Hello- my name is Jill and I am thinking about the lap band as is my SIL and she told me about this site. I think it is great! I went for the informational seminiar the other day, and I am turning in my paperwork Monday to fight with my insurance company. Anyway I need to lose about 100 pounds and I have been unsuccessful on conventional low cal diets. I am quite insulin resistant but I am not a diabetic yet. I was on an 800 cal diet for quite a while and I didnt lose any weight with it. My endocrinologist said I would need to get my calories lower yet. ( my lack of loss was not due to the conservation theory- I was on it long enough to rule that out) I did however feel HORRIBLE on it-- constant hunger, headaches and low blood sugar. I am a little worried that I may feel the same way after the lap band. Has anyone experienced this? It never passed the 3 months I was at 800 cal. ( I went up to 1000 b/c I felt so much better on 1000) I dont want to live forever feeling that awful, and it makes me nervous that the lap band may cause this. Some other questions I have are:

1. What was your pre-op diet?

2. What was your post op diet? Liquids for how long?

3. When do you get a fill?

4. How much does it hold?

5. What happens if it slips?

6. How commons are slips?

7. How do you determine if you need a fill?

8. How do you determine if you need to unfill?

9. What happens if your port flips?

the dr answered some of these questions at the seminiar but I want to hear it from the actual patients that have lived with this-- some how getting it from the skinny surgeon just isnt cutting it! LOL Thanks Jill

1. What was your pre-op diet?

none, I ate yummy Mexican the night before and drank a margarita. But nothing to eat or drink after about 10pm. some people do a liver-shrinking liquid diet for 1 week, 10 days, 2 weeks...depends on the doc.

2. What was your post op diet? Liquids for how long?

Clear Liquids for 4 days, add in V-8, protien drinks for 4 days, then add cream Soups and full liquids. Soft Mushies after 2 weeks, Full Mushies after 4 weeks, and soft solids as tolerated. I think that's about right. Each doc is different though

3. When do you get a fill?

I could have gotten one at 6 weeks but didn't need it until 3 months out.

4. How much does it hold?

Depends on your band. Mine holds 4cc of saline. My first fill was 2cc, too tight, took out .4cc, just right.

5. What happens if it slips?

Some slips can go away with a complete unfill. Seems odd to me but I have heard of that. Most times, it's corrected with another surgery.

6. How commons are slips?

I don't know the rates or stats, but it happens. Avoid PBing, illnesses that cause frequent vomiting, eat correctly, follow the rules, and you shouldn't slip. But it happens.

7. How do you determine if you need a fill?

hmmm, I can eat too much and don't stay full eating the bandster way (solid protiens first, well-chewd, then veggies/fruits, then carbs if needed)

8. How do you determine if you need to unfill?

Can't eat solids and mushies are uncomfortable. Reflux. Pbing.

9. What happens if your port flips?

Some docs can manipulate your port and still hit it. If not, surgery ro repair it.

That it? it's late, gotta get to bed but I'll check back in on you. You will get great replies, don't worry. Good luck and Welcome to LBT!!

1. What was your pre-op diet? my doctor did not require a pre-op diet.

2. What was your post op diet? Liquids for how long? Post-op full liquids for 3 weeks, soft/mushies for 4 weeks then on to regular food.

3. When do you get a fill? I am scheduled for my first fill at 7 weeks

4. How much does it hold? That depends on which band you are fitted with. Mine will hold a total of 4cc of saline.

5. What happens if it slips? I believe the current treatment for slips is to unfill the band and see if it resolves on its own. If not it would require an additional surgery to reposition the band.

6. How commons are slips? I believe that current statistics show the chance of slippage at under 5%.

7. How do you determine if you need a fill? My doctor has a preset schedule but normally if you are not losing 1-2 lbs per week and are hungry in less than 3-4 hours when eating as recomended then you need a fill.

8. How do you determine if you need to unfill? If you are unable to keep down solid protiens and in the severe case liquids then you might be to tight and need to have some fill removed

9. What happens if your port flips? From what I have heard on the board port flips are corrected easily under local anesthesia.

Hope this helps,

I'm a newbie but here's my input:

1. pre-op was liquids for one week (soup, protein shakes, water, etc)

2. post-op - liquids as above for one week, 2 weeks of mushy, then slow incorp. real food

3. My doc says not to fill for 5 weeks after surgery but he says I'll probably need a fill after that b/c most people don't feel restriction w/out a fill - he says when I stop losing or don't fee restrcition to fill

4. My band hold 4 cc I think - not sure - there are different bands/sizes - look arouind on this site

5. and 6. I think if it slips they have to surgically put it back in place but the slippage rate is low - like 2%

7. see #3

8. when you get pregnant or you are so tight you can't get liquids down you need a lilttle unfill (not the whole band emptied - just a little unfill)

9. I think you have to get port repair surgery (minor I think)

Anyways, good luck with your decision! Welcome to LBT!

That reminds me of another question.... Anyone on here had a pregnancy with the lap band? Did your dr say what changes the uterus may displace the band?? Are you allowed to have a partial fill with pg as long as the baby is growing?

My doctor recomends no pregnancy for 2 years. I have a 13 and 15 year old and have no plans to ever get preggers again. Hubby had the snip snip and would be very unhappy if I did!

But from what I have read the band does not interfere with pregnancy or visa versa.

I am planning on having 2 or 3 kids in a few more years. Everyone says the band and pregnancy is just fine - you just get unfilled and have the lil tyke! There are people on here that have had band babies - do a search!