sparkplug

Just wondering a couple of things, how many bandsters with no fills and either close to goal or to goal like I am. Second question, just reading on forum daily for last 22 months and it just seems to me that the only bands that have slipped are the ones that have been filled and unfilled over a period of time. Just curious if the "non-filled" bands will or won't slip over time. I worry all the time on my band slipping because it has been a life saver for me health wise getting me off of so many meds and able to move around with little to no pain. I don't know how I would pay to have a slip fixed if insurance won't cover it, any info would be appreciated on this.

I agree with everybody on here that said that once you remove the hunger it is no longer a diet. I have never had any fills but once i was able to eat solid protein I did not have hunger pains like I did before the band. I made up my mind this is a life change not a diet and it has stuck with the bandster rules of no bread/no pasta/no sugar. I do occasionally have some pasta or rice but very little. I am down 90 pounds and holding for the last 10 months so this is proof that you can change your mental view on food, never thought this would happen to me. I do fluctuate 3 pds from day to day during the week depending on what I have for dinner.

Me too! When I have a stressful day at work, I tend to get stuck with anything I eat! Don't know why, but I sometimes try to eat very light or drink a protein smoothie instead, even that tends to have to go down slower than usual when my band is tight. I have no fills, doesn't figure does it? I also am to goal with losing 90 pds.

I feel your pain, but I also take prevacid every day with my chewable vitamins. I take all of my pills in the morning so that I have the whole to day to eat and drink on them to push them down and not know that anything is stuck. I agree that it probably is the feeling of being swollen from being stuck to begin with and that it will pass if it has not already. Try to take your pills in the morning instead of night time. Good luck and hope you feel better soon.

I too, came from syracuse, New York 6 years ago. We moved here to arizona for my husband's health. I am to goal with losing 90 pds and no fills. Never had too much hunger until recently. I am very tight in morning and just have a SF pudding for breakfast, everything else would get stuck this early. I get very hungry by 9:00 - 10:00 so I have been having some peanuts to hold me until lunchtime. They are a good source of protein and seem to hold me to noon. I am good the rest of the day and evening. Maybe some sort of protein between meals in a small amount will keep you from getting so starved. Good luck and keep up the good work.

I too was a slow but steady loser. My Dr. and I decided as long as I was losing to not have a fill, he left the decision up to me. I kept saying when and if I am eating too much or need help controlling my appetite, I will get a fill but never needed it. I am at goal with losing 90 pd and no fills. Everybody is so different and you each need to make your own decision to get to goal. I do love that picture of the Schnauzer, we have two boys of our own. Good luck and do what you feel is right for you.

I agree with everybody on here, there is nothing worse than getting "stuck". I have had 3 episodes this last 1 1/2 weeks because of eating too fast and/or too big of a bite and not chewing enough. I cannot live without papaya enzyme tablets. I keep some with me at all times, at work and at home. Just the other day got stuck on a piece of dry chicken and wanted to "die", ate 3 tablets and within 5 minutes it finally moved down. The panic I go through on getting stuck, does anybody else seem to panic like me? I guess it is part of our lives now, will I ever learn?

No, Elfie Poo there was no fill put in at surgery. My Dr. has done thousands of these surgeries and he feels that no fill at the time of surgery helps to heal faster. I tend to believe the Dr. with the medical degree, not some misinformed information that you came up with. Foolish was a poor choice of words, misinformed is more like what I meant. It is just this attitude that helps newly banded people think they are a failure when they are not, just because they may need no fills or a lot of fills, everybody is different.

I don't mean to argue with all of you fine people, but this band is not just a piece of plastic when there are no fills. I HAVE NEVER HAD A FILL, I was banded 12/20/08 and have lost and maintained 90 pds. I do have restriction, maybe I just have learned more from years of dieting, maybe i have more willpower, I can't explain why this band has saved my life with no fills. I could not lose a single pound before the band and i have been maintaining this weight for 10 months now. I am so grateful for the band and I get very upset when people make foolish comments that with no fills the band is useless. I might add, i still get stuck when eating too fast or too big of a bite, still have not mastered that yet. Thanks for letting me vent, I have never been so healthy in my whole life since being banded.

I was banded 12/20/08 and am to goal with losing 90 pd with NO FILLS. I had surgery in Las Vegas by Dr. ATkinson and never had any problems and have steadily lost with a couple of plateaus, I think because of my age. I walk every day for exercise and swim all summer long. I love my band and have been maintaining for the last 9 months. I do fight head hunger every now and again, but that is something we will all have to live with. Congrats to everybody who never needed a fill and I don't feel like such an odd person anymore hearing from others with no fills. The band does work with and without fills, listen to your Dr. not all the expert opinions of some bandsters.

jingleboob, what a surprise to see someone on here from our hometown, Syracuse, New York. We miss the New York State Fair and we used to live for the Dinosaur Barbeque sandwich every year. I misss the food there so much, it makes it easier to handle here with such a limited amount of good food in Arizona. Good luck on your band journey with all that good food at your fingertips.

Rocketray, I agree with your brother, I was banded 12/20/08 and have lost 90 pds and have been to goal for 9 months. I still do sometimes get head hunger and that is something I will have to work on and handle forever. Even though I am maintaining, I tend to go up and down 2 pds when eating out on weekends so back to basics on Mondays. I have never had a fill and am comfortable with my band and am forever greatful for this tool. It has been a lifetime of gaining and losing the same 90 pds that I need to keep in the past and look forward to the future with my tool. Patience is what we need when doing the band rules, I had a few months with no loss and then it started up again. Yes I will never figure out why some days I can eat something and then another day I can't. You will all succeed, it takes patience and time.

I am to goal with losing 90 pds and the girls at work are just like you are all saying, "so jealous they can't stand themselves". I agree with so many of these responses I have read here. Men and women treat you so differently. The woman are jealous and the men are very attentive. I have been thin many times before and now that I am older, it is truly a wake up call on how superficial people really are and how mean and nasty they can be. That is all I can say, thank God for my band the people on here that are truly interested in you for you, not what you look like!! Thank you everybody for being here for me in my happy and sad days of fat and thin and I know you will always be here regardless what weight I am!!! Thank you

I was turned down TWICE by my insurance even though it is a covered expense. I refused to accept their decision. Even though I only needed to lose 90 pounds, I have high blood pressure, high cholesterol, borderline diabetic and knee and foot problems, they still gave me a hard time. I refused to give up and got approved on 12/08 and had surgery on 12/20/08. I am to goal with losing 90 pounds, and I am saying DO NOT GIVE UP YOUR FIGHT TO GET THIS, you will never regret it. Good luck and keep fighting them until they get sick of hearing from you and give in to your demands, lol. It worked for me, hopefully they will see you really mean business and will give in.My primary care physician helped me a lot with his letter to get this surgery.

banded 12/20/08 high protein, low carb, no sugar or bread plenty of yard work, swimming and walking down 90 lbs and to goal no fills whatsoever and would do this again in a heartbeat, has been life saving for me at my age of 57 yrs old, feel like 27

Oops, I forgot to mention that I am one of the lucky ones from Dr. Atkinson in Las Vegas that lost all 90 pounds with NO FILLS and still have restriction. I know I am a rare person to not have fills, but it is possible.

I was banded 12/20/08 which was 19 months ago. I am down 90 pds and to goal, off all medications and feel like a teenager again. I am a size 8-10 and loving life. I do still come on this site once a day to keep things fresh in my mind and then go out and live life to it's fullest. I never regretted this decision and would recommend it to anyone wanting a new lease on life. I do not want to ever go back to looking like an old heavy woman again. Life is soooooo gooooodd.

umystifyme, my bariatric dr told me that since i was a few pds under 100 need to lose, to NOT LOSE ANOTHER POUND until surgery. I too have BCBS and they go by your present weight and if, even with co-morbidities, i lose even a pound before surgery, they would not approve me. I really could not lose a pd before the band and am grateful for the guidance of my dr in vegas. Good luck and keep the faith, everybody has a different outlook on things.

The only snide remarks and put downs are from co-workers who have gotten lazy and fat and cannot accept that I did something about my weight. My husband has been the main support for me from day of surgery and he is assured everyday that I only did this for better health and long life to better take care of him. My husband is so proud of me that he brags to everybody that will listen how great I look and wonderful I am. Gotta love him still after 31 years together!!!

I read about papaya enzyme pills many many months ago on this website and they have been a life saver for me. I got stuck many times eating out and it is very embarrassing as well as scary to get stuck out in public, I got up went to ladies room chewed about 3 of these pills and took a brief walk and within 10 minutes the food had passed and I was ready to go home. I strongly recommend them as an alternative to pb'ing everytime you get stuck. Much safer and easier and I believe less wear and tear on the band. They are usually cheap about $5.00 for 100 pills, which I do not use on a regular basis so they last a long time. I Keep some home, at work and in my purse.

I went into a severe depression when banded on 12/20/08 and mourned my best friend "food" for the first month, UNTIL the weight started dropping off. I fought with the insurance company and got approval after the 3rd try and when the weight started to come off, even with plateaus in between, I could not be happier and never regretted the surgery. You too will change your thoughts to happiness when you see your body getting smaller and the compliments start flying your way, good luck and keep focused.

I was banded 12/20/08 and have lost 90 pounds with NO FILLS. I cannot explain it and I am one of a few people from Dr. Atkinson's office in Las Vegas that have reached goal with no fills. I am off all meds and living life to the fullest, being at a weight that I only dreamed of getting back to a size 8-10. I am told that maybe down the road if I ever felt the need I could have a fill, but am not going to have one because everybody else says you have to have one because you have the band. We are the chosen few that have not needed a fill and the Dr. says this is okay. Enjoy your new body and only worry about things that need fixing and leave the good stuff alone.:Dancing_biggrin:

I was banded on 12/20/08 and am at goal with 88 pounds lost. I went from a size 22 to 8 and I have had no fills and at this point do not feel I need one. It is true that everybody has a different opinion on this and mine was that if I was not real hungry each time I went to Dr. then that was another appointment that I was not going to get filled. Dr. Atkinson in Las Vegas did my surgery and there are quite a few of us with no fills and losing over 100 pds. I can't explain it but this band has been a life saver and without it this would not have been possible. I believe each person is different and you need to learn to listen to your body and do what you need and want to do individually.:smile:

I came from NY 6 years ago with my husband and had my lap band done by Dr. ATkinson and Dr. Soong in Las vegas. I cannot say enough good about them and their office. I am at goal with 87 pds lost as of today and have had no problems or any fills. I am one of the few that never needed a fill and love my band. They are wonderful and knowledgeable people with a terrific staff and you will be very happy with them. Hope you have good luck with them and enjoy Las Vegas.:thumbup:

Colorado, again thank you for your thoughts and I agree with you 100%. People who think they know it all and tell me that if I don't get a fill that the band is not going to work are very ignorant in how everybody's body is different. Yes, I mean ignorant, you have blinders on to think that everybody goes through this banding the same way. Just as everybody loses weight differently, people's bodies respond differently to the band. Yes I never had a fill and do not need one even at goal, I am sorry that you have to have your band so tight to control your eating. I do not need the band that tight to learn new eating habits and "eat to live" and not "live to eat". I have no apology for you Elfie Poo, you go on ranting about how if it is not done your way, it is wrong. My Dr in Las Vegas is one of the top 5% surgeons that specialize in this and if he says that there is a small percentage that never need a fill, than he KNOWS it is true. If you think I spent $31,000.00 to have somebody on this website tell me what is right or wrong in how I work the band, than you are sadly mistaken. I go by what my Dr says and that is what has got me to goal? Are you to goal? Well, I am!!! Thank you Dr. Atkinson and your staff for your intelligence, patience and skill in getting me my band and saving my life.:thumbup: