DEE-JAY

Hi Sheila, Welcome and Congradulations on your New Journey. Good Luck to you.

I was born East of Dallas Terrell but i live in California. I had my Lap band done in Thousand oaks California at the Journey Lite Center. I have researched the Journey Lite centers. I am also a self pay. The reason i choose Journey lite is because if you self pay your fills are free for life. They do have a center in Texas. check them out first and see how close they are to you. It could be worth the little drive for the cost of the fills. JourneyLite.com. My surgery was $1500.00. The price was in the medium range and the free fills for life is what sold me. Good LucK and just check out different surgeon. being self pay you have lots of options.

I had the surgery last june and i told everyone. For me since my weight loss has been slow. I wish i would of only told just a few. My highest weight was 217 i am now down to 191. the reason i wish i would of only told a few is because every one thinks the surgery is like having the Gastric Bypass. Where the weight falls off so much faster. i feel that when people see me now they expect a much more dramatic weight loss. I am very glad i did it and am losing the weight just slow. I believe it is an individual decision. Best of luck to you

Congrads and welcome. What a great way to start your year off. Way to Gooooo!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Congrads on the surgery date. I also self pay. take it slow and follow the diet exactly. the first six weeks is for healing. i felt good 2 days after. but stick to your diet. very important for healing. the only advise i can give you is i experienced alot of constipation. alot of us dont talk about that. but oh my mine was bad. wish i knew what i could of done to prevent it getting that bad. The gas pain that ended up in my shoulder blades was very unconfortable. that goes away in a couple of weeks. walking helps that. Good luck to you and dont be scared. all of us on this site has gotton through it. we are all different and you two will be posting your experience. good luck and welcome to band land. keep us all posted.

I also have a AP Band. had my surgery 6-26-07. filled 3cc at surgery. i have 8.5cc now four fills later and it is really working now. did not have enough restriction at all till 3rd fill which i was at 7.5cc. think i may be at my sweet spot.

|Dr. Helmonth Billy Thousand Oaks California Banded 6-26-07

Yes I was scared. I had mine done six months ago today. The morning of the surgery i just kept telling my self this is what i want and need. but yes i was scared. I am SOOOOOOOooo glad i did it. As of this morning i have lost 25 pounds. i started off at 217 pounds and down to 192. Mine has been slow but now it is really working for me or i am figureing out how to make it work for me. Good luck with it all and let us all know how you are feeling afterwards. Welcome to the loser's club in band land. wooo whooo good for you

Thanks Kimmi, well its been almost 2 weeks for you. How you feeling? Is the Gas pain going away? that was the worst for me. had my fourth fill and have alot of restriction. but i can eat but very little and very slow. so now i am finally feeling that this is working for me. a month ago i did not think this was going to work for me. i learned that i have to make it work. i hope all is well on your side. Dee-Jay

Yes. My friend and i where cloths shopping the other day. I always wore a 2x because it hides the rolls and it does look sloppy but i feel more comfortable wearing it. so now i tried a 1x. Too small expecially in the breast area. we laughed when i ask the sales clerk if they made a 1x and a half.

Hi Kimmi. hope you are feeling better and better each day. i go get amother fill tomorrow. finally have lost 15 pounds. My son actually noticed today that i was loseing weight. Whoo Hoo. talk to you again soon. Dee-Jay

Yes I have very slow weight loss also. you are doing better than me. had my surgery June 26th 07. stating weight 214 as of today i weigh 203. i have had 3 fills. i have a total of 7.5cc in my band. i go back on hallloween for my fourth fill. i have not gained any weight. but boy this is slow. my last fill did give me much more restriction. but like Julie said if you can eat more than 1/4 cup you may need a fill. i hope this next fill puts me at the sweet spot. dont give up. i know im not.

Hi Kimmi. i am so excited for you. i know how you feel because you dont know how you are suppose to feel. hope that made since. i am glad to hear you are staying in contact with your doctor. that is the best and then you wont second guess anything. everyday you will be feeling better. funny but as i am writing this, on the t.v. is the lap band commercial.lol. stay on your liquids and do the diet they gave you and you will be fine. good for you i am just glad you did it and now you will start feeling better congrads again. welcome to the loser's club in band land. hugs Dee-Jay

Hi Kimmi. Hope all went well. let us all no how you are doing and congrads again to you.

Too Funny........................when i told my mother i was going to get the band she told me she saw on the news that someone got it and they became paralyed. then when i called the accountant for the money (self Pay) i told him what for and to transfer it into this bank. he told me that i need to do this the old fashion way and just watch what i ate and to exercise more. i asked him to transfer MY MONEY FROM MY ACCOUNT TO MY LOCAL BANK. or he could transfer everything. he said O.K. dear what ever you need. LOL..

Hi Welcome to Band Land. I am 46 and am a big baby when it comes to pain. had my surgery in June and they gave me a huge bottle of liquid pain killers. I still have that bottle less one teaspoon. which is what i took when i got home from the surgery. never took anymore. yes i was sore but not in pain. the worst part was the gas pressure in my collar bone. i was not ready for that. i did not even know about that. that did go away a couple of weeks later. it was all worth it and i would do it again in a minute. congrads

Hi I am also self pay $15.500 which includes FREE fills for life. I did my homework before chooseing a surgeon because i was self pay. I found Journey Lite of Thousand Oaks California Dr Billy. He and his staff are great. I have also found that there are more Journey Lite facilitys across the nation. As far as the free fills go i dont know if all Journey Lite facilitys honor that. I was scared also. My weight lose has been very slow. I averege a pound a week. The good part is i am not gaining weight. Anyway Congradulations on your new life. just do your homework on your surgeon and i hear that the fills are very costly. My BMI is also low. They say that is why my weight lose is slow going. i will get my next fill next week. i have good restriction but can use more to get to my sweet spot. One pound a week for a year will be almost my goal. Good Luck

I am also self pay and I had my surgery done in Thousand Oaks California at the Journey lite surgical center. Being self pay I did my homework before choosing a surgeon. My fills are free for life. I know there are at least three facilty's across the nation. I would advise anyone considering Lap Band to check out JourneyLite.com.

I Was Banded June 26th 07 In Thousand Oaks Califormia. Dr. Billy.

I was banded on July 26th 07. I had my first fill on 8-8-07. Mine felt like a bee Sting. Quick and simple. Go in for my next fill in two days (9-12-07) I cant wait. I need more restriction. i have not lost but 2 pounds since first fill. :clap::confused:. the only thimg i can not eat is soft bread. i was also scared about the fill. I have heard so much good and bad. but it really was no big deal. i know everyone is different. but like i said before a bee sting. thats is how i felt. but to lose this weight i can handle that. keep up the good work and dont worry. :eek: