jess29

I was banded July 06 ~ and have suffered my entire life with emotional and compulsive eating. The band as a tool is great to help with my portion sizes, however it is a decision i have to make to eat the right foods. So, OA or any other support group, or counseling is a great thing to help you if you want to figure out WHY you have the eating behaviors you do and to help overcome them. Good luck to you...you must find the strength within to battle this lifestyle. You CAN DO IT!!!

Even though i'm almost 2 years out from getting my lapband ~ i remember the gas being so very awful for me also! Try rubbing your tummy in a U shape to help move the gas. Then as another suggested - roll your shoulders. It is normal, and it does pass. The first week can be pretty rough for some people though. Hang in there, it does get better ~

I don't have any recipes, but i sure would like a book if you get one together :-)

I have a 4cc band with 2.4cc currently filled ~ and has been for 18 months. What you must remember is that even though we all might have the same size band- we do not all have the same size stomach! The linings of our stomach can change - mine currently has which makes restriction more so. Give it a little time. I know you are anxious, but it takes time to heal - use this time wisely to learn the rules of the band for when you do have significant restriction. Good luck!:biggrin2:

Thank you ~ i printed that information off the web page! I expect it to be of great help :-)

I was banded July 06, after a rough year losing my mother to cancer - the past year and a half has been succesful by my loss of 60 pounds to date. I am only 20-30lbs to goal. The past week however, i have had some troubles keeping anything down. It used to be i was only tight in the mornings and able to eat well in the evening. Now, i have a hard time even keeping a shake down in the mid-morning or late-afternoon. I can't tolerate any salads, no fruits, few lean meats, and only a few vegtables-even at night. I am wondering if maybe i need an "un-fill". I believe my band is a 4cc, i've only had 3 fills total. One being 8/21/06; 9/20/06; and the last being 11/28/06 for a total of 2.4cc. I had insurance when i got banded, but now i'm a full time college student with no insurance. I have not been for a check up since my last fill- a year and a half ago. Any thoughts?????? I am thinking that maybe i have not been following my band rules close enough. So, i'm going to try focusing on my intake closer and be more gentle with what i eat to see if it improves before i go to the doc for an unfill. I DON'T want to gain any of the weight back! Thanks!

I was banded July 06, after a rough year losing my mother to cancer - the past year and a half has been succesful by my loss of 60 pounds to date. I am only 20-25lbs to goal. The past week however, i have had some troubles keeping anything down. It used to be i was only tight in the mornings and able to eat well in the evening. Now, i have a hard time even keeping a shake down in the mid-morning or late-afternoon. I can't tolerate any salads, no fruits, few lean meats, and only a few vegtables-even at night. I am wondering if maybe i need an "un-fill". I'm not sure of my band size, but i do know i've only had 3 fills total. One being 8/21/06; 9/20/06; and the last being 11/28/06 for a total of 2.4cc. I had insurance when i got banded, but now i'm a full time college student with no insurance. I have not been for a check up since my last fill- a year and a half ago. Any thoughts?????? Thanks!

Hey there, i was banded July '06 and as of today i have only lost 20lbs total. I know my problem though. I am not following the rules and haven't been for some time. My band is awesome - i am just not making good choices. For the past 6 months my mom struggled with brain cancer. :cry She went home with the Lord this past Monday - the 5th of March. I think i have used that as an excuse for too long. No more!!!! Today is the day that i have to work with ~ and i have the choice to stay miserable and cause myself health problems - or put some effort into this band and make some positive progress. So, i still consider myself a slow loser ~ but i'm going to make a real effort to lose. We are only defeated if we don't try. Thanks to everyone who posts here ~ i have gained much knowlege and encouragement from you guys :clap2:. I hope you all have a great day - i know here in my part of Texas it is beautiful outside!!

I was banded July 6th and have only lost 7 lbs . . . i consider myself a slow loser - but every one is different. I've now had 3 fills for a total of 2.4 cc in my band now (a 4 cc).

Ok, i am only 6 weeks out....but according to my doctors scale i have only lost 5 lbs. I didn't lose anything with my 2 week pre-op shake diet either. I am walking 30 minutes a day atleast twice a week - i shoot for 3 or 4 but don't always make it. I know it's more than 1lb a week - it's 1.2/wk....but i still feel like a slow loser. I go for my first fill on Monday ~ maybe that will change my outcome? I sure hope so!! I need to belong somewhere :cry

Lori, i was just banded on Thursday and i do not feel all that bad. I've had 2 c-sections and a knee surgery and this doesn't begin to compare to any of those. Yes, my port site hurts ~ but duuhhh...its a 2 inch incision and stiched to the ab muscle!! Just be realistic and good to yourself and you will be fine. Continue to read the posts here and others ~ atleast i did and it helped me really prepare. Take care, and God bless. Jessica

I am already @ home ~ have been since 12pm. My port site hurts pretty bad ... but making it

I am a single mother of two wonderful boys. I have been divorced for 2 1/2 years now. I have battled my weight my entire life. FINALLY, there is a way out!! I have tried just about ever diet out there: slimfast, weight watchers (4xs), cutting calories, metabolife, trim spa, hermal remidies, ect.... I have also bought so many exercise programs - i could make my own : the firm; walking off the pounds; turbo jam; windsor pilates, gazelle, billy blanks circut training, jazzercise, ect..... so this is my last resort! I have to do something now or i know i will just continue on this distructive path and end up so large ~ my health will suffer much more than it already is. I attended the SCOR Lap-Band Seminar April 18, 2006. My weight is 210 and i'm 5'3. I had researched online and spoke to family before even committing to attending. Luckily my family was behind me 100%. I was excited before i ever got there. I had looked into my insurance policy before even going also ~ it's not excluded however i've been on plenty of diets but none of them have been medically supervised. So, that was my biggest fear of not getting approved. There just is NO possible way i can self-pay. I made my inital consult w/Dr. Powells office for April 26th, 2006. My insurance pre-determination said i needed 3 years of physician supervised weight loss attempts. I told them there way no way that was plan specific ~ so we continued with the consult anyway. I was told i was a good candidate for the surgery and i had to get my psych and nutritional evaluations done and then we could sumbit to insurance. I had already gotten all of my medical files for the past 5 years before coming to this appointment~ i didn't want any delays My psych exam was May 5th ~ seemed easy enough, just a bunch of questions and a computer test. May 10th met w/ psychologist for review of my psych results ~ it was a student and she told me she was going to suggest my surgery be placed on hold until i seek Pyschiatric help to re-evaluate my current depression meds and further counseling. I was OUT RAGED!! What did she think has been causing my depression all of these years? OH well, i called Myra (Dr. Powells nurse) and we decided for a second opinion. However, the nutritionist did clear me and said she saw the medical neccessity needed for the surgery and her report. May 17th~ I went to Dr.Howard Smith - a psychiatrist - and he cleared me on the spot after 30 minutes of talking to me. Thank Goodness~~i was getting worried. Friday May 26th ~ my paperwork has been mailed to my insurance company~~it was too large to fax - LOL. June 1st ~ insurance has received my paperwork! I am gonna call every other day until i hear something probably. I'm just afraid that it will just sit on someones desk. Not likely w/my insurance - they are pretty on top of things. However they said it could take up to 28 days for review..uuuugggghhhh! June 19th ~ WWWHHHHOOOOO HHHOOOOOO!! I just called insurance and i am APPROVED! I am blessed to have such a great insurance company. I was afraid i would have some of the same issues as i have read about here and other boards. I am glad that i didn't. I talked to Myra(Dr Powells nurse)- and she was very excited for me and said as soon as she gets the letter she will call me and we can get set up to see Dr. Powell and get a surgery date So, i called the office responsible for sending out the approval letter and she's not in..but the secretary said she'll e-mail her and try to get it printed and faxed to Dr. Powell's office by Wednesday I am SO excited it seems sureal. I know it's not a quick fix ~ but a very valuable tool to help me get back to a healthy lifestyle. June 22, 2006 ~ met Dr. Powell today and got my lovely Myocel and surgery date It is July 6th, 2006 @ 7:30am. I am SOOOOOOOOO excited. I'm sure i may be nervous the morning of, but right now it is a wonderful feeling knowing it's really gonna happen! June 25th, 2006 ~ OMG, that Myocel (vanilla) is AWFUL. I thought since i am used to drinking Slimfast that it would be alright. Well, after adding chocolate pudding mix (sugar free) it wasn't so bad. Tolerable atleast. I know i have to do it~ so i will. Went to Beth Moore Living Proof conference in OKC this weekend..it was SO awesome. All i could do was praise our God b/c he is GOOD. I prayed so much that this surgery would be his will and i could get approval. Well, obviously~~ it was and its great! June 26, 2006 ~ My surgery is ONLY 10 days away...i have to go get blood work done today-ewwww. OH well, just a means to an end June 28th, 2006 ~ atleast i'm getting used to drinking the protein shakes, but i'm pretty sure i will get the cholocate myocel next time! Kinda afraid to weigh myself ~ it's that time of the month...and it's probably better if i don't anyway. I'm still excited about surgery date ~ just trying to stay realistic though and not expect results too fast Well, only 6 days left until surgery! I can hardly believe it's actually gonna happen. By no means am i expecting any miracles. I know this will be work ~ i am just gaining a very effective tool to help me. I am ready to be healthy! I want to be able to play with my kids as they grow up and grandkids when the time comes! God willing ~ i will be able to make this work. Better hit the sack :notagree June 30, 2006~~Ok guys, only 5 days until surgery! I have still been reading posts n this site and some others. There are some very unfortunate omplications that have risen from this band. I am trying to be optimistic, but not naive to this fact. So many people have lost weight in the first 6 weeks of healing, and some are having trouble losing even after fills. I know everyone is different. I also know its just a tool. I guess i'm just venting concern. I am still excited and wanting this surgery ~ just a little freaked out by what some have said here and there!!! Well, only 3 days left Yesterday i went to a family gathering and a friend of the family was there. She'd had the lap band back in May 2003. She almost died. She was following the post-op directions to the 'T' and lost 60lbs. Then all of a sudden she couldn't keep anything down. She got so ill~~~so many hospitals~~~ just awful. Fortunatly, God wasn't ready for her to come home yet. After removing the band and much rehab ~ she is alright now. I completly believe that the lapband is not for everyone. Don't quite know how to "know" who it is right for~~guess i'll find out. I belive in my heart that this is Gods will for me. Going to the store today to get post-op foods and such. Guess i'd better be going....update later December 5th, 2006 I got banded July 6th, 2006 -so i have a new birthday! I haven't done so well with weight loss though. I am only down to 202 - so that's 10 lbs in 4 months!!! I now have a 2.4 cc in my band and i have major restriction. I'm really going to start trying to walk on the treadmill more - i have run out of excuses! I am not giving up ~ NO WAY~ never!!!! I will make this work!! I have to remember the band is just a TOOL... not a miracle worker by itself. So...i'll try to keep up - ttyl __________________ :)Jessica Stevens Dr. Powell 7-6-06 212/202/120

Well, only 1 days left Saturday i went to a family gathering and a friend of the family was there. She'd had the lap band back in May 2003. She almost died. She was following the post-op directions to the 'T' and lost 60lbs. Then all of a sudden she couldn't keep anything down. She got so ill~~~so many hospitals~~~ just awful. Fortunatly, God wasn't ready for her to come home yet. After removing the band and much rehab ~ she is alright now. I completly believe that the lapband is not for everyone. Don't quite know how to "know" who it is right for~~guess i'll find out. I belive in my heart that this is Gods will for me.

I know how you feel ~ my surgery is the 6th @ 7:30am....its almost sureal!! i'm excited and nervous at the same time. Take care and God Bless! jessica

I am a single mother of two wonderful boys. I have been divorced for 2 1/2 years now. I have battled my weight my entire life. FINALLY, there is a way out!! I have tried just about ever diet out there: slimfast, weight watchers (4xs), cutting calories, metabolife, trim spa, hermal remidies, ect.... I have also bought so many exercise programs - i could make my own : the firm; walking off the pounds; turbo jam; windsor pilates, gazelle, billy blanks circut training, jazzercise, ect..... so this is my last resort! I have to do something now or i know i will just continue on this distructive path and end up so large ~ my health will suffer much more than it already is. I attended the SCOR Lap-Band Seminar April 18, 2006. My weight is 210 and i'm 5'3. I had researched online and spoke to family before even committing to attending. Luckily my family was behind me 100%. I was excited before i ever got there. I had looked into my insurance policy before even going also ~ it's not excluded however i've been on plenty of diets but none of them have been medically supervised. So, that was my biggest fear of not getting approved. There just is NO possible way i can self-pay. I made my inital consult w/Dr. Powells office for April 26th, 2006. My insurance pre-determination said i needed 3 years of physician supervised weight loss attempts. I told them there way no way that was plan specific ~ so we continued with the consult anyway. I was told i was a good candidate for the surgery and i had to get my psych and nutritional evaluations done and then we could sumbit to insurance. I had already gotten all of my medical files for the past 5 years before coming to this appointment~ i didn't want any delays My psych exam was May 5th ~ seemed easy enough, just a bunch of questions and a computer test. May 10th met w/ psychologist for review of my psych results ~ it was a student and she told me she was going to suggest my surgery be placed on hold until i seek Pyschiatric help to re-evaluate my current depression meds and further counseling. I was OUT RAGED!! What did she think has been causing my depression all of these years? OH well, i called Myra (Dr. Powells nurse) and we decided for a second opinion. However, the nutritionist did clear me and said she saw the medical neccessity needed for the surgery and her report. May 17th~ I went to Dr.Howard Smith - a psychiatrist - and he cleared me on the spot after 30 minutes of talking to me. Thank Goodness~~i was getting worried. Friday May 26th ~ my paperwork has been mailed to my insurance company~~it was too large to fax - LOL. June 1st ~ insurance has received my paperwork! I am gonna call every other day until i hear something probably. I'm just afraid that it will just sit on someones desk. Not likely w/my insurance - they are pretty on top of things. However they said it could take up to 28 days for review..uuuugggghhhh! June 19th ~ WWWHHHHOOOOO HHHOOOOOO!! I just called insurance and i am APPROVED! I am blessed to have such a great insurance company. I was afraid i would have some of the same issues as i have read about here and other boards. I am glad that i didn't. I talked to Myra(Dr Powells nurse)- and she was very excited for me and said as soon as she gets the letter she will call me and we can get set up to see Dr. Powell and get a surgery date :Dancing_biggrin: So, i called the office responsible for sending out the approval letter and she's not in..but the secretary said she'll e-mail her and try to get it printed and faxed to Dr. Powell's office by Wednesday :confused_smile: I am SO excited it seems sureal. I know it's not a quick fix ~ but a very valuable tool to help me get back to a healthy lifestyle. June 22, 2006 ~ met Dr. Powell today and got my lovely Myocel and surgery date :behindsofa: It is July 6th, 2006 @ 7:30am. I am SOOOOOOOOO excited. I'm sure i may be nervous the morning of, but right now it is a wonderful feeling knowing it's really gonna happen! June 25th, 2006 ~ OMG, that Myocel (vanilla) is AWFUL. I thought since i am used to drinking Slimfast that it would be alright. Well, after adding chocolate pudding mix (sugar free) it wasn't so bad. Tolerable atleast. I know i have to do it~ so i will. Went to Beth Moore Living Proof conference in OKC this weekend..it was SO awesome. All i could do was praise our God b/c he is GOOD. I prayed so much that this surgery would be his will and i could get approval. Well, obviously~~ it was and its great! June 26, 2006 ~ My surgery is ONLY 10 days away...i have to go get blood work done today-ewwww. OH well, just a means to an end :rolleyes2: June 28th, 2006 ~ atleast i'm getting used to drinking the protein shakes, but i'm pretty sure i will get the cholocate myocel next time! Kinda afraid to weigh myself ~ it's that time of the month...and it's probably better if i don't anyway. I'm still excited about surgery date ~ just trying to stay realistic though and not expect results too fast :lightbulb: Well, only 6 days left until surgery! I can hardly believe it's actually gonna happen. By no means am i expecting any miracles. I know this will be work ~ i am just gaining a very effective tool to help me. I am ready to be healthy! I want to be able to play with my kids as they grow up and grandkids when the time comes! God willing ~ i will be able to make this work. Better hit the sack :rolleyes5: :notagree June 30, 2006~~Ok guys, only 5 days until surgery! I have still been reading posts n this site and some others. There are some very unfortunate omplications that have risen from this band. I am trying to be optimistic, but not naive to this fact. So many people have lost weight in the first 6 weeks of healing, and some are having trouble losing even after fills. I know everyone is different. I also know its just a tool. I guess i'm just venting concern. I am still excited and wanting this surgery ~ just a little freaked out by what some have said here and there!!! Well, only 3 days left :rolleyes5: Yesterday i went to a family gathering and a friend of the family was there. She'd had the lap band back in May 2003. She almost died. She was following the post-op directions to the 'T' and lost 60lbs. Then all of a sudden she couldn't keep anything down. She got so ill~~~so many hospitals~~~ just awful. Fortunatly, God wasn't ready for her to come home yet. After removing the band and much rehab ~ she is alright now. I completly believe that the lapband is not for everyone. Don't quite know how to "know" who it is right for~~guess i'll find out. I belive in my heart that this is Gods will for me. Going to the store today to get post-op foods and such. Guess i'd better be going....update later :thumbsup: December 5th, 2006 I got banded July 6th, 2006 -so i have a new birthday! I haven't done so well with weight loss though. I am only down to 202 - so that's 10 lbs in 4 months!!! I now have a 2.4 cc in my band and i have major restriction. I'm really going to start trying to walk on the treadmill more - i have run out of excuses! I am not giving up ~ NO WAY~ never!!!! I will make this work!! I have to remember the band is just a TOOL... not a miracle worker by itself. So...i'll try to keep up - ttyl __________________ :)Jessica Stevens Dr. Powell 7-6-06 212/202/120