hello all i hope this is the correct forum for these questions but here they go. i am 20 and weigh about 450 plus and im starting to consider the lap band but i have a few questions and concerns. first off i work in construction driving heavy equipment. and in southern california it gets pretty hot at times and i drink alot of water through out the day i never recorded how much. my question is if i do go though with this will i still be able to drink plenty of water and have my meals through out the day? also my other concern is if i do go with this i will get it done in guadalajara. i have other surgery there and so have various family and friends with excellent results. and i would like to know is if i get the initial surgery done other there. will my local doctors still do the fillings? i will post up more questions as i think them. much thanks in advance...

hello all i hope this is the correct forum for these questions but here they go. i am 20 and weigh about 450 plus and im starting to consider the lap band but i have a few questions and concerns. first off i work in construction driving heavy equipment. and in southern california it gets pretty hot at times and i drink alot of Water through out the day i never recorded how much. my question is if i do go though with this will i still be able to drink plenty of water and have my meals through out the day? also my other concern is if i do go with this i will get it done in guadalajara. i have other surgery there and so have various family and friends with excellent results. and i would like to know is if i get the initial surgery done other there. will my local doctors still do the fillings? i will post up more questions as i think them. much thanks in advance...

That's a question for your local doctors!

Hey You will still be able to drink your water - if fact, it's kind of required. At first you won't be able to drink much water (first couple days) but then you should be drinking 64+ oz a day. Also, call up the doctor's office that you wish to get your surgery done at and see if it's available. Then check with insurance - usually they can tell you which places locally accept your insurance - and you want to make sure you get approved. There are many steps before actually getting the surgery. I had to have 3 months diet w/ nutritionist, talk to a psychologist, have blood work done on multiple occassions, meet w/ my primary care provider, and the list goes on. It's a lot of work. So definitely just make a few phone calls on Tuesday and get the ball rolling. You won't be sorry that you did!

oh ok nice to hear since i sweat alot throughout the day i drink alot of water. and i dont have insurance since im self employed. which is why i gotten surgery in mexico and considering getting it done there again... btw ill consider tj too

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.

As already said, you can have all the water you want for sure. My nut. says no drinking 15 minutes prior or 15 minutes after eating. However, from reading posts, a lot of people are told 1/2 hour to an hour before and after eating. I would look into a place to get fills before you jump into surgery. The band won't work unless you have fills. Since you probably don't want to go to Mexico every time you need a fill, a local doctor will be important. It can take quite a few fills, and maybe some unfills, along the way. Good luck!

Hmmm good info I will check into that thanks!!!

While the bypass or sleeve may be thought to be a "better" solution for those of us starting the journey at over 300 lbs, I decided to go with the band for numerous reasons... the most important to me was that is didnt in anyway alter the way my body normally functions. That said I am almost 6 months post up and I have lost 90 lbs. I have more to go.... but when I get there the band will be a tool for me to finally keep the weight off.

I drink an enormous amount of Water but for the first week after surgery you may not want to. Considering your job I doubt you will have any problems... just dont drink with your meals.

As for the question about the fills... my doctor will not do fills unless he implanted the band... but many will. Just call around in your local area. You should be able to find somone.

Best of luck to you!

There is a section on here about drs and hospitals, they may have a fill option for you.

While the bypass or sleeve may be thought to be a "better" solution for those of us starting the journey at over 300 lbs, I decided to go with the band for numerous reasons... the most important to me was that is didnt in anyway alter the way my body normally functions. That said I am almost 6 months post up and I have lost 90 lbs. I have more to go.... but when I get there the band will be a tool for me to finally keep the weight off.

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.

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.

Heather I LOVE the layout of your blog! Awesome job! If I click create blog will all those graphics be available to me?