DELETE THIS ACCOUNT!

I would lead by example. She's an adult so ultimately the choice is hers. I am very certain watching you get thinner and happier will make a MUCH bigger impact than any words you could ever say to her. Plus, the last thing you want to do is alienate her or make her feel worse than she already does, I mean, I think of all the times over the years well meaning family had said stuff to me about my weight. Not necessarily bad or mean things, things said with the best of intentions but nonetheless still upset to hear. I'm sure your daughter feels the same. And leading by example does work. My mom has become downright jealous of my weight loss and is now seriously considering it for herself. I never said a word to her- until she said "maybe I should consider Lap Band", That was when I said "You really should, I think you'd be so glad you did". Best wishes to you. It's obvious you're a good mom

Yes, all things total should be no more than one cup.

Yay! Good luck, you'll be just fine!!!

Retracted, I was wrong!!!

The band definitely helps you feel satisfied with a lot less food and stay full longer. However, cravings are in your head, not your stomach. Very often people have carb and/or sugar addictions to contend with and those cravings don't go away just because you have the band. It's a conscious effort to ask yourself "am I head hungry or physically hungry?", If the answer is head hungry- don't eat. If the answer is physically hungry- eat. But to say the band makes you no longer crave bad foods is untrue. The band is a tool, not a magic pill. Even with the band, you still have to make good food choices for a lifetime and battle food addiction demons if you them. Now, I will say I no longer crave sweets the way I used to, but that's not because of the band but rather because I have drastically changed my eating habits. I guess you could say I've weened myself off sugary Snacks and got it out of my system. Plus, when I do have the occasional treat now, I feel like crap. Tired, sluggish, just blah, I stick to healthy foods because I just feel so much better when I eat them. As far as weight loss, there is no expected amount and we all lose different amounts. How much you lose is dependent completely on you and the food choices you make. If you are serious about losing weight, make good food choices, and restrict portions you will lose. If you get the band and continue to eat unhealthy but just smaller portions, you won't lose and may even gain. How much you lose depends 100% you.

I have heard of other doctors doing this, and quite honestly, it's baffling. If a patient is still hungry and able to eat big portions they should have the option of a fill. Otherwise, what's the purpose of being banded at all if you're forced to work off sheer willpower? The band was made to be filled. My surgeon always asks me two questions: 1. Are you able to go at least 4 hours without being hungry between meals and 2. Are you satisfied with a cup or less of food. If I say yes to both, then no fill. If I say no to one of them, we discuss the reason for it and decide together if I need a fill. If I say to no both, I get a fill. Whether or not I'm losing weight is completely irrelevant if I answer "no" to either question.

You'd have to talk to the surgeon, everyone's requirements are different.

As the others above stated, if you are PBing all the time and can't eat, you're too tight. I would suggest making an appointment with your surgeon to discuss your issues. I would also be sure to discuss what the band is and isn't supposed to feel like and do, so you're clear in the future.

I am driving to Georgia on Saturday and my daughter is sure to make me stop at Chick Fil A- it's her favorite, Thank you for posting this, now I know what I'll order.

It's not uncommon for people to see a little gain during the month after surgery, so don't be so hard on yourself. Going forward, are you measuring your food? Are you counting calories? Both really help ensure you're eating the right amounts and making good food decisions. I've done both religiously since the day I got home from the hospital and it's really helped a lot. Best wishes.

here's a good description:

PBing stands for Productive Burp, It's literally burping food back up and is not at all forceful or violent like vomiting, Sliming is when your mouth fills with slimy saliva.

Honestly, I agree with your husband. Submit it through your insurance and exhaust all options with them first, then move to self pay if you have to. Why spend tens of thousands of dollars if you don't have to? You pay for insurance so make the most of it and use it if at all possible. And honestly, so what if it's a small delay? It's not optimal but it's not the end of the world either. Many here have to go through 6 months of doctor supervised diets before their surgery. It's not a big deal to have wait a little bit. If anything, it gives you more time to prepare and thoroughly educate yourself about the band in advance. Best wishes.

Unfortunately there is no way we can even make an educated guess on that. If you're worried, I would suggest calling your surgeon to make an appointment to have it checked. Good luck

Some people do just fine on less than 1000 calories a day. I am lucky to get 800-900 calories a days since my last fill (I was aiming for 1100-1200 before that) and I feel great. It all boils down to the type of food you're consuming as calories. Lean Protein, fresh veggies, some fruit, and making good carb choices when you do eat them. I use an app called Lose It to track my calories, protein, carb, and fat intake so I know the food choices I'm making are healthy ones. Plus, I also take Vitamins daily and drink lots of Water and green tea. Everyone is different, some absolutely have to have more than a 1000 function. I used to be one of them- or at least I thought I was. But I have found that with healthy food choices I am very happy, healthy, and energetic on just 800-900 calories a day.

I would ask your surgeon how much is in your band next time you're there and keep track, it's always good to know. I personally would not rely on Protein Bars for hunger between meals. They are typically very high calorie and some have considerable sugar, too. Restriction in the band usually takes at least a couple fills, until then, you have to struggle through on your own willpower. Stick to the rules your surgeon gave you in the meantime, make sure your meals are not more than a cup of food per meal, and get all your Protein in. If you have to eat between meals, try to choose something that isn't going hurt your weight loss efforts, like Greek yogurt or low fat cottage cheese. Even a 60 calorie sugar free pudding would be better than a 180 calorie Protein Bar as a snack. Good luck.

Actually, there is nothing wrong with eating bread when you have the band. Some people prefer low carbs and stay away from bread for that reason, but if you take small enough bites and chew thoroughly most of has can and do still eat bread. If you didn't have pain until hour after eating, the pain isn't from being stuck. The bread would've passed through the band long before that, You wouldn't still be in pain the morning after, either, food spends very little time at above the band before passing through and the pain and discomfort from being stuck is almost instant not delayed by hours or even days. If I were in your shoes, I'd call my surgeon just to be on the safe side and describe the pain you're experiencing,

Personally, you couldn't pay me all the money in the world to touch a carbonated drink since being banded. First, there is a research study out of Germany that followed over 4000 people with Lap-Band. One of the things listed as a cause in 8.6% complications was band slips from drinking carbonation. When I was in the hospital getting my band, the woman sharing my room was in there for a band replacement, Why? Because she had been regularly drinking soda and it caused her band not only to slip, but her stomach actually prolapsed through her band. She also gained back 40 pounds because of it, too. Most doctors say no carbonation for good reason, and I've found research as well as a real life experience to back it up. Yes, liquids do pass right through, but that gas (carbonation) causes bloating and expansion of the stomach. That's why soda makes you burp. When the soda or beer goes through the band to the bottom of the stomach, the carbonation expands from the bottom up, thus the slips occur. To each their own, but I will never have carbonation again. The proof is there it can cause damage and it's simply not worth the risk to me.

Whatever you do, do NOT use YouTube videos as reason to base your decision. They are about as unreliable as it gets and loaded with bad information. Research it online, find a surgeon in your area that you trust, and attend a seminar. It's the best way to learn the facts rather than hearing people's unproven antidotes on YouTube,

I was originally scheduled for Gastric Bypass and canceled at the last minute. I just couldn't rationalize cutting away a part of my stomach and rerouting my intestines when there was a far less risky and reversible procedure available, the Lap-Band. I figured I'd try the Lap-Band first then if for some reason that didn't work, I'd consider the Sleeve or Gastric Bypass. I'm so glad I canceled that Gastric Bypass surgery and got the Lap-Band. It's by far the best decision I've ever made for myself. I'm very, very happy with my decision.

There is no set answer for that, It depends on your insurance requirements, how quickly you can get through all the pre-op appointments (psychologist, nutrionist, possibly even a sleep study), and how quickly the surgeon's office submits everything. Plus, some insurance companies require a 6 month doctor supervised diet before you can qualify for WLS, Sorry there's not a specific answer, I was banded less than a month after my consultation, but I know others that end up having to wait almost a year, Best wishes!

I think what she meant was, because you have so little in your band the weight you lost was because of your willpower not restriction, That's not at all saying you were wrong to get the band- it's hard to be banded without restriction and she was likely just complementing you for losing despite it. Restriction with the band is: -Only eating a cup of food or less, and that's enough -going 4-5 hours between meals without being hungry -losing weight I am guessing, with only 1cc in your band, you aren't experiencing the first two yet. That's all the nutrionist was referring to, You're not doing anything wrong at all- just hang in there until you do have restriction

The only real "rules" that are consistant for the majority of Lap-Band doctors are: -No more than 1/2 cup to 1 cup of food per meal. When the food is gone, you're done eating, hungry or not, -60-80g of Protein are necessary daily -No carbonated beverages -Follow up with your doctor reglarly -No drinking during meals Other than that, every surgeon seems to have their own recommended diet and rules. I would highly suggest logging your food for a week or two then taking the log to a nutrionist. This way they can see exactly what you're eating and advise you where changes are necessary for successful weight loss. Also, because you didn't mention counting calories, it would also be helpful. Most people who don't count calories and aren't losing weight are shocked how much they're actually eating once they do start counting. Just a suggestion, Best wishes

You shouldn't be ashamed at all, you should be proud of yourself for having the courage not only to swallow your pride and start over but to admit where you went wrong in the past. We're human, we all make mistakes. Put the past behind you and start over today from day one. It's wonderful you've gone back to your doctor and getting fills again. I really think you'll do well this time around because you're honest with yourself, your head seems to be in the right place, and you know what you need to do to succeed. Best wishes to you and welcome