untfluter

who did your surgery? I am in s. florida too. I am 3 yrs out

The chicken taco recipe, I have the same one but add lime juice and cilantro. I use 3lbs boneless skinless chicken breast. I also add one large sweet onion cut up. The chicken just shreds.

My surgeon is in Margate and he welcomes any patient to his monthly support groups. I was banded by Dr Paul Wizman.

I am in S. Florida... who did your surgery? I am nearly 3 yrs out...

I would ask your surgeon what his policy is because they all have their own programs. My surgeon said no alcohol for a year, which I stuck to.

I use myfitnesspal... You can track your food/calories, workouts, they have a huge food database and they also have a recipe builder that allows to you enter recipes and it will tell you calories....

I really like the Pure Protein bars but I also really like the Detour Lean Muscle bars.... the numbers on both of these are very good...

I saw that too.. I was freaking mad about it too... My first thought was, your band is not adjusted properly and then my next thought was that she didn't eat right... and the fact that she seemed embarrassed to have had the lap band done... I am proud that I did this... and you were right, she made ALLLL kind of excuses and took no responsibility for how she ate with the band, she blamed the band saying it didn't work for her....I was really pissed at her....and the way she made it seem like the band wouldn't work for anyone....

Feel free to friend me on MFP... I am untfluter on MFP

My insurance did not cover it either... It is my understanding that every insurance company covers it, it is just a matter of whether or not your employer chose to have it as part of your coverage. My CEO told me that we were not even given the option of choosing it as part of our coverage, I am sure it has to do w/the size of our group and coverage limits. I am almost 3 yrs out, and I was fortunate that I had enough money in my 401K that I was able to take a hardship withdrawal for medical purposes in order to pay for my surgery. I don't regret taking the money for a minute, it was an investment in my life. I can rebuild my 401K but my life is not replaceable. Good luck!!

I was banded 2 1/2 years ago but I am in Florida. I do have friends in Dallas area that have been banded. I am going to share this on Facebook and see if any of them will reply to help you. I was lucky because I only went to one seminar and I just KNEW that he was the one to give me back my life and I haven't regretted it for a minute.

Good luck!

Has anyone used Dr. Michael Perez or US Bariatrics in Ft. Lauderdale? I'd like to hear your experiences - good or bad. I looked on obesityhelp.com, but there weren't very many recent entries in the patient feedback area. I live in Key West and am looking for a doc in the Miami-Ft. Lauderdale area to perform the procedure. I'll probably self-pay, so any feedback on that would be appreciated also.

Thanks - Dani

I was banded 26 months ago by Dr. Paul Wizman in Margate... He is AMAZING.... i have had a great experience and I am down 133lbs so far....

I had several NSV over the Memorial Day weekend.. I flew up to MD to visit friends. For the first time in I can't remember HOW many years.. I did not need a seatbelt extender... AND... I was able to use the bathroom on the plane.... I truly can't remember how many years it has been since I could do that... I was so excited when I got the seatbelt buckled I actually did a little jig in my seat... and it was a VERY full flight and there were lots of people in the aisle.. needless to say, I got a few strange looks.. LOL

My surgeon said that the size of your fat pad over your stomach will affect how much fill it takes to feel restriction... the bigger the fat pad, the less it would take, but as you lose weight, the fat pad will get smaller and the band will loosen up.

It's great to know I'm not alone. My MD has never mentioned anything about restriction depending on size, but it sort of makes sense. I have actually thought alot about the anatomy of it all because I have just over 9 ml in an 11 ml band and not enough restriction yet. I've lost about 32 lbs in 10 months since surgery, painfuly slow, but better than gaining! :smile: Part of reason for slow wt loss is that I break "rules," but the reason I break rules is because I'm hungry! Yet another confirmation that the band/WLS is a tool, not the answer. It's funny, I've told my patients that for years (I'm a registered dietitian), but when you go through it yourself it REALLY hits home. :smile2: I'm going for another fill at the end of the month. Hoping to find my "sweet spot" this time. In the meantime, trying to refocus on the guidelines. Hang in there!

If you are gonna use something over the counter, use acetaminophen. My surgeon says no NSAIDS, which ibuprofen is... he said that NSAIDS are bad for the stomach lining and can harm the area around the band.. but... that being said, I would check with your surgeon and see what He says about NSAIDS.

So the good stuff is running really low I thought I could skip a dose last night while I slept woke up 3hrs later (7hrs since last dose) in awesome amount of pain. I don't really want to call for a new order of lortab since I plan to be back at work monday. I also had a large hernia repair besides being banded weds. So I'm wondering which kind of liquid pain meds are you all taking over the counter? Ibuprofen or acetaminophen?? I thought ibuprofen would be better since it will address the inflammation but wondered which of the 2 OTC's you all have had success with relieving the discomfort?

I have to say, I thought the same exact thing Patsal when I read that story...

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KayC, I'm sorry that you had to endure this, but I am confused. Did you have bypass or a band? The reason I ask is that LAP-BAND® and realize bands (the adjustable bands have not been around for 16 years) so that would explain why you have not had fills.

I didn't/don't have any pain.. I had some discomfort but I thought it was from some constipation...which by the way, is a symptom of an incisional hernia... LOL so I don't know if the discomfort was from some gas/constipation or from the hernia... but if you are having pains, I would definitely get it checked... it is a common thing that happens when you have had abdominal surgery and it can happen years later or right away...

i dont know man, but I got my band removed almost 1 year ago, and recently I have been feeling sharp pains in my stomach when I make certain movements. would you feel those pains?

My surgeon is in Margate and he WILL take patients of other surgeons. His name is Dr. Paul Wizman and you can reach him at 954-969-1355. He's a great guy and a great surgeon....I know several people that had their surgery done by other surgeons and they go to him for after care...

I do know about Dr. Bass, a friend of mine was banded by him and I met him personally last year at the S. Florida Walk from Obesity... he's a nice guy, but not knowing his practice, I don't know if he takes other surgeons patients.. a lot won't.. good luck!!

Guys

I am in a rehab for my compulsive eating. I've been gaining my weight back because I am too restricted and eating around the band (you know, ice cream, etc.) Anyway, I need a doctor in hollywood florida asap, while I'm here in rehab I need an unfil. I can't get on an appropriate food plan because I'm too restricted. Can you please help

Does anyone know of these doctors and have you heard good or bad? Dr. Dean Railey in Sunrise Florida, or Dr. Brett Cohen and Dr. Thomas Bass in Hollywood Florida? And if you don't know these doctors do you know any office that you would trust to have an unfil by in this area. I'm also not too far from Ft. Lauderdale. Thank you so much.

You probably should check w/your surgeon.. I am on depo provera and I was told if you were on birth control, I had to stop like 30 days before my surgery.. I was due for my next shot close to my surgery date so I didn't take my shot... DEFINATELY check w/your surgeon.. the reason they want you off all birth control is because of the clotting danger that comes w/birth control plus the clotting danger w/surgery.....

I have my Protein Shake every morning for breakfast... ever since my fill in like August I have been too tight in the morning to eat.. but I control the calories because I use Pure Protein shake mix, it is whey and has 25 gr of protein and I mix it w/Skim milk, another 9 grams of protein, some ice and some low fat Peanut Butter, more protein... and that holds me for several hours....

I was self pay.. when I go to see my surgeon, if I get a fill, I pay $150... if I go and he doesn't do a fill, I pay nothing... if I have to go back for a slight unfill after a fill, I have gone back twice, the first time was a week later, the 2nd time the next night... I was NEVER charged for a unfill...have I mentioned that I LOVE my surgeon?? LOL

I think you are definately over thinking it.. LOL Go to your appt... talk to your surgeon... tell him what you are thinking, feeling, etc and that you are not sure if you need a fill or not, he will know.. but if you are not losing weight, I would say you do need at least a slight fill. And you are right, everyone is different so I don't know that there is such a thing as normal when it comes to how much it takes for us to feel restriction... After my fill in Dec, I have 3.25 CC in my 10CC band.. and I had LOTS of restriction... I lost 10 lbs between then and January, exactly 1 month later... about 5 days after I saw my surgeon in January, all of a sudden I could eat more, didn't have as many issues w/getting stuck, etc and I have only lost 3 lbs since mid January.. it's definately time for a small fill... LOL Good luck and go see your surgeon and I bet you will get at least a small fill. I understand being afraid of being too tight. But as long as you can swallow Water after your fill you should be ok.. and remember, it is not uncommon for you to get a little tighter a day or so after....

for me to bring up something that is stuck, all I have to do is cough and there it is.. LOL but usually it's not the stuck food, but I slime and that also helps the food to go down....

I have lost around 75 lbs and I have gone down 4 sizes, from a size 28 jean to a size 20 jean.. I have always thought the 10lbs=1 dress size is a bunch of BS... my sister weighs at least 25lbs less then me and she also wears a size 20 jeans... and she is like 2 inches taller then me... so it truly depends on how you carry your weight, etc..