Busybee424

I am only 7 weeks wow its early for me then, but i do know that i will have to have another one later on. I just hope i pass, i do not need the added MD visits. I had Dr. Krahn in SB as my surgeon.

Hey all I was banded about 13 months ago, now i am pregnant. I had gestational diabetes with my daughter 4 years ago so of course i am at risk this time around, however i am significantly lighter now so i am hoping i am in the clear. My question is has anyone had to have this test while banded? I am afraid of the slight carbonation the drink i have to drink for the test has. I am probably going to call the surgeons office but the test is tomorrow and basically there is no way out of it, i have to do it for the safety of myself and my baby. Just wondering if anyone has had it and how they were with it. :ohmy::confused:

So I had an appointment with the surgeon yesterday, along with getting another small fill he informed me that my scars have formed keloids. Very unusual for someone with as fair of a complexion as mine, he joked that I must be "black irish" :thumbup: So has anyone else developed keloids,and what if anything have you done to treat them. I am going to see if I can get in with a Derm maybe I can get some kenalog injections. But in case that doesn't fly with my MD what else can I do?

I had surgery on a Thursday I went back to work on Tuesday. I was supposed to go back on Monday but I wanted another day off. I was just a little sore, nothing unbearable. I too have a desk job so I definatley think that helped going back sooner.

Well I have pretty thick hair to begin with, and I am a blonde so I have always shed a lot of hair. BUT since my surgery in March my hair has seemed to thinned out a bit, nothing drastic. I mean I am not missing huge chunks of hair anywhere. But there has been a notice in the thickness of my ponytail and stuff. I eat plenty of Protein, I drink protein bullets and focus strictly on my Proteins. I take my Vitamins most of the time as well. Some people say that its actually an effect from the anesthesia, rather than a Vitamin or mineral deficiency. I don't know which to believe. I was told that whatever loss may happen, does grow back.

Since surgery on 3/19 I have lost a total of 27 lbs, but total since starting this journey in December its 48 lbs. I had my first fill on 4/28 and since then I have lost about 9 lbs. These past 2 weeks I have been staying pretty much within a 2-3 lb range going up and down. I am not liking that fact that I think I am plateauing so early on. I also do no thing I am eating enough Protein, so I am trying to boost that up hoping that will make a difference in my losses. I really want/need to hit the 50 lbs mark to feel a sense of accomplishment.

As unbelievable as it sounds even to me I am down 23 lbs for "Cinco De Mayo" when I thought 15 was going to be hard to do. I am so happy. Of course I also just had a fill on Tuesday so my restriction is great.:ohmy:

I hope this momentum stays with me :thumbup:

I think I need to just chalk it all up to the inflammation caused by the fill. I have been pretty much Ok since that first day of nausea.

Well I have been on liquids since my fill, today is the first day i can do mushies and its not lunch time yet. I am going to have some tuna for lunch so I guess that will be the test then. I have some compazine left from surgery I was thinking of using it just in case.

I had my first fill on 4/28 and the MD had to take out 1/2 cc so I could actually swallow the Water. At that point he felt I had good restriction and I would actually feel full. So I had a total of 3 cc's in this fill and 2 were already in the band. Now my question is yesterday late afternoon I had a stomach ache and I felt like I had a huge gas bubble in the upper part of my back that wouldn't move. Eventually it went away and I also took Pepcid AC. Now this morning I am trying to drink my Protein Shake and its like its not agreeing with my stomach, it feels like its upsetting my stomach. Could this be just irritation from being filled? I wouldn't think it was too tight since I don't have problems swallowing. What does anyone think???

Hey I had my first fill yesterday boy that was a different type of experience :thumbup: I had 2 cc's in from surgery and they gave me another 3 cc's yesterday. I am on liquids right now but I really think this is going to do the trick for me for a while. I am keeping my fingers crossed that I may be lucky. :ohmy:

Ok so after being stuck for what seemed like forever :w00t:, 2 weeks actually I am finally down 1 more lb not a huge change but at least its in the right direction.

I am sorry you are frustrated but right on the lap band website it states:

Your First Adjustment

The first adjustment usually occurs about six weeks after surgery, although the exact time varies from patient to patient. The LAP-BAND® System is designed to help you achieve steady and safe weight loss, so don't be in a hurry. You and your surgeon will decide when the time is right for you to have your first adjustment.

At your first adjustment appointment, you should expect to discuss your eating habits, exercise, and rate of weight loss. This will help determine if it's time for you to have a band adjustment. If it is, you can expect the following:

• An evaluation of your pouch size and stoma size before adjusting the band (this isn't always done. Your surgeon may or may not evaluate your pouch size and stoma size before the adjustment.)
  
• Adjustment of your LAP-BAND® System
  
• Evaluation of your pouch size and stoma size after the procedure to confirm that the proper band adjustment has been made.
  
• Click here to learn more about adjustments.
  

Your surgeon may not have told you about that stuff, but did you ask? I was banded one week after you, my surgeon didn't exactly tell me about the fill being 6 weeks post op but he did tell me that this was the time for healing and making sure i stuck to the post op diet.

I totally agree with you, I see people talking about eating pizza and chips and jelly Beans but then why haven't I lost any weight? I have been struggling this week because for some reason I didn't lose anything this week, I haven't cheated and I didn't gain, I have been good with my diet. BUT i had some weird nausea and dizzyness on Wed so I didn't work out, and I didn't work out as much as I could or should have. But no matter what it's my doings. I start food this weekend and boy I am so nervous. Not because I don't think my stomach can handle it but more so I don't want to make the wrong food choices. I have been given a tool, that which if I use correctly will be the answer to all my prayers. IF I abuse it it's only going to be a waste of time and money.

So I am really beating myself up this week. Last week I was 265 and this week I am also 265 I can't figure it out, nothing has changed. I can't wait for my fill on the 28th hopefully that will help me. I am afraid this weekend I get to start solids and I don't want to see myself gain.

the problem i am having is getting any kind of information on what my co pay is going to be. I have to deal with Desert Oasis, they are the medical group that i have to go through, but they tell me i have to talk to my insurance company to find out what the co pay is, blue cross says its up to desert oasis, but they still say its too early in the process to know. They cant seem to understand that i have to save up the money for this and try to get some of it covered by flex dollars etc. my question is, has anyone had to use either desert oasis or blue cross in southern california? I just need some type of figure to work towards. Im getting so frustrated. If i have to wait till the last minute to find out what i have to pay, i wont be able to get it.

I have Anthem Blue Cross in So Cal myself,and I had a ZERO copayment for my surgery. What you want to do is look at your benefits book also your Evidence of Coverage book the fact that they are going out of network is on your medical group not you. You have no say in that matter. Under Inpatient hospitilization would list your copay amount. The ony other thing you can do is call Anthem and state if i go to the ER and get admitted do I have a copayment for that admission? That should be your answer. Now the twist could be if you are having your surgery on an Outpatient basis, then you'd want to ask about that. Even if you tell them you are having an op surgery like carpal tunnel release the copay should be the same. You are on an HMO so there is laws protecting you from Balance Billing and paying a higher copay for going out of network, cuz again if your medical group is approving it out of network then you are ony liable to pay as if it is in network. I work at a major IPA in the Inland Empire so I deal with this stuff on a daily basis.

Hey Sara, who's your MD? I had surgery with Dr. Krahn. He also see's patients in the Riverside/Corona area.

I am almost 1 month post op, and I have lost 18 lbs since surgery and 38 total, but 2 lbs keep coming back and leaving again. I gotta stop weighing myself all the time, and stick to once a week. I am eating all mushies, basically living on tuna or chicken from a can and avocados, and yogurt. I have been starting to throw some vegies in there too though. I have no restriction but yet I can feel satisfied right now with this little bit of foods. Very strange, I have this strange sense of calm and well being knowing that I have the band and I will be able to rely on it to tell me that I am full and to stop eating. I hope I can keep this feeling after my first fill on 4/28.

Ok this thread has been really funny and great, so I thought I would include a joke myself

a couple of songs, you start to feel better as you approach your stop.

As soon as I saw a few postings people swearing by the stuff I went out and got mine, I got it at Walmart it was $4 for a bottle of like 50 of them. I just gotta figure out how many to take and when. I haven't had any issues yet, but as far as I can tell i have no restriction yet either.

Ok well these answers make a lot more sense. I assume is pretty common since a lot of people have mentioned it. Is this where the papaya enzyme would come in handy?

Hey Poma,

I live in So Cal also, Inland Empire though. Don't get frustrated with slow weight loss, as long as its a loss and not a gain your moving in the right direction :smile: I think the biggest thing helping me to lose is my excersizing, I joined curves and I walk on my treadmill at home.

I'd like to know how your fill went, I am scheduled for the 28th and I am looking forward to it, yet i am also nervous about it as well. I just don't know what to expect, everyones MD's seem to do things a little bit differently.

Ok so I see a lot of people talk about sliming, and I honestly don't know what to think or have any ideas about what it is, but please someone spell it out for the blonde :smile: and what do you do about it, how do you handle it?

What was their denial reason? When I worked for an HMO the appeals department always looked for key points like Quality of Life/Living and emotional distress. Those were always key points that helped an appeal. Good luck.

Are you excersizing? I was banded a week after you I don't think I have any Fluid in my band because I feel like I can pretty much eat anything I want. I DON"T but I don't get the full feeling people talk about having, I just feel OK I could eat more but I don't have to, so I don't. I haven't PB'd anything, but I have only eaten 1 thing I shouldn't have (chicken quesadilla) I have lost only 14 lbs since surgery. I have been excersizing more and more though. Just a thought, maybe its that? Good Luck