MonSoleil98

i can't wait for my 2nd fill ! hopefully it will make a difference ! i can eat bread and tortillas, though i've switched to wheat tortillas and try to stay away from bread as much as i can. but i can eat any kind of meat really as long as i don't take big bites ... i was really expecting to not be able to eat any of this after my surgery, so i will have to adjust again once i get my 2nd fill .... congrats on doing so well, chris ... keep up the good work ... the payoff is getting closer !!!

sunshine ... thanks for all the advice. I think i definitely need a fill cuz I can eat a lot more than a cup and still be hungry in 3 hours ! i just couldn't figure out what is "full" and what is "stuck" !? but after reading what you said about the bites getting smaller, i will definitely have to work on that because right now i can still eat normal bites, i feel like i haven't had the surgery, UNTIL something gets stuck ! lol ... congrats on getting out of bed this morning for the workout !!!!!

Ok, i need help... at least i think i do ?! i don't know that i understand what restriction feels like or what i am feeling so i'm hoping someone can explain it to me. I feel like i can eat just about anything still so i'm sure i need a second fill so i'm going back on the 9th of may... BUT, when i eat, if i don't chew really well i can feel the food stuck, but WHERE is it stuck !?!? is it getting stuck at the band, going in to my old stomach? cuz it feels like it's stuck in my throat ?? and is the pain and the slimey just helping it pass the band? and isn't that missing the point of the band? cuz i feel that awful feeling in my chest like it's stuck so i stop eating thinking that means i'm full, but then in a minute i can literally feel it going down and then i'm still hungry?!? i'm so confused !! i did so much research before getting the band and don't remember anyone explaining this part so i'm sorry in advance for the silliness of it all !! but i keep waiting to feel full and i don't !?!? i'm hungry all the time and haven't lost any weight !? i can eat a normal dinner at a sitting which is so frustrating ! ugh !!!

thanks for the advice! i'll try it, i think i'll just keep walking through the pain and see if it gets better ... i haven't had any real problems since i've been banded so maybe it's just a matter of getting through it .... thanks for all the help !!

yes, i'm walking on a treadmill ... i work a night shift so i usually walk about 2 am at work in the gym there, so i can't really walk outside cuz it's too dark and creepy i have a bow flex at home but don't think i should be doing anything on that yet, AND i have billy blanks boot camp work out (woo hoo!) but i don't know that i should be doing that either ?!?!!?

so should we not be walking or anything ? i feel worse AFTER i walk ... it will just start feeling better and i got walking and then the i feel bad all over again !? it is so frustrating cuz i feel like i should be doing something !?

well i actually didn't lose ANY on my pre-op diet, i think my body was in starvation mode !!! but i was only on the diet for about 5 days and then had the surgery ... and i realize 12 is a lot, especially compared to how i was doing before the surgery, but i just see so much progress in everyone !?!?! i'm trying not to be so envious of everyone and just concentrate but it's hard ... AND to make matters worse, when i walk, my port location really gets sore and it makes me dread walking ... lol ... boy am i whiney today huh !?!?!

ok everyone .. i went yesterday for my 2 week follow up and i've only lost 12 pounds !?!?!? my scale at home said 15 when i woke up but by the time i got to my follow up at 2:00 pm they said i only lost 12 pounds, even though i had only drank some water ... but i read about everyone else losing 20-25 pounds and it makes me think i'm doing something wrong here ?!?!?! i'm freakin' out !!! lol !!

that is what i'm worried about is the sagging skin! So i thought if i could start walking right away it might help, but man it kicked MY butt ! And i was doing the rowing on the bowflex from home before the surgery but i think that would definitely be a bad idea now due to all the stomach muscles used ... i think i'll start walking slower and around the block and maybe that'll help .... thanks for the help !!

Hi everyone ... i have been reading the post everyday but haven't said much other than my initial hello but i have a question now i'm hoping someone can answer since i'm a late january bander .... SOOO ... today is my 2 wk mark and i've been trying to walk on the treadmill while on my lunch break, but when i do, my port location really starts to ache and and then is sore for the rest of the day ?? When did everyone start excercising ? Am i trying to start too early ? Thanks for the input in advance !!

Hello all ... i was banded on jan 29th and have lost 15 pounds so far ... not feeling too badly, just shoulder and port pain but i've read that's pretty normal. I am eating mushy foods and get full pretty easily i think ? all in all it was a really good procedure and I haven't had many problems ... if anyone has any questions ... feel free to e-mail me !! good luck everyone !!!

Marissa, I felt everything you're describing ! I was banded on the 29th of january so tomorrow it will be two weeks and my shoulder still hurts every once in a while. But i feel like I have a bubble in my chest that i just cannot get out ! it drives me crazy ! I wish i could do like my 8 year old and swallow and mouthful of air to make myself burp !! ugh !!!!

I was banded 01/29/07 and was in at 10:00am and out by 1:00pm ... I didn't have too much pain except a lot of burning at the port site and horrible left shoulder pain also. The shoulder pain is probably by biggest complaint right now, especially if i'm working and can't get up to walk around. But I can't sleep much on my left due to the port pain but i'm doing ok with the diet and all ... everyone keep up the good work !!

I was banded jan. 29th so i'm still on my 2 week liquids also but my dr. said i could have creamy soups and protein shakes along with clear liquids ? I have a protein shake every morning for breakfast which helps and gives me some energy and then i have one around 3pm to help get through the evening, along with soups it's not too bad ... I hope it works out for you, i have 2 kids, including a 16 month old that i'm chasing around so i understand where you're coming from !! Good luck !! :clap2:

I want to send a cautionary message to anyone considering the Lap Band surgery with Dr. Bryce at LoneStar LapBand in DFW, TX. I was scheduled to have my life changing surgery on March 27, 2006. Four days before my surgery, I am told that the surgery would cost $6000.00 more than I was told it would, and i don't HAVE an extra $6000.00 under my mattress !!! It dates back to January when Dr. Bryce told me he would combine another surgery I needed so my insurance would pay all hospital fees and I would only be responsible for his $7500.00 fee. He now denies telling me that of course, but where else would I get that dollar amount from if he didn't tell me himself? I never spoke with anyone else at the office about money until this problem came up?? I went to all the appointments they scheduled me for, did everything i was told to do, bought all of their diet shakes, soups and everything needed for after the surgery ... and not once did anyone sit me down and go over money or costs or insurance ... nothing. I had another consultation with Dr. Bryce, which I paid $215.00 for, and he once again told me the same story, that the insurance would pay all hospital associated costs and I would be responsible for the $7500.00. He now states that the hospital must have changed their policy since he last talked to them??? My biggest problem here is the lack of accountability on Dr. Bryce's part. I was told he was a good, compassionate man and that he would do what he could to help me out since I was given the wrong information yet he refuses to do anything but offer a "sorry" via e-mail through his office personnel. And Lisa, his officer manager who has really been stuck in the middle and is a wonderful person, had to e-mail me with the news because Dr. Bryce wouldn't even call me himself. I truly believe what Dr. Bryce has done is morally and ethically wrong and it doesn't seem to bother him at all ? And he has HAD the surgery himself, you would think he would understand the dissapointment at being "shafted" FOUR days before the scheduled surgery. Ok, well now i'm just venting and my point here is .... be careful. Get everything in writing. Don't wait until you've suffered through the liquid diet and spent hundreds of dollars on pre-op visits ... verify everything in advance. Anyway, after countless consultations and nutritionist appointments, hundreds of dollars spent, 10 days on a liquid diet and a lost week of vacation, Dr. Bryce told me that I "had gotten the shaft" but there was nothing he would do to help me. I can't even begin to describe the absolute devastation and dissapointment of getting so close to changing your whole life and have it all taken away so easily.

I want to send a cautionary message to anyone considering the Lap Band surgery with Dr. Bryce at LoneStar Lap Band in DFW, TX. I was scheduled to have my life changing surgery on March 27, 2006. Four days before my surgery, I am told that the surgery would cost $6000.00 more than I was told it would, and i don't HAVE an extra $6000.00 under my mattress !!! It dates back to January when Dr. Bryce told me he would combine another surgery I needed so my insurance would pay all hospital fees and I would only be responsible for his $7500.00 fee. He now denies telling me that of course, but where else would I get that dollar amount from if he didn't tell me himself? I never spoke with anyone else at the office about money until this problem came up?? I went to all the appointments they scheduled me for, did everything i was told to do, bought all of their diet shakes, soups and everything needed for after the surgery ... and not once did anyone sit me down and go over money or costs or insurance ... nothing. I had another consultation with Dr. Bryce, which I paid $215.00 for, and he once again told me the same story, that the insurance would pay all hospital associated costs and I would be responsible for the $7500.00. He now states that the hospital must have changed their policy since he last talked to them??? My biggest problem here is the lack of accountability on Dr. Bryce's part. I was told he was a good, compassionate man and that he would do what he could to help me out since I was given the wrong information yet he refuses to do anything but offer a "sorry" via e-mail through his office personnel. And Lisa, his office manager who has really been stuck in the middle and is a wonderful person, had to e-mail me with the news because Dr. Bryce wouldn't even call me himself. I truly believe what Dr. Bryce has done is morally and ethically wrong and it doesn't seem to bother him at all ? And he has HAD the surgery himself, you would think he would understand the dissapointment at being "shafted" FOUR days before the scheduled surgery. Ok, well now i'm just venting and my point here is .... be careful. Get everything in writing. Don't wait until you've suffered through the liquid diet and spent hundreds of dollars on pre-op visits ... verify everything in advance. Anyway, after countless consultations and nutritionist appointments, hundreds of dollars spent, 10 days on a liquid diet and a lost week of vacation, Dr. Bryce told me that I "had gotten the shaft" but there was nothing he would do to help me. I can't even begin to describe the absolute devastation and dissapointment of getting so close to changing your whole life and have it all taken away so easily.

Susan, No i haven't but i'll look into both of those ! I also heard that Belgium is really cheap and that includes the airfare ... and you get a vacation along with it !! i'll look both of those ! thanks so much !! Kim

Megan, how did you go about getting the process done ? how did you find a doctor there ? I fly for free so that might be easier for me than paying here ? even in belgium ? thanks !!!

I will actually look into getting the surgery somewhere else especially with all the tests i've had done, but I need to come up with another $7500.00 because he had originally said that was all I needed for him .... so that is all i have to wait for at this point is more money, and that might take a while but i am looking and i'm not giving up ... thanks for all your support !!!

I will start looking into it ... but i will need to save up some more money. I had only saved $7500 since that was what i was initially told and that is all i have at this point and at most places here in DFW area, the total cost is $15,000 .... BUT i'm not giving up. I was so ready for the surgery so now I just cannot stop thinking about ways to go about it. Thanks for the support, I really appreciate it !!

Hello all ... I am new, this is my first post ... i'm from dallas area and i am scheduled for my band on march 27 with Dr. Bryce .... i am so excited i can barely contain myself !! i am not having any second thoughts about the actual surgery just nervous about being on a liquid diet for 2 weeks before and 3 after ! and i have a 6 month old at home so i'm a little worried about post-op pain and being able to care for him at home. But other than that ... i'm ready to go !!! Good luck to everyone !!!