Ilene62

I'm glad to hear that someone besides me is on a dreaded plateau (although I'm not glad you're on one). I've been on one for over four months. I also began to tweek my diet, going back to a double protein shake for either breakfast or dinner. (If you whiz it up with some unsweetened frozen fruit and some fat free/sugar free instant pudding, it's not half bad.) I have been tracking every morsel of food. I'm now regularly under 900 to 1000 calories a day. Can't seem get it less than that. Less than that leaves me too hungry and I'm afraid I'll go crazy and eat something I shouldn't. My doctor and I have discussed it. The only thing left is to increase physical activity. An increase in aerobic activity can jump start metobolism. I'm trying, but I'm severely arthritic and have some restrictions. If I heat my knees before and ice them after, I can do some stationary bike work. The problem is finding the time. But I perserver. These weight plateaus are very discouraging, but I have learned that when you hit a plateau it is more important than ever not to overeat. Weight gain can occur rapidly on a plateau because metobolism has bottomed out. I'm actually encouraged by the fact that I have maintained my weight for all these months. Please let me know how you're doing. And if anyone else has hit this wall and has some suggestions, or just some encouragement, please let me know. Thanks.

Welcome. I'll be 63 in a few weeks (I can't believe it). Banded in June 07 and am losing slowly, about a pound a week, but it adds up. My blood pressure is normal (116/64) without meds and I no longer use a cane for my arthritic knee. So you have things to look forward to. You're making a good start with exercise. Keep it up and the best of luck to you.

I'm looking for a fill doctor or fill center in or near Manhattan, New York. Also, what is Fill center USA? Does anyone know anything about that?

Wendell, question (it may have been asked before, but I missed it): Why can't we drink an hour before and an hour after we eat? I've never been given a straight answer on this one.

Wendall, you're a treasure. I have excellent medical providers, but none of them has ever given me the practical, helpful info you do. You keep things in perspective for me. I've had four or five fills and I can still eat pretty much anything I want as long as I take small bites and chew well. I'm going on seven months post-op. I sometimes think the band isn't working, but I'm losing about a pound a week, so I guess I'm within the average. I read your comments for a reality check. There are a lot of self help/how to books on gastric bypass, but not many on lap band. You ought to consider doing something. Thanks again.

Thanks for the good thoughts, BobbGi. I am a huge (no pun intended) fan of exercise. I actually enjoy it. But I am severly arthritic and am limited in what I can do. No threadmill (which I use to love) and no elliptical. It's gentle stretching and stationary bike--that's about all I can handle, and I still have to ice down my knees afterwards.

I lost 25 lbs in six months and am disappointed, but I'm still getting adjustments. I can still eat pretty much anything if I take small bites and chew well. My nurse practictioner thinks I'm doing great because, according to her, the average loss is one to two pounds a week. I've been reading a lot about the lap band and have learned that weight loss varies substantially from person to person. I've made good food choices and have been really working on this. I'm told that the fact that I'm over 60 is a factor. One simply loses more slowly as one ages. I'm trying to be patient and not get discouraged.

I had surgery on a Monday and felt like I could have returned to work on Wednesday, but my doctor told me to take a week off, so I did. Saw him that Friday and was back at work on Monday. However, I have a desk job, so it was pretty easy.

Genea: Good luck with your surgery. Stay strong and postiive. To all you over 60 bandsters, the best to you in 2008.

Chanda, according to my nurse practictioner, you're an average loser, one to two pounds a week, but more realistically one pound a week. Many of us in this thread have talked about how many fills are needed and the difficulty in reaching restriction. Does anyone out there know why the VG band is preferred by so many surgeons?

Kat817: It's not hooey. You've expressed perfectly what I've been trying to do. Everyday I learn something new about how to live with the band, what I can and cannot eat, how to chew(!). I make good food choices, which includes an occasional cookie (but just one cookie). I'm losing about a pound a week and I'm going with that.

Four fills over five months, 6.5 cc in all. Finally feel restriction. Hope this leads to some real weight loss.

Please don't use the word failure. If losing weight was easy, we wouldn't be in this blog. I, too, have been disappointed with my weight loss, banded five months ago, four fills and only lost 21 pounds. However, my nurse practioner thinks I'm doing very well. She had a heart to heart with me and reminded me that lap band is for slow and steady weight loss. The average is 1 to 2 pounds a week, and many people don't do that. That's the reality. You're not a failure if you're not losing more rapidly. Also, it takes months to get the adjustments and to adjust yourself to the band. Learning to eat slowly, taking small bites, recognizing a sense of fullness, not forcing more food than you should--these are all things you have to learn. Bottom line: Things don't happen overnight. It's a process.

Hi FoxyGramma: Just wanted to let you know that we're all still out there. I've been busy and a little fed up (no pun intended) because my nurse practitioner who does the fills cancelled my monthly appointment (again) and it'll be another two weeks before I see her again, and I need another fill! After five months, I'm still not adjusted, still struggling with too little restriction. Whew! Glad I got that off my chest. Have a wonderful and good-food-choices Thanksgiving everyone.

Your before and after photos are awesome. Inspiring. You mention Allergan regarding the VG band. I want to do some research on the VG band, but when I googled Allergan, nothing specific about the VG band came up. Do you have some suggestions for sites I can check out? Thanks.

I too had a 3 cc first fill with the VG band. My fill nurse said they are learning to be more aggressive with the larger band, but 3 cc didn't do it for me. I've had two more fills. Now at 6.2 cc. I can definitely feel restriction (for the first time), but I'm still able to eat a normal size meal if I chew well. The VG band definitely requires fine tuning. I keep reminding myself to be patient.

JudyFae: You're to be commended on the 35 lb loss. Thirty-five pounds since April with no fluid in the band is excellent. The average weight loss with banding and adjustments (fills) is one to two pounds a week. You've done that without any fills. Do you know what kind of band you have? The newer VG bands are much larger than the old ones and without any restriction in the band you can pretty much eat anything you want, as long as you chew well. If you're concerned about your weight loss, you should speak to your surgeon and find out about getting an adjustment.

Frozen fruit pops were on my liquid diet list and I found them very refreshing as I, too, was thirsty a lot.

Carol: Be patient. It will happen. You've already done the hard part--you did the research and made the decision. My journey took almost two years. First my insurance company turned me down. Then while I was preparing to appeal, I was diagnosed with early stage breast cancer (I'm fine now). So the journey was interrupted again while I was treated for that. But all along, all my doctors said to keep going. It will happen. And it did. And my insurance company paid! Banded June 20. I'm still getting adjusted and getting use to a new way of life. But it did happen. And it will happen for you. Good luck.

Although some people have referred to NYU as a bariatric mill, it has been designated a center for excellence for this type of surgery, which is where you want to have the work done. I have spoken to several people who went to Dr. Ren and all of them said she was excellent.

Don't give up on the surgery because of your arthritis. The surgery will help you lose weight which will relieve your arthritis. There are a lot of meds you can take for pain that are okay after lap band. I take tylenol. It's not great, but it helps. And it comes in liquid form, but I just cut tablets in two and take with water. No problem. Actually, there are many medications that come in liquid or chewable form. Ask your surgeon about what arthritis meds are okay and then discuss them with your arthritis doctor. Many people on NSAIDS have had lap band. There is definitely a solution to your problem.

Do not, repeat, no not give up! Insurance companies make it difficult on purpose: They want you to give up. As far as your patient advocate, she's not much of an advocate if she doesn't return your calls. If necessary, get another surgeon. Or tell your surgeon that you will get another surgeon if the advocate doesn't call you back. I started with one group that gave lip service to advocacy. The nurse practitioner never returned my calls. When she finally did leave a message for me and I got her on the phone (after several attempts), she forgot why she called me! My insurance company turned me down. Turns out the bariatric group I was working with gave me wrong information about what my insurance company required. I went to anther surgeon. He had a support network, including a fabulous woman (Mary) who not only knew all about insurance, but acted as liaison with my carrier. I learned what I had to do. Mary put the clinical record together, submitted it to my carrier and I was approved. I lost a lot of time in the process but it was worth it. Moral: This surgery is a major money maker. There are plenty of eager, good bariatric surgeons out there. If you're not pleased with the services of the one you're seeing, go to another one. The hardest part is making the decision for surgery. Don't let a bunch of dopes prevent you from doing it. You deserve to do this.

You don't hear a lot about ten years post lap band because the procedure was only approved for use in the USA in 2001. It's been used successfully in Europe, Australia and elsewhere for much longer.

I see Dory Ferraro for monthly follow up and fills. She's terrific, but she's only in NYC once a month. She has a practice out at Long Island Jewish Hosp. and Lawrence Hospital in Bronxville. Lawrence isn't too difficult to get to without a car. Metro North stops a few blocks from the hospital.

I use it every morning in my coffee. No problem. If you're making good food choices, a dollop or two of this won't make a difference. Enjoy.