!

I was banded on 3/10/08 and as of today I have lost 25.2. I have my first fill on 4/15, so hopefully the weight will start coming off a little faster after that...

I haven't had problems with pills either, but if I can get something chewable or in a liquid that is what I take. But I even take Prilosec by prescription and they don't bother me at all. Better than crushing the nasty things!

I already had my surgery, but I thought my preop liquid diet was going to include the same liquids as my post op liquid diet...boy was I wrong! I was only allowed Carnation instant breakfast 6 times per day and water. It was really tough and I cheated...but I wish I hadn't. I could have lost more weight on that diet than I did and it was just plain silly!

My doctor's diet has 4 phases and eggs are in the 2nd phase which are mushy foods. He would prefer they are eggbeaters for obvious nutrition reasons, but eggs were allowed for me after 2 weeks of liquids. It is best to check with your doctor to find out what he/she wants you to do though.

I was just thankful I didn't feel hungry all the time...but that's back now! I was thankful for my pillow, gas-x, pain pills, and a blanket. I also found I was very comfortable in my flannel pajama bottoms because they didn't tighten up around my stomach whether I was walking, sitting down, or laying down. Of course, I was also thankful for my hubby because he would rub my back or legs, whatever I needed in order to keep the gas bubbles moving around! I have a massager too that helped with gas bubbles.

My only question is, what does this have to do with LapBand???? My answer would be: I don't think any man has a right to tell a woman what to do with her body. Men have never been pregnant by their rapists, which by the way, can include family members...therefore, abortion is sometimes a necessary evil. Would I ever have an abortion? No....I would either keep the baby or put it up for adoption...but I am not God and I have no right to make the decision for another woman. If we make abortion illegal again, there will be more illegal abortions which can not only kill the child, but also the mother...who may be very young herself. There will also be more babies just dropped off at hospitals, or thrown away in garbage cans.... Okay...I'm done..you got me going now!!! :cursing:

I was banded on 3/10/08 and I have a much stricter diet than what I am reading here. I was on 2 weeks liquid pre-op, 2 weeks liquid post op, then 2 weeks pureed foods, 3 weeks soft foods, and then I can go on a regular diet. I was going crazy thinking that I was the only one that was able to eat more than other people I know that have had LapBand. I talked to my dad and he said that after your first fill you will see and feel the difference. The weight will come off faster and you will not be able to eat as much. He told me to enjoy my meats right now because I will have a hard time after my first fill. I have read about people eating wings and pizza after surgery and I just don't think that is very smart either. I can understand wanting to eat a few things not on the doctor's diet right now because we can and haven't been filled, but let's all just remember why we had this surgery to begin with...and not waste all that time and energy just to fall back into bad eating habits. The band is not the easy way out, it is still going to be difficult and it is still a lifestyle change. Once we all remember that, we will do and feel 100% better!!!

Call your doctor...like yesterday!!!!

The only thing my doctor has told me is that if I get pregnant within 18 months of being banded, I will need to see a high risk pregnancy doctor. What does your lap band doctor tell you? Did you have difficulty getting pregnant before you were banded? That was one of the reasons I chose to have LapBand. Good luck and congratulations on the baby!

I was banded in PA at the Hamot Bariatric Hospital in Erie, PA. My doctor was Dr. Amjhad Ali. He has a website, mylapsurgeon.com: index. I don't know if he will do just fills, but maybe you could have your surgery here instead of Mexico? It is closer and then you could just go to him for your fills. Everyone in the office is great, from the insurance coordinator, to the person who schedules appointments and the doctors! I would not go anywhere else if I had it to do over again. The hospital staff were wonderful as well! Good luck. Hopefully you can find a fill doctor closer to home, but I just thought I would give you an option.

I drank any kind of diet soda...as long as it was diet I figured it was okay for me. The reason my doctor says he does not want us drinking soda of any kind (unless it's decaf, clear, diet, and non-carbonated) is because: 1) Caffeine stimulates your metabolism and makes you hungry more often, 2) Carbonation can cause gas....which will be very painful after surgery, and 3) Even though it's diet soda, the aspartame (or whatever sweetener is used) is not good for you. I thought it would be hard for me to give up too, because I drank about five 20 oz bottles per day! I didn't drink anything else. I love milk and even found myself never drinking milk once diet soda consumed me. I was addicted...there is no doubt in my mind. Now, I drink none! I carry Water with me all the time. I have found that I like the Special K Protein water. The strawberry kiwi flavor is really good and there is a little bit of protein in it, so it is helpful, but most of the time I am drinking plain ole' water...and I LOVE IT! It is so much more refreshing and quenches my thirst better too. Good luck...it will probably be difficult for a day or two, but it is so worth it! Trust me...I had really bad gas pains one night after my surgery and I thought I was having a heart attack it hurt so bad! I would give anything up that would take those pains away! :crying:

I actually had to fill out a health questionaire at my first meeting with my doctor. Based on that and the tests he completed prior to requesting insurance approval, I actually had more health problems than even I was aware of. Even though my BMI was over 40 and I didn't really need to have any other health issues, I did find out I had high blood pressure, gerd, mild sleep apnea, and arthritis (according to my doctor...even though I feel no pain!) Just have all the tests and blood work done as your doctor requests and let them work with the insurance company to get the approval. And don't forget, even if you are denied once, you have rights and you can appeal the first decision. My doctor actually had someone in the office that worked with each insurance company and was our in between person so we didn't have to do much with insurance. It was nice, but I know not everyone has that option. Just don't ever give up!

Thank you for saying what had to be said. I don't think it fell on deaf ears at all. There will always be people that can't make up their minds for themselves and they rely on what others tell them and think to themselves that it is gospel because that is what they read or heard. It is rather sad...

First of all, congratulations to you for losing so much even before you have surgery! Second of all....apparently this person was not a textbook case. My father had the surgery 1 1/2 years ago (I just had mine 2 1/2 weeks ago) and neither of us experienced what the posts on these links mention. My father does have trouble with certain foods still and they do get "stuck" and then he has to go to the bathroom and rid himself of it, but it is pretty normal to have a couple things you know you don't tolerate. What these blogs mention are an extreme from what I have learned through family that have had lapband and even gastric bypass. Do not run away yet...I don't really think I would call this a textbook case either!

I can feel mine and I checked with my Dad who had the surgery 1 1/2 years ago and was told it is perfectly normal. My Dad said you won't even notice it after a while.

Sending you hugs, too.....I hope this all works out for you. It sounds like care credit will be the best option for you as well. Have you asked your doctor's office if they offer any type of payment plan or if they can refer you to a loan company? I also have BCBS, but mine is BCBS of Mass and I didn't even have to go through the 6 month waiting period. I had my consultation in November to see if the doctor would even recommend me, then I did all my blood work and tests in December and January. I was approved the end of February and had my surgery on 3/10/08. It just seems that so many insurance companies are behind the times! I didn't think there were any companies out there that didn't cover LapBand!

I just had my surgery on 3/10/08 and was not even aware that it would be so easy to eat after the healing. I am struggling with being hungry all the time, but I have not dared eat anything that is not on the list of foods given to me by my doctor. Now I'm reading all of these posts and it's making sense to me why I am not losing weight as quickly as I did at first and of course, it's making me realize that I haven't had a fill yet and I can eat a little off the plan...maybe this realization isn't a good thing! My doctor put me on Carnation instant breakfast for 10 days before surgery. I was allowed 6 per day and water...that's it! I only lost 8 lbs because it was hard not to eat. I did cheat a little during that time. Then after surgery I put that weight right back on. I have lost 22 1/2 lbs including those initial 8 lbs and thought that because I hadn't lost anything in 4 days I wasn't doing well. Thank you all so much for helping me remember I am not alone and that every one of you has (or will) go through this too.