I really need your help with answers to these key questions:

1. How long was your pre-op liquid stage, and what were you told to eat?

2. How long was your post-op liquid stage, and what were you told to eat?

3. What was your follow-up care like with the doctor and his staff -- good, so-so, could be better?

4. What was the thing you liked best about your experience and the least?

3 days, Clear liquids.

2 weeks. Weak 1= Clear broths, s.f. Jello, s.f.Popsicle, s.f pudding only to take crushed meds with. . Protein shakes

Weak 2= Thicker Soups like cream of chicken, In the organic section of the store I use to find Thick creamy soups in a tall box. Red pepper/Tomato was one of them. It was fantastic ! There Mushroom, and Butternut Squash is very good also.

Anything the consistency of Gravy was fine.

He needed to go to school for Bed Side Manners, and he didn't know much about filling the band at all. He use to grab the Port and pull on it so that it was straight, then b***h that I was the hardest person that he had to fill ! I told him "YOU PUT THE BAND IN ! YOU SHOULD KNOW WHERE EVERYTHING IS..... " He would just grumble and b***h.

Best Surgeon I ever had. Look at my Blog and see what he did the day of surgery.

He screwed up by over filling me. In his opinion He Blew the Balloon in the Band so he had to deflate me. After that he wouldn't see me any more.

1. I was on a 10 day pre op diet. I was told to stick to protein shakes and if I was starving, I was allowed to have some non starchy vegetables. I think the amount of time depends on your doctor and your BMI. The day before surgery, just clear liquids which includes chicken broth, SF Jello, SF popsycles, water, gatorade etc.

2. My post op diet progresses as follows: 2-3 Days of clear liquids, 5 days of full liquids (you can add in protein drinks and anything SF and non carbonated at this point), 1 week of pureed (you can basically puree anything to a baby food consistency. I ate a lot of FF Refried Beans mixed with ricotta cheese at this stage...super yummy and full of protein), 1 week of soft foods (i.e. tuna, chicken in a can...anything that can be easily flaked with a fork), then regular food. If you find you are unable to tolerate moving to the next stage, stay on the current one until comfortable.

3. Follow up care was excellent. I'm a very low maintenance patient as I have had zero complications. No complaints whatsoever.

4. The best thing about this experience so far? Definitely losing the weight! I'm happier, I feel better...everything is just better! It's been pretty easy for me thus far. I've been tracking everything I eat, keeping my portions controlled, counting calories as I had not felt restriction. I've still lost 33 pounds!! I just had my first fill on Tuesday so that might even boost my weight loss even more.

Anyways, good luck on your venture! The Lap Band is an awesome tool!!

1. I was on a pre-op diet of 600 calories to shrink the liver took 2 months.. was not on a liquid diet.

2. Liquid diet post-op lasted 4 weeks. Liquid was anything that could be sucked up a straw.

3. My Surgeon and staff are great, 100% happy so no complaints.

4. I liked being on the pre-op diet as once i started eating normal food post -op it felt like i was eating a feast going from 600 calories to 1000 calories. I also like the amount of weight i had lost.

I was just banded on 12/15/11 and here's what my team recommends

No specific pre-op diet, but had to lose and keep off 5% of starting weight when starting the process

After surgery: 1 day clear liquids, 1 week full liquids, 2 weeks purees, and then on to regular foods.

I start regular food tomorrow and am so excited to pack away my blender!

I was on no special diet pre surgery on clear liquids first week after (you have no appetite anyway) then back to regular foods but healthier choices ... I love my Dr and his staff, anytime i have a question i just call and they answer and my Doc has a great sense of humor. I am so happy i did this, it is NOT the answer all but it is a FANTASTIC tool to help get you were you need to be,,,,a healthier, fit new you...I started this journey at 320 and am down to (as of this am) to 259 ...I LOVE MY BAND...GL to you!!

3 week pre-op, liquids only

2 week post-op, liquids only

love my dr and his staff.

LOVE LOVE LOVE my band, down 165 so far and I love it

Clear liquids only 2 weeks preop and 2 weeks postop. (lost most of my weight here), then advanced to full liquids for a week, then mushies for 2 weeks, then solids in week 6 postop.

Surgeon and office staff PHENOMENAL!!!! Followup care was amazing - fills were good - doc had me drink Water while he was filling it so he could measure when it was too full. (I'm currently not in the green zone, but can't afford another fill for a couple months)

the only thing I don't like so far is the slow weight loss since my band is a little under-filled.

I really need your help with answers to these key questions:

1. How long was your pre-op liquid stage, and what were you told to eat?

2 weeks, did not care what I ate as long as I lost 20lbs! Liquid shakes worked the best.

2. How long was your post-op liquid stage, and what were you told to eat?

2 days clear, then 5 days heavier liquids (soups, etc)

3. What was your follow-up care like with the doctor and his staff -- good, so-so, could be better?

First app. 1 week post-op, cleared for exercise, other things, then back in 3 weeks for first fill. Every 4 weeks thereafter, now every 3 months.

4. What was the thing you liked best about your experience and the least?

Best - how easy everything was, how laid back my Surgeon is, how fun the office staff is. it was, and still is a breeze!

Least - really can't come up with anything. I could say getting stuck, but I welcomed that and was excited when it started. Knew I was there!

You guys are ROCK STARS! Your input is invaluable.

Thanks a lot!!

UPDATE:

FYI. Based on all the input I've received to date from good folks like you. I've narrowed the field down to just two doctors: Dr. John Michael Marsden and Dr. Stephen Hamn. Dr. Marsden is at the head of the pack. I don't know much a lot Dr. Hamn yet, but I'm researching him now.

I decided against, Dr. Benavides, Dr. Cribbens and Dr. Fox. All are Dallas area surgeons.

1. How long was your pre-op liquid stage, and what were you told to eat? I did 2 weeks of Atkins to shrink liver (no liquid pre-op diet required)

2. How long was your post-op liquid stage, and what were you told to eat?

First week clear (only cold) liquid. Then creamy, then progress with soft/mushie and so on......

3. What was your follow-up care like with the doctor and his staff -- good, so-so, could be better?

My doc did not require constant visits (and zero pre-op testing) and that worked great for me because I live in a different town. He and his staff were there any time I needed, but that was not often. I went back for a couple fills and then didn't go back for 10 months and had almost hit the 100# lost mark. I lost 100 at my 1 year date. I went back for a tiny tweek fill about 11 months after that. My doc has since retired, so I will go to someone he told me to go to in the future.

4. What was the thing you liked best about your experience and the least? It was great that I had zero hoops to jump through pre-op. It's a waste of time and money in my case. The surgery was outpatient. The very best thing has been that this has been the easiest weightloss in my life and the weight has stayed off! The worst thing that has happened during the 2 1/2 years is that I had quite a bit of hairloss. It is all back now, but was a drag for quite some time.