bbjerseygirl

It can be normal on an infrequent basis, but if it continues you might want to check with doctor. You also want to see how close your meal is with your lunch, what you choose to have for dinner and are you drinking with your meal. Maybe after having two meals already, you may still have some in the pouch so you may only need a few bites. Try taking a bite, chew really, really well, wait and if ok, take another. If you are eating a heavy lunch, maybe eat a little less or something lighter. Remember food stays in the pouch longer so it could just be your are still full from lunch. But again, if it continues you might want to check with doc to make sure not too tight

I agree - Dr. Manigat is a great surgeon and is dedicated to his patients and takes his time with each and everyone so that they understand the procedure before and after. He is very busy and you may have to wait - but it is worth it. I have had the LapBand over 2 years with no complications and have been at goal for a long time.

I wouldn't say you are alone - many believe that the lapband itself will do all the work. Unfortunately, I believe you were either misinformed and not properly educated by those who gave you the band. Having the lapband does mean you have to follow a diet and the band will give you the ability to do so more easily and effectively. If you do not eat properly and in proper quantities there is no way you will lose. The theory remains the same about calorie in, calorie out. You have to eat properly and exercise with the band to lose and maintain. What happens at first is the you eat the smaller quantities or better foods and lose. As time goes on, we all start slipping back into old habits and the weight will come back on - just as in our old dieting ways. Our body adjusts to the lower calorie intake and once we start eating the bad foods again, we gain. Then the snowball affect hits and we get discouraged and give up. But the good news is that you still have the band and with proper nutritional advice from your doctor and nutritionist and with a proper fill you can get back on the wagon and start over. It wasn't a waste of your time and the band can work for you - don't give up hope. Just consider a bump in the road and go around it. Talk with your doctor and tell him whats going on and ask for his help. If you don't get it from the surgeon, talk with your primary care physician and get direction. We all have to eat right and exercise and we need guidance on the right choices. Good luck!!!

I need help finding a diagnosis code for lapband leak and replacement. If anyone knows what it is, please post - could use the help for insurance purposes.

I do believe some people rushed into it without learning all the facts, but because they didn't learn the facts isn't the reason they would have trouble with the band. They may not have known those problems existed, but it isn't the cause. Also, some doctors do not give all the facts, such as band sizes, complications, pb'ing etc. I learned most of what I know from this website and from chatting and getting to know people. My doctor didn't know what pb'ing was. I had my surgery within 4 mos and have had no complications and I am out 14 mos. now. I am a slow loser and not due to lack of education and information. The band helps portion control, not metabolism so I have to deal with that. I think your theory may be correct in some cases, but not in all. Everyone should do their homework and get to know the band so when complications do arise they know how to deal with it.

When you had surgery - did you have a nutritionist? Maybe you should reconnect with the doctors and specialists who got you started. I don't know what your goal weight is or how much more you have to lose, but they should be able to help you. Plus, if you are vomiting alot = that is not right. You definitely need to talk to doc about that. Vomiting should rare and far between and not a norm. There could be something up with the band and causes you to eat the wrong foods. Sometimes ppl think that if they just eat small amounts they will lose weight but if you are eating the wrong foods - that doesn't help. Are you exercising? I only lost 45 myself the first year and that was in the first 6 months. I can't get the weight off myself and my nutritionist said this may be the weight my body wants to be. I have another 20 to go but no matter what I do, my scale doesn't budge. I go to the gym, eat right but nothing. So see what your nutritionist says. Good luck and keep trying. At least you are somewhat healthier. But I know that isn't always enough - go to the pros - they will have all your info and advise best.

You have gotten many responses to this thread which is great and I am not going to read them all. I apologize if I am repeating myself. Your friend has had only one fill which means she has had surgery not long ago. She hasn't learned to break the bad habits yet and that comes with time. The good thing is she is aware of her mistakes and when she is ready, she will learn to implement the rules set forth for her to succeed. Sometimes it takes people mentally longer to work with the band. It is sort of like a mental game with themselves and to see how far they can challenge or push themselves. I do feel she should get another adjustment too. The first adjustment obviously did not allow her the proper restriction. I had just had my 8th and still don't have perfect restriction, but I was pretty much disciplined and have lost. I think if she gets another adjustment or maybe 2 more she will do better. You must also advise your friend even though she is not following the proper diet, it is not just a bad idea cause she wont lose weight. It could jeopardize the band and its proper placement. Overeating and eating the wrong foods could cause problems for her so she really shouldn't continue and should talk to her nutritionist or doctor. She can do this, she just needs some help and guidance. It is out there for her, she just has to seek it out and ask for it. Tell your friend no to stress herself out or get discouraged cause it will make eating wrong worse. Good luck to her!

The area can still be sore from surgery since you are only 8 weeks out. I would continue to watch lifting and pulling. THe port is sewed to that muscle and can stay tender for quiet some time but it shouldn't be causing severe pain - maybe discomfort, but nothing serious. If the incision area is red, swollen and infected, you need to see a doctor right away. If you run a fever - it means it is infected. When you lay down on your back - feel around for the port - sometimes you can feel it that way. I couldn't feel my port right away. Take it easy for awhile and if it continues, I would make sure my doctor knows my name and get an appt, not just a number. Good luck

I would love to attend. It will be hard to get a room for $100 in NYC. NJ is fine too. I live in NJ - south. If you are looking for an area that is easy and may have fun things for people to do while here - I would go with Atlantic City, New Jersey and people can fly into the airport or Philadelphia. AC offers the casino's, great dining and shows. Philadelphia is also a great spot to go with many shows and sites to see. Up north NJ does not have that much but it is a quick train ride to NYC, but also a little more costly. Gives you some options as people may want to make a mini-vacation out of coming so this gives them more options. Either way, I will attend. Thanks for all your hard work and this site looks great!

Hi newbie from Pa. I am from NJ and have been banded for just over a year. If you have any questions, post them and they will get answered or you can come to the chat room and learn alot. That's where I got most of my questions answered. I have had a lot of success with the band but weight loss is slow even with a good diet and exercise program. Don't get discouraged if the scale doesn't move right away or even stops and gains. It happens, but it always reverses itself. Keep doing the good stuff regardless of what the scale says. I always say measure too along with the scale. Sometimes you will see more results there then the scale itself. Follow your docs instructions and meal guidelines and you will be fine. All docs are different so you may get many opinions on what or what not to eat. Always go by your doc so he knows how to guage any problems you might have. Good luck with your journey and visit us on the chat. You can email me directly here if you have any questions you need answered right away!:tongue::smile:

You have to remember you just had major surgery, you aren't eating like normal, so you are vitamin deprived as well as other nutrients. You may be feeling down or depressed because of these things. It is also big adjustment to the mind as well. You are in the process of giving up something that was a huge part of your life and now you don't have it to reach for when you are feeling down - it is hard. It is just like any other addiction, you are going thru a withdrawal, plus the hardship of surgery. I wondered if I did the right thing too because it is truly like starting over. What to eat, what not to eat, did I mess things up, did I hurt the band, etc. etc. Its all overwhelming at first. But once you start feeling better and get past the first 6 weeks, it gets easier. So many put so much emphasis on the first 6 weeks of dieting. It is important to follow for the stomach to heal, but don't stress yourself out if you can eat one more ounce than they suggested. Just eat what they say and follow it the best you can. I had no pain after surgery, so I can't comment on the port area. I do know depending where it is placed, some people have port area pain for up to a few months. If it continues - have the doctor check it out in person, not over the phone. Use the heating pad and pain meds as needed to comfort you a little. You are on your way to a healthier life, but it isn't easy, but you can do it. The hard part is over and you will get the hang of everything else. Come in the chat room and talk with people who have had it so you are getting one on one support to from people who have been there. I wish you luck and a speedy recovery.

Congrats on your first NSV (non scale victory) - that is awesome. The cost of surgery is nothing compared to all the new clothes and belts you will have to buy now. Keep up the good work!:thumbup:

Every insurance company is different but most doctors are using Aetna standards and don't look at all insurance information. When I went to my doctors office I was going to follow the standard 6 month pre op routine, but the testing was not insurance required - but doctor required. Since I had no medical problems really other than the obesity - I had minimal testing except right before surgery. I had asked since this doctor had a program fee that they try to pre approved me early so I didnt' pay out all this money and not be approved. They were extremely surprised to find out after only 6 weeks in the program, that I had no pre op requirements so I was approved right away. Most insurance companies don't require testing . They require you meet a certain criteria such as 40 BMI and that you had tried losing the weight prior to surgery intervention. I believe in your case, the doctor was blaming the insurance company for all these tests that he wanted done. If he requires the tests for surgery, that's what he should tell his patients. Many people on here had to do numerous tests before being considered without any apparent health problems, and they probably weren't necessary or insurance required. I am glad you found a doc who could do the surgery without more tests. The good thing is that you know you are in good shape with all the testing to proceed with surgery. Good luck

What was there reason for denial? It seems like you jumped thru the hoops with all the tests, so it looks like the docs thought you were a candidate. Don't lose hope though - many people were denied multiply times. I even believe there are threads for letters of appeal. Keep trying! Good luck.

You have to remember that your body just went thru a great deal of stress with surgery, a difficult diet and now a fill. It could be fighting to hold on to what it thinks it needs. You lost so much so fast - it goes into starvation mode. Stick with your proper eating and the weight will come off. It is very slow and with the band, it is meant to be slow. Doctors only suggest losing 1-2 lbs a week on average, so if you lost 14 lbs in the first, you are already ahead of the game. Don't rush it - you need to learn to eat properly, exercise and the rest will come. This isn't a race - when you learn to do those things - it will become a way of life - not a diet. Try to make sure you are getting at least 3-4 oz of protein in each meal with some veggies. Don't skip meals either to force the body to stay in starve mode. Eat 3 balanced meals a day and exercise some and you will see the results - not melting results - but you will see results. Also, sometimes the scale doesn't move - but the inches do. Take your measurements as well so when the scale is being stubborn you have another weight to measure. Good luck and don't be so hard on yourself - if you are eating right - don't worry about the scale.

It is a good idea to journal your food. If you are able to eat and be satisfied with small quantities of healthy food, you probably don't need a fill. If you are not losing weight it could be due to not eating enough so a fill wouldn't help you. If you are eating things that are high in calorie and fat, a fill won't help still. Analyze what you are eating and see if you are eating smart. Fills are meant to help food intake and keep you satisfied and if you have that - the fill isn't the answer. Also note that there are going to be times - and unfortunately i have many - the body does not lose. Even with eating right, small portions, exercise. I can go weeks or months without losing and then it starts again. I eat 1,200 or less calories a day and go to the gym 4 days a week but my scale doesn't budge. I just try doing the right things and hope for results. Don't expect to see changes every week - its the long term end result. This isn't a race so don't get disappointed. If you are doing the right things, you will see results. You didn't say when you were banded but as time goes on - the weight is slower coming off so don't panic. I would call the nutritionist though to ask about how to break a plateau that is right for you. If you follow all the rules and still aren't losing - get the fill. Good luck:smile2:

Congrats on your recent surgery. It is completely normal to feel hungry and want to "pig" out at this stage. Your stomach is healing and is not as swollen as it was in the beginning. Remember, you are in the beginning stages which are about healing the stomach and ensuring band placement. You have yet to get a fill and be restricted. You felt restricted before cause of the swelling and irritation to the stomach due to the surgery. Even though I don't think what you ate is considered pigging out - you must be careful not to overeat and expand your pouch at this point. You need the first 6 weeks to allow the stomach to heal and allow the band's placement site to heal too. Overeating can stretch the pouch and cause less restriction for you later on. If I recall correctly, you should be eating 2-4 oz per meal - try your hardest to stick to that. If you continued to feel hungry - wait as long as you can and then eat something like a sugar free jello, yogurt, a full liquid so it will go thru the band and not stretch it. Don't worry - you aren't alone in this stage. It is hard and you are doing fine. Do your best, that's all we can do. Good luck.:mad2:

My doc says you can have 2 cups of coffee per day. The reason he gave was stomach irritation and dehydration. For every 8 oz of a caffinated beverage, you need to drink an additional 16 oz of water to keep properly hydrated. I know some people said they drank more than that and he said as long as it doesn't irritate them, just add the water and it's okay. Hope that helps.

I don't know if the "band" tightens but my doc said it could take up to a month or more before you actually get the restriction from a fill. This could be your situation. However, not being able to swallow liquids is not a good thing and your doc should have seen you within 72 hours. PBing and vomiting can cause band slippage and of course you wouldn't want that. If this continues, you need to make an appt an get a slight unfill. They may only need to take out .5cc. When you continue to pb' and slime, etc. you cause stomach irritation and swelling which would continue to make the band tighter. Sometimes after a few days to a week, it could get back to normal but 10 days is too long and a risk to the band. At least have it checked out to be sure. good luck

When I had my first fill, it took my doc 45 mins to get the needle in - he could find the port - just not the access point. Every fill after got better, but it always took a long time and a lot of jabs - thank god for numbing agents. I had my 5th fill by fluoro and he found it easier, but still took a few minutes. He said mine didn't flip but might have moved cause it isn't where he marked it. He even marked his file exactly where it was when he filled, so it would be easier and still had trouble the next time. I guess this is common - don't worry - you'll get your fill. I think the only thing possible to have surgery on it again if it completely flipped over. Even is so - its not the same kind of surgery - I believe it can even be done in office so I have read on here. Good luck. You have done great - 28 lbs is alot in such a short amount of time. Keep up the good work

Hi and congrats. I could have written this thread myself. It has been my experience almost to the letter. The biggest difference is that I am on my 5th fill with little to no restriction. I got my last fill 5/14 and just now feeling some restriction and fullness. But within an hour to so, I feel hungry and can eat again. It never lasts more than that. I just don't eat between meals so it doesnt' really matter. I got my surgery back in October and have the large 14cc band and now have 11cc's in. Doc said I had a small stomach so it will probably take me to 12cc's before I have restrictions. Everyone has good and bad days. Try to have less of the bad ones though. It's hard without restriction but if you put yourself on a strict regimen it helps. I pre-portion my meals, I know what I am having for breakfast each day and usually lunch so there is no straying from anything. Dinner is always up in the air but I portion out my plate and that's all I will eat. Never eat between meals and for a snack I will have a sugar free popsicle. Not saying I am perfect because there are days that I don't stick to this, but I would say 95% of the time. Depending on what you weigh, you should be eating anywhere from 1,200 to 1,600 cals a day - talk to your nutritionist. I am suppose to eat 1,400 a day but probably eat more like 1,000 - 1,200. Nut. said if you eat too little, body will reject and go into starve mode causing you NOT to lose weight. If you are exercising, you should add about 200 cals so it gives the body fuel to work with. So you may not be cheating as bad as you think. As far as the restriction goes, that goes by your doc, your stomach and your band. It could take 3 or 4 fills - or more in my case. So you aren't doing anything wrong - keep up the good work.