Search the Community

Besides what has already has been mentioned, there were three things that my surgeon said that stayed with me and led me to choose the sleeve. First, at some point the band WILL stop working. it might be 20 years from now but that was a real concern since I am in my 30's and in for the long haul. Second, there are lots of ways to cheat your band such as drinking with food to push the food thru so you can eat more. Last but prbably the most important to me, you have a foreign item in you. My husband had hernia repair with mesh. We found out three years later that the mesh had been recalled the day before surgery and his surgeon didnt know and used it. It can cause death but too risky to remove. It was an eye opener that made me scared to consider the lapband.

I just paid the hospital there share this morning, before doing my prep. My surgeon will get his next week. I tried to get this approved 8 years ago with Aetna, and ultimately was denied after 6 months of hoop jumping. This time, when I decided I wanted to try again, my husband and I decided to pay cash. I wish that I could have relied on my health insurance to cover most of it, but I am glad that we are in the position to cover the cost.

Green - I'm was really interested in your post regarding a history of chronic depression. I've been on every anti-depressant at one time or another and know the utter exhaustion that can come with depression. I don't expect surgery to fix everything - just hoping to lose 60 to 75 lbs so that I have more energy for my 10 year old and to eliminate weight as a reason for various aches and pains as I age. I don't go to the dr much because they just tell me to lose some weight and try to keep my stree levels down. Sure, I'll get right on that after I mow the lawn, get the pets to the vet, have my child evaluated for ADHD while working my exhausting but low paying job!:rolleyes Growing up my sister was the fat one. She's probably 350 or more now. When I zoomed by 200lbs a few weeks ago - something I would have thought impossible when I was in my 30s - I knew I didn't have the resolve to do this on my own. Now I just have to get someone to go along with me for the surgery! thanks for listening.

Marimaru......sounds like you are doing the right thing, the safe thing for your body. I had a complete unfill last summer before I had PS.....and I still felt like I had restriction for about 3-4 weeks - that was a relief!! I could see myself gaining 20 pounds while my 'fat apron' removal was healing. But it didn't happen. I think the key may be in avoiding the white carbs.....they cause your blood sugar to bounce and make you think you're hungry when you really are not. You won't feel deprived and you'll be able to control your eating and staying on track. Be sure and track your food intake on something like fitday and keep your Protein count high to keep your metabolism going at full speed. I, too, have a slipped band and am going thru the 4 wks of liquids til we can figure out what to do. We can do this!! It's too important to not be successful in getting thru this bump in the road. Hugs, Gayle

So I went on vacation to Europe for a month. I know, you don't feel sorry for me! There was a lot of sausage, bread, and beer to be had! I did not have any problems with getting stuck...at first. Two weeks into my trip, I fell off a horse. OW ow ow ow ow! I did a few things wrong after that: 1) I took Aleve because I knew I was going to hurt like hell later, and 2) Later, my hosts forced me to drink the Polish medicine, which is normally vodka but they thought I needed something stronger so it was cognac, and 3) I proceeded to eat a normal sausage-y dinner. It was not long before I was stuck and sliming. I've never been stuck before, only had an uncomfortable feeling when I eat too fast or too big a bite. The sliming eventually led to vomiting, and there were streaks of blood in it. Oh how scared I was! I was in a foreign country, vomiting blood, and I just knew that if I went to the hospital, they wouldn't know what to do with me. So I only told my husband, who was freaked out but agreed to stay quiet and keep an eye on me. I sipped Water for the rest of the evening, then just ate soft stuff for 24 hours. I felt fine the next day...well, my stomach felt fine. My body was extremely sore! I had to be more careful with food after that, I seemed to feel tight/stuck more easily. I visited my bariatric doctor when I got home, who checked my band with the x-ray and everything looked great. I ate basically whatever I wanted for a month and gained a pound. Not bad! We walked a LOT, and I was not the person everyone else had to wait for, as in past trips. 7 months of exercise allowed me to be the person in front for a change! So other than the horse fiasco, I had a really great experience.

Hello new friends, I am probably on here super early. I don't have a doctor, surgery date, or any of that yet. I can only tell you that about 4 days ago, I got to a point where I was disgusted at the weight I've gotten to. I began crying to my mother (who by the way is 100 pounds and tried to tell me she understood) and I haven't been able to stop crying since. I hate that I can't bend over to tie my shoes, I hate that I can't keep a pair of jeans for longer than 4 months without getting holes in the crotch from the rubbing, I hate that I can't cross my legs, I hate having rashes and the way I smell, and most of all I hate that my poor kids are always bored because I never want to get up as I don't have the energy to do much more beyond getting myself to work every day. You would think that all of this would give me enough motivation to just take the weight off but it doesn't. Instead I get even more depressed, and I eat even more. I know it's wrong yet I keep eating and eating…3 helpings sometimes and then I proceed to eat what is leftover on the kids's plates because I can't bare to waste food. I'm sick. I don't know why I can't stop but it's really spiraling out of control and I need to do something. I got to talking to a couple of friends both of whom I've known for many years. One has had a lap band with much success and the other has had gastric bypass with much success. They both recommended the sleeve ironically. I'm trying to read up on all the surgeries and I guess I feel it may be the right one as well. I've been reading non stop for 3 days now and my next step is to see a doctor. What are the opinions of others on the differences between the three surgeries? My other dilemma, and I know I've read this already from others on here, is am I taking the easy way out or should I just do it with diet and exercise because I have done it before? I've struggled with weight since I was a child. I come from an Italian family where everything revolves around food. I remember my grandmother would make ravioli and at the young age of 6 years old, she would encourage me to eat 10 of them. Then when I ate 10, she would encourage me to eat another 2. Then there was dessert…and never just one choice. It went on like this for years until finally I moved away from my family and decided to try and see what I could do to lose the weight now that food wasn't around every corner. I did everything from good old diet and exercise to fasting. I could never keep it off longer than a month or so. Finally, around the age of 25, after my first son was born, I took most of it off and got down to 125 pounds, which is still heavy for a 5 foot tall woman. It took so much effort that my life had to revolve around diet and exercise. I took Xenadrine, which is now off the shelves (hmmm, I wonder why), I walked to and from work, was on my feet at work teaching all day, ran 4 miles or more each day on top of that, ate absolutely no dairy and very few carbs, ate 5-6 tiny meals each day, and never ever ate after 4pm. I followed every diet tip known to man and was still considered overweight for my height and build. All that work and all it took was me taking a desk job for it to all go to crap. I had lost my teaching job and began working in an office that I couldn't walk to, sat all day, and immediately the weight gain started and I was back to 180 in a matter of months, even though I kept doing most of the other things. Xenadrine was taken off the shelves and there went another 20 pound increase. My lifestyle now would not even allow for part of that. I have three children, barely have time for myself, and I work at a desk for at least 10 hours each day. I get home at 7:00pm starved and just start shoveling the food in. I am really just doing a lot of venting here and would love for someone to tell me I am looking in the right direction with the option of surgery. I plan to make an appointment here in the next few weeks with a doctor but it always helps to have the support of others who understand. If someone thinks I should just suck it up and get myself to diet the normal way again, please say so Thanks for hearing me out and I will be around reading more and more and educating myself as much as possible. I will keep everyone up to date on what the doctor says once I get the appointment.

Hi i knoe exactly what school you went to. and thank u. i used to live in houston texas and it was hot and humod didnt like it. i love cali. lol i had surgery sept 19, 2013 and nov 11 had my first fill of 4cc but had no restriction i just got another fill this week and i got 2cc for a total of 6cc and still no restriction my weighloss is super slow im down 40 lbs since surgery and at my last appointment i found out i have a 14cc band of all the forums i read alot of people have a 10cc band. what size band do you have and how long did it take to get to ur sweet spot?

thank you, I need 2 knee replacements decided to do this first and thensee how the knees go. I will remember what you said no nutrients don't consume .congrads. on your weight loss, hope i do as well..hopefully this site and lap support at docotrs will help a lot I am sure... I also have a hard time getting around have to use scotter at stores, cannot walk a distance, or stand very long.. doctor says for me to loose 30 lbs before using step machine at the Ymca because of my blood pressure... so I use a floor pedal bike at home for starters, can't wait for it to warm up so I can use my pool.. should be April... Hopefully hubby will support after surgery, but he is not going to stop me, I take care of my motherinlaw who lives with us she is 83 and in a wheelchair on some days and a walker the other, also is on dialysis 2 times a week so I have o get better to take care of her better and hubby has a pacemaker defib. so I am needed by both of them.. have to do this for many reasons health being the first and looking and feeling better after that... so thank you for your support and advice !!!!

Thank you all for the great responses! OK, so I have conclused what my doc told me at the beginning, I am a grazer indeed! I just like to fill my friggin face! lol. :thumbup: Lets just be grateful for the band and know it's doing it's job, we just have to kick ourselves in the A$$ once in a while. Ok, so week 3 I still have not eaten at my desk. I know I could eat healthy foods as one of the posters suggested, but give me an inch and I'll take a MILE! :tt2: Also, I am a workaholic and am ALWAYS at my desk, so I needed to get this under control. I also have 2 Protein shakes a day and plenty of drinks while working. I do allow myself to eat my healthy lunch at my desk somtimes, but I realy don't miss the crumbs and ickies on my keyboard! Thank you all for your support. :smile:

im a receptionist for aerospace...i sit all alone...bored out of my mind!!!!!!!!!!!!! i use to snack on boxes of cheese its...sunflower seeds (were my favorite) along with whatever else i could find at 7-11...lol...the week b4 i had surgery i threw it all away...it was kind of embarrassing...now i snack on a super big gulp full of crystal lite....and that seems to keep me occupied when i want to reach out for something...but it was really hard in the beggining...i ate a lot out of pure bordem!!!!!!!!!!

Thank you everyone for the great advice! I am going to have both done at the same time. If its more than what my pocket can handle I will just re- schedule my surgery for August. The kids are going back to school August 3rd and we all know the expense that comes with back to school for the kids.. I'm not going to toy arouind with my health. My babies need me.. I will add yall to my friends list and update yall once I find out next week how much more they are tagging on me. LOL..best wishes for all.

:eek: I am so sorry to hear you are having such a rough time. I didn't even get staples, my doc used some kind of super glue:drool:! The only pain I have had was when I started walking the tube from the port to the band was being aggravated from walking but the doc told me it would go away after a couple of weeks..which really went away sooner! You need to be sure to keep yourself hydrated and that will also help your swelling but if you continue to be uncomfortable I would call the doc and just see whats going on!!:sad: Let us know how you are doing and take care!!:biggrin2:

Based on my experience with zillions of diets....................my experience has been that if you aren't getting a good balance of protein and carbs you are at risk for brain fog type of stuff. When you are on your shakes, IMHO, if you make sure you are getting some carbs in as well as protein you should be fine. I don't think the band alone causes lack of concentration. ANd after 2-3 weeks you will more than likely be well adjusted to whichever shake you will be using and/or the foods your doc allows you to have.

I am presently in the process of finding a lawyer and bringing a suit against the doctor who put in my band. It was done in Mexico, and was not sutured in place, so was slipping around and causing pain and nausea. It had to be removed back here in the states a week after it was put in. Of course my insurance company here won't cover the bills because they were related to a "non-covered" procedure. So including the initial surgery fee, I now have $38,000 of uncovered bills, oh yeah, and no band! Legally, it is more complicated since the surgery was done in Mexico. I will post when I have more concrete information, but right now this is in the preliminary phase.

My seminar is tomorrow!!!!! How long is it usually between seminar and surgery? I'm a self pay. Someone I know who used the same doctor that I am said she set her surgery date at the seminar for 3 weeks later. Has anyone else done that or heard of that?

I'm so glad you asked this! (And that PdxMan answered it) I was really sweating this for exactly the same reason. I can't do my surgery for another few weeks just because of vacations and other issues, but I still plan to be strict on my diet and exercise... I've already fallen below 40 BMI but I still have a long way to go!!

You won't have to give it up for long, I went back on it a couple weeks after. In fact, I am heading out soon to get a grande something!

I felt the same way too and lived on gas X strips as well. Those things are awesome!! It gets better after a few days (within a week for me) Good luck

i understand all of you completely i had my surgery 12-12-07 so a week after my surgery i went and bought a scale. so i was wieghing myself weekly and i was dropping weight like nothing i was 2 1/2 weeks in and i was down 44 pounds then i weighed myself last week and i was down 55 pounds i was like woooooohooooooooooooo then i weighed myself again it it showed me at 190 and i was like yea that aint right. evil thing so i went to doctors it gave me the accurate weight at 24 pound weight loss and i was disappointed i thought i had at lease lost more. and dr was like what do ya want 24 pounds in 3 1/2 weeks is excellent. then i went to weight myself again and i was down another 8 pounds wooooooooohoooooooooooooo im so excited now getting back on track. the evil scale was thrown outta the house now i need to find a good accurate scale. lol:whoo:

I loved my coffee before surgery....however, after surgery, my sleeve doesn't seem to like it much anymore. I'm only 5 weeks post-op so I'm hoping sleevie comes to accept an occasional cup as time goes on. I can handle a tsp of instant coffee in my protein shakes, but that's it right now. The good stuff messes with my stomach acid. ????

It reinforced what I thought about fast food. I'd go so far as to say that letting your kids eat McDonalds several times a week ought to be a crime punishable by law. The absolutely MOST horrifying thing about that movie though was the school lunch thing. Please tell me that wasnt typical of what kids in American schools get fed for lunch? Did you see that muck - all that neon yellow and orange food and barely a vegetable in sight and that stupid stupid moronic woman trying to argue that it wasnt their responsibility that if they served poison that kids chose to eat it. Somewhere there was a bowl of sad, tired fruit hidden away and she had the gall to suggest that the kids could choose that if they wanted to! We dont have school lunches provided here, they either bring from home or have a lunch order from the school canteen. The government has just banned soft drinks from ALL school canteens which I think is a good thing but I"m disgusted by the options offered by our school canteen locally, its run by a business separate to the school and they have no care in the world for children's health, just in selling what kids will buy. I still let my kids eat Maccas of course, but we've actually never really touched KFC or Subway or any of that, it looks too disgusting for words, I havent eaten KFC since I was a kid myself. But I swear there's something addictive in that stuff that makes kids want it more and more. Its a constant battle. Now, I'm all excited this mornign because we have our first local farmer's market down at the football oval near the shopping centre this morning, loads of lovely organic produce from surrounding Gippsland. My kids actually do get excited about organic fruit because it tastes so good.

Kristi, You are not alone with your struggles with the band. We all have our own "little" things that make us depressed and drag us down. You can get through this. I, too, compare myself to other banders, but we have to try to stop doing that. Everyone is different and everyone's body is different. For example, just last week I saw a womans profile that was very similiar to mine. She currently weighs one more pound than me and she said that she wears a size 12 pants. How could that be, I thought. I weight one pound less and I'm in a 16/18. What in the world is going on? Then...after about a day or so...I realized that we all have different body types, different shapes, sizes, heights, etc. I cannot focus on her great accomplishments...I need to concentrate on myself. I have come a long way and I have a long way to go. We can do this!!! It's a journey that we signed up for when we went to the doctor and said that we wanted the lap band. Every ounce lost is an accomplishment. I can't imagine what my weight might be right now if I didn't get the band. It was a steady climb up and it never went down. food was running my life and for the first time in a very long time, I feel like I'm in control. I love the saying "Thin feels better than food tastes". Although I'm not thin (yet)...I am smaller than I was and I'm starting to feel good about myself. I notice that I hold my head up higher than before. I am actually enjoying shopping for clothes. All of these things I dreaded before. I didn't buy clothes because nothing would fit and I would settle for anything that I could get on, no matter how ugly it was. Now I have a variety...I feel like I have a choice in what I buy. I too have a bad back. I just had x-rays on Friday and I go back to my doctor this Friday to try to figure out what is wrong. It's painful, but I try to find exercises that aren't uncomfortable. It's difficult, but I manage. One thing that I found enjoyable that didn't hurt me was Water aerobics. Prior to going to my first class I thought that I just crawl into a hole because I had to put on a bathing suit. Much to my surprise, the class was filled with woman of all shapes, sizes and ages. I felt like I really fit in. Everyone was so nice and nobody judged. It was great. You should look into something like that. Kristi---pick your chin up...face the evil of food!!! I will be your buddy...I will help you in any way that I can. I'm no expert by any means, but I know how to be a friend and if that's what you need... I am here for you!!!

I had my lapband surgery on October 21st and I've been wondering the same thing! When will I feel like I'm really doing good and get all this wonderful energy everyone talks about? I work out 4-5 times a week and work full-time and I'm just so tired all the time. I'm 3 months & one week out from my surgery and have only lost 30 lbs. I'm glad to see I'm not the only one feeling this way and losing slow because I was starting to think there's something wrong with me or that my band isn't working. I've had 2 fills and the doc wouldn't give me a third last time I went because I'd lost 8 lbs in a month. He said I can't come back for 3 months but I'm going back in 1 month and thinking about putting rolls of quarters in my pockets so he can't say I'm losing enough weight and refuse to give me another fill. lol

I have a million things running through my mind (as you can see with all me responses and threads). Now I am worried about work now though. I work for USPS and lift up to 70 pound bags of mail/parcels. Will the Dr. do the FMLA paperwork for 2-3 weeks? I don't want to hurt myself or ruin the surgery.