Hi everyone(: Just to put it out there i am in the process of getting a EGD done then hopefully i will get a date for my surgery (if i dont have to have anything else done after that).And since it seems close but so far away im just very curious about your stories(: I wanna hear YOUR success stories and even you horrible moments/stories. Im just so curious about what could happen possibly to me also.. Haha i think too much i know:/ Also if you had a EGD how was your experience with it? Can you somewhat tell me what to expect? Dos and donts of having the lapband. Im just really nervouse but more anxious to get it, it just seems so far away:/

What is a EGD ? I had a EKG, but for some reason that's not ringing a bell....

Hello there. I am coming up on a year and very happy with my band. I can't say that it has controlled my hunger, hoping my next fill will do it. My horror story? Thank goodness there is only one! I ate a handful of cheese Its, packed my band full and then drank a slushy. Not even thinking that I shouldn't have the slushy after eating, I was excited because my kids wanted one and I saw they had a sugar free one. Well, shorthly thereafter I couldn't even swallow my saliva. When you do get something stuck, you will get a ton of saliva and that's what comes up for me whenever I have had something get stuck.

After 5 hours of throwing up, I finally decided to call my dr. Mind you, I was camping and now it was 7:30 pm! I was atleast 50 miles away from the office and thought I could just crawl into my tent and just sleep it off. Nope, no way, no how! My physician asst met me at the office at 9:30 pm. She took a tiny bit out and instant relief! Did I learn my lesson? Well, yes and no. I never did it to that extreme but I did have Cheese Its one more time and felt them going down slow. So, since then I haven't touched them! I wish the same thing would have happened with chocolate!

Good luck! Can't wait to hear your success story down the road.

Why would you eat Cheese Its? Honestly....

Why would you eat cheese Its? Honestly....

Honestly? Because I like them. I'm not perfect. Habits are hard to break. It's a learning process, as I am sure you will find out.

Hi there!

I am going on four years with my lap band. Next Monday (2/6) I have an appointment for an endoscopy. I am looking to get my band out after struggling with it since the beginning.

After explaining to my Doc some of the symptoms I've been experiencing lately she thinks I may have have Erosion. If you haven't heard that term yet, it's when your band begins to migrate into your stomach.

Anyways, I've struggled constantly with throwing up, my hair started falling out, I developed terrible acne after never struggling with blemishes at all, the roof of my mouth swells painfully (which i've now come to learn is an odd effect of Vitamin B deficiency) I have many other deficiencies as well. I have pain and nausea when I eat.

In the 3 1/2 years i've had this I've lost approx 45 lbs, most of which was from constantly vomiting. I'm constantly exhausted and I can't wait to get mine out.

My biggest suggestion to you, is if you get the banding done invest in a great juicer. Juicing is one of the best things you can do for yourself with the lap band.

Also, EGD's are super easy, you have nothing to worry about with those. This one coming up will be my third.

I wish you all the best with your weighloss journey.

There are some people, like Michelle, whose body does not tolerate the band. I've had my band for a little over 3 months now. I love it. But do not go into this if you are not willing to work at it. The band is not a miracle cure as some diet doctors will have you believe. It is constant work. But if you follow your doctor's instructions closely, listen to your own body, and like Holly did, make your own mistakes, you will be successful. It just gets easier and easier.

ive only been banded 6 weeks so im probably not the person to give you much info, but........ i arrived at the hosp 5;45 am, was rolled into surgery at 8am and thats the last thing i remember until i was woken up at 9'30am, nurse said youre done ! recovery room with lots of ice chips until i left a 11am. EASY AS PIE ! i rested on the couch for 2 days and then was so bored and feeling fine by the 3rd day i went xmas shopping a little. other than a feeling like a bad pulled muscle on the left side for 10 days, ive had no pain. down 15 lbs, feel great and getting lots of compliments already ! im very happy with my lapband ! good luck to you !

There are some people, like Michelle, whose body does not tolerate the band. I've had my band for a little over 3 months now. I love it. But do not go into this if you are not willing to work at it. The band is not a miracle cure as some diet doctors will have you believe. It is constant work. But if you follow your doctor's instructions closely, listen to your own body, and like Holly did, make your own mistakes, you will be successful. It just gets easier and easier.

I will have to disagree! I have been what the doc calls the Poster Child for LapBand as I have been religious about getting a new fill every single time I can see that I am able to eat more (too much) I have not had to work at it...I have not been to the gym except for the first 2 months after banding. I eat what I want, when I want and have for the last almost 2 years since surgery. I wasted tons of money in the first few months trying to find a Protein shake that I could gag down since they all taste like crapola...so I have never drank one since. While my hair did thin and I ended up cutting it all off, I think this is pretty normal no matter what. I have been tested for every single little deficency possible and everything is Golden! YES, the band absolutely IS a miracle cure!! It does take many months to feel like you are at your "sweet spot", but that is completely normal! I started out in a size 20 pre-surgery and in less than one year I was in a size ZERO! Just look at my pics IT ALL HAD TO DO WITH FILLS!!!! Fill, Fill, Fill! If you want to be able to still eat like a horse, that is your perogative, if you won't tighen your band then you won't lose, SIMPLE AS THAT! Me, I always kept my band as tight as I could comfortably stand it. I haven't had any fills in about 5 months and feel perfect! If anything I will get an unfill to gain back about 5 lbs.

I will have to disagree! I have been what the doc calls the Poster Child for LapBand as I have been religious about getting a new fill every single time I can see that I am able to eat more (too much) I have not had to work at it...I have not been to the gym except for the first 2 months after banding. I eat what I want, when I want and have for the last almost 2 years since surgery. I wasted tons of money in the first few months trying to find a Protein shake that I could gag down since they all taste like crapola...so I have never drank one since. While my hair did thin and I ended up cutting it all off, I think this is pretty normal no matter what. I have been tested for every single little deficency possible and everything is Golden! YES, the band absolutely IS a miracle cure!! It does take many months to feel like you are at your "sweet spot", but that is completely normal! I started out in a size 20 pre-surgery and in less than one year I was in a size ZERO! Just look at my pics IT ALL HAD TO DO WITH FILLS!!!! Fill, Fill, Fill! If you want to be able to still eat like a horse, that is your perogative, if you won't tighen your band then you won't lose, SIMPLE AS THAT! Me, I always kept my band as tight as I could comfortably stand it. I haven't had any fills in about 5 months and feel perfect! If anything I will get an unfill to gain back about 5 lbs.

Your hair thinning is normal? Why does your hair thin with the band??

Thank you everyone for your comments(: They really mean alot to me(:

Thank you everyone for your comments(: They really mean alot to me(:

Hello there. I am coming up on a year and very happy with my band. I can't say that it has controlled my hunger, hoping my next fill will do it. My horror story? Thank goodness there is only one! I ate a handful of cheese Its, packed my band full and then drank a slushy. Not even thinking that I shouldn't have the slushy after eating, I was excited because my kids wanted one and I saw they had a sugar free one. Well, shorthly thereafter I couldn't even swallow my saliva. When you do get something stuck, you will get a ton of saliva and that's what comes up for me whenever I have had something get stuck.

After 5 hours of throwing up, I finally decided to call my dr. Mind you, I was camping and now it was 7:30 pm! I was atleast 50 miles away from the office and thought I could just crawl into my tent and just sleep it off. Nope, no way, no how! My physician asst met me at the office at 9:30 pm. She took a tiny bit out and instant relief! Did I learn my lesson? Well, yes and no. I never did it to that extreme but I did have Cheese Its one more time and felt them going down slow. So, since then I haven't touched them! I wish the same thing would have happened with chocolate!

Good luck! Can't wait to hear your success story down the road.

Unfortunately, I don't have a problem with Cheez-Its or chocolate either!

I will be celebrating my one year bandiversary on March 14th. I am 68 pounds lighter than I was before the surgery. I have given up beer, soda, champagne, steak, biscuits, breadsticks, rice, fibrous fruits and veggies, and bread. However, that's nothing to what I have gained: normal cholesterol and triglycerides, no more acid reflux or back pain, more energy, greater self esteem...I could go on and on. This journey has not been easy, no matter what opponents of weigh loss surgery say. But I'd do it all over again without hesitation. I'd go through the shoulder pain, endless liquid diet, and all the rest of it every time. Good luck on your journey!

I'm not sure hair thinning necessarily has to do with the band (it could have to do with having surgery) but that is one of the main reasons they tell you to eat your protein! And protein drinks aren't necessary; you should be able to eat solid protein when you're healed after surgery, and you eat it first and every time you eat. I didn't notice too much hair loss, but am still struggling to find my "green zone". In the mornings I am pretty tight and can't eat, some days I feel like I PB at every meal. Other days I can eat everything, it seems. I've had 4 fills and 2 defills in 1.5 years....I have found this to be a struggle most of the time but I know if I didn't have it my weight would be higher than ever, so for that I am grateful. I guess it is still a learning process after all this time and I am still learning!

I highly recommend you read Bandwagon by Jean McMillan. It has a very thorough list and explanations about our new lifestyle. And I know you've heard this a thousand times but be patient. I'm one of the most impatient people on the planet. It is a process but you will get there.