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Hi there Yes as you lose weight your port will be more prominant, but it should'nt cause you any problems. gaynor

Hi, I have UHC and have had them for the last 6 years. When I called they told me that I had to have a BMI over 40 and have had to be obese for over 5 years. Well, I did not meet those requirements. I found a great Dr. Dr. R Vohra in Hewlett, NY. His staff is wonderfull. I started all of the pre op testing and found out that I had/ have sleep apnea. In the recommendations from the sleep apnea group was a restrictive weight loss prgoram through a Dr. This is how my Dr. was albe to get the surgery approved. I also had all of my Dr's write me letters of medical necessity for the surgery. This helps as well. my pre op info BMI 36 weight 204 lbs, only 5'3 tried everything and could not lose the weight. I had my surgery on 11/2/06 - 2 days banded, Good luck

Hi there. My friend had her band put in in 2004. Her band is also "broken". She was finding she had no restriction ever after fills. It appears her port site has tarnished. Luckily, hers was done on the NHS and she is getting it fixed in August - she doesn;t need a new band, just a repair (unfortunately, she has put a lot of weight back on :thumbup:). I know where your coming from - I think its unfair that this is the outcome for you. I asked before I had my surgery about this because of my friend. The consultant said my fee included 2 years aftercare. I asked him if this also included fixing "tarnished" bands and he said yes!! I'll need to check my contract! I hope the outcome in your situation is a positive one.

I'm new here, so I hope this topic hasn't been covered already! I'm a very active person, I play roller derby and work out 5-6 days a week. I am especially into nutrition and Cross Fit. I came to my current weight via a variety of factors, but lack of exercise was not one of them. I would love to hear from anyone who is into Cross Fit and/or weight lifting and has been sleeved. I'm concerned about massive loss of muscle and having to start over on the lifting side of things. My nutritionist and trainers have been a huge help but I would love some support from those going through it!

years ago, i had my gallbladder removed due to my losing a vast amount of weight quickly......i would think later on they may remove it if you develop gall stones. i would say go ahead but only if your doctor thinks it would benefit you. i am sorry i cant offer anything else other than that. all the best and congrats on your upcoming surgery

so i have that other post of boobies. that is just the start of my body image issues right now. i am having a really hard time. especially here lately. first, my girls are about gone...great. but here is the thing. i know i have slimmed down all over. i now have collar bones...kinda cute i must say. weird to see, but cute. my arms are slimming down, my legs are too! while i know i have lost weight in my stomach area, its driving me nuts! this is where i carry my weight. but i have lost this much and barely dropped a pant size because of my stupid freakin gut rolls! and now, its just starting to hang worse and nastier then before! yes, i have some serious issues, i know.... i am getting frustated. everyone talks about buying new clothes, my dh says go buy some new pants, your butt is very saggy in those...yes well, i have no ass, and yes, my pants are very loose in the butt and the legs...but....i have these nasty rolls up front. i dont even know what the point of this post is... mainly to vent about my stupid body shape i suppose. i am at a point right now, that even knowing that i will eventually get it all fixed thanks to the expensive man w/ a knife, its not helping me rgiht now! i know i really need to keep being positive. its just so hard when i know how much i have lost and i go try on new pants, and nope, nothing, natta, zip, zilch. still cant get into a smaller size. and nobody understands! well, nobody here with me anyways!

We can all only be the best we can be too and we all have figure problems. When I look at picturs of people's bums (lol) in the PS before and after ads, I have the BEFORE butt, even after all those months of running, squatting, lunging and dieting. I will always have saddlebags and cellulite. But really, people dont look at you as parts. Only you look at you like that. Its the whole package, not one bit of you that makes you attractive or unattractive and you CAN fix it to a large degree anyway, but learning to come to terms with yourself is important. What I found though, is that I had NO idea of my final shape until I hit a normal BMI and I Have changed more in the 6 or 7kg since I hit "normal" than the entire 30kg before that. Losing weight at the end of the journey is VERY rewarding.

Well I got a consult with the doctor for July 20th.I will have to have the 6 months of documented weight loss,dietician etc, but Im gonna try like hell to lose as much as I can by then and maybe I will end up changing my mind, but if I dont.I believe this is gonna change my life for the better either way..These next 6 months will be a test for me.I see this as the start of my journey.I have finally made up my mind to do something about my weight.I have been thin before so I do know what it is like, but I was so much younger and I didnt think before I LET MYSELF GET SO OVERWEIGHT.Didnt realize how hard it would be, didnt think before I drank all that coke,and ate all those burgers,and all that junk for all these years.Didnt think being this overweight could happen to me, but here I am.Im 33 years old and I am gonna start living my life the way I should have been the last 10 years..Probably will be visiting here often.Hope all your journeys are good ones.:biggrin2:

13 days out stall on weight loss not for sure what to do I was loosing 1.5-1lbs a day??I know I need more water..

Hello, After about 1 year of having my band filled I lost 90 pounds and found myself in the same situation you described. I did what you are planning and had my band unfilled. Then I got it filled, unfilled, filled, filled and filled. From the time is was unfilled, to the time it was back at the right fill level was about 5 months. I gained over 30 pounds. Since it has been at the right fill level (2 months), I have lost about 12 pounds. So, if I continue to loose at the end of the year I will weight exactlly the same as I weighed last year. I would have preferred to weigh less. Be a little concerned about gaining weight when the band is not filled. I know when it feels like a piano landed on your chest, the last thing you care about is loosing weight, you just want somebody to move the piano. The unfill is like having the piano removed, it is a huge relief. I only wish I had been quicker to get the band refilled to the right level sooner. THE REASON THIS HAPPENS MAY NOT A PROBLEM WITH THE FILL LEVEL OF YOUR BAND. If your fill level intiaqlly worked and the band seemed to get tighter, the band fill level was probably alright. What happens is that when you vomit this causes trama and swelling, so things tighten up. Then because they are tighter, you vomit again and things swell even more and then before long, you are swollen shut and can't even swallow a single drop of water. Then you have to get unfilled. THE WAY TO FIX THIS AND NEVER HAVE THIS ISSUE AGAIN is to be very strict with your diet and not push it even one time. Once you vomit it is a very good idea to go to clear liquids right away for a week. You may not feel tighter after the fist time, but swelling has occured annd by the time it feels tighter, it is to late and it will be hard to recover without an unfill. Clear liquids will save you from ever having to feel like this again. Never, ever vomit and then the first time you do go immediatly to 7 days of clear liquids. Once it gets very tight, an unfill is required. For my this cost me 30 pounds, 9 months and about $1,500. I would rather not pay that tuition bill again.

Just when you think you've figured out your band(BAM) IT TAKES A NEW TURN!! I have resceduled three fill appointments because one minute I'm loose and the next minute I'm tight! How and when do I know it's time. I'm not rushing to get a fill and then be fustrated when I'm to tight. It's been almost 2 1/2 months since my last fill. But sometimes I can eat way to much and then sometimes I can't hardly get water down. I have been almost the same weight for the last 1 1/2 months, but scared to get a fill because sometimes I am just to tight. It's 7 months and I would like to know if it will get a little better for me ? I just don't know what to do! If someone could relate please let me know!! Oh and I started walking for the last few days and lost 1 lbs. I was so excited this morning when I got on that scale.

Redgirl, maybe you should go into your dr and talk about it? Sometimes I am not sure if I can get a fill and I go in anyway, to hear what they have to say. The dr will ask me questions about the patterns and portion sizes and look at my weight loss. Based on those, they either tell me not to get a fill or will give me a fill. I know what you mean about it being loose or too tight sporadically... I call the band a finicky bitch :party:

I'm afraid it will slip through my hands because of something stupid and I just don't know how I will deal with that. How do you guys stay positive? I think from an early age I realized that I have to become an unmovable force. You have to plant your feet firmly on the ground and resolve to go forward no matter what. During the approval process, there were many challenges. So I just put blinders on and continued forwards. When I went through the 6 months of medically supervised weight loss and exercise program required by my insurance company, they refused to pay for my doctor visits. Maybe a more accurate statement was that they paid for the first but not the second. They paid for the third but not the fourth. They paid for the 5th but not the 6th. When I challenged the insurance company, they claimed they made a mistake but would not try and take the payments they made to the doctors back. It made no common sense. They mandated this medical requirement. Also when I choose a doctor for one of the specialized tests required during the second round of pre-op tests, I choose this doctor based on the fact that he was within network. But the insurance made payment as if he was out of network. When I challenged the insurance company and told them their own online list of medical personnel listed this doctor as within network, they still objected. They said it must be some clerical error and they were not responsible for the payment. So don't give up but be prepared to dig your heals in and then move forward. Set your fears to one side and focus solely on your movement forward.

I guess I should share my story of why I've chosen to have the gastric sleeve surgery. Well, after being told that I developed high blood pressure, severe sleep apnea, and osteoarthritis (all a result of my weight gain) I thought it was time to deal with this weight problem. To be honest, if I had not acquired these conditions I would have never given bariatric surgery a thought. I felt I looked good and healthy, so end of story. Oh, but I was deceiving myself. Apparently my body is screaming for help and help is exactly what I need. I know that bariatric surgery isn't the cure all. Exercise and a healthy diet are just as important. I've embraced this wholeheartedly. I just need that jump start to get me going on this journey to weight loss. I'm an elementary teacher and need as much energy as I can get to keep up with my little darlings. So the weight must come off as soon as possible. I want to take a Christian cruise and be healthy enough to move about when we arrive at the ports of the beautiful cities. That's my brief story for now. ????

Hi @@Vsg_lma, Restaurant eating in the US is easy. In Paris it might be a little trickier, but I don't think they eat as heavily as we do, so that might help. Pack enough Protein shakes to have at least on per day on the trip. That protein will help you make it through. To repeat, focus on protein, protein, protein. That's where you'll get your energy now, instead of carbs. Chew, chew, chew. (You don't want to have to excuse yourself to go throw up during a business meal.) Keep up with your 64+ oz of fluids. They'll help keep you feeling satisfied between meals so you don't go crazy at mealtimes, and they'll keep your "insides" working effectively. Okay, now onto restaurant eating... First of all, if anyone asks why you're not having wine, just say "I'm trying to watch what I eat and drink,even in Paris," and leave it there. Hopefully, in a business setting no one will ask follow-up questions. They'll quickly stop noticing that you're doing anything different and it will become your "norm". Don't eat the bread! That's going to be the hardest choice you'll have to make! Just have Water. And since we're not allowed to drink for 30-45 minutes before or after eating (or during), just let it sit there (except for the occasional tiny sip to clear your mouth or help get a bite down). Skip the appetizer since you won't have room for it anyway. If the table orders group appetizers, you can have a bite or two of anything that's protein (muscles, clams, chicken, meats), but not starch or sugar. Order a protein-based meal, and don't worry about sauces that come on it. They're not our problem, carbs are. So try to order dishes with sauces that are unlikely to have a lot of flour. (Happy Secret: Fat doesn't really matter, so butter and oil in sauces are okay.) If your meal comes with a vegetable and a starch, ask to replace the starch with a second vegetable. Don't have dessert. You should already be full, anyway. If you drink coffee or tea, bring your own sweeteners (in case they don't have them) so you don't have to use sugar. Bottom line: Don't worry too much about fat or calories, just stay away from starches and sugars. Hopefully the freedom to enjoy the former, will make up for the difficulty of avoiding the latter. Enjoy feeling virtuous in your choices, and use that as additional motivation! How great will you feel if you go on a trip to Paris and come back the same weight or even less?!!! If you mess up at a meal, don't say "Aw, screw it," for the rest of the trip. Get back on your program immediately -- that means the very next time you eat. That way you can limit the damage. Our lives don't revolve around food anymore. So the extra energy you will feel from not being bogged down digesting carbs/sugar will help you enjoy the many other wonderful aspects of Paris. Hope that helps..... and HAVE FUN!!!

Hey! Congrats on having a date set and that's awesome that you and your mom are having this together. I think it's encouraging to have someone to walk this journey with you! I have PCOS and it should like that's what your systems are from. I've only been banded 2 weeks so I can't speak on the symptoms going away but I have always been told that with PCOS, you always have the disease but the symptoms disappear as you loose weight. I'm sure hoping this to be true for me!!! I was taking Metformin for the IR and was told by the surgeon to stop taking it after surgery. It took me forever to get my body used to that medication but I was happy to be able to stop taking it!! Good luck! Keep us updated as you go!

I am also in that "tween" size range now, but am hesitant to spend too much money, since I am not even halfway to my goal weight. Lane Bryant DOES go down to size 14, I also like Coldwater Creek, but only when they are having a good sale. I shop the Coldwater Creek clearance section, which is usually marked a percentage off of the marked price. Yesterday, I went to one of their outlets, and their clearance section was an additional 50% off. I picked up one pair of capris in a 16, and one in a 14, figuring that will carry me for a few months. I paid a total of $21 for both pairs, including tax. I have also found some great t-shirts at Costco which come in a size XL, they seem to fit me really well at the moment, and they are only $14.99. And I just bought a pair of workout pants at Costco for about the same price. If you have time, thrift stores are ALWAYS a great option at this point. Whenever I have time, I like to browse the thrift shops for things that might fit me now, or in the near future.

If you are thinking about having the wedding approximately a year to a year and a half after your surgery you will be fine!! By that time most of your weight loss will have occurred and your stomach healed so you can partake of some of your yummy wedding food. One of my best friends just got married last weekend and she is 15 months post op!! Congratulations!!

Hi to everyone here. I've been reading the posts here and working up the nerve to post my intentions. I am 59 years old today and have had a weight problem all my life. I have been underweight,overweight,obese, and morbidly obese. I am currently 285 lbs after being at an all time high of 350 lbs. I did loose down to 240 lbs, but back up again to 285 lbs. I know this yo-yoing back and forth is not healthy and I truely want to do this banding procedure to get my health back. I was taking medication for type 2 diabetes while at 350 lbs and after loosing down to 240 lbs I no longer needed the medication. I'm afraid that it won't be long till I'm back on the meds. How do I get this procedure started? I have Capital Blue Cross PPO ins. in Pennsylvania(Lehigh Valley area). I haven't approached my PCP yet but I do have an appt. scheduled in July. Any and all help from you all here would be deeply appreciated. Thanks to you all in advance for you concideration.:cursing:

Hi! Well a good place to start is to look up all of the bariatric surgeons in your area, then give them all a call. Most of them will require you to attend a seminar or watch a video about the procedure before you can go any further in the process. Then you will have to fill out an information packet about all of your health issues, previous weight loss attempts, medication, etc. You can then make an appointment with them, and usually they will have a financial counselor who can help you with getting insurance approval or getting financed. I would suggest that you go through this process with several surgeons to see which program feels the most comfortable for you, and which surgeon you like best (eventually you will need to research their statistics including number of procedures performed, complication rates, and read patient reviews). The whole process can seem a little daunting, but most places will help you through the whole process. If you cannot get insurance approval, there are a number of surgeons in ::gasp:: Mexico who are very experienced and have excellent stats. They offer the surgery at a fraction of the cost of American surgeons, but have a much more limited aftercare program. It all depends on your needs and preferences. I am still a newbie here too, but there are loads of people on this site who are very knowledgeable. Definitely you are in the right place, keep asking questions, and good luck in your journey! You are taking the first steps toward a new healthier life...congratulations!!!

I use a straw all the time and it hasn't bothered me . I had surgery 18 months ago and I'm maintaining a 100 pound weight loss.

I am trying to find some unbiased reviews of lap band procedure. I live in Ontario Canada and find my GP completely non commital. I currently weight 350 pds, my BMI is over 60, I have developed Diabetes, sleep apne, high blood pressure and high chlorestoral. All he keeps saying is exercise and eat less. Easy for an asian man who is 6ft tall and problably weighs 150pds soaking wet. He had his secretary quickly check to see if procedure was covered by OHIP (which as I have read here, is not) and left me to find my own way. I am now in touch with Barix Clinic and hope to have procedure in the new year. Back to my initial question --- Everywhere I look on the internet brings me to sites that are infommercials for the various clinics. Can anyone recommend an unbiased site.

I've stated making the changes that needs to happen to assure me when I get the band that well I use it to the best ability I can, including exercise. I usually do 6-9miles a week and just picked up some weight lifting to hoping have abs someday and toned arms. Do you have any suggestions on how they stated exercising and gradually worked there way up to where you are today? Its amazing how some of you guys look and I know that exercise will help me get to my goal. Please help!:biggrin:

I was banded on 3/25 and doing well now. The first week was difficult due to the location of my incisions and infection, but overall my progress has been good. As far as diet, my nutritionist moved me to blended solids and my doc wants me eating solids prior to my next follow up appointment in a month. On my liquid diet, I was having major difficulty getting 800 calories a day but protien supplements worked well. I hit just below 200 2 days ago...woooohooooo!!! Total weight loss since surgery has been 16 pounds now. Seems slow, but difficult due to pre-op exercise routine so not much Fluid to lose after surgery. I can't wait to pick up on the exercise again. Feeling a bit lost with only walking. Keep in touch, I would love to hear how you both progress along your journey also. Happy Easter!!!!

Hello I am considering having the lapband done. I go to a consultation on July 13th. I have battled with weight for over 20 yrs now. I don't want to be a skinny minny, I just want to be healthy for my family. I want to play with my kids and not cry out in pain. I am at my heaviest weight ever right now at 290. I am 5 ft 4. Any advise would be great!