hopefulmom25

I was banded June 11th, I've had one fill. Going for my second fill Monday. Here's my question: I have heard some people with the lap-band say that they can't overeat. That if they eat more than their pouch can hold, they will throw it up. Is that true for you? What consequences do you experience if you accidentally overeat? At this point I can eat what I feel like is way too much food. Everything, even the stuff that shouldn't, is going down easy. I've never PBed or slimed or anything like that. I am trying to keep it under control. And I'm successful half of the time. But for instance, tonight for supper I had about 9 inches of a subway sandwich and 3 Cookies. I was so mad at myself for letting myself eat that much. But I am hoping and praying there will come a day when if I screw up and overdo it, there will be PB, Slime, vomiting, etc to help me stay on the right path.

Ugh. I am a not-yet-banded self-pay and I thought I had it all figured out. Dr.King in Oxford, MS has a lap-band package for $14,500 and I was excited about the price. But then his office called and it turns out that for most people the first year or so of fills has to be done at the hospital, and the cost is around $700!!!! That $14,500 package only covers the very first fill. I just can't afford to pay $700 every six weeks for a fill. Is it normal for fills to be that expensive?

I have 255 lbs to lose to be on the high end of an average range for my height and age. I'm 25 and want to weigh 150 lbs. Currently I weigh 405 lbs. I haven't been banded yet. I'm just starting the process. Am I out of my mind to think I can lose 255 lbs? Sometimes I feel like I might as well have 12,000 lbs to lose... Have you guys ever heard of anyone losing that much weight with the band?

Hi! I'm in North Mississippi, not far from Oxford. Be sure you check out how much fills are going to cost you. I too was self-pay, and was looking into Dr.King because his surgery price was several thousand less than the docs in Memphis. But then someone from his clinic called and said that being self-pay, the first fill would be included in the surgery package, but each fill after that would cost around $700 because he does them at a hospital. Just wanted to give you a heads up as to what I was told.

Well, if it makes you feel any better, I experienced no change at all with my first fill except that I was hungrier! I could eat anything. Everything went down easy, and large amounts of it. I was worried something was wrong. Then, I got my second fill and new right away the difference between restriction versus no restriction. I had been used to eating a lot and pretty much anything. Then, I started experiencing getting stuck, pbing, vomiting, sliming, all the bandster stuff. So maybe it will just take another fill or two before you start noticing a difference too.

I'm with you! We were banded the same day, and I am losing hair like crazy. I'm surprised because I'm not getting any less protein than I did before I had the lap-band...

You sound like me! I was banded June 11th. My first fill did nothing for me. I had my second one and it was like, "hello, restriction!" I couldn't eat anything without it getting a little stuck and hurting in the chest. Breads were the worst. I actually threw up a few times with bread products. I was wondering if I was too tight, and should I get a slight unfill? It was painful to eat! Then, three weeks after that second fill (a little over a week ago) the restriction mellowed out over the course of a few days. It doesn't hurt to eat any more. Bread still gets a little stuck, but I can actually eat it now. Everything else is going down fine and I can eat way more than I'm supposed to. For the first 3 weeks after that second fill, I thought I was going to call and cancel my appointment for my 3rd fill. Boy am I glad I didn't! I am ready for that 3rd fill now. So you might seem a little tight now, but in a few weeks things could loosen up a little. That's just my experience. You might end up being different though.

Really, I have had that happen a few times. The first time was just a couple of weeks post-op. It only lasts a few days and then it's better. Usually mine occurs after I've had something stuck, vomited, etc. I think my pouch just gets irritated and swollen, and it takes a few days to get back to normal. I normally go on liquids for a few days when it happens.

My best friend has blue cross of PA and they approved her surgery right away, no problems. And she wasn't all that overweight, and has no comorbidities.

-I am able to wear my wedding band again -I am no longer in the 400's but working my way to 350 -I have more energy and have been playing with my daughter more and getting more things done around the house - Walking through the grocery store, or other stores, is a breeze now. I walk faster and my legs don't hurt. - I am doing much better at exercise than I thought I would, and actually enjoy it sometimes (but not always, yet) - I feel just a smidge less self-conscious in public now

I suggest calling Dr.Weaver's office and asking if they would take you. I know they will take patients from other surgeon's in the U.S. I go to Dr.Woodman in Memphis, and his bedside manner is horrible. His patients are known for leaving him to go to her, because she's much nicer. And as of right now, I think she's still taking them in for aftercare and fills. Doesn't hurt to call and ask. I've heard with my surgeon, Dr.Woodman with Midsouth Bariatrics, that he will take on Mexico-banded patients, but you have to pay a large amount of money up front. There are a couple of other bariatric surgone's in Memphis that do mostly gastic bypasses. I want to say one's name is Dr.Madan, and there's another man. They also do some lap-band surgeries too, so I'm sure they are able to do fills and things. You could always check into them too, if you had to. Oxford, MS is about an hour south. And there's 2 bariatric docs there. Dr. King and another one who's name I can't remember. They do their fills under fluro, which is great, but they quoted me $700 per fill.

I'm still new at the lap-band and trying to figure all this out. This afternoon I tried to eat a bite of a large pretzel, the pretzel-stand type. I was busy talking to people and trying to help my daughter eat, and didn't chew as well as I should have. Needless to say, it got stuck. And it hurt so bad. It was stuck for a couple of minutes, which felt like hours. Now, tonight I am experiencing some soreness in my chest right at the sternum, and little tiny painful burps. Is this probably just an irritated pouch? Has anyone ever had this happen before? I am so worried...

I've had the fruit Snacks since being banded. Even with decent restriction from this second fill. I chew them REALLY well and then suck on the pieces for a minute. They pretty much melt after a while and go down just fine. They actually go down a lot easier than a bunch of other stuff. But, that being said, I am very careful about making sure they are chewed and melted to a liquid state before I swallow. No way do I want to get one of those puppies stuck in the band!

My doc says night time coughing is a sign of being too tight.

I'm right there with you. I was banded around the same time as you (June 11th) and I just had my second fill. It's a little better than the first fill, which made me hungrier. But I'm still surprised at how much I can eat, and the fact that anything and everything goes down no problem. But from what others say above, you and I can look forward to future fills that will actually work.

I'm only 2 months post-op, but so far my biggest challenge has been recognizing head hunger and not giving in to it.

Have you been exercising? Doing any strength-training/weights? If so, muscle weighs more than fat. So it could be that you've replaced fat with muscle, making yourself smaller and leaner, but not making the scale move.

Just had to share this with other people who may understand. Right after my surgery, I lost 32 lbs in 3 weeks! Then, I started exercising on week four. I was working hard at the gym- doing between 1 to 1.5 hours per day (cardio + strength training) 4 or 5 days a week. During those 3 weeks of exercise and hard work, I never lost another pound. Then, right at week 6 I had my first fill. I was hoping and praying that it helped. That was almost two weeks ago, and I have been just as hungry since that first fill as I was before the surgery. And much to my disappointment, I am able to eat just as much food as I did before surgery. :teeth_smile: So now I am struggling, I am eating way more than I should and haven't exercised since the fill. I keep hearing that voice in the back of my head saying "you were exercising and doing all that work, and what did it get you? Nothing." I am upset that I am able to eat so much food at a meal, and more upset at myself that I am actually eating that much food. Just very discouraged, disappointed, and wondering if this is really going to work for me.

Thanks for all the support everyone. You guys are great. :thumbup: I made it back to the gym today for the first time in 2 weeks. I have been doing horrible and was expecting at least a 2 lb gain. Much to my surprise the scale said I had lost 3 lbs! Finally! Just seeing the scale move, really helped to re-motivate me. I've been having a great day in regards to exercise and eating now, after seeing my new number this morning.

I am so right there with you. Just know you're not alone. I'm struggling right now too.

My doc says 1/2 cup portions, 3 times a day, with no Snacks in between. He says that the pouch is made to hold only 3-4 oz of food at a time, and more than that can slowly stretch it out. He says if we are truly hungry while eating the 1/2 cup portion three times a day, then we need a fill. I guess all doctors are different. There is even some conflicting information from my doctor. I told you what he says about portions in the paragraph above, but in the binder full of paperwork that his office gave me right before the surgery, it says that after a year or a year and half, the pouch will have stretched to hold a cup to a cup and a half of food.

Actually, I think I was right. He's in Chattanooga. Here's his info and website: Gastric Band Institute - Chattanooga, Tennessee - The LAPBAND

I think Dr.Ponce, the doctor that invented the Realize band (?), practices in Chattanooga. If I'm right, I know that he flies all over the country and supervises other doctors or something like that. So I bet he'd be pretty good.

I am in the same boat. Banded June 11th, lost 32 lbs in 3 weeks and haven't lost a pound since. Despite exercising and sticking to the program.

SanDiego, I was banded about a week after you and I get my first fill this Thursday. I am right where you used to be. I get between 1,000-1,200 calories a day, and not hungry between meal (or before meals, or anytime ever...). I'm wondering if I should even get the fill...