drkel

Update---my doctor thinks the shoulder pain is related to the pneumonia. What a relief! Be well, all! :laugh:

Wow, I am so so sorry you had to go through that! In 5 years I've never had a fill without the aid of flouro!

I had my first band for nearly 5 years and it slipped. I have BCBS, and they paid for the first band to be removed and replaced, b/c it was medically necessary. I did NOT have to meet the requirements again (b/c I had lost my weight)--they replaced it with no questions asked, b/c all of the scans showed there was slippage and that the only way to fix it was to replace it.

Just got my hospital bill for my band replacement: $28,752...and that doesn't include the surgeon's fees! YIKES!! Thank the Lord for insurance!! :biggrin:

Yes, weight loss was fairly slow...it took about 19 months to lose 103 pounds. BUT I've kept it off pretty easily for a couple of years.

I'm sorry you're struggling so much--is is frustrating, for sure! If this perspective helps at all....I had my first band (4cc) for 5 years. The MOST I could ever handle as a fill was 0.8--that's it!! So just know that some of us are just more sensitive to fills than others. The band still works great! :thumbup: So, take it nice and slowly, and just work your way up to a higher fill level. :eek:

I've been banded for 5 years, and still can't handle steak. That is one food I stay clear of!

Hello! My doctor is Cory McBride (female)--she's at UNMC. AMAZING, AMAZING, AMAZING doctor (and all around wonderful person!). She has an OUTSTANDING staff, her PA, Emily, and her nurse coordinator, Melissa. I never go more than 4 hours without an email response. Phone: 402.559.5100. All the best :shades_smile:

Darlin', ANYTHING is semi-mush friendly if you go after it long enough!

I saw my dr on Thursday and pretty much threatened to eat the neighbor's toddler...she didn't move my fill appointment up! haha! I had my first band for almost 5 years, but when it slipped I gained back about 30 pounds b/c I had ZERO restriction. I HATE not being restricted right now! It had become such a way of life for me, and I miss, miss, miss it! I don't want to re-gain these few pounds I've lost so far....but I've been down this road before, and I KNOW I will probably gain some back before my first fill. I was just looking at the calendar....my first fill is on Apr 10. No way on this planet will I make it that long!

Lise, I'm following your journey! We were banded about the same time, and have lost about the same amount of weight so far. Best to you!!

I'm right there with ya'll! I was re-banded on Feb 27, have lost 15 pounds so far. But if I wanted to, I could eat ANYTHING. I'm really pi$$ed at myself, b/c I have eaten almost an entire bag of Cheetos Puff Corn today --a whopping 1100 calories! I'm so mad!! So that means I've consumed almost 2000 cals today. I have got to get my fat a$$ back to the gym tomorrow!!

2 weeks post-op (banded Feb 27), down 15 pounds!

Congrats! I, too, was banded on Feb 27...no pain at all though, but I never really had any pain at all when I woke up.

Call your doctor right away! The horrible burning sensation in my chest and the acid reflux were the only symptoms I had that my band had slipped.

I think your band is probably just fine---they are a lot tougher than we think they are! It sounds like you have some food that is stuck...sips of warm Water will help the food pass. I had my first band for 5 years, and it did eventually slip--but it took A LOT for it to slip!! I had food poisoning that landed me in the hospital for 5 days...it was the severe vomiting and retching that made my band slip (A LOT of torture!). I don't think ONE eating episode will make your band slip. But I'd definitely go easy these next few days on the food. Also--go to the Food posts. Someone there posted AN AMAZING week-by-week diet for newly banded people. She explains what foods to buy/eat for Clear Liquids, liquids, soft, and mushie stages. Even tho I've had a band for quite awhile, this list was a HUGE help when I got re-banded a couple of weeks ago! All the best!! :blushing::thumbup:

I lost 10 pounds by the 10th day post-op. I'm almost at 2 weeks post-op, and still "holding" at a 10 pound loss.

First, let me say I totally understand where you're coming from: Having a lap band is a HUGE change in our lives. Let's be honest--we can't eat or drink the way "everyone" else does. I've had my band for 5 years, and at times, I feel cheated and angry...I mean, heck, how come my sister gets to eat, drink, and be merry, and I have to contend with sliming and PBing if I get one step out of line?! Totally not fair! Yet, I know that EVERYTHING else has failed for me in my attempts to lose weight over the course of my life (I'm 50 now, I've been at this "dieting" gig since I was 7). So I guess I look at it as trading some things (i.e. eating what I want and when I want it) for other things (health and longevity). I would supposed that if you truly want your band out, you can talk to your surgeon and have it removed, although I suspect it would be at your own expense. Also, you don't have to have it filled--you'd probably have very little restriction, if any, if you went that route. Ultimtately, I guess I'm still trying to figure out how you passed your psych evaluation...as a mental health professional, I would hope that I would have "caught" this well before you went into surgery. All the best in whatever decision you make.

Breakfast: Carnation Instant Breakfast (choc) with Protein powder Lunch: Mashed potatoes (about 2/3 cup) Supper: About 1 cup of thick chicken broth in a bread bowl--I didn't eat the bowl, but ate the little bit of bread that was mixed into the chicken broth (really softened) Starbucks Black Tea, have been sipping on it all day Water throughout the day I estimate I've had about about 600 calories today. (banded 2/27)

Congratulations! I was banded on Feb 27, and have lost 10 pounds. What was your starting weight (if I may ask)?

It happened to me, too. My dr said that oftentimes in obese women, when we lie down for the EKG our diaphragm pushes upward, and this can cause false readings in an EKG. I had several EKGs, the echo, and the stress test, and all came back fine. Ultimately, your safety and well-being are all that matter. Just remember what happened to Kenye West's mom when she had her plastic surgery....other plastic surgeons turned her away b/c they thought she had potential heart problems. Another surgeon went ahead and did her surgery, and she died (although the autopsy was inconclusive as to whether she died of heart problems). So, as frustrating as it is, it's for your health, safety, and well-being that they check and double-check. :biggrin2:

I was banded 2/27 (10 days ago). As of this morning, I've lost 10 pounds.:thumbup:

Hun, I gained 20 pounds in the hospital b/c of all of the fluid...don't worry about what the scale says right now!

Hi! I was re-banded on Feb 27 (a week ago today). I could eat the neighbor's toddler about now. No pain meds, but I don't like taking them so I tend to avoid them even if I do need them. I removed the steri-strips today from the incisions. Still lots of bruising, but the swelling in my abdomen is way down from a week ago! LOL I ended up with pneumonia and had to be re-admitted to the hospital on Friday, but overall I feel really strong and pretty darn good. I was on soup and Jello until yesterday, but started mashed potatoes and applesauce today. I would give anything for popcorn, but I'll settle for mashed potatoes with chicken broth on top for supper. I gained about 20 pounds post-op, so I have no idea how accurate my weight is today. IF it's accurate and I'm not still retaining Fluid, I've lost 5 or 6 pounds since surgery a week ago. Good luck to you all!

Hi Dianne--my original band slipped. I got food poisoning that landed me in the hospital for nearly a week. I guess all of the retching and vomiting caused the band to slip. I had NO PROBLEMS at all for nearly 5 years! I mean, just the usual PBing and sliming every now and then, but nothing to speak of. So I wouldn't worry too much about slippage.