RestlessMonkey

I just wanted to reiterate how important I think restriction is. Getting to the "sweet spot" is just short of miraculous. Fully 1/2 of my total loss to date has happened since 5/7 when I finally hit it at 6.5 cc in my 14 cc band. NOW I know what all the fuss is about. So to new bandsters I'd say hang in there and keep a good fill schedule; don't give up, don't lose heart. Some can and do successfully diet in the interim; I didn't, but the sweet spot is called that for a reason. Your whole outlook on food changes when you hit it.

I was my own worst critic and went through all the "why can't I just lose on my own" etc. Once I resolved all that and started the process, no one has questioned me. HOWEVER one reason may be how large I was at the start: at 405 people probably thought "well at least she's doing SOMETHING" :party: At any rate everyone I've told has been nice, kind, and curious about how it works. It's been a great experience.

I think he's wrong. Statistically 5 years out, gastric bypass patients are down 60% of their excess ON AVERAGE, bandsters down 55% of their excess ON AVERAGE. That 5% isn't worth gastric unless you want it. Here's a link to a website where I got my stats: Lap-Band vs. Gastric Bypass Surgery Actually at your weight, depending on your height, you sound like an ideal band candidate. Go to an informative seminar (or two...pick docs/centers covered by your ins) and if you like what you hear, pursue it. Your primary perhaps has old data.

I eat steak well done. It is good! I take small bites (not tiny, just small, about 2/3 to 1/2 the size of an old bite) and chew it well. I just had steak tonight in fact! A prime ribeye! However I ate about 2-3 oz of it and was done. Full. Isn't that grand? I can eat anything still, but like Parrothead Cathy said, some can't. I have good restriction and can go 6 hours or more without any hunger. I too drink caffeine (1 cup coffee w/sugar free creamer then unsweet iced tea) because my doc too had it on the "don't" list because of appetite stimulation. It doesn't stimulate mine (in fact for some people it suppressed appetites) I DO make sure I get at least 64 oz of water each day, though, and my morning coffee comes after my first 16 oz of water. no tea until I get the 64 oz water in. Otherwise we eat like we did, I just don't eat much of it. Now that I have restriction I'm doing really well. What I don't drink and may never, though, is anything carbonated. I've tried it; the first time it was sip, burp burp BURP for 5 minutes sip BURP BURP you get the picture. If I drank an ounce I'd be shocked. This last time was a week ago; I drank about 1/3 of a beer and was done. It just "almost" hurt each time I took a swallow. I don't like beer enough (or anything carbonated) to have to delicately drink it, mindful of my pouch and how I'm feeling. Some people can drink carbonation, some let it go flat first (well YUK) i just pass on it. Who knows a few years from now; but for now I can say it is truly the only thing I feel I may have given up. What I've gotten in return was well worth the trade.

I agree, tell your doc. I "cheated" on my preop diet, lost 15 pounds (so surgeon thought I'd done as he asked) and did not get my band because of my liver. My doc was upset because it never happened to him before. He told me "I tried and tried but I was afraid i was going to nick your liver. I am SO SORRY" Until I admitted to him what i had done. Bless him he wasn't happy but he knows we're human. I promised I would do EXACTLY as he said and he said "then I'll band you any day you ask (he usually only bands 1 day a week) 17 days and 17 MORE POUNDS (I did as he told me and weight dropped off) and I got the band. Moral? Wish I'd done what I was supposed to the first time. It would've been easier on me and my pocketbook. I should've told my doctor what I did and let HIM make the call. It's possible 1 wendy kids meal won't hurt you if you get right back on the wagon. In fact, it's actually pretty likely! But tell your surgeon. Let him either soothe your fears or put your surgery off for a bit. It seems awful I know but believe me, coming to in recovery without the band because your liver was too big is WORSE.

Good luck LindsaySue! And realize a lot of the bandster "rules" become much easier once you have restriction (which may or may not take a while depending on your doc and situation, so keep that in mind) For example I wouldn't drink with a meal now if you paid me; it hurts! And same with a carbonated beverage; not worth it! Not everyone has the same ease post op but I can eat anything, small bites are easy, I chew to mush by habit now, and so on. So hang in there; you are doing well and will surely be one of the powerhouse bandsters!

I had a 3-week long diet that was several of a specific Protein shake and one special meal a day. I didn't really know I had a large liver until I did NOT get the band because I cheated on the preop diet. I thought the point was weight loss and lost 15 pounds doing my own atkins-type thing. BUT I didn't lose the right 15. I did exactly EXACTLY what my doc told me from 8/13 to 8/29 and lost 17 MORE pounds (to my shock and pleasure) and that time I was banded just fine. It depends on the person and the doc. If you do just what your doc says, DO NOT CHEAT, you'll be fine. I read on here over and over about people who cheated and were fine. I KNOW no one meant to do me harm. But I was that one in a thousand or whatever that did NOT get away with it, so .... follow your docs orders. Trust him to know what you need to do! If you're worried, talk to him about your concerns about a large liver and see what he has done to make sure you're covered. It's rare; my surgeon said I was his first "failure" due to liver size (how special was THAT?) but it can and does happen. You'll be fine!

My wonderful surgeon covered various bariatric surgeries and the success rates (and successful "reversal" rates) of each. He then went into more detail on the 2 he performs, banding and bypass. He described his "credentials" including how often he's done each surgery, what type of band he prefers/uses and why, etc. He discussed the procedure and life style changes required by each. He discussed the negative side effects (like hair loss and slippage, death...) and how much and how severe each is for his patients. Then he had a Q & A time (very patient) and THEN that great guy took another 20 min to just talk to my husband about it all (Husband is an RN who worked in a GI lab and was against it but was all for the band after doc and he talked and doc addressed his concerns) Afterward if we wanted we could immediately schedule a follow up appt, or we could take our time. No hard sell whatsoever. I immediately felt at ease and valued as a person, not just a patient.

Thanks...I've lost over 22 pounds since I FINALLY found restriction on 5/7. So I got off to a slow start but I think I'm making up for lost time! My doc had a very specific diet he put me on that I "cheated" on by doing my own thing. I lost 15 pounds in 3 weeks (I was pleased with that) but when I came to, confessed, and promised to do what he told me (and did what he told me) I lost another 17 pounds. The diet is very strict but works; it is this: I drank at least 64 oz of Water. I drank 2-3 EAS Carb Control Advant-Edge shakes a day, and for dinner I ate 3-4 oz of lean fish, chicken, or turkey (usually Gorton's baked fish) and up to 1 cup of green veggies (usually steamed green beans). That's it. No butter no breading no ketchup no diet crystal light no coffee no sugar free iced tea...just water (plain) the shakes (2-3) and the "meal". It works like a charm if you stick to it.

Becky so glad for you! You're doing wonderfully!

Yes you are naked but you won't know it; it won't matter, and if you are going to a surgeon who does this type of surgery often then they've all seen people as large as, and larger than, you are. Older, more wrinkly, etc. Ask your doc about swimming. Because of the incisions some are told to stay away from baths, pools, hot tubs, in other words immersion, for up to 6 weeks. See what your surgeon says. Sex...ask your doc. I wish I had realized how very very important fills are. I wish I could've gotten to restriction faster (finally am feeling it in May , fill #7, 9 MONTHS! after surgery) I wish I'd known how long it might take. I was starting to get discouraged when FINALLY! it happened. The proper fill level is what makes the band work; otherwise it's just pricey plastic in your abdominal cavity.

You haven't answered but if, in fact, you do mean the "Realize" band instead of "elise", as Parrothead Cathy assumed, then here's a link to a really helpful website. The page I've given you lays out a comparison between the two types of bands Compare Adjustable Gastric Bands - LAP-BAND vs. REALIZE Band

I agree you're probably ok but call your doc and check with him. It isn't uncommon; but that doesn't mean it isn't something that needs treatment.

"Bandster Hell" That period of time post op when you are starving but can't eat because of dietary restrictions (post op diet from liquids to solids, generally over 6 weeks depending on doc) AND/OR the period of time before you finally get restricion and are trying to eat less but are hungry all the time. "Sweet Spot" What my doc calls "the green zone"...when your band is restricted so that you can eat up to about 1 cup of most foods and then feel full for up to 6 hours afterward. It is usually a period when you have your best weight loss (not including any preop diet) "PB" Productive Burp...when you take a bite of something (usually too large a bite, or you are eating too fast) and because of your band and restriction it doesn't go through the stoma (small opening from "upper" to "lower" tummy that is formed by the band). It has to go somewhere and if it won't/can't go on down, it comes back up. Your esophagus spasms and the bite or bolus of food comes back out. It isn't like vomiting because there is no stomach bile included...just the bite of food along with mucous(also called "slime") that coats it to make it smooth and get it out of your body. Hope that helps!

Actually I have never heard of the "Elise" band. Just "Realize" and "Lap Band". You might try googling it.

I think you know the answer to this; if you believe you have a mental block against losing then yes, definitely therapy can help you if you're willing to work on the issues.

Lots of us have easy quick recoveries. I had TWO surgeries in one month and recovered as quickly from the second as the first. In fact, my last surgery I had on Friday and was back in nursing school as a student that next Tuesday. I felt wonderful. No nausea, no need for prescription pain meds, slept on my stomach from the 2nd night (on my side the first night) etc etc. No gas pain to speak of (I think my doc is one of those that kindly removes most of it before he closes us up!) and so on. Hopefully you'll have such a fast recovery; no languishing on the couch! You need to walk walk walk!

I lost until I was on mushies and then "real" food. Some do "diet"....I didn't. My loss has been slow but fairly easy. I can and have dieted; I dieted myself to 405 pounds. Diets don't work for everyone; they didn't for me. I became food obsessed. (When can I eat how MUCH can I eat what if I overeat OMG I'm up a pound is it fat is it water? I'm HUNGRY) LOL I'm trying to totally change how I look at food, not think about it 24/7. And for me, diet = all food, all the time. I'm doing well now that I have restriction. I am in "diet mode" in that I don't buy junk food, and I don't let myself snack, but what I eat and when isn't weighed, counted, portioned, or so on. If I want some butter on my steamed veggies I use it. If I want a chick fil a I get it; I can only eat about 1/2 of one anyway. I don't choose that stuff all the time, but nothing is "off limits" as long as I'm not snacking. That works for me...dieting the "old" way may or may not work for you. But no, we don't really lose once we are on "real" food before we get good restriction (for me, fill #7) unless we "diet".

You know this may work for some but it sure didn't for me. I TRIED! I will admit I didn't get restriction until fill #7 on May 7 (lucky seven? LOL) but I'm losing because I am in "diet" mode. Otherwise I could graze all the time. I'm not counting calories but like I said, I'm in the "mode"...not buying foods high in fat/calories (like chips, candy) and so on. That "make healthy choices" thing is subjective. What's the healthy choice when you have only high fat/high calorie things to choose from? It's a dilemma. I'm hoping, now that I have restriction, once I get a routine/habit going I can let up a little. For now, though, I have to watch it like a hawk or I stop losing. I can't eat a lot at once, but I sure can graze through a good chunk of calories if I don't watch myself really closely! So monitoring "am I hungry or just bored/sad/tired" and so on, while isn't strictly dieting/calorie counting, is important for some of us. And remember that "healthy choice" thing starts way before the food ever gets to the dinner table. To me, that's "dieting". Hopefully it will become "normal life" sometime!

Get your money back too! And you know what? Even if all the "work" you've done doesn't transfer, you're still better off switching now than going through it with this doc who has no experience and is charging you for things he should NOT be (Contact your ins company to get clear exactly what you would've owed; you'll see he was really doing some price gouging)

I didn't but mostly because I don't think they really work. Ally---if you have too much fat it comes out the back end whether you want it to or not. That is just gross. Diet suppressants...been there, done that, got me to the lovely 405 pounds I was at my initial consult. Slim shots...I think if OTC stuff worked our nation would have so many overweight/obese people. So no. I'm not against help but I don't think that stuff does it. If I did, I wouldn't have gotten the band.

Each surgeon/psych visit is different. I had to do 200 of the MMPI questions, then about a 15-20 min "chat". Some only do the chat, some have 2-3 meetings. I think the big thing is to just be honest and you'll do fine! Good luck.

I can't advise about surgery in Mexico. However, I can tell you that you are wise to line up post care before you go anywhere to have it done. Many surgeons will not treat people they didn't do the initial surgery on, and many more will treat only after exorbitant fees (I've seen some as high as 5K posted about on here). That doesn't mean you CANT find someone but you'd be wise to find him/her before you go. If there is one thing I've learned since I got my band, it is this: the aftercare (fills and appointments, resource person for issues and questions) is as important as getting the band itself. The band may be less than useless if you don't have medical care post op. So call around, find out what you're facing, before you go (or plan to go back to Mexico for fills and other issues) Realize too that you MAY find it locally with a package that initially may see much higher, but if they include fills (for a year or two at least) and "guarantee" your surgery (ie what if your port flips?) for a period, you may be better off to get it done closer to home.

You'd be safest to call tricare and ask, or ask the person who handles insurance claims at your doc's office. I am no pro; I didn't even handle MY claim; the nice lady at the hospital where my doc is head of bariatrics handled everything for me. I just googled "tricare requirements for lap band surgery" and found that.

contractors must apply 100 pounds (or 200%) to both the lower and higher end of the weight range I cut this from the tricare manual I found online. So you'd have to weigh more than double BOTH/EITHER, or 254-282 (assuming the metlife table you used is the most current) So no, you won't qualify. Tricare is a stickler from what I've heard. i should say per this you won't qualify for the 200%. You should let your surgeon guide you through this though; don't let 9 pounds stop you.