Juliana

Welcome aboard!! I'm still new on here too. There is a lot of good information on here. Congratulations on your band and your weight loss! I'm a couple of months post op and still learning everyday... :whatchutalkingabout You won't regret it. I would do it again in a heartbeat!!! Talk to ya later

Yes, I had not heard good things of Dr. Facundus either. Me and a friend from work went to a seminar given by Dr. Mailapur and we really liked him. We are both nurses, and my friend knows nurses that take care of his patients and all the nurses love him and told us he is a perfectionist. This is a good quality in a surgeon, so we chose him . My friend chose to have the bypass and is doing great. Dr. Mailapur is very honest, and he does prefer that most people get the bypass, but he does do bands. He told me how disciplined i would have to be to do well with the band. He told me that he thought the bypass would have been better for me. I told him i appreciated his honesty, but i did not have peace about the bypass and i wanted the band. He was very nice and said he would do whatever i wanted. He just wanted me to know how difficult it can be. He also doesn't do the first fill until 12 weeks after surgery. I'm not sure of his reasons, but i trust him. I get my first fill next week!! woo hoo!! I'm working hard, and eating healthy and i hit the 50 pound mark saturday. 15 pounds of that was lost in my 2 week preop diet, but i'm proud of my weight loss especially since i haven't been filled yet. Anyway, yes, Dr. Mailapur's support group meets the first Thursday of every month.The next one will be september 4th at 6 pm. They are held in the wellness center at the medical mall at the corner of governors drive and the parkway in HSV. I guess most of his banders don't go because it is all bypass patients in there. Like i said, i am always the only bander! But i still go because i need the support. The nutritionist that leads the class is also who i have started using to help me and to go over my diet journal. It would be great if you went!!! Let me know if you need more details and i will keep you updated and remind you.

Hey!! Nice to meet you :wink2: yes, Dr. Mailapur is so sweet and he really is an excellent surgeon! How long have you had your band? I go to a support group once per month, but i'm the only bander in there. Everyone else is bypass patients, so it's hard for me to get good advice. Even though we follow pretty much the same diet, it is two different things. Thanks for responding! Talk to you soon

Hi! I'm from the south also and i make myself decaffeinated tea and sweeten with splenda! I love it!!! As far as carbonation: i was told by the surgeon that the carbonated drinks can stretch your pouch above the band, causing you to eat more, and making you more hungry. I was told to NEVER drink them again. I gave up diet drinks and i miss them, but i try not to think about them. The nutritionist told me that a glass of tea with caffeine every now and then would not hurt me as long as it was not on a regular basis. Caffeine can make you retain fluid. Well, good luck to you! I hope that information helped :tt2:

congratulations! I am 2 months out and feeling great!!! I too work in a hospital, but not a lot of banders where i am from. I go to a support group meeting once per month, but they are all bypass patients. I am the only bander, but i'm making it Good luck to you!!

Hey Lisa!! I just joined here a couple of weeks ago. Congratulations on getting your surgery date!!! I was banded June 2, 2008 and i would do it again in a heartbeat! I did something great for myself. I'm learning to eat healthy and i'm already off of my diabetes med and my blood pressure med!!! I really feel better already and i still have a LONG way to go! Keep me updated with everything and feel free to email me. Good luck!!

Welcome to Alabama!! I live a few hours from Mobile, so i don't have any advice on a doctor, but just wanted to say hi :cry_smile: Good Luck

Hi!! Congratulations on your weight loss!!! I wish i had some good advice for you, but unfortunately, i have the same questions as you. I was banded on Jun 2, and i don't get my first fill until august 19th. My surgeon doesn't fill anyone until 12 weeks post op. So, i have a lot of hunger, but i'm so afraid of overeating, that i don't eat much, but stay hungry. I keep a diet diary, and most days i get about 500-600 calories in. I don't know if this is too much or not enough. I still have trouble getting all my fluids in. I feel like i'm sipping all day, but still don't quite get to 64oz. Well, nice to meet you and maybe we will get some answers :thumbup: Talk to you soon

You will spending less money on food, so the money you spend on your protein powders or protein drinks will probably even itself out. I eat 1-2 oz of fish or chicken twice daily. I am 2 months post op and i still drink at least one protein drink per day. I use Body Fortress 100% whey protein powder chocolate flavor (i buy in a big bulk bottle at Wal mart) and i mix it in the blender with "Hood" calorie countdown chocolate milk. This is a low calorie, low fat, low carb chocolate milk that taste excellent!!! Only 5 grams of carbs, and 90 calories per 8 oz. I also find this at Wal Mart. There is also a website called, "netrition.com". They have all kinds of protein shakes, some mixed already, some you mix yourself. Good luck to you!!! You will find what works for you!!:thumbup:

Hi everybody! I just joined and wanted to say hello. I'm a nurse in alabama and just started my long journey to get healthy. I received my lap band on June 2nd, 2008 in Huntsville, Al by Dr. Ravindra Mailapur. He is an excellent surgeon and i went home the same day. I have BCBS ins, and it covered my surgery. In the past, it was not covered. I have lost 42 pounds total. 15 pounds of that was lost in the 2 weeks before surgery on the preop diet. I already feel so much better. I am having a lot of hunger at this point. I get my first "fill" on August 19. I am so ready because I am HUNGRY!! This surgeon doesn't tighten the band until 12 weeks post op. I am really focusing on my portion control, but i eat a little something every 3 hours because of the hunger. I am eating high Protein, low carb, low fat. I hope the hunger will lessen after i get my first fill. I'm just so ready to get healthy and feel good again. Thanks for reading!

Hey! Thanks for responding! Good luck with everything!!! It will be worth it! Keep me updated