fabfatgrl

If I did lose hair, I never noticed it. My weight loss was very gradual though. I lost 50 or so pounds the first year... then another 45 in the next 6 months. Not super fast, but nice and steady. I never followed a low-carb diet with my Band... just went for higher quality, high nutrient foods. So... instead of quantity, I chose quality. I ate carbs. I moved from faux light butter to real butter. Lots of organic fruit and veggies. I ate real mayo. Just very small quantities.

It's completely normal for people to think their surgery is the best. I think it's totally possible to do that and not put down other surgeries as well. Heck, we were all morbidly obese and looking for a solution. Let's just be happy we found one. I think there are some who truly feel they are doing the general public a favor by attacking another surgery. Usually, though... once one is far enough out... one realizes that each surgery has its pros and cons. It is truly a personal decision. My only major pet peeve is that I hear RNYers say all the time... "I wouldn't want a foreign object inside of me." Ummm... not sure about you, but my stomach didn't come with four rows of titanium staples. For me, the Lap-Band made the best sense in terms of my BMI, my goals, what risks I was willing to take, and what weight loss I would be happy with. If I had been a higher BMI or had different comorbidities, then I may have chosen a different surgery. If weight loss alone was my goal, I probably would have gotten a DS. In the end, it's definitely a personal decision. I first started researching WLS in 1998. I was scheduled to have a Lap-RNY in July 1999. I backed out of it. Something told me... "Noooo." I ended up having a Lap-Band two years later once I had the money for it. I always said I'd never have my intestines cut. Fast forward six years, I'm tryign to refill once again. I just got diagnosed with type 2 diabetes after going through three gestational diabetes pregnancies. Now, if the Band doesn't work, I'm willing to consider other surgeries. My first choice would by the VSG. Second would be RNY. Why?? Well, now the risks of the RNY don't seem as bad as the risks of living with Type 2 diabetes long term. Things change.

I've had this happen even with no fill. It's so annoying.. and a bit frightening. Usually, there's nothing I can do. I just keep vomiting saliva and stomach snot every 10-15 minutes. After about an hour or two, a little warm pepermint tea seems to help calm things out. The best thing to do is focus on prevention. I know for me, there are typical foods that cause this... hot dogs seem to be a big culprit. So is steak or dry chicken. Second... try eating with chop sticks. That way, you're a bit more conscious about the size of the items you are eating. Another option is to pick up some toddler silverware/plasticware. I think chopsticks work better, though. Three... consider acitvely counting your chews. Start with 20 per mouthful..or whatever works for you. Four... if this continues, you could start pureeing with a hand blender the foods that are likely to cause you problems. Not something to do long-term, but it should prevent this.

I remember that episode! I watched it on TLC a few months ago when it started. I couldn't believe that Rose was denied with a BMI of 73. Do they really think her health is going to improve without WLS? Or are they hoping she dies before incurring costs equal to the amount of the procedure?? Just made me mad. All we hear about is the "obesity epidemic"... yet why are insurance companies even allowed to deny the ONLY treatment that has been proven effective long-term for weight loss?? That baffles me.

Hi mbanja: I actually have a sternal port, so it wasn't affected. (Basically, just beneath my breast bone.) I've been on pregnancy boards for ages, and haven't heard of other pregnant Bandsters mentioning port problems... if that helps. FFG

I"m glad they're finally in the US market... but I really wonder how much this will affect Allergan's market share. I'd love to know how they improved the old Obtech Band. J&J's Obesity Device Gets FDA Approval - Forbes.com

Dory Ferraro also fills Lap-Bands. She charges $395 for the initial consultation and $175 for each subsequent fill. She's authored a lot of papers on the Lap-Band and has been involved with Inamed/Allergan/Bioenterics for years. Of course, Dr. Fielding is just as experienced. I don't think you could go wrong with either one... and both fill Mexican Bands!

Dividend Reinvestment... instead of receiving a dividend check, the money goes to buy new shares of stock. (Definitely the way to go with any stock you have if it pays a dividend.) I still have a lot of JNJ stock too... so, of course, I hope they are successful. I did notice that the Band is now filled with saline. The old obtech band was filled with a contrast solution. I don't remember if it was omnipaq or not, but I remember back when I was first looking at banding, that was an issue... because most US docs who did Band fills would not do Swedish bands.

He will. They charge $495 for the initial consult and fill, and then each fill after that is only $100.

From Fish's link: "In the multi-center U.S. clinical trial of 276 patients with the REALIZE Band, patients who completed the three-year U.S. clinical trial (n=228) lost an average of 42.8 percent of their excess body weight. Thirty-five percent of patients who completed the three-year trial lost 50 percent or more of excess body weight and 10.5 percent lost 75 percent or more of excess body weight. The most commonly reported adverse events after surgery during the U.S. clinical trial were nausea, vomiting, constipation and gastroesophageal reflux (GERD). Only nine (3.3 percent) patients experienced a serious adverse event that was considered unanticipated and related to the REALIZE Band." Three years and, on average, 42.8% of EWL. I think Lap-Band shows better stats, but I don't have time to look it up. Still.. I'm glad there's another option on the market.

Not sure on the first one. That's what I'm trying to figure out... what did JNJ do to the old Band to improve it? The press-release announcing the approval says that the Band has been in use in Europe since 1996. So... I think that if this was an improved version or whatever, they'd say that. KWIM?

I actuallyworked for one of JNJ's medical device divisions. I wouldn't necessarily say they are better or more stable. Allergan is a billion dollar company on its own. Just because they make botox doesn't make them evil. JNJ's advantage comes through Ethicon-Endo making a lot of the lap equipment in use as well as the harmonic scalpel... Ethicon making the sutures... etc. They also have a big training center for docs in Cincinnati. So they can offer a total package deal. Still, it will probably take some time before a significant number of docs are trained in it... although I'm sure the learning curve is a small one for docs already used to the Lap-Band. I'm really curious as to what has changed... as Dr. Curry posted some results from a poster at the recent ASBS conference...and I seem to remember the Swedish Band having much greater erosion rates. Trace W. Curry, M.D. :: View topic - ASBS update - comparing band results Comparitive Results of three adjustable gastric bands for the treatment of morbid obesity. Stefanidis et al Complication type/Swedish Band/Lap Band/AMI % excess weight loss at 2 yrs / 77% / ??? / 65% Complications / 21% / 15% / 18% Erosions / 12% / 0% / 0% Slippages / 1% / 7% / 2% Device failures / 1.5% / 1.8% / 12% Other / 5% / 5% / 4% Also see Prospective Evaluation and 7-Year Follow-up of Swe...[J Gastrointest Surg. 2007] - PubMed Result J Gastrointest Surg. 2007 Sep 1; [Epub ahead of print]Click here to read Links Prospective Evaluation and 7-Year Follow-up of Swedish Adjustable Gastric Banding in Adults with Extreme Obesity. Balsiger BM, Ernst D, Giachino D, Bachmann R, Glaettli A. Division of Visceral Surgery, Hirslanden Salem-Spital, Bern, Switzerland.

One issue could be whether or not they are misses vs. women's clothing sizes. Misses tend to run smaller than women's. Misses Size 18 Bust 43-1/2" Waist 36-1/2" Hip 46-1/2" Women's Size 18 Bust 45" Waist 39-40" Hip 48" Those are from the Land's End site. Most sites have a similar discrepancy although actual measurements may vary.

Usually the first line of action is to remove all of your fill for about a month and see if it slips back into place. This does happen... it's not just a pipe-dream. Second option would be that the doctor could reposition your Band. If you had an older edition Band, he or she could also offer you the option of replacing your Band with one of the newer models. Third option would be to remove your Band and do no revision surgery (other WLS). Fourth option would be to remove your Band and revise to a different surgery. A lot of people who were successful with the Band but have erosion or slippage issues like the Vertical Sleeve Gastrectomy as it's a restriction only operation. Others decide to go with the more traditional RNY or DS. The choice would be yours, though. You and your doctor could discuss the options.

Don't worry. First off, usually the first fill does not lead to a lot of food intolerances. You will, most likely, still be able to eat meat, rice, bread, Pasta. Maybe at your second or third fill, you may find that these foods bother you, maybe not. It seems like I'm seeing a lot less food intolerances these days then I did with the early Bands. But that's just my observation. Second, yes, you should be taking a Multivitamin. Be sure to add a calcium supplement if you are not getting your calcium through food choices. Three, the beauty of the Band is that you're in control! If later down the line, you find that you'd much rather live with less restriction and more food choices, you can do that. Even if you choose that, you will find that your Band with some restriction makes following a "typical" diet like WW so much easier. You'll actually be able to be satisfied with the points/calories allotted to you, rather than always being hungry. Fills do not hurt, BTW. I know it's tough to believe...but it's true. Everybody goes through pre-first fill fears. It's completely normal.

Unknown effects are still unknown... but as to the others.... Some bandsters (a very small portion) will have to have their Bands removed or unfilled due to: *slippage *GERD/Reflux *Inability to tolerate a fill or desire to expand food choices If your Band erodes (very very small percentage), you would have to have your Band removed. The other possible consequence is that you will not lose enough weight and you will seek out a different surgery. (This could mean that you still lose the 50% of excess weight that would deem the Band a success, but did not lose the 90-100% that you wanted.) The good thing is that the Band has not altered you permanently in any way, so revisions are very easy. I'm six years + out, I have not heard of Bandsters with osteoporosis, anemia, or other vitamin-related issues like you hear about with other WLS. I also do not know of any who have had hernia repairs...which seem to be quite common with RNYers and DSers. Another way to think of things is that the long-term consequences of being morbidly obese are pretty clear... increased risk of diabetes, cardiovascular disease, and cancer.... which means, you have an increased risk for an early death.

Hi Kabeerah, Ramadan Kareem Wow, still having morning sickness at 4 months?? That sucks! Have you tried sea-bands? They are little bracelets that press on accupuncture points for nausea. They're great on boat trips as well as for morning sickness. They also make these ginger containing candies called Prenancy Pops. I know a lot of women swear by them. You could also make a warm ginger tea by using fresh ginger root. Peel a 2 inch piece of ginger and slice it into thin slices. Add it to boiling water, cover the pot, and let it simmer for 10-15 minutes or so. Strain the tea and sweeten it with honey or sugar. You can also add lemon. Here's formal instructions: How to Make Ginger Tea or Tisane - wikiHow As for the ginger ale, most ginger ale these days doesn't have any real ginger in it.. so it could be the carbonation that is having the effect. I'd sip small amounts and see how your band tolerates it. I know that when I have a lot of restriction, the carbonated beverages don't sit well with me.

I definitely second the recommendation to breastfeed! Breastfeeding has usually caused me to lose 30-40 pounds after each of my pregnancies effortlessly... even with my Band unfilled. The biggest issue I would think of regarding surgery so soon is that you may be prohibited from lifting up your baby. Most surgeons do not want you to do any heavy lifting (and yes, an infant qualifies ) for at least two weeks, sometimes longer. Even if you kept the Band unfilled for some time, you'd still have the lifting restriction. So, you're going to need live-in help. To be honest, weight watchers has a really good plan for breastfeeding Moms. You could sign up for WW, and have your PCP monitor your weightloss with monthly weigh-ins, etc. Do that for six months following your 6-week post-partum check-up, and you should be set for surgery approval from your insurance company. I really would not consider any WLS (especially if you're breastfeeding) until your baby is at least 6 months old. Exclusively breastfeeding your baby offers so many benefits (reduced risk of diabetes, obesity, built in immunity, etc.) that I really think that should take priority over WLS. But that's just my two cents. If you're determined to go ahead, then at least talk with your surgeon on when you'd be able to pick up your baby.

I think Dr. Fielding charges around $100 for fills... although you probably know now. :eek:

Glad to hear you're dong so well Karen. :car: I'm so happy that you can eat a lot more normally yet still have a weight loss tool that works for you! I just had an esophogram done... as my original surgeon thought an undiagnosed slip might be the reason for all my re-fill problems. Well, the Band looks picture-perfect... and as a bonus, they informed me that my subclavian artery is abnormal in that it goes behind/in front of (can't remember which) my esophogus. Nothing to be worried about... just a nice to know. So... this all means that in mid-October I'll be heading out to see if I can be refilled. We'll see. If not, it's revision time sometime next year.

The technique you're referring to, pars flaccida, was in common use in 2001. So... at least a good portion of the patients in the first study would have had that technique used on them. The second study specifically states that all of the patients had the pars flaccidea technique. Remember guys, even though the Band was approved in the US in June 2001, it was in use in Europe and Australia for 7 or 8 years before then. (Yes, both the Lap-Band and the Swedish Bands... both were adjusted via ports using saline or contrast solution.) As for post-op plans in 2003... I can tell you that post-op instructions were the same in 2001 as they are now. We knew to avoid aggressive fills due to slippage. We knew how to manage PBs, etc. Post-op diet instructions were the same. Nothing has changed in that regard.

You're right, Mandi, about the product being improved. I really don't know how the new AP and VG bands will do compared to the older Bands. Surgery technique has been the same since 2001... at least with regards to what my surgeon was doing. The Band rules are still the same. It will be interesting to see if long-term studies do come out showing improved results from the new Bands.

I have a 9.75 cm Band. I tell myself that I have a small band because inside I'm a small, delicate person. :eek: I think they had both the 9.75 and 10 cm bands during the FDA trial. I seem to remember Dr. Rumbaut telling me that he put the smaller band in me... but it's been awhile, so I could be wrong.

The Band does make it easier. Y'know how dumping is built-in compliance for the first year or so with RNYers?? Well, with the Band, you have the PB and sliming. I love sweets. I love ice cream. I never went low carb with my Band... I just ate better foods and smaller portions. I said good-bye to "dieting." I had never ever lost more than 20 pounds on any diet...and I had done them all. But I did lose with the Band. About 50 pounds the first year... and 95 pounds by 18 months. I've kept off 50 of those pounds through three pregnancies and with no fills. The Band definitely makes it easier to take off weight... whether you follow a diet (low-carb, Weight Watchers, NutriSystem, etc.)... or not. I wish the Band had been available earlier, so I could have had it when I was only 50 pounds overweight rather than 150. Even though I'm looking at a VSG revision, I don't regret having the Band when I did. Without it, I never would have gotten married and had three beautiful healthy children. My only regret is that my Band no longer works for me... although I'm meeting with one final surgeon to try and resolve that. I will say that the band, like all WLS, is a tool. The tool does a lot of the work in the beginning... but as you get further out from surgery, you need to do more work. So, you will need to exercise forever... in order to keep off weight. You will need to make healthy choices... both about food and fill-level (not too much, not too little)... etc.

I don't regret self-paying for my Band. It was $10,000... and I've spent maybe $4000 so far in fill costs. That sounds a lot, I know... but realistically, I've spent just as much on spas, diet doctors, infomerical wonder diets, exercise equipment, and personal trainers... and never achieved the success I did with my Band, even with all of its faults. Yeah, my Band crapped out on me after my first pregnancy (18 or so months after Banding)... but I had never lost 95 pounds before. It's been four years and three pregnancies since the mega unfill (I'm not counting fills since that I haven't been able to keep for more than a day)... and I'm keeping off 50 of the 95 pounds. Prior to the Band, the most I lost was 20 or so pounds by living at a vegan health spa for a month. Needless to say, I regained it all plus some within two weeks of entering the real world. :eek: I definitely think people discount/tune out info they don't want to hear. I also think that what risks one is willing to take... be they operative risks, long-term risks, or even financial risks... change over time. I'm glad that the Band was my first WLS experience. It is the easiest surgery to revise. Everythign is still in tact. Had I gone with a VBG (although most surgeons had stopped doing them at the time) or even an RNY... and was facing a revision, there would be a lot more risk and expense involved.