marfar7

Don't you just luv it??!! Congrats!!! Marci

I'm researching the sleeve after having a band herniated (bad slip). They unfilled me completely yesterday, but I'm tyring to wait till after my Alaskan cruise in 3 weeks to have a revision. I use Medicare (who's really strict) and I just called my office insurance lady to ask her about revision. They will cover a revision if I have complications, but they won't cover plication + band (which I specifially asked for), it's too new. But I can revise to the sleeve or gastirc bypass. Since I'm only 30 lbs from goal, I think GB is a little too much for me. But she did say if I had complication, Medicare would cover a revision or convert to a new surgery. And if Medicare covers it, you're probably does too. Good luck! Marci

Hi everyone, First post here, I'm on lapbandtalk tho. I've had my band for 3 1/2 yrs and recently it herniated (bad slip). The dr closer to me (my dr is 3 hrs away and it was an emergency) took out all of my fill and told me contact my dr. I emailed his nurse today and she said it can probly wait for 3 weeks (we have a 7 day Alaskan cruise in 3 weeks and I really don't want to go on it eating only liquids!). I talked to the insurance lady in the office and she told me I can either get a new band (plication isn't covered, which I really wanted), a sleeve, or gastirc bypass. My BMI is ony 27 now but since I'm having complications, Medicare will pay for a revision. I luv my band, however it's alot of maintenance. I have to drive 6 hrs round trip + pay $160 for every adjustment. So I'm thinking about the sleeve. But I'm scared cuz it's permanent. Would you do the sleeve again or get a new band placed? Just looking for info on how many people are happy with the sleeve. I weight 162 today and my goal is 135, so I have less than 30 lbs to goal, but I know if I completely just take out my band, I will gain all of my 104 lbs loss back. I need help. What do you think? marci

Missy, You look fabulous! I'm so impressed! I didn't even think 200 lbs in 15 mths was even possible. But you did it. Showed me! WTG, girl! Keep it up! Marci

My personal experince with a slip: Last year, I started having nightime reflux. I got RX Prilosec from my dr and took OTC Zantac also. Plue popping Tums like they were candy. Nothing helped. Had to sleep propped up on 3 pillows and still had acid coming up all night. Finally after about 3 mths, I went to my band dr. He said I had a small slip and took out 1/2 of my 10cc fill. No more reflux. 4 wks later, he put back 1cc. still no reflux but also no restriction. He put in another 1cc. Reflux that very nite. So he took out the previous 1cc he put in and said I can live with a small slip as long as I no longer have symtoms. No more reflux. Then, last Friday, I started having abdominal pain. Nothing really painful, just bothersome. Led my normal life for 3 days with stomach pain. Got really bad on monday nite and found myself in the ER at 3 am. After a CT, it showed a large slipped band - actually herniated. They emptied my entire band and now I have to have a revision done. Talked to my drs office today and they said it can wait (as long as my band was entirely empty) till after I get back from my cruise to Alaska in 3 weeks. Thank God. I really didn't want to be on liquids only during my cruise. Thats my personal experience with a slip. Hope you don't have one. It's a pain (literally!) Marci

So, Friday night, my stomach started hurting. Not nausea, just a pin in the upper middle. Mostly a nagging pain, nothing I couldn't live with. In fact, it was reminiscent of diverticultitis I had almost 3 yrs ago. I wouldn't do anyting till it got worse. Fast forward to yesterday, it was still there. 3 days later. Hate going to the ER or my Dr unless I'm actually dying. Since it had nothing to do with my band last time, I was sure it had nothing to do with it this time either. Told my husband before bed that if it wasn't magically better by morning, I would go to the dr. At midnight, I woke up in agony. I laid there for 3 hrs, trying to give my husband more time to sleep, then woke him up. Finally, I was going to the ER. They got me in right away (not normal for an ER). AFter labs, the dr ordered an antinausea drug and a pain med via iv. By this time, I was vomiting, something new - I hadn't been nauseous at all till now. It didn't touch the pain. So she gave me Ativan, I guess to sedate me a little. Went for a CT (ended up vomiting the whole liquid contrast up) but they got their pics anyway. The dr finally came in, felt around, asked me questions and asked me how much Fluid was in my band. I really had no clue, after the minor slip fiasco last year, with unfills/fills/tweaks, I had no clue how much was in there. Welp, it WAS my band. Big time. The top part of my stomach was herniated over the band, causing strangulation. There was no one on staff that could even take out any fluid. No one knew how to do it.I was there for hours, finally getting a little more comfortable with the 2nd dose of pain meds and sleeping off and on. Waiting for the surgeon to say to send me over. The discharged me and sent me across the street to the general surgeon who also does lapbands. Saw his PA. Very nice female who showed me a pic of my US. Can't believe I suffered with that for 4 days. Anyway,she told me I'd need a revision. Finally, someone finally said it! I've been told this whole past year that my band was so slightly slipped, it just needed a small unfill and as long as I got rid of the symptoms, it would be fine. She proceeded to totally unfill me. I had 6cc in my 14cc band. She sent over the paperwork to my surgeon (whom is the only one Medicare would pay for otherwise I would just stay here) and he'll call me in the am with an appt - for my 6 hr trek. I'm praying (and hard) that he'll leave me unfilled for a few weeks before wanting to do surgery. I'm leaving 3 weeks from today on a 7 day Alaskan cruise and really don't want to be on a liquid diet during that time. The PA didn't see why not, since the swelling was already down. I'm feeling great now, no pain at all. Just got up from a 2 hr nap. Guess my band made up the decision for me - to actually have surgery and start from scratch, rather than continue on with a less than optimal band. If you have abdominal pain, please don't be a hero - get it checked before 4 days. Before the pain is so out of control you just want to die. Wish me luck in waiting till after my cruise. I can't cancel it and take another - they just don't work that way. Looking forward to being on the cruise without an restrction at all! I know, I know - still have to follow the rules so I don't gain 40 lbs back. Marci

Exactly! I tell my husband I'm sick of eating and he says "How can you be sick of eating?". It takes alot of work to first cut up ur tiny little bites, then chew the crap out of them! I usually get sick of eating before I actually get full. Marci

I drink a glass of wine or a margarita about 3-4x a month. The first glass of wine I had post op (about 3 mths later), I was tipsy at about 1/2 a glass! After the first glass tho, it didn't affect me that way again. I add it into my daily calorie intake. Marci

WTG!! Doesn't it feel great? I'm now in a 10 (from an 8 last year) cuz of some gain, but I WILL fit back into those 8's soon! Congrats! Marci

WTG! Amazing! Now you know thats only the first week, right? Just like on The Biggest Loser, the first week is always the biggest. You will start losingmore slowly now!! Congrats! Marci

The day after surgery, I started walking about 5 minutes at a time on my treadmill. really slowly. About every 4 hrs or so. Then, after a few days, worked it up to 10 minutes several times a day. Within a month post op, I was able to walk 30 minutes twice a day, at a moderate pace. Just go slowly, but keep walking. Not only will it help with the gas, it can prevent blood clots! Marci

My guidelines were: *No pre op diet whatsoever. Was told to eat a light dinner the night before *4 weeks of full liquid *Regular diet as tolerated. No mushies or soft food 7 weeks is an awfully long time to get real food. But as others have said, follow your own drs recommendations... Marci

Don't forget that you can't drink while eating. That makes spicy food a problem for me. I still eat it (and crave a drink of Water for the full 45 minutes afterwards!) Spicy food should be fine for your band. The food doesn't actually come into conatct with the band. Marci

My dr says no food for 2 hrs prior. But I go on an empty stomach, scientifically it makes more sense. They can tighten the band tighter around an empty stomach (IMHO) Marci

Mine is on my left side, about 6" lower than my breast. It's very pronounced now that I've lost a bunch of weight. My husband says it's my littler "alien"! Marci

Everytime I get a fill, around my port is sore and bruised for a couple days. Not bad, not even enuf for Tylenol. Just bothersome. The time the dr had to poke me 12 times was a HUGE bruise and hurt a little more! If they don't offer (most do), ask for some lidocaine. It'll be a tiny, tiny needle that will numb the area for the bigger fill needle. My dr automatically does this. Marci

It took me 4 mths to get there too (3rd fill). I lost about 75 lbs the first year, 25 lbs the 2nd. The last few are definitely the hardest to get off! Hope that answers your question Marci

I'm with toomuchfun...it took 4 mths till my 3rd fill to finally feel it. I didn't lose but maybe 3 lbs during this time cuz I ate just as I had pre band. Patience is the key. Some people it takes from 2-6 fills before they feel any kind of difference at all. It WILL happen. Relax and follow all your rules... Marci

I saw this on 19 Kids and Counting (the Duggars). They do this. With 19 kids, I guess you have to pinch every penney you can! Marci

I was so happy to finally shop in Old Navy again! When I was in a 14 (down from 22), I was ecstatic. When they started hanging off me, I went straight to a 10, skipping right over the 12's - WOW! So, yes, I know the feeling! Get rid of those jumbo clothes today! That way you don't have a choice of gaining it back! Marci

I was never told not to and I always drink with a straw. I think the premise is that you get too much air in your band with a straw. To me (don't quote me cuz I got a C in college physics!) drinking with a straw tends to diminish air. Thats why people get drunk faster drinking with a straw ( a fact). Anyway, I've never been told not to. It's no where in my band manual either. Maybe you want to ask your nurse? Marci

My stepson did the Spartan Race last year. He was head to toe mud. No clue if he trained, but he's in pretty good shape. Said it was fun. No advice for ya, just wanted to say "have fun"! Marci

I'm 3 1/2 yrs out and can eat almost anything (cept pancakes, pizza crust and pineapple chunks) - including the taboo items like bread, Pasta, and rice. For breakfast I usually have 1 egg and 1 pc bacon or sausage. lunch is usually 1/2 sandwich (either tuna or chicken salad or turkey). dinner is maybe 1/3 of a chicken breast, baked Beans, broccoli. Snacks are whatever is in the house (sometimes ice cream or a cookie). I eat different foods everyday, so it's hard to speculate what I eat. I go to the gym 3x a week (walk at 3.8mph on the treadmill for 45 minutes and then I do about 20 minutes of the weight machines). I really should bump it up to 4x a week, but my M/W/F schedule is so convenient. Good luck with your surgery. I wouldn't worry about what you can't eat yet. Most people can tolerate most things, you just have to play around with it to see what you can tolerate. Your first stuck episode on say, a piece of bread will make you not want to eat bread again. Not me tho! I always pushed the rules and tried it again. Like I said above, I can't eat those 3 things - I've tried many, many times to eat pancakes but everytime I'm in the bathroom afterwars. It's just not worth it anymore! I sure miss them tho! Marci

Wow, You are lucky. I was on liquids only for 4 weeks. I personally added mashed potatoes at week 3 cuz I thought I would literally starve to death. Have fun eating those purees! Marci

About a year ago, I went in for a fill. I usually see the PA and he's really good at it. This time I saw the dr. He poked me about 12 times before announcing "I think your port is flipped". Great. What do they do about that? Went into xray and they verified that it wasn't flipped. He just aiming really badly. Finally the PA came in and got it on the first poke. Let me tell you the next couple days I was sore and bruised. While I like the dr very much, his fill skills need some improvement. Marci