Im 3 weeks out from removal surgery. Eating well & healthy while still loosing weight. This last week I added weights at the gym in addition to daily cardio. Im so excited about salads and veggies. My incision s are healing well and pain is gone. So happy to be getting back to healthy.

Good for you. So good to hear you're moving on after such a disappointment.

Did you see this post later in the day? You're just one of a few who might be able to answer her questions?

http://www.bariatricpal.com/topic/305589-lap-band-removal/?p=3450683

Good for you!!!

what kind of diet did they have you following afterward Leena. I'm just so upset right now i could die. I can't believe this happened and didn't even have any symptoms. it won't fix on it's own so only other option is to remove it. can't replace it because the stomach is damaged and insurance won't pay for another since my BMI is 30.3. i know how to eat, i'm just afraid my psych part is going to take over my smart plan

Laurie- I'm a vegetarian, so my diet is probably not the most normal one out there. I generally get Protein in the form of egg whites, lentils, black Beans, just about any kind of bean, as well as Protein shakes. Mostly I've been striving for 60 grams of protein a day- 26 grams is from my morning Protein shake. When I find myself getting hungry between meals I snack on cucumbers with balsamic vinegar and garlic. I easily get in all my Fiber and have salads at lunch and dinner.

Since band removal I'm able to eat garlic and spicy foods again without being sick. So every meal has garlic. Yesterday I added some jalapenos to my salad for flavor.

Making food as flavorful and diverse as possible also helps me from overeating or getting bored with food.

I haven't gone back to any of my pre-band vices (mainly bread, Pasta and all those bad carbs). And I think for me this is key. I know I could sit down and eat a whole box of pasta myself, but then again I see that as leading me down the road back to 350 pounds. So I don't allow myself to eat it. The thought of seeing 350 pounds again and being so inactive, unhealthy, unable to enjoy life, having swollen feet, diabetes, high cholesterol and asthma terrifies me.

I also workout daily, sometimes twice a day.

Yes, I'm greatly motivated by my desire to never be 350 again. In a way I feel like one bad food choice could lead to another, which could lead to another, and then, well I don't want to go down that rabbit hole again. I'm very mindful of my choices when it comes to food and activity.

As per insurance covering an additional surgery for me, well I just don't know if they will. My BMI is right on the border of it at 35 but at the moment don't have any co-morbities. I do have 2 herniated discs in my back which is another reason I don't want to gain any weight as my back hurts enough as it is. With working out more I find that by the end of the day my back pain is worse and sleeping is difficult. So I have to go back to the ortho and see what can be done there.

I'm going in tomorrow to request band removal after 5 years. i don't consider it a failure as I got to the weight I desired and will work to stay there. But after the band broke loose we took all the liquid out hoping I could just avoid surgery and things got worse this past year. I figure I may as well resolve this now that I have good insurance and as I heard there is a big chance the second time around it will also come loose I am not getting another one. I would still recommend the surgery as it worked great but things like this do happen so we just move along.

I had my appointment today. Surgery maybe in 3 weeks.