RestlessMonkey

I certainly don't think you're crazy. And I know that it can seem staggering when you are unhappy and find it hard to lose and keep it off, regardless of how much. But if I may be honest: especially since many only lose about 50% of their excess weight (that's statistics...in fact many lose only 35%) would you have a 15-25K surgery just to lose 20 pounds? You STILL have to watch what you eat, and EXERCISE (that bane of many of us) after you have the band. Lap band surgery is safe, but it IS surgery. A device IS implanted inside you and expected to remain there. There is aftercare that can be time consuming and costly. If you were my friend, my sister, a loved one, I'd say this to you: Give weight watchers, (or Jenny, or Richard, or nutrisystem) another real try. Give it 6 months. Exercise at least 3-4 times a week, and really work the diet. Re-think it at 6 months. A short term gym membership and a few weight watcher meetings (or OA, if you prefer) won't cost you that much. At the worst you'll get in the exercise habit and lose some weight. Lap Band recommends having a BMI of 35 with comorbidities, or 40 without. That's about 100 pounds over. You aren't even near there. If I weighed 185, I'd diet my fanny off but I would not get surgery. You've made it to 40 and "only" weigh 185. If I were your friend, I'd tell you no, you aren't crazy, but don't do it. Change your lifestyle a little. A year from now you can weigh 140 and have a lot more money, and no scars on your abdomen.

You've lost 36 pounds in 2 months, and you think your progress is slow? Did I miss something? That's 18 pounds a month. Since the "average" weight loss with the band is 1-2 pounds a week, which would be somewhere between 9 and 18 pounds...you are ahead of the curve. I truly can't imagine why you are frustrated unless your ticker is wrong.

Well, I lost 32 pounds in, um, 37 days, by doing "my" preop diet for 3 weeks (lost 15) and then my surgeons (which I should've done from the start) for another 2 1/2 weeks (17 more pounds). BUT i started very high at 405. Just do what your doc says, not what you read, or think you "should" do, don't cheat, and you'll be fine!

Honestly, probably not. I had to give up beer (and the very occasional glass of champagne!); many give up their beloved diet soda. It isn't good for your pouch and for some of us it is actually painful to drink carbonation. For me, I can sip, then burp burp burp for 5 minutes. not worth it. IF you let it go flat (yuck) then maybe...but it won't be the same. After you've had the band a year or two, though, it MAY change. But safest to assume it's one of the few things that will be off limits forever.

I was blessed with a wonderful employee of the hospital where my surgeon is head of bariatrics. She faxed everything to my ins and I had my answer in just under 48 hours! :thumbdown:

There is no age limit on eligibility for the band. Some INSURANCE companys may limit it ??? (but medicare pays for it now and most people don't even qualify for Medicare until age 65 or older)

Pardon but I don't understand the "where is my pouch" question...would you mind explaining what you mean? As to the other, you don't need to worry yet since you're most likely still on liquids post op. As you heal and advance and follow the "rules" you'll figure out what it takes to make you "full" but not too full! :biggrin:

I usually don't like this type of thing...BUT I found a few years back a quote by the poet Shel Silverstein that grabbed me by the throat. I had been working a job I hated for 20+ years and just quit, to go back to school and TRY to get into Nursing school. I was fat, almost 50, and in moments of sanity thought I was totally deluding myself. Now I'm about to graduate (still fat but that's improving; the age I can't help!) so it is a true little quote: "Listen to the mustn'ts, child. Listen to the don'ts. Listen to the shouldn'ts, the impossibles, the won'ts. Listen to the never haves, then listen close to me: Anything can happen, child. Anything can be". I just love it.

It's really good that you are vigilant! BUT, depending on how long you're in the hospital, of course....going a day or two with less protein won't hurt you, not short term or long term. Once it gets beyond 2-3 days, then you might need to agitate. (Please confirm with your surgeon) Worst case they could've given you a "shake" like glucerna, ensure, or some such.

no kidding! When you figure it out, let me know how you did it, ok? :biggrin: My doc says when "satisfied". like that helps! :cool2:

Your doc is VERY strict! No kidding! :biggrin: You will be fine, I'm sure! Your band should be well healed into place. While I'm a firm believer in always following doc's orders, you do need rounded good nutrition, too. And if the creamy soup didn't hurt going down, you didn't hurt yourself. You need to advance on to mushies and then softs asap...you CAN get adequate nutrition from liquids alone but that isn't much of a life and this if FOR life. So since you said liquids for 6 weeks, I think you're past time. Your weight loss may slow/stop for a little bit when you transition but don't panic, ok? It will pick back up. Don't be so hard on yourself! :cool2:

the peaches...you probably didn't chew well. The chick fil a? maybe you were just full! PB ing can happen either way! I'd say just monitor it. We're told to stop when we're satisfied...so how you felt JUST BEFORE that last bite of chick fil a is what you should aim for! :biggrin: Good luck! OH after a PB I've read to go to liquids for a while, to allow your stomach to settle back down. You may want to do that, then start again tomorrow.

Ask your surgeon if it will hurt the port (I doubt it but maybe?) eventually you may need your port moved.

Winniehunt...just because your insurance didn't cover having the band placed does not mean it will not cover ANYTHING that might be related to the band. For good or ill it's inside you now..and insurance usually will cover. My advice? Before you panic any further, call your insurance provider and ASK. You may be surprised to find out it is a non-issue; and you can go wherever you want to get the endoscopy done. I think it would depend on WHY you need it done, actually. If there's a medical need, then ins will cover. If not, then why have it anyway? Just for the doc to have info? If you are losing, feeling well, no issues, and your blood work is fine, then it is a medically unnecessary test. just say no! (It's ok to say no to a test you don't think you need)

I don't think the realize band IS sutured... but (and I'm just thinking this through, not a doc, haven't asked...this is opinion, not sound medical advice) I know that if you eat ahead of your post op diet and make your stomach churn (which it does to digest food), even if the entire band doesnt move, you can pop a stitch or two and set yourself up for problems down the road. And I think it would slip "upwards" usually, it will take the path of least resistance. It can also erode INTO your stomach (again...one way you can set yourself up for that is eating too early on your post op diet before you've healed well)... anyway I think usually it slips UP but am seeing my doc on thurs and will ask him! Good question! :biggrin:

Excuse me,,,,12K for an endoscopy? Did I read that right? yes that is too much.

I was clear liquids week one, full liquids week 2 (in other words it had to go through a straw, and included Protein shakes week 2) week 3 mushies week 4 soft foods (ie baked fish) and week 5-6 transition to regular food. Do you have a realize band, or a lap band, do you know?

I just think you're lucky you get mushies at 10 days! LOL I got clear liquids week one, and then got to add in .... protein shakes! (oh wow) but no I agree with the others; if it didn't hurt and it was per your doc's dietary guidelines, then you're fine.

Maybe your doc is that way. Mine is going by the research that says aggressive fills can cause esophageal spasms and a host of other problems. Sounds like you're just unhappy, period...sorry it hasn't worked out for you the way you thought it would.

Sorry it isn't something easily fixed, but I'm glad to know you've told your primary about it! Just ask your surgeon; and fyi tylenol and a little caffeine is a GREAT headache rememdy :thumbup:

I agree about the weight, according to the Lap Band site (where I cut the following info from): you've been thinking about weight loss surgery as a tool in losing and your excess weight and maintaining your ongoing health goals, you can use the guideline below to determine if LAP-BAND® System is the right option for you. To determine if your weight and physical attributes meet the criteria for the LAP-BAND® System, slide the controls below to your approximate weight and height. You may be able to benefit from the LAP-BAND® System if: You are at least 18 years old You are at least 100 pounds overweight or your BMI is 40 or higher (or at least 35 if you have one or more comorbidities - weight-related health conditions - such as type 2 diabetes) Keep in mind that only a qualified physician/surgeon can properly evaluate all the factors in your case. Personally (and this is just me...) I wouldn't have the surgery for that amount of weight to lose, and there is no way on earth I'd go to Mexico to have it done. Period. BUT I've lived on the border and heard tales of terror since I was little (A LONG time ago).... and I know germs can't be seen with the naked eye so just because something "looks" clean doesn't mean it is. People DO go to Mexico and have good results. Right now with the drug wars, though, isn't a good time. There is a doctor in Colorado, Kirschenbaum, who does the whole thing for under 10K...I don't know him but would probably do something like that (others in the USA are also cheaper than 10K) rather than going to Mexico, if i couldn't afford the 15K my local surgeon charged, or if I didn't have insurance.

During the "preview" process they asked how much I'd like to weigh and I said as long as I lost I'd be happy. For my surgeon, I think the idea was more to see if we were ready for the band, realisitic etc. Since then, the focus hasn't been on weight so much as portion control, no snacking, exercise, etc.

Me! The only thing that went wrong for me happened when I didn't follow my preop diet (I lost anyway but not by the diet my doc gave me) and couldn't get the band because my liver was too thick. Once I did what the doc said (lost more weight) and was successfully banded, I've been fine! I do what he says, and everything is groovy! :thumbup: Just follow your docs instructions and you'll do well!

Do you have after care lined up locally, or if not, do you plan to go back to get fills etc? Becaused the aftercare is almost more important than the band...and it can be hard to obtain if you have your surgery by a different surgeon. Also...be VERY careful traveling in Mexico. Depending on where you're headed, things are in a furor down there right now...drug cartels fighting police etc. (I live near the border and there is something on the news here almost nightly) Good luck! :thumbup:

I picked the weight I was at through my mid twenties-mid thirties. I feel good at that weight and feel I can maintain it. Since they say lap banders lose only about 50% of their excess weight, (and my goal puts my total loss at a good chunk more than 50%) I figured it was a good stretch, but do-able. Honestly since I started at 405 I'll be happy as a skinny pig when I get down to 200. Once I hit 185, I'll see how I feel and if I want to lose more. Again, my big issue isn't hitting a low, but being able to maintain it. So I'll adjust it as I feel the need. Right now, any pound I lose is great. My mini goal is to just get to 50 lost...the most I've EVER lost on any diet is 45. So once I hit that 50 I'll be in "virgin diet" territory! :thumbup: