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Okay so here's my situation I got banded in May of this year including pre op diet I have lost a total of 52 pounds. To be quite honest I don't know if this band is working or not. Please don't think I'm crazy but I don't exercise at all and I can eat whatever I want. The only time I feel even slightly restricted is when it comes to bread. I've eaten burgers, Pasta, pancakes, and in all these times I've only gotten sick 1 time and I don't think it had anything to do with the band. I do feel some restrictions but I'm able to eat rather large meals...smaller than before...but large for person with a band. So should I be concerned or just thank my lucky stars? I have also recently found that if I eat less then 1200 calories I don't lose weight. I have a 10 Cc band that has 5 cc's What are your thoughts? I usually find that I don't lose weight when I exercise but I'm deathly afraid of loose skin so feel like I need to start as well.

Was called today from my hubby at work to be told i was approved by the insurance. Surgery is on december 7th. 10 days. i go to my pre op appt tomorrow morning. and i am so excited. just wanted to share. i love this site.

I lost 20 pounds in the first two weeks. Then nothing for 10 days now over the last week I've slowly started losing again and also scared the momentum is gone!

At 10 days post op, I was using an unflavored protein powder mixed in beverages and/or broth.

At 4.5 mths out, I have a Protein shake for Breakfast. It keeps me full for 3 hrs or so along with constantly drinking liquids throughout the day. I eat lunch of mostly protein, may have a protein snack in afternoon and then dinner around 7. I don't eat on an exact schedule and some days I can eat more than on others. I always have liquid to drink except with meals. At 10 days out , I sipped Water and drank protein all day. As you heal and swelling goes down, you will begin to figure what works best for you. And make adjustments as you go.

Wow....I sometimes buy me a little oven roasted chicken salad at subway with double meat and get a couple of meals out of it. I was buying the chicken teriyaki salad but I found out that sauce they use ups the whole salad from 10 carbs to 40 for the double meat. Considering the only difference is the small amount of sauce on the chicken, I figured I could live without it.

I had my step daughters 18th last weekend and decided to do entree type things before the main. I gave your egg muffins a go with egg bacon and cheese. Took me all of 10 mins to make and they were an absolute HIT!!!! I didnt make enough, people wanted the recipe and were praising my fine cooking skills. Hehe I took it all in and told them it was from years of practise lol . I just wanted to thank you for the recipe they are quick easy and yummmmmy.

I was a belly sleeper and I am just curious.... will I be able to sleep on my belly again? If so how long did it take others before they could again?? I am 10 days post op now and this side & back sleeping is driving me nuts. Not to mention I have had a gas bubble caught in my shoulder for 4 days so I can't sleep on my left side because it makes the pain unbearable. Just looking for some help here. Thanks Sent from my DROID Pro using LapBandTalk

Was banded October 23, 2007 at the outpatient surgery center off Bee Caves. That was three weeks ago. I weighed 254 lbs. I notice that my personal scale is calibrated at 10 pounds less than at True Results. At my first post op appt., I gained about half a pound, it was very discouraging. I got my first fill November 7th. It restricted me for a couple of days but now I'm hungry a lot AGAIN. My scale shows that I now weigh 236 lbs. So if I add the 10 pounds that means I lost 8 lbs since last week. Cool. I still get frustrated because of gas pains and discomfort in the port area. I understand that all this is normal. My shoes fit me loose. I wish I felt better with my knee. It hurts very badly when I walk. I see the knee surgeon on the 28th, my birthday. Yipee. I have physical therapy tomorrow. I also have a second fill scheduled tomorrow. Hope I'm not over doing it. When I went for my first post op appt., I felt very light headed after the NP gave me the first fill. She said I was over exerting, and I was dehydrated and needed additional protien. Go figure. Get some rest and drink plenty of fluids. Imagine that! I can't believe that Thanksgiving is next week already. It'll be fun to visit with my family. Looking forward to it.:tired

Date Printed: January 5, 2007: 10:48 PM Supplemental Letter for January 9, 2007 January 3, 2007 Dear Review Panel: Presented to you for review is my case for a gastric procedure known as a laproscopic banding procedure or "Lap-Band". In a lower review, BCBSFL did not dispute that I meet the criteria for the Lap-Band procedure. There is no dispute that I would benefit from weight loss surgery and there is no dispute that losing weight would be beneficial to my health. At issue is the coverage of this surgery and the exception I am requesting for this exclusion. Ironically, I received a phone call a few weeks ago from BCBSFL's new Diagnostics Program that offers support to wellness. Through this program, I gained beneficial information in the form of a booklet, catalog and DVD on the very weight loss surgery I am requesting. There is evidence in my medical records that I have tried for years multiple weight loss regimens and used pharmacotherapy for obesity under the supervision of my physician, Dr. Alan Sichelman. For my mental state, it is documented by my therapist, Jane Fenby, that I have a full understanding of what this procedure entails and that it will be a lifetime commitment on my part. There is no indication that I am unstable, misinformed with perceptions of unrealistic expectations; Rather so, that I have pursued this avenue under the direction of my primary care physician and other medical personnel, with cooperation, information and education; That I am laying the course for my surgical event and post surgical life by the compass of these individuals and their combined medical expertise demonstrates I am an individual who very much wishes to be healed. Unquestionably, I am ill and feel I am fighting for my life. As a result of my severe morbid obesity, I suffer from sleep apnea, diabetes, depression, back problems, joint pain, hypertension, migraines, Pictures will show my condition and the severity of my obesity. It is true that my life is endangered. This procedure will prevent the worsening of my condition, alleviate present harmful medical conditions and perhaps cure them. It is the conclusion of my physican(s) and myself that I am in need of this operation. Please authorize my surgery. Additional: As providers of health care coverage, Blue Cross and Blue Shield has historically authorized weight loss surgery. Currently, Blue Cross and Blue Shield of North Carolina cut in half hospital re-admissions "by the twelve surgeons in North Carolina that are designated as centers of excellence for bariatric (obesity) surgery." Additionally, BCBSNC was one of the first insurers in the nation to officially recognize centers of excellence for bariatric surgery. Illinois also follows this model as well as South Dakota, Iowa, Michigan and several other states. In recent publications in the Tampa Bay area, BCBSFL appears to be using bariatric surgery denials as a financial decision rather than one in the best interest of patient care. I must express my concern that with sufficient evidence from their medical providers and informed decisions with which they move forward, it is very troubling that patient/physician decisions of health necessity are disrupted, ignored and denied, superceded by a focus on cost. It is hoped that Florida will soon follow the successful excellence practice as established by Blue Cross and Blue Shield in other states. Patricia Reeves

**UPDATE 02/16/16*** I had my psych eval done this evening. He said that he was highly recommending me for surgery! So relieved!!!! I am really worried about the psych eval and whether or not i will pass. I am currently in counseling, in fact, Ive been in counseling for the last 10 years, to keep me stabilized. I take medication of depression and anxiety disorders, and also have a personality disorder. I am worried. I am stable. I am medicated, and I want to be the best person i can be, even if it means taking it the rest of my life to manage my symptoms. But this is putting me in an anxiety spiral. Does anyone have any insight? or have any of you passed an eval with issues like my own?

Just be careful because I work with insurances on a daily basis and you can call 10 different times for the same issue on same patient and get 10 different answers

Hello guys. I am new to band land. I was banded on 3-31-09 in Houston, TX and things went great. Well I was a little worried the day of surgery. I had surgery at 10:30am they told me I could go home at 1:30 pm as long as I could go to the potty and drink the soup/ water and Jello. Well food went down fine but going to the bathroom was a challenge. OMG around 5:30 pm I was finally able to go they were 5 min away from calling the doctor to see if I needed to be admitted to the hospital. I have never prayed to pee but there is a first time for everything J

TGIF...... Well I am a week away from a surgery that I have been waiting on for a little over a year. I basically gave up on the insurance approving it and found out the day before Thanksgiving that it had finally been approved. The Dr. is rushing everything through since the insurance is changing on 1/1. So my surgery date is 12/21 @ 10:00 am. I have little time to think about it, so I have not really been nervous. I started looking for "chat rooms" today and came accross this web site. What a GREAT tool. I am not on a liquid diet until 24 hours prior to surgery. So for me it is life as usual. However, I do have to drink a presurgical shake twice a day. Any advice for me out there during this final week of prep and for the first few weeks after?

I had one 10 years ago and was diagnosed with insomnia and delayed phase sleep dysphasia. They had me get one for surgery and it wasn't fun. I did get up 3 times to go to the bathroom and that was annoying. The worse part was the floor of the sleep center had this chevron pattern that triggered my vertigo. By the time I walked down the hallway I had to sit down because the world was spinning. The center recommended cpap but I was suspicious because the resident said I had mild sleep apnea. A few days later the attending called and said I was up too much during the night and they didn't get enough info. I explained I sleep on my stomach, have only 1 functioning nostril due to trigeminal neuralgia from facial shingles a few years back and can't wear a face mask because of the neuralgia. She wanted to redo the test. Insurance wouldn't pay for it so she then tried to set me up with a CPAP machine. It wasn't covered by my insurance so I never got it. Anyway I had my surgery and everything worked out fine.

Go to the Allergan site, they have a list of doctors that you can look up by location. www.lapband.com I called my insurance company and: 1) made sure they cover the band 2) asked what the requirements were and had them fully explained to me 3) got a person at the insurance compnay who will be my "complex case manager" that I can call and ask questions of anytime I need to 4) asked for all of those insurance requirements to be sent to me so that I have them in writing. 4a) got together with my PCP and made sure all the ducks were in a row 5) asked the insurance company what surgeons they would pay for me to see-got that in writing too 6) compared the insurance list to the Allergan list 7) picked a couple and called and started asking questions and signing up for information sessions 8) attended an information session 9) made an appointment with the surgeon for a pre-op consult 10) made an appointment for the psych consult, got that done Now I'm waiting to see the surgeon on the 27th.

Jeanne, I can only speak to my experience on a slipped band. I've heard some people have no idea their band slipped. But for me it was like swallowing razor blades. I couldn't swallow anything, not even my spit. It hurt all the time in my stomach area, deep in, not the port area. I was nauseous all the time, not hungry at all, weak. I was on an IV so I wasn't eating much besides a few bites of Jello. It is my understanding that being too restricted can feel very similar. I'd really encourage you to stay hydrated, sip as much Water as you can. Whatever the problem, being dehydrate can make things much worse. Call you Doctor right away. They can do a fluoroscope and see if you have a slipped band. There is no need to suffer wondering what is wrong. I've also read that you can get more restriction even 7-10 days after a fill, so may that is what you are experiencing. Keep us posted, I know how scary it can be.

I felt so weak until I introduces very soft scrambled eggs. My surgeon allows that on day 14 however day 10 I had it. That has helped me big time. Lifting my arm to grab my phone felt like a workout. Coming from my room to livingroom felt like a marathon. I'm only 14 days post op and feel 90% better. I did back to school shopping groceries and Costco yesterday and by the end i was done but I did it. I'm also down 31. Lbs since the start of my 2 week post op diet so it defiantly works. Good luck every day is a new day! Kristen

I agree with the other posters. Definitely get it checked into. My mom went that about 18 months after she finished menopause. They checked everything out, did a d & c and she never had a problem after that. Although they did check her every 6 months for about 2 years just to be safe. That was 10+ years ago and she has not had any problems since (she is 67 now) My best to you!

Hi my fellow Wildcat fan! I'm gonna suggest a couple of things...obviously, just my opinion. Maybe the reason you eat that bread and rice now, is because you have adapted/learned to chew better and have slowed down your eating? I seem to remember not too long ago when you got a fill and were having difficulty with some of those foods. So possibly, you've just adjusted to this restriction level. Concentrate on making the best food choices, and let the band help with quanity. If you end up with more than a cup...don't stress as long as it's good food choices most of the time. Maybe a small tweak is in order....only you and your doctor can determine that. Hopefully, this next suggestion comes across the way its intended. Encouraging. If you really want to break that plateau, you must find something, whatever you can do, to increase your cardio activity. Safely, under direction of a professional, there is something you can physically do to increase your heart rate and burn those calories. KICKSTART that metabolism into high gear! Maybe its only 5-10 minutes the first little while...build slowly, increasing only when you can safely do so, but get that heart rate to whatever your doctor will allow. The rewards are so worth it! Best wishes my friend!

I had the RNY on April 10. Highest weight was 220lbs which dropped to 206lbs on the day of surgery. My progression is as follows: Apr 10: 206lbs Apr 24: 196.4lbs May 10: 192lbs June 10: 176.2lbs July 10: 168lbs Aug 10: 161lbs Sep 10: 152.6 lbs Oct 10: 148.8lbs Today, Oct 19: 146.8lbs I am 5'4". As you can see, I initially lost weight slowly. I also had times where I lost rapidly and times where the scale barely moved. I tracked my progress with body measurements (lost 14inches off my waist!), dress sizes (size 18-6/8; size XL/XXL to S/XS), and body fat (39% to 23.4%). Don't rely on the scale! Good luck!

Hello all, My journey began last October, while in nursing school(LVN Nursing) I realized that if I am going to do the job I plan for, I needed to lose a lot of weight. At the end of a 10 hour clinical day my back and hips hurt! So I contacted Kaiser, and they signed me up for the Bariatric program. After 12 weeks of attending their night classes during my lunch break from school, I finally completed the program last March. I scheduled my surgery for the first available date, April 14th. I took my NCLEX test while on the liquid pre-op diet required for surgery. I'm glad to say that I was still able to pass my test, even with the tummy distraction:) Anyways, the week before surgery I began to get sick, and woke up the day before with a temperature of 102. So I had to call my surgeon, and he cancelled my surgery. I took some time to think the surgery over and try to lose weight on my own like my family begged me to do. Then I saw the pictures of the girl had her surgery a few days before mine was scheduled to be. She had lost 50 lbs. and looked amazing, healthy, and happy. As I looked at her pictures, I was reminded of why I want this for myself. So I called my surgeon and met with him. Set my surgery for the soonest available date (Sept. 8). Well, my husband's birthday is September 4th, and he wanted a Harley. We went to pick it up August 28th, so we could go on one Harley ride before surgery. Well, I wanted to get on and take a picture with it, and burned my leg. I didn't think anything of it for a few days. August 30th I woke up because of a pain in my leg. The blister from my burn had come off, and it was a painful red mess. I just put a bandaid on it and went back to bed. The next morning, I could tell it was infected. I cleaned and bandaged it, and yesterday(Sept. 1) it was finally starting to look better. Went to my obgyn today, and she noticed my bandage, so she asked to take a look. She said it still looked like a very slight infection. She notified my surgeon, and now he is thinking of cancelling my surgery. I am so disappointed. I will not know until next Wednesday if I'm having surgery or not. I have an appointment scheduled then so he can take another look at it. If this is cancelled, it will be my second surgery cancelled for unrelated acute medical conditions. LAME!! Praying that it heals up well by Wednesday. Thanks for letting me vent. Sarah

My birthday is September 14th- I don't think it's possible to for me to lose 48lbs in less than 3 months. I mean, it could happen but I just don't see that happening. If I can get to 220 by then, I won't complain but I really would love to hit 200. I haven't been 248 (my current weight) since I was 19 and I am just too thrilled that I'm below 250- I didn't think I'd ever truly see 250 without this procedure. I love that I now have mini-goals and challenges that Irene does because they truly do push me to get my butt in the gym, to eat right, to overall just feel better about ME. I've currently decided that when the Labor Day challenge starts- I'm going to push for a 30lb lost. Crazy huh??? P.S. What do you think about my ring??? lol cool huh?

Thanks Molly. I had the band in 2010 and can't say it worked in any great way. We could never reach a fill point between nothing going down then being sick and anything being able to go down. I'll be glad to get it out to be honest. I was offered the sleeve at the time but I thought it was too extreme! Now I realise I need all the help I can get to keep it off, the losing bit is the easy bit. I started Lighter Life at 19 stone and got down to 10 stone 4. Once I'd finished the 'diet', despite every week trying something to keep it off; the 5/2 diet, counting calories, going back on Lighter Life, nothing worked and I've put 6 stone back on. I'm very hopeful that with the bypass, this issue may not dominate the next 40 years as it has the last 40 :-) Lainey x

------------------------------------------------------------ Slow-Cooker chicken Tortilla Soup Yields: 8 servings ------------------------------------------------------------ INGREDIENTS: 1 lb+ chicken breasts (I used 2+lb. bone-in, frozen) 2 cans of Rotel tomatoes & green chiles 1 (10 ounce) can enchilada sauce 1/2 medium onion, chopped 2 cloves garlic, minced 1 quart chicken broth 1 teaspoon cumin 1 teaspoon chili powder 1 teaspoon salt 1/4 teaspoon black pepper 1 bay leaf 1 (10 ounce) package frozen corn (optional) 1 tablespoon chopped cilantro 7 corn tortillas vegetable oil Shredded Mont Jack cheese Lime Wedges Avocado chunks DIRECTIONS: 1. Place chicken, tomatoes, enchilada sauce, onion, and garlic into a slow cooker. Pour in chicken broth, and season with cumin, chili powder, salt, pepper, and bay leaf. Stir in corn and cilantro. Cover, and cook on Low setting for 6 to 8 hours or on High setting for 3 to 4 hours. 2. Preheat oven to 400 degrees 3. Lightly brush both sides of tortillas with oil. Cut tortillas into strips, then spread on a baking sheet. 4. Bake in preheated oven until crisp, about 10 to 15 minutes. To serve, sprinkle tortilla strips over soup. Garnish with chopped cilantro, lime wedges, cheese and avocado.