Joyce in VA

Hello slimwithin. Welcome. I know you will love your band just as I do. I wish I could have gotten it 10 years ago. Dr Sass and his staff are great as you will find out. I live in Richlands. Let me know if I can be of any help.

Thanks for the quick reply. That is about what I thought.

Could anyone please explain exactly what the process is when getting a fill under flouroscope and what the price range is for getting this done. Thanks.

I have bcbs highmark out of Pa. and had to pay for my surgery. They said they did not cover the lap band. I hope you have more success than I did with them.

Mine is about 1.6 lbs. I might try the liquid diet to jump start my weigh loss. I am very pleased with my loss. Some weeks it is nothing. If I don't lose another pound I am very pleased with my band.

I personally have a friend who had the gb and is gaining her weight back. She is snacking on candy and drinking regular cokes all day. I think she is tired of watching what she eats or just gave up caring. I too could do the same thing with my LB. I truely hope that never happens. I too have no problem with junk food. It just goes down easy. So with both types of sugery you have to use good judgment in making the choices on what to eat and what not to eat. She is talking about getting the gb reversed and getting the lap band. I have explained that the lap band would be no different because you can still eat the junk all day long. She lost about 250 lbs., never reached her goal, and has gained about 65 lbs. back. I feel sorry for her but she does not seem to want to give up her cokes and candy. I really don't know how to help her because she has to find the strength from within herself.

Mine kicked in immediately.

I saw the news. I was thrilled I chose the lap band and not the gastric bypass.

Mine was $17,000 and includes everything for one year. If anything should go wrong it will be covered.

Nykee, I have no where near the restriction or change of mind set that you have but I have noticed some of my food preferances have changed since I was banded. For instance, before my band, fish would have never been my choice when we go out to eat. Now I order it all the time. Also I beleive once you go off carbs you no longer crave them. When I eat them it seems I am hungerier. With me it seems if I eat a heavy meal for supper I am hungerier the next day. If I eat light in the evening I don't get up hungry. Food has controlled our thoughs for a long time and I would love to be where you are. I am working on it. I am glad you found it early.

The way I read it that is what it means.

I was banded on July 6th and have no problem sleeping on my port side. I usually don't know it's there unless I feel for it. I have lost about 27 lbs. I, too, get the hiccups ocassionally. I have had to learn to eat really slow since I got my fill. I hurt sometimes if I eat certain things or do not chew slowly enough. Bread is out unless it is toast. It sounds like you have enough restriction without a fill at this time and your weight loss is awesome. Sometimes I have the pain in my chest but it is usually because I am too hungry and eat too fast. Especially if I don't take a bite and wait a minute before I take another one. The need to chew well sounds like good restriction and make sure you tell your doc how much you can eat and what it feels like.

Steppi, I think you and I had a fill about the same time. I had problems at first but I have to rethink my eating habits. I take really small bites and chew more than I did before the fill. If I wait too long to eat I notice I try to eat too fast or take a bite bigger than I should. I do this before I take time to think about what I am doing. I told my doc I have decided I am a slow learner. If you are PB then you are eating too fast or you may need an unfill. Remember being too tight will not result in a more rapid weight loss. Maybe someone with more experience will offer you a better answer. Try cutting your bites then cut them in half again. Hope this helps.

I guess I will add my 2 cents worth. You could eat a lot less and maybe lose. I don't know the answer myself but something has occurred to me that strikes me as funny. All my life I have heard eat only salad when you go out. Well one day I was watching some cows eat and I thought all the cows eat is mostly grass and why are they so fat? Any answers from anyone?

Cheryl, If you are having a hard time drinking you may be too tight. I had a fill on Sept. 21st and could drink anything. I did have a hard time with the difference in the amounts I ate and chewing slow. It took me several days to get it in my head. Cottage cheese hurt me once, I guess it was too fast. Now if I don't eat slow and chew slowly I know it.

Saw the show. I, too, was glad for the good press. I was amazed at the four sisters and the doctor who did the one for free.

I think I would go to the doctor and get some antibotics. Mainly because if you are coughing it will hurt to cough after the surgery. Call your surgeon and see if they will call you in a prescription. It couldn't hurt.

Update. I have now lost 25 lbs.

Moonshooter, To go from broth to hamburger was hard on you. I only had to stay on liquids for two weeks. I could have protein drinks, soup, yogurt or sf puddings. When you ate the hamburger did you eat the bread with it? I still can not do that. I just eat the meat cut up real small and chew it to death. I don't think you have damaged your band. Water never has filled me up. I have always drank plenty of water.

I had my surgery on July 6th and I am totally thrilled with it. I have had two fills and my doctor hit it both times with no problem. He is new at this but is doing great. Very careing and concerned. His staff is always helpful. I did not have a pre op diet. As of this date I have lost 22 lbs.

Hi Amy, I live in SW Virginia and would not live anywhere else. As someone told me once "People in Virginia are lucky. If they want mountains they can have them. If they want the beach they can have it. If they want culture they can go to the cities. Virginians have the best of all four seasons." Of course I agreed with her immediately. I love small town VA and would not want it any other way. The song "I'm From the Country" describes it completely for me. Montgomery County is about 2 hours from me and has a lot of wonderful things available for everyone. Good luck with your move.

Hi Lisa, I live in SW Virginia and I was the second one my doctor did. Of course I was lucky because he had an experienced surgeon come that day to assist because it was his first solo. I felt lucky to be in that group.

I told only a few people. The rest I did not want their comments or remarks. Also I did not want too many people putting pressure on me by asking "How much weight have you lost?". They do not understand that this is a slow weight lose surgery and you can still eat almost anything you want, not as much as you used to. I am glad I did not tell my in laws. They too would have many negative comments to make. I threatened my husband with his life if he opened his mouth!!!! My family, and the couple of friends who know, have been very incourageing. I have lost 22 lbs. and people are starting to notice. I just say I am eating smaller portions, protein first, and watching the carbs. I may eventually have to tell but it will be when I am ready. My weight is a very touchy subject to me and I am not ready to have family group discussions about it.

Steppi, By now my fill has settled (or the swelling gone down) and I am able to eat small amounts. I am amazed at how much I can't eat. Now the desire to eat more is another problem. I guess knowing it will hurt or make you sick really helps with that decision. I hope you are doing better with your fill also. I took Alex's advice and took smaller bites and waited before the second bite. I guess I thought I could do as I did before the fill. I finally know what restriction is.

Hi Steppi, I too had a fill yesterday. I can drink any liquid but food hurts. I might be eating too fast according to the other posts. I just know it hurts. I feel like I will pb if I eat solids, even cottage cheese. For you experts out there how long does this last or is this restriction? I don't want to worry over nothing. I will try waiting a full minute tomorrow to see if that helps. I tried chipped turkey and could not eat but two bites then I thought I would get sick. Any other advice would be appreciated.