ParrotheadCathy

I"ve never personally heard of a doc doing an unfill to enable someone to go on vacation and eat too much... And why would you want to abandon your success so far that way? If you truly thing you are overfilled, then talk to your doc and see what they think. I was overfilled at one point, but there was no question as I couldn't even swallow my own spit, much less anything else.

Of course you will! You said yourself you're one week out past surgery. You have a lot of swelling to go down and then weight to lose. Things you haven't worn in ages will be fitting soon -- and then, they'll be too big. food? Well, you have to get past the liquid diet, but once you get to mushy stuff, you can have more of selection and soon will be adding good old regular food back to your diet. Read these posts. What do people say they can't eat more than anything? SOFT BREAD. Other things that could be a problem are flour tortillas, Pasta. Not a big deal! So put on your big girl pants and relocate your patience. Frustrating as "NOW" is, it does get better. A little bit every day.

I was told NO CARBONATION .... and my doctor knew my weakness was DIET COKE (zero calories). I don't think that it relates to the potential for slippage but for regular consumption, the stretching of the pouch. I remember in my younger days sitting in a bar with a bunch of friends and someone, trying to be funny, slipped a condom over the top of a beer bottle ... and the expansion of the carbonation in the beer inflated that condom pretty quickly. I certainly don't want to stretch my pouch out so that teh band can't do it's job restricting what I eat. I mean, why would I have done this in the first place if I wasn't willing to make a few changes. And, soda, regardless of whether it is diet or regular isn't good for you. It can damage the enamel on your teeth, disclolor your teeth, contribute to anemia and some other things.

3 days at Disney a week after surgery? You're brave/crazy, LOL. That's a lot of walking, never mind skipping all the rides. Then there's the whole liquid diet thing. Disney doesn't want you to bring anything in with you so you'll have to explain (and take a doctor's "note" in case you need it), AND that's a lot of stuff to have to carry around (unless you are staying in a hotel "in" the park and can go back to your room). I'm sure somebody else will think of other considerations. But I think I'm with your boyfriend at this point.

Slippages don't happen that easily. Overeating is many times more likely to cause a PB...which I'd just as soon do without. If you seriously overate, I'm surprised it didn't all just come right back up. Consider yourself lucky on this one and try not to do it again....next time might be out in public where a PB would be nothing if not embarrassing!

Trust is the biggest component of any relationship. Of course, what he's concerned about does happen, but why is he suddenly afraid it will affect you? I would suggest a counseling visit together so that an impartial third party could discuss it. Of course we change when we make physical changes. You'll dress different, probably walk a little different (head higher, whatever), you'll have more energy, want to do things you haven't done in ages. Maybe he's concerned that you'll be leaving him behind on other things and the fidelity thing is just an outlet for his emotions? Personally, I believe the adage "once a cheater, always a cheater"....and just perhaps those women would have strayed sooner had they had the self-confidence to seek out a partner for these activities, irregardless of the weight. It's a very complicated issue, which is why I suggest counseling...pastors often counsel couples and that, too is a possibility, though you might not want your pastor to know of the insecurities OR that you're getting a band. Love should conquer all. Good luck.

I assume your quoted weight loss includes the pre-op diet period as well. You may very well have nothing (or so very little) in your band. Mine had only about .6cc left in when the doctor fully filled it to test it for leaks before placing it. He drained it pretty much all the way. There are, however, some docs who pre-fill to a certain amount. I would consider calling and asking if your doc puts any saline in at the time of surgery. Just to be absolutely sure. For your amount of time post-surgery, you should only just be starting solid foods (and with some docs, not even doing it at all yet). Have you tried eating beyond your doctor's instructions? Just checking because a lot of people do just that. Having brought up all the questions I can think of, I think your doctor should see you again SOON to discuss the details of your issues. That's what you paid him for...not just the surgery but TAKING CARE OF YOU!

Bubble's got it right. That doesn't sound like any band complication I've read about BUT it is a sign of very poor oxygenation and that can be very dangerous. Call your doctor NOW. He'll want to see you, but you need to be seen.

I have been filled too tight once. I would consider asking for a SMALL unfil of about .2cc. As little as that can make a difference. I certainly wouldn't want all fluid removed; I'd rather take baby steps backward until I'm comfortable.

First of all, there is no metal in the band...it is made of silicone (plastic) so it is inert. Insurance coverage. Best thing to do is to call your insurance company (there should be a customer service number on your insurance card) and talk to them. Remember that if you have, for example BCBS, your coverage is not going to be the same as another person on this forum. Get the information from the horse's mouth. If you have coverage, ask for the names of some surgeons in your area who are on your insurance. The local doc's seminar would be informational (make a list of questions you have) and ask them, but they would have to check to see if they are on your insurance plan. We've all gained and lost plenty of weight. Don't feel alone on that one! Just remember that the lap band isn't a magic wand ... you are going to have to make the right choices and exercise. The lap band will just be a tool to help you with your eating. It will not prevent you from eating a plateful of french fries, for example; it will only limit how much.

You are so soon post-op that you still have a lot of swelling. If it doesn't start to get better in the next day or two, I would call my surgeon's office. Or, go ahead and call them now. That's part of what they are there for!

I've had fills both ways. Either way, there is a one small stick -- and I didn't really notice that one was less than the other. So it's your choice, I guess.

SECOND OPINION!!!! Did I shout that loud enough? I don't know where you live, but you should be able to find another weight loss surgeon to visit. At 400 pounds, you will probably have some loose skin regardless of which surgery you choose but exercising regularly for muscle toning will help some. No way to predict how much. My surgeon told me not to even think about plastic surgery until 2 years after reaching goal because even after you stop losing, your muscles continue to get more toned and your skin continues to retract to the limits of its ability.

"Eat until you're not hungry" ... sounds so simple but it really isn't. How I was told to approach it is to take a small plate (like a salad or luncheon plate) and put my 3 oz of Protein (about the size of a deck of cards on the plate. Then add a serving of steamed vegetables. Take bites the size of a quarter and put your fork down between each bite and chew really well. When finished with the protein and vegetable, leave the table. If, in 15 minutes, I still feel hungry, I can eat about 15 grams of carbs .... whole grain only. It still sounds easy, but most of us have little familiarity with "full" because we've always eaten right past that. We know "stuffed", like on Thanksgiving, but you have to learn "full". You will come to realize that there is not that screaming feeling saying "eat, eat". That's it. Don't eat again for 4 hours. If you have to wait more than 4 hours, eat a little protein, like a boiled egg or an ounce of low fat cheese. Buy pre-packaged servings of cheese so you aren't tempted to eat "just a little more". Buy string cheese or, my favorite, Sargento 2% colby jack individually wrapped pieces. I keep boiled eggs in the refrigerator so that I can grab one, peel it and eat it. The other thing, just as important as learning to push away from the table, is EXERCISE. Don't whine and say you don't have time, don't like to exercise or whatever excuse comes to mind. We've all used them. Get out and WALK. Start out with a 15 minutes and add 5 minutes every couple of days until you are walking 45 minutes. At a steady pace, 45 minutes is 3 miles. You can continue to build up after that. Just remember that WALKING is excellent exercise, doesn't cost anything (like a gym membership). Get your Mom to walk with you (we ALL need exercise), or walk the dog, or if you have neighbors you see out walking ask if you can join them. The band isn't a magic wand. You still have to work at this. I sometimes have to FORCE myself out the door to walk but when I come back in, I feel better for having done it. Good luck.

I had an EKG, an echocardiogram, a stress test, an upper GI, chest xray, and sleep study. Because I was self-pay I did not have to do the psych eval. or visit the nutritionist. Much of this is pretty standard to make sure you are physically healthy enough for surgery. The psych. eval is to make sure you don't have body dysmorphia or unreasonable expectations about life change (i.e., there are a lot of people for whom obesity is just the tip of the iceberg and losing weight will NOT remedy everything that could be wrong in your life).

Not in Florida BUT that's the beauty of this forum. You can talk to LOTS of people and hear their stories, get their advice and, receive support (as well as give it). ASK AWAY.

I've always slept on my left side (where the port it) and I was able from day 1 to sleep on my left side without discomfort. I've heard some say that it took anywhere from a few days to as much as a month before they were comfortable sleeping on their bellies again.

Realize is manufactured by Johnson & Johnson and has only been on the market for a couple of years. Lap Band AP by Allergan/Inamed is the original in the US and has been in use for (I think) 7 or 8 years. So your answer will be skewed because of that, if nothing else. They are very much the same as far as function as they have all have a port used to tighten the restriction by adding saline. The Realize band comes in 9cc and the Lap Band AP comes in 10cc and 14cc. It used to be manufactured in a 4cc size but that was discontinued about 2 years ago. Having said all that, I have the Lap Band AP 10cc. My surgeon prefers the Lap Band AP and he chose the volume size of the band. I wouldn't have presumed to say I'd prefer one over the other....that's why I sought out a VERY experienced surgeon. I have no complaints or regrets regarding his choice.

Heck, some doctors would have put in even less. My first fill was 4 ccs on top of .6cc in the band, and I didn't make it to work before I had to turn around and go back and get an unfill. Be comfortable with what you got. It's no fun at all being too tight!

It is tough to change. This was the hardest thing for me, actually. I've always had problems with bread sticking even before surgery and I knew I'd have to give up bread for sure (and I did indeed have to) but unexpectedly things do get stuck and a few small sips of water may be necessary but DON'T even put a glass of water or tea or whatever on the table. It's too much of an ingrained habit to not drink it if the glass is there. That's the only way I've managed. Drinking when you eat doesn't cause nausea...it defeats the band.

Before you go, make a list of the things about which you are uncertain or for which you have inadequate information. MAKE SURE all your issues are addressed. Heck, I make a list before I go to see my internist because you don't want to forget to ask about any and every little thing that you need or want to know. If you've read something here and our answers haven't completely answered your own questions, ASK THEM. Nothing is dumb if you don't know the answer. We're talking surgery and a pretty big step here. Feel confident to ask all your questions.

Call and complain about the tasteless and misleading ad!

I wouldn't assume anything. My friend's BCBS policy required a BMI of 35 for THREE YEARS. I would call back to the insurance company and tell them that you need to know the policy. Hopefully, you will get a different person....sometimes that makes all the difference in the world.

I'm with Mak, if your doctor wants to be so conservative, then they would have to explain to me the advantage of that since you aren't losing. THEN I would firmly request more than 1cc...more like 3ccs, but even 2cc would be better than just 1cc. And if they stand pat on the ultra-conservative fill schedule, go back absolutely on the first day you can go back and get another.

A few years ago, when I first considered lap band surgery, that was the prediction ... 50%. However, later studies which site the advantage of more patients to study and those patients having the band for a longer time, give the approximately 3 year equal mark for lap band and gastric bypass.