Damander

The title says it all people! I am 26 years old and am from Waco, but living in Temple with my husband and children! I am waiting on a date from S&W bariatric center here in Temple so I can begin this amazing/hard journey and would love to find others in my area who have already had the surgery or are in the process of getting it. This forum has been super quiet, but we need to liven it up! Looking forward to hearing from you!!!

I'm really excited, but the nerves are definitely setting in! Can't wait for it to be over with-I have to be there at 6:30 am!

It's been quite a while since I've posted something on here. I have my fb group of November bandsters that I love dearly but I just need to find out how many others are like me.. I've lost 21 pounds (including pre-op diet) since my Journey began in November. I haven't lost anything since my last fill (I have 5.8cc in a 10cc band) and I go again tomorrow for another fill hopefully. I've been eating anything and everything that I possibly could and while I told myself and my husband that I don't feel any restriction, I think it dawned on me today that I actually do-a deep breath, or a hiccup, or tightening in my chest..something subtle, but I feel it. And then I continue eating. I don't know if it is truly an addiction to food or if I am sabotaging myself...but something is wrong. I am 197 lbs and I am shooting for 130. When I got pregnant with my now 1 year old I was only 160 lbs and while that is still very overweight for my height (5'1") I was happy with my weight so I can't possibly figure out why I would be sabotaging myself but fact of the matter is I'm not losing and I don't know where to begin anymore to get back on track. I have made my new workout schedule and my food menu and my Water schedule (yes, I have to have a schedule for water to ensure I get my 80+ ounces in) and I will start with that, but now it's trying to train my brain again on how to fight the head hunger and decipher between what's really hunger and what isn't. Is anyone else feeling like this? I just feel screwed.

Yesterday I went for my 5th fill. I had 6.1cc but my doc was only able to get 5.5cc.. She said I shouldn't worry and sometimes the saline sits in the bottom of the little pouches and next time If I go back and its less still then we will check it out..but I can't help but worry! She put .5cc in so that gives me 6.6 IF she was right and there is no leak...but if there is a leak that puts me at 6cc or even less! Should I be worried or is that normal? I figure after this many fills and always pulling out the right amount of Fluid that it means something..but I just dont know. Help!!!

Definitely! That is my exact fear-I really don't want to have surgery again, but I would if I had to.. hopefully it was a different position for the needle or something! Keep me updated!!

Hey guys, I'm just curious to see if anyone that is banded has also tried hcg since being banded and what were the results?

I posted the question BEFORE I had the surgery, completely out of curiosity only because LB surgery is the slowest and least invasive of the wls. While I am losing weight very slowly, I have not used HCG, nor have I wanted to but I still support those who do want to. Don't let posts on this site discourage you, that is the mere reason that I quit posting on the site. The only reason I commented earlier is because I got the notification in my email. I love my band, and I wouldn't have it any other way. The slower you lose, the better it is for your skin but I can relate to those on here that want to see results faster. It's a mind game sometimes, that I don't think will ever change. I am almost down 29 lbs since surgery in November, but that is just fine with me.

I couldn't even read all of these posts; they say the exact same thing. Let's get this straight..you go on any website about the lap band and for every good review, there are always several bad ones: "Why don't you just lose the weight on your own" "Get on the treadmill" "Why would you have an invasive procedure to lose weight" "You could die"...but you still did it anyway, right? HCG is a SYNTHETIC hormone (meaning man-made in case you don't know what that means)-so to the ignorant lady talking about drinking urine, you really need to do more research-you don't sound good at all. If it is safe for women trying to get pregnant, why would it not be safe in this case? You are not starving yourself by only eating 500 calories a day, because your body is naturally burning 2000-2500 while taking HcG. I've been on the protocol several times and lost all the weight I wanted to lose and KEPT it off until I got pregnant; then and only then did I decide I didn't care how much I ate and that was a personal decision, not a result of taking HcG. Fact of the matter is people who have researched and decided to take Hcg is their own decision and it is not up to you to speak your mind on how horrible you think it is. I'm absolutely positive that you read similar things when trying to decide whether or not you would go with the lap band and it probably pissed you off..why? Because its YOUR life and no one has the right to try and make you opt out of it, so why try and do it to someone else? This is precisely why I stick to my support group via facebook and stay the hell off of this site because you people are still so judgemental to everything that has NOTHING to do with you. Shut your mouth and keep **** to yourself. Just because its not "for you" doesn't mean its not for someone else. /End

She gave me .3 cc yesterday so now I have 6.1cc and I'm not sure if it is swelling but I have restriction!!! I have NEVER felt this constant heaviness in my chest and I can feel the Water drip slower through the band..my dr says this is what restriction feels like so I am hoping that when the swelling goes down and I can actually eat solids that I still feel this way. It will definitely prevent me from over eating. We can't give up. We didn't go this extreme route only to fail ourselves. I get discouraged but then something happens and picks me back up! I lost 2 lbs on the dr scale according to 3 weeks ago on their scale..of course it should be more than 2 lbs in 3 weeks but it is still a loss and for that I am grateful and definitely back on track. Last night for dinner (on liquids) I prepared 1/4 can tomato Soup and 1 wedge light laughing cow cheese...I did not eat all of my soup and only ate half of the wedge because I was STUFFED and (wait for it)...I actually stayed full the rest of the night! I had a skinny vanilla latte this morning (130 cals) at 7:30 and I am still full. I am working on my water for the day, but I am not hungry. My head is trying to tell me I am but its satisfied with the water. We can do this!!!!! Good luck!!

Hey guys, I am in the process of getting approval for surgery, just waiting on my lifestyle class (which is tomorrow) and an appointment with a Cardiologist and then I should be good to go. Just looking for some people to talk to around my area. I don't know anyone else who has gotten the lap band and it would be nice to talk with people around my age (I am 26)!! Amanda

If I could just stop eating, I wouldn't need the band.

Not in the Dallas area, but I had my surgery with Dr. Joaquin Rodriguez here in Temple and their surgery center is a "center of excellence". I had a great experience..may be worth checking out!

I agree with the above poster on the recovery time. I had surgery Thursday (11/17) and returned the following Monday (11/21). I also would fight not to pay for the second sleep study. Your surgeons office scheduled the sleep study or at the very least, had to send orders for what they were wanting the sleep study done for. The fact that they did not put you on a CPAP is not YOUR fault and I would absolutely appeal having to pay for that. That is absolutely ridiculous.

Btw, we have an awesome secret group on fb for the November bandsters so that no one can read what we write (people that we aren't telling) If you wanna join, send me an invite! facebook.com/damander

From all that I have read on this forum, you will be surprised at how fast you reach that goal of yours, even if it was like mine-to just hit 199! I am struggling a bit with the hunger, but I've already put myself on thinned malt-o-meal, just for substance. It's really getting me by! How is your pain?

btw, Tricare pays 100%. I don't know what they will pay since you have another insurance, but your out of pocket should be zero

I have Tricare Prime and I found out two days after it was submitted that I was approved..if they submit to Tricare, they are SUPER fast! Hope this helps!

Hi Mandii! I'm Amanda (lol) I was banded on the 17th as well and I live in Temple! Its so nice to finally see someone close to me get banded lol! I lost 10 lbs preop and 8 since saturday! I'm looking forward to reading your blog! Good luck, you can totally do it!!

I was banded Nov 17..I started being hungry the 4th day and it felt like starvation. I start full liquids on Wednesday which can consist of thinned malt o meal and oatmeal, so I went ahead and made the executive decision to make very thin malt o meal with a sweet n low packet. It definitely did the trick. I was able to eat maybe 4 teaspoons and then I felt full so I stopped eating. I have been doing that every day since. I realize that drs have rules for a reason, but I know my own body and I needed something with substance. I have also lost 8.2 lbs since last Thursday and I am starting to feel better now that I have "regular" food in me. I make enough for one serving (3 table spoons dry malt o meal to 1 cup boiling water) and it literally lasts me all day. By no means am I telling you not to follow your drs orders, I am just telling you to follow your own body. Not everyone is a textbook case. Hope this helps!

I am 5 days post-op and I was STARVING. I was so hungry that I almost puked several times. I am able to start full liquids (malt o meal, thinned oatmeal) on Wednesday but I decided to make the executive decision and go ahead and make some very thin malt o meal. And it was the best. I got about 4 teaspoons down and was full. I realize doctors have rules for certain reasons, but not everyone is a textbook case. Some people aren't hungry for weeks after and some are starving immediately after. I know my own body, and I didn't push it. I ate enough to feel satisfied and it worked. And I am still losing weight. I lost 7 lbs since Saturday and am now feeling so much better!

So I went through with it! I was banded 11-17 and have lost 7 lbs since Saturday! I am officially in onederland and I love my band! Good luck to everyone!!

I can only drink literally a few sips before I am feeling I guess I would call it slight pain. I know that my dr left 1/4-1/2cc in my band, my question is do you think I am just that swollen still? And has anyone else experienced this? I am no where near getting in 64oz fluids a day..any response would be greatly appreciated!