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On Friday I went in to see the doctor only to learn that I only had 2cc in band versus the 3cc they had been telling me I had. I have been struggling with weight loss - due impart to my own devices - and had become discouraged. Yet at that moment of learning about my band I asked myself "will you choose frustration or motivation?" With motivation I had so much more to gain - a renewed hope and kick (my doctor is the) ass attitude. It's all part of the journey... Realize that you are on a journey to higher consciousness & embrace it. Expand your awareness through meditation & contemplation. ~Deepak Chopra

Sara, first off every thing is going to be ok. Yes it is true that it is best to wait at least a year, preferably 2 after being sleeved to conceive, but you can't change that now. This is going to be a bit trickier than a traditional pregnancy, but you will be just fine, and so will your baby. As was pointed out earlier you will need to keep your Obstatrition, Bariatric, and PCP in a close loop. I highly advise including your NUT in that loop. Everybody needs to be on the same page. I highly recommend seeing a naturalist too, someone that has a lot of experience in cramming tons of nutrients into minimal foods & supplements. I'm sure you are going to be taking some awfull tasting stuff (like blackstrap molasses), but you gotta do what you gotta do now. I promise you are not the first one this has happened to & you won't be the last. I'd also recommend journaling this experience so that once it is over you'll have it documented when the next person comes along & they're scared about what's to come.

Ok, I went on a bit of a crazy spending spree this evening. I ordered from Amazon, Unjury, and Bariatric Choices and I spent, hmm, lets see, about $152! OMG! I just couldn't help myself! I ordered protein soups, protein drinks (clear kinds like Isopure and Protidiet), mixing cup, Unjury's starter pack, a portable hand mixer, etc (I have some weight watcher powder packs here that I can barely stomach because they don't mix well in my shaker bottle with the whisk ball, I am hoping the little portable mixer will do the trick). Earlier today, I bought a thermos, tea, various gummy vitamins, and crystal light water bottle packs at Target. I am SO excited and ready for this weight loss journey to begin! I am scheduled for surgery with Dr. Ramos Kelly on July 15th at Oasis Hospital, I will spend 2 days in the hospital and 2 nights in the hotel, although, I am thinking of staying an extra night in the Lucerna hotel for my peace of mind, "just in case". I know you understand when I say I can hardly think of anything else. They would like me to start my preop diet 2 weeks before, but I am thinking of starting 3 weeks before so I can feel even more confident. I am so proud of myself for doing this, and although I am a bit nervous, I know that I am making the right decision for me! I have a skinny, healthy person inside of me just dying to come out!

I came off my BP medicines about a month after I started. I was having really bad pain in my stomach area and went to the emergency room. In the emergency room they could not read my blood pressure it was very low. The Dr. there told me to stop taking them and get a portable one machine (which I already had) and if it went over a certain amount to start taking the pills again. I am six months out and it has been fine. My bariatric doctor checks my blood pressure once a month and says it is fine. I have not been back to my primary doctor since my surgery. I guess I need to make an appointment. But make sure a Doctor tells you to stop taking them. I have also stop taking my Lyrica (for pain) all pain has stopped. It feels good not to worry about taking medicines. Now I just have to remember to take my vitamins.

The definition of a fad is "An intense and widely shared enthusiasm for something, esp. one that is short-lived; a craze." Everyone trying to use low carb dieting to lose weight, regardless of whether or not it is what's best for them, is in my opinion a fad. It's no different than back when everyone thought fat was the blame for obesity and if you just eliminated fat, you'd lose weight. Furthermore, since 1992 the obesity rate has skyrocketed in the United States. It doesn't matter which diet fad people attempted, including low carb, we still continue to get fatter as a society. Carb addiction is very real, by the way. I never claimed that it wasn't. For people suffering from carb addition, low carb would definitely be the way to go. In fact there's a lot of reasons, ranging from medical to psychological in nature, that someone would be best suited for low carb eating. However, there are just as many reasons that someone shouldn't be following the low carb diet. Everyone has to do what is best for them and their body- and low carb eating isn't what is best for everyone. For the record? Your surgeon may believe carbs are the culprits for obesity and lack of weight loss but not all doctors agree with your surgeon. Both my bariatric surgeon and my nutritionist believe the culprit for obesity is America's obsession with "bigger is better" when it comes to portion size. My nutritionist is actually the one who originally referred to low carb eating as a fad to me- and I happen to agree with her. Does that mean either of our surgeons are wrong? No, it means they have a difference of opinion. People need to figure out what is best for specifically for them because there is no single right way to lose weight.

I went through Bariatric Medical Institute in Salt Lake City, UT. Dr. Cottam and Dr. Medlin performed my surgery. The whole office is great. They did a great job taking care of me before, during and after surgery. I am now 7 months out from surgery and I have lost almost 90 lbs. I fall off the wagon and the dietitian and physical trainer are always there with support and guidance and NEVER judgmental or harsh with me. The approval process with insurance was frustrating. There was a lot of lack of communication. I had to be the squeaky wheel but that is my only complaint for this office. I recommend them so much that my husband is now having his consultation with them in two days. http://www.bmiut.com/

Hi Mark, I was pre-diabetic about 7 years ago with fasting sugar in the range of 111-112. In the intervening time I've gotten my band and lost around 70 lbs. Now my fasting sugar is around 99-104. So, it is slightly elevated, but did not progress. My endocrinologist was thrilled (I left his practice for a bit due to insurance changes, but am back now). But, my sugar has not gone all the way down to normal, either. I can also tell you that my bariatric surgeon will not do a band on a full-blown diabetic, due to the remission rate achieved with bypass. It doesn't exactly answer your question, but I hope it helps a bit.

Is your weight loss history standing between you and your current success after weight loss surgery? If you’re not getting the results you want, there’s a good chance it is. In Part 1 of the series, we brought up the idea of learning from your past, not running from it. Now, we take a look at a few more ways your past might have brought you down, and what you might be able to about it. Problem: Depending on Others This one’s not always so obvious, but it may be keeping you from reaching your full potential in weight loss and, frankly, in life. Of course, it’s normal and healthy to depend on others for some things. Maybe you rely on your spouse to pick up the kids from school, and you depend on your parents to parents to take care of your house when you’re on vacation. But what about the important things? What about your health? Do you take full responsibility for it? Or do you do what you did as a kid – depend on someone to make sure you had the food you needed and expect your parents or the doctor would make you better if you got sick or hurt? You’re still living in the past if you have not taken control of your health. You are the one who needs to purchase and prepare healthy food; set aside time to work out; eat the right foods to avoid complications from surgery. Others can help, but you need to be in charge. Problem: Looking for the Quick Fix If you look for a quick fix, you’ll probably find one. You can lose weight quickly using any number of strategies, and you’ve probably used them all from juicing to low-carb to low-fat. The problem with quick fixes is they’re quick to break, as you’ve found out when you went off the diets and gained the weight back. After WLS, don’t look for the quick fix. Be patient, and know you’re in it for the long haul. Looking for the quick fix can be something obvious that you recognize in yourself, but it is not always. Looking for the quick fix can be as subtle as subconsciously thinking of what and how much you eat as a temporary diet or thinking of your exercise program as something with a start and finish. You may be subconsciously looking for the quick fix if you’re unwilling to sign up for a long-term gym membership, or to invest in a kitchen scale or bariatric surgery recipe book. If you feel these things aren’t worthwhile, think about why. Is it because you don’t honestly see yourself needing them for long because you’re not really invested long-term into weight loss surgery success? Problem: Not Building Your Support System Many obese people struggle with late-night eating. Even if they are able to make it through the rest of the day eating reasonably healthy, night-time binges can strike furiously. If you weren’t able to overcome them previously, it may have been because you did not build enough of a support system. This time, don’t underestimate the power of your support system. Include people, such as friends and family, as well as alternate plans. You can set up many layers of protection against late-night overeating. Don’t store junk food at home, and don’t drive home past trigger spots like drive-through burger joints. Have two or three friends or family members whom you can call or talk to if you’re about to make a bad choice, and choose a pre-determined activity to do before eating, whether you decide to blog, sew, or take a walk. Also, have plenty of ready-to-eat healthy food around so it’s easier to grab than any junk. Problem: Lack of Self-Confidence Have you ever heard of a self-fulfilling prophecy? You think something will happen a certain way, so you act as though it will happen that way, and then it does. For weight loss, that can be a bad thing if you let it. “I know my diet’s going to fail, so I’m not going to bother weighing my food.” Then, guess what – you don’t lose weight! “I knew I wouldn’t lose weight.” But self-fulfilling prophecies can be just as positive as they can negative, especially if you have self-confidence. “I know WLS will work for me, so I’m going to hit my protein goals and weigh my portions every meal.” When you don’t even let doubt creep in, you can be more empowered to follow the behaviors that lead to success. Weight loss surgery can be a fantastic tool for weight loss, but it’s only as good as you make it. To make it more powerful, don’t run from your personal history. Recognize your past, identify what went wrong, and fix it. Make sure this time really is different.

Simple fix. Switch doctors. And write him up on every patient opinion site you can find. He sounds like a turd who wants to bolster his image with you looking as thin as possible regardless of how unhealthy it might be for you. You are not his personal bulletin board and his behavior is not only dreadful, it reinforces disordered eating that can lead to future gain. Find a new bariatric group. Wouldn't surprise me if another group near you has others of his refugees. Run. Today.

All good responses above. I had the same reaction after visiting some bariatric forums. It’s normal to worry and stress over surgery procedures. There are risks with ANY type of surgery. Talk to your surgeon about the statistics for complications. Know that your team will take good care of you. Your pain will be managed with medication. I’m five years out. No complications.

Try some other blogs, like Bariatric Foodie, Dashing Dish, and The World According to Eggface. My surgery was on June 19, so I'm right where you are. This week I'm planning to try some short ribs in the slow cooker & some roasted cauliflower "mashed potatoes", because I'm craving comfort food. We also have some salmon fillets that I think I can handle. I saw a crustless spinach quiche the other day that looked really good, and I can make individual ones in a muffin tin. I know that's eggs, but maybe it's still different enough from what you've been doing?

There are many causes of diabeties, and that can determine, to an extent, your success with either controlling it better or even seeing remission. http://asmbs.org/benefits-of-bariatric-surgery/ The above is an older article, but the site it is in, ASMBS is an outstanding resource but it is not geared to quick plunk-down points or facts. I suggest taking some time and really looking through the site. You might find this important also: http://asmbs.org/mbs-aqip/ Talk to your Diabetes Specialist, and seek out a doctor to assist you that is up do date on information related to type 2 diabeties. http://www.diabeteseducator.org/ProfessionalResources/accred/ Everyone has different issues and no matter what surgery you have there are no guarantees. I was diagnosed with type 2 diabeties going into emergency surgery after a hit-and-run (texting and driving and hit me on a bicycle). They think I had been diabetic, given the issues I had and when I began to develop them, for probably 5 years or so before that, but I had been going to lukewarm doctors, and they did only the basic tests. I was an 'atypical' diabetic and the other doctors did not catch the patterns and investigate further. I spent years with compromised quality of life risking infections, heart damage, kidney failure and more due to this. Once diagnosed I went from a +8 A1C to a -6 A1C in less than 9 months, and maintained a a1c of 6 or less until my VSG. The last time I took medication for my diabeties was the week prior to surgery. By then I had began to experience lows so frequently I was already off all but 1 medication. That was late December 2011. My surgery date was 1-4-2012. I went into full remission in Feb/march of 2012, although the true test of that would come in the following months as my a-c stayed in the 4's. I am not diet controlled or medication controlled. My pancreas functions fully, my liver is working and my kidneys are healthy. My immunity has regulated itself and I maintain regular levels of gut bacteria which I also accredit to a almost fully raw lifestyle (Gut bacteria is HIGHLY underrated for mental stability and health, our gut is our 'second brain'). The consensus seems to be my aggressive control of my condition led to my body being in a position to heal faster. http://lubbockonline.com/health/2013-09-06/right-bacteria-may-help-fight-obesity This is a good starter article, you can decide how to proceed if you want to look into it further from there. Unfortunately a majority of the original papers and research are available in limited forms, either in memberships to accredited and certified organizations, or by purchase. I have spent 6 years in active advocacy for diabetics, and I would be glad to assist in helping you find any answers you need.

Dr. Robert McKeen at South Bay Bariatrics is awesome. He operates out of Good Samaritan Hospital. Self pay I think he is about $15k with $200 per fill. He is wonderful.

So, I have pretty much decided on going to Mexico for surgery. I just wanted to see if I can get some input/advice from people who have gone to Mexico. I am scared and nervous and thinking about everything that could go wrong. I know a lot of people do it but it's so scary to think of having something like this done so far away from home. Is there anything you guys can tell me to help me make my decision? I haven't found anything negative about Tijuana Bariatrics but I just want to make sure I make the right decision.

Welcome to our World of the Banded! Keep in touch with your Bariatric Center/Doctor and follow their advice and your road to good health will be smooth. If you hit a few potholes the great folks here at Lap Band Talk are great to counsel you. Wish you the best. . . :wub:

I take Bariatric Fusion Vitamins 2 in the am and 2 in the pm and 1 B12 5000mg on Mondays because of the high dosage. Surgery was in June and I will have my lab work done in September to see if they need to revise it.

Hello - I used East Coast Bariatrics - Dr. Joel Sabastein .He is in Daytona Beach. He and his office have been amazing. I was living far from the office at the time and his office was great about sending me to local doctor for some of the pre=op blood work and test or he scheduled multiply appointment so I was not travelling a lot. Now I live close to his office (which is why I went with him - I knew long term he would be closer to me) I have been VERY happy I was banned in Dec 2010. His office also offers monthly supports groups. Very supportive staff and a few on his team have also had different WLS so they exactly what you are going through. Good Luck!!

To find out how to compare products to better understand added sugars, click on Natural vs. Added Sugars. Use the chart on the second page as a guide to compare products.The chart compares applesauce and Greek style yogurt. You will see the products with only naturally occurring sugars, products with added sugars and “light” versions of the product. You will also see that the product with the most amount of sugar has the most calories.The front part of the food label usually doesn’t have any clues that the product can have a lot of added sugars. You must be a detective and investigate the Nutrition Facts Label and the ingredients list. Start your sugar hunt by using foods and beverages in your pantry or fridge to discover where added sugars are lurking in your food choices. Like any hunting expedition, it will take some time and practice to find the healthiest products to use on your journey towards health. Sugar Comparison Chart We are born with a preference for sweet tastes. However, sugar carries calories without any fiber, vitamins or minerals. Sugar is basically empty calories. For bariatric patients, too much sugar can lead to dumping. Natural Sugars vs Added Sugars Naturally occurring sugars are in fruits (fructose) and milk and dairy (lactose). The current Nutrition Facts label doesn’t tell us the difference. A teaspoon of sugar = 4 grams of sugar. If you drink a 12 oz. can of regular pop or 12 ounces regular fruit juice, that means you’ve consumed 40 grams of sugar. This translates to 10 teaspoons of sugar. That’s almost 1/4 cup of sugar! Other names for sugar When you read the ingredient list, look for words like syrup (corn, high fructose, maple, pancake, maltose), corn syrup solids, agave, molasses, beet sugar, brown sugar, turbinado sugar, invert sugar, cane juice, fruit juice, fruit juice concentrate, nectar (peach, apricot, pear), powdered or confectioner’s sugar, raw sugar, maple sugar, date sugar, malted barley, honey and anything ending in “–ose” (maltose, dextrose, glucose, fructose). These are all types of sugar. When you see these words in the ingredient list, look for foods that have sugar listed after the 3rd or 4th ingredient. When you see several sugar ingredients, look at the total amount sugar. Decide if it’s worth it to eat that food. Sugar alcohols These have less impact on your blood sugars. They are more slowly digested than sugar. Sugar alcohols have anywhere from 2 to 4 calories per gram. If your weight loss stalls, check to see if your “sugar free” foods have high amounts of sugar alcohols. You may be getting more calories than you think. Caution…eating too many sugar alcohols can laxative effect! Alternative Sweeteners Artificial sweeteners include Splenda (sucralose), Sweet ‘N Low (saccharin), NutraSweet (aspartame), Sweet One (acesulfame potassium) and Neotame. Stevia is extracted from the stevia plant and is considered a natural sweetener. Monkfruit is extracted from the monkfruit and is considered a natural sweetener. Natural vs. Added Sugars: Comparison Chart How do I find the amount of added sugars in a food? One way to find out what the added sugars are is to compare similar products. Comparisons of applesauce and Greek yogurt are detailed below. The order of appearance is the unsweetened, sweetened and light or low sugar version. Use this chart to compare other products you might choose. Remember that natural sugars are in milk/dairy and fruit. Is all that sugar worth it?

I FOUND IT!!!!!!!!! Why? Here's an explanation I copied from another WLS support site. It's really good info: Vagus Nerve: The Vagus nerve is the longest of the nerves. Its name is derived from the same root word as "Vagrant," and "Vagabond." (A wanderer; a rover. - Wandering from place to place and lacking any means of support.) From the Middle English vagraunt, probably alteration of Old French wacrant, present participle of wacrer, to wander, of Germanic origin. This "Vagabond" originates in the Cranium but wanders from the brain stem through organs in the neck, thorax and abdomen, all the way to the first third of the colon. It has motor functions in the larynx (voice box), diaphragm, stomach, and heart, and sensory functions in the ears and tongue. It has both motor and sensory functions in the pharynx (sinuses) and esophagus. Stimulation of the vagus nerve is thought to affect some of its connections to areas in the brain that are prone to seizure activity. It is a "Hot Topic" for research in areas of Depression, Obesity, Epilepsy, and is responsible for some phenomenal sensory and motor responses even without WLS. Emotions running high? Feeling a lump at the back of your throat that you didn’t put there? That’s the Vagus Nerve at work. Can’t tickle yourself, except the roof of your mouth? (try it) Because when you try to tickle your armpit-The same nerves that perceive the tickle also "know that it’s coming," and thus the "surprise" aspect that allows "tickling" to occur have been preempted. But- Roof of the mouth? Different selective dumping of info prior to reaching the brain. That’s the Vagus nerve "sharing" some info with sensory and motor controls while "not telling others." The Vagus nerve is known as a "mixed nerve" meaning it both receives input from the body and sends signals to various muscles and organs of the body. It is the primary nerve of the Parasympathetic Nervous System. It isn’t an even mix, though, about 80% of the axons inside the vagus nerve are sending signals from the body to the brain. The Vagus nerve consists of Five Components with distinct functions: --Brancial motor: (special visceral efferent) Supplies the voluntary muscles of the pharynx and most of the larynx, as well as one extrinsic muscle of the tongue. --Visceral motor: (general visceral efferent) Parasympathetic innervation of the smooth muscle and glands of the pharynx, larynx, and viscera of the thorax and abdomen. --Visceral sensory: (general visceral afferent) Provides visceral sensory information from the larynx, esophagus, trachea, and abdominal and thoracic viscera, as well as the stretch receptors of the aortic arch and chemoreceptors of the aortic bodies . --General sensory: (general somatic afferent) Provides general sensory information from the skin of the back of the ear and external auditory meatus, parts of the external surface of the tympanic membrane, and the pharynx. --Special sensory: (special afferent) A very minor component. Provides taste sensation from the epiglottis region. A simplified explanation to describe "how it works"- Rather than sending signals out from brain, or bringing sensory info back to the brain, it does both, and it allows "pieces parts" or "stations" along the way to communicate with each other without directly routing through the brain. It controls much of the movement of the mouth and let’s the esophagus "synch up" with back of tongue motions in order to make swallowing possible. And signals the lower organs of the digestive tract to adjust activity when "food is on the way!" The Vagus nerve also sends signals to and for those "unconscious" or reflex reactions- such as swallowing when not thinking about it consciously. Often the example given is- "swallowing while sleeping so you don’t drown in saliva." It is associated with Nausea governing factors, Relaxation, (particularly pulse rate) digestion synchronization, etc.. It’s "Fence-sitting" behavior as both Voluntary and Involuntary signal provider, makes it a key factor in most Bio-Feedback processes for reducing stress levels. How does this effect or associate with Bariatric Post-Op patients? Signals from the Stomach are "distorted somewhat" and often Disrupted or damaged by the Gastric Bypass. The signals from the pouch often trigger the Vagus nerve to "fire" unique reflex responses. The Vagus nerve transmits the signal to the brain when we are full. It seems to "drop off" some info to other stations on the way to the brain. It is responsible for Diaphragmatic "Dry Heaves" that some experience in the early days following Bariatric Procedures, and longer term is often associated with rapid gastric emptying. Many Post-ops claim to have their nose start running when they take "that last bite" just before feeling too full. Some experience sneezing or hiccups if they eat a bite too much. Both are actions inextricably bound to Vagus nerve signals. Many claim to get a "runny nose" with one bite too much food for their pouch, and hiccups from eating too fast. Many Gastric Bypass Post-ops have similar odd signals associated with the connections that the Vagus nerve makes along it’s wandering path. Complements of DxE...he originally posted this on March 5th, 2007 & I found this very helpful. He is a wealth of information.

Bariatric vitamins are loaded with lots of nutrients, so you do need to coat your stomach prior to taking them. I personally can’t stomach mine whether I have food or not. I tried to take my multivitamin with iron and I threw it back up. I actually can’t stomach food or water currently so hopefully this will pass. I hope things have gotten easier for you.

I'm feeling the same way. My Dr said that these feelings are common after bariatric surgery. Along with James has said, I no longer have food for comfort. I have scheduled a psych appt as suggested by my Dr. Feel better soon!!

I recieved my lap band on January 31, 2012. I am an Army Wife and so I had my surgery at one post as 6 months later moved to another post. This new post does thing WAY differently than the last post. I like how they do things here much, much better than the last post. Anyway, my bariatric nurse here said that some surgeons will place mesh on the port to stabilize it. I, apparently, have no mesh so my port will move a little. Sometimes when she is giving me a fill it will tilt a little side to side. I can also "massage" it a little and feel it moving some. It's kind of weird... Lol. But, it's a reminder on who I used to be, and the decision I made to be who I am now. It also sometimes moves when my jeans hit it a certain.

I know that Dr.Dominguez in Covington La accepts medicaid if anyone needs that info. Please list other Drs that you are aware of that accepts in Louisiana, please.

Hey Kesia! I too live in Ga. and have medicaid. And MA does cover the Lapband. I rcvd my approval on Monday, but u have to go to a Center of Excellence, and you need to sign up with Peachstate as your carrier. The center I am using is Peachtree Surgical and Bariatric at Atlanta Medical Center. They have a seminar on June 21st. the website is peachtreebariatric .com . Check them out and if you have any other questions feel free to send me a private message.

Medicaid is definitely different from state to state. I work at a hospital in Virginia and we can only see patients from Virginia and West Virginia. West Virginia is covered in Virginia because they have such limited options for medical care in parts of their state - many of them drive 6+ hours to see us. Otherwise, no other state's Medicaid program is accepted in our state. Additionally, there have been recent changes to Medicaid programs and many states are now contracting Medicaid benefits with regular HMO companies. (Medicare is different - that's generally what we all get when we're 65 and over. That works anywhere in the country.) I do know that Medicaid even pays for Viagra, so I would be really disgusted if they didn't cover something like banding. I would do what someone advised above - call the number on your card and ask a) if bariatric surgery is covered and :tongue: which providers in your state participate. Good luck :cool2: