bjlang68

Does anyone else get that "pain-pressure" in the middle of the back, that eventually radiates to the diaphram and sometimes even up into the shoulders? It's that "trapped air" feeling you get after having laparoscopic surgery. I am at 3.8 cc's in a 4 cc band - but I have been for several months. The problem only started about a month ago. I take Gas-X. I don't know that it helps, but it doesn't seem to hurt! Also, since September, I have been lightheaded off and on. I am positive it's not nutrition related. Lord knows I can and do eat more than I should.....not horribly, but enough where I have no nutritional deficiencies. Anyway, some days, it's really bad. Other days, I'm fine. It comes and goes. I have not fainted, but feel like I'm coming close. I have seen my primary doc about it, had a sinus x-ray, saw an ENT who says it's not related. I guess my next step is a neurologist. I WAS diagnosed wth hypothyroidism about a month ago. I was started on Synthroid, and my bloodwork that came back yesterday has me within normal limits. I know hypothyroidism CAN cause dizzines/light-headedness. Maybe I'm just not back to normal, yet, despite my TSH being normal? Thanks!

Hey, everybody! I have been a member here since April '07. I was banded on March 23, 2007. I wanna whine and bitch and moan. LOLOL Just like everybody else, I was all full of hope and shiny bright thoughts, and a surplus of motivation when I had my surgery. I did all the right things, bought the treadmill, ate pretty well, got fills.....lost a pound here, 3 pounds here, two pounds there - while others I have talked to have lost 100 pounds + in the past year, I have lost about 30. A month ago, I was diagnosed with hypothyroidism. My TSH was off the charts. I have been on Synthroid for a month. I am praying that this had a lot to do with my slow weight loss. I gotta admit, for the past few months, I have not exactly been the poster child for following the lapband rules. i basically gave up. I haven't been exercising regularly, I have been indulging in junk food, and basically being a "wallowing in self pity bowl of jello". I have a follow up appointment with my surgeon tomorrow. I almost canceled it, because I haven't lost any weight. But, I guess I'll suck it up, go in, tell them what's going on, and take my much deserved chastizing. I need to kick myself in the ass, and get back on track. I gotta admit, though - if things aren't better and I don't see some significant progress soon, I'm gonna scream. (I just read what I wrote. God, I can't STAND people who whine like I just did!) Anyway, thanks for listening. I really needed to vent all of that to people who get it. :scared2:

:w00t: Yeah, I did have SOME restriction - but, not nearly as much as I would have expected. I remember earlier on with less of a fill, there were stages where I had more restriction. The band is SO fickle, huh? After getting this fill yesterday, though, and being on Synthroid......I think I got my mojo back! Thanks!

I actually had 3.8 cc in my 10 CM band. I heard it's only supposed to hold a max of 4.5 cc's. Anyway, I had lost only 3 pounds in two months. My doc was actually very supportive, and did give me another fill. When he pulled out what was in there, it showed 3.5. He added .5, for a total of 4cc's. He gave me the reassurance that I needed - the pep talk, and the support I felt I needed. So, no complaints. I'm on liquids for a few days, of course. But, I feel fine. It's back on track time for me! Thanks, everybody!

Thanks for your positive feedback, Guys. It's good to know that there are others out there who have the same issues. It's easy to get discouraged, but ..........harder to get back on track, huh? :wink2:

I have come to discover that there are a lot of us Southern Marylanders here.....all of whom have to travel out of our comfort zone, and up into DC or Northern VA for LapBand stuff. I'm curious to know how many of us there are. I have already heard from two others. Neat! Please write if you're one of us! Thanks, BJ

Hahahahahahahaha! I am ALWAYS confused, anyway! And, regardless of what size band I have and how much saline is in there, it ain't enough, cuz I'm still hungry! Thanks for the fun debate. :scales: :huggie: :biggrin1:

Glad to hear that! I don't want to have to get 8 more fills at 1cc each, in order to get restriction that's effective! LOL I also was having a hard time imagining how big the band must be to hold 10 cc's. I guess this means that Syrah's doc is NOT conservative! Good for you, Syrah! You should be feeling pretty full!

I have been so busy, I feel like I'm missing all the girl chat! After getting a 1 cc fill on the 4th of may, I still have no restriction. That's okay, though. I have convinced myself that good things do indeed come to those who wait! BCBS Federal insurance covered almost everything. I had a $100 co-pay for the hospital, overnight stay, and that was it! I DID just have to pay $250 for my first fill. The office is unclear if we can get reimbursement, or if they can bill for it. The office is supposed to send me a claim form, so I can try to get my money back. I'll keep you posted. I DID have my surgery with Halmi/Tran - but, I had it out of Inova Fair Oaks Hospital. I had been going to the Fairfax office. My first visit to the Woodbridge office was last Friday, for my fill. I THINK I covered everything! LOL I'll try to be better about getting on here. I know I still owe Tina and Pamela an email. I'm a bad band buddy! Please forgive me! BJ

I heard from a nurse in my surgeon's office that the 10cm band is the same as a 4cc band. Am I wrong? Did I hear incorrectly?

I guess filling you to the point where you have no opening and then backing off a bit is a time saver, but I hear that your stomach swells after being tightened. Couldn't that cause a complete obstruction? It sounds kind of scary. Have you guys had problems with needing un- fills or band slippage or obstruction, or anything else bad? Plus, so many people seem to have that "delayed restriction/varied restriction" stuff happening. I'm frustrated that I am having to go so slowly to get enough restriction. I guess we all have to determine what we consider to be the lesser of the two evils.

Gretchen, you took the words right out of my mouth. I just had my first fill on Friday. It's 1cc in a 10 cm band. I feel absolutely no difference. I had no restriction before the fill, and I feel like I have none now! It's really frustrating. I gained a pound back since my one week post op visit. I have a follow up appointment on 6/1. It's really gonna suck if I have to wait another month to try for some restriction again. I'm hoping I get that "delayed reaction" a lot of people report after a fill. If not, you and Becca77 have given me a little faith that things will get better. Thanks! BJ

Hey, everybody! I got my first fill on Friday. It was 1.0 cc's. I still am not feeling any restriction. Will it take time to kick in, I wonder? I don't want to have to wait until my next appointment on 6/1/07 to try again. Sheesh. I don't mean to sound so impatient, but .....I'm impatient! Thanks for any info you can provide! BJ

Hi, Crystal! Welcome to you and your sister. Since you work in Waldorf, I won't hold the "North of the PG County Line" thing against you! You are invited to the "Southern MD Bandster" gathering, whenever we have it! Well, I was filled on Friday - 1.0 cc's. I am sad to report that I feel absolutely no difference. Some people say it takes a while for it to kick in. I'm crossing my fingers. My next appointment isn't until June 1st. I don't want to have to wait that long to try again. Oh, I had gained back a friggin' pound!

Congrats to Theresa_Ann! I'm happy for you, but admittedly a little jealous! I got my first fill on Friday. It was 1 cc. I was optimistic. But, alas, I feel no different than I did before the fill. I was hoping that it would suddenly "kick in", but nothing, yet. Babylovestoys, I am waiting to see if I'm gonna get that delayed effect like you! I have another appointment on June 1st. I don't want to have to wait one more month AGAIN to try for some restriction. I know it's better to err on the side of caution, but this is so frustrating! Yeah, I know - whine, whine, whine! BJ

Yay! Another Halmi/Tran patient. Do you think we should all be asking for referral fees from our docs when we recommend them? :target: :rolleyes My 6 week follow up is Friday. Please keep your fingers crossed that they give me a fill, and don't make me wait until 8 weeks post-op. Pamela is just in Suitland!!?! We are gonna have to get all of us locals together for dinner and beverages soon! BJ :clap2:

Welcome back, Debbie! You are living proof that the band is a tool, not a magic bullett. Thanks for reminding us that this will always still take some effort our parts to succeed. :target: So many people get banded or have other procedures done thinking that it'll eliminate their need for any effort. When that fails, they blame the procedure. I'm only 6 weeks post-op, but I know that I am gonna have to continue to work at taking off and KEEPING my weight off for the rest of my life. Thanks again, and glad to have you around! BJ

I can't tell the band is there at all. I can definitely feel where the port is - but it doesn't hurt. I can't see it, but I can feel it. (Not when I move, though. I mean that I can feel it with my hand) I promise to keep you posted on my Friday doc visit.

I appreciate that! I have an appointment on Friday. It's a follow up - 6 weeks. The docs prefer to wait 8 weeks before giving a first fill, but I am gonna beg for one on Friday. Otherwise, I'm gonna kil and eat the first cow I see. If I could just lose 10 pounds a month or so, I'd be thrilled. I don't want it to come off all at once. I don't think it's good for you, and also contributes to all that saggy, droopy skin. I want my skin to be able to adapt to the new me.

I am almost always hungry! It's so hard. I now know why it's called "Bandster Hell". It's the horrific time between surgery and your first fill. I understand the concept of needing to heal before Fluid is added to the band. I'm not arguing, but it does suck! I try to only eat what I'm supposed to, in the amounts I'm supposed to. I have done pretty well. It's torture some days. But, I don't want to do any damage, and want to heal well. So, I am following the rules. (Damn rules!) I don't know the distance for you. :guess I am all the way down in Waldorf, MD......so, I have to schedule practically an entire day to devote to going up for an appt., and coming back. It sounds like you're pretty darn close, though! Some docs want patients to lose weight pre-surgery so they can "prove" they are capable of sticking to a plan. (How stupid. If we could stick to it, we wouldn't be in need of surgery, would we???) Others want patients to lose weight as it makes the liver shrink. Some patients have huge livers, which get in the way during surgery.

Pamela, I have had absolutely no complications. (Thank God!) Well, unless you want to count the anesthesia making me want to vomit.....but, Dr. Tran prescribed something before I could blink. I did have my surgery at Inova Fair Oaks Hospital in Fairfax. My docs have recently moved their office to Woodbridge, however. They still do surgery out of either Inova or Potomac Hospital in Woodbridge. I guess you could choose. I have never been to Potomac Hospital, so I can't comment on it. I know that Inova was great. Everyone was friendly and competent. Dr. Tran and Dr. Halmi were (are) both great. :gossip: Their office number is: 703-878-7610, if anybody wants to give them a try. They don't make you jump through hoops.

I did not have to lose any weight before surgery. I had to do a liquid diet ONLY the day before surgery. My doc required no psych eval, no sleep study and no cardiologist consult. I have never had any sleep apnea symptoms, though. I also have no heart isues. My only co-morbidity was reflux. Incidentally, although I had HORRIBLE reflux prior to surgery (Daily, had to elevate my bed) I have not had any symptoms even ONCE since my surgery. My required tests were : EKG, blood work, arterial blood gasses, upper GI, and chest X-Ray. I would have needed a gallbladder scan if I had a gallbladder. Mine was removed many moons ago, so I did not need that done. BJ

Thanks, everybody! I really appreciate the info. BJ

I have BCBS Federal. I just had my surgery on 3/23, so the info is fresh! There was a $200 "Program participation fee", the dietician didn't accept insurance, so I paid her $150. The surgery co-pay was $100, and is paid the day of surgery. Regular visits are the normal $15 co-pay. Other than that, the insurance covered 100%. I just got a bill for $142 from the surgeons. Not sure what it was for, but I'll check into it! Also, the insurance requires no psych eval and NO WAITING PERIOD! Hope this info helps! BJ :clap2:

I have come to discover that there are a lot of us Southern Marylanders here.....all of whom have to travel out of our comfort zone, and up into DC or Northern VA for LapBand stuff. I'm curious to know how many of us there are. I have already heard from two others. Neat! Please write if you're one of us! Thanks, BJ :clap2: