Melissannde

JulieK, your doctor may be sabotaging your weight loss. Most (but not all) people require more than 1.5 cc's in a 10cc band to get good appetite control. There are possibly other things going on with you that lead your doc to fill you slowly, but in general, his attitude is wrong. You shouldn't have to earn fills by weight loss. The fills are to assist in weight loss. I would suggest looking for another doctor in your area. I know someone else on the Smartbandsters list who went through what you are going through and finally got a new doctor just recently. Since changing doctors her journey with the band has greatly improved. I invite you to come join the list to discuss your doctor's approach if you are interested. (http://health.groups.yahoo.com/group/SmartBandsters)

I hope your insurance approves you quickly also. btw: My starting BMI was 63, and I've done very well with the band. Research all WL surgeries 2 make sure you get the one that will work best for you.

Mine were covered for the first 90 days too. My insurance has an ASTRONOMICAL deductible.. I mean really really really high, so it's nearly impossible to meet unless someone is very ill.. so yes, doctor visits are mostly out of pocket for us. At my doctor, visits which include fills are 150.00, non fill visits are 75.00. Every doctor is going to have varying rates. You need to call your doctor's billing or insurance clerk and talk to them. I know other people who have bands who have told me they budget for fills just like any other recurring expense.

Everyone is different in how they experience the band. I personally could still eat as much as before banding if I really tried. However, I no longer desire to eat that much! I weigh my 3oz of protein and measure my 1/2 cup of (low carb, low glycemic) veggies, eat that and am done. If I'm still really hungry 20 minutes after finishing that, I can have more veggies. Most of the time I'm fine. I used to need a high protein snack between meals, but I haven't lately (except when doing exceptionally vigorous workouts). I don't drink protein drinks as a general rule, again, except after a very vigorous workout. My doctor says to avoid liquid calories as much as possible unless we are too tight to get solids down. Which is OK if this happens in the AM after waking up.. if that tight all day long, we need to come in for evaluation and possible unfill. The immediate time after banding (usually about 6 weeks, but can vary a bit) before you get your first fill is a bit of a challenge. You may or may not have fluid put in during surgery. I did and had no issues with it. Some people have too much swelling and have to have some fluid removed from the band. The challenge .. whether or not the surgeon gives you a "starter fill" is to deal with normal hunger after the swelling from the surgery goes down. This is the time that many call "Bandster Hell", you've got a band but it doesn't have enough fluid in it to help you and you're "dieting" on your own. And what some fail to realize (and evidentally some doctors don't reveal) is that it may take more than 1 fill to get good appetite dimming. But be faithful about going back for more fluid and you should eventually get to where you eat your small meal and are satisfied (NOT full.. the feeling is very different) for 3 to 5 hours. I didn't really believe it could happen, but followed my doctor's guidelines as close as I could (about 90% of the time) and it's working for me. Hope this helps.

Drinking has never been an issue for me from the get-go and I had 3cc's installed in my band at the time of surgery.

coffee in moderate amounts (2 to 3 cups) is no more dehydrating than Water according to a nutritionist at Mayo Clinic. (http://www.mayoclinic.com/health/caffeinated-drinks/AN01661) Of course, you can always drink more water if you want. I too find it more difficult to get plain water in during the winter. I try different strategies.. I really like Powerade Zero, so I buy the 20oz bottles and drink one and then refill it with water and don't let myself have more flavored stuff until the water is gone. Or I'll put some lemon or lime juice in my water (no splenda or equal.. just the citrus). I do drink a lot more herbal tea in the winter. Just keep trying is all I can advise.. and Jello & popsicles (in winter? brrrr) are also counted as fluids (at least my doc says they are). Good luck.

I'm almost 2 years out (22 months) and am still going in about every 2 or 3 months. However, I'm still in the losing phase, not maintenance.. so maybe that's different.

It's often been said that the band is a fickle b*tch.

My first fill was 1cc, since then they've been .5 and less and I've had many of them in 22 months.. haven't kept track of how many. But I started with 3cc's in my band from time of surgery and I'm just now up to 6cc's in it. The fill amounts really are adjusted to the individual patient and their needs. I know two other women, banded with same size band by my doctor and one is very tight with only 2cc's in hers and the other is a brand new bandster and came out of surgery with 4cc's and had 2 cc's added at her first fill. So at 6 weeks out, she's at the same level I am after almost 2 years. Go figger. $100.00 sounds pretty good to me. A reg. appt with my doc (and I never see the doc.. just one of the nurses) is $75.00.. if I need filling it's 150.00. I figure it's cheaper than getting treated for one of the co-morbidities of obesity.. JMO.

I'm sorry you're having difficulty, it must be rough. How long does your doctor have you on liquids after a fill? I hope not too long. My doc's post-fill protocol is liquids day of fill, soft foods that evening and back to solids the next day as tolerated. IF anything causes problems to back down and proceed again, but slower. Maybe you could call your bariatric professionals tomorrow and get permission to progress a little faster. Best of luck to you. And yes, it's not uncommon to not have appetite suppression after the first fill. Sometimes it can even take up to the 4th fill. Everyone is different. Hang in there.

I don't know if stress incontinence is/was contributing to your excessive lubrication, but it's certainly a possibility. And yes, SI can be greatly relieved if not cured by weight loss. I don't know this personally (that SI improves with weight loss), but I do know a nurse who was banded who said losing weight helped hers. I know you must be frustrated by the excess lubrication, but don't wish for dryness.. it's no walk in the park either. :/ Doesn't exactly answer your question, but hope this helps a bit.

If you feel like someone said (or implied) that the band not working for you is your fault, I'm very sorry. For some reason I thought you were looking for help, advice, suggestions on how to make the band work. If you were just wanting to complain about it, that's ok too and my mistake for trying to help. Hope this latest fill does dim your appetite. Have a great evening!!

17 lbs in what.. 5 weeks, 6 weeks is great!! You're right at where you should be at losing 1 to 2 lbs a week. I know we all want to lose fast, but the weight most likely was gained slowly and it's healthier and safer to lose slowly (in most cases.. nothing is absolute, except zero. ~ excuse the math/science nerd joke~). Be aware that you might not feel much difference with your first fill. Sometimes it takes 2, 3 or even 4 to "feel" a big difference. And you don't really need a "slap upside the head" difference in feeling if you are eating your small meals and being satisfied for 3, 4 or 5 hours. Seems impossible at first to go that long on such a small amount of food, but it does happen. Try not to worry about the apparent stall right now, as long as your are staying on the plan your doctor or nutritionist gave you. Sometimes our bodies need to take a breather and reshape before they release more weight. I'm really sorry you're having a bad day. Hope things get better for you. (and try not to read the negative threads while you're stressed from other things..)

I posted the same link earlier in this thread. The response I got was "but it IS about Restriction" (I might not be exactly right on the wording of the response, but it's close enough). I don't know if the person or people who were having issues ever read it. It really is a helpful article. And I'm glad you posted it again.

You might consider joining the DFWBandsters group (http://health.groups.yahoo.com/group/DFWBandsters) and asking there. I know there are nurses who work for several different bariatric surgeons who post on that list. Good Luck.

For arms (I'm assuming you mean the back of the upper arms, where many of us get "batwings") google "tricep kickbacks" to get descriptions and/or videos on how to do them. I've been doing regular abdominal crunches (very similar to what we used to call situps back in the 70's) for a long time and I haven't hurt my port yet. However, my doctor does say "If it hurts, don't do it" and I won't do extreme abd exercises.. like bending backward off of a balance ball and then sitting up. I'm sure others will give more suggestions, and I could go into more detail, but I'm in a time crunch. If all else fails, consider hiring a trainer for a session or two to teach you some exercises. Congrats on your 30 laps in 60 minutes.. quite an accomplishment.

When I hear people say their doctors say "no snacking" I often wonder if this is a form of miscommunication. I think the professionals are meaning no chips & salsa, no Cookies, no ice cream, no fritoes, etc. all the things that we thought of as Snacks pre surgery. A healthy, low calorie, high Protein snack when worked into a sensible meal plan shouldn't be an issue with most doctors/nutritionist/dieticians. If it was, I'd really be curious to hear their reasoning. I might learn something!!

I think it's very wise to make small easily attainable goals and to reward ourselves with non food things when we get there. I found a site called Stickk (www.stickk.com) where you make a wager with yourself (can be monetary or not as you please) to attain a goal. I've set mine at losing 1lb a week. Every thursday the site emails me a reminder to weigh in. I also use FatSecret (hate the name.. great site) www.fatsecret.com and set my goal there very low too. Rewards are things like mani/pedi, new blouse or jeans, a book I've been wanting, nice yarn (I'm a crochet addict), etc. Congrats on the 10lbs.. now go buy yourself a manicure!!

Hi Caitlin, I'm banded 22 months. I still like to eat, but I can make better, healthier choices now that the appetite is more under control. You will get there, have patience. I sometimes think when they install the band, they remove our patience... we want the weight off NOW. You are doing very well for being banded only 2 weeks. Please remember that people who are doing well with their band tend not to spend time on the boards, but are out living their thinner lives. Those who are having problems are the ones who are most vocal. :/ Follow your doctors plans/guidelines/orders (whatever you like to call them) as closely as you can and you should do very well. And sometimes the band IS installed with Fluid already in it.. I came out of surgery with a starter fill of 3cc. Another lady I know (same doc as me) came out with 4ccs. Regards the Water, my surgeon says it may take a while to be able to drink 64 oz a day. Keep trying and you'll get there. I keep a water bottle practically velcroed to me.. LOL Congratulations on beginning your new life!

Mattie, it sounds like your band is beginning to work, even with no fill. As you get fills, you will likely find that while you will still get hungry, the hunger will be under more control and will happen further apart and you will be able to make better choices of what kinds of food to put in your body. This is not an absolute.. there will be days that you are hungrier than others, and days when choices aren't as good as others. Just try to string more good days together than bad. And it may take more than 1 fill to get good appetite dimming. Some people get it on one, others take 2 or 3 or 4. The time before your first fill is supposed to be about healing, not weight loss. The appetite control is why I got banded rather than doing weight watchers or some other plan. I don't want the band to be a strangulation device (restriction). I want to run a little bit loose. YMMV Congrats on the smaller meals and making the first steps. I believe you are on your way!

Like ElfiePoo, I am going to comment one more time on the "stupid" comment and then let it go. It is really unfair for you to make blanket comments such as "I think a lot of people probably read it that way" or the one you made earlier (perhaps I'm paraphrasing, but this is close enough) "the band doesn't work for most people". When you take other people's words into your mouth (well, fingers as we are typing) you ruin your own credibility. Also screaming in posts when you type all in caps and in violent colors is a huge turn off. Calm rational discussion will appeal to much more people. I'm really sorry you and your band don't get along. I'm really sorry you feel like you wasted your money. I can understand where you're coming from as the only reason my insurance covered my band is that I had had to have a life saving surgery 16 months earlier that met my deductible. The life saving surgery? We had to pay for a majority of it out of pocket. Being self employed sucks sometimes.. insurance wise. I have no idea, other than the 14 fills/unfills, what or how you have tried to make the band work. If you'd like to discuss it without making accusations or recriminations, I'd be happy to make suggestions and I'm sure others would here too. If you just want to complain about wasting money and bash surgeons.. oh well. It seems to me that the money has been spent, might as well try everything you can to make the band work before spending even more on another surgery (which will still require a life-style change). Best to you

Just a brief post to say I will reply to this later. I have college age kids in this house and we have to take turns at the computer (yes, no wireless here.. LOL.. I live in the dark ages somewhat). I don't take your reply as a knock at all.. you're trying to understand and that's good. I'm cool with rational discussion. Talk to you later. P.S. Most of the others who've replied re post banding long term eating are on the right track.. but I have my 2cents to add later.

No, you read it into it.

You can use "real" sugar if you budget for it in your daily calories. And provided diabetes isn't an issue. I don't know enough about diabetes to get into that discussion here, but I do know sugar is a problem for diabetics. Some people are sensitive to the artificial sugars, beyond just the tasting funny, they have GI issues. Keep trying different ones, you may eventually find a formulation that you can live with. Thankfully with banding you shouldn't have dumping issues like the RNY often does. One of the cardinal rules or guidelines of banding is No liquid Calories. So keep an eye on the amount of sugar you're using so that it doesn't stymie your weight loss. Hope this helps.

You're very welcome. I find many/most of Jessie's advice to be helpful. I give her a lot of credit for helping me understand how to work my band long term.