AlienBandit

perfect! Thanks so much! I am going to look it up :confused1:

All bands and stomachs are different. I once had 10cc in an 11cc band and still could eat almost anything with little restriction. It takes a few tries and fills to get to your sweet spot. Don't worry it will happen What band do you have? I have never heard of an 8cc band

Im in Korea right now but moving back to Toronto in April. Must find a band doctor who will deal with my post care. Does anyone know if their docs will take on patients like me"?

I remember that pain. It will go away after 2-4 weeks. My first band it went away after 2 weeks my second band it went away after 3 weeks.

I'm a teacher so I sit a lot doing class prep and spend some time standing, no heavy lifting etc. I got my band on a Saturday and went back to work on Monday. It was a little hard getting up and down but once I started moving I felt better. By Wednesday I was back to my normal self.

over 40 lbs already! That's great! I can understand why your doc didnt give you a fill. This can be disappointing but you need to remember you must work with the band. So far you are working well with it. No fill also gives your stomach more chance to heal which is good. The more your stomach heals the less chance of a complication.

Stomach erosion is something rare but can happen. It can happen for many different reasons. There are factors like alcohol, spicy food, bad eating habits ( not following doctors orders), nick during surgery, rapid fills, large fills etc that can cause stomach erosion. If your erosion is very small then your doc might unfill you, put you on meds for a few weeks and then check your stomach again. If the hole in your stomach healed a lot then a simple stitch can be placed to fix the problem thus not needing to remove the band. There is no perfect and exact way that all doctors remove the band. When I had my band removed my doc removed it laparoscopically the same way it was put in. He used the same incisions too. I know that if the erosion is bad and way into your stomach then the doctor can remove the band endoscopically ( going down your throat and cutting the band in half inside your stomach) and laparoscopically ( pulling the band out ). All docs are different though. If your getting your band removed you can ask him how it is done. This is just what I know my doc does

Have you asked your doctor? What is your band size and fill? Sometimes port pain can be a sign of infection or erosion. Sometimes the pain can come on because of something like an accident ( ie falling off a horse trust me ouch!) or if something hit your port area. As for getting back on track to losing weight, I would maybe talk to a nutritionist and maybe get a fill if it has been awhile. Hope everything works out ok.

I have been craving dried mangoes. I wake up in the middle of the night craving them so bad.... I have a little sometimes but right now I was a steady 100% diet of them... holy sugar and carbs!

Since you were just banded it could be that your band isnt ready for the food you are eating. I know that when I cheated once before it was time, it hurt to eat that kind of food. You might be swollen still. Maybe stay on liquids for a while longer and contact your doctor if you really worried.

This is a great website that compares all surgeries Compare LAP-BAND® to Other Weight Loss Options | LAP-BAND®

The lapband 4cc ( first generation band) is still used in other countries like Mexico and Korea etc. With a 4cc band you will obviously get smaller fills and probably reach restriction sooner. My doctor picks what band he puts in his patients ( unless specifically specified) based on what the stomach looks like ( ie big stomach cant have a smaller band etc) and what he thinks would be best for the patient. I'm not sure if Realize makes a 4cc band but I do know they make 11cc and 14cc. There are also other bands out there other then realize and lap band that are different sizes. Here is a little bit of info and photos of 4 different kinds of bands Bands: Very IMPORTANT !! Please Read!!

I'm a teacher as well but in Korea. I got my surgery on a Saturday afternoon and went back to work on the Monday ( I even walked to work about 10 minutes). I felt like I recovered quicker because I was always moving. I'm not going to lie, it wasn't easy but I made it through ok ( even 2 times :smile: )

My doctor said a glass of wine but not all the time. He said beer is ok if it is not very carbonated. I had my first glass of wine a week post op. I find alcohol slows my weight loss down so I dont have it often. I drink any kind of alcohol I want but not in large portions. I always tells my doc about the amounts I drink and he has never had a problem with it those always tells me it is better not to drink because of the calories etc.

Be careful with your diet. After surgery your stomach should be treated like a new borns stomach. You wouldn't give them mushies right away or a regular diet would you? No of course not that means treat your stomach the same. Just because you can eat normal food doesn't mean you should. You can cause damage to your stomach only hurting yourself meaning you could possibly lose the band if you hurt your stomach enough. It might not happen now but can happen later. This is just as much mental work as it is as physical. Ask yourself whether your hungry because your head says so or your stomach etc. Sometimes it takes longer for your head to click into the right mind set. Talk to a nutriionalist etc maybe that can help. Best of luck if you need help with recipes etc let me know. I have tons :thumbup:

omg 3 weeks postop and second fill already? Be careful rapid fills too soon after surgery can cause problems. My doc says it can cause stomach erosion. I already had it trust me it isn't a fun time. I'm 2 months post op 5.3cc in my band and that is already too fast.

I'm less than 20 pounds from goal and my port sticks out. You can check out the link below this which is my blog with lots of photos of my stomach and port. My doc and I call it the alien baby.

omg I would die if I had to wait 2 hours after eating. I have a hard enough time drinking enough Water even waiting 30 minutes after eating. I am always thirsty! Most docs say wait 30 minutes. I have never heard 2 hours

First off $485 for a fill????? That's crazy and over priced! They are probably just trying to get as much money as possible out of your insurance. It wasn't a surgery! As for them not tell you the amount of your fill, I would be pissed! Each time I see my doc We discuss how much total of a fill I should have, what I have and what I will get. He then removes all of the Fluid and checks to make sure it is right. He then shows me the amount I had. Then he shows me the new amount he will fill me with and injects it into my port slowly. Many doctors do the band surgery because they can make lots of money out of it but then complain about the aftercare because apparently they could be doing better things with their time then filling up patients. Hence why they charge so much for fills. Since I had some problems in the past with my band, I always make sure to know as much info possible ( ie the amount of my fill) because I dont want to be filled too much and I dont want them to under fill me ( tell me I get a certain amount but not fill me to that amount therefore guaranteeing I would need to go back)

Mandy, I think that if you stick to your doctors orders, eat well, exercise etc you can reach a mini goal of 50 lbs by christmas. 2 weeks post op surgery I lost 20 lbs so with a little over 3 months till christmas you can do it. As for me everyone well I am not at goal yet but sllllooowwly getting there. Gotta get another fill to help out. This goal is becoming impossible!

Since your not filled I am not surprised. Until my first fill I was able to still eat at buffets ( I would of course stop my self). I didnt get the full feeling either so I would stop after a cupish of food. When I went for my first fill it turned out I had 4cc of caline put in my band and I didn't even know it. So even with 4cc in a 10cc lapband I was able to still eat a lot without feeling full. Just try to control your portions and welcome to bandster hell

This is a great website to check out comparing surgeries Compare LAP-BAND® to Other Weight Loss Options | LAP-BAND®

here is a great website comparing all the surgeries Compare LAP-BAND® to Other Weight Loss Options | LAP-BAND®

When i am full my lower back hurts and my whole body becomes uncomfortable, like I need to lie down. I also then feel sick even trying to fit more food in my mouth.

here is a great website to check out comparing the band to the sleeve gastric etc Compare LAP-BAND® to Other Weight Loss Options | LAP-BAND®