Liz1531

Hi. I want to get my band taken out and was wondering if the post-op recovery is the same as getting banded? I keep hearing of people taking a week off... I was banded on a Thursday evening and back at work by Monday so was hoping it would be the same time frame this time around. Any different pain or experience than getting the band put in? Also, I was self pay and now have BCBS PPO.. anyone have experience getting them to pay for removal?

Of couse I haven't lost because I live on slider foods. I want to eat whole foods but often throw them up or get stuck on them... so maybe the bands are better now but there are still plenty of people out there who are having problems. I want to put out there that it's not all roses, becuase when I was reading posts to make my decision that's all I wanted to see. I didn't believe I would end up one of those bitter people who hate their bands. I was sure this was the answer. If insurance is paying, what have you got to lose? Go for it, but for self pay people, you can spend less money on getting the nutrition guidence and mental support that is needed to be successful at weight loss without having to undergo the knife. I am still paying $200 per month to pay off this surgery that did nothing for me. It has been physically, financially and emotionally taxing and my story deserves to be heard as much as the success stories do.

In response to your msg above... years ago I did Atkins. While tought to give up sweets I lost 40 lbs in 4 months and another 40 within a year without a day of working out and kept it off for 3 years. I got pg, was told Atkins is unhealthy and quit. Gained 70lbs with my baby and have tried calorie counting, working out, weight watchers and lap band surgery and nothing has ever worked for me like good old fashioned eating right. I have now gone to holistic nutrition school and learned Atkins is completely healthy. It's eating the processed starchy food that is unhealthy and I can't wait to get this band taken out so I can eat meat veggies and fruit again and eat enough to feel full. I never feel full with the band. The band physically stops you from eating or you will puke up your food but it doesn't make you feel full and satisfied. I often stare longingly at a piece of spinach and cheese stuffed chicken feeling hungry but only being able to eat a couple of bites. I eat the same portion sizes as my 3 year old and usually get so annoyed with having to chew things to mush that I say screw the healthier Protein on my plate and go right for mashed potatoes.. something I know I can get down and finally feel full.

Let me start by saying I wouldn't reccomend anyone get a band. I reccomend figure out what is healthy? Is it low carbing? Weight Watchers? What works for you? Next, deal with the head issues of stress eating. Because the band won't help you with either of these things. You can still stress eat junk food all day long and the band won't stop you. Now to answer your questions: What kind of scaring is there? 2-4 dots? Yes - Had mine in since 2008 and can see one maybe 1/2 inch scar in port area under left breast and 3 other very small scars in various locations on belly. Can you feel the lap band around your stomach? Yes - if you swallow too big a bite, becomes very painful, you begin to get this awful slime in your mouth and if you can't pass the food down the band (again painful if too large a bite), you will puke it back up. Can you feel the fill port from the outside? Yes you can feel the port very easily. What happens when you are sick and you have to vomit? Can you actually vomit? I was worried about this too and have thrown up with flu and pregnancy a few times. My band area was a little sore, but nothing major. I have heard severe vomitting can cause slippage of the band which can warrant surgical removal. How long do you wear it? The rest of my life? If so, does it need replaced at any point? I believe the shelf life is around 10 years.. not too sure on this though What are the complications that you have heard of? For me.. not feeling like a normal human is enough that I want it OUT. I can't eat out with friends without having to plan a menu of band friendly things like Soups mainly. Often I just pick and then take the food back with me to eat later. I have to eat so slowly and chew so much that my food is generally cold by the time I get to it. Forget eating rice and Pasta.. Eating meat is difficult unless sopped in juices/sauce. The only thing I can eat with never a problem is sweets like ice cream, chocolates and other things that go down easily. Hope this helps.

Hey newbie.. I'm trying to see if I can get insurance to get mine out. I was cash pay, so am not sure they'll approve it. If not, I will be saving for a long time to try and pay cash to get it out. Anywho... I just hate it! I haven't lost weight with it. I can't eat healthy foods because Protein and veggies, even some fruits will get stuck and I puke it all back up. I feel like I can eat all the junk food or chips/crackers I want because it goes down easily, but try and add REAL food, forget it. My hubby tries to cook low carb for me and I'm sitting there with a plate full of food and hungry but can't take another bite of meat without the pain of having it stuck and tossing it back up again. I did get a total unfill when I got pregnant in 2009 and it hasn't really made things any better. Just tired of not feeling normal. I want my body back.

Out of desperation I sought out the lap band in 2008. I lost about 20 lbs initially probably from being able to eat very little for the first month. After that not another pound. The only foods I have been able to eat easily are junky foods that slither right down. Eating meat unless extremely moist (usually covered in some sauce) has become a dreaded experience. I have to eat REALLY slowly so eating out with friends is now a chore instead of a pleasure. I have to search the menu for something I can get down within a 30 minute lunch experience and not throw up. Screw the polite term of a PB "Productive Burp".. it's puking lunch back up plus a bunch of slime and sometime's it comes on fast so look out anyone in my way getting to the bathroom. Just last week accidentally took one extra bite too many and puked driving down the freeway. It was DISGUSTING. Is this the life you want to live? Having to puree food by chewing until your jaw hurts? I spent $8500 cash on getting the band and after not losing weight and being disgusted with myself spent another $7500 going back to school and learning about holistic nutrition. I am now armed with the tools I need to eat well but guess what eating meat and veggies beyond a couple bites makes me throw up. So... now I am seeking removal surgery. Learn from my mistake. There isn't ANYTHING wrong with your body and squeezing off part of your stomach isn't the cure. The problem is the way we eat. We eat convenient processed garbage and then blame our metabolism and thyroids. They aren't the problem. Learn how to eat high Protein and low carb. Learn how to make whole food meals that you enjoy. It can be done, I promise you. Hacking your body up doesn't cure the need to binge when we're stressed, nor will it prevent you from downing sweets. It doesn't magically make you feel full. Just because I will throw up if I eat one more bite doesn't mean I'm satisfied. I often find myself sitting at a meal hungry but knowing if I put one more bite in, I will toss it all back up. My band has been empty since 2009 and I still have issues eating! Please think twice about learning ways to make a lifestyle change instead of chopping up your body. And for those of you thinking, oh this is just one tragic person, look at all of the fantastic results stories.. I was you before I got banded. I didn't think I would ever be one of those people that it didn't work out for.

Lyse - my experience has been the same. Went to TJ and weigh actually about 2 lbs more than I did to start way back in 2008. I've hated the band. I try and eat a whole food high protein diet but throw up on meat and veggies unless soaked in some kind of sauce or gravy. The foods that are easy are candy, ice cream, sweets. I have since gone to school to learn about nutrition and can't wait to get my band off soon. Wanted to comment on your inability to lose weight even on low cal. I'd highly reccomend Atkins for you. It is satisfying, gives you lot's of energy and you lose weight easily on it while getting lot's of veggies and healthy proteins.

Just a funny to add to my story... my son was 4 months old when I had the surgery. As soon as I came to after surgery my boobs were ready to explode! They hurt so bad I felt like a zombie as I stumbled down the hallway to the bathroom and leaned over the sink to milk myself. I was so drugged up I don't even know if the milk was making it to the sink. =)

I'm doing fine now thanks for asking. Since the unfill I have gained back every pound and then some since I had the band put in in 2007. I am getting a fill thru Fill Centers on Monday BUT not too crazy about it. They use a nurse to do the fills and don't use Fluro. I thought my doc (Ortiz) was one of the founders of Fills Centers so I'm surprised they allow fills w/out fluro. Last time I was at Ortiz's office the girl in line in front of me had a non-fluro fill and they poked a hole in her band. So this poor girl missed her flight back to wherever she lives because they found this problem and now she has to come back to TJ and pay for surgery to fix the problem. I totally agree with the advice to find follow up care BEFORE you get the surgery. In my case, I am BROKE and really can't afford the cost of the local docs. They all want quite a bit of money. Just wanted to give fair warning to anyone considering MX. (P.S. The surgery itself w/ Ortiz was a breeze!)

I was banded while bf my son. I didn't do a sleep study so that wasn't an issue. I pumped before the surgery, didn't take any of the pain meds and was able to resume feeding him the next day.

Bubble, You ARE misinformed. The price is actually $349 for the 1st appointment/fill and $165 for each add'l fill! You were being too kind in your pricing. I'm still going there though, because I'm OVER spending hours calling every doctor under the sun and trying to get my insurance to pay for aftercare. Screw it, I'm taking my tax refund and signing over to Fill Centers...lol

Why can't they just post the price already? I called today and they charge $349 for an initial visit which includes one fill and around $165 for fills. FYI, I thought that Fill Center would be like a doctors office where I could go for problems, but they are nothing more than the title says, a fill center.

I got my surgery in TJ and never worried about aftercare because I lived in San Diego. Now I've moved to AZ and NO ONE!!!! will touch me for aftercare. I had a problem where I was so inflamed that I need an unfill ASAP and had to drive 6 hours to TJ because I repeat NO ONE will touch me here. I found a couple doctors who will do it, but they want $1,500-$2,500 to "enroll" me in their aftercare program. What a crock! My insurance company is worthless, because I didn't have the surgery approved and was self pay they won't cover me if I have a problem. My insurance company (Kaiser) only covers Gastric Bypass and I was not the least bit interested in that, so I chose to self pay. You'd think they'd be happy I saved them a buck, but no. They refuse to cover anything band related. I know we ALL think the band will be great and WE won't have a problem but you never know. Fair warning folks!