JWL08

Has anyone used Dr. Ian Soriano for weight loss surgery other than the band? I had my band done by Dr. Patel in 2009 and lost about 100 pounds. I felt amazing and was living the healthy life I wanted. Then we were blessed with another child! Around the same time Dr. Patel left the practice so I switched to Dr. Soriano. (I like him much better). Anyway, post baby #2 my band is just not working right. We've made adjustments several times and even when it is at my old "sweet spot" number I am not losing. It is now 9 months post baby and my ass is still the size of Texas. I am considering bypass or the sleeve but don't know if I qualify. I currently weigh 205 and am 5'6" tall. It sounds crazy but now that I know how much more full my life is at a healthier weight I can't imagine continuing in the unhealthy body I currently have. SO sad and looking for guidance.

I am considering a revision from the band to bypass. I know little about the process, and bypass in general. I don't know if my insurance will cover it, and right now I am in that awful catch 22 of weighing too little for surgery but too much to have a healthy lifestyle, so there are a lot of ifs there. Assuming all the planets align though, what questions did you have for your doctor? My family is pretty much convinced bypass means I am going to die, so I'd like to calm their fears. Thanks!

I apologize in advance for the long run down of how I've gotten to my current predicament. Please bear with me... I had a successful lap band experience in 2009 and lost 100 pounds, reaching my goal weight of 150 pounds. I ran 5 times a week, did kickboxing, ran a fitness club for kids, and was back to my college- like self. I am one of those sick people who love working out, so I was in heaven! Most importantly, I was living the active lifestyle I had missed for so long. My husband and I decided to try for baby #2, had unexplained infertility for over a year, then were overjoyed to hear we were expecting twins. My ovaries were on the brink of rupturing, so I was restricted from any physical activity of any kind; doctors feared I would lose the babies if they did. As a precaution my band doctor did a complete unfill and things were looking great. Sadly, three months in we lost one of the twins. After that I had additional complications with the remainder of the pregnancy- my pelvis separated months before it is supposed to, making walking impossible, so I was on bed rest for the final 3.5 months. It was all worth it though when our beautiful baby was placed in our arms! So blessed Following the pregnancy, I had another hiccup... my bladder is prolapsed and needs surgery, so when I walk I feel like I am losing my insides. Exercise is impossible and I hate it. Fun times. As for my band, I went for refills, took a couple tries to get it right, and even at my "sweet spot" number from before, the restriction didn't feel quite the same. Pressing on though, things were ok. Then that horrible 5 day stomach bug hit our household, violent vomiting and all, and I think the band slipped. I can only keep down mashed potatoes and simple Soup, rely on acid reflux meds 2X per day, and am miserable. Because of all the sick time I had to use for my kids and I being sick, I couldn't afford more time off to go to the band doctor. I've had to wait months. So stupid, I know, but in this economy, I can't risk losing my job. Since losing the initial baby Fluid, I've lost another 30 lbs of the excess weight I gained through restricted physical activity and bed rest, but clearly not in a healthy way since I can't seem to keep much down. I still have a ways to go. I called my band doc and he isn't available on my upcoming days off, so his partner is going to a complete unfill on Friday. I'm grateful his partner is willing to see me. Here's where I'm nervous... my doctor said another surgery may be a good option, either the sleeve or bypass. I know minimal about each. I currently weigh 202 fully dressed and am 5' 5.5" tall, making my BMI 33.1. As such, my doctor said my insurance will likely not cover it with me being under a BMI of 35 and having no other issues like high blood pressure, cholesterol, diabetes, etc. He said he can try since I am having problems, plus draining the band might cause me to regain weight making me eligible again. The thought of gaining more weight makes me cry. I called the insurance company directly and they said it'd be covered if my doctor deemed it "medically necessary" and if it was coded in a way the insurance company agreed with. There are a lot of "ifs" there. So essentially I am having a complete unfill with no clue as to whether or not I am able to have a corrective surgery. Doesn't that mean my doc would also not want to refill the band if surgery isn't an option? As it is, I have to wait until summer for an appointment with my doctor, then the surgery (if applicable) since I can't take any time off of work. I imagine there will be pre-op testing and all of that, and I also heard some people needed to wait months between band to bypass surgery because of damage... I'll be back to work by thn and back in the same boat, all the while gaining weight! If I get drained on Friday, do you think it will give time to heal any possible scar tissue between now and June? Those that switched from band to bypass, did you have lots of pre-op testing, or none? SO sorry for the long winded story... it's been a bumpy road

Soccer Momma73, do you mind if I ask what insurance you have?

For those of you that had revisions, did your insurance cover it? I did very well with my band (lost 100 lbs and was at my goal weight) then got pregnant. As we refilled post pregnancy, it took lots of tries to get it right, and although I lost some weight, it didn't seem the same. Then I got a REALLY BAD flu bug, violent vomiting and all. Called the doc when I couldn't keep anything but broth down (waited waaaay too long to call) and he said it likely slipped. So now I have to have a complete unfill on Friday without knowing for sure if Personal Choice will cover a revision and change to the sleeve or bypass. When I called my insurance company, they said it'd be based upon my doctor deeming it medically necessary, and dependent upon the "coding" as to whether or not it'd be covered. Did anyone get denied for revision? I don't have $25,000 for self pay... not even close. Thanks for the feedback. I can't imagine living in this body after living in a healthy one.

I had a horrible stomach bug that caused violent vomiting, and things haven't been right since... pretty sure the band slipped and since I delayed going in it is worse. Doc thinks another surgery would work, so I am just checking to see anyone else's experience. Can't even keep fluids down, so clearly portions isn't the issue. How is it that an assumption of poor eating choices came into the equation? I know how to use the band for the tool it is. As previously stated, I lost 100 pounds before having my second son.

Yes, I have hypothyroidism and have the band and just gave birth to a beautiful baby boy. I did experience a year of unexplained infertility and worked with a fertility specialist this time around, but it was well worth it!

I had my surgery and lost about 100 pounds. I was 150 lbs and 5'6" on a muscular frame. I was healthy, very active and happier than I have ever been in my life. Most importantly, I had the energy to be the type of wife and mother I wanted to be Now that we have had our second child I am having difficulty losing any weight. My story goes like this...After a year of trying to conceive, I became pregnant with twins. It was a high risk pregnancy, so I was not allowed to exercise AT ALL. When I asked the doctor if I could at least walk on the treadmill, he said "not even a gentle stroll". Then I went to my lap band doctor and wanted to have a partial unfill since I was carrying twins. He insisted on a complete unfill, which was REALLY difficult considering I was forbidden to exercise. I then lost one of the babies and was devastated. At around 28 weeks I was put on bed rest for the duration of my pregnancy. In case you haven't figured it out, the exercise restriction, unfill, and bedrest were a trifecta to rapid weight gain and I packed on almost all of what I lost to begin with To compound the issue, I fell down the stairs 2 days before going into labor and broke my foot, resulting in 8 more weeks of no working out! I have since had a beautiful baby boy! I am now 5 weeks post partum and have lost 25 pounds. Quite frankly, that is just baby weight and has nothing to do with my partial re-fill. I've had two fills and am up to 5 ccs right now. Prior to getting pregnant my sweet spot was at 5.5 ccs. As of right now I have no restriction though and have lost NO weight with the fills thus far. I go back next week for another fill, but since I haven't lost weight I am worried that there will still be fatty tissue built up around my stomach and will prevent the level of fill I need. I am trying to not be so hard on myself, but I need to lose this weight fast. I go back to work at the end of August and cannot afford a whole new wardrobe because I can't workout and lose the weight in time. I really need a good fill to help balance this out!

I had my surgery in April of '09 and have gotten down to 149 pounds (which according to my doctor, because of my frame and muscle mass, 150 was supposed to be rock bottom). Anyway, my husband and I had no problem conceiving our first child (he was quite a surprise actually!) yet we've been trying since September for our second with no such luck yet. I'm trying to be patient, but don't want our kids too far apart in age either, you know? We've been tracking ovulation and while I have an atypical cycle (25 days with an 11 or 12 day luteal phase) I didn't think we would have any problems. I won't know for certain until Monday, but I have a feeling this month won't be it either. So long story short, how many people have had difficulty conceiving a second child after surgery? Is it the weight loss? Cycle change? I just turned 30 so I doubt it is age. Thanks for your input!

I am in the process of "working my way up" to P90X. I currently do an advanced Tae Bo tape 3 days a week and the treadmill 2x per week. My question is, does anyone have decent long term experience with P90 X? I have a naturally higher muscle mass (according to my docs) than the average woman, so I don't want to bulk up...yuck! I still need to lose more weight, and wonder if I should focus on losing more weight first. In short, is it any good for real weight LOSS, or just extreme toning? Thanks!

I have alway been in love with my Tae Bo tapes. No matter how good you get at them you can always push yourself harder by going faster, kicking higher, punching harder, etc. By the end you are absolutely drenched in sweat and feel like you rung out your soul in your living room. :smile2: I'm one of those people that if I don't feel completely spent at the end of a workout, it feels like a waste of time. I have a baby at home, teach full time, have recently started my own business, and have a hubby that works until after 8 each night, so every single workout has to maximize what little time I have. Tae Bo never fails me in that area. One note though... do more stretching than is offered on the tape before and after. I don't think Billy does enough. Enjoy!!!!

I just got a fill on Wednesday and have been really excited about the amount of restriction I get. I cannot possibly fit a portion the size of a Lean Cuisine and am already seeing the scale start to move. However, I cannot seem to eat ANY kind of bread because it is just way too much bulk... until tonight, that is. I tried something new called "Arnold's Sandwich Thins" and they are PERFECT. They are 100 calories for one top + bottom, but that's still too large of a portion for me. Instead I just take the top and cut it in half. They come in all different types, and if you are a die hard white bread eater, it comes in whole grain white. Enjoy!

The beer was heavenly... went well with my favorite football team's victory

HANG IN THERE!!! I was in the exact same boat until this week, actually. My doctor only does one fill per month and I've only had 2 fills prior to this week (even though I was banded April 9th). I thought 7 cc's must be enough and I was failing at this. I had no restriction and I clung to my measuring cups for dear life to ensure my own accountability. To make me feel worse when I talked to the doctor about being able to eat full sized meals and my concern with that, hsi response was that it was OK to have full sized portions, as long as I was going a long time in between meals. I felt like saying, no offense doc, but I already did the Lean cuisine sized meals for years and it didn't work for me. I got this operation to change that. I decided not to be hung up on the number of cc's in my band and what others deem "a little" or "a lot" and scheduled another fill. Now I am at 8.5 cc's and although it has only been 2 days, I feel a MAJOR difference. I am already down 4 pounds in 2 days. My best advice would to be to keep going--- things will get better. Good luck!

Ugh.... I am a total beer gal and actually wondered if I could deal with the surgery because my doctor is SUPER strict about carbonation. I caved this weekend and had one beer. It took forever for me to drink and I got lots of burping (classy, right?) hahaha. It is the only carbonation I've had since my surgery in April. My doc is so strict he says I can never use a straw bc it carbnonates everything. Bummer :scared2:

Has anyone had their surgery through Jeannes Hospital in Philadelphia or know anything about Dr. Patel? Good, bad or otherwise-- let me know!

I had a long addiction with Coca Cola, and kicked the habit cold turkey- woo hoo! In place of the soda I was drinking Crystal Light Iced Tea with a straw prior to surgery bc without a straw it stains your teeth. Post op I haven't been able to drink it bc of the no straw rule. If I drink it without the straw, in just a couple of days I see a difference in my teeth. Anyone have another suggestion of what I can drink (other than just water) that has comparable caloric intake? I know this whole thing seems rather vain of me, but I like my smile, ya know? Thanks!

You may want to ask your doc about using a straw. Mine was rather adamant about it because they said it carbonates your beverages in your stomach, causing your pouch to stretch which is a big no no.

1. WEIGHT-I've totally stalled, and am upset beyond words. I've lost 23 lbs so far, not very good Feeling like a failure, which is not like me at all. 2. FILLS- standard band, one fill (I think about 5cc) and have another fill scheduled for Monday. My doctor's office only allows fills once a month no matter what 3. RESTRICTION-NONE!!! I could eat anything I want if I wasn't killing myself to stay in line. I feel like I never even had surgery. 4. RULES- The no drinking thing is the hardest, but it is also a good thing bc it forces me to plan, plan, plan eveything I eat. 5. ANYTHING ELSE- I am in love with working out (sicko, I know) but am having trouble getting in a quality workout with an 11 month old. I take him for walks, but long for an hour of kickboxing!!! ----------------------------------------------------------

My doc said nothing to eat or drink for 3 hours before a fill. Liquids for 48 hours after.

I had my first fill on Wednesday. I got 5cc in a 10cc band and it was a piece of cake!I have made sure to measure out all of my food and have had nothign getting stuck or any problems. If I had to pick the hardest part, it is taking the time to ask myself if I am actually hungry, or if I am just eating because there is still food on my plate. If I no longer have hunger pains or feel empty, I stop. My meals easily satisfy me now for 4-5 hours--- even more if I am too busy doing something to stop and think. Love my band!!!

I thought it might be a good idea to help each other compile a list of favorite songs in your iPod/MP3 player/ CD player that are key motivators in your workout. Not just any songs, but the ones that are most helpful during that last half mile when you think you'd rather die than take another step. You know, like it kicks on and out of nowhere you dig deep and get that last little push that helps you finish strong. Try to include song title and artist so we can add them to our own. Thanks! Bruce Spingsteen-Born to Run (well, anything Bruce for me:) Green Day- She Christina Aguilera - Fighter Tom Petty- American Girl Foo Fighters- Best of You 311- Don't Stay Home AC/DC- You Shook Me All Night Long My list could go on forever, but these are some of my favorites off the top of my head.

Down to 209 this week. Woo hoo.

I am feeling a hardening underneath my largest incision. I can't seem to tell if it is scar tissue building under the surface or of the band has slipped. Since the surgery, I have not felt any difficulty swallowing, but have kept to the liquid diet as prescribed. I had my operation on April 9, 2009 and don't have my follow up for another week yet. How can tell if it slipped? HELP!

I have developed a hardening undernath my largest incision. I can't tell if it is scar tissue or if my band has slipped. Has anyone experienced this? I've followed the required liquid diet and have just recently advanced to full liquids.-- I've followed the directions to the T... help!