La_madam

Yes Yes Yes..I have sent 5 people I know to Dr. Ortiz for their Lap bands and a couple others to Dr's, where their insurance covered it. I have motivated several . I tell everyone and anyone who ask about the Lap Band..

Alex you are the most careful and wisest bandster I know..you know something is not right and you are acting upon it , very responsible you are. I hope this will relieve some of the reflux symptoms for you.

Kellie, have your Dr. check for a leak..sounds strange to me you have initial restriction then it goes away. I have had my fill since June and it has not lessened one bit! Before you get another fill talk with him about your concerns about a leak. Demand the tests. Stop spending your money on fills until you check for a leak, atleast rule it out. My concern is Iwould think that your Dr. has thought it strange that you arefilled to almost capacity so soon into your journey and you keep coming back for more fills telling him you have no restriction. Does he not think this is oddd and worth checking for a leak? You would think he would. I know my Dr. would

I changed the heading of my thread, sorry if I offended you Margo, it was not my intention. I did not mean it in the way it came across

Oops, one more piece of advice I can offer to all of you DO NOT WEIGH YOURSELF EVERYDAY! It becomes an obsession. A sure way to sabotoge yourself and dictate your moods. I weigh once a week. There is a weekly scale challenge here on LBT where alot of us weigh only once a week. Join it..it does help

I exercise but I find when I exercise to much I am at a standstill I mainly exercise for my heart to condition it. I have not lost much weight exercising but I definately have lost inches so all of my hard work is paying off

For all of you new bandsters let me just tell you that it is perfectly normal to not lose wei ght during the first 6 weeks. You have NO fill...the band is desigend to work it's best with fills! It is also normal to not lose during the liquid phase since you are not taking in hardly any calories. You know that old addage that our bodies will conserve whatever we put into it if it thinks we are starving it and that is what is most likely happening during the liquid phase. Do not fret or get discouraged. Most of us here were where you are at one time or another. Once you are healed and getting your fills things will change I promise. One thing I have learend during my 17 months with my band is there are going to be times when I do not lose on the scale but I'm losing inches. I'm also gaining my life back so when the scale doesnt move, think of all of the possitive things in your life that has changed since you got your band. For some of us it has been getting off blood pressure meds, for others it is getting off insulin, for others it has been more energy,for others it is no more sleep apnea and for others it is No back or joint pain. You get my drift, I'm sure. Do not let the scale dictate your success or failure with the band. The band is a lifelong tool, this is a lifelong journey it is going to take some time but the key is patience. You have all made the first step to a happier healthier life. P.S. Did any of your Dr.'s tell you that the first 6 weeks is not about weight loss but about healing? Any weight loss during the pre fill stage is a bonus? THey should have if the ydidnt ..this was my Dr.'s biggest stressing point to me before he sent me home after surgery

A persons ammount of weight loss with the band has absolutely nothing to do with the Dr they had to do their surgery. Its all about the person who has the band and if they follow the rules, if the rely on the band to do all the work,if they work with the band if they have less weight to lose then someone else etc... Personally if I went to my Dr.'s office and saw ants crawling on the wall..I would run but that is just me. I'm a clean freak! Ants do not belong in a doctors office waiting room. In a restaraunt maybe but a Dr.'s waiting room NOT! To each his own though. Good Luck to you

So glad to read this I hope you do not mind me sharing your situation with my neighboor and having her post about her experience but I felt it was important for you to hear from others who have been in your circumstance. I watch her everyday cry over all of this. She wishes she could turn back time.

What did you mean by this statement? I thought you meant you were going to have an unfill..your not planning on going tighter are you? Please do not take offense to my post I'm only writing this out of concern and to offer you support but did you get the band to not eat? and only survive on two teaspoons of liquids or 1/2 cup of food for the day? . Sure you may lose weight now but eventually you will have to eat solids and then what? Your going to gain wieght back,how long do you think oyu can live like this with no nutrition? it is proven from liquids to solids there is weight gain. Its alos proven that if a person does not take in enough calories, their body goes into starvation mode and stores every calorie which wil lresult in no loss or even a gain. I sure hope it works for you. I know first hand of others in your situation who have lost their bands because they were too tight and did not take action and had the mindset you did..only to have their band slip. I can guarantee you that if Dr. Kuri knew you were not able to eat solids he would say you were too tight.I can also guarantee Inamed would feel the same way, the band was not designed to just live on Soup or 1/2 and not be able to eat anything of substance..I know Dr. Kuri's practice from several of my other bandster friends who have used him here in Orange County. Heck, other Dr.'s would think you were too tight..I know my Dr. would have a fit if I was just taking in soup and not able ot eat anything of substance, he would demand I come in for a slight unfill.....I'm sorry but It's thinking like this from bandsters that just frustrates the hell out of me..at what cost will you go to to lose weight? I got my band to control my protions, not live on liquids and not to be able to eat anything of substance..I'm sure others will agree! In your first post you say you can not eat anything of substance Then in your next post you say this What food are you eating since you can not eat anything of substance? Here is a link to Inameds handbook on the Lap Band..I reccomend you print it out and read it, you may find it very helpful and enlightening http://www.inamed.com/pdf/health/94829F_LB_Patient_Book.pdf I sure wish you the best, I hope you have no repracutions from leaving your band so tight.

Not neccessarily Read this please it is from Inamed's handbook With the Lap Band system in place, you should be able to eat only small ammount so the food you eat should be as healthy as possible. Do not fill your stomach pouch with :junk: food that lacks Vitamins and other important nutrients. Your meals should be high in Protein and vitamins and low in carbs. solid food is more important then liquid food or soft food. The lap Band system will have little or no effect if you only eat liquid or soft food. It passes through the stomach outlet very quickly and does not make you feel full. Here is another excerpt form the book If the adjustment (fill) results in too tight of a stomach opening you could have a hard time eating most foods, sometimes this causes people to avoid solid foods. They may drink liquid meals or soft food meals and this may result in weight gain. A band that is too tight may cause reflux symptoms and can also cause frequent vomiting. Too me it sounds like you are too tight..Are you planning on having some Fluid removed? You do not want to risk your band or health. Please call your Dr. and see him or her ASAP. Until then focus on Protein drinks so if you do lose weight it is not lean muscle mass...losing lean muscle mass results in flabbyness. Protein prevents the loss of lean muscle mass I hope this helps you

Has anyone heard from ShellyJ? The last I heard from her she was moving and had just gotten engaged. I have not seen her online in a long long time.

It could be not enough calories...I kep my caloric intake between 1200-1500 a day. Anything less for me and my body stores it and conserves it because it thinks I'm starving it! Also how many grams of protein is in that 700-850 calories a day? Is it atleast 60 grams?

I agree with Alex with this statement! So many people worry about weight loss right after surgery when any weight loss you have before a fill is a plus. This is the time to heal and get your strength back and tummy all healed up, band anchored in andset in place. then worry about weight loss..you will have years with your band to lose weight. An empty band usually will not promote much weight loss since the band works best when it is filled. WIthout a fill many of us can eat like we did pre band It is very hard otp get in 1000-1200 calories when you are on liquids and still have swelling from surgery. I know I could not do it,I just could not drink that much since I had so much swelling I was averaging 500-600 calories a day on liquids.

I buy the crystal light on the go singles they are for a 20 oz glass of water single servings ..I carry them in my purse and pour them in my water, they have lemonade, rasberry ice and peach ice tea. It makes it very easy to get my water intake in everyday. They are now available in the grocery stores in the koolaid/crystal light isle. Trpoicana also makes a sugar free fruit punch and orangeade in the can or bottle that have zero calories.

I drink coffee every morning..but I do NOT drink any carbonation caffine free or otherwise

lins are you having reflux? Have you called Dr. Ortiz? Have you gone to see him?

Of course they will since the band was designed ot be filled in order for it to work, It is normal to not lose weight without a fill. The first 6 weeks after surgery should not be focused on weight loss but on healing..you have the rest of your life with the band to lose the wieght. If you lose weight during the healing phase then great..it is a bonus for you. DOnt get discouraged...Let me warn you too, once you go from mushies to solids you most liekly wil lse a gain..that is normal. Dont freak out! Good Luck and hang in there

I would of been obese the rest of my life if it meant my only option was the RNY..It was never an option for me..to many risks...the band is the best thing I have ever done for myself. Just my take on it all..

Follow your Dr's post op instructions, they are there for a reason. Is cream of wheat worth any risk so soon post op? You can do it, just a few more days. We all have been where you are at. Hang in there

Count me in, I started riding my stationary bike again on August 9th and I just started back at the gym yesterday...I am going ot the gym tonight so I will post my exercise when I get home

If it were me I would demand that my Dr. check for a leak. Sounds strange, almost like you do have a slow leak..if you have restriction in thebeginning but it goes away in a couple of days and if the Dr. is not pulling out all of what he put in..I would beconcerned I have a leak. I would go in and aks him to remove all of my fluid and see if there is 9cc's like you said..if not then demand a leak test.

Take small bites No liquid calories Stay away from soft foods that go through the band quickly DOnt weigh yourself everyday... that is my rule

get yourself some Adult Strength liquid Tylenol, they sell it at Wal-Mart It works best. I too have a problem with tylenol in the pilkl f orm..PB every time

I do not know for certain if Dr. Ortiz has a referral plan, I know he was thinking of putting one together at one time . I know he gave me on because of the 5 friends I have snet to him in the last 16 months. My business has a referral program as well as my husbands business doesnt mean we are looking for something free by referring people. If you believe in something like a service you got it is only normal to refer people. I will continue to refer peopel to Dr. Ortiz because I believe in him, his experience and his abilities. PERIOD! Plain and Simple! P. S. I highly doubt if there is someone who is unhappy with their surgeon in MX and are not getting good aftercare that regardless of a free fill or something in return they would refer another person to him..again just my opinion. I know I wouldnt if I was an unhappy patient and had a band experience send anyone his way just for a free 100$ fill. I wouldnt want the risk of someone else having a bad experience on my concsiouness just for the sake of a free fill. My dentist has a referral programand a dman good one here in the U.S. but I would not refer anyone to her office, it is dirty and they are unorganized and Iam an unhappy patient and at the first chance I get to change dentists thorugh my insurance co on Sept 1st..I am going to