marfar7

The first year of fills were covered by my insurance. Now I have to pay $160 per fill. I drive 3 hrs each way to my doc so I checked out how much fills were in my town. $325!!! It's definately worth it to drive! I've only paid for 3 fills in 2 1/2 yrs and I'm now maxed out (at least that's wat my PA told me my last fill!) so I guess I don't have to worry about it anymore! Marci

For the first 4 mths after my surgery, I could eat just as much as I had before. I could eat a large Quiznos sandwich, a bowl of broccoli cheese Soup and still have room left for dessert. I didn't watch what I ate at all. I didn't lose but maybe 5 lbs during the first 4 mths. But I didn't gain either. After my 3rd fill, the band started magically working. Over 2 yrs later, and a couple of extra fills, I'm about 10 lbs from my goal of 135. Now I can eat maybe 5 bites of a sandwich, a cup of broccoli cheese soup, and have no room for anything else! I still eat bread, rice, Pasta, and everything else - just VERY small amts. It's amazing I can survive on the amts of food I eat. But I can and my size 7 jeans show it! So yes, it's very normal to be able to eat lotso pizza until you get proper restriction. When you finally do - be careful. If you attempt to eat like you did, you'll regret it! Good luck! Marci

I would agree with JJ above. Walking now is certainly a plus, but I don't even think I felt up to Zumba for like a month. I've only taken 1 Zumba class and it almost killed me! Talk to your doc. Marci

I've had reflux for months now. I think I might be too tight - even tho I can eat more now than the past 2 yrs. I take rx Nexium and OTC Pepcid. Plus I think I own stock in the Rolaid company. I wake up with gunk on my pillow from stuff that came up at night. It burns, it tastes bad, and it's truly painful. I have a dr's appt this week to see what I can do. I sleep on my back with 2 pillows under my head - it's the only way I can sleep now. The last few nites haven't been too bad - and I really don't want an unfill. Good luck! Marci

Christmas of 2010 - picture this: I'm out of state at my new boyfriends (now my new husband) families house for Christmas. I'm wearing a really cute black skirt that I had to roll the waist on cuz it was too big. I'm standing in the middle of the room with about 6 other people and my legs felt a little cold. My skirt was on the floor! My boyfriend noticed and helped me pull it up - thank God everyone else was in deep conversation and no one else saw it (at least we don't think so!). I had to belt my skirt that day and the minute we got home it went in the goodwill pile. Congrats! You're doing so well! Marci

I waited until my 3rd fill for restriction. About 4 mths after my surgery. I lost maybe 5 lbs during that first 4 mths. Then I got my 4th fill about 6 mths later - magic. I didn't need another one until 15 mths later. I've lost almost all my weight (sans about 10 lbs) and can hardly remember life without restriction. Altho I can eat almost anything I want (pizza crust doesn't do too well), I do eat MUCH less of it Marci

Depends on your insurance. medicare doesn't require it. From the time I even thought about the band and the time I went thru surgery - it was 1 month. Marci

Corrigan, where do u get ur burgers that have 3500to calories? Even the double red robin cheeseburger has 1200. A Carls Jr Famous Star with cheese has about 700. I think that's the average. 8 don't think I would touch the burger that has 3500a calories! Good grief Marci

I had my band placed 2 1/2 yrs ago and I remember the first month like it was yesterday. I could have sworn that I read my post-op instructions as "clear liquid + Protein shakes for the first 4 weeks". So I starved - literally. Until the 3rd wk I had to add some tomato Soup. This whole time I thought I was cheating - but I reread my instructions last month. It says liquids to include yogurt, pudding ,cream soups, etc. I would've felt alot better if I could have had some yogurt! And that whole time I thought I was cheating and was afraid to tell my doc! Everytime I'd go to Alberstons to buy more soup, I'd smell their deli fried chicken and almost have a meltdown in the store. I promised myself when I was able to eat solid food again, that would be my first meal. It wasn't. Good luck and hang in there. I promise, it does get better! Marci

My doc has me eating my last meal at least 2 hrs ahead of my fill. For 24 hrs I'm instructed to drink nothing but clear liquids - then it's a normal diet. Good luck to you! Marci

I also drink coffee daily. My doc said forget about the fancy Dutch Bros treats - and get plain coffee with Splenda and creamer.I saw the nutritonal facts for Dutch Bros - their large frozen coffee thingy has 500 cals! Wow! Thats a meal and a 1/2! So I do still drink my small skinny hot caramelizer with an extra shot about 3x a week and make coffee at home and have about 3 cups a day. It's been 2 1/2 yrs for me and I haven't hurt my band. I also drink thru a straw, eat bread, pasta, and rice - I guess I'm a rebel. One thing I DON'T do is to drink while I eat. I can't. Make me vomit immediately. So I guess the moral of the story is: Drinking coffee is fine but try and keep clear of the calorie dense fancy ones at the coffee house. They'll suck your daily calories down in one cup. Marci

I drink beer occasionally. I went 9 mths without any carbonation at all cuz I was afraid of what would happen. My first diet pepsi was heaven. I have a sip or 2 of my husbands about 2-3 times a week but I would never even dream of finishing one myself. Same with beer. I'm sure it won't hurt me - it's just I can't drink that much anymore. Good luck! Marci

I guess I'm the odd man out. Most of the food commercials on tv make me want whatever it is that they're selling. Espcecially the MnM's. When I had my band 2 1/2 yrs ago, I remember spending the nite in the hospital watching tv. On it was an MM's commercial. I remember telling myself that that would be the first real food I'd have when my liquid diet was over in 4 weeks. It wasn't - but it was one of the firsts! The Olive Garden commericials are among the worst. Marci

I have 10cc in a 14cc band. I went in for my last fill a few months ago and my doc said I was maxed out on my fills. I wouldn't be getting anymore. And I feel I need another. I don't know how I can be maxed out with 10cc. I did see the plunger push itself out with pressure when he stuck it in my port tho. I'm wondering if I went to anothr dr (and invariably pay more) if I could get another fill? Hmmmm. Must do research.... Marci

I wanted a bag of Cadbury eggs just last week and my husband found the single serving size ones at CVS. He bought me one. I was clearly dissapointed (I could've eaten the big bag of em) but when I was done with my single servings (about 150 calories) I was satisfied. If I get a craving for something, I try not to "eat around it" by that I mean if I want chocolate, I'm not gunna eat an apple, then a banana, then some sf pudding - just to eventually eat the chocolate anyway, I'll just get a single serving of chocolate and not feel guilty. I don't do treats everyday - but at least 3x a week. When I'm trying to maintain, I can eat more treats (almost everyday)( but when I"m trying to lose (like now) I try to cut back a little. I chew a crazy amount of gum! Good luck! Marci

My clinic is 3 hrs each way. Usually I get a motel and take my dog to the beach when I'm there - we make a day of it. I only go about twice a yr now anyway. Marci

I had no diet at all before surgery. I was told to eat or drink nothing midnight the nite before. I went to Outback for ribs the night before surgery. Even had a pc of cheesecake. But I had to be on liquids only for 4 weeks afterwards - which is very hard. Good luck! Marci

Medicar required a 6 month time period before surgey? I submitted my paperwork the same day I went to my drs 3appt hr class they approved me in abot 10 days. Then the following week I had my psych eval and my RD appointment (I live 3 hrs away so we did everything in the same day). My surgery was sheduled for the week afterwards. So from the time I submotted my paperwork to Medicare it was approx 3a wks to surgery. I've heard some other things about Medicare that I didn't exerience. You'd think that since its a federal plan it would be the same everywhere they also didn't require me to lose weight in beforehand. My dr didn't even require a pre op diet. I ate normally till midnite before surgery. Have a great wkd!! Marci

I can eat almost everything. Except pizza crust. I can eat bread, hamburger buns, etc - but no pizza crust. No clue why. Marci

My surgery was 2 1/2 yrs ago. I wished I had done alot more studying up and reading about the lapband before I had it. I wanted it - I got it. I even attended the 4 hr mandatory seminar my drs office had about a month before and I never remember them telling me to be so patient! I wish I had known back then that the first few months (or until you get proper restriction) were going to be so hard. I really thought I had failed yet again. I could eat just as much as I had before. I lost maybe 8 lbs during the first 5 mths. As soon as I got my 3rd fill, the weight started dropping off (about 10 lbs a month). Oh and I wish I had read my post op instructions a little better. I thought it said 4 weeks of Clear liquids + Protein shakes. I thought I was going to starve, so I added tomato Soup to my diet but thought I was cheating. Never told my doc. Just a few months ago, I found my post op instructions. They say liquids only for 4 weeks - including pudding, yogurt, cream Soups, etc. That whole time I thought I was gunna hurt myself with the tomato soup and felt guilty. And I could've had yogurt and pudding!!! Thats what I get for not reading carefully.... Good luck with your surgery! It was the best thing I ever did Marci

I have 4to also. Including my port area. Its been 2a 1/2 yrs and they're still there so im guessing they'll be there forever. No biggy tho. I have a 7inchlapband scar from open gallbladder suregry 20 yrs ago so those little scars r nothing. Marci

Its been a long time since I had to eat mushies (2 1/2 yrs) but remember it like yesterday. I think I ate my weight in mashed potatoes. Even tho my doc told me to stay away from them. I ate alot of cottage cheese, scrambled eggs, and refried Beans. I loved my mushies cuz I was on liquids for 4 wks. As someone else said, u can make anything mushy. Im not much of a cook so I stuck with already prepared stuff. Good luck and enjoy! That first bite will be heaven Marci

After I got restriction 5 mths out, I could only eat about 2/3 of a 'LC. 2 1/2 yrs later, I still don't think I've finished one. I love LC spinach mushroom pizza but an only eat about 1/2 of one. But ur right, it does seem lkke a good portion size Marci

About 18mths ago I woke up with excruciating stomach pain. I tried everything I could think of before heading to urgent care. I left the urgent care on advice of the dr to the ER with a note explaining to the ER dr that I have a lapband and im a possible surgical candidate. I thought for sure my band had slipped. After having a ct scan I found out I had diverticulitis. Im only 43. They gave me IV pain meds and sent me hoke with an rx for antibiotics and pain pills, a clear liquid diet for 3 days and instructions to see my dr the next week. I felt much better after the IV meds and finding out it want my band. I've never heard the age thing with diverticulitis. I thought anyone could have it. Anyway, I know the feeling of being scared stomach pain is your band. Good luck Marci

Thanks for all of ur help everyone. I didn't sleep worth Beans last nite cuz of the reflux. This might be tmi but this morning when I woke up I felt something wet on the sheet. Its brownish green liquid. Im guessing bile. Yuck. Someone asked if id been under stress lately. Im currently out of the state now visiting my mom who had a major stroke 2 wks ago and is still in a coma and on a respirator. I have a o clue what the future brings If I don't feel better today I think im gunna go to the ER later. Im so miserable and because im out of state (I live in OR and im in CAK I don't have access to my band dr.I really don't want an unfill but if it'll make me feel even a little better, im open to anything. Thanks for all the comments and ideas Marci