88KEYZ

You won't really lose weight if you don't eat enough food. You have to have the fine balance of what your body needs and don't under-eat nor over-eat. Plus, keep walking. I lost 47 pounds from April - Oct. after getting my band, now have maintained that for over a year and a half, only ready to get the next 20 pounds off. For me it now is up to exercise mostly. My band is only a tool, I still have to work hard at this just like before. hang in there!

I am stuck and have not lost any more weight in over a month. I have a daily weigh in to insure I am not gaining in a horrible way, but up 3 pounds and then down again, basically I feel this is water retention or thyroid issues. I am watching my diet, probably not eating enough, but even with the band at a wide-open size according to my fill office, I still have the PBing way too much. I have an appointment set up for this Saturday to check things out again. I am going to get tightened, which I may regret due to not keeping food down, but also I need to eat slower, more carefully, and this should insure that. The holidays need to be for family and not food and a fill will help this issue. I have high hopes for myself and am basically half way to my goal. Now if I can just get there. I sometimes feel like "The Little Engine That Could"! I do know more exercise would only help and I have not been in a good routine for that lately. My swimming ended with the onset of fall-winter months, so walking needs to be more prominant for me. I don't know if I am the only one to go through this issue, but it is so hard. I want to get all this weight off and feel like I should! Hopefully Saturday will help me and the Lord will direct me through this path!

I am stuck and have not lost any more weight in over a month. I have a daily weigh in to insure I am not gaining in a horrible way, but up 3 pounds and then down again, basically I feel this is water retention or thyroid issues. I am watching my diet, probably not eating enough, but even with the band at a wide-open size according to my fill office, I still have the PBing way too much. I have an appointment set up for this Saturday to check things out again. I am going to get tightened, which I may regret due to not keeping food down, but also I need to eat slower, more carefully, and this should insure that. The holidays need to be for family and not food and a fill will help this issue. I have high hopes for myself and am basically half way to my goal. Now if I can just get there. I sometimes feel like "The Little Engine That Could"! I do know more exercise would only help and I have not been in a good routine for that lately. My swimming ended with the onset of fall-winter months, so walking needs to be more prominant for me. I don't know if I am the only one to go through this issue, but it is so hard. I want to get all this weight off and feel like I should! Hopefully Saturday will help me and the Lord will direct me through this path!

Much luck and congratulations! This is truly a beginning of a whole new life and a whole new world! I am almost half way to my goal, but so much better, healthier, happier, feeling great, dressing better, life is wonderful now! Just think I had my surgery 4/19/08 and already I am better. You follow the rules, read - read - read and do just what you need to do, the weight loss will fall into place. Your health rely's on it! I have done well, but to share another hope - my Dad had his lap-band on 5/28/08 and as of today he has lost 75 pounds! His diabetes is so much better as he was on 70 units of insulin a day and now only taking 10 units a day!!!!!!!! YOU CAN DO IT!!!!! Keep us posted on your progress.

Yes - I have experienced this in full. Believe it or not, but removing only .4 cc from the band has changed this issue for me and I can eat. I was throwing up everything and ended up my body was in starvation mode, not losing any weight for over a month, but by removing the .4cc I have lost 5 pounds in 5 weeks. My doctor said she only wants to see me lose 1 -2 pounds a week, so I am on course. Once in a while I still throw up, but it is my fault of not chewing enough or else being too tense or talking while eating. I found I need to eat alone with no stress to get things to go down right. Keep trying, don't be scared to remove saline as with the throwing up you won't lose another pound, you must be healthy!!

When I was at the pureed stage after surgery, I took a normal meal such as roast beef, gravy, potatoes, carrots, veggies, and put all in the blender pureeing it until smooth and I ate it. The flavor was as if I was eating the real meal, just not having to chew, etc. I did this with every meal I cooked for the family, eating the right amount for my stomach, 1/4 - 1/2 cup and I was full. Be creative!!!!!

I would go back to Mexico tomorrow and do it all again! Go to World Med Assist dot com, call them and say Debbie Clanton referred you - they will help you set everything up or just simply check everything out! I love that they helped me, plus they check on me constantly now. They truly care! My doc was Dr. Corvala in Tijunana and he and his staff made things very easy for me. I highly recommend it all.

I have had my band for 5 wonderful months. I have lost 45 pounds at this time but only with one of my fills (in July) was too tight and I had a rough time with PBing. It is a situation that no matter what or how you eat, it comes up. I would chew - chew - chew - drink - drink - drink, even a smoothie, no matter - it came up! What happens, the food / drink is mixing with stomach acids and in myself a lot of drainage from my sinus', and that is the right mixture to not go through the hole of the band. You'll feel a tightness in the chest, sometimes no cough, sometimes no burp, it just comes up, I kept a small cup near me in case I could not get to a sink and could just spit it out in the cup. I finally had .4cc of the saline removed and now - no problem! I'm losing slower now, much much slower, but it is a process. The band is the best thing you will ever do, don't worry, relax and follow the rules - the new life we are getting is well worth it all. Best of luck to you and everyone else!!!

Wow - Five months today - this is my lap band anniversary. I am extremely thankful that I had this procedure done! Amazingly the five months have flown by. So far this tool has helped me lose 44 pounds. It also has helped me make so many new friends that have had the procedure as well. My life is improving and continues to do so, as I am not quite half way to my goal of losing 100 pounds. I feel better, I have more energy, I am exercising more (not quite enough yet, but more), I eat healthier, I am more active that before, I am shopping in the normal department and not plus size departments now!!! I just see my whole life getting better. My family have all been supportive, standing behind me, understanding my issues when they arise, in which I could not do this without that support! My Dad is a huge support source for me calling me and sharing our notes as he also had this procedure a month after me. My sis-n-law as well really understands as we did it together with the same doctor on the same day! We do stay in touch and try to lift each other up as needed. I am thankful for all the people and things listed in this blog, very thankful. My life had nowhere to go, I could not walk up a hill without chest pain, being extremely winded and I was on my way to a heart attack. This has completely turned me around! Here is to the next months and pounds that pass by me, I know I can do this and achieve my goal! I just want to thank each of you that have shown me some sort of support, you know who you are and I do to! I appreciate you and love you for it.

Wow - Five months today - this is my lap band anniversary. I am extremely thankful that I had this procedure done! Amazingly the five months have flown by. So far this tool has helped me lose 44 pounds. It also has helped me make so many new friends that have had the procedure as well. My life is improving and continues to do so, as I am not quite half way to my goal of losing 100 pounds. I feel better, I have more energy, I am exercising more (not quite enough yet, but more), I eat healthier, I am more active that before, I am shopping in the normal department and not plus size departments now!!! I just see my whole life getting better. My family have all been supportive, standing behind me, understanding my issues when they arise, in which I could not do this without that support! My Dad is a huge support source for me calling me and sharing our notes as he also had this procedure a month after me. My sis-n-law as well really understands as we did it together with the same doctor on the same day! We do stay in touch and try to lift each other up as needed. I am thankful for all the people and things listed in this blog, very thankful. My life had nowhere to go, I could not walk up a hill without chest pain, being extremely winded and I was on my way to a heart attack. This has completely turned me around! Here is to the next months and pounds that pass by me, I know I can do this and achieve my goal! I just want to thank each of you that have shown me some sort of support, you know who you are and I do to! I appreciate you and love you for it. :cursing:

It is so funny how the scale may not move, but the clothes fall off, then the next day, the scale drops again! This is a wonderful new life!!! Read the ticker below!!!!

I can answer your question "does this work?" - YES! I don't know the other answer for you, but there are people on this forum that do. I am 5'1", weighed 230 and banded on 4/19/08, so far have lost 44 pounds. YES it works!!!

Congrats and welcome to a whole new world! This is the best thing you will or could ever do for yourself. Follow all rules by the book, it is important for your being and to stay healthy! Stay in tune to yourself and in touch with others like us on this forum. Good luck!

Absolutely, your letter, your doctors letter, the more the better. Emory gave sample letters out that help patients to achieve the goal. Ask your doctors office if they have any samples. If not research on the internet for one. My insurance would not pay, so I went to Tijunana. My father went through Emory.

liquid diet - presurgery - prepares you for the upcoming life-change, but does not change the outcome of the gassey build up you have from surgery. That is from the gas used to blow your stomach up so they can do the surgery itself. Walking is to be done 15 minutes every hour to pass the gas out fo the body and rid of that pain. Cut / chop all medications - remember no capsules in med form. Stock the fridge full of Jello, broths, anything liquid that you can grab quickly without much effort, once you start pureeing your food, keep that stocked, this will enable you to avoid confusion on "what can I have" while you get used to all the changes. If you are flying somewhere for the surgery, get a doctors medical slip to carry Protein Water in bottles on the plane and security will clear you. They will allow small lunch coolers as well with that medical slip, and you can keep jello with you plus drinks.

I had my surgery 4-19-08; have lost 43 pounds; am struggling right now with keeping food down and same as you just seem to handle the chicken salad better than anything. Eggs come right back up no matter how they are cooked or made. I have a sinus infection right now, tons of drainage and we think that is what is making everything come right back up - not being gross - but mucus looks to be the main thing coming up in huge bulk amounts. Sorry to be gross. Also, I am battling an issue of needing root canal and the pain is awful, so the pain meds are not helpful to eating right. I am just stuck and so down mentally. My weight loss has been on stand-still mode and now these issues don't help. I love my smoothies more than anything but was told to get more food down as my body is in starvation mode. Anyone else going through anything like this?

Yes - let's be specific - Darlene Zebley, ARNP, MSN, FNP-C These are her certifications as she does all the fills, aftercare but does not do surgery or lap-band surgery specifically. ARNP: Advanced Registered Nurse Practitioner MSN: Master's of Science in Nursing FNP-C: Family Nurse Practitioner - Certified

I begin this blog with venting my frustrations. My loss this month has been horrible. On Aug. 6th I had lost 41 pounds since my surgery back in April on the 19th of this year 2008. I had been proud, feeling so great, excited, but now it is Aug. 29th and yesterday I was at a loss of 43 pounds, with today having the scale bounce up 1.6 pounds. I just don't get it. I am barely eating, my last fill has had me throwing up most of the month and just in the past week have I held food down. I am swimming laps in a new pool, although with bad storms that is not daily. I am sick this week with the "crud" going around, which is sinus infection, upper respiratory issues, so that does not enhance a healthy way of losing weight. I have been enjoying my smoothies, made of pure fruit, yogurt, fat free milk and some juice at times. I eat chicken, green beans, broccoli, healthy things. So - why am I not losing weight as I should??? I am stuck and can't afford to get stuck! I am reading the books, just ordered more of the vitamins to see if they help kick it back into gear from the fill centers USA web site. I even ordered a diving suit that I can continue swimming as the weather turns and the water gets colder. I am not giving up! That is the end of my venting for this morning. If you have suggestions - send them to me! If you pray, include me in your prayer list, if you care, just care!

I begin this blog with venting my frustrations. My loss this month has been horrible. On Aug. 6th I had lost 41 pounds since my surgery back in April on the 19th of this year 2008. I had been proud, feeling so great, excited, but now it is Aug. 29th and yesterday I was at a loss of 43 pounds, with today having the scale bounce up 1.6 pounds. I just don't get it. I am barely eating, my last fill has had me throwing up most of the month and just in the past week have I held food down. I am swimming laps in a new pool, although with bad storms that is not daily. I am sick this week with the "crud" going around, which is sinus infection, upper respiratory issues, so that does not enhance a healthy way of losing weight. I have been enjoying my smoothies, made of pure fruit, yogurt, fat free milk and some juice at times. I eat chicken, green beans, broccoli, healthy things. So - why am I not losing weight as I should??? I am stuck and can't afford to get stuck! I am reading the books, just ordered more of the vitamins to see if they help kick it back into gear from the fill centers USA web site. I even ordered a diving suit that I can continue swimming as the weather turns and the water gets colder. I am not giving up! That is the end of my venting for this morning. If you have suggestions - send them to me! If you pray, include me in your prayer list, if you care, just care!

I was banded in Mexico and get my fills in Roswell, GA; My fill doctor also serves south Georgia via Moultrie, GA; You can reach her by contacting the following company. www.fillcentersusa.com - Dr. Darlene Zebley. Phone: 866-345-5872 Appointment Contact Name: Charlotte or Patty Distance; They are very good and available for phone contact anytime.

I would be happy to be here for you to bounce questions off of as needed. I was banded on 4/19/08 and as of today have lost 42 lbs. I have a goal of 100 total pounds to lose. I'm 5'1" and started at 230 lbs. Our only difference is age as I'm 47, and I have not had a problem telling others. It is not their business, but I am so proud to have had this change in my life!!!! Good luck to you and I'm here if you would like to visit!

My Doctor and my Dad's Doctor both told us not to immerge into a bath or pool for 4 - 6 weeks. We showered the very next day and onward, just no immersion. They don't want any water to have a way to seep inside the incisions and cause infection in case of a tiny space hole or something of that nature. Rare but possible.

Take the bandages off, leaving the little tiny slivers of tape on until they fall off on their own. The scars need to breathe to heal. You can use a little neosporin if needed, but not too much as they need air. Cleanse with soap / water. Dr. Corvala did a great job on me and his staff was so good too. Keep in touch!!