Hi, my name is Joyce and I got banded in August 2008. I did not use any doctor I saw listed here. Well while I was there for my first fill he informed me that he was no longer taking any insurance and it was cost me $250 for each fill. I didn't have that kind of money so I left mad. I would have never used him if I knew that! I yelled at him asking why he didn't let me know before surgery because I wouldn't have picked him and he didn't have an answer. I said " guess you wanted to extra money from my surgery" and I turned and walked away. Well I tried 2 other doctors and they couldn't fill it and told me that my port had turned. So I was so upset about everything that I just sat and did nothing. I didn't gain or lose weight, I just sat there feeling sorry for myself. Not wanting to go through another surgery, I didn't know what to do. My daughter saw Dr. Singh and he did a sleeve on her in Feb of this year so I asked him about a revision to a sleeve for me. He asked is he could try to fill my band because we should try everything before revisions and I said sure. Well he did!! I couldn't believe it. So since March 22nd I have lost 33 lbs. I go for another fill this week, on the 28th. Hopefully things are going to get better for me and I will start losing faster. At 57 and needing to lose over 200 lbs, I want faster weight loss than 2 lbs a week. Good grief, I will be dead before I lose all I need to. My band is still pretty open because I can still eat a whole chicken thigh and veggies and even some potatoes or pasta. I need to stay low carb but I haven't been totally faithful to it. So thats my story, thanks for listening. I hope to be visiting here quite often. Joyce

Joyce sorry to hear your experience was so bad but sounds like you have someone now that is going to take good care of you if he was just in it for the money he would have just done the sleeve(more money) instead of try to work with what was already done sounds like a good DR. I applaud you on getting back on that horse it's very easy to get stuck feeling sorry for ourselves and stay right there. remember it took a awhile for the weight to creep up and sometimes you need to just let it slowly melt off. you will give your body time to adjust and possible prevent(or reduce) sagging skin so trust your DR but if you focus on your diet I'm use the 2 lb/week will go up. I haven't been banded yet I am hoping for Aug but this is some of the stuff my nutritionist was mentioning about weight loss Good Luck to you and God bless

Hi DeAna N, thanks for friendly welcome. I wish you all the best.

I agree w/DeAna. 33 lbs in 3 months is awesome! You're doing great! God bless!

I'm so impressed with you for standing up for yourself with that first doctor, and for jumping back on the bandwagon with your new dr. He sounds great that he was willing to work with you and the band instead of jumping right into a revision.

You're doing a great job!

Good news is you're back on the bandwagon. Bad news is you should lower your expectations of how much weight you will lose per week. In the early stages of any diet plan the body rids itself of excess fluids it's holding back. Fat cells do that you know?

Basically, the math won't support more than 2 lbs(fat loss) a week. Here's why: You must burn 3500 calories more than you consume to burn off 1 lb fat. You need about 2000 calories a day just to stay at your current weight. In other words, your body uses 2000 calories a day walking, standing, breathing cleaning house, etc. So, if you eat 1500 calories a day and burn off 2000, you've burned 500 more than you consumed. 500 X 7 = 3500 calories burned a week or 1 lb(fat) lost.

Now, add into this some exercise and fewer calories consumed and you can accelerate the weight(fat) loss to 2 lbs per week. But don't slip one single day or it aint gonna happen.

Good to see you're happy to be here. Look forward to many updates.

tmf

What a horrible thing that Dr did. It seems like a form of malpractice or fraud. But it is awesome you have the band working for you now! You have done great. Keep it up! Thanks for joining.

Hi Joyce. Welcome. Sorry that you had to go thru that stuff.

Now that you are on the right track. Just go forward.

I wanted to mention that Pasta, bread and potatoes to eat will not help you lose the wieght that you want to lose. I recommend that you purchase calorie, carb and Protein book. AND READ IT/

We are on a high protein ~ low carb program here.

Best of luck to you. Keep posting. Eat slowly cause soon you will have restriction and you will have to chew chew chew. hugs. ilene