DELETE THIS ACCOUNT!

You're kidding, right? You're going to give up after a month??? Honestly, good luck with the removal. I hope you have better luck on your own because you obviously didn't take the band seriously at all.

It's always better not to risk being too tight and call your doc. Let him decide if you need a little unfill or not.

Most doctors say you shouldn't take more than 20-30 minutes to finish a meal, and if 20-30 passes you're done eating whether you have food left or not. Also remember, if you're not hungry or don't feel like finishing a meal, then don't. Listen to your body's natural hunger signals. Best wishes.

I don't have any routine, I pretty much sip either Water or green tea all day long. I was told I could drink right up until the time I start eating then again 30 minutes after I eat, so that's what I do.

I was told that once it's gone flat it's fine. I've had flat ginger ale a couple times. The problem with carbonation and the band isn't weight loss, it's a risk of slips. Carbonation causes the stomach to expand below the band (because as a liquid, it goes right through). When that happens, it pushes upward on the band, potentially causing a slip. When I was in the hospital having my Lap Band surgery, the woman sharing my room was in there for a band replacement. The reason- she had been drinking soda and it caused her band not only to slip, but her stomach actually prolapsed up through her band. She also regained 40 pounds. After reading about the band and carbonation, and hearing that woman's story in the hospital, you couldn't pay me enough to touch carbonation now that I'm banded. Best wishes.

I am so sorry you're going through this. I've never had Lap Band or port issues, but I have had a drainage tube removed before. Twice, in fact. Most recently for a surgery in August. You won't need a painkiller of any kind- it doesn't hurt. The only thing I found is the sensation of him pulling the tubing out made me feel momentarily light headed and a bit nauseous. It's a very weird, kinda gross sensation but it doesn't hurt. Best wishes and I hope you heal up soon.

Coco butter helps considerably. He may even want to try one of the creams for pregnant tummies.

Heating pad, it helps with the gas pain. Definitely try Protein drinks ahead of time, otherwise you may find yourself stuck with a nasty one in the days after surgery. Dannon makes these little 4oz bottles of Water. I found those great the first week after surgery because I just carried one with me and sipped constantly. It made it easy to track how much water I was getting in, too.

Deslyn is a really good OTC cough suppressant, too. Good luck!

Wow great story, congratulations! Your story is very similar to mine, I started off at 421 pounds when I had my surgery 14 months ago. Since then I have lost over 190 pounds. My current short term goal is to be under 200 pounds by my 40th birthday in June. (I'm 230 pounds now) I have the huge icky pannus droop, too. I'm looking to get it removed relatively soon because my surgeon will be fixing some pretty huge hernias at the same time. I'm excited but nervous! Thank you for the inspiration and sharing your story. It was really cool reading about someone else so similar to me

My son was 9yrs old and my daughter was 17yrs old when I had surgery. I told them the truth. I was grossly overweight and I had to do something before my health got even worse. I told them I wanted to be active in their lives and actually do things with them again. I told them I wanted to be a mom they could be proud of. Honestly, my kids have been really great about it. They weren't blind or stupid, they knew how unhealthy I was. My oldest in particular had a lot of fears of me dying from obesity- and so did I. They're both thrilled I had the surgery and the incredible changes the weight loss has made in our lives.

Well first, stop speak so negatively to and about yourself. You're not lazy, a pig, or a failure. Wipe that crap from your vocabulary right now because all it does it needless bring you down. You realize where you've gone wrong and that's half the battle. My question is, do you ever feel like you reached the Green Zone with your band? Did you ever reach a point you could be easily satisfied on a cup or less of food for at least 4 hours? The work is yours to do but it really helps a lot when the band has adequate Fluid to help you along. You have to remember, we all have major food issues. If we didn't we wouldn't need WLS to begin with. For a lot of us that is where the real struggle lies because the band goes around our stomach not our brains. Some of us even seek counseling to deal with our head issues and others seek support groups. You said you stayed away from your support group to not take away from all the happy successful people. It's a support group, not a brag group. It's entire purpose is to offer support for others and right now that is exactly what you need. So, I'm really glad you're going back. I can only speak for myself, but I find tracking and logging every calorie I put in my mouth incredibly helpful. It's so easy to rationalize eating the unhealthy things "oh it's just a small piece of cake" or "I'll eat this burger but I'll get a salad tomorrow". When you have to see the 'damage' there right in front of you, and how that small piece of cake is 400 calories or that burger is 700 calories, you can't ignore the gravity of the bad choice you're about to make. For me, not only does counting calories help me to stay in my daily calorie allowance but it very much holds me accountable, too. I hope you have great success with your return to band life. Good luck with your doctor and the support group.

It can but it's not horribly common. Maybe see if either your PCP or surgeon can call you in a good prescription cough suppressant? Feel better soon!

No I completely understand, it's a lot of money! Also, there is something called Care Credit. It's like a line of credit specifically for medical procedures. Maybe you could apply with them as a last resort? http://www.carecredit.com/

I have slept on my tummy since the day I had surgery. No problems whatsoever, in fact the pressure felt good, almost like a compression garment.

Unfortunately, the higher the BMI the higher the risk of going under general anesthesia for surgery. I started with a BMI of 72 so I understand completely. I know it's extra money but try to remember it is for your own good. They want you to be in the hospital because they are doing what is in your best interest. And, reality is, you can't put a price tag on your health. I would be concerned about using any surgeon that jeopardized your quality of care just to save money. Talk to the hospital, because the extra $5k cost is coming from them. Very often they'll take a percentage up front and accept payment arrangements for the rest. Best wishes.

Congratulations!!

Well, only you can decide if you're too tight. However, if you are, any weight loss isn't worth the dangers of a band too tight. The main cause of slips is because the patient walked around with their bands way too tight. If you're taking bites the size of a fingernail, chewing it until mush, eating slowly and stick to band portions but still PBing then yes you're likely too tight. You also should consider the fact being at the proper Fluid level in the band should mean minimal hunger without PBing and constant stuck episodes. I'm not sure why anyone would choose a band that's too tight over a band in the Green Zone. Just my opinion. Best wishes.

hello and welcome! First, congratulations on your weight loss so far! 28 pounds is great! And yes, you're right where you should be. The average is 1-2 pounds per week, you've been banded about 18 weeks, so you're doing great! Always remember, some lose really slow and others lose really fast. Some lose somewhere between the two. At the end of the day, it doesn't matter how fast or slow the weight comes off, all that matters is that it IS coming off. The pain/discomfort when laying down isn't normal, though. What does your doctor say about it? If I were in your shoes, I'd be requesting testing to find the cause. Best wishes to you.

If you have to have a little removed, that's not your fault "for not paying attention". If anything, you should feel proud you recognize the fact what you're experiencing isn't normal are getting a little unfill. Too often people walk around with bands too tight and end up with slips. ...the fact you realize this, and are getting taken care of, makes you one of the wise ones

Neither band is "better" than the other, it's simply a matter of which the surgeon prefers to use and which is best suited for a specific patient. If you trust your surgeon enough to operate on you, then trust them to pick the right band for you too.

It will vary from surgeon to surgeon, some say a 1/2 cup and others say 1 cup, but one thing that is pretty universal is no more than 1 cup per meal. Just because you can physically eat more doesn't mean you should nor does it mean you need a fill. The band isn't supposed to physically stop you from eating anything, in fact that's a big reason why it's important to stick to band sized portions so we don't accidentally over eat. If you want a really clear but great explanation, have a look at the link in my signature. Best wishes.

I can't speak for your insurance specifically. Some won't accept Weight Watchers as a supervised diet because it's not overseen by a doctor. But, if your insurance will, I would get a signed copy of your billing statement from WW. It will show 5 months of payment for services rendered. Then, have your doctor sign it too. Again, it depends on if your insurance will accept WW, but I know someone who did this and their insurance accepted it.

Well, you should bother because it will greatly dim your appetite which seriously stops the desire to eat and pre-occupation of food. The band is adjustable, but keep in mind too often expect the band to physically stop them from eating and end up way too tight. A band too tight will and can lead to slips, in fact it's the main cause of band complications and slips. Here's an exert from Dr. Simpson on the band, if you want to read the entire article you can find it in my signature: "The Lap-band is NOT about Restriction When talking about the band, some patients talk about restriction. Let's first be clear about one thing: the purpose of the band is not restriction; the purpose of the band is to lose weight by suppressing the appetite. When band professionals talk about restriction we are talking about something totally different than "restricting what a person eats." In fact, many band surgeons avoid talking about restriction so as to not confuse patients. The band works by dimming the appetite, and this provides a conscious control and decision made by the patient, it does not work by "making" a person do something, or keep them from eating too much. The Lap-band works by suppressing your appetite As a result, you are less interested in food between meals, making it easier to resist temptation. The analogy is when you are near a vending machine when you are hungry-- what do you do? Probably find yourself with some junk food that is not a part of your plan. But, when you pass a vending machine when you are full, it may not even catch your eye. Having the appetite dimmed makes you less tempted by the many food choices modern living throws at you - -this is what the band does, by suppressing appetite you become less interested in food."