luvmy2dogs

Judyjones. I lost 95 lbs being banded. It can be done! You have to use the band as the tool it is, and you will succeed. It's not as common to lose that much via the band, but people do. :-)

Did they have to move your port at all? I had a lower body lift done the Monday before last, and my port has been moved to my upper stomach area, a few inches above my belly button. It was in the lower area to the side of my belly button before. Just wondering why it was moved. Was yours moved?

Hi, I was wondering.. during your plastic surgery, was your port moved? I had a lower body lift the Monday before last, and I have noticed that my port is in the center of my stomach now, a few inches above my belly button. Before it was on the lower right side of my belly button. Weird... I was just wondering if anyone has any experience with the PS moving their port.

My husband took the catheter out this morning. I was able to pee a small amount about 10 min later. I have been able to go on my own Thank God. I'm not producing alot, but at least I'm going. My bladder is still not completely emptying, as I feel like I have to go, and try and a small amount comes out. I guess that will get better. At least I'm going again. I had a rough time with this surgery. I can't imagine someone going home the same day. Ughhh, I ended up having a temp of 101, and was so sick. I was in 4 days, and was only supposed to be in 2. Pay the extra money to stay in the hospital. It's worth it. You need the care.

I just had a lower body lift, and could not pee and they sent me home. They removed my caheter at 7 am and sent me home. By 7:00 pm I still couldn't pee, and was literally in excruciating pain. I had to go to the ER so they could cath me and drain it. They sent me home with a leg drain, and i'm supposed to follow up in a few days. It was probably one of the most painful experiences of my life. The sutures all the way around my body from the body lift were no camparison to not being able to pee for over 12 hours. I was crying hysterically. Now.. I'm scared to death to have it taken out for fear of that happening again.

Thank you so much for the encouragement . I will definitely keep you posted and post some before and after pics. I am excited at the same time. I'm just nervous about being under anesthesia for that long, and am afraid I wont wake up. LOL! I'm such a wimp. I got a ton of instructions from my surgeon on certain vitamins to start, etc. so I'm going to follow his advice and start them all. I'm a little worried about taking the blood thinners before surgery. That seems like weird advice, sure hope I don't bleed out. ughhhhh! I'm such a freak. But.. I can't wait to see the results. Danielle, good luck in June. Send pics. Jujuvee.. wow, 16 lbs. That's awesome. You've had a lot done. I probably wont be able to afford any more ps, so I hope it comes out great! :-) Thanks all.

I'm scared to death. I'm scheduled for my lower body lift on May 7th, and doing a breast lift 3 weeks later. Surgeon didn't want to do them together because he wants me on blood thinners for the lower body lift being that I'm on hormone replacement therapy and have a higher risk of blood clots. I'm petrified. The lower body lift will take about 4- 4 1/2 hours. I've never been under anesthesia that long. I've been procrastinating my plastic surgery for a year and half. I'm finally doing it. I'm sooo scared!

I'm scheduled for my lower body lift and breast lift for May 7th. I'm petrafied!

WOW! That's incredible! Congratulations! You have done an amazing job. You should be so proud!

That is so awesome! Congratulations!

I haven't had a fill in almost a year and a half. There comes a point where you really have to tell yourself that eating healthy and exercise is what is going to keep you there. The band can not work miracles. There is a time where it's all about you and the choices you make. I have maintained my weight for almost 3 years. I'll be 4 years out from my band date this summer. You can sabatoge the band just like any diet. I don't agree with the filling unfilling thing constantly. Get to a point where it's comfortable and stay there and let the band do it's job. But.. you have to make the choices. The band does not do that for you!

AWESOME job Iyoung. That's what it's all about, getting back on when you fall off. Good Luck!

Exactly true... usually after some time bandsters stop posting. If things are going great, they leave it alone, and if not, they will get on and search the forums, or post a problem. That's why you don't hear from them if all is good. I haven't posted in ages, and just got on recently for plastic surgery questions, and my band is doing fine.

Jachut.. this is exactly how I feel. The strict carb and calorie counting does lose it's shine, and you may go up a lb or two, but I weigh myself religiously every day, and if I see it spike a tad, I'm back on the strict eating, and get it back down. That's why I fluctuate a lb or two. The fact that you lost some restriction in your band after unfilling scares me to death, because I don't have a lot of restriction now, and I'm having plastic surgery in a few months and I know they will have to unfill my band. If I have less restriction, I'm probably going to be in trouble. But.. I would redo my band again in a heartbeat if I needed to. Being without it scares me more than having it with problems. It's been a life changing experience for me!

I would be curious to see how many of them are "original lap band" patients, or if any of them are Realize band patients. Seems like the Realize didn't have quite as many problems. My surgeon told me a few weeks ago, he has NEVER had a slip, and only one port leak the entire time he's been doing the band and he's done hundreds of patients. It would be interesting to see if there is a difference. He only uses the Realize now.

I haven't had one problem with my band. It's been the greatest thing I ever did for ME. I'm almost 4 years out.

I can't seem to get under 162. I fluctuate bet 162 and 164. Ughhh, 155 is great! I would love to be there. :-)

Hi, not completely to goal weight. I'm thinking ps may get me to it, but I may never get there, who knows. I'm happy with where I am, but it's not quite what the charts say I should be. lol I'm almost 4 years out and I lost most of my weight in the first year. I've been contemplating plastic surgery for the last year and a half ,but kept putting it off because I was scared. I'm just going to bite the bullet and do it, and hopefully I don't "bite the bullet" lol They say you should be within 10 lbs of your goal weight before considering ps, and also that you should have not gained or lost weight for about a year. They basically want your weight stable. Mine has been stable for almost 3 yrs within a couple lbs.

Both surgeons I saw said no insurance coverage. I guess you really have to have substantial skin issues, sores, etc.. to get them to cover it, and then they will only cover certain things, like maybe just top skin on the stomach, etc... I have to go self pay as well.

I've heard some people mention band with plication. What is that???

and to the poster above me. The band is NOT made for you to eat Whatever you would like. Maybe that's why you didn't like it. It's made to restrict when you eat the solid protein and make you feel fuller when eating the right foods. Eating whatever you like defeats the purpose doncha think?

I'm almost 4 years out, and absolutely love my band. It hasn't been perfect, and I can say that after almost 4 years, you relax a little and allow yourself some treats that you didn't when you first had the surgery, but it is definitely about a lifestyle change forever. I don't have a ton of restriction, and never really did. I def had restriction, just not quite as much as some others have had. I've always had a slightly loose band, even now, and I'm pretty much at max capacity. But.. if you eat your protein like you should, you def will have more restriction. The slider foods DO NOT keep you full. I have a sweet tooth and tend to indulge now and again. I run 30-40 miles per week, so I think because of that I tell myself I'm allowed. Def not the thing to do. But.. like I said, I think you relax a little after having it this long. It's a constant struggle to keep the band diet, and a constant battle keeping the weight off. I have done it for 3 years, so I def consider myself successful. If you are willing to fight the battle your whole life, you will win. You can not go back to eating the way you did before your surgery, even when your band relaxes a little. You have to make the right food choices, and you MUST exercise. I firmly believe that is what keeps my weight off now. Good luck to all the new "bandsters" out there. It's a great tool. I love my band, and don't know what I would do without it. It's the best thing I ever did for ME!

Hi, I'm coming up on my 4 year mark in a few months. My Dad had the band done as well, and is about 6 years out and having a ton of problems. He's actually having his band removed next week. What kind of problems are you having?

haha! Great start!