alysedg23

Just want to know how your experience went and if you would recommend either one of them.. Thanks

Be prepared to spend A LOT of time over the toilet. Be prepared to constantly feel the "golf ball" in your esophagus after you eat. Be prepared NOT to be able to eat in front of people you havent told about the band. Be prepared to be afraid of eating ANYTHING non mushie in fear of throwing it up. Be prepared to teach yourself to eat VERY VERY slowly. Be prepared to kiss bread goodbye. The first 6 weeks is easy, once you get your fill...thats when you will play the "get to know your band" game. Its very finicky. It loves liquids, hates bread. Forget about steak, even chicken has problems going through. You will have that "stuck" feeling a lot, after the stuck feeling, you will salivate profusely and then everything you ate comes up. The only thing I can eat now is Soup...any kind of soup, but most everything else I have tried I have thrown up. I'm 2 weeks post 1st fill..and I know i'm not too tight, since I watched the whole thing on fluoroscopy.....this is just how life is with the band. Any many other people that I know that have this band say the same thing. Things get stuck often..and are also afraid of trying new foods in public. I am not complaining, I am happy with my decision to get it placed.. I mean, vanity is priority #1...but these above facts DO NOT get mentioned often in this forum....at least I really havent read about it.

I had my procedure done in Mexico.does anyone know a doc in So Cal that does fills for those of us that got banded down south?? Thanks

thanks frenchvanilla, i will try them.

I totally understand, rebandit, where you are coming from. I also went to a doc that is in it for the mula, with very little follow up care. I did a lot of research before the surgery but there are some things you just cant learn through reading. You must live it to know it, and I think that's what rebandit is talking about. Also, I doubt that those few required pysch evals will completely change your way of thinking in terms of overeating..actually I'm not even sure why they are required, what is the objective?? In closing, I understand your frustration and you keep posting whatever you like. People who can't handle a little sarcasm need to get over it.

Most of our time is spent over the toilet!!! I am 3 days post 1st fill, and here I go with the "getting to know my band" period all over again... I hope this period is over quick, because it is very inconvenient. When I'm out and eating (which isnt often), the first thing I have to find is the restroom, just in case I have to visit it on an emergency basis. I'm terrified to eat anything except Soup for fear that its not going to go through. Is it just my band or most bands that dont like any form of bread??? I just had a lean cusine panini (well, 2 or 3 bites) before I had to visit Mr. Toilet and I have been suffering since. Agghhhh!!! It gets better, right?? Or should I just tell myself that Soup is the best thing on the planet and start LOVING it????

pmmegm----Are you trying to insult my intelligence?? Well, I can insult right back, did you mean diplomacy??? you spelled it wrong and its totally irrelevant to this thread.... And what do you mean unkind???? I have no idea what you are talking about.. And newbie's need no know what can possible happen...I'm sure more of you had experienced what I went through but conveniently forgot about it because you are so happy to have lost weight...whatever And for the person who said that 99% of bandsters dont PB, BULLSHIT, how the hell did you come up with that statistic??? Vancouvergirl, so far, has been the only one, who is like me, afraid to go against the grain and SPEAK up...I for one, dont care if I "belong" to your group of friends since I have a home, a husband, a business, 2 kids, 2 dogs, a cat and many many friends that I occupy my time with... As for all of you that think you "helped" me by telling me to get an unfill....sorry people, I have a brain and I use it and I can figure things out for myself, I was mostly venting and not lookingn for support, good thing, because I sure as hell didnt get any. I remember another thread about someone who was cheating on her preop diet and 99% of you told her to"get back on track", drink your shakes and make sure you eat healthy...>WHAT??? If any of you could do that, you wouldnt have needed the band in the first place... Instead of telling her that it was okay and its normal to have cheated, you all scolded her for going off her diet and "being Bad"...Noone except for me emphatised with her...instead you all made her feel that she was a failure for cheating on her pre op diet... Remember, if any of you had self control in the first place, you wouldnt have that little saline-filled silicone band around your stomach...so stop belittling people if they dont follow their pre op diets...whatever planet you guys are on....come back down to earth...REALITY You probably wont hear from me again....I am so UNLIKE you guys and to be frank, this forum doesnt inform me of anything useful. The last thing I have to say is YES, VANCOUVER Girl, I feel that I am in good company too since it seems that we are the only ones on this board that LIVE IN REALITY...THANK YOU SO MUCH

Vancouver girl.........YOU ROCK!!! I knew I loved Canada for a reason, you guys really are smarter than Americans. yes, I was venting, and you were the only one smart enough to figure it out. Unfortunately, I cant elaborate anymore right now because I am running out the door, but OMG... YOU ARE THE BEST>....perhaps some of you experienced bandsters can get off your high horse and start learning from others on this site.....THIS GIRL gets it...

Why dont you guys speak up?? You are choosing the doctor you go to, arent you?? Go to another doctor, one that is willing to do what you want.. They work for us, not the other way around. If the first one isnt going to do it....i'm certain there is another compentent doctor around the corner

Can't you people take a joke?

Most people dont even want to bother with it the day of surgery, but if its important to you...than go for it.<br /> <br /> Someone else wrote about burns related to heavy make up use....sorry but that is incorrect, being an OR nurse for over 15 years..I have never seen anything happen, or heard of it.<br /> <br /> Actually, a lot of patients would come in for surgery with full makeup...just dont be surprised if its all messed up when you wake up.<br /> <br /> The tape has no problem sticking to your face..whath hinders tape from sticking is lotion..so dont use any of that.<br /> <br /> I have seen women that come into surgery with false eyelashes, and once the anesthesiologist removes the tape from their eyes, the eyelashes come off too...funny<br /> <br /> Again, there is NO complications involved with makeup during surgery, its just easier if you go without it.

I have learned a lot from reading all the responses. I did get a slight unfill and am happy to report that there is life outside of the restroom. Things are great!! I apologize to anyone who I offended or insulted. Thank you

You know, I've heard of some doctors that do that...they pretend to put the band in, but they actually are looking for good organs to harvest... What is the definition of "good"?? I was feeling "great" after surgery....most people do since its a miminally invasive surgery...thats what's so great about laparoscopy!!!!

There is no reason why they cant do both of these surgeries at once. Get a second opinion. Undergoing 2 laparoscopies in one week is just crazy when they could do it at the same time. Most surgeons wouldnt do that...def get a second opinion

I think everyone ought to be prepared to face these issues, whether briefly, rarely or daily when going in. This is exactly what I am trying to express...many of you are so glad that you are losing weight that you "forget" about when you were newly banded and went through the getting to know your band stage... It is a process and PB'ing is going to happen at first...at what degree? Who knows but it is something that most everyone experiences with the band..maybe not those of you on this board but real life people that I have talked to have all confirmed this. Pre banding, I read these boards and noone really wrote about it...so I was just trying to keep it real.

"I am sorry that you feel so isolated and alone in your journey." Where on earth did you get that impression???

I dont recall using the word "awful". I think this is how its going to be for a while...I dont know how long..but I dont see how its going to change..unless the band loses some of its saline close to the next fill date...I dont know, I guess I just have to wait and see....BUT this is the way it is for MANY MANY new banders....how long its going to be like this, I dont know. Also, if you can eat steak with no problems, and have always been able to..perhaps you arent tight enough... If your profile is correct, you've lost 36 lbs in 1 1/2 years??? That doesnt seem like a significant weight loss... And just for clarity......I LOVE THE BAND...30 lbs and 2 sizes down in 8 weeks....

most everyone that I have talked to that has the band has the same issues as me...at one time or another. I'm sure everyone can recall when they didnt know what their band could or could not tolerate...the "learning" period...and experienced the same thing as what I am going through now.

Champion nutrition makes a great vanilla Protein powder. Just mix Water, one scoop of the powder, ice, any frozen fruit you want (strawberries, peaches) and even Peanut Butter (for extra protein and flavor). Blend and enjoy. And the best part is that its very yummy and inexpensive. Those canned shakes can add up.

Noone can say for sure what you will be able to eat and what you wont be able to. Every one is different. I just had my first fill and the only thing i can eat is Soup. Almost everything else I have tried has come up. I have spent a lot of time over the toilet. I'm not complaining though, since this is what its all about. you will just have to use trial and error to see what is going to work for you. nothing on these boards prepared me for how things are now. Nothing. Even though I read a lot, noone tells you that you will be PB'ing almost everything solid you eat. And you do. Especially if you dont eat slow, God forbid. AHHHHH!! Even if you chew chew chew, as everyone states over and over again..it still comes up. So good luck with your experimenting!!

Uh. ya, it is gross...and thats what this entire thread is about....getting to know what goes through and how slow you have to eat so that it does go through. And whatever you do, dont drink anything when you have that stuck feeling....it just doenst go through the band and then liquid and whatever else is in there comes up... I've spent a lot of time in the bathroom the last few days...I'm so scared to eat anything, the only thing that goes through right now is Soup. I'm okay with it...I guess this is what its all about...but be prepared to be over the toilet quite a bit until you get to know what you can eat or not..

My band hates everything except Soup...maybe I am too tight, I dont know..but the only other thing that hasnt come up is salad... Any suggestions? So far I've tried broccoli, chicken, corn, tuna...oh, and bread...that def was a killer... None of these things went through... What do you veterans suggest? I had my 1st fill on Monday...

Oh, and check obesityhelp.com...they have surgeons listed and reviews on those surgeons.. Good luck

Is there only one physician in your area that does lap band??? Lap band surgery is very popular among most surgeons because its easy money for them. It's a simple procedure that many many surgeons are starting to do more and more. Screw him and his gastric bypass...call your insurance company and ask them what other centers of expertise are in your area..believe me, you will be surprised at how many there are. Or, forget insurance and go to Dr. Ortiz in Mexico...you will probably pay about the same when you consider the copay and deductible and all that..I dont know what kind of plan you have..but my Blue Cross would only pay 60%..so by going to Mexico...I saved a lot of money, and more importantly, TIME, since they schedule you very soon in the near future. If you insist on going with your insurance....it shouldnt be too hard to find another surgeon in your area. Or ask your "anti lap band" doctor to refer you to someone who is more willing to give you the band.

1st fill a few days ago..and still playing the get to know you game with my band...seems that after I eat anything besides Soup, i get real lightheaded, get that salivary taste in my mouth, then off to visit the toilet.. Anyone else get those feelings??