jpward001

I had to pay $11,000 while my insurance paid $5,000. If you need to finance you can go to carecredit.com, they do alot of loans for medical reasons.

I had to pay my insurace did not pay anything. I used care credit for the $12,000 and then paid $3,000 in cash. I was worth every penny....:thumbdown:

Wow you guys are doing great. I had my first follow up with my Dr. on Monday and he is delighted with my lose of 3lbs (by his scale fully dressed) and I am delighted to say that I have FINALLY dropped belowe 300 lbs for the first time in 6 years. I am so excited. I look forward to my first fill on Jan 26th and can't wait to see what happens.

All of you are an inspiration for me to stay on track.

PS. I am on real food for the first time in 4 weeks.

NO!!! DONT DO IT ... chewing a chip and spitting it out can become a very dangerous habit... it's called Mastication... and even though you think you are getting rid of everything, your saliva causes your stomach to churn and that's one of the points of the post op diet ... as little churning as possible...

losingjusme thanks for reminding all of us that it is dangerous for us to get sloppy with our eating habits. I had the first follow up with my Dr yesterday and he was delighted that I had lost 3lb in the 10 days since surgery. He will do my first fill on the 1/26 and I am ready. I have really not had a problem staying on the food plan because I see this a long term life style change. I have lost weight before but have never been able to keep it off. I have to believe that this is the answer.

I'm 10 days out from surgery. My belly is a bit tender but all is going well. As many have said healing is the big thing right now. Getting your Vitamins, nutrients and Protein play a big roll in your healing. When I was on liquids only I did cheat (kinda) I chewed 1 corn chip till it was mush then fed that mush to my dog, did the same with a small piece of pork roast. Flavor and something to chew was the only thing I was craving. Once I did that (and my dogs loved it) back to my liquids I went.

Surgery during the holidays is no walk in the park, but staying focused and calling your doc with concerns or questions is a very good idea.

We are at the same place. I went back to work yesterday and did ok until about 3:30 and then I began to fade. I am taking it easy today and have an appointment with my Dr. Monday. I hope he will let me go back to Curves. I have been walking everyday but I want to start a little more activity. How are you doing on your exercise?

Thank you, I would love to have a support system!

That is why I love this forum. I am looking forward to a long and skinnie relaltionship you each of you.:tongue2:

You can IM me on Yahoo. jpward001

Give my your number and I will call. Or skype me at jpward001

Hi everyone! Well...I had my port revision on Tuesday the 30th and I'm back at work today.

Elizabeth wishing you the best. Let us know how you do. I am also back at work today. I was banded on Dec 24th and am trying to support all the folks who have been on this journey longer than I have. I hope you all the best.

Happy New Year to All. Today at the urging of a LBTer I'm joining in. I have had a bad year and need to get back on track. I started the pouch test today, most of the day went well,,,until I had to fix dinner for the family. Before I knew it, or thought about it, I was stuffing raw veggies in my mouth ending with a couple of Cookies. I'm not going to beat myself up, just get up brush myself off and start/try/succeed again tomorrow, for tomorrow is another day..

Welcome and know that we are all here to support you. I am new at this but I am sure that I will need all the support I can get. So hang in and take it one day at a time.

Why do you have to wait so long for a fill? I can tell a difference with the fill I just got on 12/30. I have another appt. next tuesday for another fill. I am at 6.2cc now and next week should put me at 7.2cc. I think then I should be good. Hang in there. Can you call and get in earlier?

My Dr. will not do a fill until 6 weeks after the surgery. He wants me to be completely healed. Weeks surgery-2 clear liquides, 2-6 mushy. However the clear liquides does include things like grits and mashed potatoes very thin. I am doing ok so far. I go back to work tomorrow so my days will be so busy I won't have time to think about being hungrey. It is only in the evening when I have a problem.

I will cope with the ultimate challenge of being thin again. (this is the ultimate aim of banding after all).

Never having been THIN I also face this challenge. My smallest weight since I was a teenager was 202 so I am very fearful of what the future might hold for me. I will be rooting for you and hope you will keep in touch.

I was banded on 12/23 and don't get to go to mushies until Jan. 8th when I go for a follow up. I don't know how I am going to make it!

We do it one day at a time. I don't get mushies until Jan 9th so I feel your pain. I has been very hard but I have stayed on track so far. How are you doing.

I hear ya. I was banded 11/19 and gained everything I lost pre-op. At least you still have a loss. I am going in today for my 2nd fill. I am at 5cc in a 10cc band. Still no restriction. I had 3cc at surgery then on the 1st fill I had 2 more cc added. Still nothing. I am hoping today I can get some restriction. But I am with you, I can't believe this will be another weight loss failure for me. :frown::mad:

:laugh: Thanks, you made me feel so much better. I thouht I was the only one that gained right after surgery. I gained 4lbs and was pissed. Now I know it was just the surgery and the hit my system took. I am learing how to listen to my body and that is hard. In the past all I ever listend to was the food. I hope I can keep focused and keep losing. I will not have a fill for 5 more weeks. So being careful with Water, calories, and Protein are all thats on my mind right now.

wow, you are doing great. I am still holding at 13 pounds. My pre-op was 219. I can't wait until I reach 199lbs.

Today at 301 I am so close I am waiting for the 299 they are my WOW, It has been 6 years since I was below 300. I am excited and can't wait. Looking forward to the New Year and the New Me. Keep it up and keep in touch...

I did GREAT yesterday. The first day I have stuck to Lapband rules in FOREVER. I even drank all of my Water and measured my food. I am so proud of myself....

But now back to earth, today is another day...so far so good.

Great restart. Just take it one day at a time. That is all we can do. I am very new but I want to support everyone on this journey. Keep it up. How have you done today?

Hello there Fellow Banders!

I was Lap Banded on Dec. 23, 2008~ 4 days ago. I was researching some more tonight as I chill out in my recliner. I was so tired of hearing "Why don't you try Weight Watchers"~ DUH!!! How many times have I tried that? And Atkins, South Beach, Jenny Craig, NutriSystem, etc. You name it!

I also got flack for doing it RIGHT before Christmas~ but I am a full time, married, working Mom of a 2 year old. So tell me when should I get it done?

So I went for it! I have PCOS, high blood pressure, sleep apnea and (the last straw) Pre-Diabetes. I was 250 before surgery and as of today I am 240lbs. I am only 5'3".........So I have a WHOLE lot to lose.

Is anyone out there to talk to me? I am on the clear liquid phase~ BUT why do I feel hungry? I feel like skipping a "phase" and eating a tiny bit of solids.....OMG! But I don't get my first fill until January 5th. Maybe that's when the REAL restriction begins???

Help me Banders!

Thanks

I to am on the clear liquid stage and I am doing ok. My family went to Golden Coral and I had a V8 juice. So I feel you pain. I know it is hard but all of us need this or we would not have gone through the pain and cost. YOU can do it to...

Well it is 7:30 just three more hours so far I am feeling ok about this. Now though I am thinking did I research this enough, what are the long term effects of the band, and will it still be working w/me in 10 years?

Can't wait to hear how you do. I did great and I know you will to.

I am being banded on the 30th and I feel your pain. I am trying to have a positive attitude, but with all the food floating around during the holidays it is extremely difficult. I am not really hungry, but i feel like pushing someone down and grabbing the food away. I have not told people that I am being banded, how are you handling that?

Sheesh, How are you doing. Waiting to hear from you.

Isn't it interesting to hear different doctor's rules? I like the rule about consuming pop, so long as it's diet!

My nutri said NO pop, flat or not. She said that there are acids in the pop that can damage the stomach around the band and why would you want to take the risk? For ME this is a life style change and I am determined that it will work even if I don't ever get to drink a Mountain Dew again.

Angie, I am not sure but GasX has become my friend. I also am still having gas pains my husband rubs my back and that helps alot.

Im shocked that you guys are expecting dramatic weight loss imidiately after surgery. The first couple of months post op you're trying to find the right restriction/fill thats right for you. My doctor told me not to be surprised if I gained before my first fill. Right now Im working on will power alone, my band is empty. Everybody needs a different amount of fill in their band so they cant just fill it and send you on your way.. they have to do it gradually.

You shouldnt be calling yourself a faliure when you are ONLY two months out.

I am so with you guys. I also gained weight right out of surgery and was so pissed. Today day 4 I am at 3lb lost but I think it is dieting not the band. My band has no fill and I won't get one until week 6 so I am sticking to what my nutri told me to do. I am eating aroung 800-1000 cal and that is still called dieting to me.

Welcome and good luck. I am new at this to so we can do this together.

I've just joined the Valenties day weight loss challenge and put myself down to lose 10lbs by valentine's day. YIKES!!!!!!!!!! Wish me luck!!!

I am a new band patient and I am determined to see it through. I am reading all the post of those of you who are still working at the process and I am with you all the way. I don't know yet how this will work for me but I have been where all of you are with other weight loss programs and know this will be hard and require that I commit. I feel each of your pain.

I myself was banded on 12/22/08 and i fill great. All the soreness is gone and i have been eating mushey foods. I;m still having under 800 Calories a day however i feel i can go on to reg foods. Did anyone else fill this way in such a short time after being banded?

Banded 12/25, my doc made me add more calories. I am not losing and am up 4lbs. He said I had gone in to the starvation mode and that was what was going on. FORCED my self to take in 800 cal today feel awful. I was sipping all day to get those cal down I feel like I ate a huge meal. Hope I feel better in the AM.