RestlessMonkey

floridachica, cavilier2us is correct; the band is "meant" to remain in place the rest of your life. Of course, it has only been around since 1993 (in other countries) so there is no data yet on if that is possible or feasible. However when the band is removed (for whatever reason) the stomach usually (99% or some high figure) goes back to it's former shape and the patient regains all weight lost. So plan on it being there unless a medical necessity dictates removal. Some bandsters, once they hit their goal weight and are doing well, get a slight unfill. That is always an option if you are maintaining your loss. Go in, however, assuming it will be in place as long as you need it.

Personally I'd trust my Doc. If you're in doubt, go to the Realize band web site and see if they have "sizes"

Seriously, if you feel the surgeon and staff are pretty sluggish in responding, you might want to rethink having your surgery there.... once you have had your band placed, will they be more responsive? Will you have to schedule fills a month in advance? What if you have unresolved pain, or swelling, or other issues? Confirm to yourself that they will be there when you need them....this pre-op lollygagging may or may not be an indicator that they are over booked and over burdened. Only you can decide, but I think you would be wise to make sure you can get quick care if you need it!

If you DO go to Mexico, make sure you have a local surgeon who will take you as a patient. Getting the lap band is only part of the battle. You need access to a physician who will do your fills, unfills if needed, and so on. What if your port flips? It happens...what if you have a pain 6 months down the road...unfortunately it happens. Even the best surgeons have patients with problems down the road. Many surgeons are relutant to take on someone else's patient and you can't blame them with malpractice insurance etc. If I were you, I'd call local surgeons and ask if any will take payments as you described, and/or consider continuing to save up. It's your call and many do go to Mexico (I lived on the border for years and would drag dying self back over to the US before I'd get treatment in Mexico, but then I've seen the ugly underbelly over there...) Even if you went with a surgeon in another city or state, to save money, you'd still have the issue of follow-up care. Make sure you get that in place before you proceed!

Winona....glad you're moving forward, if you feel it will help you. I'm a "question authority" type myself so glad to have you here! :cry_smile: To reply...hit "quick reply" (green button on right) or "New reply" (blue button on left). To start a new thread, go to "FORUMS" (on left side of home page) pick your category, and once you are there, the "start a thread" option will display! Good luck! Let us know what you find out!

Just trying to help, Suzking. Sometimes with the internet and no body language, inflection etc it's hard to know what people mean exactly. If I insulted you, I apologize. As I believe you can probably tell, I am trying to help, not belittle, anyone. We are all kind of in this together. But I'll read your posts more carefully and consider before I answer from now on! :cry_smile:

I agree call your insurance company, explain your situation, and do what they tell you (and write down who you talked to, time, etc. best to CYA with insurance!)

YAY! I thought so! Good for you! :cry_smile:

Call your surgeon's office and ask what he recommends. There are some fiber supplements that can swell and cause band problems but usually fiber is the best choice. Make sure you are walking and get enough Water....and if you are still on a pain killer w/codeine, it is constipating. If you don't have symptoms of constipation you likely aren't constipated but do check with your doctor. Laxatives are very addictive (your body just quits going on its own) and should be used very very sparingly.

Renob from what I've read here, if you do go back to liquids for a day or 2 post PB, you recover better. Having never PB'd, I can't speak from experience ! (and I hope I NEVER have one LOL) I'll be interested to see what people say....

Wait and see what happens on Thursday. I don't know how much you weigh but my doc said sometimes its a challenge to find the port because of our weight! (I was asking for a low profile port like the one with the realize band...which I don't have, I have the Lap Band AP) Anyway, the port can flip but it's rare. It's just as likely that the nurse couldn't find it; they are human and can have bad days etc. Of course, your Doc is human too LOL but give him a chance; he's a surgeon! Odds are he'll hit it on the first try and you'll do fine.

Boy you guys must have had some bad seminars! Everything I was told and everything I've read says it takes a bit of work to hit the "sweet spot" where you feel full on less and it lasts a good while but you don't PB everything. I was told to expect AT LEAST 4 fills and maybe 6 or 7 fills and unfills! Also told that the band provided SLOW WL of an average of 1-2 pounds a week and that while bypass patients lose most in the first year to 18 months, we bandsters can lose for 3 years or more! Be nice to yourselves! If your surgeons are dragging their feet on your fills, ask for a little more aggression...but perfection takes time! From what I've read here etc once you hit that zone it is worth the wait.

Are you taking your pain meds? I have to say that I have been SO HAPPY to get the band, I couldn't care less about some pain that will pass. It will be over but I will have the band, and my health, for a long time to come. IMHO better a little pain now, with my band surgery, than open heart surgery later on, or surgery to remove a limb because of diabetes. Not to be harsh, just realistically that could've been MY future. Only you can decide if you want the band. I had my gallbladder out in 2003 and it didn't cause me nearly as much pain as the gallbladder attack did, so maybe I'm biased. But for the chance of a more healthy life? I'd suffer for a few weeks, gladly! I was in pretty bad shape, though...

IM LORI: Hmmm....my doc says most of his patients can eat anything except stringy red meat...and that aint steak! I even know people who eat fajitas. Lori, you might be too tight! :cry_smile: One thing we are told...if you try a food and can't eat it, wait a couple months and try again. Steak MAY be in your future; just make sure you pick a tender cut to start with!

Jaculin412...no the stairs shouldn't cause you any problems at all! The muscles used to climb or descend are mostly in the legs...the little bit of use your torso gets won't bother the band at all!

I would call and schedule a fill. Tell him what you told us. That you are hungry, eating more than is recommended. Tell him you feel no restriction and are doing this on willpower alone. Tell him you wanted the band to work with you and so far that is NOT happening. YOU are the consumer. It's your life, your weight, your health! Advocate for yourself! It's the right thing to do.

Bobbie....please tell your surgeon how down you are! I'm sure he's seen it before and can give you some help! Don't just suffer; life's too short! Be good to yourself.

Why didn't you contact your surgeon? That's what I'd suggest.

I don't know who told you that you can't eat what you want. I think you need some more research. Don't think that people who have the band like life in tiny tight boxes! LOL Actually from what I've read, i expect the band to give me total freedom from ever counting out crackers or measuring green Beans or weighing a steak or Writing about it ad nauseum ! When you are losing you will of course want to choose the most healthy options! That's just logic and has nothing to do with "control" or "rules". Once you've lost sufficient weight, if you pick less "optimum" choices occasionally it won't matter. I'd bet you think about food quite often now. From what I've read, the band kind of frees you up from that. As you lose and get more healthy you will probably need less diabetic medicine. Depending on your type of diabetes and how long you've been diabetic you might be off meds altogether. If you think that is restrictive, I beg to differ! If you are really individualistic then you believe in deciding for yourself. I think you need more research. Find a couple books, do some independent reading, attend another seminar. Ask your surgeon, not "a couple people". As you dig deeper you'll see what I've told you is closer to the truth than what you believe right now. The lap band is a tool, not a cage. It will free me from obesity and having to think about food every waking minute.

Hey, Mr. Green! Way to go breaking the "family tradition"! How smart of you to take care of yourself for your wife and daughter. A great book to read, if you like that kind of research, is "Weight Loss Surgery with the Adjustable Gastric Band" by Robert W. Sewell, Md and Linda Rohrbough. Very informative, and both male and female success stories. Welcome to LBT!

No we don't have to and I'm really glad. The nutritionist in my surgeon's program is a big disappointment. She keeps getting lap band and bypass requirements mixed up, makes sweeping statements like "NEVER HAVE CAFFEINE" then when you ask her why she get befuddled, etc. However if you have a savvy nutritionist who can work WITH your surgeon to optimize your experience, I think that would be a wonderful benefit!

Man I had one chocolate Calcium chew and it almost did me in. That was the biggest chalkiest nastiest thing I've had in a while! I think they tend to lump us bandsters in with bypass patients. We don't have malabsorption issues and my doc told us our hair would fall out some at 3-6 months regardless of what supplements we took because it is caused by trauma and NOT Vitamin deficiency. I say NO don't waste your money. Buy citrical petites for calcium (they are little and you can take them easily) and your favorite chewable vitamin.

I think some places just have better trained nurses. I'm going to nursing school right now (to get my BSN) and we're taught No fake nails, no polish, and no deodorant in the OR.

My doc strongly suggested we use EAS Carb Control AdvantEDGE shakes and so that's what I have. They aren't that good but honestly I've done shakes of one type or another for years and to me NONE of them are good. When I'm hungry I want FOOD not a sweet gicky drink. When I want a shake I want a SHAKE like from sonic or Chick Fil A, not Slim Fast! LOL So I am not a connisseur and would really rather pass on all of them!

I too slept in bed from the first night. I used one extra pillow to help brace my torso and slept on my left side. The next night I slept on my stomach! You might get a little stiff and find it harder than usual to sit up but it is do-able and the stiffness passes quickly if you do have any! I agree with HeatherO...my family fights over our recliner...but if you aren't up for buying one right now, bed is fine! Just get another pillow or one of those long body pillows (whatever sounds good to you) and you'll do great!