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:thumbup: I am so sorry to hear this. Sounds very close to my situation. I got my band 2/25/08 and was fine for the first year. Lost about 60 pounds and then started getting fills and unfills. Could not eat anything healthy at all. All the other sweets and junk stayed down, the rest came right back up. Had two complete unfills. On 6/26/10 started having terrible pains in my back and side. Went to the ER and had Emergency Band Removal. Was in the hospital 6 days with a drain tube. My whole stomach had come above the band and the band was cutting of oxygen to my stomach and causing it to die. I am lucky not to have anymore damage to my stomach than I already have. Let me know if you would like to talk. I am still very disturbed about the whole experience and would love to have someone to talk to.

Go get kids sippy cups. They are small and help keep track of your liquids. When you finish one you feel like you really accomplished something. Also set a timer for every 5-10 min to remind you to sip. My doc said he was most concerned with water at this stage. You don't want to get dehydrated.

Diving post op? Like scuba diving. It's one of my favorite things to do. I did do it within the last year pre op (sleeved 12/10/2012), but its not too cute squeezing by big butt into a wetsuit and having to be strapped with 21 lbs of weights. Cuz FYI.. fat floats! I am in the planning stages of my next vacation and I wanted to return to my favorite place in Mexico to dive. I am concerned about air in my belly or getting sea sick. Is it any different than before? I should be about 4.5 months post op when we go.

the scle is not budging 1 ounce, but I'm happy 26 lbs down. Thats 10% of my starting weight! I'm in bandster hell, but thats ok.... I was mentally prepared to be there. I'm eating and drinking Water and not worring too much. And very thankfully, I lost from my tummy first! Surprised me considering I'm very apple shaped.

I gained 10 lbs of water weight from the IVs in the hospital. It took me a week to lose those. I'm now 6 1/2 weeks post-op and down 27 lbs from me pre-op low. Patience!

Total: 808 Fat:45 405 51% Sat:18 163 21% Poly:4 40 5% Mono:12 106 13% Carbs:44 150 19% Fiber:8 0 0% Protein:60 239 30% 8 days postop and Ruh Roh. Bandster hell is coming.... I'm getting hungry!!! BUT...I eat a cup of full fluids or mushies and and I'm ok for 2-3 hours....and still only getting in <900 calories, but just spending more time hungry than I was. It's all good. I scheduled my appt for my 1st fill for May 4th. My soreness is almost all gone but still get tired easily. Grateful the wknd is coming. Incisions are looking good. Signed up with a gym today and I'm really excited about that. Hit the treadmill tomorrow. Tried scrambled eggs tonight and they went down fine. Man, did they taste good!! I can SERIOUSLY see how my relationship with food will be changing. Now, when I'm hungry, I get kind of sad that I can't go out and eat a plate full of enchiladas or a nice sandwich or a steak or even my favorite salad. But it is precisely at that moment I am grateful for my new tool. I can't overeat even if I wanted to. So I shrug my shoulders, go have a 1/2 of cottage cheese and Voila! My hunger is cured ....and so is my sadness (that I can't have enchiladas). I sometimes miss that FULL feeling I used to get....but not really. Not after I've cured the hunger with even a small amount of food. I'm over it just like that. No regrets, no more mourning. This is certainly going to be an interesting journey.

Yes I woke up Thurs. and started singing happy band day to me. I was so excited, its here, its really here. MY SURGERY DAY!! I started talking a mile a minute to my husband. I jump up and get in the shower(still singing) I didn't even care that I couldn't have coffee. I was in the car ready to go in no time. You see, I am not a morning person. It takes me 30 min to get out of bed after waking up, and I really don't like any conversation until my 3rd cup of coffee. I am late to everything. In Feb. I was 25 min late for my gallbladder surgery, and a nervous wreck. I was not nervous at all. Everything went very well. The hardest part about the whole thing was the IV. I have a hard time with needles. I have fainted a few times in the past. She had a hard time getting the needle in. She kept poking and moving:sad: I told her I was feeling light headed. She pulled it out of my hand, non to gentle I might add. This is not good. She puts the needle in my other hand, and then commented on how I did not look well. I told her I was a few seconds a way from fainting. I have been through this enough to know. She laid me down and with in a few minutes I was fine. Walked into surgery at 10:45 am. Still not nervous, and even laughed at my doctors little joke. Next thing I know they are waking me up in recovery at 11:30 am. Wow that was fast. I had some pain, but they gave me med. I left at 2:20 pm. The ride was a little tough, but all in all not bad. My husband went out and bought me a recliner, and got that all set up for me. I slept so so in that.first day after surgery I started get the "Gas Pains" Wow they were just like contractions. When I was in labor with my 4Th son, I started contractions on April 1. On April 2ND I was still in labor, and they made me walk and walk and walk some more. I gave birth to him on April 3rd 1992. Sorry for the flashback As you can see these gas pains brought back allot of memories lol. Anyways, I took the gas x and four 15 min walks, and this did the trick. I am so thankful for the post about this subject. 2ND day after surgery- I woke up feeling pretty good , still on the pain meds. I was able to go to my daughters softball game. I was a little uncomfortable in the chair and a little loopy from meds but all and all, It went well. I am starting to get hungry for the first time. My husband is BBQ chicken. Man it smells good. I was able to be thankful for him cooking for our daughter instead of feeling sorry for myself for not being able to eat. It took effort though. I am doing OK on my water, chicken broth, protein shakes, jello, and a lot of crystal light. Today is sun morning. I woke up in less pain. Still sore around the port and incision but not bad. I have to say this has been a lot easier than the gallbladder. I am very happy:thumbup:

Hey all, I am new to this site and have found the information and discussions extremely interesting/helpful. I have recently decided that I want to be banded. I have been considering/researching for about 10 mnths and am now ready to begin my weight loss journey. Imagine my disappointment when I found out that my insurance will not pay for it so I will be a self-pay. There is a place in Oklahoma City called WeightWise that offer surgery starting at $9,995. Has anyone used them and if so can you tell me about your experience? Thanks in advance for any help or advice you may be able to offer

if you want the recipe here is the link. http://theworldaccordingtoeggface.blogspot.com/2011/10/cauliflower-power.html

If there is a planet fitness near you try there. $10 per month and they have free personal trainers

My name's Jessica. I was banded in 10/06 by the fabulous Dr Aviv Ben-Meir at St Vincent Charity Hospital Center for Bariatric Surgery in Cleveland, Ohio. I'm here for support...which I should've been looking for um, around the time i had surgery? But nobody ever said I did things in the right order, lol. I still have about 80 pounds to go, and i'm having problems staying motivated...

I am 2 weeks out today! I was 281 at my preop testing which was about 2.5 weeks before surgery, I'm 261 today. I lost around 13 lbs the first week after surgery, however the scale has not moved, well it went up a couple pounds, since Monday! Is it really possible to start as stall at 10 days post op? Am I doomed, it's not like anything else I've ever done has worked, maybe this just won't either!? I'm only 5 feet tall so for my weight I really would have thought I'd get a little more out of this than 13 lbs.

Well, I ended up being completely normal - thank God! Hehe! I spent 10 minutes talking to the guy and then he made me take a personality test made up of 344 questions!!! But it only took me about 20 minutes to complete. He gave me the results as soon as I was finished and said I passed and was "right as rain." LOL! Yay! The support group was a little weird. When I think of a support group I think of something like AA (thought I've never been to AA) - where you sit around and talk and stuff....it was nothing like that. But at least I've got one of them done - two more to go!!!

I like you, never worked out, besides chasing kids and running errands. Then in February my work offered a Zumba class. That was it, i was hooked. I started 1 day a week, then in March they added another day. I joined a gym to get more classes, I am now up to 4 times a week. I burn the average of 600 calories per session, but the best part is I LOVE IT! It is not like you are working out, you are dancing around and having fun. I think the key to sticking to anything is doing something you LOVE and that you have fun. Before Zumba, I hadn't worked out since I was a cheerleader in HS (20 years ago). At first it was HARD, having twins 3 years ago, the bladder left a lot to be desired, but now 4 months later, no problem. My dr said I am building muscle and the bladder is is fixing itself! If you can, find a class in your area that you can do a drop in, they are usually $10, try it! Go slow at your pace, and feel the fun! Ok off my Zumba soapbox! Patti

I've read some of the threads about loosing weight before surgery "getting rid of the fat on the liver'??? does anyone know if you qualify for the lap band if you have Hep C? i know they require blood tests - how about biopsy's? i haven't seen anything about quitting smoking either? i have come up with some other questions... 1. what is this "programs that insurance doesn't cover? gym membershiip and such? 2. why do you have to loose 10% of your body weight before surgery? at my weight that would be 35 or more pounds. 3. Pre Op liquid Diet? is this something the doc prescribes? what does it consist of? or do you just blend everything in a blender? 4. have any of you experienced the shakes/dizzy feeling, from being on the liquid diet? 5. although i have "tried" to eat better in the past, I haven't really went on a "diet" for any length of time. will the doctor refuse to do the surgery because of this? 6. I have an HMO through Medicaid (NJ) Horizon NJ Health. Does anyone know if they cover the post-op procedures such as "Fills" or anything else? thanks susan

Two weeks ago I took my grandkids to the beach for the day. This meant I went to the gym at 6 as usual, then into work until 10, then I picked up the kids and took them to the beach. I walked up and down the beach twice, played in the tide pools, had lunch and then back down the beach, and finally home. Somewhere during this process I was sitting in the sun, relaxing for a minute and started to reflect on my life today vs. 6 years ago before I was banded. Just 6 years ago I would have either gone to work or gone with the kids somewhere- not enough energy for both. Four years ago I would have gone to the gym in the morning and probably just taken the kids to the beach. Two years ago I would have gone to the gym, come into work for a bit and taken the kids to the beach. I would have never made it up and down the beach twice. I would have been exhausted by the time we had returned once from the tide pools. This time, approaching my 6th year with a lap band and at 61 years old, I went to the gym, then worked for 2 hours, then took the kids to the beach and walked back and forth on the beach, in out of the surf and the tide pools, up to the restaurant and back, and still had energy to spare. Life is a miracle, my grandkids are blessings, and every day I am grateful for my lap band. If you ‘re early in your journey ,take a moment to think about where you would like to be a year from now. Those who have been on this journey for a while ,take a moment and reflect on what something you are doing today would have been like before you were banded. Let’s share. You can read about this day and my past 6 years banded at Sandi's Banded Living — My Lapband Weight Loss Success Story Please let me know if you find it useful.

Making good food choices is a key part of surgery, and that includes getting your Protein in. Definitely follow your doctor's plan because they've put it together based on the specific needs of people who have gone before us. Here's a really good article that addresses a few of these things, in particular #3, 9, and 10. It is not an easy thing to make the change, but for the best chance at long term success it's so worth it. http://www.bariatriceating.com/2015/03/02/top-10-bariatric-post-op-mistakes/

I am getting banded by Dr.Quilici ( Cedar Sinai ) on Feb. 19. did you ever get banded yet?

So I had my first fill yesterday and all went well. I feel some restriction but its nit tight. I told the doctor I do not want to be tight. It took ten minutes tops! I went in and they had me fill in a few questions about n how I was feeling and how much I can eat . They discussed my concerns and desires and took my weight. Then he had me lie on the fluoroscopy table which has a small round X-ray head that is stomach sized. He quickly located my port and told me I would feel a slight pinch (. No big deal ). And put a small needle into my port . The syring had saline in it he put in 3 Cc's and had me drink a thin oink flavorless liquid then he watched the monitor to see how the liquid flowed through my band and esophogus. It went down nicely so he Added another cc and had me take another drink. On the monitor you could see that the liquid did not go down as smoothly so he went back down to 3 Cc's and said that should leave me comfortable but add restriction. I drank more Water before leaving and all was well. That day I ate mushy food only and today I can eat whatever as long as I chew chew chew. I can feel a slight restriction but its not too evident yet. I'm hoping its enough. I don't feel stuffed after drinking a 8 ounce Protein shake but I feel satisfied. For lunch I had Soup and dinner I had chicken, and some Beans with no problem. I ordered veggies but they were too hard and I was afraid they'd stick. I ate the whole leg and 10 small bites of the beans . I certainly ate more than 1/2 a cup of food. Perhaps 1 cup ? Hopefully the fill works!

For many years prior to my Weight Loss Surgery, I was waiting for a magic bullet [no, not the blender] to come along and make it very easy for me to lose my excess weight. Some new drug or Vitamin that made the process very easy. Many weight loss drugs were introduced through the years but many had adverse side-effects, some were outright dangerous. Well, a new device called AspireAssist was just approved by the FDA. The device works by restricting caloric absorption and decreasing the rate of eating/chewing. Under conscious sedation and with the use of an endoscope, a tube is placed within the upper portion of the stomach, with the other end attached to the surface of the abdomen through a secured port. The device is then attached to the port when the patient is ready to aspirate, 20-30 minutes after a meal. Approximately 30 percent of the caloric intake from the meal can be emptied directly into the toilet, requiring about 10-15 minutes in all for the aspiration process. http://acsh.org/news/2016/07/14/fda-approves-new-way-to-purge-calories/ [i remember reading stories that the Romans used binge and purge cycles in the process of overeating. When they were full they would go and vomit out their stomach content so they could continue eating. Apparently some of those stories were false but the myth remains. http://history.howstuffworks.com/history-vs-myth/did-romans-purge-bellies-in-vomitoriums.htm] The device, called AspireAssist, is marketed for obese patients with a BMI between 35-55 who have been unable to lose, or maintain loss of weight, using non-surgical methods. Though it has been available to the European Union population since 2012, it recently gained FDA approval in the United States. Results of a one-year U.S. clinical trial showed that participants (n=171) who used the device, in addition to counseling, lost 12 percent of their initial weight on average, when compared to a 4 percent weight loss in those in the counseling only arm of the study. Well, I am glad I didn't wait around for this one.

I am 9 days out... I am glad I did it... but no one told me of the weight stalls. Just be prepared for anything. Things that changed this past week.... 1. SMELLS are exaggerated and some are deceiving. Have a hanky ready if you are in a public place to breathe through. I sat next to a guy eating beef Jerky on the airplane on the way back from hospital. I thought the jerky smelled like road kill. and the stewardess had some awful perfume... the combo was not pleasant! 2. those first days of drinking... a sip means a teaspoon...not a tablespoon... else OUCH 3. prepare for nap time for at least the first 10 days (cause that is where I am at) 4. make sure you have Gas X strips! I took some on the way home from hospital... boy do they help with the gas pains. 5. try to find a couple clear Protein drinks... I like unjury chicken broth... but it is getting old. and Isopure (rightfully nicknamed isopuke) 6. Have some adult liquid Tylenol for when you get home, OR have a way to crush some pain pills. 7. your gauze when you get home... get the kind that doesn't stick to wounds.... learned that the hard way! 8. stock up with your Clear liquids and have a variety. (fruity G2 and Jello... gets old too. ) and get rest! Good luck with your surgery!

Hi, Busywoman: I have always had group insurance (through a company) where there are no underwriting guidelines. If you were to lose your job and could not find another before your group insurance expires (which is my case) then in order to have health insurance you would have to buy an individual plan since you were no longer part of a group and no longer had an employer. I am self employed and my husband has always worked for large companies IBM and Motorola. Both companies are self insured and pay the bills but use a network like Humana or CCN PPO to administer the plan and provide the network. My present situation is that my husband is no longer employed, our insurance is running out and I need insurance. COBRA is an option, but the premium is at 102% of the normal premium that the employer formerly paid for my group plan. It means I have to pay it myself. For my family of 4, the monthly premium is $1,400 dollars. The only folks that would want COBRA are people who cant get insurance because they are considered high risk. Having any kind of bariatric surgery within 10 years excludes me from most plans. That is why I am asking for help. Someone here who is self employed or pays for their own insurance may have the answer I am looking for.... Babs in TX

Misty, I guess the best thing to tell you is that I weighed 326 on November 1st, 2008. I was banded on 11/19/08 and I now weigh 267 and I'm half way to my goal. The band is not a cure all and it does not do all of the work for you but it sure helps! Until my second fill I really didn't have a restriction and I thought maybe my band was screwed up or something. Now, after the second fill I'm just starting to feel the restriction. I've got rid of the weight by following the doctor's orders and did not eat like before even if the band does not restrict at first. I exercise at least an hour a day (I hate it too) but it is really paying off. So, hang in there and keep up the "I can do it attitude".

I dont think there is necessarily a window. However, it is easier to lose weight in the beginning because at a higher weight, your body uses more calories to maintain your body and the weight drops faster. It is also easier to lose weight in the beginning because motivation is higher and you start with a liquid diet. I can see that if a person does not follow the program and bandster rules in the beginning after banding and has minimal or no success at banding once they reach restriction . . . then chances of future success are diminished. You have to be committed to the lifestyle. If you are committed, then I think you can find success at banding during any point in the journey whether it is in the first 6 months or 10 years down the road.