soonergirl

I am a runner and have finished a number of races banded. i would NOT recommend getting fills before you start traning. Especially when you are building your fitness, you will need more Water then a normal workout, even a heavy one. The other thing is that you will be running for hours at a time and you need to deliver your body what it need. Even a more important factor is food and fueling for long runs. you have to eat before long runs. Ideally Peanut Butter sandshiches, bananas and the like. these foods are not fill friendly. I just talked to my doctor today about running/banding issues. He has many patients that run and marathon train. He really prefers for us to stay on the light side of the fill spectrum. Still there as a reminder, but will allow you to get what you need in your body. I noticed that you are newly banded. Make sure to talk to your doctor about your port and long runs. I have been banded for years and it still givves me problems and pain on anything over about 10 miles. compression garments are a good idea. get used to them on short runs so they don't bother you. Good luck!! You can do this!! Nothing will ever feel as good as crossing that finish line!! Let's share stories if you would like!! not a lot of support out there for running banded!

I actually chose the band because of my PCOS/fertility issues. I also only had 2-3 periods a year. I lost all of my weight and got to goal weight. I got pregnant on my own and miscarried twice. All of my hormone levels were ok including no signs of insulin resistance. I chose to see a fertility specialist and they monitored my follicles and then I did one round of clomid (they think in some cases with PCOS the egg is not maturing leading to loss). We got pregnant again and they put me on daily metformin throughout my entire pregnancy. I did gain a significant amount of wieght (over 80 pounds) and they did take out my fill. I have a wonderful healthy baby boy now and it seems like a million years ago that we went through all of that! I am back down 70 pounds of my baby weight and planning to try again early next year! I will probably do liquid metformin for this next pregnancy to hopefully keep in a fill (wish they would have had that the first time!! :blushing: All of my doctors contributed a lot of the successful pregnancies in PCOS patients to getting to a healthy weight. Good luck, I know how hard it is!! I would be happy to answer any other questions that you might have. I know when i was in your shoes I had a lot!

Well, I don't think that I was at all typical but I gained over 80 pounds. I was at goal wiegh and became very anemic which all but halted any activity. I did get my fill taken out because of medications that I had to take thoughout my pregnancy. I will not have it taken out on my next pregnancy if I can help it. I have lost 70+ since the birth of my baby, but it has been very hard! I would not be paraniod about keeping my fill in next time around. Please don't let my story scare you, but I know that I wish i would have kept a closer eye on it myself. Good luck with your pregnancy!!!

What a great thread! I was actually doing a search on the band and "fueling" for long distance runs with a new fill (hard to eat enough). I only started running about 4 months ago. When I started I could not even run for 100 yards. I am now training for a series of 10K, Half-marathon and 20K races coming up. You ahve all shared such great tips and encouragement! I started with a modified C25K that was designed for distance running. The first was a 10/10/10 walk/jog/walk. There was no way I could jog for 10 minutes. I somehow made it through the first few weeks and then every week there after became a new milestone. My runs now are about 5-6 miles during the week and 7.5 on the weekend. My advice - run slow!!! you will be able to get more distance in if you pace yourself. Once you get used to the distance you will be able to work on your speed. If you want to go for longer miles - JOIN A GROUP! check out your local running store, they will know where you can find one. The support and encouragement you will get is like no other. Many of them have a Walk 2 Run program or even walking programs. You will have good days and bad days - don't let the bad ones get the best of you! Cross training is also Great! Just another good tip that you can do anywhere for shin splints is a toe tap. Think of the way you would just tap your toe up and down as if you were mad at your husband :blushing: or wife. now do this for one minute on each side. Sound easy?....try it. Does wonders for shin splint prevention. I hope that everyone continues to share their successes on here no matter where they are in the process. I have a 10K next weekend don't think that is as impressive to me as it was for me to run for 20 minutes without stopping for the first time!!!! BTW - once you get to 30 minutes without stopping, you are ready to start adding the miles!! You will be shocked how easy it will feel to move from 30 minutes to 5 or 6 miles in a matter of weeks. Much easier than going from 10 minutes to 30!! Keep running!!

OK, I went in for my first fill today. The nurse was kind of shocked at the fill amount - 1.8cc and I have the 9.75 band. I am so new to the fill thing, that I would like to know everyone's experience with this. She said it was because I do not have a lot of fat around my stomach and that it is relatively small. Thus, the first fill would take a lot more than some people and that it may or may not last longer. I read a post that was talking about these bands not being the "right" size for low bmi patients. (I don't know how I feel about the validity of this yet - as I would imagine that their intent was for people to get down to an appropriate bmi) Anyway - doesn't this mean that I am already 1/2 filled. Please give me any feedback or expereinces, knowledge or otherwise. I am never one to freak out, but I would really like to know more about this!! Thanks!!!!!!

I have had my band for 14 months. I am at a BMI of 25 and am in a size 8 down from a 16. I would like to keep going and get my body fat at a better ratio for my health. I have had many ups and downs. Being banded is not the solution, it is a tool, reminder and sometimes just hard. I am just now after a year getting used to being banded in the sense that my behaviors that are band "friendly" are becoming habits. I have finally stopped challenging my band, my appetite, my struggle with getting used to my new reality about eating. I am so happy to put on clothes that I haven't worn in years, and they are too big. I have had to work hard to lose 60 pounds of fat. I eat healthy now, work out 5 days a week. It is really worth it though For those of you that say there is so much negative feedback on here, I sympathize, I stopped reading everything for months and had to figure it out on my own. I feel like I know enough now to revisit others experiences on some issues. Stick with it, it can be hard. Did we really expect anything else.... well maybe. I stalled out for months, was ill and they wouldn't let me get fills, learning to eat was frustrating. It was all worth it to get down to the size I am supposed to be. One of my Dr.s told me the other day that I was a "healthy weight". wow!!!! Plus I am looking pretty good!

There are two other ways to get a tax break on the money spent on a lap-band. If you are in a high-deductible as defined by the IRS, you can save money in an HSA with tax-free dollars without itemizing and use the funds in your HSA to pay for your surgery. You will not be able to put the full amount away in one year, but the law will allow you to reimburse yourself with future funds from your HSA as long as you were in a "high-deductible" medical plan and had an HSA open down the line - in other words you can reimburse yourself over years. Also, you may have the option of putting money away in your FSA through your employer and that would allow you to put away money for your lap-band tax free as well. Good luck!!!

Valley girl, i came on here tonight looking for an answer to this exact question!!! I have had three fills - two at the surgi center and then one with my Dr. because the other two weren't doing anything. This one I FEEL almost every bite of food going down. I CHEW!!!!!!.... and CHEW and then I am with you, when I chew so much, then I can eat more. I will have to say that I can't eat hardly anything in the morning still, VERY little for lunch and then dinner I can eat more - but many meals are still very uncomfortable as well...... and believe me, I am chewing to the point of nothing else to chew!!! Is it just me getting used to this thing???? someone help us!!!

If you are talking about individual policies, this will never happen. Individual policies will not cover the surgery for exactly the reason that you are thinking about. Insurance is a pay as you go contract, therefor anyone can get a policy, have something done and then cancel it. This does not make any economic sense for an insurance company to cover this type of surgery for less than they are expecting to bring in for premium. This is an abuse of the insurance system, which is why they will not do it. The previous post refers to a company policy for someone that is self-employed. A lot of carriers in a number of states have stopped covering the surgery for these types of policies as well. If you changed companies or went onto your spouses plan, they might cover it. An individual policy will not. Good luck

I paid cash in Dallas - 15k with fills for a year. I highly considered Mexico, but after much math and condieration, we decided to spend the money to have it here. When we started running the math, there wasn't as much $$ difference as you would think. So, most of the places in Mexico that I would consider were about 10k + flight (about $300) and about at least another 50-75$ in misc. expenses for the trip. If my husband would have gone, add another 400$ or so. Then, when you take into consideration the fills - with mine in TX, they are included for one year. If I would have had to go back - $250-300/flight at about 4-5x = another 1-1.5k If I would have had to pay for fills here - they were about $150 at the least with no floroscopy - mine here includes it. I have had two fills already and I still am feeling little to no restriction ( I know that most people say that Mexican Dr.s are more aggressive with their fills, but I have 2.8ccs in a band that holds 4ccs, that is not at all conservative), so I would have been recking up fill expenses already. My biggest concern was aftercare if something were to happen. i am only in my 30s and I am going to have this thing for a long time - long after the Dr.s in Mexico, or here are still practicing. I know that because of liablilty issues and malpractice, it is only going to get harder to find Dr.s that will take a serious complication for a patient that is theirs, much less for a surgery performed out of the country. SO - as i mentioned, I don't doubt the competency of most of the Dr.s in Mexico - this was just my personal line of reasoning when making my decision. Good luck!!

Well, if you do a search on beer - you will see a lot of threads from me pre-banded. Beer was my very favorite! I was scared about the thought of having to give it up forever. Well, now it has been 3 1/2 months and I really don't miss it. Ya, I think about it sometimes, but it isn't as bad as I thought it would be. I talked to my Dr. a lot about drinking, he didn't have a problem with it in moderation. Carbonation is the big issue - not really errosion unless you have too many, too often. hope this helps.

Sorry to post this on the general discussions page, but I really wanted it to be read by as many people as possible! I have been volunteering with the Katrina relief efforts in Texas - many of the evacuees in San Antonio, Dallas and Houston are in need of PLUS SIZE clothing. Although they have shut down clothing donations at Salvation Army and other centers - they are still in need of Plus size clothing. I know that many of you out there have had great success in getting down to smaller sizes and might have some clothing that no longer fits - they could really use our help right now. In Dallas - please drop the clothes off across from parking lot E at Reunion Arena - make sure to let them know that they are plus size- as many other clothes may be tured away. PLEASE - to make it easier on the voluteers and so the clothes can get to the people that need it as quickly as possible, seperate the clothing into men's, women's and sizes and bag and label them accordingly - taking 5 minutes to do this will save volunteers HOURS!!! Thank you to everyone for reading this and doing what you can!!!

I will look into this, but I know that shelters will need it down the road - please stay posted and I will try and get more information on sending clothing later on!!

I wish that I would have watched that video of the live surgery - it really drove home to me the importance of your pre and post op instructions and WHY they are so important. Luckily nothing has gone wrong with me, but I would have been much more strict about all of my instructions!!!!

I am really jealous! I got a fill over a week and a half ago, and mine hasn't done anything! The only big problem is how long it takes to get in and get another fill!

Ok, Thursday was my first fill. I was filled with 1.8cc with a 4cc band. I am eating very slow, chewing well and measuring my portions - I am a paraniod newby Tonight I ate a piece of catfish and 1 1/2 fish tacos. The catfish was about 4-5 ounces???? I didn't "feel" restriction really. I am not drinking with meals. What do you guys think??? Does this sound right to you, or do you usually eat much less?? My Dr. did tell me that everyone is very different in terms of the fill amount, size of stomach, amount of fat around the stomach ect..... so I know that can be different, but how about the amount everyone is able to eat??? Thanks for the input - boy what a learning experience!

http://www.401khelpcenter.com/mpower/feature_121902.html Check out this website and article. It will outline some of the guidelines and rules. Just remember, just like your insurance, a lot of these options are determined by your employer. Good luck!

I guess my biggest question is - does the amount that I am able to eat sound right for a good fill, or does it sound like too much. Yesterday I was able to eat 1 1/2 grilled fish tacos and a piece of fish by itself. It seems like I am ok in the morning and at lunch with a smaller portion, but in the evening I am able to eat well over a cup of food. I know that the amount of a fill can vary a lot, but what about the amount we can eat? I have lost about 2 pounds this week - is that what they really look at?

I also haven't told anyone except husband and mom. OH - and the people at the restuarant if it is only one of them with me. I don't think I have paid more than 4.95 for any buffet and sometimes I get a kids meal.

I gave up caffine about 3 years ago. I really like iced tea however. I found that when I would have the occassional glass of tea, I would get the shakes VERY BAD!!!! Also, an occassional cup of coffee would do the same. If Starbucks would get my order wrong or my husband would forget to ask for decaff - forget about it - it would ruin my day!! so - now it is in extreme moderation - I have a cup of hot tea every other morning or so and another caffinated beverage about once a week. Good luck!!!!!

I have actually been banded for 7 weeks yesterday. June 30th was my date. I am not really having much if any restirction at all. I am mostly just drinking protien shakes, but i had a a regular type meal yesterday and really didn't notice much restiriction. nothing like right after surgery. It makes me feel much better to see that it took quite a bit for a few of you to start feeling restriction. How long before I should go in for another fill if I continue not to feel restriction? I would like one tomorrow???? Does it ever take a while to "kick in" or is that mostly the other direction because of swelling?

Thanks so much! this makes me feel a lot better. I think that it was more her reaction that sort of threw me off!!

When I was banded, my BMI was only 31.5 - I dropped about 4-5 pounds prior to surgery. I had a starting BMI of about 33 when I started talking to my Dr. about this. I DID have a personal trainer - for 1 year working out 4-5 times per week and have done EVERY diet in the book, pretty much continuously. I am 31 and my Dr. was very supportive of me getting the band - he really felt that my battle with yo-yoing from a low of about 125 (that lasted all of about 3 months), to a high of about 200, was not looking to improve anytime soon and was probably only due to get worse. With my family history especially. So - please know that all Dr. s and all situations are different - there is not a cutoff per-say. I ate like crazy before my surgery - and I was a little scared to lose to much weight on my preop diet - it didn't matter for my Dr. Good luck! I am so happy so far with my decision - all of the things I was sooo freaked out about - I haven't had a problem with so far!

I have been eating this stuff called Perfect Balance by Malt-O-Meal It has: 7 grams of protien 4 grams of Fiber 100% of the recommended Folic Acid 70% of the daily recommended Iron 115 grams of potassium (I was needing this because I was getting so sluggish) 200 calories in 2/3 cup prepared 0 saturated fat 0 trans fats I eat mine with that sqeezable fake butter and sugar-free syrup - sooo good and filling I have also had it with honey and jelly. They suggest chocolate syrup, Peanut Butter or anything else that you can think of - so you just mix it according to cravings. I use it when I have a sweet tooth. Also - I like the refried Beans with a dollup of f-f sour cream and taco sauce. - liquid beano totally taked care of most side effects Another thing that has been VERY effect in getting things moving - are the coffee flavored EAS shakes - 110 calories, 15 grams of protien and just enough caffiene to send you to the bathroom after about 15 minutes each morning