restricted

For each person the lap band is different. Remember, it is adjustable. If you are too loose, it can be tightened. Your biggest problem may be it's not doing much initially. You'll lose a bit of weight immediately before and after surgery mostly due to dietary limitations. After your recovery is complete, until you are tightened and attain restriction the lap band won't be doing much of anything. Once restricted, portions of most foods will be limited, and your relation with liquids will need to change. People with lap bands can cheat. One method is washing stuff down, another method is drinking high calorie liquid or near liquid stuff. For example, I can down as much ice cream as I want, but 3 McNuggets is my limit. Each person experiences the band differently. Your goal should be to follow the diet and lose weight. Without doing any exercise (knee injury after surgery) and without much in the way of trying to diet (other than following the basic rules most of the time, with the exception of occasional departures), my weight is down 75 lbs in a bit over 6 months. If you ask yourself, would it be worth it to lose weight without having to try very hard? What would your answer be? I don't know how much weight you have to lose, and know my loss isn't typical, however some have lost more. It is normal to be afraid of surgery, and the lap band does change your relationship with food. Even after many months of being on a restricted diet, I productively burped twice today. I'm more restricted in the morning, and for some reason today beverage and my morning meds were too much for my stomach. Another thing to consider is relationship to coffee. Some are very addicted to the stuff but don't know it. If you withdraw a coffee addict from it suddenly, there will be the potential for severe headaches and vomiting. For me personally, coffee has become poison. It is different for each person. My suggestion based on personal experience is to try and limit some nasty addictions prior to lap band surgery. In my case, coffee turned out to be an unexpected problem. It may be very different for you. For years my suffering with weight seemed to be my fault, and there was no relief. Today, I'm on my way, not to a skinny person, but to a person who isn't morbidly obese. What is that worth to any of us?

One time does not an addict make. However, be careful. You may find this interesting - Bariatric surgery trades obesity for alcoholism Before you belly up to the operating table for that bariatric surgery, take note that while you might be eliminating the consequences of one form of compulsive behavior — overeating — you may not be dealing with the underlying cause, and if that cause goes untreated, you could find yourself merely engaging in “addiction transfer” — and in the grip of some new and different compulsive behavior such as alcoholism, chain smoking, obsessive gambling or binge shopping.

I start sneezing when full.

You must do what your heart tells you to do. In my case, I tossed my thin clothes when fat, and am tossing my fat clothes as I get thinner.

I may be in the minority here. My expectation is not to be thin, but to not be as morbidly obese as when I was banded.

I'm not a doctor, and didn't graduate from medical school. I see my doctor for treatment and rely on his expertise. If he wants me to wait a few weeks, I trust him enough to accept that advice. Walking around with a fat chip on our shoulders, won't help us, or those who are trying to help us in my opinion.

Anyalee, I see you've computed a weight at which you'll no longer require CPAP. Can you please tell me how this works. Thanks!

I have an appointment with my internist, the first since lap band surgery. While I detest scales, I prefer to believe the bariatric surgeon has the most accurate. Today on my visit to the bariatric surgeons office, my weight is exactly 50 lbs less than my pre-surgery weight. I now have a weight to give my internist. The 50 lb loss is in less than 2 months since surgery. At this time, my concern is no restriction. However, since my last weigh in 2 weeks ago I've lost another 10 lbs. My weight loss seems to be slowing, but my doctor does not believe a fill is necessary if weight loss is in excess of 2 lbs a week. Should I wait for a fill until a plateau is reached, or should I push for a fill to accelerate the weight loss?

Mary, Cheer up, the tests are for your own good. I'm glad my doctor required so many tests, and yes, it is overwhelming. Try to get them done one at a time, eventually the list is done.

Thank you all. Guess I'll not pester for a fill. I'm amazed at how easy it is to lose with the band, even without restriction.

Hi, When I make an appointment to see my doctor for a fill, the person on the phone takes down my information and schedules the fill. At the time of my fill, a random doctor in the practice will appear. Does this happen to anyone else?

I'll add this family to my prayer list.

Results vary by person. The lap band is a tool, it helps with portion control and can help limit overeating. Exercise, decent eating habits, and working with your band are all important. My doctor indicated that most people with the band will lose about 70% of their excess weight. It seems to vary a lot.

Try to calm down. The restriction poll indicates that for most there isn't restriction until the 3rd or 4th fill. You seem to be in a rush to get fills, consider the need to heal. The band isn't magic, you have to work with it. I'm surprised you've had 2 fills within about 3 weeks of surgery. My doctor required me to wait 6 weeks after surgery for the first fill to permit healing.

People have choices. There are stories of both gastric bypass and lap banded people failing to lose substantial weight. On the other hand there are many stories of great weight loss by people going with either procedure.

missmonaaz thanks for the explanation and good luck to you in your weight loss journey. I also have a 14cc band, and my first fill was only 2cc. I'm glad you feel some restriction now.

I have a 14cc band. The doctor indicated it was a VG, I wonder if APL is a different band?

I went for my first fill. It was 14cc, the doctor indicated the band was VG. The fill was for only 2cc. Seems like everyone else is getting 5cc on their first fill. I wonder why there are such differences in fills?

pippinje, Thanks for the explanation. I'm crossing my fingers for you and hoping that you will be approved promptly. Try not to let it upset you as much if you can. We are on a lifelong trip with our bands, a day or two here or there won't matter in the long run.

Being morbidly obese is itself a risk. If a change in diet will kill us, then we have no hope. I wonder, does taking 81mg of aspirin reduce our stroke risk?

Wow, what a horrible experience. I recently had my first fill. The doctor easily found the port, inserted the needle on the correct spot, verified that my port was hit by extracting some Fluid with a slight blue color and added 2 cc of saline. It was over in less than 2 minutes. I mention this to you as a reference. There are doctors who can find a port by feeling for it. An accurate and quick relatively pain free fill is possible. You should search until finding a doctor who can provide you with that. God bless you.

You seem to have lost 41 pounds in 5 weeks. Is that really not a sufficient weight loss rate for you?

pippinje, If I understand your post correctly, last Wednesday you believe your doctor had all the information necessary to proceed with your request for lap band surgery. That means, the office had this past Thursday and Friday to work on it. Saturday, Sunday were the weekend, and Monday was a holiday. They've had two work days (last Thursday and Friday) to process your entire medical history for the surgery, and you are furious?

If you want another informed opinion, it'd be best to take your chart to another thyroid physician. Please talk to your doctor about how you feel, or talk to another qualified physician.

An OB/GYN does a diagnosis of insulin resistance? I'm surprised your surgeon doesn't want a diagnosis from an endocrinologist.