Tulip

Linda, the fastest method is to call your insurance member service and ask them who is in your network. When I did that I found about 4 doctors in the Houston area that were in network. Good luck!

I'm not a doctor, but it doesn't sound like a slip to me. I thought I might have one a few weeks ago, and turned out I had a dilated pouch. My doctor had me stay on liquids for 2 days, then back to soft foods for a weekl. When I went back for follow up, my pouch was fine and the band was fine. When you had an episde like that, don't drink any liquids for several hours. In the morning try small sips and then if that is tolerated, continue on liquids. If you can't take small sips the next day, call your doctor! Good luck.

You are so right. That is exactly what my doctor told me. He is keeping me on a short leash as I reduce my meds. I have to turn in a journal of my readings each month. I also felt very tired and slept more than usual when my meds were too high. Reducing them has helped in that area. This is a great thread. Thanks for all your your responses.

I took 2 meds for blood pressure: one a Water pill and one is Toprol. The water pill was reduced to 3/week after I lost 50 pounds. The Toprol I have dropped from 50mg to 25 mg. My last reading was 108/78. My doctor allows me to reduce the pills only if I monitor my blood pressure at elast 3 times a week, which I have been doing. Good luck. PS I am off ALL cholesterol medicine.

Oh how lucky to be going to Spain. My favorite country for travel of all! I read this thread because I am having problems after a year and a half of banding. Last few days I have problems with solids, eat more than 3 bites and feel awful pain, not like restriction or being stuck. I called my doctor and was told this might be dilation. I am on liquid diet for 2 days and will call them on Friday. I am at my goal weight, so if they have to deflate a little it won't be horrible news. Yet, I don't want any thing worse than that. I have been to Spain twice. Once to northern area (Madrid, Toledo, barcelono) and once to the south (Seville, Arcos). Where are you travelling? Honestly, Spain is my favorite country to visit. They are so nice, eager to please and the food is wonderful! Terry

I'm so glad I found this thread. I have been banded for a year and a half (not a newbie at all), and am at goal - really! My last fill was in Jan 2008, which put me to 2.4 cc. I lost about 20 pounds since that fill and thought everything was fine. About 4 days ago I woke up with a terrible acid feeling in my throat. Yes, I did eat some Fritos the night before, but not too many because I can't. Since then I can drink fluids like Water, Slimfast, even yogurt. But solids hurt - right at the band. This is a different type of pain from being restricted or stuck. I can eat only 3 bites of soft foods and then feel the pain. I called the doctor today and was told this is probably pouch dilation. I was told to stay on strict liquid diet for 2 days, and if not better by Friday (day after tomorrow) come in for deflate. I'm at goal (even a bit less) so I am not terribly concerned about losing some fill. I'm more worried that this is something worse than dilation. I'll keep you posted. I hope to hear how the rest of your situations resolve. Terry

It is possible you have found the sweet spot right away. That wasn't my experience at all, but we all differ in the way we adjust to the band. I didn't find the truly sweet spot until right before my one year bandiversarry. I had 5 small fills over the first 8 months, then a smaller unfill a month later. Finally at 11 month I had must a tad (.2 cc) put in and that seems to be my sweet spot total of 2.6 cc. Now I am almost a year and half out of surgery. I am thankfully still losing, slowly but surely. I'm glad that my losing didn't stop at one year out of surgery. That is what is so good about lapband. Still adjustable. Congratulations on your successes!

Me too, ditto, ditto. I would highly recommend him and his office staff are wonderful to deal with. If I had my surgery tomorrow, I would still choose Dr. Spivak.

I can't speak from personal experience, but I do have 3 friends that had surgery by Dr. Speigel. They used him because of his extensive experience. But the price quoted on this thread is not the best one in Texas. Another doctor in Houston with as many if not more lap band surgeries offers the lap band for $12,900 (includes a year of follow-up and fills). I don't think my friends would have gone with Speigel if they had investigated more about his staff and his fill practice.

Hello all, I got an email from Lap Band talk about not being here for a while, so I thought I'd check in with the thread. Glad to see posts here. Congratulations Tracy. Snow??? I've been busy working on my vegetable garden, and already have tomatoes, peppers, squash and zuccini picked. What a difference living here in Texas. Doing fine with my band, and about 5 pounds to go to get to health BMI. I have a few friends that are serious about getting a band now. Sorry to be MIA for so long,

I have that white coat syndrom too. It usually happened to me because I had to get on the scale... but that isn't the cuase anymore- Ha! No really my blood pressure is nothing to laugh at, sometimes high, sometimes normal. I'm glad yours came back down to normal.

Hello everyone, I haven’t been on my computer so much lately. Tax time is a very busy time of year for me. However, I did want to check back in and say hey. I received very good news today during my routine visit with my cardiologist. My blood pressure has been consistently normal for 3 months, my cholesterol levels are good and my lever function tests are all normal. He is taking me off my cholesterol medicine, but will recheck in a month without the meds to make sure I am still maintaining good levels. Lynn, your experience sounds so similar to mine. Dr. Spivak is my doctor and I once had a slight unfill after being way too tight for 2 months. After the unfill back to 2.2cc I was still somewhat restricted but not really enough to call it my sweet spot. I went back and had .2cc added to get to a total of 2.4 and “dare I say” it does feel right! Your description of the sweet spot is exactly how I feel now. One thing that is apparent is that if I feel full, I stop and I must not sip any liquids for at least 30 minutes. I used to think a little sip would help get unstuck, but now I know better. Lisa – happy bandiversary a little late. I hope you can figure out the way to post pictures, I’d love to see them. 90 pounds lost is awesome Debbie – I think you are right about stress. I think it makes a big difference in my restriction too. Tonya – that is a great idea about not eating after 7:00pm. The nights are the times when I can eat the most, and I would lose more if I could eliminate all eating after 7:00. How are is your vision. Lasik is such an improvement over the previous surgeries to correct vision. I had an RK back in 1985. I’m still glad I did it and passed my driver’s license test this week without any correction. Oh, I forgot to mention the twinges by my port. My doctor told me that is common after weight loss. My port has not flipped, but that is sometimes the start of movement. I hope I’m at the right fill now. All the rest of my fills will be self-pay. BabyGotBack – glad to see you back here. I have been taking my quickslim and I do think it helps with appetite control. I have lost another 5 pounds! Yea. I also had a stomach virus and didn’t feel like eating at all during that time. I hope your get some “me” time to unwind and do some fun things. Sula, I don’t understand your doctor’s comments about being near the end of what he can do. I have the 4cc band, but I would think you could have more in your 10. If you don’t have enough restriction, well, you just don’t. Can’t they add more? Cindi – I’m glad you are back and that you don’t have a dilated pouch. Your efforts will be rewarded I’m sure. Plateaus are so hard to work through. Enjoy your R&R Thanks to all of you for your inspiration and encouragement. Coming here to read about our struggles and victories helps me tremendously.