HeatherinCA

With insurance or without? With insurance you pay close to $3,000 out of pocket for surgery and anesthesia, plus all the appointments, tests and stuff before hand, and then your fills after. Even with insurance it's quite an expense. I think without insurance it's between $13,000-$16,000.

A bit excited, but mostly a resentful.. I was mad that I had to get weight loss surgery. Also I was unsure about eating 3 bites of food for the rest of my life (which is totally untrue, at least for me... not sure why they tell you that..) But overall, I was at peace. I knew it was what I had to do. I had given up on everything else.

First off, let me say, it's not NEARLY as bad as you are thinking. It's a little confusing at first, but it gets easier, when you figure out how your body is taking things. I felt the same way going into surgery. I have a normal life, I eat every single type of food. I don't eat tiny bites, I don't chew till it's mush. Now, obviously everyone reacts differently... so I can't speak for your body. Basically, with fills, you just aren't hungry, which makes it so much easier to stick to a diet. You will lose weight if you stick to your diet. People come on here and complain, but they aren't doing what they need to, if they say they are, they are lying. You can't eat junk food and expect to lose weight, it doesn't work like that. The band is just a piece of plastic, not a miracle worker. This is a lot of work! A lot of learning and dieting, but you can do it Also, yea if we could do it on our own we would have haha I've lost and gained the same 50lbs many times.

Well, you don't have THAT much to lose... not sure why you'd need the bypass? But, the bypass does much more work for you. I always saw the bypass as an option for someone who needs to lose like 200lbs, where they need more help than the band can provide. The band is mostly willpower, but it helps control your hunger so you can have an easier time dieting. But really, it's up to you!

I threw away some, donated some and gave some away to those who needed them I asked on my blog and some people wanted some stuff.

This is a pretty good one. http://lapbandtransformation.com/Adjustments.htm Overall.. the only thing I don't really do it drink carbonated beverages. and I TRY not to drink with food, I do occasionally though. I'm talking physical things.. not things like "don't have milkshakes" that should be obvious lol Everything else is really up to how you personally wanna lose weight... if you wanna do low carb or whatever.. that's your choice, but the band doesn't care..

It is a diet.. well a "lifestyle" I think all we've heard about the band is very misleading... it doesn't do that much, just helps you control your hunger, so YOU can make better decisions. Like, if you aren't hungry and you walk by a vending machine.. you are less likely to get a snack. but could I still get the snack and eat it? You bet. Once you know what you can eat, it becomes a little more second nature.. you aren't constantly thinking about it as much. Fact of the matter is, most food is just bad for you, and has tons of calories. You can't expect to be skinny and eat junk food. Skinny people don't. Or for skinny people i know, if they eat a meal of junk, that is all they eat ALL DAY. As a fat person, I eat 3 or more of those meals. This isn't a miracle cure. You should start over, follow the rules, log your food. You will lose weight. I'd place more emphasis on what you can do to lose weight, not what the band is doing.

I gave it up about a month before surgery. For me, I can't drink soda so I don't need caffeine. Very rarely I might have some coffee. Apparently it's not good for your appetite and your hydration, thats why no caffeine. Regardless, it's not good for you mind as well give it up.

No carbonation! You will just feel like complete crap if you drink carbonation. I have enough gas and burping without it. I'd wait on alcohol till you are on full solid foods. I do it now and then.. but it's not usually worth the calories.

I wouldn't intentionally eat more, I kinda somewhat give myself leeway on the weekends, because I'm eating out and stuff. Also I know for myself, I cheat, I cheat a lot, I don't need to add in a specific high calorie day. I'm sure we do it all week long whether we realize it or not. Regardless you have to burn 3500 calories to burn a pound, intentionally eating more won't help you lose weight.

I did mine from my liquid diet. Basically when I started my lapband journey.

Well, how do you work with your band? Does it give you a lot of trouble? (like getting stuck a lot) If not I'd say leave it. Also you never know if the amount of fill will be the same when you refill it.. might take months to get it to the right spot again.

Oh of course. It's just the band isn't very drastic, and doesn't do very much work for you. It's a much bigger battle to lose that much weight. I was about 300 when I started. It would just seem endless to me if I had 150+ more lbs to lose on top of the 125 I am already trying to lose. I 100% know I would give up before I lost it all. Since you are supposed to drop most of the excess weight in the first year. I would want more help than just hunger control if I had that much weight to lose. Regardless just drink away!! Just not while you eat. Sometimes you might feel a little bloated or gassy if you drink tons and tons. But nothing harmful, it's just how the band feels.

Everything evens out and becomes steady after about 6 weeks, then it's up to you on how good you are on your diet.

Just because you can eat anything doesn't mean you should, eat 1200 calories a day. Or you wont lose weight. PERIOD. The band isn't there to stop you from eating. You have to be accountable for what goes in your mouth. You can't complain about no weight loss if you aren't eating a proper diet.

First off check what you are eating. Make sure you are still on your diet. If it's not your diet then try changing it up a little to jumpstart it.

Yea, be honest with yourself, you aren't eating only broccoli and fish... or if that is your dinner, what is Breakfast and lunch? Snacks? Record your calories if you are unsure. 1200 calories! You'll lose weight, even without crazy exercise. Also yes if you are getting stuck you don't need a fill. What is your hunger level?

I never had a problem, it not as bad as it looks

I could do this, and I wouldn't puke. I eat sushi, I've eaten macaroni, I've eaten a donut, I eat bread. I occasionally drink with my meals. That isn't a good assumption. Every body reacts differently to the band. Getting "stuck" isn't what the band is there for, some people just have problems with certain foods, but it isn't the point of the band. The food passes right through regardless of what you eat. That is why I don't quite understand the "pouch" the food doesn't sit there. For me, I feel like crap if I eat too much and I get really gassy. But nothing is really stopping me. Yea, I believe what he wrote. It makes the most sense. All the band does for me is kill my hunger, it's gone. I control what goes in my mouth, not my band. I think a lot of people are misinformed and think the band will RESTRICT them from eating, but it simply doesn't do that. That is why people lose less weight with the band, it's all about making the right decisions, not being hungry helps your make better decisions.. but if I wanna eat, I wanna eat.. it won't say no you can't. Also yes what you said about being stuck. I've only been "stuck" once I swallowed a big chunk of bread, but it was immediate. So it obviously is immediately trying to pass through my band. Not just sitting there.

You are just healing, don't worry just yet. I eat a VERY normal amount of food for my meals. I'm never hungry.. but I can certainly eat tons of food if I choose to. I try not to drink with meals. I do sometimes (but I'm 6 months out), but it all depends on how your band reacts to it, mainly you want to fill up on food, not on liquids. Following the rules is very important, the band is nothing but a piece of plastic, with out the rules it's useless.

If you are thirsty, drink more simple enough. Also.. maybe it's just me, but the band.. since it kills your hunger, should mean you don't need to snack...you should be able to go 4-5 hours w/o eating... or if you are snacking make sure you are counting those calories. For me, I eat 3, about 400 calories meals a day. If I was snacking I'd have to subtract the calories from my meals.

That doesn't make sense. Are you sure that is all you eat? You should be eating 3 solid food meals a day about 1200 calories. There is no physical way if you are doing this that you won't lose weight. Be honest with yourself about what you are eating.

You can drink as much Water as you want it goes right through your band. Yes, find a local doctor to do the fills. I know I don't know your whole story, but I'm not sure I would consider the band at your weight, the average weight loss with the band is about 50 or so lbs...the band controls your hunger level, the rest is up to you to control what you eat. I would think most doctors would recommend the bypass or a sleeve. Especially since you are paying out of pocket. Also since you don't have insurance you have to consider any revisions you might need in the future, or problems with your band, you could get hit with HUGE bills.

You could, but why would you want to.. I didn't even really puree things, I just ate foods that are mushy like chili, soup, oatmeal..

When I'm not hungry for 4-5 hours. Then I don't feel the need to snack... which helps me control what I eat. That is all the band is designed to do, control your hunger. It's not designed to stop you from eating. I wish it was . Some people just unfortunately have trouble eating certain foods. I don't think it has anything to with a sweet spot. My green zone is when I stick to my diet