kbliss78

I lost 10 pounds in the first week, then it stopped. It takes most people 2 - 4 fills to notice the help of the band. Before that it is just hard dieting. It is called banster hell by many and I would agree. I am 8 weeks post opt and now at 5.6 cc and finally feel like I have a band. Before I could eat anything and felt hungry alot. I followed the rules best I could and ate small meals slowly. But it was hard until the band started working for me. Once your swelling goes down, dont be suprised to feel like you have not even had surgery. It is disappointing and frustrating. But once though banster hell, the weight will starting falling off. If I could give you any advice, I would tell you to follwo the rules best you can and put the scale away for at least one month. You will drive yourself crazy the first few weeks. At least I did. I finally put it up and decided to only weigh at Dr appts until I got to green zone. Best of luck.

Awesome! Great job for starting the process. I was self pay also. I faught insurance several times over the last 10 years and decided this time I would just pay for it and not even mess with the process. It took so much stress off my back. I dont have tons of money but I am happy I made the investment. Enjoy the consult. Ask what your money covers and especially for aftercare. Fills and Unfills can be expensive if they are not covered. You should at least get 1 year aftercare covered for your money! Ask about the risks too. There is new news out there stating the Realize band misrepresented their risk rates and they are schedueld to testify at congress. This came out after I got my band but I have Lap Band. Not sure if that is a big difference or not. Either way, I am still happy I did it. Best wishes.

Congrats. I was self pay also. You will do fine. I had alot of mixed emotions as the date got close and even as I ly on the pre opt table. I was thinking "just get up and leave, you can do this on your own!". But I am glad I didnt freak out. I am only 2 months post op but I am happy. I wish the best for you!

Also, I am "self pay" as well. I paid $10,000.00 through true results which covered the surgery, pre opt, one year of post op and all fills / unfills during that time. Be sure to ask your surgeon if aftercare is covered and for how long. Fills are usually around $125 if it is not covered. Most of your fills and unfills will be in the first year but if you have a complication or another proceedure (like cosmetic surgery) years down the road, you have to get a unfill and then gradual fills again. That could total $500 + to get back to green zone. Those are just some things to consider. Also, pick a surgeon close to you because you have to go for frequent appts after the proceedure to get fills. I have gone every two weeks for 8 weeks. Now I am on once a month. Every Dr is different. Sorry I have probably talked too much

Since you are eating so little is there enough nutrition going through your body to ensure you are relatively healthy? (are Vitamins required, I have heard of hair loss?) I am 8 weeks post op and have no hair loss. You get to eat enough that it is not an issue as long as you eat protien first. · If you drink Water does that fill you up similar to food or does it pass through you? liquids pass right thru. Sometimes when I am hungry I drink water first to ensure it is not thirst. It is weird but alot of times it is really thirst instead of hunger. But the liquids dont fill you up (they will the week after surgery). Carbinated soda causes some people issues but not me. · Anyone have excess skin or have they found with continued exercise that this is not that big of a problem? I am too early to tell about excess skin but this is a big problem for alot of people. You should search Lap Band Excess Skin on You Tube. There are a ton of videos of girls who are willing to show the issue. Some poeple are very lucky and have little and some have alot. I have only lost 25 lbs in 7 - 8 weeks but I can tell my arms are going to be an issue. · Can you feel the band does it interfere with another aspect of your lives? I cannot fill it at all. Sometimes I faintly fill my port if I am doing sit ups or activity but it is very subtle. I can feel my band if I eat a large bite or too many bites close together. The food has to push through and it is very uncomfortable. So I try to follow the rules. This didnt happen to me until third fill. · Does the gas subside or is it a constant side effect? I had gas pain for two days and it was tolerable. None since. I was told to always have gas ex with me but I havent used it since 1 week post. I dont drink many carbonated sodas which may help. I get gas if I eat gassy foods just like pre - band. Most people only deal with the gas for a short amount of time after surgery and it is typically not in the intestine but the gas they use to fill you up with in order to preform the surgery. That is why it hurts b/c it is hard to get out (body has to absorb it). I read alot about this proceedure before I had it done. I fear the risks of slipping or port flips. However, it looks like most complications come from the old band they use to use (4cc) or patient non-complaince (breaking the rules over time and causing issues). I plan to follow rules closely to reduce risks. I had some doubt after the proceedure that I should have gotten the sleeve but I am still comforted that I can remove this and be totally normal whereas the others are perminant alternations to anatomy. That scares me more. The weight loss is slower with the band so you have to be a patient person. Especially in the first few months until they get you to the green zone. This is a discouraging time. However, it goes by pretty fast. I hope that helps. Best wishes to you in your journey. This site can be helpful but sometimes it goes through periods of time where it is all negative and panic. Then a few weeks it will be alot of positive discussions. Read some of the forums about 100 plus losses and the successes too. Those are cool. katy

Wow! THat is so scary and terrible. I am so suprised your Dr didnt listen to your concerns. It almost souds like there is malpractice involved in that situation.

How fast he does fills. That will be very important to you.

I have had two c-sections. It hurt like hell the first time I had to walk after the proceedure. Then it was super fast recovery. I have not had a TT but cant wait till I can say I have lost enough weight to get one. Best wishes.

Way to go. I am also impatient and my weight loss is not as fast as I had hoped (26 all together, 16 since surgery on 5/8/12). Others seem to lose quickly but I am telling myself that I am in it for the long haul and that perhaps I need yet another lesson in patience. I started C25K last week but it is getting so hot I may do Zumba for a while and restart it during the fall. Being out of pluz size is such a huge success. I am happy for you!

Mine hurt too. They explained my body was forming scar tissue to hold the port in place. It still hurts when I do crunches but Dr said crunch away. It is just getting more and more "settled in". I would not worry about it. I did however, have that same fear as you after reading stuff on here. However, at first fill, they found it and said it is "just right".

I like Zumba alot. I like to weight train as well. I used to love to run when I was in HS and athletic and hope to get back to it. I started C25K last week but I cannot say I love it right now. Hard to run when you are heavy

Way to go. That is one of my goals when I get near goal weight. My hubby wants to do one real bad and I would like to try it with him. You should be so proud that you put yourself out there! That is way more than a 5k

I am the same as you. I cannot workout till around 8:00pm at night b/c my husband works out in the morning and I go once the kids are in bed. It is really hard b/c I am tired then and get sleepy after dinner. I have to have something to help me get it done. I have recently started to like Starbuck Refreshers which are 60 calories but they do not have that jittery feeling from energy drinks but then also dont take like coffee. I want to try a 5 hour energy but I am scared to do so b/c I hate feeling jittery. I am interested in what everyone else will post to this.....

That is odd bc one of my girlfriends was banded same day as me (5-8-12) and she was telling me she felt that way. She planned to ask our dr about it this month.

If I don't keep a food journal and count calories I do much worse even when I think I'm not. I would recommend trying MyFitness Pal and log your foods. Be sure to weigh and measure portions before logging bc when we guess we tend to be way off. That is merely my suggestions. I would also talk to dr about another fill.

It is not even comparable for me. Prior when I WAS dieting keeping it at 1700 seemed impossible and if I wasn't dieting I could eat anything and rarely ever felt full. I used to eat 1/2 or more of ribs, tonight I had one with 1/2 cup broccoli and was completely full. I used to eat 1/2 a large pizza and just stop so I didnt look like even more of a pig, now I avoid it but did eat one piece and was full. It is a nice difference and I feel satisfied where before I don't think I ever did unless I gordged myself.

One more thing...they dont want you to take any medicine before surgery. Also they give you a anti clotting medicine that makes your birth control not work for a month. They gave it to me after I already had some mess to make me groggy but luckily my hubby remembered. You might want to ask if any of the stuff you get will interfere with your birth control so you don't have a suprise one month lap band baby:)

I take mine. I have 5cc now and can take Advil and vitamins.

I am 7 weeks out. The first 3 days were not but I would recommend to try your best to stay hydrated. It gets better faster but then when the swelling goes down the hunger comes. The first Month seems to be about patience. Which is hard. I lost 10 lbs first week then nothing for 2 weeks once I started mushers and that was hard mentally. Now I am down 27 lbs total including the 2 week prior. I feel good. Good luck! Be ready to be patient for month one. Consider hiding the scale till your 1 month visit for your mental sanity

I was banded on 5/8/12 and have lost 25 lbs and one dress size. Super happy!

No way! I would notice at that loss and did. I notice every 5-8 pounds

I was very hungry before my first fill also. Try not to eat large portions, eat smaller meals more often so you dont do any stretching of the area above the band which will make it not work. Eat protien snacks also like cottage cheese and greek yogart and string cheese. Those will help with the hunger. You are in banster hell and it will get better with the hunger. It is cool you still lost weight.

You should try to couch alot after surgery. It is very common. If you dont use your lungs and cough or use that tool they give you, it can lead to a lung infection (even after being under such a short amount of time). I felt like I had a mild cold for about a day.

I also would keep the appointment and decide together. They may do a very small fill. You likley wouldnt notice a difference with the first fill anyway.

The thing that the band does for you that the pre op diet wont, is that you wont be hungry, even at social engagements or other testing moments. You are able to make better choices b/c the thoughts and obssession about food is removed. I was very frustrated with the pre opt. I then lost 10 lbs. The first week after surgery I lost 10. Then nothing for almost three weeks when I started eating food. I started to think it was a big joke. Then I got my first fill and second fill and started dropping 2.5 lbs or more a week very easily. It all was that eating very little was very satisfying. Also, I only thought about food when I was having physical signs of hunger. Also, having 25 + lbs off and people noticing has been a great motivator to continue the daily journey. It me, the band is a partner now. But it took a month for me to start feeling that way. My Dr is fast will fills. I am at 6 weeks and already at 5cc. They want to reach green zone faster. So I am happy for that. But the pre op and the month or so after is banster hell, and I am just now the other side of it. Hope that helps.