SusanMTaylor

Thanks! That makes a lot of sense too me - Got it - Banana with some protein!! I get my first fill on June 5!! I hope that I notice a difference in my hunger and feeling satisfied!! I was told that my first fill will be 3 cc's (I have a 10 cc band) -

Hi!! Thanks for the encouraging message!! I saw my dietician yesterday and she indicated that my first fill will be for 3cc's of saline - I am worried that I won't see ANY kind of difference, but she said to ask them to fill it up as much as possible because I live 1 1/2 hours away and each fill will cost me $100 - Also, I have to wait a minimum of 4 weeks between fills so that the port site doesn't get irritated - So my first fill will be June 5th and I hope I get a good one!! Susan

Hi - I found that if I eat something high in carbs (like a banana), that I'm HUNGRY just a little while later - but, if I have protien with the carbs, or Protein only, I stay satisfied much longer - I haven't had my first fill yet! Does the needle hurt?

Hi!! my name is Susan!! i am SO GLAD that i came across your thread!! i thought that i was going crazy before i read your question today!! i had my Lapband surgery on 4/13/2009 - by 4/22 i noticed no feeling of restriction at all!! i felt since then (today is 6 weeks post op) that i could eat platefulls of food like before - i noticed that if i didn't chew my food thoroughly enough that i could feel it go all the way down my esophagus - this is painful, isn't it!!?? my doctor won't give me my first fill until 2 more weeks (8 weeks post op) because they tell me that the port site has to be healed thoroughly so it won't turn or flip when the needle is inserted - i think that because i started out with a BMI of less than 40, and that i have a slender build around my tummy (i'm shaped like an hour glass) that the band is very loose around my stomach and the diameter of the hole that food falls through is pretty big - i got to see a band and touch it, and i noticed that the hole is pretty big - i'm guessing like the size of a 50 cent piece? Is the needle very painful for a fill?? i'm worried a little about it - anyways, i hope that you will feel more restriction as you get more fills - Thanks for your question because i thought i was the only one who had this issue - i'm hungry all the time!! but i'm not taking in any more than 1000 calories a day, so i'm losing weight, i'm just not enjoying the benefit yet of having a fill - Susan

Hi!! I was browsing through the blogs and I read yours and it was GREAT!!! I, myself, have been struggling with my weight for over 30 years - about 2 years ago I started to do research on the Lapband procedure - I assumed that my insurance company would not cover it here for me in the USA (I have no co-morbidities and only 85 pounds overweight) - So, I began to consider having the surgery done in Mexico - And guess who I was strongly considering???!! Dr. Joya!! I had narrowed it down to 2 doctors, including him - In February 2009 , I obtained my passport, set the $8000 aside and was starting to contact Gerald Witt (the POC here for Dr. Joya) - Just for kicks I went to a required info session in Woodbridge, VA - I then went to a "consult" appointment on Feb 5th - On Feb 17th I learned that my insurance company WAS going to cover my surgery!! I was so shocked! Gerald Witt understood completely that I was choosing to have my surgery done here in Virginia, but of course let me know that the door would still be open if something came up - So, now, my surgery is set for this coming Monday, April 13th - I am so excited and not the least bit scared - But I had to write you and let you know that I really was scared about the possibility of going to Mexico for the surgery, but Dr. Joya's team really put my fears to rest - If for some reason I wouldn't have had the surgery here in the US, then I would have gone to Dr. Joya to have it done - His prices were the best and it seemed that they really look after you and take care of you - Thanks for sharing your experience there in Mexico and I hope that you are continuing to do well and that you found a doctor here in the US that is willing to do your fills at a reasonable out-of-pocket cost - Susan

Hi, Hannah!!! Good for you!!! You are so young and you have so much of your life ahead of you - I can't tell you how many regrets I have about my weight over the years (I've been heavy since the age of 15 - and I'm 45 now!!) - How many events I didn't go to because I let my feelings about being heavy get in the way? How many cute outfits I bought with the best of intentions to lose the weight to get into them one day? How many experiences overall that I didn't let myself enjoy because I was overweight? You have a chance to enjoy all of the experiences that a teenager should enjoy! The Prom, Spring Breaks, dating, making new friends - All of this awaits you!! I wish that this surgery was available to me many years ago! I wouldn't feel like I wasted so many years of my life thinking about my weight and letting it be an obstacle for so many experiences! Your post drew my attention because I just got approved from my insurance company and my surgery date is April 14th - one day before yours!! Best wishes, Hannah!! Susan in Virginia