Hi Fashion,
If she has only 50 pounds to lose, it's likely that she won't qualify for band surgery. You have to meet a set of criteria which include a pretty high BMI and co-morbidities. The loss with the band is different than with RNY. It's slower - trust me on this! We don't dump and can eat all kinds of food. The amount of weight you lose depends on how well you work the tool.

Good luck to your friend!

Chickadee

p.s. JIFFYPOO! I didn't see your post 'til today. You're right - spring training does bring out the wildlife. Woo hoo! I'm great - still working on getting weight off, but happy and not as fat. :-)

Thanks chickadee. She told me last week that she qualified for the surgery. I didn't think she qualified either because I thought you had to be 100 pounds over your BMI range. She clearly only need to lose 50 to 60 just looking at her, but I'm sure her BMI would allow for more weight loss. I think she is 5'6 or 5'7.

Hey. I am going through tests and waiting approval for lap band surgery. Just hoping to find some support. Anyone here that is new to lap band or had lots of experience? Any advice will help. Okay and maybe just someone to chat with.

Hi Truffles and

There is lots of surgery support on the main board below... come join us

Leenie

hi there I have been battling with my wieght for almost 5 years now, to cut it short I am weighing 201lbs, i stand at 5ft 3, I suffer from high blood pressure (since I had my two little ones, 5 yrs total), I lso suffer from High Cholesterol, fluid retention and severe acid reflux. till this day my Blood pressure has been a battle, and only now after 3 yrs of testing different pills, it is lowered, only if i stay on a pill though...... I gain and lose around 4lbs almost every month, I figure this is fluid, I exercise 3 times a week, (I have been slack the last 2 weeks) , and I have turned my eating habits right around, and have introduced my family to a better healthier and yummier eating plan, We buy strictly organic food, and eat greens , veges, and fruits daily, and consume them heartedly.... I love my veges so the diet change hasn't been a struggle..... I just can't lose any weight, and all my doctor wants to do is run me through a number of blood tests, and then leave me with him saying " you need to lose weight".... he doesn't help me at all...... I broke down in his office 2 weeks ago, and he offered me a referal to see a dietician.....

I am on an HMO, through "Exclusive Car". county insurance. I haven't verified if they will cover it, but in your opinion.... would I need to do the dietician thingy first?

I am depressed!!, I hate looking at myself, I feel disgusted.. and I get so down, nothing I wear is comfortable and everything I wear looks ugly on me.

anyway I am not sure what I am asking, but wanted to vent, and I just want some help, I don't trust Pills, and don't want to opt for any diet pills. and I don't think I am a candidate for Bypass surgery right?... so how do I lose weight!!!...

Hi Chilenita,

Every insurance is different in what they want you to do to qualify for surgery, so you'll need to start with them first to see what you need to do.

But IMHO seeing a dietician whether or not your going to have surgery or not is a good thing, it can set you on the right track.

So to answer your last question.... start by seeing the dietician, keep your doctor in the loop and go from there. Its a good start.

.

Seeing a dietitian can work in your favor, so I would recommend it. I had surgery in 2007 and still keep the number of the one they gave me to see for my pre-op consultation. It is a life saver!

Quick question for you gals that have been thru it.........My friend had it done BUT she is not following a healthy diet Yes she is keeping her protein up and yes she says she is eating the calories they gave her but she is eating junk. She eats taco bell, chicfila, mcdonalds ect every day and Im not talking salads. I know with gastric bypass you can die from eating those foods is that the same with lapband? I know she isnt doing herself any favors but can she die from that behavior? Im really worried about her. Obviously its pointless if your going to continue to eat nothing but junk.

I will admit though I've cheated with fast food a few times the last couple of years, I haven't died from it (obviously). But a steady diet of it will defeat the purpose of the lap band, not to mention the stuck episodes some of these foods could cause. I know a few people who have actually been nauseated and regurgitated fast food once they have been banded.

Even some of the fast food salads can be defeating, by the way. This is why I do most of my preparations at home.

No she won't die from fast food because of her surgery, but like you said, its just not healthy. I would think anyone could eventually die from eating that frankinfood its gotta catch up to you sooner or later.

I do know junk food goes down alot easier with the band then eating clean... its really a shame that it does

.

Let me clarify I didnt think she would die from occassional fast food but Im talking she was a week after surgery and already skipped the diet phases and went straight back to eating out daily.
I just wasnt sure if complications were at all like GB I know The LP is a lot different so was just curious. I know a man who literally died from eating Mcdonalds soon after his GB surgery.
Thanks for your insight. Good luck on your journeys stay healthy!!

oh dear. my first reaction was 'here we go again,' with someone who goes through ALL THIS and seems to be determined to make no changes.

but it's more than this. you see, a couple of years ago, i ran across a man who weighed more than 450 at surgery, and had JUST been cleared to return to work. His first day back to work - he PROUDLY reported - he ate an entire dunkin donut. HE WAS HAPPY about that!!!!

see - it's all about ATTITUDE - if people - like your friend, Looking, and that man - go into any of the surgeries with the goal of figuring out how to EAT AROUND it, they're pretty much guaranteed to fail. But if we go into this determined to make it work, and to follow directions [which really come down to a healthy way of eating and exercising, with added vitamins and medical checkups], we'll be OK.

ATTITUDE, darlin - people have to WANT to make this work more than they want a doughnut or fast food.

Wow, I had no clue she was only one week out.... eating solid food (junk or not) one week after surgery IS dangerous, most doctors will either have you on a liquid diet or a very soft mushy (pudding like) diet. I wonder what kind of pre-op dietary info she got (if she got any at all). Poor dear. She can probably eat a lot of food at this stage because she has no restriction. Hopefully once she starts getting her fills she'll stop and think about what she is doing.... hopefully!

I've been hearing a lot lately that doctors or is it insurance companies are not sending folks to dieticans before surgery

If doctors aren't sending people to dietitians for pre-op consultations, they would be doing a disservice to the patient IMO. Luckily for me, my own surgeon sent me to one, along with me having to have documentation of at least six months of weight loss attempts (I had far more than that LOL!). I seriously think this is very important, because a lot of pre-op patients have little or NO idea what being banded would involve, especially after the first weeks of surgery, where it is VERY critical instructions should be followed to the letter.

Hello folks: Today I start a month long liquid diet! UGHHH! I know I have to but I dont know how I am going to do it. Any suggestions? This is my pre op diet before surgery and i have to do it for 4 weeks well I know in the end it will all work out.