umystifyme

I am 5'4" and weighed 190.5 lbs at the time of my surgery. My insurance covered my surgery but at the beginning of the journey I had weighed 284.5 lbs. I also had several other serious health issues related to my weight. The Lap Band is a Life Style not a diet.

Skeetersmom, I am sure that another fill will help give you a bit more restriction and will help the numbers on the scale to start dropping down!! That always helps and gives me more motivation to workout and keep my weight stable. Good luck!!

Thank you Sillymama for your support. I actually went through with the surgery on December 23, 2009. The morning of surgery, I weighed 197.2 lbs. I now weigh 144 lbs, which is about 4 lbs above my goal weight. My weight has been stable for over 8 months now and I feel great. In my case, it was the best decision I made.

It's been over a year since I posted on this thread and I wanted to update everyone. I celebrated my 2 yrs of being banded on Dec 23rd!! I'm at my goal weight and am maintaining it. I feel great!! To be completely honest, my stomach is flabby and my upper thighs are still thick. And I have cellulite and stretch marks. Things I never had when I lost weight before, but then again I had never weighed 285 lbs before. I just started dating and am having trouble telling guys that I have had wls. I just wanted everyone to know that 2 1/2 years after starting this thread, I am banded and 150 lbs lighter. The band is a wonderful TOOL....I'm soo happy that I made the decision to change my life and my lifestyle!! I hope everyone that has read this thread and participated in it is doing well. Amy

I was having horrible acid reflux in April 2011. It was going on for weeks and it took my awhile to realize that I must be too tight. I hadn't had a fill since 2010. So I met my surgeon at the hospital and he took out most of my fluid. He said he would rather see me gain 10-15 lbs then be suffering from acid reflux and having bouts of throwing up from being too tight. He said after my body recovered and I started feeling better, he would start with small fills. Well between April-Oct 2011, I gained 12 lbs. But also during this time, I was being treated medically for another medical problem. That medical treatment also causes weight gain, which was out of my control. So I got a fill in early Nov and I am back to my goal weight and am maintaining even with the holidays. Do not let having an unfill worry you. Your body needs to rest and recover from the constant vomiting. After a few weeks, you can start with fills and you will lose whatever you MAY gain. If you watch yourself carefully, you might not gain anything. Good luck to you!!

After you are banded, you have little to no restriction until you get a fill. It may still take a couple of fills to reach your peak restriction. My surgeon and nutritionist said BEFORE surgery that "you" would probably not lose any weight right after surgery and not to be surprised if "you" gained weight. Their goal for us patients were for us to maintain our weight though. If we lost weight that was awesome. I was banded a little over 2 yrs ago and I remember bandster hell. I had complications and I could not have a fill for over 5 months after surgery! But with dedication, eating right, and working out, I did lose weight.... just very slowly. After my first fill, I dropped weight very quickly. That restriction is wonderful!! It really helps with the dedication! You should be getting your first fill within the next week or two..... and you will feel much better.

I've been banded for over 2 years now and I can eat shrimp, lobster, crab, and fish. Actually, I have trouble eating red meat and chicken, so I stick to grilled and/or baked shrimp and fish. Everyone is different in their tolerance. When I'm too tight, I can't tolerate shrimp though. Good luck! I hope you have a positive experience!!

Pen~ Yes, it does feel great to be at goal, fit, and healthy. You have done AWESOME in 2 years.... you lost waay over 100 lbs!!! That's GREAT!! We all fall off the wagon, we are human. I'm sorry to hear about your dilated esophagus. I pray that you stick to the doctor's orders and get to keep your band. Remember, you got banded for a reason and I know you can do this!!

I had lapband surgery on Dec 23, 2009. I can't believe that it has been 2 years since my surgery!! All I can say is that I LOVE my band and my new active life!! According to my profile, I am 5 lbs away from my "goal" weight, but I am very comfortable at the weight I am and have been for the past 8 months. My surgeon doesn't think I should lose any more weight. He said I would be too thin in the face if I did. But he does think I need to tone up my stomach and thighs. lol And I agree. Merry Christmas!! Hope to hear from all you Bandsters!!

Just a quick update: I'm doing AWESOME!! I had my 3rd fill on September 29th. I lost 42.2 lbs in 9 months. I'm 15 lbs from my goal weight. Hope everyone is doing great!!

AWESOME!!! You should be very proud!! I have been banded for almost 9 months and I have lost 40 lbs. And I have had only two fills!! Drinking the Protein definitely makes a difference. The band has been a life-saver for me. Congrats on your weight loss!!!

Hi Sparkplug, Every plan is different. I have BCBS PPO of Michigan. My plan goes by your starting weight. I know this as a fact because that is what they did with me. At the beginning of my journey, I weighed 285 lbs. I lost over 80 lbs when my doctor's office submitted my paperwork to BCBS of Michigan and I was approved. I did have some co-morbidities. On the day of surgery (12/23/2009), I weighed 197.2 lbs. My advice to everyone is to talk with your insurance company and listen to your doctor. That is what I did and it worked for me in the end.... even though I was a nervous wreck... which is normal for me.... lol. Also get a preauthorization letter from your insurance company. I got one and it "pre-approved" me for this procedure and then outlined what was required in order to be approved. My doctor's office followed that letter to T and I was approved. On a side note, I had a lot of problems post-op and was unable to have my first fill until May 25th. That was a long time without restriction. I had a second fill (very small) on June 30th. I now weigh 169.2 lbs. I'm feeling awesome!!! Good luck to you on your journey!! Best of luck to all of you!! Thanks again for all the support and comments. I wouldn't be here today without them! Amy

I saw my surgeon on Wednesday, June 30th. In 5 weeks, since my first fill, I lost a total of 15 lbs!!!! I was and still am over the moon about this. Even though he resisted at first, he did give me a small fill. He did tell me to continue with my current diet and exercise program and to see him when I started to GAIN weight. He will only give me fills in the future after I have gained weight. I was sick this past week and was unable to meet with my personal trainer. I am looking forward to doing that sometime this coming week. I am open to suggestions regarding any types of exercises that will help tone up my triceps and my abs. Open to comments and suggestions!!!

Anyone else having (or had) problems toning up their arms and their abs?? I'm working out consistently and am losing weight and inches but my stomach is not going down and my arms are flabby. Any suggestions? I am having a session with a personal trainer on Wednesday. I hope she can help me. But any advice on here would be appreciated. Thanks! Amy

I'm down another 2 lbs and I will have my 2nd fill on Tuesday. I'm working out 6 times a week and watching what I eat. Hoping that I can tone up my stomach and my arms.