sparkplug

I was banded 12/20/08 which was 19 months ago. I am down 90 pds and to goal, off all medications and feel like a teenager again. I am a size 8-10 and loving life. I do still come on this site once a day to keep things fresh in my mind and then go out and live life to it's fullest. I never regretted this decision and would recommend it to anyone wanting a new lease on life. I do not want to ever go back to looking like an old heavy woman again. Life is soooooo gooooodd.

umystifyme, my bariatric dr told me that since i was a few pds under 100 need to lose, to NOT LOSE ANOTHER POUND until surgery. I too have BCBS and they go by your present weight and if, even with co-morbidities, i lose even a pound before surgery, they would not approve me. I really could not lose a pd before the band and am grateful for the guidance of my dr in vegas. Good luck and keep the faith, everybody has a different outlook on things.

The only snide remarks and put downs are from co-workers who have gotten lazy and fat and cannot accept that I did something about my weight. My husband has been the main support for me from day of surgery and he is assured everyday that I only did this for better health and long life to better take care of him. My husband is so proud of me that he brags to everybody that will listen how great I look and wonderful I am. Gotta love him still after 31 years together!!!

I read about papaya enzyme pills many many months ago on this website and they have been a life saver for me. I got stuck many times eating out and it is very embarrassing as well as scary to get stuck out in public, I got up went to ladies room chewed about 3 of these pills and took a brief walk and within 10 minutes the food had passed and I was ready to go home. I strongly recommend them as an alternative to pb'ing everytime you get stuck. Much safer and easier and I believe less wear and tear on the band. They are usually cheap about $5.00 for 100 pills, which I do not use on a regular basis so they last a long time. I Keep some home, at work and in my purse.

I went into a severe depression when banded on 12/20/08 and mourned my best friend "food" for the first month, UNTIL the weight started dropping off. I fought with the insurance company and got approval after the 3rd try and when the weight started to come off, even with plateaus in between, I could not be happier and never regretted the surgery. You too will change your thoughts to happiness when you see your body getting smaller and the compliments start flying your way, good luck and keep focused.

I was banded 12/20/08 and have lost 90 pounds with NO FILLS. I cannot explain it and I am one of a few people from Dr. Atkinson's office in Las Vegas that have reached goal with no fills. I am off all meds and living life to the fullest, being at a weight that I only dreamed of getting back to a size 8-10. I am told that maybe down the road if I ever felt the need I could have a fill, but am not going to have one because everybody else says you have to have one because you have the band. We are the chosen few that have not needed a fill and the Dr. says this is okay. Enjoy your new body and only worry about things that need fixing and leave the good stuff alone.:Dancing_biggrin:

I was banded on 12/20/08 and am at goal with 88 pounds lost. I went from a size 22 to 8 and I have had no fills and at this point do not feel I need one. It is true that everybody has a different opinion on this and mine was that if I was not real hungry each time I went to Dr. then that was another appointment that I was not going to get filled. Dr. Atkinson in Las Vegas did my surgery and there are quite a few of us with no fills and losing over 100 pds. I can't explain it but this band has been a life saver and without it this would not have been possible. I believe each person is different and you need to learn to listen to your body and do what you need and want to do individually.:smile:

I came from NY 6 years ago with my husband and had my lap band done by Dr. ATkinson and Dr. Soong in Las vegas. I cannot say enough good about them and their office. I am at goal with 87 pds lost as of today and have had no problems or any fills. I am one of the few that never needed a fill and love my band. They are wonderful and knowledgeable people with a terrific staff and you will be very happy with them. Hope you have good luck with them and enjoy Las Vegas.:thumbup:

Colorado, again thank you for your thoughts and I agree with you 100%. People who think they know it all and tell me that if I don't get a fill that the band is not going to work are very ignorant in how everybody's body is different. Yes, I mean ignorant, you have blinders on to think that everybody goes through this banding the same way. Just as everybody loses weight differently, people's bodies respond differently to the band. Yes I never had a fill and do not need one even at goal, I am sorry that you have to have your band so tight to control your eating. I do not need the band that tight to learn new eating habits and "eat to live" and not "live to eat". I have no apology for you Elfie Poo, you go on ranting about how if it is not done your way, it is wrong. My Dr in Las Vegas is one of the top 5% surgeons that specialize in this and if he says that there is a small percentage that never need a fill, than he KNOWS it is true. If you think I spent $31,000.00 to have somebody on this website tell me what is right or wrong in how I work the band, than you are sadly mistaken. I go by what my Dr says and that is what has got me to goal? Are you to goal? Well, I am!!! Thank you Dr. Atkinson and your staff for your intelligence, patience and skill in getting me my band and saving my life.:thumbup:

Thank you Colorado, I am so glad that I am totally not from another planet. I have only read from a very few people who have never had a fill and got to goal and stayed there. My Dr said it is possible and he sees it in a very small percentage of people.They usually are very strong willed people. I feel great, look great, and I am determined to not have to get a fill unless like most of you said, things change down the road and i somehow get back into my old habits and start to change my new and good habits into those ugly demons. I love my band and would never trade it for anything and I personally have talked to a woman in town that gets fills with somebody else because it is "the thing to do". Last week she got dehydrated because she could not even drink Water. I use my own mind and body to tell me what is right or wrong and what is comfortable. To me being so tight that I cannot drink water (while living in the desert of Arizona) is not how I want this journey to go.:confused: I see so many success stories on here and I too am one in my own right.

I was banded 12/20/08 and with having lost 86 pounds am at goal. I would like to lose another 5 pds for me and the extra space it gives me in case I splurge once in a while and the scale goes up a pound. I do not want a total panic attack everytime I get on the scale and gain a pound overnight. The thing is I have never had a fill from day one and still do not have any fill. I do have restriction to a certain degree and have totally changed my eating habits and exercise on a daily schedule even if it is only walking. I still get stuck if I eat too fast and cannot do bread of any kind, I totally keep away from sugar and keep my portions to a minimum. I know I am one of a small percentage with no fills, but I guess it works for me and I am really tired of people saying why get the band if you are not going to fill it up and pb all the time. I love my band and I will never get it removed unless something drastic goes wrong with it. Thank you for letting me vent and I truly believe the band is a life saver for so many people but it so different for each and every one of us.

Elfie, I am at goal, was banded 12/20/08 and am down 84 pounds, would like to lose 5-10 more before maintaining. I never was or intend to be in any exercise regime, I do walk whenever possible and do yard work every weekend. I have never had a fill and still have the same restriction that I had since surgery. I love my band and it has saved my life, I am off all meds and love life to the fullest. EVerybody is different and I will not diet, I have changed my whole life around to adjust to the band and the way you should eat, hope you all the luck in the world. You can do it too!

I was born and raised in utica, NY and lived for 30 yrs in Syracuse NY before my husband and i moving to Arizona. When I left 5 yrs ago, they only surgery around Syracuse was for bariatric surgery and I was told at that time that I would have to go to NYC to have the band, so I did not do it at that time. I got my band in Las Vegas, Dr. Atkinson and love it, now I am almost to goal 80 pd and 10 more to go.

I am going through the dizziness myself. I lost 70 pounds since being banded 12/20/08 and am told it is not because of the weight loss but something to do with the inner ear. I am on motion sickness pills until this goes aways, which the Dr. said it would eventually leave as fast as it came.

Hi Donna and Ali, you are in for a wonderful ride of your lifetime. I was 55 at time of surgery 12/20/08 and am down 55 pds so far. People treat you so different when you become a normal size again!! I am originally from NY and moved to AZ with husband 5 yrs ago. Love weather here but miss my people from NY. Good luck on your adventure and believe me you will never regret this.

Fluffy RN, my husband are orginally from Syracuse NY, let me know if there are people there banded that correspond through e-mail. I would love to talk to people from my home state, We live in AZ now and it is just not the same as NY. I was banded 12/20/08

want to be thin, I lived my whole life in Syracuse New York and they did not have any dr doing lap band in any place other than NYC 5 years ago? I moved to AZ and got banded 12/20/08 and am down 55 pds, good luck and let me know how you do?

ema607 I am sorry the lap band did not work out for you. I am originally from Syracuse,New York and we now live in Kingman, Arizona. I had surgery on 12/20/08 and am down 54 pounds. I seem to be stuck here for a couple of weeks but this happened a month ago and then started to go down again after a few weeks. I don't know what else to say but I too could eat more if i forced it, but I get to a point of getting the hiccups when full and have to stop eating. I have not had one single fill but seem to have very good restriction for some reason.

I am originally from Syracuse, New York, now live in Arizona, was banded 12/20/08

do you ever have meetings in laughlin, Nevada? I live 20 minutes from there and would love to meet other people going through this banded journey. Had band in 12/20/09 and am down 50 pounds

i live in golden valley and had been banded on 12/20/08.

I had lap band surgery a week ago yesterday, 12/20/08 and would like to know when I can have some real food like eggs, instead of just water and sugar free pudding?