Donna113

Congratulations! How are you feeling? How long did the doctor say you need to rest before returning to work? I'm looking forward to seeing your pics.

Way to go Alison! :thumbup:It's not bragging, it's reporting. We bandsters, especially newbies like me, want to hear about the success stories. I hope you keep on this site and continue to inspire newbies like myself and even ones who've had it for a while but haven't worked it quite as well as you.

I was banded on 7/16 and got my first fill 8/19 (3 ccs in an 8 cc band). No restriction and my doctor said during the fluro that the barium went through too fast so I probably wouldn't feel much restriction but since it was the first fill, he wanted me to try it out for a couple of weeks. I have my next fill scheduled for 9/2 so I'm hoping to get more restriction then. Remember, the band is a tool but we also have to work at it too so just because you CAN eat a plateful of food now doesn't mean you SHOULD eat a plateful of food. Having said that, I have overindulged from time to time since being banded but I'm not overindulging myself EVERY night like I did prior to being banded. I'm sure you are also not overeating every day like you did before so cut yourself some slack and relax. Every persons's journey is unique.

Just subscribing to this thread. I just got my first fill of 3 ccs in an 8 cc band on 8/19. No restriction as yet.

I got my first fill 8/19 (3ccs in 8 cc band) and am experiencing no restriction so I have my 2nd fill scheduled of 9/2. I understand your concern because I was concerned, too. Everyone is different though so you have to make your own decision. Like HeatherO said though, you have a couple of weeks to find out how you will react before the vacation so knowing what I know now, I'd get the fill.

DesertRose, are you by any chance on anti-depressants? I read another thread in here about someone who had major sugar cravings and it turned out it was her anti-depressants.

Okie, I think your mom is beyond mean for saying something so cruel. But you know what, I think most of us have somoeone like your mom in our lives, maybe our moms, sisters, co-workers, spouses, etc. You've got to get over people like that and love yourself enough to not let them sabotage you. They are feeding off your misery and you are allowing them to victimize you every time you let them take away your victories. Maybe you can't ever tell your mom to "f-off" but get a picture of her and look at it and tell her off. After that, get back on track. Go back to the doctor and get your fills where they need to be; talk to the nutritionist; find an exercise buddy. Just love yourself enough to be good to yourself.

Hollie, like you said, you are only 18! You've had a really hard, tough row to hoe and you haven't been able to be a carefree teenager. Be one! Go to college! Leave your boyfriend and everything else behind for a while and just go, go, go! Fly away! Give yourself a year. Don't turn back during that year no matter how discouraged, lonely or scared you get. Fly, fly, fly!

I got my first fill on 8/19 and still have no restriction so I don't know what that feels like. I have had a very mild "stuck" feeling but it passes within seconds so I have no desire to let that happen. This has only happened when I ate too fast (didn't chew very well). Sometimes I forget I have the band but if I don't chew my food well enough, it reminds me very quickly.

If you are self-pay most surgeons will accept you at 40 lbs overweight but if you are going through insurance, then each insurance plan has it's own requirements.

Reading about your situation makes me hurt for you. None of us knows what's the right thing for you, your marriage, or your family. What's right for you may not be right for your marriage or family or vice versa. I just know for me, I don't think I could forgive. I have trust issues so once it's been tested by someone, then I've found I can never trust them again. Without trust, there is no true intimacy and without true intimacy, I am just going through the motions.

I highly recommend if you are NOT having your surgery locally that you find an after care center for fills, problems and find out what those costs are. You can't fly to your doctor every time you need a fill/unfill so you need to feel comfortable with local follow up care which I've heard can be difficult if you got surgery out of town.

Go with the doctor with the best reputation and with whom you feel most comfortable. In the Houston metro area, there are many doctors, many WLS centers, etc. and prices vary greatly. I was just fortunate that the doctor I was most impressed with because of his credentials (and he trained most of the lap band surgeons in Houston) was also one of the most reasonably priced with the best follow up care.

You might find that those who weren't supportive of WLS pre-op become more supportive post-op. After the fact, they just look like jerks if they keep insisting you made a mistake. Also, not everyone realizes that the lap band isn't the same as bypass. Bypass is scary and the mortality rate is 1 out of 50 which is pretty damn high, not to mention complications, etc. If you explain that the mortality and complication rate of lap band is less than gall bladder surgery, then I think some of the naysayers will come around. Your parents may just be afraid that they might lose you through surgery.

BBK, OMG, I just realized you are the woman on the top of the lap band discussion forum!!!! You now look like you are even smaller than when that pic was taken.

My kids who are 15 and 8 ask every time they see me eating something, "Mom, are you sure you're allowed to have that with the band?" From them, I know it's love and concern so I refrain from smacking them on the head (I never have and never will but that doesn't mean I haven't been tempted many, many times).

Indio, I'm so sorry to hear about Andrew. My thoughts and prayers are with you and Andrew for a full and speedy.

I was self-pay and used the most experienced and respected lab band surgeon in Texas (maybe in the US). Dr. Spivak is one of the original surgeons who worked with the FDA to get lap band approved for USA. Anyway, my total cost was $12,900 including 1 year of full follow-up, with as much adjustments/fills as needed. Even within the city of Houston, this cost varies so I suggest you do your research fully and not let the cost be the deciding factor on which doctor you choose. Having the right doctor with the right follow up care is very important.

I've only beend banded 5 1/2 weeks but I don't miss sodas. I used to drink 3 -4 diet cokes a day but haven't even had a sip of soda since being banded and don't even miss it at all. The longer you go without something, the less you miss it right? For me, I think the band has pyschological effects in addition to the physical restrictions.

1dayatatime, can you add lafrogura to July 14th?

After a particularly strenuous workout if I haven't worked out in a while, I notice the scale goes up between 3-5 lbs for a few days. I'm thinking it must be water retention.

I'm coming in a week late, but I'd love to join. I've never been a big fan of running, but it seems almost everyone who's a runner says the same thing but that after they got started they became addicted. I'm hoping to get addicted.

Have you lost 43 lbs since being banded on July 6th or did you lose some pre-op?

I was banded by Dr. Spivak on July 16 as well. Were you at True Results?

Thanks everyone for all your encouraging words. It really does help and makes me feel even more committed to work through the plateaus and slumps. What's the deal with bananas? I've eaten bananas with no problems. Are we not supposed to eat bananas?