Humming Bird

Great thread idea. Things have improved for me as well. Of course I don't want my entire life to change because I was already blessed with some very good things in life. The band has only made life better than it already was. I am 5'7" started at 264 lbs. I think my BMI was 41.3. I really felt like crap mentally and physically. I now weigh 155 with a bmi of 24.3 and I feel so much better in every way. 109 pounds gone forever! I no longer shop in the plus size stores and sections! I look great in cute clothes! I can wear real jeans again! I can move easier! I can get in/out of cars easier! (Getting up in my husband's truck took real effort.) I can paint my toenails! I can look in the mirror without disgust! I can cross my legs with comfort! I can wipe my bum easier! My too big boobs no longer get in the way! I no longer snore like a train! My ass no longer starts at my waist! My belly looks flat in jeans! I have a trim waist! I feel "lanky"! My tripple chin is gone! I'm no longer the biggest person in the room! I feel better having sex! Oh my gosh, I could go on and on with my list! The band has worked so well for me and I'm so happy with the results. Let's hear some from all you other bandsters.

I would think 10 days post-op the pain should not as bad as what you are having. Your age should be helping as well. I think you should call your surgeon's office and explain what is going on. He/she is the best one to help you in this case. The bedside manner doesn't matter and it may be different every time, This is still the best person to help you.

The tightness and not being able to burp is pretty normal. It all gets better with time. Hang in there and go slow.

Of course that fear is always there, but I can't let it rule me or my thoughts. Just keep your eye on the prize and continue to move forward. So far it sounds like you are doing great. Keep up the good work and keep looking forward in a positive way.

I know the site seems huge, but after you are around awhile it's not so bad. It sounds like you are well on your way with the band. Everything gets easier as you go. The drinking vs. eating thing gets better as you get yourself trained. Now I don't even have to give it any thought. Stick around here at LBT and keep posting. You will see some of the same people posting and make some bandster friends. It helps when you know people that are going through the process with you.

Hey, I just figured out how to quote again........ I'm slow

Maybe that's why they gave me a picture of mine. (a before and after pic) I have no insurance and the cost of the surgery was the same no matter if they did a hernia repair or not.

Sorry, I can't help you out with that stuff. I have no insurance. I paid cash up-front with the card I got from HealthOne. I had no pre-op hoops to jump through and no pre-op testing.

Hi Bobbie!! I am so glad to hear from you. I hate the way they changed the site. I can't figure out how to do even simple things on it , like quote. Oh well, at least you found this thread again. Don't stay away so long. We love you no matter what your weight is doing. I have not taken anything like appetite supressants since being banded, but I have kept restriction all this time. I think they would cross my mind if I were in your shoes. I'm sure I would have gained as well over the holidays with no restriction. Can you go back and start getting small fills? I think that would be the best way to go to get those pounds back off and keep them off long term. I have taken appetite supressants over the years and they don't really work that well. It's one of my old yo-yo things of the past.

kinda an old thread, but ok I'll post.... I was not required to have one , so $0. I didn't think I needed one and my surgeon agreed. I think we were both right. It sure saved me time and money. I have no insurance.

I would still go for the fill. Just keep in mind to stick to liquids for a bit and move on to more solid stuff very slow.

I'm glad to hear you are going to give it a chance. Three months is not very long but I do hope you do well and give it another three after that.

Welcome to LBT This is a great place to learn details. As you read here please keep in mind that many bandsters come here for support and advise when they are having some sort of problem. Many people don't post here when things are going great. Some newbies get a little freaked out when reading and think the complication rate is higher than they were told by surgeons. The band has worked really great for me. In the first year I lost 100 pounds and as I get closer to my goal I drop about 1 pound per month. For me the process has been much easier than I thought it would be. I have put in very little effort. Go to another meeting. Go in for a one on one consult with a surgeon. Watch youtube videos. Read here at LBT. I personally have only great things to say about the band. I wish you the best with making up your mind.

I used Health One. Your interest rate will depend on your credit score. I have a very high score and several places told me the very best rate with an unsecured loan like this would be 10%, but that was 1 1/2 years ago. If you already have a lower rate on a credit card you might want to use that.

I also had a hiatal hernia repaired. At my consult with the surgeon he told me that many of his patients have them and that he just repairs them when doing the band surgery. He gave me an 8x10 glossy pic of the hernia...lol. I would have loved a pic of the band in place. I figured I had the hiatal hernia because I had very bad reflux for about a year before getting banded. Many obese people have them. Obesity does bad things to us all. I'm glad you had the repair and got banded!! Things will only get better for you as each day passes. I found that keeping an ice pack high up on my belly for longer than they told me helped a great deal. Ice/cold helps swelling go down. I was also told to stick with ice cold liquids for the first week. I wish you the best in healing and weightloss.

I was self pay and the first 3 months of fills were free. I hit my sweet spot on fill number 2. I had a little problem so I went in for a small unfill and back for a re-fill back to my sweet spot. Those 2 were $25 ea.

I am not in any way encouraging anyone to go against their Dr.'s rules. I am also not saying the way I do things is the best way. I do not claim to be a Dr. or a fitness expert or a lapband expert or even play any of these on TV..........but......... I do not exercise. I lost 100 pounds in 1 year with the lapband. I am now at a normal BMI and feel great about it.

Good Morning, (at least I hope it will be good) I thought it couldn't get any worse with all the job changes and moving most of the stuff from one office to another. Well, it got worse. The existing office we are staying at, but moving the other equipment and patients to, was broken in to. The thugs stole a bunch of expensive stuff and made a mess of the office. They also took a bunch of stuff that will have no value to them. It was clear they know nothing about dentistry because they took some stupid stuff and left things of great value. The stupid thugs took our shoes! The Dr. got us all expensive matching very flashy Nike shoes for Christmas. They had our names on them and the name of the office. We all wear different scrubs, so he thought it would be cool if we all wore the same bright flashy shoes. It just sucks that at the same time we had all been working so hard to combine 2 offices we have to deal with something like this. What a mess.

Counselor, I always just wing it, but I know many bandsters do very well with tracking everything. It sure wouldn't hurt to keep track for at least a couple weeks to see where you're at. It sounds like the band is working for you. I don't know about the tightness changes because mine stays pretty much the same except for the tightness in the morning. Some gals have tightness around that time of the month. ( I have not had TOM in many years, so don't know about that)

No, I would not have waited. I paid $9,950 and almost have it paid off now. In a year or 1 1/2 years I would have only prolonged my obesity and been that much older. I wish I would have done it sooner.

WOW! Thanks for posting this. I am so happy for you! This thing really does work! You have done a great job and your life is better.

I agree with what everyone else has said. I think over time you will get better support from those close to you. When they see 50, 60, 70 pounds come off and see you looking and feeling better they will think, "hey, I guess that thing really does work." I know over the years I have done what many women do ........ always put other people's needs first. From kids and spouses to even our own parents. We put off doing things for ourselves to save money. Well, at some point in life you need to do something for yourself. This surgery was all about me! Me Me Me! I am so happy I did it!!!! Best wishes to you. The support just may be a little delayed. Hang in there and do something for you! You You You!

I have not been told by anyone that it is the easy way out. Everyone knows I got the band and 100% of them have been supportive. (at least to my face) This may sound a bit strange to some, but I myself think it's the easy out to some extent. This is the easiest way I have ever taken off weight in my life. Believe me, over the years I have been on every diet you can think of and managed to get morbidly obese. If something works well and is easy for me to do, why would I want to try it the hard way again? I say thank goodness they found an easy way for me to take off more than 100 pounds and keep it off.

Some people feel back to normal very fast. For me is wasn't that easy. I didn't have much pain, but because I have FMS (fibromyalgia) along with CFS (chronic fatigue syndrome) I had very bad fatigue for months after my band surgery. It did get better, but seemed like it took forever. I don't think you are a whimp. It just takes a little time to recover all the way. Just do your best with what you were told to eat and drink and take your vits. I'm sure you will feel better soon and you will be posting about how you have not felt this good in years!

The nice thing about it is that you can watch the scale and play around with a couple pounds instead of 100+. I am only 5 pounds away from my original goal and have pretty much been maintaining for the last few months. I drop about a pound per month, but really don't care if that last 5 comes off. I do eat a little treat now and then or maybe have a glass of wine. I just make sure to step on the scale about every other day so I know where I'm at.