dfav3412

It's all a personal choice, some people do better weighing everyday, me for one, and some people do better weighing every week or two. By weighing everyday it helps keep me in control, if I need to back away from food (calories) then I do so. I do not stress over weighing a pound or two heavier one day. However, I do know me and I do know when to back away from food/calories when I need to do so.

I told everyone and didn't care if they were negative or not atleast not on the subject of lapband for me. Fast forward 2 1/2 years, 4 people have gotten it done because they have seen my sucess and several more have checked into it.

If you cannot drink or can drink now but can't eat, you need an unfill.

You know the sad part is from what I can tell just reading these post, you don't have any support system within your surgeons office. First of all, patients at my center can go to the bariatrics coordinator once a week for a one on one, usually lasts about 5 min. You are weighed, blood pressure taken, asked questions and if you are not losing, she interpets what is going on. If she thinks you need a fill then she sets it up, if she thinks something else is going on like sugar resistance (why some people are slow losers) then she works with you about the types of food you eat. I've beeing going once a week (for the most part) for 2 1/2 years and am told I can do this forever. I just hate it when a bandsters is just hung out there on their own but it does seem to be the rule not the exception. I wish the best for all of you, I truly do.

Julian, your response made me laught. Thanks.

In the package I got from the seminar I attended, I had to fill out the questions on the form I was given. There was a place to write all the diets I had been on with dates and how much lost etc. I'd wait until you see your surgery team, they will instruct you as to what you will need to do.

I weigh daily, for me weighing daily gives me control.

So glad you asked, I am 56 was banded 2 1/2 years ago. Just had plastic surgery to remove excess skin on tummy and while I was at it had the girls done too. Love the band, love my new body.

I'm glad you weren't rude back to her, it doesn't help. If you are ever confronted with those types of comments again just tell the person that he/she can't possible know the emotional and physical toll being overweight for most of your life has taken on you. Tell he/she that you want what is best for you and you think that he/she would want what was best for you too. Tell he/she that youa re doing this for you and hope that he/she will support you.

I just had the surgery on the 29th. One of the things I asked the surgeon was about gaining/losing weight. You should start the process now and you can also lose weight after the surgery with no ill effects if you don't plan to lose alot of weight. Talk to your surgeon about this. I am planing on losing 10 more pounds now that I know it wouldn't be a problem.

Weight loss helped me. I no longer have the leakage problem when I cough or lift anything. Too bad it doesn't do anything for breaking wind aka the walking farts...lol

you need to call your family doctor if you cannot get a hold of your surgeon. You need to be looked at. Don't delay this.

I believe you are right. I know you are right as I am at goal and for the most part have walked for exercise. I now do jazzercise and found out that I really like it, go twice a week, well will start going again tomorrow. I just had plastic surgery and got the ok today to start back exercising. I also have a Wii that I got for Christmas and I need to get the exercise tape for it. I feel exercise is important but you have to find out what is fun for you to do so that you will keep up with it. Good luck.

I had lapband over 2 years ago. The only regret I had was that I didn't have it done earlier. Like most I am an expert at dieting and losing weight but couldn't keep it off. I have been at goal for awhile. Weight loss surgery is nothing to take lightly, it is a major surgery. Lap band has its advantages in that it is less invasive, can have fills to control amount of restriction thus either lose weight or maintain. It can be reversed if need be but do go into the surgery with the thoughts that it is a forever deal to have the band in you. Fills can be expensive if your insurance doesn't cover them but once you are at the sweet spot you generally don't have to get fills and if you do then it might be a tweak here and there. Unlike gastric bypass your body does absorb nutrients from the food you eat. You do lose at a slower rate than the gastric bypass but I do know of people from my group that have lost 150 to 200 lbs in the first year of lapband (that is the exception not the norm). I chose the lapband because I felt it to be a safer sugery but I do not look down on the gastric bypass. To me it is a personal decision that one must make to suit their lifestyle and needs. In the end it is all about losing weight to be healthier physically and emotionally.

I had the lap band in 2007. I am at goal as a matter of fact just had plastic surgery on tummy and boobs 12 days ago. Hubby and I were out shopping and I got a really sexy red nightie w/thong undies. Guess what the nightie and undies fit and looked really good on me, imagine that because at one time that wouldn't have been the case. So my advice is to check out what your insurance is willing to do and start the process as soon as you can.

I do know that the band could be sitting on a nerve which causes shoulder pain. When I got fills prior to being rebanded (due to slip), I had shoulder pain but for some reason it was always my right shoulder and would go away when I lost a few pounds... Same thing when people have port pain in the beginning, the port is sewn to close or right at a nerve. Anyway that is what I was told.

Here is the problem in a nutshell, people just aren't educated in weight loss surgery. Like anything in life until the masses are educated there will always be people making statements on things they have no idea on what they are talking about. You do what is right for you. Your friend isn't being mean, she is just uninformed.

Yep When I was getting fills 2nd year everytime I got one my shoulder would hurt but for some reason it was my right shoulder...go figure. And the coordinator told me it was from the band pressing against a nerve. It would go away in about 5 days and a few lost pounds.

I have been thru the lapband surgery twice, just recently due to a slip. I had zero pain, no gas, no nothing. I do know that some people can have pain. Both the port area and where they band you have nerves that can be pressed on which can cause pain, kind of like tying a shoelace tightly over a nerve.

I'm glad you got another doctor. The bariatrics team needs to work with you not against you which sounds like the new doctor is doing. Your friend will do so much better by people giving her the right support and she will get to goal. May take a year or two but what the heck, she is doing in the right direction and so are you. Best luck to the both of you.

try strained canned cream soups. Also if you cook, you can make thngs like bean soup, vegetable soup and drink the broth, You can do sugar free jello and sugar free puddings. Just let the jello melt a bit before swallowing. Keep up with your protien shakes as the protien will help curb your hunger. This stage, the pureed stage, the fork mashed stage won't last forever. Just remember that and when you start to get your fills that will make all the difference in the world.

paracelsus51, It's a great team I have. I've been doing this for over 2 years. The follow up only takes about 5 min. I leave work a few min. early each Tuesday as I have a standing appointment. I need that kind of follow up as I am a person who needs to be accountable to someone. Most of the patients in my group do this. The sad thing is on this site so many banders only see their team when they need a fill or have a problem. My team is very dedicated to their patients and truly want each of us to be successful. My bariatrics dept. is starting a Jazzercise program in Jan. It will be geared to all levels of fitness even to the patients who need to do jazzercise in a chair. We also have the monthly support group meetings and have specialists come and give talks from skin care, plastic surgery, etc. And all of this does not cost anything except for the jazzercise. We are accepting bariatric patients from other sites for the type of support each of get however it does cost them since they did not have their surgery at our hosptial or use our surgeons. That being said, it still is a reasonable fee for them. Those patients heard of the support we get and got in touch with our coordinator, excuse my language , as their support sucked from where they came from. I am very grateful that I am in our program.

Top 3 for me: 1. Putting me first 2. Weekly support from my bariatrics team, I go every Tueday to get weighed, give an account of my excersize, vitimens taken, food intake (1/2 cup, 3/4 cup, or 1 cup) blood pressure taken, every 3rd visit get measured, and all visits get encouragement never get beaten down even if I didn't do "it" right.. 3. fills when needed and I might add that I am very protective of my fills too.

I have always been big, tall for my age, etc. I had my surgery a little of two years ago and am now at my goal weight. I am a 14/16 which is a good size for me. My frame is large, I was never meant to be little but I'm sure I was meant to be healthy. I am a foodaholic so lapband is perfect for me.