Jodi_620

Interesting article, glad to hear that they are doing more research on PCOS. I don't know whether it is gherlin or simply as it has been explained for the past few years--insulin resistance. I suspect it is probably a little of both along with all the bad additives that they put in our food today. But I was diagnosed with PCOS years ago and the Lap Band worked for me and my PCOS. I no longer need meds and most of my symptoms are completely gone. I have 28-day cycle now and my ovarian cysts are gone. And I am no longer overweight. It wasn't the band alone though. I had to cut out the white starchy processed carbs. We all know they are not good for anyone but they are especially destructive to those of us with PCOS or other insulin related conditions. I avoid processed foods that are usually packed with sugar, fructose corn syrup and chemicals. I eat fresh lean meat, fresh colorful high Fiber fruits and veggies and avoid all the white stuff (potato, rice, sugar and white flour based foods). I eat 100% whole grains but I am mindful of how much I am eating and always eat them with my Protein. The band doesn't do all that for you but it does make it easier, I knew I needed to watch these foods pre-band but I was never able to stick with it until I got the band.

Honestly, just the name. Realize does have the online support and claims to have slightly fewer slippage incidents but I am not sure how accurate that claim is.

Hmm...I would at least ask about it. Let us know what you find out.

Just a day or so, I guess it depends on how busy they are at the time.

Yes, you are being too anxious/impatient but that's okay, most of us were during bandster hell. Six weeks is the typical timeframe for the first fill so nothing unusual there. I don't think most people lose much weight, if any during this stage...a lot actually gain. Some lose but it is mostly through willpower and not so much the band. Just be patient and know that we all have been there. It may take more than one fill to get where you want to be so be prepared for not feeling much difference in two weeks. As long as you eat slowly, take small bites and don't eat too much or any other act that will make you sick you will not "break" the band. But you should use this time to learn to stop snacking through the day and sit down to three meals a day, it is an important part of using the band properly. Take a deep breath and know that the band will soon start working for you.

Lie on your back and lift your feet up a few inches and see if you can feel it more easily. The port will shift as the weight comes off the belly area and should also become easier to access. Hopefully it will shift so that it is facing out a little better too...

Compared to costs in my area, which is actually lower than some, that is a good deal. $2,500 less and fills included!

I just remembered another example of how some people simply don't understand how to eat properly. A woman I worked with, who by the way is a well educated woman was and was raised in Russia by parents who were both doctors. She was a very sweet motherly type who loved to bring food in to share. After my surgery, during my post-op diet period, one day noticed I was not eating at a luncheon meeting and was trying to offer me food. I explained that I had to eat mushy food and she suggested ice-cream. I explained that I can only eat so much and it needed to be nutritious and she was reasoning that it was made from cream and so it had Calcium and Protein. It was sort of amusing and I just couldn't make her understand. She left the company shortly after and after a few months came back for a visit (and of course, to bring food!). She saw me about 75 pounds lighter and said maybe she should look into getting the band...

I would think so, it probably really should be repaired.

You don't have every fill under fluoro, do you? If so, I would be concerned. I had my first fill done under fluoro and barring any complications they like to check it every 6 months or so. I also have to wear a lead apron around my waist, never had anyone else in the room and assumed that the doctor covers because he would be exposed much more often than me...Good question though.

It is a huge variance. Without insurance, within the US self-pay can be anywhere from $15,000.00 to $20,000.00 or more, depending on your location. Some doctors include aftercare and others charge for fills and visits. With insurance the variance is even bigger. It really depends on what kind of coverage you have and can range from no coverage for weight loss surgery to 50%, 80%, 100%. My surgeon charges $17,500.00 for self-pay patients. Fills are not included. With insurance he charged the insurance company a lot more, around $29,000.00 (excluding anesthesia), they sqabbled back and forth for a couple of months and in the end my total out-of-pocket was around $5,000.00. Insurance has covered aftercare and fills 100% If you have insurance, the first step is to see if they cover weight loss surgery and if so how much and what the requirements are. Then find some seminars in your area and go from there.

If it were so simple then there would be no need for surgery to exist, you know that and so do most of us. Your doctor probably never had a weight problem in his life and is clueless on what it is truly like. I heard similar comments many times before having surgery, from my mother, MIL, friend and doctor and I can tell you that every one of those people have since eaten their words and become very supportive. Keep going and don't let this bring you down.

I drink Vodka with sugar free Cranberry juice and a slice of lime (a Cape Cod) and sometimes wine. Not a big drinker but beer was definitely my drink of choice, pre-band. Budweiser for me. The biggest inconvenience is going to concerts, sporting events etc. Beer and soda are pretty much all that is offered besides Water. I haven't missed the beer too much though until recently; DH still drinks and I was gathering up cans for recycling and I crushed a can and the smell wafted into my face. I was actually drooling for a beer...it has been at least a year and a half since I had one and I was honestly tempted to see how one would go down.

In my opinion the big factor is the fact that the Lap Band is not for everyone. It takes work on your part to really make it successful. You have to cut out the junk, stop grazing and get off the couch. You have to understand what a healthy diet is and be willing to make that change. I think that if you have been able to lose weight in the past but have had issues keeping it off, then if you stick with the program, the Lap Band will work for you. There is a small number of people who have never really seriously tried to lose weight before and jumped into the Lap Band surgery thinking it will be some magic fix. They either don't want to, don't know how to or have food issues (addictions or emotional problems) that keep them from doing their part in making it a success. I think of my mom in this example. She has not had the surgery but was very interested after seeing my success. She is not considering it now, but I know that the Lap Band would not work for her. Food is too important to her, the center of her life really, and she has never really tried to lose weight before. I have seen others like her that had the surgery before me and told me that I was wasting my time but I knew why they had failed and intended to prove them wrong and I did. Complications are rare but there is also a small number of people who get the band and for a variety of reasons, it just does not work, their bodies can't tolerate it, they have slippage or erosion or the band fails in some way. This is rare but another possibility. Most of us worried like you are. Complications and pain from surgery were not nearly as big a worry for me as the fear of failure was. How humiliating it would have been to go to such extremes and spend so much money only to fail again. If you go into this understanding what is required of you and making sure that you are up to the challenge of eating right, keeping active and maintaining fills, barring any complications, there is no reason why you would not succeed.

I really don't see any reason why you need to turn to fat burners. They honestly have a very minimal, temporary effect. My advice to you would be: now that you have the Lap Band, put those diets and fads behind you and save your money. Follow the Lap Band rules and you will no longer need that stuff. I agree about the Vita-Craves. I couldn't find any with Iron and as a woman I need it. I am using Centrum Chewables and Caltrate plus D.

Yes, mine was swollen for weeks, both for the Lap Band surgery and my recent gallbladder removal. It is perfectly normal.

Yes, I think it happens to most of us. Each fill will bring you closer, but on average it takes four fills to really start seeing results.

I am over a year post-op now so no problems anymore...just relaying my past experience.

Good luck! Don't be nervious, fills aren't so bad. Doctors vary on what they want you to do after a fill. Mine does 2 days liquid, 2 days mushie then progress back to solid. My first fill didn't make a huge difference but I did feel slightly more restriction. Take it slowly until you get used to the new restriction and you should be fine!

Hang in there MsFab, it will get better with each new day... I promise!

Try more Protein and less starches which encourage cravings. Eat blended refried Beans, blended chili, cottage cheese, mashed eggbeaters, blended chicken salad. The high starch in things like mashed potatoes is going to give you a blood sugar spike then a quick dip leading to cravings for more. Cook sugar free cream of wheat or sugar free oatmeal in lowfat milk for added protein. The variety and added protein should help. Otherwise keep active and take it one day at a time.

As emjay said, there is a cycle. If you do experience hair loss, you will likely notice it at around 3 months. As long as you focus on getting proper nutrition it should stop within 3 months. Then as long as you are still watching your nutrition, you should begin to see regrowth within 3 months.

Yeah, in the beginning the the sweet spot doesn't last long for some. I only had 1 to 2 weeks in between fills 1 thru 3. Each time I would think, "Now THIS is what I was looking for" then about a week later I would lose a few pounds and the restriction was gone.

Mine was definitely not from the gas pumped in to the cavity during surgery. It was directly related to the need to belch. I would feel the air bubble in my stomach, feel it release and it would be followed by pain moving up my esophagus, pain so bad that would make me see stars then I would leave out a little pfft of air. It all lasted a second or two then completely stop until I needed to belch again. When I called my surgeon he told me that both the pain and the breathlessness was related to the Hernia repair. It was a good thing though, DH says it was the best thing that came out of the surgery. Because I could only take breaths in in tiny spirts, I didn't have enough strength to pull in enough air to talk more than a couple words or walk more than a few steps AND I also did not have the strength to inhale cigarette smoke for 5 days. Thanks in part to the hernia repair, I am now almost 14 months smoke free . The tradeoff is that I still can't really burp very successfully.

Yeah, my guess would be that you still have swelling causing your pouch to stay full longer. I wasn't able to lie flat so soon due to pain (good for you!, it took me a month. ) Try giving your pouch a little more time to empty a little before lying down.