marie715

Thanks, for your post, Jill. I am seriously considering whether or not I should get a very, very slight unfill but I'm worried about it because I've come to realize that getting a fill or unfill is so unpredicatable. Your post is another example of that. I'm so sorry to hear about the trouble you had. And add to that bad weather and a long drive to boot! My last fill was Dec. 5th. I can only eat about 1 ounce of 'protein you can cut with a knife' (my doctor's words) and that's it. I read about people eating 3 ounces of meat and some vegetables and I think there is no way I could do that now. So that is the down side of where I am at fill-wise but I love being able to go 3 to 4 hours without being ravenously hungry. I feel fine, energy-wise so I think I am going to keep plugging along and not go in for an unfill. Good luck to you. I hope you are feeling better.

I've read other posts that said the same as yours. I haven't experienced that yet. I'm beginning to get the impression that it is very difficult to predict how each person will react to a fill.

Thanks for sharing your story. I'm sure others will take heed. Are you doing ok now?

Yes, it makes sense when the doctors say that women with PCOS (and diabetics) are usually more successful with gastric bypass than with the lap band. There's something about whatever part of your intestines is bypassed that helps the insulin resistance. But I am 5 months post-lap band with PCOS and diabetes and I have lost 46 pounds. More than I have ever been able to lose on my own. So PCOS bandsters can be successful. Good luck to you.

I heard that they had a death for one of the gastric bypass patients and so they stopped doing gastric bypass and now the only weight loss surgery they do is lap band. They have no real bariatric division to speak of. Just Dr. Sarker.

I was diagnosed with insulin resistance probably 15 years ago and have been diabetic for about 5 years. I was banded September 2008. Happily, my weight loss has not been slower than usual. I've lost about 50 pounds in almost 5 months. So that is right on par for about a 1 to 2 pound weight loss per week. Good luck to you.

Hi Deanna! Congratulations on your weight loss. That is fantastic that you have lost 110 lbs in a little over a year. When you say it has been 'hard' what do you mean? Have you had complications? How have you overcome the 'hard' times? I like to hear other bandster's strategies. I have been banded 4 1/2 months and have lost 45 pounds. I have about 50 -60 more pounds to lose.

My doctor recommended 2 chewable Flintstone vitamins a day but I thought they tasted terrible. So I did not take any vitamins for about 2 months. Now I have found Viactiv multi-vitamin. It is a soft, milk chocolate flavored multi-vitamin. There is absolutely no after taste. It tastes completly like a piece of chocolate. I love it!

I had my lap bad done at Loyola Medical Center in Maywood in September 2008. As far as I understand it Dr. Sharfi Sarker is the only surgeon doing the lap band at Loyola. Check out if uic has any type of support group. The support group at Loyola is basically defunct. Surgery-wise, Loyola was fantastic. They took excellent care of me.

Now that I have had my band for a total of 4.5 months, I think my best advice to anyone who asks is to 'Follow the band rules.' It's that simple. It may be simple but I know sometimes it is hard to do. IMO, if you follow the band eating rules, you will do really well. Also, you'll find out that everyone's experience with the band is different. And so while sometimes it helps to hear other's experiences, I think we each have a 50/50 chance of experiencing the same thing. Super good luck to you!

Carol, your reasoning sounds right. I am at the same place as you. I'm probably a little, little bit too tight but I do not want any taken out because then I know I will start to feel really, really hungry after 3 hours. I, like you, feel I just need to recognize what my limits are and to stop before going over the edge. Most of the time I do that but the band catches me every time I don't! Continued good luck to you, Carol.

Wow, Chris, that is fantastic! I was banded 9/4/08 and am down 43 pounds. I am very happy with my progress. I know that if I had not gotten the lap band then I would be posting that I was 15 - 20 pounds heavier than I was in September. I also am still wearing my old clothes but they feel soooo much better. I guess I was really stretching them out to the max before. : ) Congratulations and continued success to you.

Wow! Cool! Thanks for posting this. I could have used it about 30 minutes ago. : )

Sounds like you did things the smart way. Good luck to you. I hope you get approved quickly and wish all the best in surgery and beyond.

Hi Cheryl, I am from a western suburb of Chicago and was banded on 9/4/2008 at Loyola University Medical Center in Maywood. Since surgery I have found 5 others in the Chicago area and we have created our own little mini support group. We mostly email each other but we have met a couple of times in person. Let me know if you'd like me to introduce you to the others.

Hi Cherylita, Glad to hear your surgery went well. I wish you continued good luck in your recovery.

Hi, I am a September 4, 2008 bandster. I am at 40 pounds loss. It seems like a miracle to me. I have had 3 fills. The doctor says I am at 'almost 3cc's' in a 10cc band. How does that compare to you other September 2008 bandsters? I am very tight and don't think I'll need another fill for quite awhile. I am riding this lap band honeymoon period for all it is worth. Just wish I could get with an exercise program. I hope to hear from more September Samurais.

Patty, your experience sounds horrible and definitely not the norm. How are things going now for you? Did he tell you why he had such a hard time finding the port? I am grateful that my surgeon only does fills using barium swalllows in a GI lab. There is never any question as to where the port is and as to how liquids will (or won't) go past the band. Good luck to you. Let us know how things are going.

I am so with Coltonwade, gone4 ever, OH Juli, Jachut, cCarrie_C, bandofhope, snowinHim and others with their viewpoint of Oprah. When I read that she said she "Couldn't believe' that she let this happen, my initial thought was 'Guess what, Oprah? You're human. Just like the rest of us.' I think that is what she can't believe. I didn't realize that Oprah bashed wls over the years. I try to stay away from her opinions.

Your doctor and his office sound like real gems! If they worked this hard for you before surgery you can bet they'll give you lots of support after surgery also. That's great. Best of luck to you. I am just about 4 months post-op and I am thrilled with my band. Just follow the rules and the band will not let you down.

Oh, yes, I was the same way as you. There is a big difference between 2cc's and 3cc's. The fill to 3 cc's really kicked my butt. I had the fill to 3 cc's about 2 weeks ago and realized that a lap band 'tiny, tiny bite' means a bite the size of my pinky nail. At 2 cc's I was able to eat any type of protein that could be cut with a knife. Now at 3cc's I can't eat pork or roast beef. Sounds like you are doing just fine. I read on another post on this forum that everytime we get a fill we have to experiment and relearn what we can eat. Good luck.

I am in the same situation as you are. I got my 3rd fill, which the dr. said is 'just shy of 3cc's' two weeks ago and for the first 1 1/2 weeks, it really kicked my butt! I never burped until this fill. I was at being able to eat only 2 bites of a Protein before feeling too full to continue. A friend of mine who has been banded 4 months longer than me suggested that I ride it out for a few days before scheduling an unfill. I'm so glad I took her advice. Now at about 14 days- post-fill, I am restricted but I am able to get more protein down. IMO, if you can get fluids down then the band is not too tight now and it is really working like it should. And now the disclaimer - please check with your physician to be sure. Good luck.

Yes, this is exactly what happened to me and it ended up that I did NOT have a leak! For the first fill the dr. put in 1.7 cc's. Then a month later I went back and she said 'Hmmm, looks like there is only 0.5cc's in there now.' I believe she filled me up to about 2.5. Went back last week to have her check and she said that I was still filled. I also have a friend that this same thing happened to. Try not to worry about something until you have something to worry about!:thumbup: I hope everything works out good for you too.

Hi Terilynn, I am also a September Samurai (9/4/08). I learned that when I eat so much (or don't chew enough) that it hurts then DO NOT DRINK! I was hoping if I drank a little it would help the food to slide down through the band but the opposite happened. The liquid just sat on top of the food and I had to throw it up to get any relief. This happened twice so I will make sure that it doesn't happen a third time. Good luck to you! Mari715

Hi Cee, I am 3 months post-op from surgery with Dr. Sarker. Everything has gone really, really well for me. Where are you in the process? Mare