RestlessMonkey

Not sure but I think it's as likely that surgeons don't want to take on someone else's work. If something goes wrong who are you going to sue, the doc in Mexico or the one who is seeing you now? I don't like being responsible for something someone else did, so I can kind of see their point! (Not a doc either and don't mean to be hateful, just don't think they are all motivated totally by money. money is great, but it takes more than greed to make a good surgeon) I was banded in San Antonio TX and plan to move in a couple years and know that I will have trouble finding a new doctor...I may be flying back here when I need help! I hope you find the support you need; I'll be in the same boat eventually. Aftercare is as important as the band placement.

Your safest bet is to ask your surgeon.

You aren't even 4 weeks post op, are you? Per MY surgeon, i'd still have been on mushies at that time. If you are sure you followed your surgeon's post op diet, I'd make sure I called monday to tell him you vomited and what you ate; it takes a while for the band to heal and "settle into" place around your stomach. As to why it took so long for you to PB, I am sorry I don't know.

It IS silly. Odds are you'll be able to eat anything. I have pretty good restriction and I had a hot dog with bun (a high Fiber no sugar bun, but a bun) for supper. Some people are so tight they can't eat things, some people chew too fast or take bites too large. There are some people who just have some things that are hard to eat (I don't mean everyone who has a black list food is wolfing it down or too tight) but many many people can choose just about anything. I have good restriction but am not quite in the green zone (can eat about 1 1/2 cups of food...get hungry a little soon) but I haven't found anything I can't eat. Not to hijack your thread, either...but except for carbonation (which I can have, but it hurts and isn't worth it) nothing's off limits to me. Many other posters may choose not to eat certain foods, but that doesn't mean they can't, should the desire arise. Once you're healed and past "bandster hell" (that period when the doc lets you reintroduce food) ... you may be able to eat anything too. So don't be blue! :thumbup:

what did your doctor say it was?

Not only will you need fluids but this early in the game, you may dislodge your band. I hope you are ok!

I'm sorry I can't help you....my surgeon puts his patients on nothing but clear liquids post op for the first week....mostly just water actually. Can you try that for, say, 12 hours or so? Does water hurt or is it only the protein and applesauce?

If you are under the care of a cardiologist, surely your surgeon can coordinate with him/her for any information. Further you are not the heaviest person ever treated. Trust me, they aren't going to embarass or torture you! IF necessary there is a stress test that uses injectible drugs to cause your HR, Pulse etc to accellerate without you moving. If fear of a stress test is stopping you from proceeding, don't let it. It's a non-issue.

It can take a week or two for it all to come off. Just make sure you follow your surgeon's directions post op, stay hydrated, walk, etc. Your body was traumatized; give it a chance.

I finally have some restriction and am enjoying actually NEEDING all the rules I've been trying to follow...like chew well, no liquids with meals, etc :cursing: Very happy! I fortunately don't have trouble taking pills, though, so no liquid drugs for me! (especially since I can't drink beer now! LOL) How are you? Doing great, it sounds like!

Have you tried the Citrical Petites? You take 2 three times a day which is a pain, but they are small (like m and m sized) and will "go down" for most everyone. I got them at drugstore.com but they are probably available at local drugstores.

While I am glad TQUAD64 had a good experience, I can tell you wholeheartedly to go with experience. Please. Unless your surgeon will have with him/her another surgeon who has done many many more lap bands. Once they "get in" we are all so different. This is an "easy" surgery (if ANY surgery can be easy!!!) but there are very real risks associated with it (some can be life threatenening, others just life changing) and aside from the normal risks, you need a surgeon who's "been there done that" so that he knows how to handle you. For example my surgeon had done over 1000 Band surgeries and I was the first one that he couldn't move the liver because it was too thick. OVER 1000 surgeries and he was still seeing "new" things. That is a rule of thumb for any surgery....you want an old pro. Diagnostics etc...you might want a newby who's up on all the latest research etc. But anyone who's going to place something inside you, or remove something from inside you...you want someone who knows the territory and procedure and could almost do it in their sleep, so that if you are that rare person who has complications, they'll know what to do.

I agree that the number doesn't matter as much as the feeling. However, I want to be informed about the device inside me as much as possible. I may not always be 30-45 minutes away from my surgeon when I might have an issue. It's my body, my health. I'm "Proactive" about it. Everyone is different but to want to know the fill amount, band size, etc is only prudent, IMHO, in case sometime I need medical care and am with someone who is uninformed. Plus, I paid for it. I like knowing how much gas my car holds...(13.6 gal LOL) so I want to know about my band, too. If I had a surgeon who wouldn't indulge my interest in my band, I'd find another one. The "paternalistic" attitude went out with women who mop their floors in high heels and do housework in dresses! :cursing: (aka ... my birth decade LOL)

Have the HR person phone them while you are there. If she won't, go to the person above her. It's a benefit that your company provides; they should be glad to give you info.

I think you need to call medicaid, find out, and ask them which doc etc.

I am not sure (check with your insurance) but using an example....people smoke (it is something they "do" to themselves) and insurance covers related illnesses like emphysema etc. OR...if you have plastic surgery (self pay) and then have an issue your medical coverage will cover the issue (like an infection etc)... I think once it's done, if you have problems they have to cover it. They may not cover maintenance like fills etc (in fact I bet they won't) but if you have trouble like GERD, or the rare slip, etc they will cover that. Just call and find out!

Yes I remembered it wrong! The AP S IS Standard and it holds 10ccs. Here's an interesting comparison: Compare Adjustable Gastric Bands - LAP-BAND vs. REALIZE Band

I am so not a doctor! BUT from my nosing around on the internet and quizzing my doc, AP stands for "Advanced Platform" and the S is smaller (holds 10 ccs) and the L is larger (holds 14ccs) Of course, "small" and "large" are relative; 4 cc's is less than a teaspoon, so they aren't THAT much different. Perhaps surgeons refer to the S (for small) as standard....or perhaps the info I read was dated? Either way I know mine is AP L, it (along with the AP S) is the newest Lap band, and it holds 14 cc's

Its up to you, of course, but I wouldn't keep going to a surgeon who 1. didn't know how much my band would hold and 2. wouldn't tell me how much he put in it. That's just me, but it is around MY stomach in MY body and I PAY him.

I would think the answer would be no, but I'm not a surgeon. Your safest bet is to call a bariatric center in your area and ask.

I have the AP L band. I honestly can't imagine why it would be any less likely (or more likely) to be successful than the band that preceeded it. It just makes healing easier, actually, because the surgeon can place the band that most easily FITS the area. Before, I'd have had a smaller band, and had more issues with restriction etc post op (and more potential to develop slipping and/or erosion) The two sizes just give the surgeon options to fit the right band to the right upper stomach.

I'm female and got the 14 cc band; the doctor decides what to "install". I'm not tall or manly; LOL; just the top of my stomach was large. (I guess). I know other women who have the 14 cc band, and men who have the 10cc band; I think it just depends on your innards and how they are configured. Fills vary, partly according to the surgeon. You might want to ask yours what the "average" number of fills is for his patients. Mine says it often takes about 6 months (and 4 or more fills) for his patients to approach the "green zone" where they lose and are not hungry between meals. Different surgeons can be more (or less) aggressive, so it just depends. The band is intended to stay in place forever. You can have it unfilled but most likely if you do that you'll gain weight back. Although i guess it CAN happen that you are filled with a functioning band and "lose" restriction, that isn't common. More common (but still rare) are things like leaks in the tube from the port to the band, slippage, etc. Your surgeon can answer these questions for you and he is the best source of info because it will depend on his fill style, and he should have scientific statistics about fills and restricion several years out

It depends. For example, I have a band that holds 14 cc's. My surgeon for my first fill put in only 1.5 cc's. I honestly could not tell any difference. After my 4th fill (and a total now of 5.5 ccs in my 14 cc band) I can FINALLY feel restriction, although I can eat more and get hungry faster than the goal of 1/2 - 1 cup and 5-6 hours. It will take several fills for you to feel it, unless your surgeon is one who is very aggressive. (mine is not. He feels the data indicates slow is better) If you don't know your band capacity and how much fill you got, your surgeon can tell you. Each person is different as to how much is "enough" so you'll just have to see what works for you.

You need to tell your doctor what you did...NOT because you must confess your "sins", but because you may have harmed yourself eating this soon post banding. Probably you are ok but it would be safest to call tomorrow, let them know what you ate, when, and how it felt, and let them decide. :biggrin:

http://www.lapbandtalk.com/f5/ticker-tutorial-pictures-41782/ try that link I hope it helps you I can't remember how to do mine.