pugsx3

I understand your frustration. I got my band 9/15/11, and my surgeon will also only give me 1cc fill at a time & I have a 14cc band. I still don't feel anything at all from the band except for about 24 hours after a fill. I got my 4th fill Tuesday, and I found a chart online where Allergan recommends the first fill to be 4cc, the second to be 3cc. I took this with me, and showed it to my surgeon, and told him that this makes it look like Allergan thinks it will take 7cc in most cases, otherwise they would not recommend that much. My thought was that he was billing $650 per fill (including the office visit), and that it was better for him to get as many as possible - but I did not say that to him because I wanted to be polite. He was going to cut me back to .5cc, and thankfully I talked him out of that and he gave me another full cc. He told me that if it gets too tight too fast you can have problems with erosion and band slipping - and I don't want that either. He said he thinks I'm getting close to the green zone, and I asked him why he thought that - because I still felt like I was not even on the spectrum yet. He never really answered that question, but he did take the time to talk to listen to me anyway. I'm just up to 4cc now - and it's really too soon for me to tell if it's going to make any difference for me or not. In the mean time - I keep hoping! I have been following the rules of the band pretty closely, and even though I get so hungry that I want to chew my arm off - I stop after one serving. I'm also exercising & walking so the weight is coming off pretty consistently at 2lbs a week. I just keep telling myself that it will get better, and if I can get it off, the band will help me keep it off. Not doing the right thing & making bad choices will only take that much longer to get to my goal. Hang in there - I have to believe this is going to get better!

Hi All - I haven't been here for a while thanks to the holidays, and catching up afterwards! I've been struggling with choices, and I am starving all the time. My surgeon will only give me 1cc per month - and he says he thinks I'm getting close to the green zone. I tell him that so far I don't feel anything at all - I've only had 1 stuck episode and it was on a raw carrot, because I don't even have to chew my food welll. I'm at 3cc in a 14cc band - and I go for another fill tomorrow. I'm losing weight because I am making the right choices and I am exercising - no help from the band. I'm not giving up - but I'm desperate to get some help from this band! I don't think I'll be able to keep this up without some help soon! Another concern is the cost for the fill. They told me insurance doesn't cover fills - so I have to pay for them on my own. The first two were included in the surgery, but I was billed $400 for the last fill + $200 for the appt. If I have to do this 10 more times - I won't have to worry about eating too much, as I won't be able to afford food! I'm hoping that even though I have to pay for fills, that insurance will bring the price way down. Anyone got any experience with this? Any advice on how I can get the surgeon to give me a bigger fill?

Laura checking in at 237 - down 2 lbs in two weeks. Would have thought shoveling snow for 3 hrs yesterday would have gotten me more, but as long as the numbers are down, I guess I'll be happy with it!

I'm in Aurora. Had surgery on 9/15.

Laura checking in at 239 today - down from 244 last week. I can't explain it, but I'm very happy to be down 5!

Are you taking any meds for blood pressure? If so, you may need to see your dr. and have them adjusted. I'm off one of my bp meds - and I think I'm getting close to getting rid of the other one because I get so light headed or dizzy that sometimes I have to set down and hold onto something.

I need to get back with it after the holidays - so count me in! Name, real or screen~ Laura P Age~ 51 Goal weight for January 29th~234 Weight on January 1st~ Dietary goal for January~Stop drinking water when I eat Exercise goal for January~ 5 miles x 3 days per week, 3 miles x remaining days Personal goal for January~ Pay off my band surgery! Date banded~ 9/15/11 Total weight loss since banding/pre op diet~ 61.3 What is your goal weight for the coming year~ 140

I had a similar situation last year with my insurance - I had to have bunion surgery on both feet last December - and I had them done 3 weeks apart. I then got my lap band in September. The only thing that may be tough for you, is you may have a harder time getting around. Activity will help with weight loss, and foot surgery will probably limit that for a while!! Good luck to you, and if I can offer any help - let me know! ps - The foot surgery was not bad - I found the pain I had was due to swelling. The Dr. gave me Vicodan for pain, and it did nothing for me. I had a prescription anti-inflammatory that I took instead of the Vicodan, and that resolved the pain issues completely. I know I should not have self prescribed - but I had them left over from a shoulder injury, and I figured it could not hurt. I told the dr, and he understood, and was glad I did that. If you're just out of lap band surgery - I'd check with both your lap band surgeon and your foot dr, as I do know that the anit-infammatories can cause problems with the stomach and the band.

Well, I checked the scale when I get dressed Thanksgiving morning, before I hit the road for my vacation. I got back into town Saturday, and checked the scale this morning - and to my surprise I was down 3.4 lbs. My goal was to not gain wait while I was gone, so I was thrilled with the results. When I got home on Saturday, one of my dogs had gone downhill dramatically in the week and a half I was away. I had friends staying at the house with them, so they could stay at home and not have to be boarded. I had a very bad night Saturday with her, so I took her in to the emergency clinic yesterday morning, and I had to make the decision to put her to rest. I'm still pretty much of a mess today, and suspect I'll be a mess for a while, but I could not put her through what was ahead, as the best possible outcome would have been months of medication before there would be a noticeable improvement. There was only a small chance that was even the problem, and the other options were all worse. So today I thank God for the 15 years he gave her to me, and pray she's at peace and that I made the right decision. Before the band, I'd have used food to comfort me - but I can honestly tell you that I have absolutely no desire to eat what so ever, so this is a good thing.

Maybe it's not related to your band at all - I'm not a doctor, and have no medical background, but it sounds a lot like how I felt with my gallbladder. I had gallstones about 7 years ago, well before I ever considered being banded. The only thing is that walking helped that pain subside. When I went to the ER, they told me I fit the 4F profile for gallbladder disease - Female, 40, fertile and fat. When it happened I had started losing a lot of weight, and they said that rapid weight loss contributed to it. If it happens again, I think I'd throw it out there as a possibility.

I'm on track to finish a week early so I don't have to work at it over vacation!!! I still want to get some exercise in though, because it's really helping me drop the lbs!! I don't want vacation to slow me down! When I entered my weight in fitbit this morning, it told me I'm on schedule to reach my goal weight by Christmas Eve next year!! While I hope to do better than that - it's great to think of that as my Christmas present to myself!!

The fitbit & fitbit ultra are both $99, but Best Buy just launched a health and fitness technology department, and are carrying it. They had a deal to get 20% off any of the products in the department, and the fitbit qualified. My friend bought her's there a week and a half ago, so maybe they still have those coupons. It's certainly worth a try - cause $20 is a big difference. btw, my friend loves at as much as I do. She has diabetes, and it tracks her blood sugar too.

Enjoy it! Speaking from experience, it is wonderful. I lost 140 lbs several years ago on my own, in large part because of airplane seats. One of the most memorable experiences of my life was when I got on a plane for the first time after losing all that weight, and had two "skinny" people sit next to me. When they sat down, the woman said to me, "I'm so glad you're a small person - I hate sitting next to people who don't fit in the seat." I smiled, and laughed my butt off inside. Since then I gained the weight back, which is why I am now here, just banded in September. When I fly now, I always wonder what the people sitting next to me are thinking. I can't wait to not be self conscious anywhere, especially on a plane!

Dave is right! I only got my band on 9/15, and overate once while I was on full liquids after surgery (bowl of cream of chicken soup & a glass of tomato juice). I can tell you honestly, that I don't ever want to feel the way I felt that day again. I don't have any restriction from my band yet, I've only got 2cc in a 14cc band, so it will be a while before I get help from the band, but I know from the pain I felt that day, that when I do get to the green zone, that this will work. I have never been stuck, or slimed, so if/when those things happen - I'm sure I'll do anything to avoid that feeling. Until then, I'm exercising, making better choices, and losing weight because I believe this time will be the last time I have to lose this weight.

I am getting a fill 2 days before Thanksgiving, but I have to admit I knew what I was doing. I was hoping that would help keep me under control!! I'm headed to my folks "up north" (north west Wisconsin), and will be there for a week and a half for vacation. Thank heavens my mother supports me! My dad supports me too, but if I told him I wanted a piece of pecan pie, he'd give it to me. My mother will at least try to discourage me. I do have a fitbit, and I can not tell you enough how much I love love love it. I don't have anyone to go to the gym with either, but it totally keeps me accountable. It sets goals of 10,000 steps per day, 5 miles per day, 10 flights of stairs per day, tells you how many calories you've burned through activity, and compares that to the food you log. I log every bite of food I eat, and there is one thing I never let happen - and that is eating more than I burn in a day. I hit the treadmill in the basement, walk up and down stairs, pace around the house, or pull out one of my Wii games - anything to get my calories burned above what I've eaten. Most of the time, I'm stubborn enough to do all of the above just to hit the goals it sets for me, and my calorie burn is 1500 to 2500 more than I consume. Weight loss has been good since I got it, but I haven't weighed myself in a week and a half, because I had a bad weekend and I'm afraid. For me, it is worth every penny. Side note though, there is a fitbit and a fitbit ultra. Get the Ultra, because it tracks flights of stairs, the original does not. Both are the same price, so it's crazy not to get the one that tracks stairs. On a personal note, I will be going to a funeral for my former mother-in-law on Friday, and I've got so much anxiety over this, that I'm making myself sick. I would normally turn to food, so this is a real test for me to stay on track. I've stayed on pretty good terms with my ex, but his parents and sister burned all ties with me, because we had no kids. He said he's only inviting 3 people, and it's really important to him to have me there, and doesn't care about how his father and sister feel about it. At family gatherings, they always made jokes about me having to go to Omar the tent maker to get clothes to fit, or some other joke about my size, and it always hurt me badly. And that's how they treated me before the divorce. God, please give me the strength to get through this with my head held high, and without turning to food. If only there was a way to loose 100lbs before Friday...

I have not taken a real vacation in over 17 years, and my family has decided to go to Hawaii this February and invited me to go with them. Just about half of the family is going, and half are not, so no one will be hurt if I decide to stay home. The pro's: I've always dreamed of going to Hawaii, it would be great to get a break from the brutal Chicago winter, and I can afford it. I was divorced a year ago, and am pretty much on my own now - and I don't know when I'll have another opportunity to go, unless I go by myself. The doubts: I just got my band on 9/15, and I'll still be huge by February. I'm an adventure lover at heart, and I want to do the kayak trips, and the zip lines and all of the active things to do, and I don't think I'll be down far enough to do them. I'd have to buy warm weather clothes for the trip, as I don't have anything that will fit, and I am horrified at the thought of me in a swimming suit on the beach. I know I am the only one can make the final decision, but I'd sure love to get some thoughts from those of you who have been there done that, or are still losing and can relate to my emotions!

Thanks for the advice - but 260 really is that big when you're only 5'2". I don't like to admit it, but I'm comfortable in a size 22 right now. I've been leaning towards not going, which is maybe why I posted this - Maybe I wanted someone to change my mind. I'm in a pretty good routine with my diet & exercise now, but I'm not getting any help from the band yet. I've earned every lb I've lost, but that has just made me more confident that I can and will do what I need to do to get there eventually. I have not made any decision yet, but I'm figuring optimistically that I can drop another 30 lbs by then - but that is still probably going to be a size 16 or 18 - when I should be in a 6 at my height! I've always known exactly how big I am, and have always tried to hide behind it. I'm still terrified of the idea of a swimming suit in public...

Well, I was banded on 9/15, and got my first fill on 10/29, and I can still eat as much as I want and whatever I want. It's been hard, but I've made good choices in what and how much I eat since I got mushies on 9/29. Even then, I only lost 4lbs from 9/29 until my fill on 10/29 and I was really disappointed. My surgeon told me that is perfectly normal. I told him I could eat anything I wanted including bagels and rice, in vitually unlimited quantities. He told me that too was perfectly normal, and that it would be a while before I got any help from the band. I have the 14cc band, and got 2cc put in on my first fill. He told me it take 3 or 4 fills before I would start to get help from the band. So, I got my head out of my behind, and really started exercising hard. I'm now on the treadmill for an hour a day, and generally walk 5 miles or more most days. Not only has that stepped up my weight loss, but I am feeling a little hint that the band is there. The band has yet to stop me - I've had to do that myself. If your surgeon is not worried, I would recommend that you put your energy into creating new "habits" and routines that will help you use the band to your advantage when you do hit the green zone. I'll be the first one to tell you it's probably among the hardest things I've ever had to do, but after fighting with myself for over a month, I'm now very happy that I'm put forth the effort now. I'm just that far ahead of where I'd be if I waited.

I threw this topic out on the general forum, but I'd love to get input from everyone in this group as well, since we're all on the same time frame with our bands. I've definitely got more to lose than most (if not all) of the group, and I'm having to earn every lb I lose. I have an opportunity to go to Hawaii in February with my family, and I'm really leaning towards not going - and the main reason is that I'll still be huge. Even if I'm optimistic about how much I can loose before February, I will still be at least 100lbs overweight. I won't be able to do a lot of the things I want to do, like kayak and zip lines because I'll still be too heavy. Can anyone relate to my anxieties on this? Am I letting my weight hold me back from living my life? I'm so confused about something that should be simple. I'm afraid if I don't go, I won't have another opportunity to go again, since I was divorced a year ago - and it's not somewhere I'd go by myself. In a perfect world, I'd have a choice between this year and next year - but the world is not perfect, and it seems to be now or who knows when!

Besides, you'll be on some good pain meds after surgery, and you'll only be allowed liquids, so you won't even know you have a jaw!! According to my uncle, my tmj is classified as mildly severe, and I had no issues at all. Fortunately, I've found as I age, I have fewer problems - but I've also learned what triggers it, like chewing gum and I just don't do it. If you have any other questions you'd like me to run past my uncle and cousin, let me know. My cousin's sister got a lap band last December, so she really understands exactly what concerns you should and should not have, as well as all the lap band rules!

I have TMJ, and I've got two dentists I trust completely. One is my uncle, the other is my cousin. My uncle has just retired, and my cousin is up on all the current technology. They both agree that it should be fine, but just make sure you tell anyone and everyone that will listen the day of your surgery. I had no problems with my jaw, but I was so hoarse for over a week that I could hardly talk! That I could live with!

All I can tell you is don't get discouraged. As soon as I went to mushies, I stopped losing weight too. It was a good 6 weeks before I started losing again. I got my band on 9/15, got my first fill on 10/29. Right now I have 2cc in a 14cc band - and I'm getting no help from it at all. I'm earning every lb. I loose. I struggled until last week, when I lost 3.6lbs, and I've lost another 3.4lbs so far this week. I'm having a really frantic week at work, and I'm sure that is helping too!

The best advice I can give is to have a positive and determined attitude. Not sure what your doc requires for a preop diet, but I had 3 weeks worth of liquids preop , then 2 weeks of full liquids postop. It was probably the hardest thing I've ever had to do. Then when I finally got mushies, I completely quit losing weight. I was eating next to nothing, but the scale was stuck. 6 weeks after surgery, I had my first fill, and I'd only lost 4 lbs, and I earned more than that. I was totally discouraged and ready to give up, but my doc said it was great. I wasn't persuaded, but I kept fighting. I was banded on 9/15, and just last week started losing again. I'm really glad I fought the urge to throw in the towel, as last week I lost 3.6lbs, and so far this week, I've lost another 3.4. I've also picked up my exercise this week, and I'm sure that's helping too. If you're the kind of person who gets into electronic technology - I'd really encourage you to get a fitbit activity tracker. It's a bit pricey, but worth every penny to me. I get my daily stats, and I know exactly how my activity compares to previous days and weeks. The statistics you get from this is amazine - and I can tell you that it really pushes me to hit the treadmill when I see I've had a low day. It sets daily goals for you, and tells you your progress toward those goals. My favorite stat is where it shows how many calories you've burned vs. how many you've eaten over the past 30 days as a graph. I will NOT let a day go by where I eat more than I burn. If I'm cheating, I'm only cheating myself!

This is more like it!! I'm trying to get 5 miles per day in, as I typically do about 2 miles a day without even trying. That means I've had to "work" to get the other 3, but finally I've broken that awful post op stall, and I've started losing again!! And I think it's because of this challenge!!

I had a great weekend!! Down 3.6lbs and I'm trying to get ahead on my miles, as I'll be on vacation the week after Thanksgiving, and it will be good not to have that pressure on my while I'm away from home. I'm going to try to keep it up while I'm gone anyway, as I'm loving the results!