travelinsnorkel

Oh, thanks, good to know in case I need to get mine done!

Hmm...maybe meet with the nutritionist to make sure you are eating foods that don't slip through the band? I'm not sure why some people have it a lot easier than others with the band. It definitely is frustrating!

Can you work them into the exercise? Maybe do Wii Fit just to get something in? Or walking together? Or get an exercise machine that you can use with the kids in the room? The band may not always work, but exercise always helps!

What did the port revision entail? My port is angled a bit and I have to pay $450 to get my fills done under xray. I'm thinking I might need a port revision. Was it an easy surgery? Or more extensive than I think?

I hear ya! I am definitely happy that I have lost the 30 pounds that I have lost, but I am frustrated that I haven't gotten any restriction in 6 months really. I hope your restriction starts helping you! I'm glad to be back on here ( I had been avoiding getting on here, in denial) and chatting with all of you wonderful people that are going through the same thing that I am!

I'm not sure if I can use another doctor...since I am self pay, my doctor covers the appointments and fills for the first year. My doctor isn't very easy to talk to, he is Russian and very stoic. I think that I am going to call to talk to him of make an appointment tomorrow to see if I have any other options.

He didn't offer to reposition the port. OF COURSE, I thought of asking about that after I left the office. I left there crying, but I definitely plan on calling him tomorrow and asking just that. I know that it isn't necessarily his fault that he can't access the port, but I do think that he should do all that he can to rectify the problem!

Thanks for the encouragement. I do have thyroid issues, but my medication is regulated. The main problem right now is that I can eat large portions of things, even dry chicken and not feel full at all.

I had my surgery in October. I was self pay and I thought that the money that I spent would be more than worth it. I never expected that this journey would be easy (OK, deep down I hoped it would, but knew it wouldn't be). I lost 35 pounds and then wasn't feeling much restriction. So, I went for another fill. The doctor couldn't find the port after poking me about 20 times. SO, I got it done under xray (for $450). About a week after the fill I had no restriction. I went back to the doc today to get my free in office fill. He couldn't find the port again, even now that he knows that my port is a little tilted and moves when he injects it. I feel totally hopeless right now. I got a lecture about how I need to only eat protein and hardly any carbs so I can feel full and how I need to do this on my own until he can get me into the hospital to do the fill. I am fully aware of the fact that I need to work to make the Lap Band work, but I feel like I am up the creek with no paddle. I have started eating more because I am depressed that I have gone through all of this and spent all of this money and it isn't working the way that I want it to. I could be at this point had I just dieted on my own. I know that I need to be patient and wait for my fill, but what do I do in the meantime? I work out a lot, so that isn't an issue, it is all about the eating and I am hungry all of the time, only worsened by the fact that I'm depressed because I keep eating!! I know, bad cycle. So, I called my nutritionist to make an appointment. I am also going to go to a support group even though I always talk myself out of them because I feel like a failure and don't want to listen to people who are doing everything the right way! Okay, I feel a little better now that I have vented. Thank you for listening!

Congratulations! I needed some inspiration and good news today! Good luck, keep up the good work!

Good luck to you! It seems that this Lap Band thing is a lot more difficult than it seems sometimes. Hopefully they will get things worked out so that you can lose your weight!

I'm in the same boat, but now it is hard for me to get a fill. My doc had to do mine at the hospital under fluoro (at a charge of $450, which now the hospital is trying to charge me $1000 for!). I had no more restriction from it and am now eating more because I'm depressed about the band not working! Also worried that my fill in his office next week won't work because he said that my port is tilted and moves when he tries to inject the saline. Urrggh! Just frustrated!

Hi there! I'm 34, single, living in MD! I got banded in October. Not having the best experience right now, but love to chat and get motivated about the band!

I've been bumped by a three year old...also, my one dog develops pogo stick legs at night and likes to press them into my stomach! So far, all is well! :thumbup:

My doc said that I can use Advil when it is very necessary. Just not to overuse it. Every doc seems to vary on this...

How many calories are you eating? I know that it sounds strange, but sometimes if you are eating too few, your body will try to hold onto fat and go into starvation mode. Maybe meet with your nutritionist and see if she has any suggestions? Good luck!

Hey there...things will start to get better, not to worry. I didn't get the fever, but I was in a lot of pain. I turned the corner at 4 days. It seems each person has a different experience, some people are fine in a day or two, others have a lot more pain. We each have different circumstances. Have you tried GasX? A lot of people on here swear by it. Also, don't abuse, but definitely use the pain meds if you need them. Good luck to you!

I was banded 10/13/09 and the doc was able to access my port for my first two fills. Then, he couldn't find it. He said it wasn't flipped and that there might be scar tissue. Since I am self pay, for him to do the fill under fluoro I would have to pay $450. I was kind of pissed about this, but it was a better option than having him poke around trying to find the thing! So, this past Thursday I went to the hospital and he did the injection under the fluoro. Seems my port is angled a bit AND it moves when he tries to inject it. He said that he is going to TRY to do it in the office next time, we'll see how that goes! He first injected me with 3ccs, but the water was really gurgling, so then he took it down to 2.6ccs...I was at 2.5ccs before. So, I really don't have much restriction now and I'm a little pissed. No, I didn't want to be over filled, but why didn't he do a happier medium that was closer to 3ccs? I thought I was fine when I left the hospital, but right now I don't have much more restriction than I did before I spent the $450! I think that now that I have to spend the money, I want each fill to do more! I will be patient and try to wait it out and hope that the band gets a little tighter as time goes on.

Thank you for the encouragement! I know I just need to get through this hurdle, but don't want to lose my motivation and gain any more weight back...I've gained about 5 pounds back, but trying to make working out every day a priority and cook at home!

Check with your doc, but my doc said that I just have to have my pills be the size of a Tylenol or smaller. So, usually, unless they are horse pills, I just cut them in half so I can just swallow them.

I am soooooooo discouraged! My last fill they couldn't access my port, the doc said that it is probably just some scarring and will be better next time. Well, last Friday was the next time and he couldn't access it AGAIN! He has NEVER seen this happen. So, I cried, ate horribly all weekend, but then found a happier place and awaited the call to see when I would get the fill done under fluoro. I finally got the call that it will be next Friday. Then, about 30 minutes later the lady calls back stating that the doctor needs to update his info at the surgery center, which might take a few weeks. OR, I can pay $1000 or more to get it done at the surgery. To save $700, I am waiting the few weeks. In the meantime...I have NO restriction, can eat anything that I want, am depressed, am wondering why I went through all of this when I am starting to gain back weight, just like always! I hope that he will be able to do it under fluoro. Ok, I am done ranting, I hope it will all be resolved soon!

I don't have the Realize band. He says that he can feel it, just can't determine if what he is feeling is scar tissue or the edge of the port. I'm going to just try to not worry about it until the fluoro. However, right now I have a bruise and a tender spot from all of his poking around.

Yeah...he is a well respected surgeon in the area and really knows his stuff. Of course I would be the person with the odd thing that has never happened before. I just want to get a fill and not have to worry about things and have some restriction again! I just hope he can fill it under the xray!

So, went for my third fill today. I was very nervous as the last time he was unable to access my port due to what he says is scar tissue. Same thing happened today. He, of course, said that this is very unusual and has never happened before, but he still couldn't access the port. He is certain the port has not flipped, but he poked and prodded and couldn't access it. So, I'm doomed to wait another week and get the fill done under the fluoro. It will cost me $300. Fortunately, I have the money, but I am very disheartened by this. My mind keeps jumping to...what if the port really is flipped? Or he can't access it even under xray? What will I do then? Will I have to have another surgery? I have had no restriction for 2 months and am just sooooooo frustrated! I knew that this was not going to be easy, but I did not expect any of this!

My doc said anything the size of a Tylenol pill and smaller can go down. Otherwise, I just cut the pills in half and don't need to crush them. Good luck!