bbrecruiter2000

Hi, Welcome to the group. I was banded 6/23/03. Going for my first fill tomorrow morning. If you need anything, just holler!! -35 and counting 334/299/180

Yeah Alex!! Welcome to our ornery group of losers!!!! You will be a superstar, just know it!

One moment, I only have the following advice: If you can't do strenuous exercise because of your back problems, considering finding a community pool to swim in and do Water aerobics and pilates to strengthen your body. Swimming will not injure any part of your body and is considered the best exercise for people with spinal or cervical problems. Second, I noticed that your diet has a lot of carbs and possibly many calories. If fat free products worked, everyone would be skinny and obesity would not have doubled in the last 5 years in the US. Some of the questions I would ask myself are do I really need the mayo in the chicken salad? DO I really need the second low fat ice bar? Does the pudding offer Protein or anything of significant nutritional value? Could I replace that with a soft piece of meat or chicken? Also, the soup seems like something that would be considered liquid and would wash the food down quicker, thus defeating the purpose of the band. These are just ideas and I hope they help.

Hey Bren, We are bandster buddies reborn on the same day!! I too was banded 6/23/03 here in TX. I have not had my first fill yet, but I will tomorrow with flouroscopy. I have also not had any problems what soever, but I also do not have much restriction, so i have been diligent about what I put in my mouth. Welcome and glad you found the rest of us.!! -35 and counting 6/23/03 334/299/180

Welcome!!! It sounds like everything is going wonderful for you. Keep up the good work and keep everyone posted. -35 and counting 6/23/03

Last week, I went to my doctors office for my first fill. After a 2 hour plus wait, he finally saw me. Apparently everyone in the office was scheduled at the same time. After 6+ attempts, my doc was not able to do the fill and I am scheduled to go to the hospital this week to have it done with flouroscopy. I am a little bit frightened since the in-office thing was done without pain killer or numbing agents. I was sweating bullets through the whole visit! Will they give me numbing at the hospital?. They are only giving me 1.25 CC. I have no restriction now whatsover, so I guess I was wondering if this would even give me any restriction at all. So many questions!!! -35 and counting 6/23/03

Thanks for the responses. No, he tried to do my first fill in his office by himself without flouroscopy. Said my port was a little tilted and too deep to reach, so I have to go in and have it done in the hospital. He only ordered 1.25 CC, which isnt much, but considering I am losing 2.75 pounds a week without one , but with a lot of effort, I complained I needed one now and not 6 months from now. Babs in TX 334/298/180 6/23/03

Dear Unhappy, I understand that it can be frustrating not to get answers from different members. Sometimes I think that people get busy and don't always check their email. I have not looked at my AOL account in 3 weeks. Although I am a newbie, you can always contact me and I will answer your questions to the best of my abilities. Kindest regards, 6/23/03 -35 and counting

Dear Fellow Bandsters, Well I never did hear back from our Miami writer. Perhaps it was just lip service about the followup. I will give her another week and send another email to ask her what she is doing to publish a more accurate story. -35 and counting 6/23/03

Good luck Alexandra, Just a few more hours til you are a loser like the rest of us. I always enjoy your emails and you will do great. Of this I am sure!!! -35 and counting 6/23/03 :) :) :D

I slept in a recliner for the first two weeks. It was the only chair or bed in the house that I felt comfortable with. The pain you are feeling including the chest pain is normal. Some people recover from the anesthesia pretty quickly, while others take a little longer. Walk, walk, walk. Really makes a difference with the recovery!!!

THe most difficult thing for me is getting any work done now that I have so many Bandster buddies! I spend a lot of time chatting with them or meeting them for dinners.!! Only kidding!!!! Well, maybe... The toughest thing for me would be slowing down when I eat and listening to the signals. Also, drinking copious amounts of Water, which is important to weight loss. I like water, but never felt compelled to drink 64 ounces or more a day.!!! -33lbs and counting 6/23/03

Dear Jenny, You are talking about 30 pounds gone forever! That is great progress. In a year that is 72 pounds. You are losing at the rate of 6 pounds a month. That is within the normal range for the band. You may be doing nothing wrong, but then again if you want to expedite the weight loss consider reviewing the following: Am I exercising daily? Am I making the right food choices? Protein first, veggies, then something else if there is room.. Am I keeping the carbs and calories low? Am I rationing my food quantities? A salad plate eaten slowly should probably be enough I keep a food journal and monitor every carb, calorie and how much protein I am getting to make sure that I am losing at the rate that I would like. THe band is just a tool, most of it is still up to you. -33 and counting 6/23/03 Dr. C

Dear Bandster friends, I went to my doctor for my first fill today. My doc tried 6x to fill with 1.25 cc with no success. Said I would have to go to hospital for him to do it there with flouroscopy. I was so depressed.....Waaaaaah! Although my progress has been good, 31 lb in 7 weeks, it has been based solely on willpower and exercise since I have no restriction whatsoever. ANy suggestion on what I can do til fill time. I am getting hungrier and hungrier!:think :sick :sick :think :straight :cry

Alex, I tell everyone who asks me that I have a Lapband and even people who dont. I dont mind taking the time to explain to anyone what it is. At my gym, I was surprised that most of the people who work there actually know what it is and still encourage me the way they would an unbanded person who is taking the time to work out. Unfortunately, my mother, brother and sisters have not taken the time to research the band and think that I am supposed to be dropping pounds as fast as the RNY. Everytime I talk to my mom she says, is that all you have lost so far? This comes from lack of understanding, so I forgive her, but the call is sometimes dissapointing. The only person I have to please is myself and I am happy with my progress. Today is special. I have dropped 30 lb in the last 7 weeks and I am getting a fill tomorrow. My minigoal is 75 lbs lost by Christmas!!! 6/23/03 334/304/175

Hello, I am here near Fort Worth Texas. I have been overweight for most of my adult life. There are so many things that I felt I was missing out on in my life because of my obesity. I was banded on June 23, 2003 and I have lost 28 pounds in the last 6 weeks. I will be getting my first fill next week and I am looking forward to this since I have had no restriction and I have been losing solely based on will power, a low carb diet, daily exercise at the gym and swimming. I am happy that I am banded and my goal is to lose 100 pounds in the next 10 months. Pretty ambitious, but I feel that I can do it!!!!!

Robin, You are my idol!!!! and you are so correct.!! I do not feel deprived at all. When you eat a smaller portion of anything and feel satisfied when you leave the table, thats the most important thing of all. I see so many pre banders (not that I'm an expert yet) who think that they will not be able to enjoy food any longer. There may be some things you will have difficulty eating, but generally speaking most food goes down easily with the exception of tough meats and sometimes bread. For me, sweets have never been a problem anyway. I got fat from partying too much in my 20's and a father who forced me to finish everything on my plate. THINK OF ALL THE POOR KIDS IN AFRICA WITH NO FOOD!!!! I come from a Puerto Rican/Italian background where food is the reason for existence!!! Occasionally, I miss Pasta and potatoes and my once a month Cannoli, but these are the things that got me fat, so I make a personal choice not to eat them. Of course, I have not had a fill yet and have little restriction, so most of my efforts have been based on willpower. I think is someone is desperate enough to suck down milkshakes daily, they will not be successful at any procedure. Therapy would probably be a good route.

OOps. I lost my message that I typed. Dont know how I did this. Shelly you can have low carb Soups. You can find them on the internet on multiple low carb web sites. You can also eat Campbells creamy soups in small quantities. They have carbs but since you will only be eating very little of them you can keep it under 20 still . I add blue cheese on top of them and unflavored soy Protein isolate that you can buy at GNC. My typical solid food diet is as follows: Breakfast: Decaf coffee with Splenda and 1 teaspoon of cream 25 calories 1 Carb lunch Low carb tortilla with a can of tuna or smoked turkey Company (la Tortilla Factory) can be found in many grocery stores Lettuce and one slice of tomato 1 teaspoon diet mayonaisse 1 ounce shredded cheese 1 teaspoon of hot sauce or garlic sauce Total Carbs: 7 Total calories: 335 to 350 Dinner: 6 ounces of fish, chicken or 4 ounces of beef or pork 2 ounces of any kind of low carb vegetable or half cup of salad 4 tablespoons of homemade coleslaw using diet mayonaisse and splenda to make it sweet. Buy the prepackaged coleslaw already chopped up. Eat only half the normal serving. Its still a lot!! Total Carbs: 3-5 Total Calories: 400 give or take depending whether fish or beef Snack: 1 Atkins Breakfast Bar either Cinnamon Roll flavor or Apple Crisp Carbs: 2 Calories: 160 Protein: 14 Total daily protein average: 50-85 grams Total Daily Carbs: Between 11-14 Total Calories: 900-1100 depending on whether or not I have my breakfast bar in the evening Drink lots of Water !!!! If you get bored, drink Crystal Light decaf teas or some other decaf flavor. Hope that helps!!!!

Shelly, I have been on Atkins since I was banded. I have lost 30 ponds in six weeks, but I also watch my calories since I have no restriction and have not had a fill. It has not been difficult at all to do. I make sure I have lots of varieties of meats and cheeses and I eat salad, endive, asparagus, broccoli and many more veggies. My big treat of the day is an Atkins Breakfast bar. The choice is either Cinammon roll or Apple Crisp at 160 calories and 2 carb grams. I also do not exceed 1100 calories a day. I am extremely insulin resistant and even if I wanted the sugar or carbs, and even with a fill, I would still have to be extremely careful about the carb intake. I know that I would still lose weight, but it would be at a slower pace if I ate chocolate and rice and potatoes:D

Beth, my insurance company required my psych evaluation, not my surgeon. It is not clear to me if your insurance company is the one who requires it. If they do, you then need to ask them what they are looking for. My insurance company wanted to know the following three criteria: 1) Am I an alcoholic? 2) Am I a drug abuser? 3) Do I have any psychological disorders? If the doctor is the only one that requires it, the only thing he/she wants to know is if you are aware of your decision and understand the ramifications and risks of the surgery. Although the fatality rate of the band is less than .01 to .02 percent, doctors still want to cover their backs. P.S. An added note: it is my understanding that there is a legal issue in most states of having a friend or acquaintance who is a shrink or psychologist doing your evaluation. One could say that he is writing the letter and knew you had issues and is doing you a favor.I know you want to save money, so the best place to find a psychologist that supports bariatric surgery is on the website for www.obesityhelp.com. THey have a list of bariatric friendly psychologists.

Sunni, I used Dr. Richard Carter in Arlington TX. He accepted my insurance and he is an extremely kind person. His office is a little chaotic due to quick growth and sometimes it is hard to get through to them because they are busy, but they always find time to talk with me about anything and everything I have for concerns. I started my journey with another doctor. His office is tied to a University hospital. Too many politics! I think they are looking for "Stepford candidates", perfect people to prove the band works! Maybe something to do with funding. After two months, March/April, I still did not have an approval because they did not file anything. They were waiting on the psych testing. They also forced me to see one of their shrinks instead of letting me select my own. Their shrink thought I should go to three months of pre op therapy, even though she had never met me personally and had a student at the University interview me. She felt I had anger management issues ( of course I did, since I waited months) and doctor compliance issues, (what the heck is that?) all based on a Minnesota personality profile that was done in office, so I went to a second shrink on my own who wrote me a letter saying there was nothing mentally wrong with me ( drugs, personality disorder, alcoholism etc.) and I was conscious of the decision I was making. I brought everything with me for my first visit to Dr. C. Letter from PCP, shrink report, dietician report etc. THey sent the info on a Wed to my insurance and I was approved and pre certed in 24 hours. Radical difference, I would say. Its really important when you start the procedure for insurance approval, that you find out early on what the insurance requires and most important that you feel comfortable with the doctor and his staff. Anyway, I am now happily banded and almost 30 pounds lighter in 6 weeks and I know I will be successful longterm. Long answer to a short question!!!!

I sent an email to the woman who wrote the article. She responded to me within twenty four hours and admitted that maybe he was not the best subject. She asked me if I would like to participate in a followup story about someone who is success ful with the lapband. I gave her referrals to Century members and three different lapband support groups. I told her to get back to me in a few months, so I really have something to tell since I am a newbie with slightly less than 30 pounds in the last 6 weeks. Here is my letter I sent to her: Dear Ms. Martin, I was thoroughly disappointed with your article on the Lapband procedure. Most of the information about the Lapband in your article is inaccurate and has no real substance.You also make a mockery of all morbidly obese people by choosing a photo of a candidate with 10,000 calories of food at his table ordering the waiter to bring more. Most Lapband patients achieve longterm weight loss percentages similar to bypass patients without dumping syndrome, malabsorption and without permanent damage to their stomachs and intestines. The process is slower at a rate of 6-8 pounds a month, which is a much healthier approach to weight loss and requires less plastic surgery (or none)for the person who is morbidly obese. We are a society of quick fixes to long term problems. Obesity is a serious problem in the US and many will choose numerous other tortuous procedures that will permanently damage their bodies over one that is slower, but more healthy. I should know because I was banded and I am successfully losing the weight I want to lose slowly and in a healthy way. I have learned that it is true that the band is just a tool and the patient must eat healthy low carbohydrate, low caloric food and exercise as well to achieve the desired result. However, it is not true that negative reinforcement in the form of food getting stuck in the band is what is keeping me away from the fast food. I eat without much restriction and definitely without pain, which could be said about most Lapband patients. I now take the time to chew my food and taste what I am eating instead of inhaling it. Most of the banded people I know have lost 50 to 100% of the weight they want to lose within 2 years. Many bypass patients will lose 60-80% of their desired weight and many will gain back 20% or more of their losses. Banded people who learn to eat properly and healthy and get regular exercise have just as much of a chance to lose the same amount of weight and keep it off as bypass patients. It is my opinion that bypass patients never really get the chance to eat normal portions, since the amount is not adjustable. I eat about 6-7 ounces of food, Protein and vegetables and then leave the table. People in other countries have been banded for the last 10 years and these statistics are more accurate than the most recent US ones. In a European study, it showed most banded patients lost between 47%-75% of their desired weight loss. What I want to know is why you would choose to write about a man who obviously has a compulsive eating disorder? Anyone who eats three Breakfast meals and is still is thinking about lunch (despite his profession) has a bigger issue at hand. I am sure if a licensed psychologist did a self inventory eating disorder panel on such a candidate, they would not recommend any surgery.One should try to tackle the eating disorder first before considering any bariatric procedure. There is a difference between eating too much and being a compulsive eater. There are also other factors such as genetics, metabolism, lack of exercise, hormonal and glandular disorders and many other factors which contribute to weight gain. These are people who might make better candidates because they are willing to make changes to improve their health. If you would really like to learn about the Lapband, I would be happy to put you in touch with at least three different support groups that are national and regional who would give you more accurate information for a future article.