faithmd

I'm sorry you are having such difficulty. Have you called your doctor? That would be the very first place I would turn. Run, do not walk to the telephone and call the office. If you are only getting in about 24 ounces of Fluid a day for many days in a row, that's not good for your body. The swelling is different for everyone, some people have said their belly looked like they were pregnant again. Are you walking? How is your pain? Call your doctor and then keep us updated, please.

Here's a link to a thread specifically for lower BMI bandsters: http://www.lapbandtalk.com/f17/lower-bmi-bandsters-26697/ Hope this helps!

They don't actually stitch it to the stomach, they put a stitch in the stomach and pull it up over the band creating a little tunnel for the band to sit in. Google "pars flaccida" surgical technique, that is what band surgeons should be doing now, when you have your consult you can ask what technique he uses. To truly understand how the band is placed and what is meant by pars flaccida and stitching, you can watch a video of the band being placed at: Tampa General Hospital? Good luck!

What outside hook up? The port (which in the current band is used to inflate (increase restriction) and deflate (decrease restriction) the band is under the skin on your abdomen. Have you considered a sleeve gastrectomy? You can find out about it over on obesityhelp.com There are plenty of folks in your boat, in fact one of the biggest advocates for insurance to pay for weight loss surgeries (obesitylaw.com) Walter Lindstrom had bypass and has now had a band placed over bypass. Welcome to lapbandtalk, we're here to support one another!

I can't believe I missed the show! Darn! So I just went to TLC.com and checked it out to see if they are rerunning the show anytime this week (like they so often do), but sadly they're not going to. Though in my search about the show, I discovered what one of my dear old friends that I have lost touch with is doing... I remember Garth Davis when he was a first year resident. He is in my list of top twenty all-time favorite residents ever. I remember being so sad when he told me he was moving to Texas to go into practice with his father. Then when I looked at the "About" page for Big Medicine and it mentioned a father-son team in Houston, I thought: "No way, could it be Garth?" And yep, it is! What a fantastic person I recall him being. How excting for him! He never mentioned Bariatric Surgery to me, but that was a few years ago (probably nine years) and surgery for the obese wasn't as accepted as it is today. Besides, I've been heavy since I hit puberty, perhaps he didn't wish to offend me. He's a wonderful, caring person. Anyone here go there? When the time comes for plastic surgery, I might consider a trip to Houston... We'll have to see as the show progresses how skilled the plastics guy is.

Hello Melanie, welcome to LBT, take a while and look around, there is tons of good information here. For example there is an entire forum dedicated to food and recipes (how cool is that?). In that forum there is an entire thread dedicated to liquid stage foods. Here's a link to the forum: http://www.lapbandtalk.com/f9/ I hope this helps.

No carbs and no sugar until you reach goal? An Atkins diet? If we could do a strict phase 1 Atkins diet (for a looooong time, since you mentioned it is until you are at goal) then why would we need to be banded in the first place? That one makes no sense to me. It sounds more like a bypass surgeon's reccommendations. Lots of bypass patients can't tolerate sugars and dump, so they are told to stay away from them. The point of the band is to be able to eat all the normal foods we would (but choose healthier, of course), though in smaller portions.

I know, I would also prefer for the edit feature to freaking work again. Sheesh, seemd like such a simple thing to fix, but maybe not? Would be nice to have some word one way or the other about it, though. Some people say that they only have problems intermittently, I have problems everytime. Sorry I couldn't offer a better solution, but I do know this one works, it's what I've started doing.

Edie, try this idea: Before clicking on edit, drag your mouse across your entire post and copy it, then click on edit. Drag the mouse again over all the smilies and everything that shows up, hit delete. then click in the box, then right click and "paste" the text you copied that you want to edit. Then you can edit without smilies.

Here's the link: http://www.lapbandtalk.com/f73/post-op-checklists-things-have-before-surgery-14814/

I told less people than that, I do not think that is silly at all. For me it's not so much about the weight gain or loss, it's about the food policing I'll get, or the constant: "So how much have you lost?" Or if something happens and I need it removed, I don't want anyone to know about that, either. In all other aspects of my life I'm pretty much an open book, but this one I'm keeping shut tight.

This is exactly why I say tell NO ONE but your spouse what you are doing. People are frequently uneducated about this procedure and the benefits it can have on our lives. As so many others have said so well, the reasons you listed are good reasons to HAVE the surgery. And I also agree, listen only to your SURGEON about whether this is a good plan for you. Not even your primary care physician is the authority on weight loss surgery, only a bariatric surgeon can look at all of your issues and tell you if this is a good choice. Call your insurance company, as if they cover adjustable gastric banding, then find out who they will cover you to see (and then have them send this to you in writing). Call and make an appointment to go to an information seminar (most practices have them at least monthly and they are free). Take your husband and go learn more about it. Frequently at these seminars you can then make an appointment for a consultation (so take your schedule/planner with you). Good Luck from a fellow Michigander

I will cross every finger, every toe and anything else I can think of for you to get approval!

Lexy, I don't know if you've found it or not, but there's a link to a thread specifically for, by, and about lower BMI bandsters: http://www.lapbandtalk.com/f17/lower-bmi-bandsters-26697/

Your best bet would be Spivak in Houston, there are very few US doc's that will band at less than 35 without some significant comorbidities. But they are out there, you just have to find them. You really would have a much easier time of it heading to Mexico. The docs there are (just like here-for the most part) wonderful, and many of them trained the US surgeons on how to place the band. I think at the last poll I saw something like 50 or 60 percent of LBTers had gone to Mexico to be banded. And just a word of caution, you cannot go on price alone (even though it is a large chuck of change), this is your body you are dealing with. Would you look aroud for the cheapest heart surgeon you could find if you needed heart surgery? Do your homework, theres loads of threads on here about people's Mexico experiences, and Dr. Spivak has a couple of threads dedicated to him, too. GOOD LUCK! And congrats on making your decision to become a bandster!

I'm at 44 lbs down and I am also still wearing the SAME jeans! They are getting a little baggier, but DAMN! I would love to think I've truly lost a size...

What worked for me (I had to be 335 to qualify) for that last push was to drink a couple of LOW CARB Slimfast a day, and have one or two really good-sized salads as well. Of course you have to watch what kind of dressing you put on the salad, but that worked for me (I think I lost 12 lbs that last week or 10 days). I mention LOW CARB SlimFast because it has great Protein in it, and is the best tasting of the drinks I tried. Sure Atkins and EASAdvantage are a bit lower in calories, but they also are not nearly as tasty. The SF Low Carb is thick and rich and fills me up. I found it at Walmart or Krogers. There is only vanilla or chocolate available, but I also found some flavored sipping straws at Walgreens that come in Cookies and Cream, strawberry, banana, Vanilla or Chocolate and they are 15 calories each and last for up to 16oz of Fluid. You just use them to sip whatever you want to flavor, rather than mix in a flavor. They are quite good and are about $2 for 10 of them.

Finally the scale moved...only by a pound, though. But it is a movement! I am noticing that my clothes are feeling looser, so I would guess I'm losing inches, too. I haven't done my meaurements yet, I should have done them at the beginning of this journey, but I told myself I'd do them the day I go to get banded. That way I have pre-band inch numbers. I also finally started taking pictures monthly, we'll have to see how that goes. As long as no one finds them! July 4th Challenge Week 6 Name...................Starting…...…..Current….…......Goal….......To Go losingjusme............317....................305 ..................295.............10 tann.......................257.................... 239...................232.............07 juliegeraci...............232................... 232...................220.............12 Josette...................340................... 329...................315.............14 Inner_me................306....................298 ..................280.............18 Elisabethsew..........281....................273 ..................260.............13 Waterlily1072........ 278................ ....277 ..................252.............25 Libra..................... .230................. ..222...................205.............17 Lapbandit……… .… 208………....…...206……..…..... .185…… ..….21 RidinMyHDDream.. .281....................274 ..................256..............18 FaithMD................ 341.5.................327...................310.. ...........17 Oh yes, and my name is Faith

That's the problem with RNY bashers, I just don't think they get understand, here's my theory: Just because RNY isn't right for me at this time, doesn't mean it isn't right for someone else. I am certain that you are the type of person who has done her research and is very comfortable with her decision. That is the key. I do wish you all the luck in the world, I am very interested to hear how it all goes and how you do down the road, I'm sure you will do GREAT! Good luck!!

Thanks for the suggestions everyone! I haven't yet been banded, but I have been trying to lost weight on my own while on the journey to becoming a bandster. I have been at this same weight for almost a month now! I am frustrated!

Robbie, take some time and look around the board, there are some sticky threads here about large amounts of weight either lost or to be lost. One is about bandsters with a BMI over 50, and one is about those who have lost over 100lbs. It is certainly possible to lose that with the band. I would not consider RNY either, for sooooo many reasons. I figure if I have 160lbs to lose, and I lose 100 of it and keep it off, then I'm that much farther ahead of the game. RNy is great for fast loss, but the reality is that four years or so out, RNY and Lapband begins to equal out. And with bypass (RNY) your body eventually learns how to get past the malabsorption and the weight starts coming back on.

Hello and WELCOME!!!! I am from Michigan (near A2) and am being banded June 20th at Hurley in Flint. I have heard wonderful things about Dr. Krause and the Beaumont Weight Loss Center. As a side note, I was just talking with MCare about the Beaumont Group and she cautioned me that they charge some significant fees for either their "after-care" program or their "support group" she couldn't remember which. Make sure to ask lots of good questions about any "hidden costs" or food costs if they require a liquid diet.

I won't be able to weigh in until tomorrow. I'm pretty sure I'm still at my plateau or perhaps I've gained.

So far I've lost a little over 40lbs since late January, I'm not being banded until June 20th. I log every single bite on fitday.com, I have given up simple sugars (enriched flours, white potatoes, white breads, high fructose corn syrup, sugar, etc...) and I try to limit my intake of artificial sweeteners. I do not count calories intentionally (I mean I don't aim for a certain target), and I do not take any supplements (other than Vitamins and Calcium, of course). I take tiny bites and do not drink with my food (or at least I try not to). I have been fairly successful with very little pain.

Actually lapbandsystem.com is Dr. Joya's website from Mexico, so it might be another site that you mean.