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Yes, I was self-pay at Tallgrass. I had the LapBand put in on March 17, 2008. The total cost was approximately $13,800 for the physician, the pre-op lab work, anesthesia, and the Tallgrass Surgery Center fee. That was everything. I had my first appointment in February. I can't remember the exact date, but it was about a month between then and my surgery. I had already had my psych eval done prior to going to see Dr. Hu for the first time. I really like Dr. Hu. She is very nice and spent about an hour with me on my first visit just explaining/discussing options and answering questions. I've been in three times now for fills and she never makes me feel rushed. I would definitely recommend her.

Just a quick HI! and BYE! Love you sweetie... Miss you so much! Wish I could meet up with you in Vegas next week!

Hello Trish, I'm not yet banded, but will be VERY soon (within the next 6 weeks) and I too could use some friends on here, so....let's be friends. Sorry I cannot help you with your port issue. Stephanie

Hey, girlie. How are you doing? Just wanted to check on you - I haven't been around much the past two weeks and I'm checking on everybody!

Hello everyone! I had my lap band surgery (Realize Band) on January 4th of 2008. So far, I've lost 30 pounds and would love to lose another 35, but will be happy with 20. At this point I'm nearly 6 months out and have lost some momentum and motivation. I'm trying to remedy that by forming a partnership with a young woman whom I met in my pre-op classes. She and I had surgery on the same day and were in recovery together. We keep in touch by email and are going to meet in person tomorrow (first time we've seen each other since our post-op class) and I'm excited about that.

It 's taken me a long time to feel restriction and so far I've had five fills and have 7.5cc's in my 9cc band. I go for another fill next week, which will probably put me at 8cc's. I'm so hoping to find my "sweet spot" if there is such a thing. I've been through a lot of ups & downs in the last few months, but overall am very happy that I had the surgery and have had no complications or side effects (other than losing weight & that's a good thing).

I really can use all of the encouragement, suggestions and moral support that's available through this site. I'll be happy to keep in touch with any of you who want & need encouragement too. I've come so far, I can't give up now.

Hi Pat , Just wondering how U R doing. I've lost 37 lbs total but haven't lost since I started on solid food. Thinking about asking to move my fill date up 4 weeks since they have me 8 weeks between fills. Who should I ask the doc or Nancy. Any way hope to see U at the meeting Wed. night. John

Hey Little Sister,

I will finally get to be start my life on the fourth of July, just like this great country of ours did. I will be banded on the third. 2 weeks and 3 days. I RESTART the pre-op diet Thursday. I am very excited. Are you able to eat better? How much have you lost so far? Please let me know as I am rooting for you!!!! Take care-Donita

Hi,

I am soooo glad to have found another Dr. Sarker patient. Please, let's keep in touch! I am finished with all the pre-ops except the 6 month supervised diet. How did you fulfill that requirement? Weight watchers?

One of my concerns about Loyola is that they will not have the post-op support that I think is really, really important. Dr. Sarker told me that after she does the surgery, it is up the patient to decide when to return and get fills. I attended the monthly support group meeting in May and would you believe that NO ONE showed up? Not even the psychiatrist who is the leader of the group! It was supposed to start at 6:30pm. At 6:25pm, I called her cell phone and told her that no one else was there besides me. She goes 'Oh, um, oh, ummm, well, yea, I'll be there in 5 minutes.' After 15 minutes I called her back and said 'I'm going home now.' I didn't want to talk to her anyways. I want to speak with people who are living with the lap band. She said 'Well, maybe next month more people will come.' I told her I wasn't going to come next month on the off-chance that someone else would be there. I work in Elk Grove Village and live in Villa Park so it is a little inconvenient to be driving to the Maywood campus.

I made a contact with a woman who lives in Wheaton who has had a lap band for 5 years. She's been real supportive and telling me how it really is to live with the lap band. She's lost 100 pounds but has been stalled for a little while in loosing more. She had her surgery done at Loyola also but by Dr. Sayani (sp?) who is no longer there.

I have to get ready for work now but I would love to write you again and keep in touch and compare notes on our Loyola experiences. Definitely let me know how your experience has been with Dr. Sarker's office and getting the insurance information all pulled together and sent off.

Thanks so much for contact me. Take care.

Marie Nixon

I go for a fill on Mondy, the 23rd and am hoping that will help kick start the weight loss again, i've been struggling big time lately and really need to get back on the wagon. I also need to start to slow down when I eat, I definitely eat too much. Congrats on the weight 21# loss in a month. I have lost 17# since my surgery 7 weeks ago.

I was banded on the 9th of this month, Im almost a week out, Im still on liquids, but I have added small amounts of food to my diet, I chew and chew til its liquid. Would this hurt me? Or do you highly recommend that I go back to full liquids to my mushy stage which is next weekend. I only have 2 weeks prior, to surgery, and 2 weeks after for liquids, up until today, Ive done great. But, its made me sick just drinking all the time. I have a gym membership, and have progressed one day at a time. But feeling lots better. I feel a little guilty that I ate some things today, which wasnt much at all. Any suggestions?

Hey there! I wasn't ignoring, I swear! I just didn't know i had a message:P So how are things going now?? Losing again after your fill?? I lost weight only while on the liquid diet and honestly haven't lost anything for like 9wks! I'm trying to be good--yes, I can eat most things too, in moderation anyway. I'm really anxious to start losing again though! I've been busting my keester at the gym and I stay within like 2lbs of what I was 2wks after surgery... Ugh. I've had two fills although my fill dr. most likely didn't get it in correctly the first time. Anyway, I've got another one coming up in a couple weeks here, so I'm anxious to start losing again!! So anyway, I'm rambling, but lemme know how things are going for you!

Jac (short for Jaclyn;))

HI Traci! I have been in Indiana!! I was there for a week over the fourth of July! The weather was surprisingly accomodating! I have been doing well since my surgery I had my first fill on July 10th. It was a little troublesome, I guess he had trouble finding the port opening, but FINALLY had success and added 4 cc's. I really don't feel much different, but I have lost a total of 62# since Jan, and 23# since the surgery, May 27. I have started swimming on my days off! It is blasted hot here, most days over a 100 F!

I am starting to feel so much better but I still know I have to lose ALOT more, so I am trying to increase my activity! I do want to start biking, I know that is your thing, but I have to wait til it cools off.

How are you??

Gean

Oh tell my more about your band to sleeve experince.I went to your mexico post thingy. (very informitive.) I really need to know more about this sleeve thing. It seems brilliant to me.:thumbup:

I have loved my band but I'm sick of adusting it all the time. and I can feel it inside me especaily my port I don't like it.

What happens if you get the stomach flu with this sleeve?

what can you eat? how much education do they give you?

So glad I finally figured out how to talk to you. I have enjoyed your comments for years.Gees I'm skattered today. I got excited!

Let me tell you alittle about me. I'm 41 now, I got baned in 2005.

it worked pretty good at first then it just quite working. All they could tell me was to mix up my excersice routine. Eat more protine drink more water. I did all of that and more, and still not a thing happened I stayed the same number for over a year. :glare: They didn't do any test didn't offer any diet pills( which I have never taken I just learned about them the other day from a thread I read.) Nothing they just fill me or unfill me. :crying:In the 2nd year I had 15 adjustments. I have friends who have had one fill. It seems a little much to me but I was going with there experience. (which isn't much I have decided) They just have to many people to deal with now.

I haven't seen the Dr in three years.:cursing: Ok I'm done venting.

Anyways in septmber I was in a car wreck and broke my neck in four places and my back in two. The breaks are healed but the soft tissue damage is still a problem. It still affects my abillity to exercsie. I have gained back 30lbs of my 70lbs lost. My band is so tight right now it gages me so me times. Well that's my story. I look foward to hearing from you.

Thanks again for all you do for us.

Amy C.:thumbup:

I see you've lost another 4 or 5 lbs this week!

Hi, thanks for your kind words. I've never seen you online. I've only been a member for the past few weeks. Are you thinking about having surgery or have done it already?

Hello Everyone!!

Just found this website everyone seems great and has tons of great advice which I find myself needing a lot of

lately!!

I had the surgery April 11th and my first fill on June 12th

went back 2weeks later and there may be a leak in my band or he just did not fill it enough so I will go back next week and have it checked again.

I was wondering if anyone else has experineced severe pain several hours after eating I feel like it is severe gas

someone else said maybe overeating but this happens several hours after eating and tylenol or advil makes the pain go away! Any suggestions???? thank you sooooo much!!

hi I finally found how to get back to this page, I met you in Slidell last week, let's keep in touch

Alex,

I found your messages very helpful this week. I was banded on July 1. so far so good. bit of pain at the port site. My physicians practice is largely RnY and I'm his only bandie right now. I'm glad I found this site. I'm headed back to work next week. Any suggestions?

hey sis, just got my computer back today. had to send it bak to sony and have the hard drive reconfigured. jsut now trying it out and hope it works ok..how are things going with you. i go back on the 18th to see the surgeon for the second time and hopefully get a band date. it seems like everything has gone wrong for me and i feel likme this is never going top happen. i have been on major antibiotics for 2 weeks because they founds a bacteria in ther lining of my stomach and that has to be cleared up. it just seems neverending. let me know how you are. later, jenhay

June 30th will be here before you know it! My surgery is the 17th. I'm going to be cleaning house the next 3 days so I can just rest next week!

I had surgery on May 27th. I was in surgery for about 1 hour. Dr. Higa kept me over night which was nice because I got to use the self administered pain medicine dispenser. I didn't have to do a prep the day prior which was wonderful. However, I had to go on clear liquids 24 hrs. prior to surgery. . . I didn't have to have a catheter inserted either. Dr. Higa is wonderful! So far I've dropped 13lbs the first week and 7lbs. the second. Good luck on your surgery!

Hey! Doing ok here. I have been on the boards but i guess i am doing more reading than posting. Hope all is coming along well for you. Well, as you know I went in Monday, got banded, came home tuesday. Wed there was a meeting at work I couldn't get out of so I went in for that and worked 3 hrs. That was grueling! But I thought I could handle a half day Thursday. Friday was a whole day and i was exhausted. Came home to sleep 2 hrs because I wanted to participate in Relay for Life that evening, and woke up at midnite! Then rolled over and slept another 12 hrs! Yesterday I was tired all day and snoozed off and on. Tired today to but its getting boring lol. My tummy has gone from purple and red to brown and green and yellow. My own personal rainbow lol No pain, no restriction, no throwing up and I am trying to stay on the soupy type foods here for the next few weeks. I am having trouble cooking for one tho. It sure doesn't take long for one serving of something to burn up on the stove! I have done that a few times now. BF is turning out to be a jerk. He stayed with me in the hosp til I was out of surg, then he left because "I was only going to be sleeping anyway." He came back for about an hour til I got discharged and hes called exactly once since then. I think I have had it with him but on the off chance that I am operating on a food deprived brain (probably lol) I am holding off making any rash decisions for now. So tell me how your surgery went. Are you doing the right things? exercising? I have tried a bit but mainly too tired to do more than a few minutes. I am sure next week will bring more energy with it. Let me know how you are. Mary

It is aweful. I was on my two week liver shrinking diet...day 8. I had lost 12 lbs. Then my husband came home and I asked him if my jaw looked swollen and he said "yeah". I knew I was in trouble. I ran to the mirror and my jaw was rather HUGE! I went to the dentist and I had an infection in my jaw from a 12 year old root canal that went bad. I had to put off surgery and then have jaw surgery (yesterday). They couldn't save my tooth, so they removed it. I go in Friday t get cleared for Lap Band, but they said it will be Mid August before they can get me in. I can't put my life on hold for that long. I have been putting off getting a job, because I didn't want to take time off with a new employer, but I need to get a job. I hope you and baby girl are well. Is your hubby well too? Are you back on track? Take care. -Donita

Hey,

I am glad you had a good psych eval. My friend had to wait 4 months because the psch wouldn't let her go through. She finally got approved last week. I hope they are wrong with Tricare. My doctor said Tricare go by BMI like everyone else, but Tricare said "no". Good luck. _Donita

thats just around the corner. June the 23nd. how exciting.

has your daughter had her baby?

me enjoy summer, no way! the sun and I just don't get along.

we did go to Pine Crest this week-end. it was freezing, I thought I was going to freeze to death. we went hiking up to the damn. last year I completed to whole hike weighing in at close to 300, I will do it again this summer.

you can find pictures under general questions? I just was just on that site, they are all an inspiration to me.

I logged my before and after on albums, but my pictures are blocked to the public and I don't know how to unblock them

I have been struggling with my last fill, have problems with food and sliming (ugh)I have to work on my chewing. the weight loss has slowed down, I trying to get my lazy butt back to walking, I really lagging, I know excercise is the key to losing weight, I just been going to so mcuh these last couple of months.

my goal is to be at 199 by Dec. 26. my 1 year anniversary. got about 38 lbs to go.

I lost my mother 5/21. and just recently been back on-line.

my faith in Jesus has kept me going.

keep me posted on your progress, have you started your Prue-op diet, try your hardest to stick to it. try to walk everyday, even if for only 5/10 mins. practice your chewing now, make it a habit.

talk to you soon

Sandy