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Follow-up visits with a band are more numerous during the first year post-op. Every surgical patient will have some post-op visits. I'll be three years next February. I had a tiny fill in early September of this year, and an upper GI just before that to check that all is well (it is). Prior to that, I had not seen my band surgeon for a year. Prior to that it had been about 9 or 10 months. Unless you have complications, the band does not have much more follow-up than other procedures after you get proper restriction. My surgeon wants me to check in once a year. If I did not have insurance, the upper GI would have been costly, I am sure. It could be a consideration, depending on your circumstances. I believe long-term (2-3 years, that is) weight loss rates for both procedures is about the same. I lost 100% of my excess body weight with the band in about 2 years. Here's a link to a good comparison chart of different procedures: Weight Loss Surgery Comparison | WLS Basics | Weight Loss Surgery

I am five days before you! August 10!

I know we all hear about how important it is to drink Water and I probably hear it more than most, as I get it drilled into me every morning at our Safety Meetings on the mine site. They are constantly telling us about hydration/dehydration and have a very high focus on it, because of the heat out on the mine. I thought I'd heard everything there was to hear about how good water was for you, but today they gave us some new information and a lot of it really made an impact and is particularly relevant to weight loss, so I thought I would share it with you all. I've underlined the really interesting bits. WATER How 8 glasses a day keeps fat away Water is the single most important catalyst in losing weight and keeping it off. It is important to drink 8-10 glasses (approximately 2 litres) a day. You should also increase the amount if you exercise briskly or if the weather is hot and dry. It should preferably be cold because it absorbs into the system quicker than warm water. If you're not getting enough water, your body fluids will be thrown off balance and you may experience Fluid retention, unexplained weight gain and loss of thirst. Ultimately, when your body gets the water it needs to function at its best, its fluids are perfectly balanced. Water supresses the appetite and helps the body metabolise fat The kidneys need enough water to function properly. When they aren't receiving enough, some of their workload is dumped onto the liver. The liver's main function is to metabolise stored fat into energy for your body to use. Therefore, when the liver has to do some of the kidney's work, it will not function fully. This results in the metabolism of less fat, therefore more fat remains stored in the body and weight loss stops. Drinking enough water is good for fluid retention When your body is not getting enough water, it begins to hold on to every drop possible to survive. When this happens, water starts to store itself outside cells and this can lead to swollen feet, legs and hands. To prevent this from happening, you must drink plenty of water! By doing this, you will be releasing the stored water from cells. An overweight person needs more water than a thin person Larger people have large metabolic loads and since water is essential for fat metabolism, it is clear that an overweight person would need a large amount. Water helps maintain proper muscle tone Water helps to maintain proper muscle tone by giving them the ability to contract. It also helps to prevent sagging skin that results from weight loss. Water re-hydrates the skin and leaves it clear, healthy and supple. Water helps to flush out waste When losing weight, the body has a lot of waste or metabolised fat to get rid of and water aids in that process. Water relieves constipation When your body isn't getting enough water, it takes what it needs from other sources and the colon is a primary source. This results in constipation, however, by drinking enough water, normal bowel function will return. Things to remember Your body will not function properly without enough water and can't metabolised stored fat efficiently Retained water shows up as excess weight To get rid of excess waste you must drink more water Drinking water is essential to weight loss I know we all read and hear about how water helps in weight loss but often we don't really know why. I am the sort of person that needs to really understand a process before I can fully take it on board and this information helped me a lot. I hope it helps you too! DRINK UP!!!

I'm being sleeved Tuesday. What helped me to get over this same feeling is research. The fact is a lot of our weight problems is due to gut hormone levels, which we have ABSOLUTELY NO CONTROL OF! There are studies where healthy lab rats were divided into 2 groups. Half the rats were given the Ghrelin hormone (produced in the fundus of the stomach) and the rest were not. EVERY rat that was given grehlin gained weight! Ever wonder why some people can't gain weight? Almost every American makes very poor eating decisions daily. I know skinny people who do not exercise who can eat pizza, burgers, etc EVERY day of the week and not gain weight. Much of this has to do with metabolism, gut hormone levels and other things science has not yet uncovered. So many of our foods (healthy foods) are engineered by man. In many "low fat" foods, the fat has been replaced with carbs and other things. And portion sizes have skyrocketed over the past 50 yrs. Remember when all coke bottles were 10-12 oz's? I understand the feeling. I have felt the same way. But the fact is everyone's body, mind, etc is different. My parasympathetic nervous system ( the body functions we can't control) tells my heart, lungs, liver, etc. what do. Our metabolisms and hormone levels are controlled this way. This does NOT mean you are a failure. Actually, it means you are intelligent enough to look at facts, realize where you need help, and seek that help to reach your goal. Reaching out and getting the help you need actually sounds pretty smart to me! Good Luck!!

Ummm ty i will take that in mind surgery 10/09/2012

Just for a little comparison - when I get fills now I usually only get a .1 or a .2. My PA gave me some very good advice - it's better to approach the sweet spot carefully versus overshooting and then having to go backwards. I know you and I were July '10 bandsters so we are at very similar places in our journey I hope the fill turns out all right...it really sounds like if you got .2 or .3 removed it will be just right. You will go crazy and resort to eating all slider foods if you are too tight. I've been there It's very important to be able to eat meat! Good luck!!!

The saying that we go by at our support group is, "Face it. Deal with it, and move along." Meaning don't beat yourself up for slipping up once and awhile. We aren't perfect and it's going to happen once and awhile. This is a life style change not a life change. You obviously know what you did so if it happens again, try waiting 10 minutes before you eat what you did. We all deal with stress in different ways. I'm sorry about your father-in-law also.

Im 10 days post op.. the worst pain was the gas that laid up in my left shoulder.. my abdomen is sore...like i did a million pushups... but other than that everything has been good. I freaked myself out also... then when i woke up.. i was like.. umm what was the big deal? loll You'll do fine!! You got this. Prepare yourself now for the changes though and it won't be so hard on you when it comes to the post op diet. And Come to this board often... the support here is amazing!!

I have just been told by a member in the 60`s group that in the uSA there are only 2 bands that are used .... found this info... Guess no one in the USA will have the type I have ... Types of adjustable bands In the US market, two types of adjustable gastric bands have been approved by the FDA: Realize Band and Lap Band. The Lap Band System (Allergan Inc., Irvine, CA) obtained FDA approval in 2001[16]. The device comes in five different sizes and has undergone modification over the years. The latest models, the Lap-Band AP-L and Lap-Band AP-S, feature a standardized injection port sutured into the skin and fill volumes of 14 mL and 10 mL respectively[17]. The Realize Adjustable Gastric Band (Ethicon Endo-Surgery, Inc., Cincinnati, OH) obtained FDA approval in 2007[18]. Realize Band-C has a 14% greater adjustment range than the Realize Band. But both the Realize Band and Realize Band-C are one-size-fits-all. The device differentiates itself from the Lap Band AP series through its sutureless injection port installation and larger range of isostatic adjustments. The maximum fill volume for the Realize Band is 9mL, while the newer Realize Band-C has a maximum fill capacity of 11mL. Both fill volumes fall within a low pressure range to prevent discomfort or strain to the band[19]. Mine is a Heliogast ..the Hage they have 2 types Haga and Hage Two other adjustable gastric bands are in use outside of the United States: Heliogast and Midband. Neither band has been approved by the FDA. The Midband (Médical Innovation Développement, Limonest, France) was the first to market in 2000[20]. In order to preserve the gastric wall in event of rubbing, the device contains no sharp edges or irregularities. It is also opaque to x-rays, making it easy to locate and adjust[21]. The Heliogast band (Helioscopie, Rhône-Alpes, France) entered the market in 2003. The device features a streamlined band to ease insertion during the operation[22].

I had the surgery one month ago. I am just starting to feel stronger. I have been very tired and weak for the last month . Everything went well with the surgery. I have only lost 10 pounds this first month. I was hoping for more. I have 40 more pounds to go. I had a good experience with the surgery but with no follow up care it has been hard because I am not sure why I am so weak and sometimes shaky. I think i need some blood work done.

I was banded on Friday the 13th. I have had hardly any pain. But I think that was becauseI was told to walk 10 minutes every hourI was a wake and make sure one of those walks are outside. Trust me thats a tough one when its 113 out here. I also do my breathing every hour. I amnow staying onmyown and I feel good. I had lost 17 lbs pre op. 6 lbs since friday. So yes it is very worth it. I would not have been able to losethat weight without it.

Five-Year Study Of Morbidly Obese Finds Significant Benefits Of The LAP-BAND® Procedure Over Laparoscopic Gastric Bypass LAP-BAND® System is less invasive, less risky than laparoscopic gastric bypass, according to a five-year study comparing the two most common weight-loss surgery procedures for the seriously overweight presented at this year's American Society for Bariatric Surgery meeting by Emma Patterson, M.D., the senior investigator of the study and Director of Oregon Weight Loss Surgery, LLC (Portland, OR). "This was one of the first comparative studies of LAP-BAND and laparoscopic gastric bypass patients conducted by a single institution," said Dr. Patterson. "It is significant to note that at the five-year mark there is no difference in the weight-loss results between the LAP-BAND and laparoscopic gastric bypass patients, yet the gastric bypass has a much greater risk of operative complications." The study is an extension of a three-year study conducted by Legacy Health System published two years ago. The study concludes: - LAP-BAND patients have shorter operative time, less blood loss and shorter hospital stay compared with laparoscopic gastric bypass patients - LAP-BAND is less invasive with less perioperative risk to the patient - LAP-BAND patients have decreased complication rates Additional results of the study indicate that patients undergoing laparoscopic gastric bypass had statistically significant greater weight loss up to 4 years, but at 5 years, there was no statistical difference in percent excess weight loss between laparoscopic gastric bypass and LAP-BAND. The study also concluded that laparoscopic gastric bypass patients had significantly more major complications than LAP-BAND patients (10% vs. 5%, respectively). This observation was substantially different from the finding in the 3-year report, where no significant difference in major complications appeared between laparoscopic gastric bypass and LAP-BAND patients. As morbid obesity continues to be a global health problem, bariatric surgery remains the only viable, consistent form of weight loss for this patient population. "With the LAP-BAND System, there is now a safer, less invasive and more acceptable surgical option for patients suffering from the emotional and physical impact of being seriously overweight," added Dr. Patterson. STUDY METHODOLOGY The study compared a consecutive series of patients who underwent LAP- BAND (406) and LRYGB (492) for morbid obesity over a five-year period in a single institution. Most patients were able to choose between the LAP-BAND and laparoscopic gastric bypass procedures unless they were determined to be high risk (higher age, sex, male, super-super- obesity ((BMI greater than or equal to 60 kg/m2)), and presence of significant cardiopulmonary disease). All patients' age, sex, BMI, complications, mortality and excess weight loss (EWL) were examined. The LAP-BAND group had a higher mean preoperative BMI, and the LAP- BAND group had more patients with BMI greater than or equal to 60 kg/m2 (14 vs. 9%; P < 0.05). All patients underwent pre-operative evaluations by a psychologist, nutritionist, sleep study and laboratory evaluation at the Legacy Good Samaritan Obesity Institute. Prior to surgery, patients were instructed to maintain a low-fat, low carbohydrate diet and encouraged to lose at least 5% of their initial body weight. Postoperatively, LAP-BAND patients were seen at three and six weeks, monthly for the first six months, bi-monthly for the next six months, every three months for the second year, and then yearly thereafter. LRYGB patients were seen at three weeks after surgery, then every three months during the first year, every six months during the second year, and yearly thereafter.

Since you're confused about malabsorption... malabsorption is what allows bypass patients to lose weight so quickly. Long story short, part of the intestines that absorb nutrients & stuff from food is bypassed, so even though you consume it, you don't get anything from it. It's also why the dumping syndrome bypass patients get can be so severe. Different surgeons are biased in different directions. My surgeon, when asked by another patient, anwered that if one of his family members had to have WLS, he would want them to have the lap-band. To me, as he was my surgeon, learning that said a lot. A very good friend of mine had bypass and lost over 140 lbs in about 8 months. She is maintining at a sz 10. She says "I now understand some of the long term complications"... but she's only 2.5 yrs out. I don't have any details b/c this was in an email, but I'm eager to find out. I know that she does not, and has not for a while, look healthy. She's gaunt, pale... her energy is constantly low, and she has to go in for regular B12 shots. She has not come out and said, "I wish I had gotten the band", but it has been strongly implied in things she has shared with me.

It can't be anything other than God's Grace that would have allowed me to feel so great considersing the fact that 1 week ago today, I was feeling miserable, almost depressed. Then I was 3 days postop and mourning food. Today, I am 10 days postop and feeling pretty darn good. I got a good haircut, went walking for 30 minutes at 2.6 mph at the Y and went to see a movie with my kids called Enchanted. It was about Happily Ever After and believe me it was perfect timing. Now, while at the movies I ate 12 Tortillia Chips with cheese. I chewed very slow but I ate it. I'm proud because I didn't have to eat the whole thing, I left half and my mind stopped me not my body. I'm 5% worried about eating it because I'm only suppossed to be on mushy. But I did chew real slow. Who knows? God Bless Me.

I have started my lap band journey. I have attended the seminar, had my lab work done, sleep study, and started a 6 month supervised nutrition program required by my insurance company. I have had the PFTS. I also need to get a cardiology clearance. I have lost 10 pounds since I began the supervised nutrition program. Staying off of all things white has been surprisingly better than I thought. I do however cheat on Sunday since we go out after church and eat. I was surprised that last week (1st week) I was not a enticed and ate less than I usually do - only 2 tortillas- yeah!!!

Name...................Start..........Current..........Goal ......To Go 1. TxArcher............345 ............342................325........17 2. Skinny_Jill..........186.............185................178..........7 3. Momto1plus1......228.8..........229.2.............218.8.........10.4 4, Longhorn...........204.............199.4.............195...........4.4 5. Mariegabrieleee...252.............251................240..........11 6. Teresajo...............195.............193...............185.... ... ..10 I'm starting slow, but using my bowflex every day trying to get my money out of it.

Hi my name is Sunshine 926. I was banded on 10/2/08. I have lost 20 lbs. I have a lot of questions and it is nice to have a site where other people have questions too. Look forward to to chating with others.:eek:

dinner. Place: Varsity Grill, 1114 Broadway, Tacoma- 1/2 block north of the Sheraton Tacoma Hotel. Phone number: 253-627-1229 8:00-10:00 A special event, in the Sheraton Ballroom, “Talking with the Surgeons”. Includes a non-hosted cocktail party. Saturday: 7:30-8:00 REGISTRATION 7:50-8:00 CONFERENCE BEGINS / ANN0UNCEMENTS 8:00 SPEAKER: Don Mills - Marketing Representative Allergan Corporation, formerly Inamed Corporation. Our inside man at Inamed-Allergan Corporation, Updates Us On New Lap Band Information. 8:30 OPENING SPEAKER: Joanne Godmintz 9:00 The morning starts with a motivational seminar titled: “Hold on to your band, you are in for the ride of your life”, led by noted psychotherapist Louise Pietrafesa, MSW and Randy Brandies, MSW. Ms. Pietrafesa is a graduate of University of California at Berkeley, with a Masters Degree in Social Work. Besides having a busy therapeutic practice in Seattle, WA, Ms. Pietrafesa is a consultant to Northwest and Clinical Nutrition Center, Joslin Institute of Diabetes at Swedish Hospital and the Novartis Nutrition Corporation. Randy Brandies is a graduate of University of Chicago, where he received his Masters Degree in Social Work. He is a cognitive behavior therapist and practices in Seattle, WA. 10:30-10:50 BREAK – Meet with Vendors 10:50-12:00 MOTIVATIONAL SEMINAR CONTINUES 12:00-1:00 CATERED lunch 1:00 LAP BAND SURGEON SPEAKERS SESSIONS BEGIN: SPEAKER: Roberto Rumbaut, M.D. Medical School: Escuela de Medicina, Ignacio Santos, ITESM, Monterrey, Mexico in General Surgery Residency at San Jose Hospital ITESM, Monterrey, Mexico Graduate of Board Certified- General Surgery, Mexico Professor of Surgery: University of Monterey-ITESM, Monterrey, Mexico Past President of the Mexican Obesity Surgery Society 2003-2004 Member of the Medical Advisory Committee for Bioenterics Lap-Band System Member: ASBS Topic: Living With The Lap Band SPEAKER: William D. Neal, M.D., FACS Medical School: University of Oregon Health Sciences Center, Portland, OR Surgical Residency: Keesler Medical Center, Keesler AFB, Biloxi, MS Fellow American College of Surgeons Member: Regular Member, ASBS Staff Surgeon: St. Peter's Providence Hospital, Olympia, WA Chief of Surgery, Mason General Hospital, Shelton, WA Topic: Coencentric Dilatation and Slippage SPEAKER: Dr. Pedro Kuri, M.D. Medical School: National University of Mexico, Mexico City General Surgical Residency: National University of Mexico, Mexico City Board Certified-General Surgery, Mexico Past Senior Professor at University of Baja California Medical School Member of the Mexican Medical Society of Obesity Surgery Member: ASBS Topic: Lap Bands SPEAKER: Dr. Barry Fisher, M.D., FACS Medical School: Albert Einstein College of Medicine, New York Residency: Cedars-Sinai Medical Center, Los Angeles Clinical Research Professor in the Department of Surgery at University of Nevada School of Medicine, Las Vegas, Nevada Fellow American College of Surgeons Member: ASBS Topic: Motivation for Success SPEAKER: Dr. Ariel Ortiz, M.D., FACS Medical School: University of Baja California, Tijuana, Mexico Residency in General Surgery: Centro Medico Nacional del Noroeste, Instituto Mexicano del Seguro Social, Ciudad Obregon, Sonora, Mexico Board Certified-General Surgery, Mexico Professor of Surgery and Clinical Medicine, University of Baja California, Tijuana Member: ASBS Topic: Are you failing the band, or is the band failing you? 2:40-3:00 BREAK 3:00-4:00 PANEL DISCUSSION 4:00-5:00 BREAK-OUT SESSION SPEAKER: Mary Costa R.N., CDE, Diabetic Nurse Manager, Kaiser Permanente, Antioch, California Topic: Cardiovascular Risk Reduction: Weight loss is one step; are you at risk? Additional steps to prevent heart attack and stroke SPEAKER: Dr. Leo Petersen, M.D., Practices with Dr. Pedro Kuri in Tijuana, Mexico Topic: Insulin Resistance SPEAKER: Terry Simpson, M.D., FACS Lap Band Surgeon, Phoenix, Arizona, Author of several books on weight loss including “Losing The Last 30 lbs” and “Fundamentals of Weight Loss”. Topic: How to get to your goal SPEAKER: Dr. Martinez, M.D., Practices with Dr. Ortiz. Topic: Diagnosing Using Fluoroscopy 5:30-6:00 CLOTHING EXCHANGE 7:00 CATERED DINNER Followed by an evening of lively entertainment including: Fashion Show, Jamie's “Famous Slide Show”, bandsters pictures Before and After. Raffle and Bandster Auction. (Save your dollars—something Extra Special is being Auctioned off--it's a secret.) Fun continues with entertainment by the Vancouver-Portland Bandster Group, "The Van Ports" with 80's Disco-Dancing – Dance the Night Away! Prizes Galore!!!! Sunday: 8:30-12:30 PLASTIC SURGERY FORUM Speakers will include a variety of different plastic surgeons, nurses and patients. Cathy Ross, CRT, Bandster, Patient/Nurse, Kirkland, WA Topic: What you want to know before Plastic Surgery . Gavin Dry M.D., FACS, Plastic Surgeon, Kirkland, WA, Medical School: Univ of British Columbia, Vancouver, Gen. Surgery Residency, University of Washington, Seattle, Plastic Surgery Residency U of W Board Certified in Plastic Surgery and Reconstructive Surgery-US, Topic: Plastic Surgery following Weight Loss Lisa B. Stubenrauch RN BSN CDONA/LTC NHA Bandster /Patient/Nurse /Seattle, WA Topic: Total Body Lift- A Top to Bottom Reconstructive Overhaul, From the Patient's Perspective Dr. Alejandro Quiroz, Plastic Surgeon, Tijuana, Mexico Medical School-Universidad La Salle in Mexico City Medicine. Residency: General Surgery National University of Mexico Fellowship specializing in a Plastic Surgery at the National University of Mexico and University of California, Irvine. Board Certification in Plastic and Reconstructive Surgery, Mexico Topic: Total Body Lift

I am gettin so distressed over this whole thing. I lost a few lbs before the surgery (like 5) I have followed everything exactly and held once I reached 10 lbs minus. I had my first fill the end of Feb which was 4 months out. Still no restriction. I do have difficulty with exercise because both of my knees are bad - however I do walking exercise in the pool 3 x a week. I just keep hovering around the same weight. I put the @#$$%% scale away for a while because I was obsessing. I went down about 7 lbs but put it right back on. I'm not loosing but not gaining either. I am frustrated. I go in for another fill in two weeks. I certainly hope that it helps b ecause I feel just like I did prior to the fill.

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

For some people (very few..) just having the band placed around their stomach provides adequate restriction and in turn their appetite is dimmed and they lose weight. This was certainly not the case for me. I was WIDE OPEN after surgery and was able to eat like pre-band. I am happy for those with automatic restriction but am pretty amazed that the band alone can provide that type of restriction. I felt nothing from my unfilled band. ~Liz~ banded 03/10/06 Dr.Ortiz 241/197/150 5'7'' current fill-2.7 cc

I had my surgery on a wed. (may 2nd 07) and went to work on Friday for 2 hours to check email. Then on Monday I went back and worked a full 10 hours, and for that week I had more than 60 hours. Make sure when you go out you buy gas x strips and liquid tylenol. I didn't use any of the hydrocodone they gave me post op, but used Tylenol instead. It took me about 2 full weeks until I started feeling "normal", back to my normal sleeping pattern, etc. etc. You will do great. It is so much fun to go to the doctors now and get on the scale.

Hi! I'm new here but almost 10 years post-op. had surgery in CO but moved to CA. Looking to get established with great office for annual band check ups and occasional fills/ adjustments. I am halfway between SF and LA (in San Luis Obispo) so open to drive anywhere in CA for an excellent fill Doc or his excellent fill staff. Who do you love and want to rave about in CA? Please tell me what you especially like or appreciate that makes you treasure them so much? Thank you!!

Just got back from a 3 week trip for work - while there I had to buy some new clothes and that was great . I also could relax in the tub - still not as comfortably as I would like, but enough to fall asleep in there! The big Nsv for me was getting out of my hot tub and grabbing my usual towel that doesn't quite fit around me and what do you know!?! It more than fit around me! I had a good 6 inch overlap where there used to be about a 4 inch gap! I haven't been paying attention to a scale - being out of town makes that near impossible - when I got back I had lost another 10 lbs in that 3 weeks and I was bloated from that time of month and from travelling. I celebrated with a nice pedicure Sent from my iPhone using VST

I am in the same boat as you. I was banded on 01-30-09 and the first week was okay, but this week i am starving (today in particular). i go to the doctor on Monday 02-16-09 and right now I feel as if I would rather stay big then go thru this. I feel no restriction at all. All those feelings you are having I am having.