PrincesaJenE

I went to a my doctor today for a routine fill and he began feelin around my hips and upper thighs. He said, "I can feel your bone". He said that he thinks I'm ready for abdominoplasty. I was like (because I couldn't beleive what I was hearing) "how much more weight do you think I need to lose?". He said, I think you're ready now. At the most maybe another 20 lbs, but I really think you're ready now. I was shocked. I was banded a year ago (2/13/09) and have only lost just over 65lbs (I was hoping to have lost closer to 100). Does this sound right? A abdominoplasty at 300 lbs? Really? Has anyone ever heard of this? I would think it would look weird. I have another 100+ lbs to lose - would I need another then? My mother who is a nurse said she once observed an abdominoplasty of someone who was far hevier than I where they removed 60+ lbs of skin and fat from her stomach. The prospect is exciting but 'm confused. I thought I would need to be near or at my goal weight. Please let me know what you all think.

I went to a my doctor today for a routine fill and he began feelin around my hips and upper thighs. He said, "I can feel your bone". He said that he thinks I'm ready for abdominoplasty. I was like (because I couldn't beleive what I was hearing) "how much more weight do you think I need to lose?". He said, I think you're ready now. At the most maybe another 20 lbs, but I really think you're ready now. I was shocked. I was banded a year ago (2/13/09) and have only lost just over 65lbs (I was hoping to have lost closer to 100). Does this sound right? A abdominoplasty at 300 lbs? Really? Has anyone ever heard of this? I would think it would look weird. I have another 100+ lbs to lose - would I need another then? My mother who is a nurse said she once observed an abdominoplasty of someone who was far hevier than I where they removed 60+ lbs of skin and fat from her stomach. The prospect is exciting but 'm confused. I thought I would need to be near or at my goal weight. Please let me know what you all think.

WHAT DOES PB MEAN - someone PLEASE EXPLAIN! In detail - I've been wondering this for a year.

As for vomiting - I went for about 8 months after being banded never having vomited. Then one day - it happened. Like someone earlier said - did not have to put my finger down my throat just happened. My stomach suddenly curled and there it was. Probably over the next couple of months it happened 2-3 more times. But it was always clearly because I ate WAY to fast. I sometimes forget that I have the band and on the way to work in an attempt to eat Breakfast every morning I'll scarf down breakfast in the car - no good.

I got a fill on 1/16 and the vomiting became way more frequent - But I learned that I could not try to eat what I usually eat for breakfast. My stomach had to work up to a meal. I think this is what they are talking about when they say your band is " tighter in the morning". If I ate yogurt or something really creamy and smooth and in small amounts for breakfast, lunch I could eat something with a little more weight, and then for dinner I could eat steak or anything - an my portions were also pretty good sized (a cup to a cup and a half).

I also noticed that I HAD TO EAT BREAKFAST. Breakfast was my way of loosening up my stomach. The longer between meals - dinner the night before and my first meal the next day - the increased likelihood that I would vomit. So, I MADE myself eat SOMETHING for breakfast. If I did not eat breakfast - then my first meal would have to be something really light - no harder than a banana, and I could only eat a few bites at that.

I said all that to say - you may just need to be a little more regimented and structured on how you eat, when you eat, and what you eat. Hope that this helps.

Thank you atgoalgal for your advice. I ended up getting the fill last tuesday - .4cc.

I have been super tight since - I'm not sure if that's a good thing or a bad thing. This fill I've really had to make some changes in the way I eat - which may or may not be a good thing - I'm still trying to decide. The first few days I was having a really hard time getting anything down - I was afraid that I might be too tight. Even by evening I was having a hard time. I've never had to do liquids after a fill but I resigned myself to liquids. I had some chicken Soup and I first started with the broth then tried some of the chicken. I actually got it down. I was reading some other posts here on lapbandtalk and one person recommended to someone who was having trouble getting her first bite down to drink tea or something hot before eating - that there may be some mucus kinda clogging the path. I tried this and its make it a lot easier to get things down. I can still eat just a little - which is good! But I can get it down! This week I've lost 5 lbs! Yikes. Probably an anomaly - at the most I should be losing about 3lbs per week. But its a good little jumpstart. Sure it will taper off this next week. Again, thanks for your advice.

Thanks for your responses.

I'm still in shock but have spent the last week really trying to research this. I have my consultation on next wednesday (a week an half from now). Probably then all my questions and concerns will be answered.

Ohm, I was banded at my largest weight - so all my extra skin is due to the 71lbs I've lost since being banded a year ago. I've been really looking a lot at my body since this revelation. I've really noticed that a lot of my weight is in fact in my belly. I'm tall so I've always held weight realy well. More very curvy - but my lower belly is really the problem area. As I've lost weight - even before talk of the Tummy Tuck - I had really reveled at the fact that just under my breasts I had really gain some definition and shape - there is hip bone there. I'm actually quite lucky in the way my body is shaped from looking at all the abdominoplasty photos. I have a fairly smooth physique in the stomach, waist, and hips areas until it comes to the pannus - that's really the problem areas.

As I've looked through pics of abdominoplasties I've seen some shapes similiar to mine - I don't think they are quite as big, but comparable.

Either way this goes - if he tells me that I have to lose another 20 or even 50 lbs at my consultation before I can have it done that's still exciting. That means perhaps in the next 6 months or so - I was thinking I'd have to lose ALL my weight before having this done which is another 100 lbs.

If with the tummy tuck they take 15-20 lbs of fat and skin that will also propel me towards my weight loss goal and losing that big flap will be a huge boost in my appearance. Yay - I can't help but be excited. I just hope I don't get dissapointed at this consultation.

Has ANYONE else out there had a similiar experience. To give this some relativity - I'm about 1/2 way to my goal weight. Any comments, suggestions, concerns, or questions I should ask my doc are welcomed. I realy love lapbandtalk. Thank you all in advance for your help.

NO WORRIES! My first fill went really badly and after 30 minutes, over 10 sticks, and many tears - we decided to try again in 2 weeks. My doc had warned me at the time of the surgery that because of scar tissue they had placed the port deep. If you want to hear the details read my blogs about my first couple of fills.

It gets much, much better. I must say that the anxiety of my first attempted fill experience plagues me though. Everytime I go in I pray and pray that it goes well. It has - and it keeps getting easier and easier. I think you'll be A-ok. To be honest - reading your post makes me feel better about my experience.

No - today is my bandiversary and I can say there has never been one day in the last year that I've regretted the band. Not one! The first 3 days after my surgery I did struggle through - but dude I HAD JUST HAD SURGERY!

Honestly, I feel like the band is not even there - I just eat less and stay full longer. I can't feel the band. For me there have been no negative consequences to the band - none at all - except for some difficult fills initially.

NEVER REGRET IT. My only regret it that I didn't have it done like 10 years ago. Wasted my 20s being fat!

I went to a my doctor today for a routine fill and he began feelin around my hips and upper thighs. He said, "I can feel your bone". He said that he thinks I'm ready for abdominoplasty. I was like (because I couldn't beleive what I was hearing) "how much more weight do you think I need to lose?". He said, I think you're ready now. At the most maybe another 20 lbs, but I really think you're ready now. I was shocked. I was banded a year ago (2/13/09) and have only lost just over 65lbs (I was hoping to have lost closer to 100). Does this sound right? A abdominoplasty at 300 lbs? Really? Has anyone ever heard of this? I would think it would look weird. I have another 100+ lbs to lose - would I need another then? My mother who is a nurse said she once observed an abdominoplasty of someone who was far hevier than I where they removed 60+ lbs of skin and fat from her stomach. The prospect is exciting but 'm confused. I thought I would need to be near or at my goal weight. Please let me know what you all think.

I need your help. I am scheduled for a fill next Tuesday and I'm not sure whether to get it or not. My last fill was 3 weeks ago. Since then I've lost 8lbs (Yay). I feel however like I'm able to eat a lot of food in the last week or so. My band is definitely tighter than its every been with previous fills and I'm struggling with eating in the morning. My first meal of the day is so hard to get down and If I don't eat in the morning I often throw up my first meal. For Breakfast I have to eat yougurt or mushy Cereal or something really smooth else it won't stay down. Anything harder than a banana and its coming back up. At breakfast hours I can eat about a half to whole small banana. Later in the day - especially around dinner I can eat quite a bit and don't stay full for any significant amount of time - maybe 2 hrs. After fills I used to easily be able to go for 3 and 4 hours without even thinking about food. Now, after 2 I'm looking for food to snack on - I think I'm taking in lots of calories this way.

So, I'm not sure whether or not I need a fill. I'd love to hear your thoughts.

I had the lapband procedure done and it was completely covered by my PPO insurance through Aetna. My sister has expressed interest in getting the lapband. However, her company is telling her they will only contribue $5,000 and she'll be responsible for the other $7,000. She does not have this money and it will take her quite some time to save it up. I don't want another year to pass with out her feeling the same victory that I have felt. Her insurance is a PPO and its Fiser/UMR. Does anyone know about this company or how we can get them to cover more?

I'm confused at this whole "restriction" talk. I've felt like I felt "restriction" from day one. Ever since I was banded, even before my first feel I have felt like I could eat considerably less than I did before - thats restriction right? Now, as time goes by usually 4-8 weeks the amnt of food that you can eat seems to gradually increase. For instance - I feel good when I can eat only half of a regular size sandwhich. One day I realized I had eaten a whole sandwhich - that made me realize I needed to get a fill. Now, there is no way I could have eaten 2 sandwhiches or even a sandwhich and a half but I usually can eat only half. When people talk about restriction it makes me think that they finally get to a place where they start feeling full. So if they say it took them 3 or 4 fills to get restriction does that mean they went months after having the band not feel full. That baffles me. I've always had restriction after a fill - and after awhile that restriction goes away which tells me that I need another fill. Am I just lucky?

The bands works! I totall yget your point - I've thought that too. Why get the band if you have to do all the work! I still think that. I really learned more about the band and to be honest, more about myself after I got the band.

Everyone has already said it - so I don't know why I feel compelled to say it again but - food doesn't control your life anymore. I remember about a month after the band being at a work seminar that served lunch buffet style. When I first saw the buffet the fat girl in me was excited ! Unlimited food she screamed! The LapBand in me screamed - u gotta figure out how to get the most of the foods you enjoy most into this itty bitty space. Whereas the fat girl in me was trying to calculate how much food I could fit on one plate without drawing any stares the labband in me was elminating food to make the good stuff fit (no top slice of bread, no potato salad, etc.).

Get this - there have been times when I

ve stopped eating a cookie MID BITE! (Now for those of your hardcore bandsters - I know I shouldn't have been eating a cookie!) There are times - most of the time - I start eating a cookie and I'll get like 1/2 way through it and will just set it down - and it will sit on my desk, untouched for the rest of the day and will end of up in the trash at the end. That NEVER would have happened before the band. I would have had 3-5 Cookies.

Before the band I was so scared that I wasn't going to be able to eat - but you can just very little. But you don't know its very little - in fact, I found myself looking at others in disgust at how much food they were gorging down. U can't really understand the feeling until you experience it. You're good - You're done eating - and have no desire to eat for 3-4 hrs. There are no cravings - I haven't found this to be a struggle at all.

I'm 6 months out - I've only lost 40lbs - but I have been unable to get consistent fills because I have significant scar tissue from a previous surgery and they have a hard time getting to my port. I probably should have had 2-3 more fills than I've had. My fills thus far (3) have tended to last 2 weeks and I always loose 3-5 lbs in those 2 weeks. I have a fill on Tuesday - Yay! Wish me luck. Good luck to you too!

I am by now means the poster child so totally don't quote what I have to say.

I was banded Feb 09 and have lost about 40lbs without exercise. I lost 20 lbs the first month after surgery and then then fluctuated between the same 5 lbs for the next 3 months. I got my 3rd fill about a month ago and then suddenly my weight loss took off! Been losing 3-5 lbs per week and have lost about 20 more lbs in the last month. So many bandsters have said that it takes a few fills for the wieghtloss to start. And I'm starting to agree.

Thank you Kimmy! And - thank you to all of you finger waggers!

Kimmy - I couldn't have said it better myself. I don't want to be on a diet! I want to eat what I want - the band helps me to do that but helps me to do it in moderation. THAT'S how I want to use my tool!

As for the exercise - as I stated in my original post - you guys are right. Exercise would leave me better off! I did learn something new - I didn't know that it would affect the way my body would look afterwards. I just figured that I've been lugging around 200 extra lbs for the last 1O years - I've had plenty of weight training and there's at least a 6 pack under all this.

I really wanted to see how effective the band itself is. In the last month - I've seen how effective it can be. So, I'm thrilled! Now that I'm all pysched - I think incorporating exercise will add additional intrigue and excitement to this journey! And even better, I now know, for sure, that my exercise it accentuating what the tool I paid $17,000 (through insurance) for is doing - and is not the reason for the weight loss on its on.

I have a theory that in the end my plan will be very beneficial. You know how they say your body gets accustomed to dieting. Well, my body has spent the last 4 months getting accustomed to this band. Every fill, jumpstarts my body into losing weight again. When I incorporate exercise, another jump start, and when, and IF, I decide to modify my eating habits - another jump start!

Good luck!

So, I'm a very bad bandster! I agree with all the people here that say watch what you eat and exercise BUT, I have done neither - Yes, I know, I'm a very bad bandster! My weightloss was slow as well! I lost 20lbs in the first month and then suddenly NOTHING! I felt like I had restriction but lost nothing. I had my first fill about 2 months after surgery - still nothing. Then my second about 2 months after that and suddenly dropped five lbs in one week! The next week another 5! The next week another 3! Got my 3rd fill - and simliar results the next week.

I HOPE that I've found my sweet spot! I don't want to make it sound like you DON'T have to excercise and watch what you eat - but I think the band should work without those things. It limits the amount of food that you can eat and by that alone, in theory, you SHOULD lose weight. I think you just need to find your sweet spot. For me it seems like maybe it was 3, maybe 4, fills. I've heard many on here say it took 5 or 6. Just be patient.

Now for all of your who are shaking your heads and wagging your fingers at me - I'd just like to say I KNOW I should be exercising and am doing myself a disservice by not. I could have probably lost MUCH more weight by now if I had. I really wanted to see what the band can do on its on. The thought of getting the band, and then working out all the time and counting calories kinda of defeats the purpose - how much of the weight loss is the band and how much is all of your hardwork?

I wanna give it another couple of weeks to see what the band can do. Then I'm gonna incorporate the exercise and up what the band is doing if that makes any sense at all. If I'm losing 3-5lbs a week without exercise, maybe I can lose an additional 2-3 lbs by incorporating exercise.

Good luck!

So Funny! I've only lost about 40 lbs but already mine if coming to the top. Can't quite yet "see" it but every once in a while my hanf brushes that area and I think, what is that hard spot? Yes, collar bone! Can't wait till it peaks out even more!

I have to agree with everyone else. It can take up to 14 days for a fill to really set in and that is why docs usually will not do a fill more than once every 4 weeks. It is not at all surprising that you feel nothing , Give it a full two weeks and then talk to your doc. That's one thing about this website. You get to experience vicariously everyone else's experience. I myself have been a little dissapointed with the first few months of this process but because I've read about the experiences of others I know that I have to be patient and that it may take several fills before I start seeing significant weightloss. Remember p this is a process. Let it run its course. Be patient. Good luck.

I've only had 2 fills thus far so I'm not the best person to tell you but I don't think that's normal. Fills tend to get tighter within the first 14 days after a fill so the fact that you just had the fill yesterday and your feel so tight is a little concerning. Did it feel this way when you left the doc's office. My doc usually has me drink a full cup of Water before leaving his office. You may want to check with your doc and get their opinion on the situation,

I too was wondering how quickly people lost their weight. I need to lose 195lbs. I was banded on 2/13/09 and I've only lost about 25 lbs (Most of which I lost in the first month). Since then I've fluctuated between the same 5 lbs. I am being patient. I have spoken to others who have said it can take 3-5 fills before they start dramatically losing weight. Thus far I've had 2 - the second one was just a week ago.

I'm dissapointed that more people have not responded to this post. I'd really like to know - I thought by now that I would have lost about 60 lbs.

Well for me - full feels exactly the same as before the band it just happens longer and I stay full faster. I've never vomited. I've eaten 2-3 bites past what I think is full but I've never been in any excruciating or unbearable pain. Well, actually, now that I think about it - there was this one time about 4 weeks after being banded that I had a little too much to eat - I did feel as If I was full to the brim and got a little bit of a headache but that was it.

One person mentioned that it feels like the top part of their stomach is full - mine feels like my whole stomach. I honestly can't differentiate between the top and bottom part of my stomach. I actually feel the exact same way that I did before surgery. The only thing different is that I eat less and that I stay full longer.

I definitely think about Snacks sometimes but either they don't have the SAME excitement as they once held or you don't want the snack because you know you may eating in and hour or so and if you eat the snack now you'll be unable to eat later because you'll be fulll. If anything, I find myself making sure I have space in my stomach so that I can eat at meals. I do occasionally snack. I am usually full for 3-4 hours. Hope this info helps.

I totally feel you! That is my biggest fear! I'm 3 months out and have lolst 25 ish lbs. (I lost 20 the first month) and have just yo yo'd the same 5 lbs since then. I'm guess I'm in bandster hell - whatever that means.

I remain confident though. I have only had one fill and I can feel that I can eat more now. I know there is also a lot more that I can do to help with the process. I'm not exercising like I should and am not making healthy choices. I'm a tester - I like to see how much I'm losing on the band alone, how much with excersise but eating the same, how much with eating right, how much with all 3. Keep your head yo!

I understand what you mean.

I chose not to tell my coworkers. Not sure why - just kind of a private person and wanted to do this without everyone looking on waiting for results. When I get some significant results I will share with a couple of people but until then I have my fam and the couple of friends I chose to tell to support me.

I do understand what you mean by feeling the need to eat. I find that when I eat the most its with my coworkers. I have a girl at work that luckily I've recently started splitting meals with - but honestly I can't really eat a whole half a meal. But since my coworkers KNOW that I used to could easily eat the whole meal plus dessert - if after only having a half plate of food I don't even eat all that I know they'll notice. They still comment - "you hardly ate anything". My friends/coworkers would never pressure me to eat but they have noticed the change in my eating habits.

You can always tell them that you ate a heavy/ late breakfast/lunch etc. Or that you're stomach doesn't feel very well, or that you really don't have an appetite, or that you really aren't lking the food for some reason. This sometimes helps in explaining away your lack of hunger.

Another thing is a half truth - let them know that you've been going to the doctor and the doc has been telling you to lay off. That's what I used to explain why I was no longer drinking soda and am laying off the juice.

Good luck - but HEY don't let some whiney brat of a girl make you eat her food!

congrats! For me the gas was the worse part. For the first few dats didnt know it was gas. When i finally figured it out i grabbed some gax x and never had a problem since. Actually i think i only took the gasx 3 or 4 times. goodluck babt girl:thumbup:

I once blenderized some chunky chicken Soup with chunks of real chicken. I ate a couple of bites - it tasted alright but looked a mess. I decided from that point on that for 2 weeks I could live without meat. I ate cottage cheese, hot cereals, refried beens were the bomb. I also ate a lot of broiled salmon when I got to the real food stage. I'm about 10 weeks out now and I've NEVER had a problem eating any foods. Had a steak today!

What does PB stand for? I keep asking but no one is answering.