RestlessMonkey

While I am glad TQUAD64 had a good experience, I can tell you wholeheartedly to go with experience. Please. Unless your surgeon will have with him/her another surgeon who has done many many more lap bands. Once they "get in" we are all so different. This is an "easy" surgery (if ANY surgery can be easy!!!) but there are very real risks associated with it (some can be life threatenening, others just life changing) and aside from the normal risks, you need a surgeon who's "been there done that" so that he knows how to handle you. For example my surgeon had done over 1000 Band surgeries and I was the first one that he couldn't move the liver because it was too thick. OVER 1000 surgeries and he was still seeing "new" things. That is a rule of thumb for any surgery....you want an old pro. Diagnostics etc...you might want a newby who's up on all the latest research etc. But anyone who's going to place something inside you, or remove something from inside you...you want someone who knows the territory and procedure and could almost do it in their sleep, so that if you are that rare person who has complications, they'll know what to do.

I agree that the number doesn't matter as much as the feeling. However, I want to be informed about the device inside me as much as possible. I may not always be 30-45 minutes away from my surgeon when I might have an issue. It's my body, my health. I'm "Proactive" about it. Everyone is different but to want to know the fill amount, band size, etc is only prudent, IMHO, in case sometime I need medical care and am with someone who is uninformed. Plus, I paid for it. I like knowing how much gas my car holds...(13.6 gal LOL) so I want to know about my band, too. If I had a surgeon who wouldn't indulge my interest in my band, I'd find another one. The "paternalistic" attitude went out with women who mop their floors in high heels and do housework in dresses! :cursing: (aka ... my birth decade LOL)

Have the HR person phone them while you are there. If she won't, go to the person above her. It's a benefit that your company provides; they should be glad to give you info.

I think you need to call medicaid, find out, and ask them which doc etc.

I am not sure (check with your insurance) but using an example....people smoke (it is something they "do" to themselves) and insurance covers related illnesses like emphysema etc. OR...if you have plastic surgery (self pay) and then have an issue your medical coverage will cover the issue (like an infection etc)... I think once it's done, if you have problems they have to cover it. They may not cover maintenance like fills etc (in fact I bet they won't) but if you have trouble like GERD, or the rare slip, etc they will cover that. Just call and find out!

Yes I remembered it wrong! The AP S IS Standard and it holds 10ccs. Here's an interesting comparison: Compare Adjustable Gastric Bands - LAP-BAND vs. REALIZE Band

I am so not a doctor! BUT from my nosing around on the internet and quizzing my doc, AP stands for "Advanced Platform" and the S is smaller (holds 10 ccs) and the L is larger (holds 14ccs) Of course, "small" and "large" are relative; 4 cc's is less than a teaspoon, so they aren't THAT much different. Perhaps surgeons refer to the S (for small) as standard....or perhaps the info I read was dated? Either way I know mine is AP L, it (along with the AP S) is the newest Lap band, and it holds 14 cc's

Its up to you, of course, but I wouldn't keep going to a surgeon who 1. didn't know how much my band would hold and 2. wouldn't tell me how much he put in it. That's just me, but it is around MY stomach in MY body and I PAY him.

I would think the answer would be no, but I'm not a surgeon. Your safest bet is to call a bariatric center in your area and ask.

I have the AP L band. I honestly can't imagine why it would be any less likely (or more likely) to be successful than the band that preceeded it. It just makes healing easier, actually, because the surgeon can place the band that most easily FITS the area. Before, I'd have had a smaller band, and had more issues with restriction etc post op (and more potential to develop slipping and/or erosion) The two sizes just give the surgeon options to fit the right band to the right upper stomach.

I'm female and got the 14 cc band; the doctor decides what to "install". I'm not tall or manly; LOL; just the top of my stomach was large. (I guess). I know other women who have the 14 cc band, and men who have the 10cc band; I think it just depends on your innards and how they are configured. Fills vary, partly according to the surgeon. You might want to ask yours what the "average" number of fills is for his patients. Mine says it often takes about 6 months (and 4 or more fills) for his patients to approach the "green zone" where they lose and are not hungry between meals. Different surgeons can be more (or less) aggressive, so it just depends. The band is intended to stay in place forever. You can have it unfilled but most likely if you do that you'll gain weight back. Although i guess it CAN happen that you are filled with a functioning band and "lose" restriction, that isn't common. More common (but still rare) are things like leaks in the tube from the port to the band, slippage, etc. Your surgeon can answer these questions for you and he is the best source of info because it will depend on his fill style, and he should have scientific statistics about fills and restricion several years out

It depends. For example, I have a band that holds 14 cc's. My surgeon for my first fill put in only 1.5 cc's. I honestly could not tell any difference. After my 4th fill (and a total now of 5.5 ccs in my 14 cc band) I can FINALLY feel restriction, although I can eat more and get hungry faster than the goal of 1/2 - 1 cup and 5-6 hours. It will take several fills for you to feel it, unless your surgeon is one who is very aggressive. (mine is not. He feels the data indicates slow is better) If you don't know your band capacity and how much fill you got, your surgeon can tell you. Each person is different as to how much is "enough" so you'll just have to see what works for you.

You need to tell your doctor what you did...NOT because you must confess your "sins", but because you may have harmed yourself eating this soon post banding. Probably you are ok but it would be safest to call tomorrow, let them know what you ate, when, and how it felt, and let them decide. :biggrin:

http://www.lapbandtalk.com/f5/ticker-tutorial-pictures-41782/ try that link I hope it helps you I can't remember how to do mine.

From reading on here, I have started to ALWAYS drink an entire 8-10 oz of water in my doc's office, then in my car before I leave I drink a 16 ounce bottle I bring from home. My doc is in the same city but with our traffic and road construction, a round trip to his office takes just under 2 hours. He, too is busy and has no emergency number. I hope this tip isn't too late to help you! :biggrin: But I agree...if you can't keep water down, don't wait until monday. We dehydrate VERY quickly. You'll end up in the ER.

Honestly it may or may not be your gallbladder. Losing a lot of weight can cause problems in some, but the pain you're describing seems to me to be too low for your gallbladder. I'm not a doctor though; so it's safest to call tomorrow and ask. AND I'd call my primary physician, not the banding doctor. It could be something as mild as trapped gas, it could be nothing. Best to let your doctor make that call!

Welcome Mary Ellen! I'm confused, you want to lose 100 pounds and have lost 36...so shouldn't you have 64 to go, not 96? Whichever it is, it's nice to see you post!

I was so happy to have the band that everything else was minor. No pain. I didn't mind having only Clear liquids. I was so happy! I still love it but things do settle down; once that "honeymoon" stage was over and I started getting REALLY hungry (I assume you mean hunger and not pain? ) I just stuck it out because it isn't for very long. If you mean pain...walking walking walking helps you feel better faster, helps the gas dissipate, and helps keep your lungs clear and your circulation going so you don't run as much a risk for clots. That and liquid tylenol did me fine!

Ask your primary doctor.

You've probably already tried this but if not you might try entering "heliogast" under the search bar (you have to click on "search" to get the box...it's not very user-friendly! LOL)

It's a French manufactured band not available in the USA, isn't it? I don't have one, just wondering.

You should call your doctor tomorrow and tell him what happened. He needs to know; and you don't want to wait until the weekend need to get in touch with him. He may have put a fill in and need to remove it; he may want you to stay on liquids...whatever, tell him.

Glad to hear you're back home and doing ok. Just remember to walk frequently...not a marathon, but enough to keep your circulation up etc...also good for your lungs! :biggrin:

It's not uncommon but call your doc tomorrow just to be sure...Monday is a long way away if it isn't just something "routine".

There are insurance companies who will pay for the coverage but they are REALLY reluctant and act like spoiled kids. They hide the info you need, etc. Hang in there! I'm glad that you caught it NOW! Good luck to you!