snowbird

Both my doctor and my nutritionist said coffee was fine, a cup or two a day. Plus, let's face it, if I was able to do everything my nutritionist said I never would have needed a band in the first place.

lanejane, You are risking long term problems with your band by going to solids so soon, including slippage and erosion. It's not a matter of what you can get down through the band; it's a matter of the band not being healed into place around your stomach, and you are causing your stomach to move by eating solids. Really asking for trouble. cpurvis, you really sound like you are too tight. The band doesn't work on liquids and mushies. If you can't eat solids, then you can't get the band to do what it is supposed to do, which is to restrict the amount of solid food you can eat. Guess I'm in my mommy-scolding mode today; sorry. But I hate to see people get discouraged or risk their health because of what they might not realize about the band.

Have you talked to your original surgeon about what he would charge you? I have heard patients of my Mexico surgeon say he did not charge them to fix a flipped port, if that is what you have.

You can do it! It isn't that long that you have to stick to liquids. I really can't eat sugary things anymore without feeling awful--sluggish and sick. Since I used to be the donut queen, this is a real change for me!

Weight loss often isn't a steady slope, but a succession of steps down after plateaus. If you continue eating less calories than you are burning, you will start losing again. When you have less to lose, you are going to lose slower. I just got off a two-month plateau, and have lost 3 lb in the last 10 days. I upped my exercise from 45 minutes to an hour a day and really watched my snacking. I eat 1000-1200 calories a day, usually closer to 1200.

It's dangerous to eat solid foods too soon after surgery. Your band is stitched into the outside of your stomach, and you want to minimize the movement of your stomach to ensure the band heals in place properly. Sure, other people have done it, but that doesn't mean it is a wise thing to do.

I don't consider the fills/adjustments a drawback; I consider them one of the positives of lapband. If I start to eat too much, there is a quick and easy fix. Two and a half hours?? That's nothing. DH and I drive 5 hours for our fills. It isn't that often, and we make a day of it. I've had two fills and I will not need another to reach goal. As others have said, I have friends who had gb, lost over 100 lb, then gained it all back. Plus, one friend who did that STILL throws up every time she eats a meal. The fact that the band can be adjusted when weight gain slows down or stops is one of the things that sold me on it. Your doctor may have reasons for recommending GB over lapband for reasons that have nothing to do with your health or chances of success.

Hi, Progressive! My husband and I also were banded the same day, back in October. It makes it so much easier that the two of us are headed in the same direction. Plus, when we go out to dinner we are cheap dates!

Sliming is more when you can't swallow your saliva and the mucous from your stomach. It comes up and has to come out, because there is nowhere else for it to go. Believe me, it's not just a feeling in your throat; it's thick mucous everywhere (sorry to be gross). You may have some swelling so it feels like liquid is backing up into your throat, but if nothing is coming up, that means it's going down. I wouldn't worry unless you are unable to get any liquids down. If that happens call your doctor asap. You might want to go back on Clear Liquids a while longer, and drink them very slowly.

Make that, really expensive peanut butter?

If you mix powdered peanut butter and peanut oil, don't you just get . . . Peanut butter?

Yes, too tight can be bad. If you are pb'ing (productive burping, which is what the mini-vomiting is) all the time, you can damage your esophagus and cause your band to slip. It isn't always easy to tell when you are too tight. I've done this too, and it's either time for a slight unfill or time to be very, very careful of what you are eating, how fast you are eating, and how well your are chewing. Pbing as often as a couple times a week is too much.

I CAN eat almost anything, but sometimes it's more work than it's worth. We had steak last night, and we each ate maybe 3 oz. For me, my relationship with overeating changed; I don't try to eat bread or Pasta because it's going to make me puke. BUT I don't miss it. Those foods are now associated with pain, not pleasure in my brain. Remember, we weren't eating "normal" before. If we were, we wouldn't need bands!

My ticker starting weight is my weight at the beginning of my pre op diet. However, my highest weight was 29 lb more than that, and my surgery weight was 19 lb less.

Depends if you are flying into Mexico, or driving near the border and crossing over on foot or my car. If the latter, you don't need a passport until June 2009. And as said before, getting into Mexico isn't the problem; getting back into the US is! But right now you can travel across the border by land into the US with a driver's license and birth certificate. Western Hemisphere Travel Initiative

Yes, reflux can cause a sore throat because the acidic stomach contents are coming up and irritating your throat. You could try some OTC Prilosec, but it would probably be better to talk to your doctor. Any chance you are too tight? That can cause the reflux.

Jack, Jicama?? I just wrote on another thread that I snack on Fiber One Cereal, a mixture of the original (sawdust sticks) and Caramel Delight, which are little squares and quite tasty. That satisfies my desire for crunchies. It definitely isn't Cheetos, but then, it doesn't turn me orange either . . .

Telling me I can't snack is like telling me I'm not allowed to breathe. I have: Quaker Rice Cakes 40-60 calories Curves granola bars 100 calories and really yummy Microwave popcorn 100 cal bags Fiber One Cereal. I mix 1/4 cup of original and 1/4 cup of the caramel delight squares, which are too sweet and too high in sugar to eat alone. I watch my calories and stay under 1200 per day.

We often do Lean Cuisine or Healthy Choice meals for lunch. It's an easy way to get Protein and vegies. Taste is so-so, of course. We buy the bags of frozen chicken breasts or a box of costco shrimp or crabcakes, because you can take one or two out and leave the rest frozen. We just have the two of us to cook for, so we run into the same problem: if I cook a regular sized meal, we are eating the same thing for days with our bands. If you just get one of each, they fit in the refrigerator freezer section.

No! I've lost over 85% in less than 8 months, and I'm not done yet!

Don't you just love your Townie! DH and I both have them, and they are definitely the best bikes I have every had. I have congenital knee problems and have had surgery on both knees, but I can ride my townie forever. I'm up to 12 miles a day; I have NEVER been good at exercise, but I love zipping around on my townie. A guy in a golf car challenged me to a race yesterday, and I left him in the dust!

Read Wendell's opening post on how the lap band works-fills and unfills to see how common this is. No need for despair. http://www.lapbandtalk.com/f13/how-lap-band-actually-works-fills-refills-41738/

My daughter gets hers in Washington state from a clinic. There are private clinics and doctors that are willing to treat Mexican patients, but there are many also who will not. Also, Fill Centers USA has 30 clinics nationwide that cater to Mexican bandsters. You can check out their website to see if there is one near you. Fill Centers USA - Lap Band Fill - Lap Band Support - Lap Band Post Surgery - Weight Loss Surgery - Fill Center USA - LapBand Adjustments - Bariatric Surgery - LapBand Fill I've never used them, as I live close enough to Tijuana to drive over for my fills. If you are thinking of getting surgery in Mexico you should do some research and make sure there is someone close enough for you to get to for fills and unfills.

I called BCBS first and asked them specifically what they needed. They told me BMI of 40 or over or 35 with co-morbidities, which I documented with a visit to my PCP; a psych exam, which I arranged myself and my insurance paid for except for the usual deductible/copays; a history of weight problems, which my PCP documented from my own statements only (this was the first time I had seen this doctor, and I had no history with him nor did I go back and get any documentation from previous physicians); and then an itemized bill from my surgeon in Mexico. I filled out an overseas claim form which I printed out for the BCBS website and they sent me a check about 6 weeks later with the reimbursement. They told me they didn't do pre-approvals, but if I met the guidelines they listed they would reimburse me, which they did with no other contact from me. Again, I called them and wrote down everything they told me I would need and I provided it. I asked them about Mexican surgeons, and they told me that would be fine. You should call your BCBS office and see if the same works for you. I certainly can't guarantee you have the same type of coverage I do, but it's certainly worth checking out.

I've said this elsewhere, but I have BCBS Federal Employees, and they paid 90% of my surgery in Mexico. I guess they figured that they would end up paying less if I went there than if I went to a US surgeon. You might want to call your insurance company and ask about overseas medical claims. I don't know if my situation was only applicable to the federal plan or not.