Tootarts

I've had my band for 18 months now and I really haven't lost much weight but there are reasons. ........INSURANCE.........I couldn't afford to get a fill for over 7 months and I had no restriction in that whole time, as a matter of fact I gained 5 pounds in that time. My new insurance doesn't cover any of my fills and they cost almost 500 dollars in my neck of the woods per fill. When I had the surgery my old insurance company covered the whole operation and would have covered all fills but my husbands company changed insurance carriers and this one doesn't cover anything to do with the lap-band. So anyhow one month ago I got a fill and have lost 12 pounds, so I know it works it 's just a matter of money in my case. So being covered by insurance is something to really take in consideration before getting the surgery.

congratulations !!!!!!! It feels amazing to be in the land of the ones......................yipppeee............ I too made it to the ones. I have an old fashioned doctors scale and It feels so good putting that scale weight on 150 instead of the 200 mark, ok, it goes all the way to the end of the 150's but I don't care at this point....... again congrats

Hi all, I just had to say I made it to the land of the one's 199....yahooo......... I think I'm the slowest loser on this sight but what the hell I am celebrating anyway..........

I'm So Excited I only have 3 more pounds to go....................:clap2:

Can't believe I'm writing this but I think I fit into the Onederland club! I have 8 pounds to go and this time I think I'm gonna do it! I had a fill last week to 7.5 and I'm restricted really good this time, I'm at a sweet spot and I'm soooo happy. Now I have to stay away from the candy and I will make it..................

Dear Pacnan, I am exactly like you! I am a sugar-a-holic to the max.......................... I always liked candy and sweets before band but now I can't get away from it and it has totally sobotaged my losing. I had a fill 2 days ago and all I want is candy or something sweet. I think I need to quit cold turkey like Alaxandra said to you. I agree that maybe staying away from it is the only thing that will get me back on the losing track. I Just wanted to let you know you are soooooooo not alone in this struggle!

I feel your Pain

My doctors fills just went up try 500 dollars and I don't have insurance!

I too went to the seminar and there was little mention of fills. However after going on this web site and all the other doctors I had to go through and the research I did by the time I had the surgery I was aware of the fills but not aware of how many I would need. I sure wasn't aware of how long it would take to get any type of restriction or that I would have to pay 300 dollars a fill out of my pocket. It's been an uphill battle for me but I have lost some and kept it off. The hardest thing for me about the band has been how well sweets go down and good things for me don't want to stay down.

Dear Surby, I have had such a hard time with fills and the frustration of not feeling hardly any restriction. I feel your pain...... But don't stop trying to get in sooner and get filled. Be pushy if you have to be, take it from me I waited way too long between fills and I haven't had much success at loosing weight, I could eat anything and everything. The last fill I had in July and this fill that I just had last week have been the only ones that I have felt any type of restriction and I've had the band since December 05. Now I can hardly eat anything! I have to admit It makes me happy cause I know it works now. I was about ready to get the band taken off but I have hopes of loosing now, I'm excited once again...........

I just had a fill last wednesday and the Doc had to stick me twice. The first one he dug around and couldn't get in a bunch of times and the second one he used a different needle and got in but man you should see the bruises on my port area, it's bad. Makes me worried that all that trying to get in has done something? I also was in severe pain!

I pay 300 dollars a fill. I just had my 4th fill, this is getting expensive.

Dear Tolmc, Welcome to America............. Do you know what size band you have? Also have you had a fill yet? I must admit loosing nothing doesn't sound good at all! Do you feel any restriction? Maybe theres something wrong with the band? Sorry for all the questions.........

Dear Jalasmom, If you have your head in the right space for the diet thing and it's going well than I say go for it girl, and keep up the good work. The lap band should be one of the last things to do, after all it's surgery! Surgery any surgery Is a big deal. You are not ready for it obviously. If the time comes that dieting isn't making it there is always surgery, I really think you made the right choice for yourself. Good luck

I have the large van-guard band and am up to 5.5 cc's. I really want another fill because the only time I really have restriction is when it's that time of the month. So I hope to get one soon.

BJean, At this point in my band life I guess I am trying to be possitive and try dieting, which is very hard for me obvously or I wouldn't be here in the first place if I could have dieted easily. I had my surgery stateside about 50 miles from my home. I am lucky on that account because my old insurance company paid for the whole proceedure, except the nutrisionist, the phyciatrist and the physical. My new insurance company doesn't even pay for fills so having them done frequently is getting expensive, 500 dollars a pop. There is a support staff and group meetings were I had the surgery but I found that this board is more helpful to me than any group I have been in, and it really is not convienent for me to go. I quess I really have no options at this time like I said but to be more consience of what I'm eating and maybe trying a diet program like weight watchers, I have been thinking about that. I really think the band is so different for everyone so I can't tell you what is best but just do your homework and hopefully you will make the right decision for you.

Dear Mary's, Reading your threads was like looking into a mirror. Thank you. I have felt for a long time that I am a total misfit bandster. This thread has really opened my eyes. I would not have had the band knowing what I know at this point. My GP suggested he didn't think it was such a good idea for me to get banded but I was scared to have the other types of surgery so the band looked the best for me. As it turned out for me the surgery was no so 'Easy", surgery is surgery after all, and I wish I would have taken the plunge and gone for another kind. Thanks for being so honest, it makes me feel not so alone anymore.

I usually have 1 egg for breakfast but today I had a bowl of Bran Flakes cereal because I've been digging in the yard all morning moving dirt and was exceptionally hungry and for lunch had 2 BBQ chicken thighs and a potatoe summer squash mix with spices and butter on the Barbie, yum yum. Probebly will have something light later like some more cereal or cottage cheese and pineapple.

Did you really chew the blueberry? Or did it slide by? I adore blueberries as a ,matter of fact there's a huge blueberry farm down the street from me and I go there all the time and munch blueberries sometimes till I'm blue in the teeth. I've found since I've had some restriction that chewing is so important. I just hate to tell people not to eat certain foods that really are fine to eat, if you know what I mean.

Wish I could say I've had as much success as you all but alas I've only lost 31 pounds. I had no restriction for the longest time but I just got restriction from my last fill and I'm learning to eat and chew, chew chew. I had my first PB last week and since then I've had two of them, and wow are they ever an eye opener as far as my eating habits. I have to say I went into this band with such high hopes and was so dissapointed almost from the start, but I really think it was becaause I had no restriction and It was as if I never had the band. Hopefully now things will start changing for me and next time I post I'll have lost more.

Can I join? I've lost 31 pounds since December and I need some comrades cause I'm beating myself up about my eating habits and I feel left out from all those really fantastic loosers who have changed there eating habits right from the first day the band was put on. I think maybe because I have the large van-guard band and the restriction takes so much longer to get that I have had such a hard time. Also the fact that Ice cream and candy go down so smoothly doesn't help me. Anyhow I need to feel that I didn't make the wrong choice having this surgery and that I'm not in a race and that It'll just take me longer...................

JZackery, Wow you sound exactly like me! I had my lap band in December and have only lost 31 pounds too, the majic number? God I hope not...... I am filled to the brim 5.5 cc's in a 10 cc band but It's a head game with me. I have very very bad eating habits like candy that goes down so smoothly and ice cream my total downfall. I admit I am a junk food junkie always have been and was hoping this band would be a junkies dream, but It isn't. I am at fault and I'm P O'd with myself. It's a matter of working at it and I need to get working. I too work out 3 days a week and I'm pretty active to boot (for a big girl). I need to join a group for food junkies, Want to start one? Hang in there buddy.................Your not alone...................

Leona, I just had a fill in my 10cc band . I'm up to 5.5 cc's and I have some restriction but everyone is different and with how much weight you loose you don't have as much restriction. For example the band is like a wedding ring when you gain weight it gets tighter and it constricts the finger when you loose you have to be careful because it can fall off. Not that a band around your stomach can fall off but the restriction falls off and you need to get it filled to get it tighter. Hope that helps

JenMomto3. Hi I also had mine out many years ago 11, and I find that green peppers give me terrible heartburn. Pperoni bothered me for many years but now I can eat it and I'm happy and lettuce bothers me if I eat it in the evenings but during the day I guess when I'm moving about and it has time to digest it's no problem. Other than that having my gallbladder out was such a relief from pain it was a godsent.

I too have a really really hard time with eating bad crap once again. Even after I had a fill af ew weeks ago I still crave the chocolate and desserts. I am the worst Bandster .................Im very dissapointed in myself.........This is why I am so fat in the first place because I crave sweets so much......I need a sweet pill!