LisaMc

130 grams seems like a lot to me. My dietician said no more than 50 per day, or 15 per meal. That is more than double.

You are my hero! The way you described your life now is exactly what I am hoping for. It is exactly the reason why I chose the band over other treatments. I NEVER thought of the band as a cure all. I just want it to do something. I want to know that I have a band, that it is in there, and it is doing what it is supposed to do (i.e. help me feel full sooner than I would have without it.) That is not happening now. What is "bandster hell" anyway. I need to know because I think I might be in it! LOL

"When I make the changes and I'm still FAT, what the hell am I suppose to do then?" LOL I'm right there with you! I guess that is the million dollar question isn't it. I see successes with the band. That keeps me going. I think this whole procedure is just screaming for a book to be written about what really happens. As it becomes more popular, someone is going to pull the trigger and make a million bucks. Would I have had this surgery if I had known that I would have to go back to WW to lose weight? No. This was a last chance option for me. I have tried and failed on all of the diets ten times each. I knew that I had a decent diet--I don't eat fast food, I don't eat out much, I don't drink cokes, I don't drink alcohol, I like all fruits and veggies. I just ate WAY too much. In my mind, I thought the band would be perfect for me. My dietician told me that I was the perfect candidate because portion control was my biggest problem. So, what do I do? I can't stay on an 800 cal/day diet with no restriction. It isn't going to happen. The hunger thing is a deal breaker. I went 3 weeks being so hungry that I couldn't sit through church because my stomach was growling so badly. I woke up at 2:00 a.m. STARVING. I was extremely irritable, had a throbbing headache and a bad case of "what have I done to myself?" I realized on my last fill that it is really a crap shot. She told me that they only fill 1 cc at a time. That was the rule. Well, starting at 0 cc's in a 10 cc band, it could take a while at fills every 14 days. She put in 1 cc. I asked "do you think that is going to be enough?" I didn't know. I was seriously asking a question. She said, "Okay, you talked me into it. I will give you another cc." So I doubled the amount of saline my just asking a simple question. I would like to think there is some clinical reason for the slow rate of fills. I have this nagging thought that it is more about insurance and copays. Every time I step foot into that office for a fill, my insurance pays $712, and I pay $30. Wouldn't it make sense to drag it out half a cc at a time if you were the clinic?

130 mg or 130 grams? Big difference.

If I understand this right, and I think I do, most of us are missing the root issue here. He is being asked to adhere to a diet that is adequate for someone who has the proper fill/restriction. He is being asked to do this with NO RESTRICTION AT ALL. This is my gripe. I would have lost weight WITHOUT A BAND if I ate 800 cals 2 Tbl at a time sticking to a diet that was high protein, low fat, low carb. Anyone would. I understand that the stomach needs to heal. I get that. I doubt he even has a "pouch." This band without any fill in it, is equivalent to never having been banded in my experience. Someone else mentioned that it doesn't make sense to have a one size fits all diet. It doesn't make sense to me either. Good luck! I feel your pain. I really do. I am going in for my 3rd fill on Thursday. I still dont' even know that I have the band at all.

Pissed off? Yep, I can sympathize with that emotion! I feel that I can accept almost anything if it is explained to me, and I can see the reason for it. This entire surgery escapade has been riddled with "no information given." When I look back over the last 6 weeks, it seems like 6 months. 1. I have been deathly sick...."we didn't tell you that could happen?" NO. 2. I have been so hungry that I had to leave a church service because my stomach was growling so badly....."we didn't tell you that you would be hungry?" NO NO NO 3. I am now on my 3rd fill. I have ZERO restriction...."we didn't tell you that it could take up to a year to get the proper restriction?" HELL NO! 4. Why didn't I lose any weight again?" "Because your food journal shows that you have been eating cream of chicken soup. Why?" I hate cream of chicken soup, but I ate it everyday because that is what my information sheet said to do. When I showed them that, they couldn't imagine why that incorrect information was still in circulation. 5. When I asked how in the heck I am supposed to lose weight with zero restriction, they said "alot of our patients go on Weight Watchers." What???????? Why on earth would I have gone through all of this just to go on WW? I asked the right questions. I seriously did. I just feel like I got sold a bill of goods on this one. The only thing that keeps me going is seeing people that have had the LAP-BAND® and lost 70 pounds or more. If I can do that, I will at least feel like it hasn't been a total waste no matter how crazy the road there is.

Pissed off? Yep, I can sympathize with that emotion! I feel that I can accept almost anything if it is explained to me, and I can see the reason for it. This entire surgery escapade has been riddled with "no information given." When I look back over the last 6 weeks, it seems like 6 months. 1. I have been deathly sick...."we didn't tell you that could happen?" NO. 2. I have been so hungry that I had to leave a church service because my stomach was growling so badly....."we didn't tell you that you would be hungry?" NO NO NO 3. I am now on my 3rd fill. I have ZERO restriction...."we didn't tell you that it could take up to a year to get the proper restriction?" HELL NO! 4. Why didn't I lose any weight again?" "Because your food journal shows that you have been eating cream of chicken Soup. Why?" I hate cream of chicken soup, but I ate it everyday because that is what my information sheet said to do. When I showed them that, they couldn't imagine why that incorrect information was still in circulation. 5. When I asked how in the heck I am supposed to lose weight with zero restriction, they said "alot of our patients go on Weight Watchers." What???????? Why on earth would I have gone through all of this just to go on WW? I asked the right questions. I seriously did. I just feel like I got sold a bill of goods on this one. The only thing that keeps me going is seeing people that have had the lap band and lost 70 pounds or more. If I can do that, I will at least feel like it hasn't been a total waste no matter how crazy the road there is.

I had 3.5 cc's in my band on the date of surgery (8/28/09). I got REALLY sick, and they took all of the saline out of the band. I felt much better immediately. Over the next 2 weeks, I was SUPER hungry. Two weeks after surgery, they put 1.5 cc back in the band. I had zero restriction. After 3 more weeks, they put 1.0 cc more for a total of 2.5 cc's. I am still experiencing zero restriction. I have 2 more appts scheduled in the next 4 weeks. My surgeon will do fills every 2-4 weeks. My experience has been they will do 1.0 cc at a time. How many cc's did it take for you to get the optimal restriction you wanted? I am really curious to know when I am going to feel like I have a band at all.

I don't get it either!! If you only knew how many times I have asked myself this question in the last month! LOL I feel like I'm at a disadvantage. I had my surgery through one of the biggest, national clinics. Their after care leaves a TON to be desired. There is so little info available at any stage of the game. I had my first fill 2 weeks ago. I went from 0 to 1.5 ccs. I would have told anyone that I felt like I had never gotten a band. There was ZERO restriction. I went in on Wednesday for the second fill. It went from 1.5 cc to 2.5 cc. Now I have the tiniest bit of restriction. I mean very, very little restriction. One of the things the nurse mentioned was that I could get another fill in 2-4 weeks. I confirmed that she said 2 weeks. So, I guess I will go in 2 more weeks and get another one. I am sure there is some clinical reason for the slow fill rate; however, I would venture to guess that it also has a lot to do with $$. Every time they do a fill on me, they make about $330. It doesn't matter if it is .25cc or 5 cc. It is still $330. I'm frustrated, and I am not losing any weight either. Fun times!

The trick for me has always been to find a Protein shake that had a taste I could tolerate that also had low carbs. There were several that I tried that I liked, but they were loaded with carbs. My surgeon said to find one that had at least 40 grams of protein per serving and less than 10 grams of carbs. I had no idea how hard that was going to be! I settled on the smoothie King Gladiator powder at 49g of protein and 3g of carb per serving. It is VERY good compared to some of the others. Taste is completely subjective...what I hated, others love! That's what makes the world go round! LOL

Hi CA, I am in a suburb of Houston, TX. Smoothie King is quite popular here. I have tried LOTS of Protein shakes. By far the Gladiator powder at Smoothie King was the very best. There really isn't a close second place in my opinion.

I am about a week ahead of you, and I doubt there is anything you have done or felt that I haven't. Like you, my road to get to the actual surgery was LONG, about 8 months. By the time I actually got the insurance approval, I was 100% on board. Well, I just didn't anticipate the problems I have had. Now I am almost 3 weeks into the band. I have been extremely sick for the first week. They took all the Fluid out of the band and put me on another week of Clear liquids. I felt better right away, but I had to stay on another week of clear liquids anyway. Yesterday, I spent FOUR hours at the surgeons office trying to get them to put the fluid back in that they had taken out 2 weeks prior. They finally agreed. they put back half of what they took out and put me back on clear liquids. I have 1.5 cc in a 10 cc band. It does ZERO to prevent hunger. ZERO. From what they told me, I continue on with this liquid diet for 2 more weeks and they will decide how much more fluid to put in the band. I am just mentally fried. I am constantly starving. I had to leave church on Sunday because my stomach was growling so bad that people were starting to look around. I have not cheated on the diet; however, it leaves me to wonder "why did I have to have surgery to live on liquids and starve?" I am desperately trying to not make any decisions or form in lasting opinions at this point. I have lost 35 pounds! It doesn't really make me feel better though. Something about being hungry round the clock that clouds your judgement! LOL I just have a hard time believing that it is supposed to be this hard. I feel for you. I really do. I hope you get some great advice...because I am going to use it too!

I can't figure out how to make the ticker automatically display each time I post. Any ideas???? Thanks!

I am trying to figure out how to make the ticker automatically post each time I do. I am looking for something like a signature to insert the code. Does anyone know how to point me in the right direction?

I have tried quite a few in the last 6 weeks. I can honestly say that I thought most of them were pretty terrible. Even if I could get through the shake, I could not imagine doing it every day forever!! My surgeon suggested Gladiator powder from smoothie King. It has 49 grams of protein in 2 scoops, 2 grams of carbs, and 200 calories. I like the chocolate. It is not bad at all. In fact, I think it is very good especially when compared to some of the others I have tried: Muscle Milk - NO!!! The worst was vanilla GNC - Max Protein - The chocolate wasn't too bad, I didn't like the vanilla EAS @ GNC - the worker said it was the best tasting stuff in the store. I took it back under the 30 day money back guarantee. It was think and YUCK. Try Gladiator. It was 34.99 for 2.5 pounds, and they give you a free smoothie with purchase. That is about a $5 value. You can also get 20% off with the VIP card on the first Tuesday of the month. Best of all, you can go into Smoothie King and try a Gladiator smoothie to see if you can handle it. Good luck!

Ugh! I thought it would add the ticker to the first post. What am I doing wrong? thanks! Lisa

You guys are awesome! Thanks for the input! I haven't made a decision on a doctor yet. I am in the process of finding open seminars for the ones I am interested in. I worked in the Texas Medical Center for 10 years, and I absolutely HATE to drive down there anymore. Guess I burned myself out on the traffic forever! Journeylite would be more convenient for me, but I do like the pluses of being in the Methodist system. I watched the whole series of "Big Medicine." While the docs appear very qualified, I have read so much on the internet about being rushed through their processes. The dealbreaker for me would be an office staff that wasn't helpful. They are the people you deal with 90% of the time in my opinion. Lastly, I have downloaded the 30 pages of criteria from my insurance company's website. After reading it all, I decided I would be much better off picking a surgeon and letting his staff muddle through the maze of paperwork and requirements. They do it everyday, and they can do a better job than me for sure! Again, thank to all of you for your input and insight into the process! Lisa

Hi Everyone! This is my very first post! I am in the very initial stages of getting everything together for lap band surgery. I have been on the phone with my insurer twice today discussing critieria, approved surgeons, coverage, etc. Here are the doctors that I can use. If any of you have any insight into any of them, good or bad, I would love to know your thoughts! – Harvinderpal Singh, MD – Ata Ahmad, MD – Bradley Waggoner, MD – Carlos Ferrari, MD – Syeyam Kodali, MD – Erik Wilson, MD – Terry Scarborough, MD – Sherman Yu, MD – Hadar Spivak, MD – Robert Davis, MD – Patrick R Reardon, MD – Garth P Davis, MD – Richard Wilkenfeld, MD – Richard Collier, MD – Felix Spiegel, MD