Humming Bird

As for me and my situation, I'm glad I did very little research about the band because all the things that *could happen* would have scared me away and I would have never experienced the success I have had with the band. That being said, I do understand Elfie's post and will add in a few things I have learned for those who research the heck out of this thing. Many bandsters suffer hairloss. It is misinformation I have heard out there over and over that only G-bypass folks lose hair. Protein, special shampoos, and vit. intake will not stop the hairloss. I know this from experience. The band works different for everyone. Some bandsters still have to diet and some don't. Some bandsters have rapid weightloss and some don't. Some bandsters can eat everything (or almost everything), just in smaller portions. Some bandsters have a very long list of foods they can no longer eat, never, like bread, Pasta, rice, eggs, fried food, steak, chicken, porkchops..... Post surgery fatigue can last for months. Phrenic nerve pain can last for days, months, or never go away. There is no way to know how the band will work for you until it has already been placed. On a more positive note: The entire process can be much easier for some people than all the research tells them. For me, this is the case. I would have never taken off this amount of weight and kept it off on my own. My yo-yo and obesity history proves this. I thought I would have to *work* at it and I really have not.

So very close to ONEDERLAND!!!!

A few years ago my husband called the insurance company to make sure I still had coverage for some procedure. They told him I did. After I had the procedure we got a bill that said I had no coverage. I then called the insurance company and told them about my husband's first call. Come to find out, they record these calls and had to pay the bill because they told him in that call that it was covered.

This is my 2nd winter with the band and the weightloss. I am still colder than I was in my obese days, but this winter is not as bad as last. I can only hope my body will continue to adjust. Maybe I am just getting used to it, who knows.

I can only speak from my own experience and maybe a bit from what I have read ....... I have lost hundreds of pounds in my life only to gain it back, of course. The band is pretty close to perfect for a yo-yo like me. There were a few years before the band that I just gave up on trying to take the weight off because I knew I would end up even bigger in the end. That is how it has always worked ..... I accepted that I was obese and was just going to live my life that way..... depressing. You pretty much don't know exactly how the band will work for you until you get the band. You have to be a bit open minded about how things could be. For example, many bandsters have to diet and work at it quite a bit. Many bandsters can eat pretty much any type of food they want, but very small portions. Many bandsters can no longer eat bread, Pasta, rice, solid meats like steak, eggs ....... Many bandsters have mental attachments to food and struggle with depression and the loss of their best friend (food). There are so many things that you have to consider and I'm glad you are asking questions. Here is how the band works for me (this does not mean it will work for you the same way): I do consider the band "magic" in my own experience and have put in very little effort. I did very well with the surgery, had some long lasting fatigue, thinning hair, and phrenic nerve pain post-op. (all of these resolved now) I reached my sweet spot with fill number 2. I dropped 100 pounds in the first year I do not exercise I do not count calories, or anything else (I am mindful of it, but don't obcess over it) The band does help with portion control. It will not allow me to overeat The band has helped me control hunger and my interest in food I can not eat bread, pasta, rice, eggs, fried food, or solid meats. I don't miss them. This has been the easiest "diet" I've ever been on, and so far the weight has stayed off the best.

All weightloss surgeries are taking drastic measures that's for sure. A person has to make sure they are in the right mental place for any of these WSL procedures. Lapband was my first choice because it alters my anatomy less. If I had to have my band removed for some reason I would beg to have another band placed. If there was no way they could put in another band, I think I would go with the sleeve. I guess I don't understand how the sleeve option would have leak problems.

The only thing I have found that helps when I have a REALLY BAD headache is crushing 2 Aleve (Naproxen Sodium) and then disolving them in about a teaspoon or less of warm Water. It burns on the way down and that is why I crush and disolve. It takes a little while to disolve all the way, but you don't want any nasty little bits left behind to chew. Yes, it is an NSAID and we bandsters are to stay clear of them, but I only do it when things get bad. The reason we should not take NSAIDS is because they could sit in the pouch and cause ulcers. Yet another reason I crush and disolve. If the headache isn't too bad I use a double dose of Jr. strength ibuprophen (another NSAID) in liquid or chewable form. They also make adult strength Tylenol (not an NSAID), but it doesn't really work.

Why are you waiting so long to go get a bit of an unfill? Other bandsters have said I am too tight, but I am nowhere near this tight. I would think it's not good to leave things like this until march. Acid reflux at night is one of the "emergency signs" that needs to be taken care of ASAP.

I do hope you go have it checked out with a Dr. ASAP. It could just be hemorhoids. I have had some of the pain you talk about with hemorhoids, but you really can't go by what people tell you about here. You really need to have a Dr. check it out.

My experience has been that after I reached proper restriction, 1/2 c of soild food is all I can eat. The size of my pouch (volume) is only 1/2 c. If you eat more than the size of your pouch, the food is going through to the lower stomach too fast or you are streatching the pouch or filling esophagus. I have heard some people can stand food in the esophagus, bit I simply can not. I have to stop when I feel my full signal. Until you reach your sweet spot you will be able to eat more and will get hungry between meals. It sounds like you will still need another fill so you don't get hungry so soon after eating.

The night coughs would be a good sign that you are a bit too tight. All the other stuff makes you think things like maybe not chewing enough.......yada yada. You would be very surprised at how much better things can be if you just get a very tiny bit taken out, like .2cc. If they take out a full cc or even .5 then sometimes you feel like you need a fill too soon. I hope it gets better for you no matter what you and the doc go with.

an update on me ...... My job situation is not good at the moment and is causing me a great deal of stress. Thank goodness I have not packed on a bunch of weight because of it. My husband's job is also hanging by a thread, so I'm a bit freaked out with worry. You may see us both working the drive-thru at McDonalds soon trying to save our house we have both worked all our lives to have. depressing, very depressing. On a more positive note ................shit, I can't think of any ...... nevermind It just has to get better soon.

Melody, I had almost constant shoulder pain for months, but if I had to deal with it for as long as you have I would have gone insane. Maybe just repositioning your band will help? If you make the choice to go with the sleeve it would be understandable, but I hear you on your reservations about it. It's not simple at all.

I have not worked hard at all. For me finding my sweet spot was the key to success. When you get close a very tiny fill can put you over. I reached my sweet spot on fill number 2. Fill #3 & #4 were both just .1cc and after that I went back and had the .2 taken out (in a round about way). That took me back to my original sweet spot I had at fill #2. You may have to play around with it a bit. I think another key to success is listening to my full signal and not taking even one more tiny bite. I am the pro at leaving food on my plate, even if it is just a bite or 1/2 of what my eyes thought I could eat. With proper restriction I simply can not overeat and if I do I pay the price with pain or worse. I have not thrown up in a very long time ......proper restriction and lessons learned.

Mine is a tad bit higher than the center of my torso....centered about 1"-2" below my sternum depending on my position. The location has worked out well for me.

My port is centered about 1' - 2" below my sternum depending on my position. It has worked very well in that location for me. The surgeon should be the one choosing the location depending on how s/he does the surgery.

I don't watch carbs and have not tried watermelon since being banded that I can remember. With me it's very much a texure thing ...... I'll have to try a bit this summer. It sounds good, but as with anything I try for the first time after being banded I will have to take a bite or 2 and see how it goes. Now this thread is making me miss summer.

Both of the above posters said it well. My sweet spot is not exactly like anyone else's, but I know when I'm there. I have to stop eating after a small amount of food. I have reached a point where much of the time food just doesn't sound good. I have lost the desire to eat some types of foods. I don't usually go 5 hours without eating a tiny bit of something, but if I got another fill I would be so tight I would be on a liquid diet. My sweet spot just requires a snack now and then I guess. Sometimes it is just where you get tight enough where you can accept it and live a normal life and keep losing weight or maintain at goal. I think lifestyle and mindset go along with your own personal sweet spot. If you exercise like they do on "The Biggest Loser" you can keep your band looser. That just does not fit my lifestyle and I do not exercise like that, so in order for me to lose weight or maintain where I'm at I have to eat less food.

I had no health insurance. I did have a sleep study done 3 1/2 years prior to lap-band because I snored like a train and I had very bad fatigue. The sleep study showed no apnea. I asked the surgeon questions and told him I did not need a psych eval. and he agreed with me. When I say I had no pre-op testing I do mean zero.....nothing..... not even one drop of blood was taken. He probably does do some pre-op testing on some patients, I don't know. All I know is he did not require any for me. I did a very tiny bit of research, talked with a couple friends who had the band, had a long consult with the surgeon, paid for the surgery that same day, went on an Atkins pre-op diet for a couple weeks, got banded and had hiatal hernia repair, had a couple fills, dropped 111 pounds, stopped snoring, and all is well .... knock on wood. oh, and I spoke with the NUT for a bit on the phone and she faxed or emailed me the phases to follow after surgery .... Clear liquids, creamy liquids, soft food .... yada yada....

sounds like it's time to go bra shopping. I had to buy a couple during the weightloss and it was not a happy time in the fitting room. Now that I am close to goal I went again and got a few that boost up the saggy boobs.

I do understand what you are saying. To prove your point ........ what seminar? what basic testing? (I had no seminar and no pre-op testing)

During my big weightloss phase I was lucky that I have been a clothes hoarder over the years. I spent a great amount of time "closet shopping". I did have to buy a couple things and went to a really nice plus size consignment store for those items.

The band works so different for everyone. I don't know if it would help if all the docs followed the same rules and guidelines. I have several friends and family members that are banded and it works so different for all of us. I think it's so important to find your own methods and what works for you keeping in mind some very general things about the band. For me, the band does stop me from overeating. It has also decreased my hunger. Of course it can't stop me from eating milkshakes and candy bars, but in general my band is very much in control.

There are quite a few threads here that may help you ......maybe do a search for .... first bite syndrome

That's great news! Clothes are great motivation. Good For you!!