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Anyone have a problem like mine, will you help me? I had my band 10 22 07 and was first filled 12 8 07 and again 1 8 08, and still fill hungry. It fills tight like i have to take small bites and eat slow, but I can eat a lot. I am worried that something is wrong.

Hello !! chicagowinter I have just read your post !! Hope all goes well with all ya'll --------------------------------------------------- I am just now trying to get my LAP-BAND .. My ins-denyed me also .. So i am trying to raise the Money on my own through cooking sale and just friends and famliy helping out anyway they can .. ( I have already set in on Dr,Bagnato's Meeting about the surgery.) I fill good about it so far .. He seem's to be very nice . First time i have ever met him .. I will be going to Dr.Smith's meeting on 2-27-10 to check things out with him .. I really wont this Surgery , my health is starting to give me a fit ..... I have just signed on at this site and i will be back to keep ya'll updated .. I have enjoyed ya'lls and other post i have read so far .PRAYERS is out to all .. PLEASE SEND PRAYERS back my way think's. ------------------------------------------------:redface:

I don't think I ever learnt to eat healthy with the Band. All it enabled me to do was to control my portion sizes. I lost over 60kgs with my band and kept it off for 10+ years. I hadn't had a fill for over 3 years until last December. Who would have thought that .25ml could stop me from even swallowing my saliva? Had a barium swallow and it showed that my band had slipped. My surgeon said that the gastric band is great but definitely not forever. I"m on the two week optifast phase now - due to be sleeved May 25 and it can't come soon enough for me. :-)

Hi Everyone, On Friday, I made a last minute decision to go to New York for my sisters 40th birthday. My family consists of thin folks who eat carbs, Teddy Grahams, cheesecake , biscotti and lots of Pasta. So naturally from the time I arrived until the time I left, I ate what others ate. First there was the party which consisted of penne ala vodka, a five foot italian sub sandwich, eggplant parmagiana, lemon chicken, potato and macaroni salad and for the rest you get the picture! Dessert consisted of three different choices like cheesecake, cannolis and birthday cake. THere was also champagne, MUDSLIDES to follow and homemade wine. Well needless to say, I had to try everything. I guess I was surprised at how much I could eat with the grazing over a 5 hour period. I knew it was bad since once I get on the carb trail, I have trouble getting off of it. Saturday and Sunday were pretty much the same. I tried to get some exercise and walked a little and did the elliptical machine forabout 15 minutes. I am afraid to get on the scale and find myself back over 200 pounds. Here I am 15 months post op still obsessing about food some of the time. I know I could use a fill, but my doc wants me to wait 2 more months. (I recently had an unfill of .20 after a fill of .10 which made me looser and more receptive for food.) I dont believe in the elusive sweet spot that everyone talks about despite my success losing 136 pounds so far. I do have restriction and when I attempted to find the sweet spot, I just got overfilled and had to take more out than they put in . So I do know my maximum which is somewhere between 2.5 CC. and 2.6, but not a drop more because I was miserable for about 2 days before having the .10 they put in . I now have 2.4, which is not enough but still offers me some restriction. So I am upset with myself for making such bad food choices. I could have just said no. I was hoping to drop another 5 pounds before coming to Vegas next week. Now I will be lucky to just be the same weight I am today. I think I am going to do Protein shakes this week and see where I get.... Do you sense my frustration? Babs in TX 334/198/170 -136

I am wondering about calories and the breakdown of such and weight loss. I was banded July 22. I have lost about 28 lbs plus 10 before for a total of 38 lbs or so. Great,.....not complaining about that. Probably due to 2 weeks of liquids. Since I went on food I have not lost a single thing. I am playing with the same 5 lbs, either up or down. It has been so damn muggy here I may have some fluid retention some days, but not really too bad. I logged my food onto fitday.com and I am in the 700 to 850 calories a day. Some time I wonder if my fat content is too high due to cheese. I drink all my water every day and do exercise to an exercise tape or do 1 hour of walking at varied speeds. I am so frustrated. I am getting a fill next week. Hopefully this helps. What is your calorie count for the day. I am following amounts of 3 oz meat..some fat free milk, etc... Would 2 tbs of regular cream cheese on 4 fat free triscuits sabotage my day.....Your thoughts

Nov 19 at Oakland Regional Hospital in Southfield, MI.

I've had a few sleep studies over the years and will be honest and say that I've never been good with using it. DH and both have sleep apnea and he has been wearing his cpap religiously for the last 10 years. He feels well rested after a good nights sleep with his machine, me I feel worn out. Turns out there were notes entered into my profile years ago that had gone unnoticed that I might be narcoleptic. There really is a reason for preforming the study, just make sure yu follow up with it and use it if recommended.

Hiya - just wondering how long before/after meals you guys drink. I usually do 10 minutes before and 30 minutes after. I need to drink lots of water so I can't really wait an hour or so (I've heard it being recommended and thought it was completely nuts)

I'm a vet tech. On my feet all day, bending, squatting, lifting, 10+ hour days. Surgery on Friday. Back to work the next Friday. Couldn't lift more than 20 pounds for 3 weeks but had no problems working. I would have been bored stiff hanging out at home for longer.

I had my surgery on Thursday 10/8. I weighed myself today for the first time thinking I would have lost at least 5 lbs or so.. And I lost 1 lb!! I am really disappointed. How can I not loose more than that after 3 days of clear liquids? I start full liquids tomorrow and I am so happy!! I cannot stomach the idea of broth, juice or jello!! I did notice yesterday I could barely get my wedding ring on - so I must have been swollen from surgery. Anyone else having this problem ? How soon does the weight start coming off ? I want to see some results already !!

uhhhh, have you ever gone back to your lapband doctor for a fill? Most of my friends who had surgery only went back to their doctor once for a fill and to this date, have not lost weight and they are wondering why... I had myself banded on January 07 and already reached my goal weight, no exercise, just purely following Doctors orders, getting myself filled once every two months. My 10 cc band is at 9 cc filled. Believe me, when you get filled, and hit your sweet spot, you don't have the time and energy for exercise...

That is exactly what I would do. If you try to limit your calories to 1200-1500 for the next 2 weeks, plus get a bit of exercise in, then hit it hard the last 2 weeks with the liquid diet, then you should lose that 10 pounds. Have you tried different types of Protein Shakes? I have tried them all and I can't stand any of them, except for one. Trader Joe's has a whey protein powder (chocolate is good) that has more carbs than the others because it contains sugar instead of artifical sweeteners. I really like it. I blend it with 1% milk and ice and it makes a malt. It has a tiny aftertaste, but it is small and it doesn't hit until after you drink it. I love it... Do you have a Trader Joes? It costs about $8 a can... It is not the Designer Whey (that one is gross!) Good luck!!!

I am so sorry you are having to go through this. Every surgeon seems to have a different opinion about weight loss before surgery. Yes the fat from your liver burns first making your liver smaller and lighter. Surgeons requirements go from not required to absolutely required and large amounts at that! If it were me I would look for a different surgeon or at the very least get a second opinion. My surgeon strongly recommended a 10 lb loss, this was not a requirement but was stressed as being very important and to do the best I could. If you don't have any other options for a surgeon and you really want the band then you will have to meet his requirements no matter how grueling. Good luck we are all here for you

I've been gone from BandLand for awhile due to some technical difficulties as well as an extremely crazy schedule. I'm back thanks to my dear husband who got me a brand new laptop so that I would be able to stay entertained while recovering from my band surgery. I'm actually pretty discouraged at the moment regarding my future band. I was initially supposed to get my band on February 27th. However, I unexpectedly ended up in the hospital on Feb 7th with severe pains and ended up having a (benign) tumor removed that was pinching one of my ovaries. I was out of work for 3 weeks and had to reschedule my surgery for May 1st. Unfortunately, when I went in to my doctors office the Thursday before my surgery he determined that I had not lost enough weight to be able to proceed. I was supposed to lose 5% of my body weight prior to the surgery which for me was a minimum of a 19 pound weight loss. I had only lost 12 pounds and my doctor refused to go forward until I lose another 10. (Not sure why I have to lose more now than I did before) I'm super frustrated because dieting is obviously an issue for me. Otherwise, why would I be having the band in the first place? We have been under a lot of financial strain lately and so I've taken a 2nd job and am basically working about 70 hours a week to try and pay down some debt and save enough for my co-pay for this procedure. Mon-Fri I eat every single meal away from home. Which means I'm living on Lean Cuisines which, while tasty, get VERY old sometimes. My doctor wants me to be on a strict pre-surgical diet consisting of 3 Slim-Fast's per day and unlimited fruits and veggies. I'm supposed to stick to this diet 75% of the time. It's just so hard becuase I truly dislike Slim-Fast (as well as all other Meal Replacement shakes) and it's such an extreme diet that i don't understand how anyone could be expected to maintain this diet over such a long period of time. Especially a person who so obviously doesn't do well with diets in the first place. Plus, I've essentially been trying to stick to this diet since January and I suppose it's pretty obvious by my failure to lose enough weight that it's just not going well for me. I'm experiencing an extreme lack of motivation and an overwhelming discouragement regarding the band. I was so excited to have it back in February. To be delayed essentially 3 months has really eroded my confidence that this is really the right thing for me. What if this is a sign that I am not supposed to do this? What if I can't succeed in this? I've never known success in this area and this latest setback has really knocked my feet out from under me. I have so much goin on in my life right now. And I am so FRICKING tired of focusing on food so much! Whether I'm binging or dieting it's all the same. All I can think about is what I can eat and what I can't eat and then feel bad because I either ate something I shouldn't have or becuase I want to eat something I shouldn't. I'm just so damn tired of the whole thing. :think

When I first started pursuing the band, I had Healthnet insurance. Then in January I had to switch to Blue Cross. Healthnet was a major pain, but Blue Cross has been an absolute dream to deal with. But neither company required a doctor-supervised diet. (And at that point I had no medical history whatsoever. Last time I had a physical was 10+ years ago.) I'm sure the lady you spoke to is right, but it never hurts to do your own research. If I were you, I'd call your insurance co. directly and find out exactly what their policy/requirements are and what you are covered for. Get them to fax or mail it to you in writing if possible. It's important to know what is required by your insurance company vs. what is required by that particular lap band program. I've read too many stories here about people who met all of their requirements and were ready to schedule the surgery, only to be met with even more obstacles and hurdles to jump.

Hey Michelle..thanks for the compliment...OKAY now I see what you mean...well unfortuanately they didnt band our brains...giggling....so we still have that same desire for pizza or whatever but think of this...soon and TRUST me it will be sooner before you know it...you will be able to eat a slice of pizza the great thing about it is that you will have 1 or 2 NOT 10 or 12 LOL....I still have an appetite and when I get ready to eat I think DANG I AM SO hungry I could eat 1/2 this burger or 1/2 this Pizza but that is the beauty of the band because once you start you quickly figure out that 1 piece will definitly satisfy that hunger and you will feel full!

First bit of advice? Get off the "dreadmill" and run outside. Unless it is below 20 degrees, there is no reason I can see to not run outside. Second bit of advice is to run "sub-threshold." Most beginning runners try to run to exhaustion and burn out. When you finish, you should be tired, but you should not be doubled over gasping for breath, unless you meant to go "all out." If that means running 15 minute miles, then so be it. Better times will come, but not if you "kill yourself" and burn out. I have a signature on my tri site that says, "I run like a gazelle, if it has a lion hanging from its neck." 10 months after I started running, I may need to change that soon. Tonight I ran 2 miles in 16:39; you can get there too; it's just a matter of running smart, not running harder.

Approximately 2 weeks ago my fiancée had her gastric sleeve operation. The surgeon said to me she has perfect anatomy and the surgery went very well. She got home about 3 days later and felt fantastic and started her home clear liquid diet. a couple days later she started experiencing chest pains, back pains and trouble breathing. after reading issues after the surgery we thought this was normal. She then started to develop a fever of 100 that didn't fluctuate. She became lethargic but this only happened at night. The following morning she felt great. The 3rd day I got home from work with her sitting on the couch. She had a fever of 101, red faced lethargic and was crying as she stated "why did I do this to myself?" I rushed her to the ER immediately. In the ER they wanted to her to drink an oral contrast for a cant scan to find the problem. After taking two small sips she experience pain equal to that of a heart attack and couldn't breath. Ive never seen her in so much pain in my life and was so upsetting to see her crying and screaming "why do I feel like this please help me" They gave her 9 shots of morphine and 4 shots of Di lotted. This did not immense the pain at all. They admitted her over night. The next morning that did a cat scan with the contrast given to her through an IV. a few hours later the surgeon game in and said she had a leak that caused an abscess below her esophagus and above her spleen the size of a soft ball. They scheduled another operation in the OR an hour later to try and seal the leak. After the operation the surgeon could not see the leak because it was so small. They gave her two drainage tubes on each side of her stomach and an NG tube out of her nose. They said they wanted to dry her stomach out so the the hole could clear on its own because of how small it was. she was held in the ICU to keep her under constant supervision. 3 days later she started to develop another fever of 102. The surgeon then ordered another emergency draining in radiology from the abscess above her spleen. this procedure was approximately 20 minutes. Immediately she lost all pain and felt great. She is now currently in ICU still and draining her stomach out. Doing a lot better but can eat or drink anything (she is so thirsty she says). Every time they move her she feels pain on her incisions ( 10 total). They have to move her so that the tubes can collect all the fluids in her stomach. What breaks my heart the most is that shes wanted this for so long and so bad and now says she regrets ever getting it done and has suffered greatly.

I am scheduled to start my 2 week preop diet on 10/23. Surgery on 11/6. Super excited for surgery but apprehensive about the protein shakes. I don't like shakes at all and can't imagine having to drink 3 a day for 2 weeks. Also nervous about drinking them post op. Any suggestions would be appreciated.

I had meatloaf 10 days post-op with my doctors blessing and it was devine...I also had mashed potatos and gravy. (exactly half of a kids meal from Boston Market) I eat egg, tuna and chicken salad all the time, on wheat crackers. I didn't get this band to have to count carbs but I do watch my calorie intake somewhat. I have had potato salad, a small scoop won't kill you just don't make a meal out of it and don't have it everyday. I can't have Pasta unless it is angel hair or cut very very small and then only a few bites. My favorite thing at taco bell is that bowl thing they make, it's Beans, (I omit the rice it gives me problems, i usually ask for double beans) meat(chicen or steak), tomotos, cheese and taco sauce. I also omit the lettuce. It is a good meal or 2 Snacks, and it reheats well. Comes in a little bowl with a lid so it's also easy to store. I can eat almost anything I want, but avoid bread as it fills me up with no protien or real nutrition. I can't have rice at all, and pasta also is too filling for it to be a meal. Everyone's band is different, I have a banded friend that lives on gound beef and rice with no problem, I have a bite or two of rice and I am PB'ing for an hour. Everyone has different limitations but you will find a comfortable middle ground and fall in love with your band. ~Mandy

It is a salem occation today as it is the final day of people food for me ! I must start the Pre op diet as of tomorrow. I have had pretty much all the foods I like in the last 3 days. I had a lunch at eastside marios, I had fish and chips at a local Joeys, H&D rocky road ice cream, m&ms, and a nice peanut butter sandwich. Tomorrow I feast on Yogurt and Cottage cheese (bacteria filled milk and it's by-products) for the next ten days! It will be tough (since I will have daily access to some yummy food (pasta, sauces, Brocettes, chicken kiev, steak, stew, Clubs, Burritos, fries, various other potato dishes, vegy galore, pastry, sweets, ) SIGH! This also means that in 10 days I will be turned to the banded side. I may have to change my name to something like "Darth Bandito" or "Chewawacca" or "Luke soothimaker" or how about "Band Solo" Knaw... I'll just stick with Mr. Yoda... Oh well, it is for the greater good... I will just enjoy what I can have, miss what I can't, eat slow, eat often and muddle my way through... Viva the resistance! Today is my last day of people food!

Soo, I waited 2 months before getting my first fill instead of the suggested 4-6 weeks..wanted to see what I could do on my own, I lost 5 pounds..Im not mad about that at all because I really had no restrictions...I started at 270lbs in March. Day of Surgery 259 and current weight 240...My goal is somewhere between 180-190...I'm tall 1 day of liquids...lets see how much I can loose during the next 6 weeks!

This is kind of longwinded, but hoping I can get answers from others, as well as provide info for those in the same boat. Here goes: I'm in Northern Virginia (OK, I live in WV, but my Doctors are in No.Va.) and have Kaiser Permanente insurance. My PCP looked at me when I asked about WLS in May and basically said I wasn't fat or sick enough (Hello->Sleep apnea, Family Hx of diabetes with me having recently elevated fasting glucose levels, knee, ankle, and back pain, Weight=298 pounds, and BMI of >45?!?!). Long story short, got a referral anyway. Nutritionist aptmt 6/8/09, weight 298 :drool:. A-OK to start the loooooooong 6 month program (she said I definitely qualify and let that appointment be "Class One"). Scheduled weight loss class the next a.m. to get it out of the way. Had my psych eval 7/28 (:angry:that office messed things up-didn't even have the correct patient file when I checked in) and am waiting for the results to get sent to my Nutritionist and PCP. Kaiser screwed up and scheduled me for "Class Two" (which should have been my 4th visit), instead of a followup the next month (7/13, weight-283.3:smile:) with the nutritionist. Luckily I won't have to take the "Class Two" thing over, just have to do all individual followups until my approval and meeting with the surgeons. Followup appointment 8/3, wt-280.8:tongue_smilie: So here are some of my questions: My next visit (9/15) with the nutritionist will be my 4th visit. They say they require 6 visits total, all about one month apart. That makes November month 6. Who has been through this process in NoVa and what is next? I've heard there are support group classes you have to take but was busy asking questions about other things and didn't ask the nutritionist specifically. How soon after starting did you actually meet with the surgeon? What about additional testing? BW, EKG, etc...? Has anyone been denied by Kaiser NoVa based on their psych eval? I was on antidepressants over 3 years ago. As I mentioned, the psych office didn't have my file (grrrr), and no matter what I told him I was SUCCESSFULLY doing/using for depression, stress, and anxiety (meditation, yoga, exercising, relying on support of friends and family), he's been going on and on about my "underlying condition" and saying he can't see where I would be an ideal candidate for WLS. It sounds like he wants me back on medication, which I do not currently need. Trust me, if I needed it i'd ask for it! I'm really determined to make this work. I've been working on sip, sip, sipping (it's kinda hard to sip every 10 minutes, especially when you're working), have tried a few Protein supplements to find recipes I like BEFORE surgery, and have been working on finding some decent puree-able foods that are appetizing. How long after approval did you have to wait to actually schedule you're surgery? Like, my first visit was 6/8, final should be in November, so do I have to wait days? weeks?? months??? before surgery is scheduled? I'm impatient enough as it is Thanks everyone for any answers you may be able to provide!! Best of luck to all. :tongue: & :cool: Blessed Be.

I called my nutritionist and she told not to worry that this was the reason I wanted the surgery was to help lose. It was common for people to gain a little right before surgery. She just told me once I start the 14 day liquids I had to lose 10 pounds, she said when I go for my pre-op appointment to make sure the nurse documented my new weight so they wouldn’t think I did not lose on the 14 day liquid. She did encourage my to taper off now and try not to gain to much more before my start date that it would better for me all around.

You're healing and anything is normal and different to each of us. You were filled with gas to bloat your stomach prior to band. It disapates with time. Us ea heating pad on medium for 10 minutes on top of your belly. This helped me.