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Watch out guys. My surgeon said no surgery if I wasn't wihmthin five pounds of the weight I was at my initial consult. A weight gain before surgery is not a good indicator to a doctor that you are ready. That being said, I wouldnt go nuts with food but if you feel like you need to have a "last meal" kind of thing.... Do it once for pizza, once for whatever. Just don't continually say goodbye from now until your surgery! Best wishes!

No you probably have something stuck. You said you were rushing and didn't chew properley , so there is probably a large piece of food lodged in your stoma. Eating or drinking at this point may aggravate it but you don't want to become dehydrated. Try taking small sips to see if you can drink, if you can't sucking on crushed ice may help - it usually helps me. Are you sure it is acid you are coughing up or is it excess saliva - the body's normal reaction when something is stuck is to produce excess saliva to try to slide it through. I doubt vey much that your band has slipped. See how you are feeling in the morning and let us know. If you can't get liquids down then you need to call your Dr. Don't panic i am sure you will be fine.

I finally made it in to the doctor's office today. I was supposed to go on Tuesday but let's just say that my toilet and I were having a relationship that day Yes, it is my main incision and my port is right under it, that's what's so sore. But he said I'm healing very well - I don't have the Realize band, I have the one and only Lap Band in me. I have a 14cc band (the large one). Dr. K agrees that my back is hurting probably because I'm hunching over and trying to protect my sore areas, and my back hasn't hurt as much today as in the past, so maybe it's getting better. I asked him about the sore ribs - he said that means I'm too full, so I need to be watching myself more carefully. Oh, and I get my first fill on May 5th - 4 weeks from surgery day. Woohoo!

Fills My fills were over and done in less than 30 seconds and it didn't hurt any more than accidentally stabbing myself with a pin when quilting. It's nothing like getting an injection of an antibiotic. Band Slippage Band slippage is rare. Most surgeons now tuck a fold of stomach over the band (sort of like an elastic waistband) to hold the band in place. The people most at risk for band slippage are those who get their bands so tight that they are getting stuck and throwing up the offending item on a frequent (several times daily) basis. Not being able to have carbonated beverages It is a myth that drinking carbonated beverages will expand your pouch and recommendations vary by surgeon. Some say 'never'. Others, like mine, had no restrictions after the first month. Whether or not you can tolerate them...well, that's something you'll have to find out. I like the Faygo carbonated pink grapefruit Water and I drank it several times a week. Only once did I have a problem and that was because I took a big gulp. I 'oversploded' as my son used to say. So your chugging days are most likely over. Not being able to eat certain foods I had this problem when I was overfilled. When my surgeon heard I couldn't eat certain foods and had at least one stuck episode a day despite following the rules (small bites, chew well, no drinking with meals), he said I was too tight. That was when I learned I was not looking for physical restriction but cessation of hunger. He took almost 3cc's out. Bingo. Now I could eat anything I wanted as long as I followed the rules. food getting stuck Well there's no guarantee this won't happen even if you do follow the rules and your band isn't overfilled since the band can tighten and loosen on its own. However, if you start your meal with a hot drink, that seems to help loosen the band. I would always take a small bite, chew well and then wait to see what happened. Sometimes it would go down hard...meaning it didn't get stuck but I knew if I continued, I likely would. You learn to listen to your band. Excess Skin Can't help you there. It is what it is but you can cover excess skin up with clothing. Nothing covers up the fat. *#1 THING* FAILING Failing is never even trying. So you get the band and you find it's not the right method for you. At least you tried...and you'll never know unless you try. You listed some good reason to at least try. Focus on them instead of the fears. .

You don't have to stay away, but in the future you should realize that if you ASK for people's input on LBT, they will give it. THEN when you argue with them or tell them you refuse to do every reasonable option to help your situation, they get frustrated and wonder why you bothered to post in the first place, and why they wasted their time on you. ETA: For some reason my post keeps getting cut off! The rest of it: Seeing someone say "I can't" and "I won't" so many times gives the impression of a very lazy, irresponsible, immature, and selfish person--most of us have a limit on how much patience and effort we are willing to expend on someone like that. We don't all do the right things all the time, or only have good things to report--but the majority of us expend some amount of energy once we are banded. We don't understand you. Remember the name of your thread: " Just wanna share and see what you have to say to me." You've seen it, and had some good advice and stark reality.

I don't know of anyone specifically that has failed with the lapband. They have all had success to different degrees. The people I do know and discuss it with - we all have our own way of trying to get the pounds off. Not to say one is better or worse than the other, just different. I don't use my band for convenience sake. By that I mean, if I'm going on vacation, I don't get an unfill, or if I am going on vacation and need a fill - I get it anyway. It's not an excuse for me to delay getting proper restriction. I don't allow myself to get too tight. I have the ability to eat anything, and keeping my band loose allows me to do that and makes it my responsibility to make the proper food choices. I have adequate restriction to limit my hunger - the rest is up to me. I believe in exercise and strength training to help lose and maintain and tone. I follow my own particular surgeon's instructions - not what necessary someone else's physician says. I also believe the food "addictions" in people - while having many similarities, can be very unique due to each individual's upbringing, societal influences, and ongoing relationship with food. I've come to the conclusion that even though I've achieved my goals, I will also have issues with food and will always struggle. The band however, does make it easier when my mindset isn't in the right place. When people fail the band, I don't place all the blame on them. Just by reading many, many posts on this forum, I think there is a tremendous lack of proper education from their practitioners on what it takes to be successful, what problems they may encounter and what should be their priorities when living with the band. While many practices may tout the positive aspects of living with the lapband, they can significantly downplay the negatives and potential issues with having the band. It is a great disservice to their patients. While all of us may not lose every pound that we wanted to - hopefully in the long run it makes our lives significantly healthier and better. I feel very fortunate that my journey has gone the way it was supposed to and I've not had any issues or problems with getting the proper restriction, limiting my food choices, or being fickle. I consider myself one of the lucky ones and I'm very grateful it worked for me.

I am 10 days postop and wish I would have done it back in 2008 when I first researched it! I regret putting it off....I was scared and dealing with emotional issues of not eating and what it would do to me mentally??? Does that sould weird??? Don't put it off! You can do it!

My Nutritionist told me that the rules for Protein drinks are: - Approximately 100 calories - Greater than 12 grams of Protein - Less than 3 grams of Fat - Between 8-13 grams of Carbohydrates (dependent upon protein & fat content) The brands she reccomended are Pure Protein, Muscle Milk Lite, and Medifast. My pre-operative diet is for 7 days, and they said between days 1-6 I can also consume: - Carnation Instant Breakfast with skim or 1% milk, - Jello-O pudding sugar free, fat free, - Yoguart - non fat and no sugar added (i.e. Dannon Light, Stoneyfield, Columbo Light, Axelrod, Turkey Hill frozen, Fage, or Chobani Greek Yoguart) - Soups low-fat (3 or less grams per serving) On the 7th day: -broth -Jello - Ice -Clear fruit juice (apple/White grape) -Tea Pre-operatively, my nutritionist says that I should have 1200 calories per day, 175 grams of carbohydrate per day, 85 grams of protein per day, and 12 grams of fat per day. My operation is scheduled for March 10th, and I'm so nervous. I'm actually not sure if I want to go through with it still.

hi, I did, but this is not a magic wand, or the easy way out!! I lost 50 lbs pre op, and I spend about 2 hrs a day at the gym most days. this is just a tool, and you have to work the tool. Usually folks who have a lot to lose can lose quicker initially. I started out at 366 lbs. I wasnt aiming for a certain weight loss, just to develop good habits and routines...that has to be your goal. you didnt get overweight in 6 months, and its not realistic to think your problems will be solved in that time....it is all behaviour modification with the band...meaning you have to change what and how you eat, and how you move. baby steps!

coming from someone who is 3 years post-op.... eat while you can! your eating will never be the same again! you might be able to eat the same foods but never near the same amount ever again!! i had 2 weeks of "last meals" before my surgery!