Weight Loss Surgery - Just for Lapbanders 1

since there are relatively few of you [compared to those of us who have gone 'all the way'!], i thought it would help if ya'll had a thread just for you and your issues. and just think!!! you can educated everyone about the fill process!!

jump in!!!! :bravo:

Okey dokey! Since I'm now officially a bandster, I'll jump right in. I can't wait to share experiences with other banders who come along. I know two of you who are thinking about this, so if you have any questions about my experience so far, post away!

Chicka-banded-dee

I'm so glad you guys started this thread. Really thinking about the band over the RNY. So here's the first question.......what do you think are the best sites on the net about this? Anything other than Obesityhelp.com, 3FC, or Spotlight Heath?


Deb :D

Hi Deb,
My favorite "other" site is http://lapbandtalk.com/forum/
There are lots of real people who have been, or want to be, banded and I think you get a lot of truth there.
I also get a lots of info from various Yahoo groups. Most states seem to have their own yahoo bandster group.
Here is another Yahoo group that I like: http://health.*************.com/group/SmartBandsters/?yguid=175175021

Hopefully I did those links correctly.

So far, I think this band thing was a good idea, but I have to be honest that there have been a few moments where I wondered what on earth I was thinking. I keep telling myself to focus on the long-term and to visualize the new Chick just waiting to break out of the fat shell.

Good luck,
Chickadee

Chickie, glad you doing good, keep us informed of your progress. You are now officially our Lapband Model.

Hi I am back from my computer being down for a week. There is a very good chance that I will join you in Lapbandia Chickadee.

As you know I thought I was getting the bypass for a very long time. My sister is getting a bypass on June 2.

But another surgeon thought I was making a mistake having my extremely large hernia operated on at my weight and I agree with him.
I was so scared of the hernia operation. This other surgeon is willing to give me the band and then I will hopefully lose a lot of weight :genie: and then have the hernia taken care of at a much lower weight.

The main reason I am switching over to the band from the bypass is because the band does not require manipulating the intestines so hopefully my hernia will be left undisturbed for the time being.

When I go thru the archives I do find several other bandsters but most of them seemed to have stopped posting here.

I hope the Vow reappears soon. If there are any shy bandsters lurking about I hope you come out and play soon.

Hope you are feeling better Chickadee.

So far I have passed all my pre-op tests -- I just have the cardiologist to go.
I also hope that my insurance co ok's the band.

P.S. I went to a pre-op lapband meeting and I could see that you get out of it what you put into it. There were people in the room who lost a lot of weight and some who only lost 30 lbs in a year. So I can see that you have to really work with the band and watch what you eat etc.

--Pookie

Greetings all,
My name is Jonathan, I am a reject from ObesityHelp.com, I was Banded December 04 2003, Down -55 Lbs (310) and will be going to My surgeon April 20th for my next official weigh in) (I can't wait)

Here is a bit of my history:

**TIMELINE**

10-19-02 "Before" 400 Lbs.
10-1-03 First meeting with Surgeon - 365 lbs.
12-4-03 Was Banded
12-19-03 2 weeks post op - down 29 lbs -- 336 lbs
01-05-04 4 weeks post op - Down 33 lbs -- 332 lbs
(Had my First fill 1 .cc)
2-03-04 - 8 weeks post op - Down 44 Lbs - 321 lbs
2-29-04 - 12 weeks post op - Down 45 Lbs - 320 lbs
(had my second fill, now at 1.5cc)
3-26-04 - 16 weeks post op - Down 55 Lbs. - 310 Lbs!

Hopefully you will be seeing alot more (or less) of me.

Jonathan
www.bandster.us

WOW Jon I'm impressed with your website. Great job. Welcome to our little corner of the web. Glad to have you joining us.

jonathan...

how nice to meet you and congrats on your weight loss.

looking forward to getting to know you!!!!

Hey Jonathan,
I've been a big (but getting smaller :)) lurker at Obesity Help, but usually post here - it's home. I was so mad when I saw you were banned, so image how happy I was to see your post here. If I lose even half as fast as you are I'll be thrilled!
Welcome to 3FC!

Chickadee

BANNED???? jonathan!!!! WHAT DID YOU DO???????

does the moderator of this forum have to wear her glasses when she reads your posts????

banned? :cool:

Whoaaaaa...Tell us more!

Now that I got the "clearance" from the cardiologist, I am one step closer to getting the LapBand this Summer.

On Monday evening I am going to go to another LapBand Meeting.

On Monday night I went to a LAPBAND meeting. I got there early and got a chance to speak with the meeting leader when she came up to me. I felt very comfortable with her and we spoke about many things. She gave me a ton of good ideas. She agreed that we were "kindred spirits" and we exchanged phone numbers and e-mail addressess.

One thing that made me very happy is that she lost over 100 lbs so far with the lapband. I was happy to hear that because the impression you always get is that you can't lose that much with the band. A nutritionist I went to recently even told me about BYPASS ENVY . I had never heard that term before. She said that is an actual term that they use to describe the reaction of bandsters when they see their bypass buddies losing weight so much faster (especially the first year). She warned me to be prepared that my sister who is getting the bypass will be losing much faster than me. I am happy that my sister will be losing fast because at this point her health is so bad that we are all VERY worried about her.

I also recently joined a Group on Yahoo called "ExtraOrdinary Bandsters" who are a large group of people who started out with a very high BMI and then lost a ton of weight with the lapband. So it is possible to do if you put in the effort.

I know I will have to work harder with the band. I know I will not lose as fast with the band. I know I will have to be careful not to "eat around" the band. In case you don't know "eating around" the band refers to the folks who get the band and then find ways to get in extra calories anyway. One example is to eat lots of ice cream which melts and then passes thru the band. You have to be careful to choose food more wisely and then use the band as a tool because you feel full on less food. If I go thru the pain of an operation I hope I will be smart enough to do the right things.

The meeting leader says she eats much less than she did pre-band and she feels satisfied with the smaller amounts. She is now riding a bike after not being able to do it for many years.

We also talked about the problem that on some websites (not 3FC) there seems to be a battle going on between bandsters and bypassers as to which is the best method. We agreed that is too bad. We are all in the same boat and both groups should be willing to help each other and learn from each other because some of the problems are the same for both groups and we all need support to keep going.

There are not too many bandsters around here ( I only know of Chickadee and Vow right now and MAYBE one other in the future ( I won't say her name in case she wants to keep it private). So I will try to share what I learn as I go along- in case anyone reading this forum is interested.

In the meantime I am still losing weight in preparation for my surgery this summer and I will be helping my sister who is getting her bypass on June 2. --Pookie

pookie... thank you SOOO much for all that info. i'd always wondered if the bandsters felt oh i don't know just a bit slower and left behind in the weight loss department. but bottom line, for all of us, the important thing is to get it off and keep it off. and there are many roads to that goal. thank goodness.

any hope of you dragging some of these experienced bandsters along to 3fc??? it's great to see such success!!!!

Hey Chickadee...it's time for a progress report!

Jiffy, Everywhere I go I tell people about 3FC.

There is only ONE problem. I love the name 3fatchicks and we all know why this website has that name.

But I notice when I say there is a great website called 3 Fat Chicks I get one of 3 reactions:

1) Blank stare

2) "you've got to be joking with that name right? That can't be a SERIOUS website"

3) "isn't saying 3 FAT chicks making fun of people with weight problems?"

So of course I go into the explanation of where the name came from and that yes it is a SERIOUS website with lots of wonderful people posting and lots of good info and a wonderful supportive community etc. But as I said even though I LOVE the name it sometimes makes it hard to tell other people about it and have them take it seriously.

Just last night I sent an e-mail to that meeting leader that I met and I gave her the link to the 3fatchicks website.

After my operation when I get more involved with the extraordinary bandsters I will certainly let them know about 3FC. Right know I am really just "lurking" on that website since I have not actually gotten the lapband yet.

Barb I agree I was wondering about Chickadee as well. I also wondered what happened to Vow -we have not heard from her for awhile. We need more lapbanders around here! Bye for now--Pookie

Hi everyone!

I'm new here, but have been banded since Feb. 3, 2003. I've lost 120lbs since, with about 40 left to goal. I've never in my life had "just" 40lbs to lose!

Just wanted to pop in and say hi, and let you all know that there is another bandster around here. If anyone has any questions, please feel free to ask.

Alexis
2/3/03
Dr. Marina Kurian
350/230/190

Hi Alexis,

Wow 120 lbs :goodscale: and a little over ONE YEAR! I was told that lapbanders lose MUCH SLOWER than that. You must be a record holder of some sort.

You are the 2nd person I have met in the last 2 days who has lost
120lbs with the lapband. The other lady told me she is riding a bike now for the first time in years. But it took her 2 years to lose it. You must feel like a new person.

It is great to hava an experienced lapbander here.
I do have questions for you. The usual questions:

Did they tell you what to do to avoid slippage?
What types of foods do you eat.
What is your typical portion size?
How many fills have you had and how many cc's?
What do you do if something gets "stuck"?
How is your stamina?

I am glad that you found 3FC. --Pookie

hey there scarletini... we LOVE more jersey girls around here!!!

by the way, i noticed you went to Kurian.. was that al roker's surgeon too?

and what's your secret to your fabulous success???? inquiring minds want to know!!!

Did they tell you what to do to avoid slippage?
What types of foods do you eat.
What is your typical portion size?
How many fills have you had and how many cc's?
What do you do if something gets "stuck"?
How is your stamina?

I am glad that you found 3FC. --Pookie

Hi Pookie!

Slippage is a little less common now that doctors have revised their technique of suturing the band to the stomach. Regardless, to try to prevent slippage, you *must* comply with the post-op diet that your doctor puts you on for the healing stages. Do not focus on weight loss that first 4-6 weeks, focus on healing, let those sutures heal so that they effectively attach the band to the stomach. After that, it is important to avoid a too-tight fill and vomiting. Frequent vomiting over a long period of time (usually caused by a too-tight fill or you not following the rules to take tiny bites and chew extremely well) can cause the band to slip. Like I said, it's less common now, especially if you have an experienced doc with good aftercare, but you still have to be careful.

I eat a lot of grilled chicken salads, steak, veggies. With my last fill, I've had to pretty much eliminate bread and doughy things, but it hasn't really bothered me to do that. I eat fairly normal, and somewhat healthy, just a heck of a lot slower and much smaller bites than everyone else. Now when I see someone shove half of a steak in their mouth in one bite, I cringe and think to myself "that's gonna get stuck!". :lol: In the morning, I also drink an apple ecstasy Nectar protein drink, just in case my band is being cranky that day and won't allow me to get enough protein in.

Portion sizes depend on the day and how hungry I am, if my band is being cranky, etc. I can eat about half of a sandwich, with half of the piece of bread, if it's toasted well, or just the insides if it's on a roll. Can eat about 3oz of meat with a few bites of veggies, or half of a lean cuisine pizza, or most of a lean cuisine frozen dinner. These portion sizes have reduced gradually with each fill though. There was a time that I could eat a whole sandwich (but nothing else with it), or 3oz of meat, veggies and some starch, or the whole LC pizza, etc. The changes have been very gradual, allowing me to come to terms with the amount of food I'm now able to eat, over a long period of time.

I have had 4 fills for a total of 1.4cc. I have the 9.75cm Inamed band that holds 4cc. I went for 6 months without needing a fill at all, during which time I lost 66lbs. My first fill was .6cc, then a .3cc, then a .2cc, then my last fill last week of .3cc. My surgeon prefers to go slowly with fills, sneaking up on good restriction, rather than filling you too tight. Then of course, I had restriction from the band alone (not normal, you should need your first fill around 4-6 weeks after surgery), and just a few tenths of a cc is enough to change my restriction level fairly drastically, so she doesn't give me very large fills. Someone else may need a lot more than 1.4cc to feel the restriction that I feel.

"Stuck" is NO fun! :dizzy: It hurts like ****! Usually, I put down the fork so I'm not tempted with "just one more bite, it's not *really* stuck", then I usually wait for it to pass. Sometimes it goes down fairly easily, with some burping, sometimes I have to get up and walk around, and sometimes it has to come up. I usually know it's going to come up because I can't swallow my saliva anymore. That's usually plenty of warning for me to get to the bathroom though. I've only vomited 4 times since surgery, as I'm usually too stubborn to give in to it. It's necessary sometimes though. It's not like a sick-vomit...usually just pouch contents come up, but it's not nearly as dainty as those who call vomiting "PBs" make it sound..lol

My stamina is amazing now! I'm a bar manager and it used to kill me to get out of bed in the morning. Now I have no problems. Don't have sleep apnea anymore either. I can walk all day around NYC when I go to see my surgeon and not get tired. I've returned to horseback riding, which I hadn't been able to do in years because I was simply *too* big. I've always been fat and have always ridden horses, but once I got over 300lbs, it was impossible. I still have a little ways to go, and some PS to get through, but life is SO much easier now.

jiffypop! Jersey girls rock. :lol: Yes, Dr. Kurian did Al Roker's bypass. I still haven't seen him in the office though. I don't know that I really have a secret. I guess the band is just what I needed to turn my life around. I don't deprive myself of chocolate or things that I want, but I do try to eat healthy most of the time. I exercise somewhat sporadically, so it isn't that I've become an exercise fiend either, though I'm starting to reconsider that. It's time for me to start on a regular exercise program, if I want to maintain my loss. But I am here to say that the band works just as well as other surgeries, just a bit slower. Most likely, starting out at 350lbs with the RNY, I'd probably be at goal or less by now. If I lost quickly with the band, I can't even imagine how quickly I'd have lost with the RNY! The slower loss gave me time to come to terms with the changes in my body though, I've been fat since I was 5, and the changes were tough to get used to. So, I think that everything is relative...the band is a slower way to get there, but they're all great surgeries in the end!

Sheesh, sorry for the book! I'll see you all around the coop. :D

scartelini.... you GAVE AWAY your secrets when you answered pookie-the-gym-hamster's questions so completely!!! GOTCHA!!!!

and now that you're HERE... and feeling a tad guilty about the exercise thing.. feel free to post on the exercise thread!!!

and since you're so new to 3FC... let me take this opportunity to welcome you and to let you know that you are free to explore and post anywhere your little heart desires!!! people tend to have a 'home forum' [as pookie calls it] with visits to a few other places, but others have several 'homes.'

there's LOTS of great info on 3fc. and i try not to miss reading the skinny daily post. there's ALWAYS useful insight there.

so glad you found us...

Hi Everyone!

I'm back from Tucson and feeling fine. I have to remind myself that I'm only two weeks out of surgery and that I should probably take it easy (which I'm not!).

Scarletini - Great post! I especially love the part about a PB not being as dainty as it sounds. Since I'm such a new bandster, I haven't experienced that little phemonenon yet. This whole experience has been wonderful, actually. I have been really working on feeling what my new little buddy is teaching me. There have been a couple of times that I drank too fast and felt sort of bad. Today I progressed from a full liquid diet to a pureed diet. What an adventure! My ultimate goal is to lose 120 pounds, but really 100 would be more than great. You are an inspiration!

I haven't weighed myself since I went to my appointment last week. I was down 11 pounds then and feel lighter now. I figure I'll just concentrate on healing and any loss will be a bonus. Besides, I have a stupid scale which I hate.

That's it for now chicklettes,
Chicka-banded-dee

Scarletini!!! Welcome! Your name rhymes with veal scallopini and now I am hungry!!!! Thank you for your posts and I hope we get to know you better!

Chickadee, I hope you had a great time in Arizona. Glad to hear that you are doing well ....when you are ready, wanna come jog with me?

ok, I am stalling...here is the question I just HAVE TO ASK YOU BANDSTERS........

did you guys name your band? and if so...what?

:love:
peach

Dear ALEXIS Thanks SO Much for all the great info. I am printing it and putting it into my Lapband file so I can read it again when I get my lapband this summer. :high: Thanks for taking the time to put down all that info.

Chickadee Welcome back- we missed you.

--Pookie

Gee Peach, I hadn't even thought of naming the little fella (the band Peach, get your mind outta the gutter!). Now I'm going to have to think about naming my little buddy. I'll let you know!

I have decided to think of this whole banding experience as a big, exciting adventure. I moved to pureed foods yesterday and am really full right now - probably too full. I had pureed chili on top of mashed potatoes. Sounds gross, but oh man, it was soooo good. I had about 1/3 of a cup total and probably should have stopped two bites before I did. So, I will tuck that piece of knowledge into my brain and try to learn from it. The whole "full" issue is something I need to learn. Sometimes I feel very full one minute and ravenous the next. I'm all over the place. I think I'm one of the lucky bandsters, because I read a lot of posts at other sites where people are starving when they're on the two weeks of full liquids. I was never starving, so I think I must have restriction already.

That's it from my little corner of bandlandia!
Later,
Chickadee

Chicka-banded-dee: Glad you are doing okay, and glad you had a great trip.

AlexisWelcome, and glad to have you join this great group.

I had about 1/3 of a cup total and probably should have stopped two bites before I did. So, I will tuck that piece of knowledge into my brain and try to learn from it. The whole "full" issue is something I need to learn. Sometimes I feel very full one minute and ravenous the next. I'm all over the place. I think I'm one of the lucky bandsters, because I read a lot of posts at other sites where people are starving when they're on the two weeks of full liquids. I was never starving, so I think I must have restriction already.

That's it from my little corner of bandlandia!
Later,
Chickadee

Chickadee, congrats on your banding! You will deal with the full issue for the rest of your life. Just when I think I've got it down, three bites of something sends me over the edge. The band is a fickle little beast and you have to feel it out every single day to see what and how much you'll be able to eat with each meal. It's not as bad as I make it sound though...Like you said, it's an adventure, and it really forces you to pay attention to your body, which is a good thing! Here's to hoping that you're like me and your restriction lasts for 6 months or more!

Oops! And thank you all so much for the kind welcomes. :) jiffypop, I will have to check out the exercise thread...as soon as I start exercising. :lol:

you don't have to wait until you exercise to post on the exercise thread.. no one else does!!! when we started it, the first TWO PAGES were devoted to food: recipes, shopping, tips. it was hilarious!!

so even if you're not moving, don't let that stop you from posting on the exercise thread.. as long as you don't count moving the spoon to your mouth as bicep curls, we're ok..

Alexis Thanks again for the info.

You got so much info into your post--Pookie

P.S. A friend said that my sister and I will have TOTALLY different lives by this time next year. I HOPE so. I was thinking it will even make looking for a car easier. The last time I went car shopping. I always felt funny if someone was there watching me getting in and out of the cars. Sometimes there was not enough room for my belly so I had to quick get out again.

Hopefully next season I can go to the dealers and just get in the car (ANY car like a NORMAL person and not have to worry about the size of the space between the steering wheel and the seatback!!!
That would be LOVELY!

Pookster, isn't it amazing the little things that we look forward too? On the way home from Tucson, I leaned over to my daughter and told her how excited I was because this is the last time I will ever have to wonder if I will fit in the plane's seat belt without an extender ever again. And, once I lose a significant amount of weight, I'm going to see if I can afford a new (at least new to me) car too. I want a Mini Cooper S. A mini car for a mini me!

Alexis, thanks for your reply. Today I'm the hungriest I've been so far, but tomorrow may be different. My little buddy will certainly let me know!

Barb - So far, bandlandia is a pretty marvelous place to be. My pants are starting to get baggy and the eating rules are easy to follow. I'll keep you posted, but so far I'm thinking this is one of the best decisions I've made in a long time!

Later Goils,
Chick-a-banded-dee

Chick don't even get me started on AIRLINE SEATS!!!!!!!!!! :fr:

Even some of my "average" size friends say they feel squished in those seats!

And yes there is having to ask for the seat belt extender!

Those mini cars are fun. HOpe you will be fitting into one soon! ;)

Chickadee, how are feeling after your surgery.

Are you getting used to the LapBand? Are you eating real food yet?

Hope you are OK. --Pookie

Hi Pookie,
Sorry for the delay in answering you, but I have been very busy. Too much going on right now!

I feel great! Thanks for asking. I'm still on mushy foods and will be until next Wednesday. In some ways the full liquid phase was easier than this mushy phase. I have to puree things and I gotta tell you, anytime you puree meat, it ends up looking like Alpo. I just get past the way it looks and eat it anyway! I have tried all kinds of different foods pureed and can't wait until Wednesday when I can start soft foods. I am also looking forward to my first fill, because I am getting hungrier now. I think the stomach is healing and swelling is going down. I will get the fill on May 17. The good thing is I am eating significantly less than before and can tell I'm losing weight. For now, I don't own a scale and am waiting for my fill appointment to get weighed. I have read over and over again that the first six weeks after surgery are for healing and any weightloss is a bonus, so I am taking that to heart and trying not to think about pounds lost for now. I feel so relieved though that I've taken such a wonderful step.

I am looking out my window right now (and it's snowing again :() at a big bull elk walking across the hill. He's a beauty!

Later,
The Chickster

Okay, I'm on soft solid foods now and so relieved to be off of pureed foods. I have, however, learned a valuable lesson. Eat slowly, take small bites. I just finished a poached egg and a slice of toast and I gotta tell you, it kind of hurts! I know I ate it too fast and that bread can be difficult to manage anyway. The good thing is that I can definitely tell that I have some restriction and that my band is doing it's job. I have so much to learn!

Later gators,
The Chick

CHICKADEE glad to see you are doing so well. You mentioned the toast giving you a bit of trouble. I heard in a few places that Breads or anything Doughy seems to be a problem with the band. One lady at one of the meetings I went to said she will never make the mistake of having a donut again. It really plugged her up for awhile and was very unpleasant.

I posted this part elsewhere but thought since it relates to the LAPBAND I should put it here as well.

Just for Lapbanders: (or anyone else interested)
I found out that I will be able to get my "fills" in a place much closer to me which is good news because my surgeon is very far away.

I did go to one of the support meetings of my surgeon but it took me sooo long to get there. So I am relieved I just found a monthly support group closer to me so that is two pieces of good news. At the support meeting they have mostly lapbanders but a few bypassers as well. They hold the meetings the 2nd Tuesday of each month. I will be attending for the 1st time next Tuesday. One of the nurses told me that in studies people with the Band do much better when they get follow-up care and attend support meetings. The people who try to do it all on their own don't always lose as much.

I think I am done with my pre-op tests now so the next step is getting the approval from my insurance co. I will be discussing that with the surgeon on May 18.

My sister is having her bypass on June 2 so my mind is on that right now.
Her health is going downhill so quickly that I think this will be in the nick of time for her. (Diabetes & knee problems & high blood pressure) Hopefully the bypass will help her with all 3 problems. She is 10 years older than me and I think it is good that I am doing something now or else I might have ended up in the same poor health as her someday.

I think I am still aiming for August for my surgery.

I am doing my Gazelle each day to build up my stamina before the surgery as well.

Chick, Glad to hear you progressing so well. Talk to you soon. --Pookie

Just this week, there have been lots of advertising on the radio for the lapband and the site www.Bandlandia.com I've talked on the phone to the lady Cynthia Jones who is "in charge" of it, and she said she would help me with anything I need help with when I decided to go ahead with it. (This was before ole Alvin told me he didn't want me to do it) So I'm keeping an open mind.

Barb, Is that just for the Texas area or is that a National Organization?

Thanks, Pookie

Barb, I think Cynthia Jones looks great! I've been to that website and think there's lots of useful info there. Send ole' Alvin my way - I'll tell him what's what with this surgery. So far, it's been a wonderful, wonderful decision. No regrets at all.

Pookie, I'm glad you found a closer fill doc and support meetings. I want to go to my support meetings, but I do have to drive quite a ways, about an hour and a half each way. I'm going to try to make next month's though. It would be good to meet real-life people who have had the surgery.

As for me, I weighed myself at the gym today. It's my one month anniversay today, and I've lost 22 pounds. I'm very happy with that. My first fill is set for May 17, so that should be an interesting experience. I keep track of everything on FitDay, which has been very helpful. I especially want to be sure I'm getting enough protein in and it's so easy to track it on that site.

That's it for now!
Chickadee

Hi I am not sure if anyone other than CHICKADEE or BARB or ALEXIS are interested in the LAPBAND info.

But it is almost like writing in a DIARY for me. I like having a place to go and report my WLS experiences and what I have learned so far. I figure there might also be some LAPBAND LURKERS out there who might be interested.

I also learned tonight that the LAPBANDERS and the BYPASSERS do have a lot in common. So maybe some of the info I discover might also help someone who has had the gastric bypass.

Since my sister is getting the Bypass on June 2 we are going to have a Bypasser and a Lapbander right in the same family.

This was the meeting I was glad I found because it is closer to my house than my surgeon's support group. There was a nice mix or both Lapbanders and Bypassers at the meeting which made me happy.

There was a lady there who had the lapband surgery 3 weeks ago and she is already down 18 pounds. That was encouraging. But we could not believe it when she said she recently went on a BUMPER CARS ride at an amusement park!!!! :dizzy:
She thought it was OK since it was 3 WHOLE weeks after the surgery :fr: She is a bit sore!! That took me by surprise.

There were 2 BYPASSERS who lost close to 100 lbs but they have hit a plateau. They also say they are getting a bit worried because they can now eat much more than they used to right after the operation. So they are trying to make better food choices. The one lady said she has dumped 3 times in the last year and it is a horrible experience. The other lady said she is disappointed because she has NEVER dumped. She feels that would keep her on the straight and narrow. The Dr at the meeting said there are some people who had the bypass who do not DUMP. They are not sure why some folks dump and some others don't.

Lapbanders are not supposed to drink carbonated sodas and I think the same is true for Bypassers.

I did have one wake up call at the meeting. I asked the Dr what to do if something gets "stuck" in the band. On the internet I have heard 2 schools of thought. 1) Wait it out or 2) Drink some liquids to push it thru.
This Dr suggested a bit of warm/hot tea. But the wake up call came when he said it is SOMETIMES necessary to go to an ENDOSCOPY DR for them to either push it through or pull it out. I had NEVER heard that before! That was an eye-opener. He said it does not happen that often and it is quite rare, but it happened to 2 of his patients the day AFTER Thanksgiving so he said take a warning there. And it happend to one of his patients after a BIG summer BAR B Q.

They said Lapbanders have to be careful of anything DOUGHY because it tends to plug up the band for awhile. He also said FIBEROUS foods like celery are a no no. And some meats as well.

Everyone at the meeting said you have to be careful of HEAD HUNGER. One of the ladies said out of habit she ordered a Grand Slam kind of breakfast and wanted to dive into it head first. But as soon as she began to dig in she realized her stomach could not handle that anymore so she just looked longingly at it all and had a small portion of what was on the plate.

I guess I am not the ONLY person planning so far ahead. One man there said he has been coming to the meetings for 8 MONTHS trying to decide what to do about WLS. He said he recently decided to get a band and he is going in a month or two.

Bye for now -- Pookie :kickcan:

pookie... thanks for posting this. and you're right.. there are many similarities between the two surgeries as far as what we can/can't eat. as for the endoscopy. yes, my dear. it happened to me. in fact, it's getting to be time for the annual peaches and nectarine warning. i'll find the thread and bring it up.

i ate them without peeling them. the peel balled up and sealed off the outlet. i threw up for 30 solid hours, about every 30-60 minutes. not even saliva went through the outlet. and when i got to the hospital [after only about 20 hours of this!] we did a barium swallow. and the xray tech, radiology resident and i hung around watching this stuff NOT MOVE for more than an hour. except when it started to move upward...

i was exhausted. dehydrated. they kept me in the hospital overnight, and at 7:30 am the next morning [after all the interns and med students trooped in for a look] i was wheeled into the endoscopy suite, where the very nice gastro and his nurses started an IV, said good night. and went in.

and yes. peachie had to come rescue me.

Okey dokey! Since I'm now officially a bandster, I'll jump right in. I can't wait to share experiences with other banders who come along. I know two of you who are thinking about this, so if you have any questions about my experience so far, post away!

Chicka-banded-dee


Ok, I have a question, :?: when I decided to look up info on the Lap Band several websites like, www.drjoya.com and belighter.com, i think these are correct and are just a few that popped up, and they advertise a good price for the surgery, but you have to fly to places in Mexico, they say they pay for the flight, the hotel stay, the hospital, the surgery and everything else that goes with it all for around 10,000. What do you think. Is it safe to have this procedure done by (supposely well respected doctors, practing in Mexico. at a well respected Hospital (in Mexico), I've heard horrow stories of people trying to get something in Mexico for cheaper and come out with horrible results (ex. plastic surgery.

just curious, thanks TKB

So PEACHIE came & rescued you because you ate a PEACH!

Boy oh boy that sounded like a frightening situation.

I am always learning new stuff here -- I did not know about the Peach skin situation. Thanks Jiffy

So much to learn....... :kickcan:

Hey Traciekb,

I have not been Banded yet. That comes later on in the summer.
I am not going to Mexico but I hear that there are a couple of Dr's down there who do a great job and they have wonderful hospitals that are all equipped for the lapband procedure. We did have a 3FC member named Vow who had her lapband surgery in Mexico a few months ago. She said she was VERY happy how it all turned out. I think she is busy because she has not posted recently.

Two cites you can try for additional info are:

lapbandtalk.com (they have forums with lots of lapbanders)

spotlighthealth.com (they have lapband forums)

There are also several YAHOO groups with members who have the lapbands.

There are not that many lapbanders on 3FC BUT there are ZILLIONS of terrific supportive and knowledgeable folks who will help you out and give you support. So please keep coming back to 3FC we love new faces around here.
Bye Pookie :kickcan:

Thanks Pookie

I have had such a great time, reading all of ya'lls messages the last couple of days, I knew of this website, but just joined 2 days ago, First I got info on Trim Spa which was exactly what I was looking for and pretty much told me what I had a feeling about the whole product. Lucky I did not waste any money on it, (for the first time).

I'm not even sure I would be a canidate for the lap band, but with no insurance if I was to try to get it done, it would have to go that route to Mexico (no matter what my husband said about it) :lol: THanks for the info about it, It really helps alot to hear of other people who have gone to Mexico and done that and had great results.

I also really want to one day get it for my daughter she is only 13, but I can see into the future that without something drastic she will be grossly overweight her whole life. I would rather get something for her at 16 or 18 where she can go through life thinner then to wait till she is older to have something done. she is 13 and already 190.

I am 35, weigh 220, 5'5, with a BMI of about 38 to 39. would I be a canidate.?

Thanks to Chickadee, Barb, Alexis and Pookie, reading all of ya'lls post have given me alot more info. Keep it up.

Hello,
Thought I'd join in here. I haven't had the surgery, but I've been thinking about it a lot lately. I'm 38 and my weight has crept up to 280. I'm 5'7" so my BMI is somewhere between 43-44. I'm a mommy of 3 (13,7,4) and I work a full time desk job and just don't exercise enough. I'm in NH, and there's not too many surgeons who perfom lap bands. I'd have to travel about 2 hours to get it done.

All the info here is great!

What kind of tests need to be done to find out if one qualifies? :dunno:

Thanks so much! :encore:
Eden

Welcome Eden,

Always glad to see new faces. I will be traveling an hour and 20 minutes when I get my procedure done. I will be staying in a local motel the night before.

TracieKB I am by no means an expert but from what I have heard and read in order to be a candidate you must have a

BMI of 40 or greater. You are right on the borderline. If you have any other problems like high blood pressure or diabetes or arthritic knees that might contribute to you being a candidate as well. I think you must also show that you have been overweight for awhile and have tried many many diets to no avail.

I think most people start with their family Dr or find a Dr who believes in bariatric surgery and get a recommendation from them which surgeon to go to. There is a website that lists bariatric surgeons by location. You might want to check it out: obesityhelp.com

Glad to see you both have joined recently and I am glad you found this thread. Keep posting and let us know what happens.

I had a STRONG feeling there were some LAPBAND LURKERS out there. I am glad at least some of you are coming out to play on this thread!! I'm glad you have enjoyed reading the posts. The more posters the merrier ! We all learn from each other. --Pookie

Hello, hello ladies! Work has been keeping me very busy so I haven't been around much lately.

Many people have been banded by Mexican doctors and had wonderful care. I think Dr. Rumbaut in Mexico even has a band himself. I don't know what their exact requirements are, you'd have to talk to people who have been banded by Mexican doctors, but I know that the usual insurance qualifications don't apply. You can definitely be banded in Mexico with a BMI of less than 40. Search Yahoo! Groups...I know there are some groups on there for people who have been banded in Mexico. Just be SURE that if you do get banded in Mexico, you have a doctor close to you who will provide follow-up care and do fills for you.

Eden, the band is well worth a 2 hour drive time! My surgeon is about 2 hours away from me as well, but she is one of the best in the area and I find that I don't really mind making the trip once a month (she has us see her once a month for the first year, every 2-3 months for the second year, etc). It definitely won't hurt for you to call some of the surgeons closest to you and see if you like them. Usually once you pick a surgeon, you have a psychological eval, a nutritional eval, chest x rays, an upper GI, bloodwork and complete physical. A BMI of 40 or more should be enough to get insurance approval, IF WLS is not an exclusion on your plan.

Pookie, the head hunger is the worst sometimes. It's taken me well over a year to learn how much I can eat, and which things I can eat. And even that varies from day to day. Restaurants are tough sometimes, I still struggle with wanting to finish all of my food. Although, I'm not really afraid to eat in front of people anymore, and I'm often proud that I only ate a quarter of my meal. I still order regular sized dinners, usually because my eyes are way bigger than my stomach, but I wind up taking two bites of salad, and eating a bite or two of each thing on my plate. I give a lot of my food to my dining companions as well. I NEVER shared food before. :lol: Now I love to share food! Last night we went to a diner after work, and I was dying for a hot open faced roast beef sandwich, which comes with mashed potatoes, a salad and a vegetable. WAY too much food for me, but I ate the cucumbers off of the salad, let my cousin eat the rest, gave half of my sandwich to my cousin, ate about three bites of it, along with a few spoonfuls of mashed potato and a few green beans. I was totally satisfied because I tasted a bit of everything, was full and shared my meal. It's so hard to explain to those who haven't been banded yet, because I never believed it before I was banded myself. It's actually freeing to pick at your food, eat a quarter of your meal and push it away. I guess my whole rambling point is that even though you will definitely struggle with the head hunger, there comes a point where it's nice to not be able to eat like you used to.

I hope I made some sense. I think I'm in the middle of a caffeine bender, and am a bit hyper and rambly. :cool:

THanks Pookie and Alexis for the info about Mexico, I just thought that it was some new scam to try to get your money, and that you could be putting your life at risk to save a few extra dollars. Thanks again for the info and I wish ya'll all luck and success with your weight loss.

Tracie

Hi ALEXIS

Glad to see you back. Diners are the worst! I always "look away" when passing those REVOLVING GIANT desserts. Nine layers!!!!

But then I also "look away" when I pass the lobster tank. I feel sorry for those guys not knowing what is just ahead of them.

Wow that must be nice to be SATISFIED with just a few bites of this and that. Just enought to satisfy your CRAVINGS but not enough to gain weight. I can't wait.

I was laughing when I read your post about sharing your food with your friends and cousins. I had an image in my mind of Alexis getting smaller as her friends & cousins got bigger eating all that extra food from your plate!

That was also interesting what you said about Mexico. I did not think about the fact that they might have a different criteria for who is a candidate for surgery than they do here.

I know that I always hear the BMI of 40 or above mentioned but then again that is usually for gastric bypass, I am not sure if the lap-band is a bit lower than that.

Thanks for stopping by ALEXIS -- I always enjoy and learn from your posts.

Good Luck to you too TRACIE & EDEN. Please keep posting to let us know what happens.

--Pookie :kickcan:

:sunny: Thanks so much, ladies!

I just have to get up the nerve to make that first phone call! :o

Eden :bubbles:

eden... it's just a phone call. you have the control every single step of the way. to continue or not, to embrace the changes or not.

it's all in your hands. and don't let anyone push you one way or the other!!!

Eden, I couldn't have said it any better than jiffypop did, so I won't even address the phone call thing!

Insurance requirements for the band are the same as bypass, 40+ BMI or 35+ with comorbs. But since people who get banded in Mexico don't go through their insurance, the requirements are a little more lenient.

And yes, my boyfriend always winds up eating the rest of my meals (along with all of his, I've never seen a boy eat so much!) and he's gained a few pounds as a result. I really need to stop feeding everyone. lol

:bubbles: Good morning ladies.

Going to Mexico isn't an option for me, nor is paying for this on my own, so I'd have to hope my insurance would take care of it. My BMI is definitely over 40, but as far as comorbidities go, possibly sleep apnea, back pain, leg pain, but nothing else (yet).

Soooo.... today, if I can manage it, I'm going to make that phone call.... :crossed: I wonder how hard my doc will try to talk me out of it.

I'll keep you updated.
Eden

sleep apnea is pretty much a slam dunk as a comorbidity. it's an immediately life-threatening condition. sure hope you're getting it evaluated and getting a cpap machine.

Hi Eden,
Who are you insured by? It seems some companies are much more lapband friendly than others. I specifically changed to United Health Care this year because I knew they'd cover my band, which by the way is a wonderful, wonderful tool.

I remember making my first inquiry into the whole procedure and being scared! The primary care doctor I had at the time didn't even know what it was. My advice is to be as educated as possible and arm yourself with facts. It helps a lot. And as Jif says, you are in control of the whole process. You can say no at any time.

As for me, I get my first fill on Monday. I'm excited and will let you all know how it goes. I'm not expecting a ton of restriction based on everything I've read, but I'm still excited to be this far in the process.

Chickadee
p.s. it was snowing to beat the band here yesterday - in the freakin' middle of May!

Hi CHICK

You gave me good news in your post. I am glad to hear about United Healthcare. I have that insurance. I knew they covered the Gastric Bypass but I was not sure they covered the Lap-Band. That is good to know.
Now that all my tests are done and I have passed them, my next step is to get the insurance approval.

I think this operation will be "just in time" for me. My blood pressure has been high lately (it goes up and down) and I know losing a bunch of weight will help with that.

EDEN: Just so you know some people on these boards have gone so far as to go to another primary dr if their regular dr is against the surgery.

Thanks, Pookie

P.S. BTW I am really glad that this thread has "come to life" lately. We have a lot of interesting posters on here who are at EVERY stage of the Lap-Band process.
All the way from Just starting to think about it :chin:
to Chick who has justed been banded through Alexis who has lost well over 100 lbs with the band. That is a nice mix. I'm learning so much!

Hi, guys, just thought I would pop in and say Hi, I am taking on a second job just so I can save to one day have the lap band surgery. Even if I did have insurance they probably wouldn't consider me a canidate, I have no health problems (knock on wood) from my weight and my bmi is not over 40. So I'm thankful that they are less restrictive in Mexico, but hopefully by the time I have saved enough money to have it, It won't cost as much...

Take care and have a great day!!!! :)

Good afternoon ladies.

I have Cigna Network for insurance. I don't know if they cover lap bands at all.

I've thought about changing doctors, but in all other areas I just adore the one I have. I'd really hate to lose him, not to mention that the one doc in the same facility who is all for lap bands isn't taking patients.

but I'll never know til I call. *biting nails*

Eden

I don't know the answer to that Pookie.

I am disappointed today because I was supposed to meet with the surgeon to discuss starting the insurance process etc.

But my car is in the shop and giving me lots of problems. I think I will be trading it in soon

Anyway I will have to postpone my visit with the surgeon for a bit.

Pookie, I'm so sorry to hear that. :( I hope you get things straightened out with your car soon. Let us know when your next appointment with the surgeon is!

Hi Goils,
Pooks, sorry about your car. I want a new car so bad, but my old Ford Explorer just keeps going and going. In some ways I wish it would die so I could justify a new car!

Well, I had my first fill on Monday. I was kind of worried about the whole process, but it is sooo easy. The PA who does them just felt around for the port, sterilized the area and put the needle in. It really wasn't very painful at all. They added 1 cc to my band and I feel a little difference. If I eat bread that's not toasted it's very painful, so I'm not doing that. I have to remember to eat slowly and chew well too. It's a whole different way of eating for me, because although I would have told you before the surgery I don't eat big bites too fast, it turns out I do. Since the surgery April 6, I've lost 26 pounds. I'm really happy with that. I know I won't continue to lose at that rate, but it sure would be cool!

Talk to you all later!
The Chick

Wow Chickadee

Great news on the 26 lbs. You are 1/4 of the way up to 100!

I'm glad to hear that fills don't hurt too much.

Does PA stand for Physican's Assistant? Is that someone who works with your surgeon?

Glad to hear you are doing so well. --Pookie

P.S. Hi Alexis -- I'll let you know if anything new happens with me and my journey towards Lapbandia.

So I need to share my newest experience with all of you bandits or bandit wannabes. I've already posted that I had my first fill a week ago. I also had my first pb a couple days ago. PB stands for productive burb and I gotta tell you, I'm not sure it's very well named because it's a cross between burping and hurling. (Note: If you're squeamish, don't read any further!) I was really hungry after a very busy day and my husband had cooked dinner. I ate too much too fast and learned first hand about PBs. First, it's very painful when you eat something that doesn't agree with you. The pain feels like it's in your throat and emanates down. It also kind of reaches around your back. I tried to walk it off, but nothing doing. So I went into the bathroom and the food came up. It's not really like real vomiting because there's no stomach acid involved or anything. The food just comes up in pretty much the same shape it went down. Boy does it feel better once you're done! My daughter asked me afterward if "blowing chunks" will be a regular part of my routine from now on. I guess that's up to me, isn't it? Now when I eat I'm taking smaller bites and trying to slow down. The band sure is letting me know it's there!

That's all for now ladies,
Chickadee

what a delicate, ladylike term for what bypassers call 'tossing' or 'throwing up'!!!!

remember what peachie's big guy said one day: she hurls!! she scores!!!!! welcome to the club!!!!

CHICK!!!!

Thanks for that report. Even though Productive Burps do not sound pleasant I have the feeling it must be a RELIEF when it comes up!

That is better than having to run to the Endoscopy Dr to have them push it through or pull it out. (I am still in a bit of a shock after hearing that happens sometimes!)

I finally got to my surgeon's office. But they said since I want to have the surgery in August they won't start the insurance process just yet.

I thought all my tests were done, but now they are asking for a
"Fitness Evaluation" or "Exercise Evaluation" They said their dietician does that. Does anyone know what this entails? Has anyone else have anything like that? :chin:

this thread was getting too long, so i split off the last week or so of posts into a new sticky.. JUST FOR LAPBANDERS 2.

and closed this one. don't worry. it'll still be around, but please use the other one..

i'm thinking that we'll start new threads when there are 30-something posts. just so that it doesn't get too bulky and hard for chickadeedeedear to load.

let me know if this arrangement isn't working for you, or if you have other ideas.

you're all doing GREAT and i'm so proud of you all....