JRFAN88

I have a 10 cc band & didn't find out until my 2nd fill that they had put in 2 cc at the time of surgery. It didn't help my hunger though. I couldn't even tell I had a band until the 3rd fill which brought the cc up to 6.

It sounds like you will have everything they need then. I was worried about my BMI not being 40 for the entire 5 years because like I said I was a yo-yo dieter so one year I was up then the next year was down. I could never keep the weight off. That's what I think the lap-band is going to help me with the most, is keeping it off. The weight still comes off slowly like before but usually by now I would already be back to gaining. But now I can't fall off the wagon like I used to could. Good luck to you! Keep me posted.

To me it feels like what I imagine a heart attack feels like - like a lot of pressure in my chest. It's a lot of pain. Everytime I swear I'll never eat again. But of course I'm looking for something else to eat after a few hours.

I had to have 6 months documented weight loss attempt. It did not have to be doctor supervised. I had several different personal journals, an Oprah one, a Body-for-Life journal, & just a notebook where I had kept up with my dieting. I had to show 5 years of weight history. (I think it was 5). They just got my records from my family doctor & my OB/GYN for that. I have always been a yo-yo dieter so I my BMI probably fluctuated from 33-41 within those 5 years. I went to see them then within 2 weeks had a sleep study & a psyche evaluation. About 2 weeks after that I got the call from them to schedule surgery. I had the surgery less than 2 months from my first visit. They must be busy over there. My son told me they called last Friday to reschedule my next appointment & I called them back this past Monday & left them a message to return my call & I haven't heard back from them yet. I usually have good luck though sending an email to Mrs. Betty. You can find her email on their website www.noscales.com. Anyway, let me know if you have anymore questions. I really love the doctors there & Mrs. Betty & Debbie & Jamie. I try to make most of their support group meetings too.

I haven't given up any foods that I enjoyed before. But you will change what you crave. I love pasta too. The night before last we ate at Olive Garden. I ordered the 5-cheese ziti which comes out in a very large plate. I ate maybe a 3rd of it along with some salad & about a 1/2 breadstick & I was stuffed. I took leftovers home & yesterday I ate on them for lunch & supper. And the best part is that I didn't feel deprived at all & my scales showed a slight loss each of the last 2 mornings. (Digital scale that shows weight down to the decimal point.) I love the band!!!

I had to pay it up front but like you said I'm sure there are some that haven't had to pay it up front. I had to put some on a credit card but luckily I had my surgery right about the time I got my IRS stimulus check so that's where mine went.

I still feel restriction after nearly 3 weeks. Restriction for me is pain in my chest almost like the feeling of a heart attack. My doctor schedules our appointments 6 weeks apart so I'm about halfway between appts. I'm not sure if I'll get a fill when I go back or not. I can barely get a slimfast down in the mornings but then sometimes I can still eat too much. I have had my first PB since this last fill but it has only happened twice. Unless I loosen up in the next 3 weeks I'll probably stay at this fill awhile longer.

The 3rd fill was what did it for me too. It put me at 6cc in a 10cc band. I lost 5 pounds that week after the fill but now I'm stuck again, just at least now at a lower number.

I took my pain meds until the bottle was almost empty. After about 5 days I think it was just at night to help me sleep. I hurt bad on my left side right at my port area just like you described. I'm usually very tough & have a high pain threshold. The lapband hurt me more than 2 natural childbirths. Plus it scared me cause most of the people on here were talking about their minimal pain & I was in bad pain. It was about the 4th day when the pain went from unbearable pain to just bearable pain for me. Probably 2 weeks before I was pain free. Good luck & I hope you feel better very soon.

I have BCBS Federal also. It took less than 1 week to find out. I too did not get an official approval but as far as I know everything has been paid. I was out of pocket about $1500 I think.

Did your doctor specify? My doctor's office specifically says Optima for the pre-surgery diet. I love the taste of the chocolate! I still drink them now for my breakfast when I'm in a hurry.

Down 30 pounds since starting the pre-surgery diet. 4 of those pounds have been this week since my 3rd fill. Not sure if I might be a little too tight or if this is my sweet spot. I have not PB'd or slimed since surgery. I gurgle & burp though more since this fill. No reflux during the night like I've read some people have when they're too tight so I'm gonna stay with this fill for now.

My fiance has recently began having headaches. He said he hardly ever had one pre-band. He mentioned them to the nurse & doctor yesterday at his regular appointment. They both suggested that it's probably dehydration. He usually drinks a couple of bottles of water daily but they said he really needs 8 cups.

It also matters which size band you have. My fiance & I are both banded, he in March & me in May. We were going nuts wondering why he had 2cc & couldn't keep stuff down & I had 5 cc & could eat anything. We went for checkups/fills yesterday. I got another cc added but my fiance didn't want one cause he's tight now. We finally thought to ask the doc if we have the same size band. We don't. He has the band that holds 4 cc & mine will hold 10. That made us feel much better.

I started at a BMI of 40. My surgery was May 7th. I lost 10 pounds on the pre-surgery diet. 10 pounds the week following surgery. The nurse just bragged on me when I went to my first check-up for losing so much. Then I told her I could always lose 20 pounds fast but then the weight would get stuck then that's when I get discouraged, gain the weight back plus some. After I went to solid foods I gained back 5 pounds. I eventually lost it back then after my 2nd fill I've managed to lose about 5 more pounds. Today I go back for my 3rd fill. I do have some restiction but not enough. I also walk at least 30 minutes most days of the week. It does seem very slow but at least I'm not gaining it back like I used to would have.

My doctor has already told me that once I lose more weight where I'm not needing fills very often that I'll probably need her to go back in & put a low-profile port. Mine is very noticable. But right now it is so easy to get a fill that she said I should leave it alone as long as I'm still getting fills.

I lost 10 pounds on the pre-surgery diet then 10 pounds the week following surgery. I didn't lose anything else until after my 2nd fill & even that has been very slow. Sorry I can't offer any help but at least know that you aren't alone & help will come after a few fills. Good luck!

I had no problem with the size of my liver during surgery. I lost about 12 pounds on the 2 week pre-surgery diet. I still drink the Slim-Fast Optima most every morning for my Breakfast. I love the taste. ws476: I love Dr. Keilin & the staff there. It was less than 2 months from my first visit until surgery. It was 2 weeks after all paperwork was done & I had the sleep study that I found out I was approved.

My surgeon recommended Slim-Fast Optima for the pre-surgery diet. 3 per day along with a Bariatric protein shake or 4 Slim-Fast Optima per day if you didn't buy the Bariatric shakes.

My boyfriend has had this trouble since his last fill. He thought surely he needed to have some removed. But the nurse told him to drink something hot in the morning as soon as he wakes up. It has worked for him. He can almost always eat fine the rest of the day as long as he starts with something hot. I haven't had that problem yet. Hope this helps.

I think you are doing good. I had surgery on May 7th. I've lost about 25 pounds & 10 of that was pre-surgery & the 10 more was the week after surgery so only 5 pounds has been in the last 2 months. I keep going up & down with that same 5. I just wanted to let you know that it was my 2nd fill before I could even tell that I had a band. I cannot eat as much as before that fill. I think I'm at 5 cc in a 10 cc band. I think I may need a little more to get to my sweet spot but at least now I know that it is working. Good luck to you.

JennyLynn & Cota, Just wanted to let you know that I was there too. On Thanksgiving day 2006 my husband of 17 years left. One month later he moved in with his girlfriend. This was a huge shock. He was my best friend. We have 2 kids. My life was just how you described yours - a roller coaster. I just had to go through the motions for months. I wasn't able to sleep or eat. My doctor put me on medication for sleep & panic attacks. Everybody said it would get better but I just couldn't see it. One of the good things that came of it was that I lost 56 pounds in about 4 months. In August 2007 I started dating someone. It was very hard because my husband was the only boyfriend that I had ever had. My weight gradually came back on but good thing was I was able to get off the sleep medication & no more panic attacks. My & my boyfriend are still dating over 11 months later & talking about marriage. I never thought I would find someone so soon. He's actually the reason I got the lapband. He got his in February then I followed in May. Good luck to you both. And know that it will get better. My life didn't turn out the way I had expected but it is very good.

I describe the feeling of my port exactly the same way that it reminds me of when I was pregnant. Sometimes I won't even notice I'm rubbing it until someone asks me if I'm hurting. I'm not going through the empty nest thing yet, though with a 14-year old son I sometimes wish I was. Lol.

I'm almost 4 weeks out but that's exactly how I describe the port to everyone. It feels like when I was pregnant & I could feel my baby in there. I guess the band is kinda like my baby now too. But I hope this one stays in there & never grows up to back talk me. Lol.

My surgeon's office did most of the work for me. I only had to write down what doctors I had seen in the past 5 years. I filled out a release form & those doctors mailed my records straight to the surgeon. The surgeon's office scheduled my sleep study & my psyche evaluation. My insurance which is Federal BC/BS required 6 months of documented diet history but it didn't require that it was doctor supervised. I had 6 months of personal journals that span period of years of different diets & stuff I had been on. The office made copies of those. And it worked. I went for my first consult in March then got in for the sleep study & psyche eval within about 2 weeks & 3 weeks later got the call to schedule the surgery. Good luck to you both! :thumbdown: