maxi2010

Hi Tammy. First off, congratulations on losing 17 lbs! That is awesome! Yes, I did have gas issues but mine was mostly right after surgery. It lasted for several weeks, which means it still happened during your current period. I found that walking around, more than anything else, helped to relieve my gas. I tried Gas X strips because it was highly recommended by LBT but it did not relieve my gas as much as just walking around. I still have most of the strips left because I stopped taking them. The gas does get to be less of an issue as I move further and further away from my 9/17 surgery. Some days I have no gas at all. My food related gas pain is not as strong as my pre-op gas pain. For instance, I did not have the pain in my shoulder with food but get it in my belly, which makes me feel gassy and full. Sometimes I even get loose stools associated with the gas. I hope I was not too graphic! BTW I found out that I am lactose intolerant which accounts for a lot of my post-op gas pain, particularly when I have Protein shakes, which I make with fat free milk. Sometimes the lactase pills don't seem to help or I forget to take them in time and, hence, the gas pain and diarrhea! Are you having gas that is as strong as your post-op gas? Is your similar to my type of food pain? Let me know if you need anything else. It is so great that we can check on each other to make sure we are on track! Maxi

Hi Jen. Every insurance is different so you will have to check your insurance. I have Empire BCBS and they did not count my high cholesterol as a co-morbid condition. They did accept my high bp. Many insurance companies want more than 1 comorbid condition. My weight was around the same as yours when I was finally approved. They approved me only when I needed surgery on my foot, which the doctor's office convince them was related to my weight. This made them overturn my denial and accept the band surgery. I was banded on 9/17/10. Your insurance probably has a bariatric medical policy that is probably posted on their website. If it is hard to find, call them up and have the customer service rep take you to it and discuss your policy with them. I did that but still got a denial, which was eventually overturned. Best of luck with your insurance. Don't give up without a fight. The fight paid off in my case and in many others that I have heard. Weight loss surgery actually makes healthier patients so it is a win-win situation for everyone involved (both insurance and patient). I'm not sure why there are so many insurance denials at first. Maxi

Hi Roger. I had the same fear that you had - that I would get light headed from eating too small portions. I have yet to have this happen. I was banded on 9/17/10 and have lost 24 lbs to date. But most of all, for the first time I feel this will be the last time I will be this fat. I actually packed up my largest sizes and will be giving the clothes away to charity. I never did that before with any of my diets because, deep in my heart, I knew I would gain it all back. Unfortunately, I was always right - I'd gain it back and add on a few more pounds! I also have an addiction towards food (like chocolate, bread and other goodies) but, since I've been banded, these food temptations do not seem to pull at me like before. Not since I had band surgery. I have eaten bread since I was banded but I only ate the crust. I pulled out the insides before I eat the bread and, when I do eat it, it is a much smaller quantity than before (I might eat half a loaf before, not one piece). Yet, this one piece seems to satisfy me the way having half a loaf used to satisfy me. This has been consistently true of many other addictions I have. The addiction seems to have changed for the better since I had the surgery. The surgery definitely works but you have to have your head on right for it to work. By this I mean you have to go with the program and not plan on undermining it. For instance, you cannot eat a ton of ice cream and/or chocolate, which is never restricted by your band, or you WILL GAIN WEIGHT. You have to follow the program that your doctor sets out for band patients - eat Proteins first, then veggies, then carbs. Chew well, eat slowly and make sure the meat is not too dry. Drink fluids when appropriate and never during eating times. If you follow this advice and work with your band, it WILL WORK to help you lose weight. Best of all, you will not feel hungry and will feel good about yourself as you lose weight. For the first time in my life, I feel I WILL LOSE WEIGHT PERMANENTLY. I am losing slowly, but, still, I am losing. I am thrilled when I try on clothes I could not fit into just a few months before. I wish I had done this band surgery years ago. Best of luck to you, whatever your decision. However, as long as you are willing to not undermine the LAP-BAND®®®, this is the way to go and the only long term solution to weight problems. Maxi

Hi Angelica. Congratulations on being banded! I was banded on 9/17/10 with the LAP-BAND®®®® AP. I originally thought I had the realize band but found out that it was actually the lap-band®®®®. I had my first fill on 10/28: 3cc in a 10cc band. To date, I've lost 24 lbs. I felt the same way you did when I was in the liquid diet phases - both pre-op and post-op. It get so tired to eat the same food with no variety! However, I lost the most weight when I was in these liquid diet phases. Although it is a bummer to eat only liquids, the time actually goes pretty fast. My doctor is very conservative so my actually time on liquids lasted longer than most other doctors (1 1/2 weeks for both pre-op and post-op phases). I think my doctor has the most conservative approach as I don't remember anyone having a longer period on a liquid diet. Some doctors don't even prescribe a pre-op liquid diet. I'm glad I was on the pre-op and post-op liquid diet as I lost the most weight during these phases. It starts to get more challenging once you can eat mushies and, especially, once you start to eat regular food. Portion Control is the key, especially before they fully restrict you with the band (they have not yet found my sweet spot so I am not fully restricted yet) Currently, I don't feel as much restriction as I thought I would although I think I eat smaller portions than I used to eat. I can eat most foods, even ones I thought I would have trouble, like steak and chicken breast. However, I cut my food really small, eat slowly and chew well. I will get my 2nd fill in mid December. Getting used to our band is a journey for all of us but certainly one I am glad I am on. I love the weight loss and complements I get from friends who have not seen me in a while. BTW have you tried egg drop Soup. That was one of my favorite foods during the liquid phase. Miso soup is also good. I started to get really tired of the Protein Shakes. Best of luck on your banded journey. Stay motivated, even during these mundane times. The liquid diet phase is definitely not the best phase. Let me know how you do. Maxi

Best of luck Tammy. You are well on your way to a brand new banded life! I was banded a few weeks before you - on 9/17/10. I had my first fill on 10/28 - 3cc in a 10cc band. It's a whole new adventure once you start to eat regular food. Much more challenging, but certainly worth it. I've lost 24 lbs so far. Not as much as others but I am not complaining. Let me know if you have any questions. Maxi

Hi Pooky. I will definitely keep you in my thoughts on Wednesday. Best of luck with your thyroid core biopsy. I hope everything goes well for you, Pooky! I have a thyroid issue and I've taken synthyroid for years but I don't remember ever getting a core biopsy. I remember other types of thyroid tests I had to go through, though. I've heard that thyroid tests are not that bad. Try to take it as a positive spin - they are going to see if anything is wrong so they can fix it, if need be. Early detection is always the best! Maxi

Thanks Hard2Cntl for starting this Sept thread. Hi everyone who was banded in September 2010. I was banded on 9/17. To date, I've lost 24 lbs and had my first fill on 10/28 (3cc in a 10cc band). Like others who have commented, I still don't feel the restriction that I thought I would feel. Worst of all, my weight loss seems to have slowed to a crawl. My 2nd fill is scheduled for mid December. In some ways I'm glad it is scheduled for after Thanksgiving as I want to enjoy Thanksgiving - although I know it will have to be in moderation. However, I am worried about my lack of restriction and my slow weight loss. I, too, struggle with exercise. I try to exercise at the gym but some days I just don't feel up to it. I try to get past that but I don't always win (and ultimately don't go to the gym - bummer!). I try to exercise 5 days a week but don't always do that much. It makes me feel better that a lot of other September bandsters seem to have the same control, weight loss and exercise issues as me. Thanks everyone for sharing. It is so much better to know that we are not alone! We can do this!:thumbup: Maxi

Hi Happygirl. You sound A LOT LIKE ME although we don't have the exact same story. The bottom line is I'M GLAD I HAD THE SURGERY AND WISH I HAD DONE IT SOONER. For years I tried to lose weight. Sometimes I even did lose a ton of weight but, inevitably, I would always gain it back. It took my 2 years to make up my mind about having LAP-BAND®® surgery. I went to a LAP-BAND® orientation but still could not make up my mind. I kept rationalizing that I did not need the surgery and that I could do it on my own. I finally came to realization that losing weight and keeping it off was just a pipe dream that I would never be able to do. Yes, I could lose weight but I could not keep the weight off. My weight kept going up and down like a yoyo, which is not good for you. I finally made the decision to have surgery and then my insurance denied my surgery. I seemed to meet all their requirements so their decision surprised both my doctor's office and me. It's funny how something like a denial can make you want something even more. My doctor's office and medical division of my insurance had a peer-to-peer medical review based on my appeal. My denial was overturned and my insurance for LAP-BAND® surgery was approved. I had LAP-BAND®® surgery on 9/17/10. At my highest weight, I weighed 220 lb. I weighed 206 lb on the day of my surgery due to the restricted liquid diet I was placed on by my surgeon (to shrink my liver) before surgery. I have - to date- lost 24 lbs. That is not as great a weight loss as many other LBT members. However, I am thrilled with this weight loss because it has been a steady decline in weight every week. I had my 1st fill last month and still find the LAP-BAND®® liveable. I eat smaller portions and feel satisfied much sooner than before. For the first time in my life, I believe I will lose this weight permanently. For the first time, I am throwing out my large size clothes (I usually save them for when I will reach that size again). I know I will never again fit in these clothes and I am thrilled. I am also permanently under 200 lbs, which is also a thrill. I have not been that small for about 10 years. I made significant changes in my life to get healthier beside having my LAP-BAND® surgery. I choose to eat healthier foods and smaller portions and select to eat healthier and lower calorie foods. I carefully count the calories when I eat "empty" calories, like pretzels and have not yet eaten anything in extreme. I also added exercise into my life 5 days a week. What I found out was that LAP-BAND®® surgery does not cause you to lose weight like most people think. It is a tool to help you feel full sooner so you have a chance to lose weight. I definitely need all the help I can in losing weight. This time, I am in it to win it. I don't care how long it takes me to lose enough weight that I am no longer fat as long as I reach it and stay there eventually. If you do not choose LAP-BAND®® at this point in your life you will probably choose it at another point when you are sicker from your excess weight. That is what happened to me. I feel I must lose weight to get back my health. The last time I saw my doctor, my blood pressure pill was cut in half as my blood pressure was on the low side of normal. I had lost 18 lbs at that point. My doctor thinks I will be completely off my blood pressure pill the next time she sees me. I hope you chose the smarter option - having the LAP-BAND® surgery when you are younger and healthier. Having LAP-BAND® surgery was the best decision I ever made. Good luck with whatever decision you make. Maxi

Good for you, Twinkles. That is awesome weight loss for a 14-week period of time. That is because you changed both your eating and exercise habits. I've changed both habits, too, but I have much smaller results. I've lost 24 lbs since my 9/17/10 band surgery. Still, I'm happy with that result. Twenty-four lbs is more than 10% of my original body weight which makes a big difference in how healthy I feel. I don't think I've yet found my sweet spot. I only had my 1st fill a few weeks ago. I currently have a 3cc fill and probably need more as I'm only somewhat restricted. I'll go back for another fill next month. All in all, I'm thrilled with the results of my surgery. Best decision I ever made! Maxi:thumbup:

Hi Knaroz. Good points and all true. More reasons to stay away or at least be very careful with alcohol consumption. Maxi

Hi Hdauzat. I don't live in Louisiana so I don't know anything about your insurance. However, why don't you go on their website and look up their policy yourself? I have Empire BC of NY and they have a specific medical policy on bariatric procedures. Your government insurance probably has the same thing - a medical policy on bariatric procedures. Some insurance do not cover these procedures and others, like mine, require you to meet specific criteria based on your BMI or some other factor. You should get your information yourself so you know it is correct. It was a long process for me. I was originally denied by Empire for my band procedure but won approval on the medical appeal that was coordinated through my doctor's office. Good luck with your insurance. I hope you are covered and I wish you the best with your band surgery. I was banded on 9/17/10. I've lost 18 Lbs. so far. Maxi

Hi DylanThomas99. Not to be a party poop but remember that alcohol is really empty calories. Be VERY careful with how much and how often you drink alcohol. I would just have one drink that you drink very slowly on special occasions. Maxi

Hi CB9094! Best of luck with your band surgery. I'll say a prayer for you that everything goes well. I had my surgery on 9/17/10. I lost 18 lbs. so far. Maxi

Hi Erick. I'm glad to hear your surgery went well and you are recovering without any problems. Now comes learning to live with the band. Best of luck on your band journey.:smile: Maxi

Hi Piperboo. It sounds similar to an experience I had. Except mine did not last as long. I was eating chicken cutlet for dinner. I thought I was taking fairly small bites. All of a sudden after about 10 bites I began to feel pain between my breasts, my face turned red, I became nauseous and my mouth began to salivate. I was worried that I would vomit but, thankfully, I did not. It was a terrible feeling and I was not sure how to handle it. I did not leave the dinner table as you did. I just sat there feeling nauseous and in pain. I could feel the food going slowly down past the point where the LAP-BAND®® is located and it hurt as it moved down into my gut. I just sat at the dinner table looking pained. My husband kept looking at me from time to time and shaking his head. He didn't know what to do for me. This lasted about 15 minutes or so. Once it was over, I felt 100% better. I waited a few minutes but then I began to eat MUCH SMALLER pieces of chicken and had no further problems. The crazy thing is that I was banded on 9/17/10, about 3 1/2 weeks ago. I won't get my first fill until 10/28. This all happened without any fill in my band. If I have this problem before my fill, what will I experience after my fill? Has anyone else have this experience and know how to handle it? I'm worried this will happen again as this was not a pleasant experience.:smile2: Maxi

Best of luck, Erick, with your banding. I hope it gives you everything that your want. Maxi

Hi Purplevic. You are doing great with losing 32 lbs! I'm down 18 Lbs and 3 dress sizes and I'm thrilled with that. I had my surgery on 9/17/10 and will get my first fill on 10/28. I already started full meals and it has not been that easy. I had my first real meal - chicken Parmesan. Even without a fill, I need to eat tiny bites or it is really, really painful as it goes down. Most of the time, I stick with SOFT meals. I mostly stick with ground meat. Here is a recipe that is from Weight Watchers that works great with the band. Gina’s Crockpot 3 Bean Turkey Chili Source:Gina's Weight Watcher recipes 1.3 Lb. (20 oz) fat free ground turkey breast (Jenny-O) 1 small yellow onion, chopped 1 (28 oz) can diced tomatoes 1 (16 oz) can tomato sauce 1 (4.5 oz) can chopped chilies, drained 1 (15 oz) can chickpeas, undrained 1 (15.5 oz) can black Beans, undrained 1 (15.5 oz) can small red beans, undrained 2 TBSP chili powder Topping: 1/2 cup chopped red onion 1/2 cup chopped fresh cilantro for topping Reduced fat (Kraft 2% milk) shredded cheddar to top (extra pts) Brown turkey and onion in a medium skillet over medium high heat until cooked through. Drain any fat remaining and transfer to crockpot. Add the beans, chilies, chickpeas, tomatoes, tomato sauce and chili powder, mixing well. Cook on low 6-8 hours. Garnish with onions, cilantro and cheese and enjoy! Servings: 12  Serving Size: 10.8 oz  Prep Time: 20 minutes  Points: 3.125 ww points Note: each WW point is = about 50 calories. Also note that recipe said to cook on high 6-8 hours but I cooked it on low 6 1/2 hours and it came out great! Good luck with your weight loss. You are off to a great start! Maxi

Hi LisaA and StateofZen. I had LAP-BAND®® surgery on 9/17/10. Although I used to walk about 2 1/2 miles 5 times per week, I had foot surgery 3 months before my LAP-BAND®® surgery so I am not up to all that walking yet. I just joined a gym and I'm trying to use it at least 5 times a week. I did 12 minutes on the elliptical machine yesterday and found that exhausting. I also worked out on the machines that target specific muscles. I'm hoping by targeting these muscles, I won't have loose skin in my problem areas (my arms) I'm trying to work up my stamina. It's hard when you don't have stamina in your feet yet since most exercises depend on using your feet. Thanks LisaA for starting this thread. I need a push to continue my exercising, especially since I have issues that make it harder for me. Maxi

Hi Elikis. The pre-op liquid diet got to me after a few days. It was making me sick and, by the end, I couldn't get in 1000 calories per day - I felt nausea all the time. Like you, I was allowed to have up to 1000 calories per day. It sounds like you have the best of all worlds - low calories (1000 max per day) without a liquid diet! A three pound weight loss is not bad for the amount of time you are speaking about. People who have LAP-BAND®®® surgery don't lose weight fast but seem to keep it off over the long haul. That is more important. People with lapbands lose on average about 1-2 pounds per week, which is a good, healthy way to lose. Keep your spirits up. Your surgery is right around the corner. Best of luck with your band procedure! :thumbup: Maxi

Hi BethAnn. I'm truly sorry to hear all the problems you've been having since your LAP-BAND®®® surgery. Much of your issues have to do with having surgery and LAP-BAND®®® surgery is less invasive than gastric bypass so you cannot blame the LAP-BAND®®® surgery for all your issues. I did have nausea and dry heaves during the 2nd and 3rd days after surgery. I also began to have a pain between my breasts and could not take a deep breathe. This WAS caused by the LAP-BAND®®®. I was told I had swelling and it was difficult for me to get down thicker liquids. I had tried to eat a Protein drink that backed up and made me have the symptoms I just described. I had surgery on 9/17/10. My swelling is down. I no longer have problems eating with the LAP-BAND®®® although I have not had an adjustment yet. I lost 18 Lbs altogether, including weight I lost before my surgery. I'm very happy so far with the band. BTW, my brother had RNY a few years ago, looks great but has had multiple serious problems due to that surgery. Although he has lost a lot of weight, I feel you can lose just as much weight with the LAP-BAND®®® as the RNY and not have the issues like my brother has (severe anemia, dumping syndrome and malabsorption of certain B Vitamins for which he has to self-inject every day). You will begin to feel better with time and you should learn to adjust to the gastric band which is different from RNY and the sleeve. For me, I think it is the best of all worlds - a minimally invasive procedure that does not require cutting and rearranging your insides and that still allows you to lose weight as long as you follow the rules (eat slow, chew well, and choose your food wisely). Best of luck. I hope you feel better soon. Maxi

Hi elikis, I just had surgery on 9/17. The hardest part was my preop liquid diet, although I lost a lot of weight on that diet. If your surgeon does not have this requirement, the procedure itself is not bad. The gas pain was the worst of it. And I had some difficulty with swelling at first. The pain was not that bad. The best part is that I've lost 18 Lbs so far. Best of luck with your surgery. :thumbup: Maxi

Hi Kathy! Welcome to LBT. Best of luck in getting your insurance approval. I had my surgery on 9/17/10. I have Empire BC of NY. They at first gave me problems by denying my surgery due to a recent change in their policy (it even surprised the MD surgeon's office). However, it all worked out in the end. Empire paid for my surgery. I hope everything works out for you, Kathy. Maxi

Hi KY Smith. I had a similar experience to you with almost the same symptoms. I was banded on 9/17. On my 2nd post day (9/19), I began to feel nauseous after eating a Protein shake and coffee in the morning. I started to dry heave, almost bringing my meal up. These symptoms lasted several hours and seemed to get worse, not better, over time. Then, several hours later, my chest began to feet tight and I began to feel pain between my breasts. I also noticed that I could not take a deep breath and got out of breath walking just a few steps. I got really scared at this point and called my doctor's office. My doctor's office told me to report to the ER, which I did. I was put on the fast track at the ER as soon as I arrived. I told them I was a bariatric patient who just had surgery a few days prior. At first, the ER treated me as such and called bariatric surgery service. However, when bariatric surgery service told them I had no fill in my band, they began to treat me more urgently and to work me up for other issues. The hospital was worried that I either had a heart attack or a pulmonary embolism. They did a zillion tests to rule out both conditions. I ended up being admitted to the hospital. I just stayed one day. Most of the tests were done in the ER. They also did an esophagram the next day after I was admitted to the hospital, which I would have needed the following week anyway. Thankfully, the tests all came back negative. Even the esophagram showed that my band was placed correctly and fluids were passing through. My surgeon told me that he thought I was swollen due to the surgery and that the food got backed up because it was too thick for me. This made my diaphragm spasm, causing these symptoms. I had trouble getting any type of thick liquid down for several days post op. I began to dilute any protein shake to avoid having these symptoms. It worked. Around day 5, I was able to eat Protein shakes without having to dilute them. I found I could not get in sufficient protein during this period but I don't think a few days of low protein will hurt anyone. These symptoms certainly can hurt you! :smile2: My swelling is down now and I no longer have issues like this. However, that was one of the scariest experiences of my life. I hope you are also better. If you are not, stick with Clear Liquids or at least liquids that are very thin. Vitamin water or Gatorade type drink is probably better than pure water as these at least have some nutrients and will prevent dehydration. These symptoms should only last a few days. Mine lasted about 4 days. Test yourself with a small amount of a thicker liquid and wait before you try to take more of the thicker liquid in. The last thing you need is to drink thick liquids before you are ready and able to handle them. We already know the symptoms. I feel better now and I hope you are also feeling better, too. Maxi

Hi Brenda. Wow. What wonderful news! A baby is truly a wonder, whether single or married. The baby will change your life - for the better. I've heard the band can work with pregnant women. That is what is wonderful about the band - it's flexibility. First, and foremost, speak to your doctor and tell him/her that you are pregnant. When you are pregnant, you don't need to worry about weight loss. That can come in it's own time. Just don't get any fills, feed your baby while you carry and nurse your baby and the band will be ready for you when you are ready to lose weight. Congratulations!!! Best of luck to both of you!!!:smile2::thumbup::thumbup:

Thanks Brian! I am feeling so much better than last week! I am just about at 100% now. No more pain, thankfully, and I can eat mushy food without it getting backed up. My incisions are almost all healed. In a few more days I will start regular food. I'm nervous about this since I do not yet have any fill (I'll get my first fill on 10/28). I'm worried that I will not know when to stop eating. Or that I may get backed up because I don't chew enough and it can't go down. Do you worry about these things? Are you on regular food yet? Thus far on the mushy stage I have been doing great and eating well but not too much. I actually feel great! I hope this lasts. Maxi