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Hi to everyone here. I've been reading the posts here and working up the nerve to post my intentions. I am 59 years old today and have had a weight problem all my life. I have been underweight,overweight,obese, and morbidly obese. I am currently 285 lbs after being at an all time high of 350 lbs. I did loose down to 240 lbs, but back up again to 285 lbs. I know this yo-yoing back and forth is not healthy and I truely want to do this banding procedure to get my health back. I was taking medication for type 2 diabetes while at 350 lbs and after loosing down to 240 lbs I no longer needed the medication. I'm afraid that it won't be long till I'm back on the meds. How do I get this procedure started? I have Capital Blue Cross PPO ins. in Pennsylvania(Lehigh Valley area). I haven't approached my PCP yet but I do have an appt. scheduled in July. Any and all help from you all here would be deeply appreciated. Thanks to you all in advance for you concideration.:cursing:

Take a cardboard tube from a paper towel roll. (Your stomach) Wrap it in a pound of fatty bacon. (The residual fat-pad around your stomach) Tie a balloon around the bacon and inflate it. (The Lap-band) "Melt" a little of the bacon away underneath that balloon. (Lose weight) That is exactly what happens when the residual fat-pad melts and loosens up the band. If a person loses even a few ounces underneath the band, it's going to get loose and need a fill. Graphic, but REAL EASY to visualize, isn't it?

Hi everyone! Today I had my first post-op appt, I am 15 dpo and it went pretty well. I was waiting in the waiting room with a lady who had surgery the same day as me and she said that she is not hungry at all, and she is loving it. I am completely oppposite than her and told her that I am hungry ALL the time!! My dr said that it is normal to be hungry by now, and that is bc the fat under my band has shrunk and that my band is not filled and loose now. He said that I can schedule my 1st fill for October 8 and that after that, I will feel like I did after surgery, very full all the time. My dr also said that I might gain a couple lbs between now and my fill!!!:faint: I told him that I have already gained 3lbs since I have been on my mushie phase. He said it is just my metabolism slowing down and trying to hang on to all the calories since I was only on liquid before. He said not to worry about gaining a few pounds bc it will happen!! So, now I can start on a regular full diet, with a limitation of around 1200 calories. I can eat whatever I want, no more mushie or Soups are required. I am really beating myself up over these 3 lbs that I gained back since I lost it after my surgery. I have even upped my exercise and have been walking 2 miles everyday, but I haven't been losing anymore. If my port area still wasn't sore, I wouldn't even KNOW that I have surgery, bc I can eat ANYTHING withouth any problem. I am keeping my fingers crossed for the 1st fill and hopefully some restriction.

Sorry I've been away for so long, I've been enjoying my banded life! I had my surgery 10/1. Went for my esophogram and follow-up on 10/9. Everything went well. I found out that I have the 14 cc band. I started my mushy/pureed diet on 10/12. My God how great it is to eat again!! I've been eating all sorts of things, and I am so surprised at how little it takes to fill me up. I find myself eating 2 times a day, and I'm usually not hungry much before lunchtime. oatmeal, chili, meatballs, Soups, I even ate some cavatelli!! I go back to work on 10/22. The doctor's office was very nice and gave me 3 weeks time off for disability. I begin introducing solid foods into my diet on 10/30 and I go for my first fill on 11/6. My port area is still a little sore, but all of the incisions are healing nicely. The swelling has really gone down now and I can see my weightloss. And my clothes are starting to feel too loose!!

Hey, Today i am two weeks post op, when i came home from the hospital i was down 10 lbs. Then i continued to loose another 8. Well yesterday i got on the scale and i was up 2.5 making me 162.5. Well then i get on the freakin scale today and im back to 168.9!! What the hell am i doing wrong. If anything i was eating less the past couple days - due to me feeling like crap- I feel like im fricken defying physics right now.... almost 9 lbs in two days! Ive been counting calories too and at best ive had like 1200 cal. Any input?:(

I have been banded sense July 6 2005 and have lost 45 pounds, I have been down more but back up again. My problem is that my fills are strange. I have to drive 3 1/2 hours one way for a fill and half the time I am there for unfills. For some strange reason my band closes off on me. It gets to the point that I can not swallow my own spit. So I get an unfill then I am to loose so I go back and get a small fill then in about 6 months I am closed off again. I have a great doctor but he is not sure why this happens, I have gained 20 pounds because I am scared to get another fill. Has this happened to anyone else??????? I would love some in put. Thank you:help:

You have age on your side so most likely you will have little to no sagging skin. Lets hope. I am 23yrs. old and I am praying I won't have to have plastic surgery for excess skin. I heard the cocoa butter is great for scars and stretch marks.

Hi! I am new to this site and wanted to quickly introduce myself. I live in Richmond, TX but work in Houston. My lap-band surgery is 5 weeks from today, yeah!! I am using Dr. Marvin. My starting weight is around 340 and I'd like to eventually get down to 150. I am about 5'9'' and am single. I don't have any children but I do have a pet Chihauhau named Bonita. She is the cutest! I was diagnosed with PCOS when I was in high school and have been managing the symptoms with meds but can't loose weight on my own. I have recently started taking meds for my thyroid. I am anxious to start the lap band journey becuase I know it will dramatically change my life! I hope you hear from lots of you as we go through this journey together!

Well I had my first appointment today and I am more undecided than ever...looking around the office no one looked healthy, alot of loose saggy skin on lady look so horrible! I asked what operations she had and she said ryn two years ago...I was petrified. I have a bmi of 50 and I weighed in at 299 today...my surgery in set for September. Scared of the results I may end up with and don't want to regret it.

Did anyone think alot about how their bodies would look with the weight loss? I keep wondering if I will look a little like I did when I was in my 20's... How will I look in the face; will I lose my double chin, have a more sculpted look, will my cheekbones show again? Will I be able to feel my collar bones again, will I be able to feel my hip bones again? Will I lose it too fast for my skin to "bounce back"? I am 51 and I know that I am not a spring chicken anymore. But I fear looking older and drawn in the face. It really is a trade-off, isn't it? I mean, I may no longer need to use insulin for my diabetes, I won't be too short of breath to go up a flight of stairs without resting. I will be able to bend down and tie my shoes comfortably. I will be able to walk longer on the treadmill, fit in the carnival rides with my 13 year old son, maybe even be able to wear cordouroy pants again... Maybe I am "overthinking" this...obsessing over this. For the last few years as the weight was increasing, I slowly began to withdraw from activities I used to enjoy -- I will be opening up these opportunities, again. Why am I so intimidated by the possibility of being the person I used to be? I should welcome and embrace this. Thanks for letting me vent.... Rachel

I'd definitely have to say I look "older" in the face in that at 39 for the first time in my life I can now see some lines - frown lines and one side I have a deepish line in that nasolabial fold from your nose to mouth. I also have a little bit of crepiness under my chin, obviously from losing a chin or two. I've got deep set eyes anyway, I was always going to have a problem with dark circles and shadows as i aged, but its suddenly become much more noticeable. But I look immeasurably healthier too - I've lost the horrid bloated fat look and that more than cancels out the small signs of aging. Looking around me, I'm not bad for 39 so I try not to think about it or worry about it. I am going to have a bit of crepey loose skin on my abdomen too - I never knew whether or not three pregnancies had left their legacy because I was well padded out, but it is there, however I'm lucky never to have carried much on my tummy, so definitely no apron or tummy tucks - but I dont think I'll be wearing a bikini again either. Its just going to be a bit loose, not bulky. My boobs, sigh. I've breastfed three children for six years in total so there's no mystery why they look the way they do. I might fix them up, then again I might not. I dont really care that much, I can dress up and look fine, its not like I walk round naked in public.

There are lots of threads on this subject too. There are theories, but I don't think there is anyone "true" reason why some folks are tighter in the AM. This is purely speculation, but it seems that many people who are really tight in the AM are also really loose in the PM, so that is when they eat most of their food, when they can. Because the person goes to bed with food still in their pouch, there is some irritation because the stomach has to work harder to move the food down to the main stomach. Gravity isn't one of the working factors when we are lieing down, as far as moving it through our digestive track goes. I always have a glass of milk at night when I go to bed to wash down my meds. I then almost always follow that with a glass of Water. My level of restriction doesn't seem to change throughout the day.

A short history of my banding: Was banded in May of 2005. Had maybe 6 or 7 fills until I hit my sweet spot. The fill that took me from feeling pretty loose to just perfect was 0.25 cc. This was the first time I could feel my food sticking in my pouch. Life was so much easier and I was happy. This was in November. Just before Christmas, I got the flu and then a cold, back to back. With the flu, I had a fever that caused me to swell so that I could only get hot liquids down. I stuck it out though, and the trouble subsided. I was fine for a few weeks. Since then, every couple of weeks, my restriction changes for one reason or another. PMS bloating, stress, etc. I'll go from being pretty loose and open (food doesn't stick in pouch) to being too tight. I've had a couple of tiny unfills and then 1 cc taken out in April to let my stomach rest for a couple months. In the beginning of June, I started with tiny fills again. Just as I was going to schedule another fill to reach my sweet spot, I get the flu again and am tight for a couple days until my fever subsides. Since then (it's been about two weeks), I'm back to being loose, but I'm having reflux at night. Food goes down fine though. Do I just have a sensitive stomach?? Or is crazy restriction like this a sign of possible slippage. I'm going to speak with my surgeon tomorrow to figure all of this out, but I'm pretty scared right now that I possibly slipped at Christmas and have been living with it since then. I just thought the band was a "fickle b*tch" and this was something that I had to live with--at least that's the advice I was given. Now I feel like I should have been more aggressive in getting this looked at. :cry Any ideas? TickledPink -100 lb

Hello I am new. Have been thinking abour LapBand for about 4 months or so. Have enjoyed reading all your comments. If anyone can help me out so that this goes smooth for me I would appreciate it. I have a BMI of around 45, have about 140 lbs. to loose. I have been overweight all of my adult life, i am 33 years old. I have been heavy since I was 12 or so. I need to get healthy. Have tried everything from diets to starving myself. Just keep gaining more back. I am determined to get LapBand. I am attending a seminar on Tuesday at Brighams and Womans Hospital in Boston, MA. Any one go there. I have Aetna Insurance. Any help there??? What should I expect. I really want this to happen ASAP.

Andree, Im sorry your mom acted that way . I honestly told my parents because I thought they would understand and be supportive . My dad is a GOOD 100lbs overwt at least. So i thought of all people he would understand. They didnt. They just think I have not done everything I COULD/SHOULD to loose it. I told them " Just because you dont think i have done everything to YOUR satisfaction doesnt mean I havent done evrything I KNOW I CAN and its not about YOU its about me and MY Satisfaction and my life " I Hope you get the surgery soon as well. Feel free to email me anytime .

Toning your abs will help with belly skin as well. Try crunches or sit-ups. You're still pretty early post-op so you should start VERY slowly with crunches and sit-up as your stomach muscles are still healing. And you may not be able to do much right away. But whatever you can do without pushing too hard is a start. Then aim to push it just a tiny bit further every few days. Before you know it you'll be done lots of crunches and feeling the "core" benefits!

Has anyone that has been banded and met there goal weight not had to have plastic surgery? I am really worried that once i'm banded and lose all th weight my skin will have lost its elasticity. They say the younger you are the better your chances are of your skin shrinking back and tightening up. What do you guys think?:drool:

Hi Everyone, I know one feels nauseous and may throw up with dumping if you eat too fast, or have too much sugar. What about fatty foods? (I’m talking months post op) I think I’ve read some people get diarrhea with dumping too. Are the normal daily movements loose always or just with dumping. Sorry the topic isn’t very nice but it is important to know what to expect. Thanks

Nb, you need to ignore the "noise" and do what you feel is best for you. I know I had a few "friends" and even family that said the same, trying to discourage me. I respond back noting that I have struggled with my weight for over 20 years. Have tried all sorts of diets only to gain it all back and even more. Not to mention high blood pressure, cholesterol, Apnia and (what finally put me over the edge) borderline diabetes. Maybe they would prefer to have me continue to have declining health (better check my insurance policy...LOL) I have tried so many times to loose and keep it off, but have not been successful. Surgery is another too that has a high success rate for weight loss, but I also realize I need to change my relationship with food. If you see so many other posts about those that have already done it, it is true that many have discomfort initially, maybe even for a couple months...but over time most still say they wish they did it sooner. Good luck with with YOUR decision, I know it is a difficult decision, but it is YOURS to make. We are here to support. Sent from my iPad using the BariatricPal App

I agree with this thread a billion times over. It gets under my skin!! Research is imperative for such a life changing surgery! And the risks! People started solids too early...yeesh...some of us did everything by the book and still had leaks! I fear the sleeve is becoming more of a cosmetic procedure in our society.

****LUCKY DAY 13**** Hi friends...it's day 13 for me since surgery. I feel and look great. I'm down to 165 which translates to this progression: Jan 23 188lbs Feb 10 181lbs Feb 15 174lbs Feb 27 165lbs My clothes already feel loose and people are starting to notice, big time....I have been consuming soups and liquids at least once every 2-3hrs. I can't take much down, no more than 2-3oz except smoothies. I make a killer smoothie with Frozen Berries, Lakeland Coconut juice, Half of a banana blended and its delish! I can take about 4oz of that but in sips and over time. Love keeping that at my desk, totally curves my appetite. Last week I was very good about my walking. The last day I walked 2miles was last Thursday. 3days since a good long walk kinda bums me out, because tonight i have an event and i am not sure i can get the walk in without being exhausted when i get home. I will do whatever it takes to get these walks in everyday. Wednesday makes two weeks since my surgery. I am finally getting use to this new appetite and mentality. Although this situation with the liquids is getting old already. At first it was kinda of fun to find different things to drink, fun soups, great yogurts etc but now its just getting to me. I want something to CHEW on for the love of Christ. I don't miss food, i don't care for it, i just need to find more variety. I still have another week before dr.'s orders will allow for soft foods, tuna, cottage cheese, apple sauce, pudding, puree vegetables, mashed potatoes. I am terrified of eating at restaurants and events. This weekend was my first experience being out of my 'comfort zone' with food and one of the worst for someone in this post surgery condition. In Miami it was the South Beach Wine and Food Festival an event that i not only work but also love to attend. This year was different, i could have cared less partially b/c my fear of being around all that food but also i am just over food. I think its the same stuff over and over and over again. I gave up some pretty expensive tickets all in the name of my sanity. On Friday, i worked the event and never walked in the doors, i did everything i could from the outside and left early. My grandmother made me black bean Soup and i ran home to eat that...so good. On Saturday i had an event late at night and thank goodness it was passed canapés, because they crossed my path but i never even blinked. I got extremely hungry during the event while it was in full swing and i took a break. I took a 10min break and sat down and had my soup. The key to bad circumstances is to fill up. Even though it takes 2-4oz of anything it is just like when you are full and eating large amounts of food, once you are full that sensation of disgust after is still there. When i got home almost 4hrs after my last meal, i tore up a small bowl of black bean soup...yes at 2am. Don't judge.. lol The next day i passed on the Paula Deen Brunch and the grand tasting village. Even though i could have gone and i am not tempted to EAT desirable things, i was just fearful that friends would want me to try something or drink wine or that i would be without something to eat for a while and I might panic. Especially since i don't want to tell anyone and i do need to eat my soups etc by 2hrs. I know this is a problem but i will ease into it little by little. I am going to try with friends that know my situation just so that i can start to ease back into normal life with my new stomach and not have to feel like i am explaining to the world. This to me is forever... Also my nutrition is worrying me...i am not eating but a mere 500 calories a day and not getting enough Protein that is for sure. going to my doctor on Wed for some b-12 shots and going to up the consumption of my Protein shakes. Lessons learned so far: Plans your meals or have plenty of back up just in case Throw a single packet or two of Protein Powder in your purse. Worst case scenario. You can mix it in a bottle of Water a voila! a meal MILK products are not your friend. When on the liquid portion of your diet do not expect to evacuate every day, its more like every 4-5 and if you feel constipation take Milk of Magnesia before going to bed, you'll thank me in the morning. This is all for now. I start back up with my trainer next week so i am excited about that and major GOAL is 150 right now. Hoping to get there soon. Until then....feel free to ask questions. I am happy to help with what little experience i have with this and as with all things, I am not a medical professional nor does this post imply any medical advise or suggestions, these are personal accounts. Good night SPT friends. xo 134 and Happy!

Geez! I chew gum too! I figured that if something couldn't pass through it would come up in the form of a PB... popcorn, potatoe skins and gum included. I personally don't think that I have been restricted enough to stop these types of things from passing through, but maybe as I reach my sweet spot and understand what 'real' restriction feels like, I will need to avoid these food types. I think everyone is different and I agree with you, they could be making the case for as bad as it can be... Take Care,

I know that I stated, on a Thread that is now closed, that I would not partake in the drama and would go back into my little world after the posting there. But here I am again. This time I feel this is a productive thread. And for the most part I agree with what everyone says. I'd like to use a cops point of view.(as retired and not retarded as I am) I used to do a Safety Town formate for preschoolers in my community and I would come in on the day and time frame called "Officer Friendly" there I'd explain all the equipment on my uniform to them in terms they understood. When I'd get out my pen I'd ask them what is this and what do Police Officers use it for. Hard to believe even at their young ages most would say to "Write Tickets". We would then discuss tickets and Thank God the parents weren't there to hear the kids tell me about when mom/dad got stopped...lol Anyway I would tell them that giving mom/dad a ticket was like mom/dad putting them in "Time Out"... Its a chance for them to reflect on what they had done and to think about not doing it again. Well what my feelings here are is this: This Site is a highway of information for us and we need to respect the rules of the road here. Just like on a real highway there are rules and you do not have the freedom to violate them as you see, at least not without penalties if your caught. We must all becareful on this highway so as not to get hurt or to hurt anyone else. I am very happy to see that a set of guidlines will be forth coming and they are long over due. But I do not agree that the moderators should have a hands off policy on what is happening on here. I like most here do not agree with censorship but also I firmly do not believe the 1st amendment gives anyone the right to be vicious or hurtfull on purpose under the beleif they have the RIGHT to do so. Walk into building and yell fire and see what will happen to you if your just trying to be funny. Using the racially Hated name agains our fellow brothers and sister of a different skin color and see the hurt that it causes. The moderators need to be active in watching what is going on here. And they need to have the power to control out of control people. A frendily warning to someone who is crossing the guidelines would be in order for the first few minor offenses. But they need to remove words and post that are well outside of the guidelines without the authors permission. This wold not be censorship but sound administration of the board. I also have one more suggestion for the moderators to consider and then I will get off here before I use up all the megabites the board has left We are all adults here and some of the issues that have come up have been of a sexual senitive nature and some of them have value and there should be a way for those who really need to ask to be able to do so. I say add a rating such as a x behinf d the title so that those who have no interest in partaking in that conversation can self monitor what Threads they go into. Go into one with a x behind the thread title don't come out swinging about what been said in there and how it offended you. I will not leave this board no matter what goes on because I have formed some good friendship here and some of them do not agree with me on all my views and I like that but we can discuss our differences in a friendly person chat or PM. So far I've had no problem holding onto the friends and keeping my view points. And I hope to continue to build on that. Best wishes to all and I'm praying that we gell again as a fun place to be. Forgive any misspelling...but I fear touching that edit button right now...lol

I own my own businesses and have been self employeed for the last 10 years or so. Some days you love being self employeed- you get to do what you want when you want-wake up when you want and go to bed when you want,spend tons of time with the family or friends. But then some days you have to get up so early and work so late because you made commitments that need to be kept and everything has gone haywire in the meantime or you have bills due and are wondering how you can work enough to pay them in time and at the same time your family wonders if you still live with them. Sometimes I long to be some entry level employee with minimal responsibilities but overall I love being self employed and cannot see myself being an employee ever again. For me I get bored easily with work and seem to have to change careers every 4-6 years. I will engross myself with work and learning every minute aspect of work,shoot for success, then slowly loose interest and by the end of 4-5 years be thinking up what I can next move on to. So far each new business has been better than the last one ---time wise and $$ wise so at least that is one good thing. I also believe in diversifying somewhat-not putting all my eggs in one basket so to speak, so I try to run a primary business and a secondary one so that the chances of both being down at the same time are less likely. That is my 2 cents on the matter- take it for what it is worth. T

Hi Everyone, My new plastic surgeon sent in a letter of medical necessity to my insurance company yesterday.. He is asking for a TT (which was already previously approved) a medial thighplasty and breast augmentation. (The boobs are a long shot but he was humoring me) Well, other than having saggy boobies, I really dont have a case for medical necessity regarding my breasts. And unless there is a really compelling reason to approve it, we are really spinning our wheels. Heres what my PS wrote in the letter about the boobs: In addition, she has a moderate ptosis in the breasts bilaterally. (This basically means my breasts sag!!!) THe procedures of choice are: CPT codes: 15831 Panniculectomy/Abdominoplasty 15832 Medial thighplasty 19316 Mastopexy ( translated for those who dont know BREAST LIFT) 19325 Immediate insertion of mammary prosthesis (THIS ONE HAD ME CRACKING UP! We are referring to implants here) I wont bore you with the rest of the letter, but PLEEASE, MAMMARY PROSTHESIS? THe rest of the letter was very compelling regarding the excess skin for the stomach and thighs, but I dont think we have a chance in hell in getting an approval for a boob job. Anyway, I thought it was funny. If they approve the thighs, I will be happy and the stomach is approved already. I will pay for the boobs cause I really dont think the mammary prosthesis is going to be approved!! babs in TX