flowers

You'all are making me feel bad. I came home weighing 3 lbs more than when I left to be banded. Im just today below where I started. You mean Im supposed to be showing a big weight loss already?? Someone told me not to worry, the swelling was normal and not to be watching my weight already. We are all still having some swelling if we were just banded in July, once that comes down there will be more weight loss. Im not going to let the fact many have big losses already bother me.

An egg I thought we could eat 1/2 a cup and it was ok. An egg is an even smaller amount. I keep worrying if Iv harmed the location of my pouch. I was allowed to start mushys after 3 days on a clear liquid diet. I had a spoon of applesauce night 2. Hopefully, it isnt that easy to dislodge or they would find a better way to do this, but if you are really worried your doctor should be able to use the fluorscope to check the placement of the band. My doctor only charges an extra $100 cash to do this.

I went to Juarez with Dr. Naketa, that was easiest for me. I had broken my shoulder at Christmas so I cant turn over and was just kinda getting onto my side when I had the surgery. I sure dont think I could sleep on my side now though. I felt fine in the hospital, but they had me on IV drip and pain meds. I felt so fine I decided to go home the next day and know that was a mistake, the long day of travel really got my energy sapped. Im also exactly 4 days post op, and cant say I feel as good as you do. It hurts to tie my shoes, left shoe especially or to get in and out of bed. I have to say Im glad its over!!! ... another 4 days post op from Mexico and successful surgery (as far as I know so far).

I didnt have but a 24 hour pre op diet, it was hard enough. Some doctors do it all the time and some dont, it really depends on your doctor. It also might depend on your weight. Iv heard they do it to shrink up your liver so the doctor wouldnt nick it during surgery and its easier to pull away from the stomach. As a result of no pre-opt, I came out of surgery asking when is dinner!!!! Two bowls of jello, tea and apple juice, yum. Anyway, this July band baby is now banded. Its over. Yippee.

You probably wouldnt like my answer. I was self pay. I flew to Juarez and it took me 10 hours to get home, 2 thru the border, then 3 hours to wait on the next plane and then to get home on the plane. I too have free fills, but Id have to fly back to Juarez each time. If you think its expensive, having insurance covering you and your gripe is the price of gas, tell yourself its worth it. You got off cheap compared to many. I still havent decided on a fill doctor in my area, griped because I found out the doctor they recommended charges an extra $100 cash price because I was banded in Mexico. That extra $100, $250 for me, vs. $150 for others banded here, will buy a lot of gas.

I agree, sounds like this is what you mom wants not you. You say you are finally comfortable with who you are, which doesnt sound like you are in a place where you are ready to do the work with the band that it will still entail to lose the weight. You can eat around the band and then its useless. Ice cream as they say slides right down.

If you cant stop yourself from itching, maybe you can put something like gauze over the incisions so you dont accidently scratch it? As far as worrying you arent eating enough, thats the last thing I would be worrying about unless you are feeling faint. I used to eat worse, unbalanced, maybe have 2 ears of corn and call it dinner and my sugar levels would go nuts. How much worse can it be what you are now eating? Even a month of not eating enough, wouldnt affect your health unless you are really not getting enough Protein and your Iron levels are depleted or whatever.

I went to a seminar supposedly about all the options, but it seemed very slanted to me against getting the lapband. Folks were undecided when they went in and by the end no one but me was having the lapband. You have to do what you feel most comfortable with.

It would cost you the $250 Dr. Jay charges to drive to Mexico wouldnt it? I can get "free" fills for a year or something with my doctor in Mexico, but turns out I have to pay $100 for the fluor to measure the fill. It didnt mention the extra $100 charge to go back to Mexico in the original quote. lol. As I said to me the costs keep going up up up. I figure the gas would cost me close to $200 both ways to drive to Mexico, plus you would need a hotel for the night.

Yikes, I thought I posted this message.... hahahahhaha. Yes, I ran into this same issue, and even though this fill doctor wasnt my first choice, I had checked into this. Iv got some more good news for you, Dr. Jayaseelan charges lap banders $150 cash price if you got your band in the U.S. but he charges $250 if you have the band put in by a Mexican doctor .... and they told me I was lucky at that. That many other doctors wouldnt see you at all if you have the band put in in Mexico. He is in Medical City, and I believe would be a better choice for me than Dr. Maese, just irratated about the difference in price. I may call Davidson?? at Presbertarian Hospital and see if he also charges extra if you were banded in Mexico. Let me know if you find anyone good to do your fills at $200 per fill in our area.

I went to a seminar last Tuesday and I was the only one even there for lap banding because insurance wouldnt pay for it usually. Im the one in the thread second thoughts and was so upset after my seminar I actually backed away, until the next day. Im going to Mexico I decided now, no insurance, I had just signed up for that seminar a month earlier and decided I should go and see if I could learn something. I came home feeling very down and discouraged too. They weighed me as less than I weigh here at home but like you they took an inch off for the heels of my track shoes to get my height down so I had a higher BMI. I also posted that I was afraid to lose any weight or I couldnt get the surgery, My BMI was 38.9 by their measurements. I got 38.7, same same, but if I lost 10 lbs or so, I would be below 35 BMI. I totally get where you are coming from and everyone says, I cant tell you what to do, its up to you. No support or help. Even the people here thats what they said.

Can you move me from July 8th to July 9th. I kinda got cold feet last night and hadnt booked my airfare and wound up pushing it back a day. Finally decided, this might help. I still am scared, but not as down as I was last night.

Im not one who overeats at meals. Im at home most of the time and eating constantly small bites. A handfull of nuts, a little piece of candy, ok two, fruit bites, and on and on. If all the lap band is going to do is keep me from overeating, when I dont overeat now at one time, will this really help me lose weight?? My mom's argument is you still have to diet, why do this to your body? I snack constantly, carb addict. All these folks saying to journal etc, that wouldnt stop it. Im bored and so I eat. Even when I take my sister out to eat at fast foods, we share one meal. I really dont eat much at once. Its the continuous eating with me. Will a lap band help me at all to lose weight? Im scheduled for July 8th.

Thanks smarquezrn and orea, I am back on board and going to have the surgery. Im not ready for more radical surgery. Im not 100% how much good the lapband will be for me. It may help some but not as much as it helps others, but anything will be better than nothing. I woke up upset again with my mom and the part of the conversation we had about that stupid sub we share 4 ways on Sunday mornings. She wants me to help my sister cut back too and says that is twice as much sub as we need. Heck Gerald on the commercial has a whole 6 inch by himself to lose weight, but that way too much for us? No mayo, mostly salad stuff, I always ask for extra lettuce on it. My mom thinks 2 inchs of sub is all a portion should be. No wonder I have had food issues all my life. The news today is saying something like 1/3 of Americans either have diabetes or are at risk, I know that's me. Im close and will be in that catgory if I dont lose enough weight. The seminar did discourge me in thinking this will be an answer, I admit it, but any loss will be better than no loss. The lady running the seminar did lose 140 lbs on the band before she had problems and gained 45 lbs back because of bad reflux and changed to the gastic sleeve. She actually has written a book on her weight loss journey. She said its been documented that there are 10 foods that people on the lapband have trouble with, but everyone has problems with different of the foods, not the same ones. I found that interesting. I had been wondering why one person says they are eating salads but not popcorn and the next isnt eating salads, but says they are eating popcorn. Anyway, by last night I had emailed them back that Im 85% and today Im 99%, still have some reservations, but this is the only choice for me right now I feel. If later on they come out with a new way to lose weight, then its still possible and reversible. So, Yes Im going to do this. thanks for your words snowbird that you still eat some junk food, its not 100% off your diet. I cant do without 100% for the rest of my life, I know it. thanks friends. I needed some friends now and everyone in my life says "well I cant tell you what to do", no one seems to be there to talk to other than my mom who drives me nuts.

I think Iv backed out of the July 8th lapband and giving it some thought. When I WAS working and had insurance, they were like your BMI is in the 30s, not high enough for insurance to pay for it. Its like they need you to gain enough weight to get approval. I do know I will lose some on my own and even being self pay will be back in that no man's land where a doctor wouldnt do the surgery. Im hoping for inspiration to hit me what to do and which surgery I need for myself. Im drinking some special K Protein Water which is supposed to help you feel less hungry and it actually does help more than I expected. thanks everyone and Im glad so many are successfull with the band. The lady giving the seminar didnt help me when she said the stats are with the band you will lose about 50% of what you need to lose to get to a BMI of 24.5, is that ok with you and something you can live with? It obviously helps, but not as much as other weight loss surgery does. Im not keen on more radical surgery either though.

My Dad cant make himself eat enough and we had to put him on a feeding pump to supplement what he can eat. My Dad was "teasing" my mom about putting her on it too, she cant eat enough and doesnt weigh 100 lbs, skin and bones. So talking to either of them about how hard it is to lose 100 lbs and keep it off, they will never get it. I really dont have anyone I can talk to, so maybe thats whould Im talking out loud here. I am starting to diet, but I know if I knock off a quick 20 lbs, then I cant have any weight loss surgery. They would do it. My mom says you dont see your cousin doing anything this radical, who is much bigger than I am. She joined a gym. I said yea, and her hubby had to have his hip and knee replaced because of his weight, how is that better?? Im really frustrated. I know I can lose but its the keeping off. I lose it and regain it and weight more than the last time. I want to find a solution that will work. I know I cant stay away from sweets forever and junk food. Im just being honest. I know what Im eating wrong, writing it down wouldnt help, I self aware of the wrong foods. I can stop for a while, but not forever. As they said today in the seminar, ice cream will slide right down that lap band. No resistance.

All I know is Im pretty much in tears tonight. Iv just been round and round with my mom who keeps going back to she just doesnt understand why folks dont just lose the weight on their own, why have any weight loss surgery. Sure, I could cut back for a while and not graze between meals, I have tons of will power, or I couldnt have stuck with the low gi diet and lost the 80 lbs..... its the forever I know I wouldnt keep on a diet and watch the snacking forever. Im just being honest, I know I wouldnt eat only lean meats and veggies forever and not eat all the junk food. I bought some fish to cook tonight and they filled it with rice??? huh?? I couldnt even force myself to eat enough to fill up on. Im going to try and lose weight on my own. But that takes us to the next problem. My BMI now is 38. and if I lose 15 lbs or 25 or whatever, then I wouldnt qualify for any kind of surgery. Thats why I wanted to wait to start my diet with the surgery. Once my BMI is below that 35 level, it will be pretty hard to qualify. I dont really have any of the co-mobidity problems other than the insulin and maybe high cholesterol on the charts. Im really feeling down and upset tonight.

As far as the walking, the walking tapes I suggested, you just stand in place and pick up your feet and step to the side and two other steps, you are not actually walking anywhere, and she suggests that you hand onto a chair if you are unstable. I just came from a weight loss seminar and they said they dont think the lap band is for me. Not if Im not eating large portions, I snack and graze all day. The band wouldnt really provide any help for that. They suggested the gastic sleeve, which is more expensive and more drastic surgery. I told them what Iv been saying on here, that I dont eat large meals and unlike the folks here who think just writing down what I eat is going to help, they dont see the lapband as helping in my case. The lady I sat next to has had her lapband for 3 years and getting it removed and doing gastric bypass. The person running the seminar had her lapband removed 3 months ago because of reflux, severe enough that the doctor had to remove her lapband and she said well she needs something so they did the gastic sleeve. On top of that good news, the fill doctor mentioned in a post "I think my fill doctor damaged my port" on here I had been thinking of using, they confirmed "multiple" cases where he has pulled out ports they had to do surgery on again. If I was having second thoughts before, now Im really discouraged. Third thoughts anyone?? I bought diet food and ready to start on my own. Will consider the gastric sleeve, not sure if I want to do that or not, pretty radical.

Thats been my experience. I dont have any of the medical problems some have, so many thats why I was approved. Then it took another 3 days to get a date approved. The doctor was attending a seminar the first date I picked. I still dont have a surgery time or a pre-opt diet and Im scheduled July 8th. I only have the post opt diet.

Im glad someone else can admit carbs are their weakness, unlike a few prior posters who seem to think its a cop out answer. I know they are my weakness. I hope all of us have the strength to really stick to our diets and lose this weight at a good steady pace. I dont want to be like this for the rest of my life either. Lets all just link arms and be strong and hopefully that thread about the failure rate on lapbands wouldnt apply to us.

I actually started trying to walk more than a month ago, and had to use band aides and such double on my heels and lay off a day and work back up to where I am now for outside walking. My heels arent up to walking twice a day yet, even though physically I could do it. I also have about 15 of Leslie Sansone's Walk Away The Pounds (WATP) tapes and DVDs. She has some very beginner walking tapes and only 4 basic moves but she keeps you interested. I started with her 2 mile tapes and if I get tired, can stop the tape and finish it later. She has some easier 1 mile tapes where the pace is a little too slow to suit me, but if you can walk at all, she is a good place to start. Just do 5 or 10 minutes at a time. Or maybe when you are able, just start like I did walking around your building, then around a few, and just keep expanding. You are ahead of me dieting and Im further along getting in shape?? Maybe we can pull each other along.

Once I start cutting back on food, I know Im going to be obsessed too. I sure can relate. Actually, the way I found this forum site was I did a search on long term and this thread popped up on google. Kinda scared me. Maybe if you read the thread where I started on this forum, someone can better understand my long term fears. http://www.lapbandtalk.com/f79/lap-band-failure-rates-40704/

Richardson is right below Plano, so if you need any help, give me a call, I can go up and help you out. Im hearing it might be hard to do it alone like Im doing for things like tying your shoes afterwards and just putting your suitcase into the trunk of your car. I could pm you my phone number if you think you might want a little help. Im thinking it seems like some folks breeze thru this and some say they didnt expect it to hurt so much. Ill try and think of you while Im having my surgery and aftermath. I called up someone who advertises on this site a cheaper summer price, but think Ill stick with what I have already scheduled. I think Im supposed to give them a deposit later this week. smarquezrn you are coming to where I live and Im planning on hopping SW airlines to El Paso to have my surgery there. They will meet me at the airport and Ill spend 2 nights there with the surgery and nutrionist and whatever. All I have to do is manage to sit on the plane and drive myself home from Love Field. People say sitting is hard, laying or standing is much easier at first. I cant take a pain pill either and drive myself home across Dallas. Im already worrying about every little detail like that lol. Hopefully, we will both swim right thru our surgery easy.

I think you and I are in the same place. Thats exactly how I feel, one baby step at a time, one day at a time. Im a big coffee drinker, so just giving up caffeine for the week after surgery, I know I will have withdrawals is why Im starting it a week ahead of time (trying to make that week after surgery as easy as possible). I have two 6 packs of high Protein Vitamin shakes here to get me going on the liquid diet phase. Congrats on losing 40 lbs already. I might be down a couple of pounds and Im walking a mile and a half every night, as hot as it is here in Texas, I have to wait until after 10 pm or so. Im going to have to diet on my own after the band is in along with you. 3 months before that doctor will do a fill is probably going to feel like a eternity. I just needed one person to say its going to be worth going thru this, thank you again. I hope to be down a couple more lbs by the time of the surgery. Im just cutting back right now, havent started to seriously diet. Working on upping the walking to twice a day, which means waking up at the crack of dawn in this heat. If you ever want a buddy to talk to, PM me, maybe we can help each other along. thanks again.

Arent you a sweet heart??!!! If someone says they know journalling wouldnt help them, why not take their word for it instead of telling them they are wrong and immature and lazy?? Of course Ill do whatever my doctor requires, thanks for your reply.