adamsmom

well done, Cher Bear! I am about 5 pounds behind you and will get another fill August 25th. Good news, ladies: I got a new job: Principal of an elementary school--:thumbup:about 700 kids. I went through a tough application and interview process last week, and started yesterday. Wish me luck!

Hey ladies, I thought I'd post an update ow that I have an update! You may remember that I went in formy 2nd fil May 2nd, but they couldn't do it. I had to wait until yesterday (June11th) to get in for a fill with an x-ray. It was easy with the x-ray, and they found out the problem. Everytime the needle touches my port, it starts moving. With the x-ray they were able to guide the needle better. I now have 6. ccs of fluid in my band, up from 5 ccs. He tried putting in 8, but I felt my throat close upeven whn I was laying on the table. 7cc. and water could npt go down. 6.5 did the trick. The good news is that I did not gain any weight while i waited for this fill and since yesterday I am down another poud and a half. I am stil in limbo land regarding my job and my son is still dealing with his school issues. Please check back in, everyone, and let us know how you're doing.

I highly recommend Fighting Weight by Khaliah Ali (Mohammed Ali's daughter). She had lap band surgery several years ago. The book goes into all the practical nuts and bolts pre and post op information as well as her own personal journey with weight issues.

Dr. Waldrep, in Roseville, CA charges $11,000.00. He did my surgery. Everything was great.

I hope everon's doing well with their weigtht loss. I have to wait until June 11th to get my second fill under x-ray. The weight loss has slowed right down. I am frustrated.

Hi, I had my suurgery at Sutter Roseville in January. I was very pleased. All the surgeons requier the paperwork--lots of hoops unfortunately. Dr. Waldrep's group at Sutter Roseville have monthly Lap Band support meetings. You will be required to attend one before surgery as oneof your pre-op requirements. The next one is this Saturday from 10-12. You may as well attend if you're serious about getting the surgery. I would be happy to talk to you about my experience so far.

I am shopping around. I am currently with Hills Physicians--6 month doctor supervised diet, nutritional consult, and behavioral consult BEFORE you are even considered for surgery!!! :ohmy:What is this purpose??? So, I am interested in finding out what Sutter medical Group requires. Finding out from them has proven futile as I'm not a member. :sad:Any one had experience with them? What hoops did you have to jump through??

I am so deeply disappointed that someone who is regarded as an expert within the band world would make such an irresponsible statement. I am from England, but live in the US. My family and I eat eat a salad every evening with our dinner. My American born husband and kids eat their salad on a separate plate, but I have mine on the dinner plate with the rest of my food--a cultural thing. Dr. Vuoong, shame on you! How could you tell us band patients, who by nature of the surgery, are now nutritionally compromised if we are not careful, to refrain from eating salads??? Many readers on this site hang onto your every word and you could do damage to people by making statements like that. I don't know about everyone else, but weight loss in and of itself is not my sole reason for getting the band. I want to be healthy and live long. If I stop eating things that are good for me, I might be simply thin and unhealthy. I think you should retract your statment!:thumbup:

Ditto to everything everyone else said: get a new surgeon. You will be with this guy for the ong haul, so you need someone who you feel you can work with for the long haul. Also about the skin: loose skin happens! Deal with it when the time comes, for now, you need to get down to a healthy weight so that you can even worry about loose skin. Haing lapband surgery was the greatest gift I have given to myself. My only regret is waiting as long as I did to make the decision. As for LB over GB--LB is a forever tool. 2 years or so after GB, your tool is not as effective, and you may gain weight. If you start to gain with LB, you can get another fill to get more restriction. Good Luck!

Tweety, you and your husband are doing great. It's just not fair how guys can lose weight so easily. I am down another pound this morning. 34 pounds gone forever!

I had the same problem. My 1st fill was on March 6th--It was a nightmare, but the PA got it FINALLY. 2nd fill attempt was this past Friday--May 1st. After trying for about 40 minutes, the PA gave up and told me I will have to get it done with an xray. My work schdule and the hospital schedule doesn't work well together so I have to wait until June 11th before I get my fill. I think my port has flipped. The PA thinks it's just fat. Excuse me, but isn't everyone with a Lapband fat at first?????:thumbup:

I went for my fill Friday afternoon, but after trying for about 40 minutes, the PA could not get my port. I think it has flipped! I now have to go in because they need to try and do it under an xray, but with my work schedule, I can't go until June 11th, so no fill for me . The PA thinks it could be because of the fat layer on top of my port. But isn't EVERYONE with a Lapband fat to begin with?????. I have still lost weight so I'm not too worried, but I was hoping to get to my "sweet spot" this time. So far, 33 pounds gone forever! I hope everyone else is fine.

Cherbear, congratulaions on the 3 pound loss. As for the pain--how high up is it? I get twinges of pain near where my port is located, which is about an inch or two to the left of my belly button. I will metion it on Friday when I go in for my fill. I think you pain sounds like gas and maybe you might need to eat more slowly or take smaller bites. Good luck.

My surgeon does lapband on patients with lower BMIs as a part of an FDA study. Youcan have a BMI of 30 and get the surgery. The FDA is studying to see if patients can avoid ever getting comorbidities if they get surgery sooner rather than later.

You all are so lucky getting fills. I will only be getting my 2nd fill on Friday, which is a good thing because my weight loss has plateaued!

Well April 13th came and went--our 3 month bandaversary! It seems like a long time go when I had surgery, but it's only been 3 months. ALthough I would like the weight to come off faster, I am very plweased with the results so far.

AMymoe, sometimes success is not measured by numbers on the scale, which is hard for us because we want to see those numbers go down, down, down. But you are using 5 less units of insulin. That is something to celebrate, don't you think? The weightloss will come too. Hang in there and congratulate yourself for how far you have come.:sad:

Amymoe, sorry you've been ill, but congrats on your shrinking size--You are more than a number on a scale! Jill congrats to you too and your successes. I am plugging away--not making much weight loss progress this week, but then it's been a stressful week all round.

Had my surgery on January 13th--everything has been fine-no complications. Was back to work in a week and a 1/2, never threw up, never got sick, can eat anything I want. Have lost 29 pounds to date.

First approached my PCP on November 11th, 2008. Had surgery on January 13th, 2009 --about 2 months total.

I chose LapBand because those "pillows" allow the band to conform to your body and stomach shape--all of us have slight variations of size and shape. Realize is one size/shape for all.

Good Evening, All! I hope everyone's doing well. I am frazzeled! My 14 year old was beat up in PE class today and I got a call from the school. As you know, we're been trying to get him out of that school and in a school for kids on the autistic spectrum but we're having a heck of a time. So much stress! Doesn't help my son's depression either5. I am down another pound today--almost at the 30 pound mark. I hope everyone else is well!

I had my surgery on Jan 13th. I only told my husband, mother and best friend. everyone else was told I had hernia surgery. I agree with your choice. People can be very judgmental. I have told 3 friends since the surgery, now I'm always worrying that they'll be watching to see if I eat the right things or if I'm losing weight. Too much pressure! You have made the right decision in my opinion. Good Luck!

Hi Everyone, I just got back from a brief trip to San francisco with my DH and kids. We lucked out--we had booked a standard room, but the hotel decided to give us a huge suite on the 26th floor, with 3/4 panoramic views of the city! I'm not sure why that happened--perhaps because we used our reward points to pay for the room. But it was lovely. We spent today at the California Academy of the Sciences, which was fabulous! The best part is that we walked and climbed staircases for 6 hours and I didn't feel like I was going to have a heart attack. I was able to not only keep up with, but even be ahead of my kids at times. We went there on December 30th, a couple of weeks before my surgery, and I thought I was going to die! I am now down 28 pounds, what a difference that makes to mobility! I can't believe I'm almost 30 pounds smaller!!!!! On a sad note: I'm sure you all heard about the plane crash that happened in Montana last week. My kids' pediatrician and her entire family were on that plane. Her name was Vanessa Pullen and if you watch the Today Show, you may have seen her father-in-law interviewed on Friday morning. It was not easy telling my kids that one of their doctors is dead. She was such a lovely person--just a senseless tragedy!

Good morning everyone: I'm plugging away, trying to stay on a healthy eating plan and get exercise in. Today I entered a new decade: the 250s! :thumbup:I am also finding clothes in my closet I forgot I had because it's been so long since I wore them. I will try to put off clothes shopping for a little while longer--until I'm in the 240s. Then I'll have no choice but to go shopping because I haven't been in the 240s since the year 2000! :tt1: