Banded 2 years ago. Do my best to answer your questions

[mybaby 5]

I can chime in and answer some of your questions. Maggie can also give you input on her experience.

1. Did you vomit a lot or even any?

Vomiting is not the norm and can occur at first, but, you learn really quickly on how to eat properly. Trust me! Not chewing your food well enough is the main culprit. This occurs when pieces of your food obstruct or become lodged in your stoma. The stoma is the entrance from the upper stomach (small stomach above the band) into your large stomach (below the band). The stoma is the cause of restriction keeping the food to remain above the stoma a bit longer and sensors there signal the brain that you are full. The food eventually passes thru the upper to lower stomach. You can also vomit if you eat too fast or too much. The "proper way of eating with a band" is a learning process and you do learn really quick.

2. what do you eat eh first month?

Every surgeon has different diets. I can share what mine required.

• Right after surgery - 2 days of Clear Liquids. Sugarless juices, tea, coffee, broths, sugar free Jello, sugar free popsicles etc.

• 3-5 days - Protein drinks with skim milk, apple sauce, cream of wheat

• Mushies stage: Examples of mushies: scrambled eggs, cottage cheese, vienna sausages, grits, cream of wheat, mashed Beans, mashed potatoes, cheese etc.

• Once past the mushie stage you will eat normal much smaller meals with eating Proteins first, fruits and veggies second, then, carbs last., but, will proceed slowly until you know which foods you will be able to tolerate. Within 1month or so you will have an idea of what you can and can't tolerate. All bandsters are different so it's hard to say how your progression will be.

3. I live in SE Indiana and want to find a Dr. that I can trust and who has experience who can I go to?

No advice

I have BCBSTX PPO INS> I do suffer from HB, Pre-Diabetic and am 110 pds over weight. I'm 5'5 and weight 258. What are my chances of my insurance covering this?

I was approved through BCBSNM. Your chances of being approved look really good. Your primary doctor has a major role in approval or no approval. Make sure your Primary is on board, for he/she must submit a letter of medical necessity on your behalf which plays a huge role in approval.

4> How much pain is there involved to filling and what all is involved?

Pain is minimal. A special needle is inserted thru your skin into the port where they will either insert or remove saline (fill or unfill). All my fills have been done under floroscope. Floroscope is a special kind of x-ray machine and they have you swallow barium and they can see how much goes thru the stoma. You get used to this very easily. Trust me I did and I was a wimp when it came to needles.

Hope this helps.

Thank you so much

[grni77 0]

I was banded March 2011 in So. Cal. everything has been going good . Then around August I can eat more again and once in a while I get sharp pain in my upper stomach . I've also moved to a different state and lost our insurance so now Im having the hardest time finding a lap-band dr. The one near me says they wont see me till they get my records but yet they wont take my name so they can call to tell me they got my records , almost like givng me the run around. Feeling so frustrated : (

[SkinnyMiniMe 63]

You are entitled to your own medical records. You should call your surgeon that performed the surgery and request them to release your records to you. That way you can personally have them for yourself and take it to whatever doctor you pick.

I was banded March 2011 in So. Cal. everything has been going good . Then around August I can eat more again and once in a while I get sharp pain in my upper stomach . I've also moved to a different state and lost our insurance so now Im having the hardest time finding a lap-band dr. The one near me says they wont see me till they get my records but yet they wont take my name so they can call to tell me they got my records , almost like givng me the run around. Feeling so frustrated : (

[Pooh plus size 6]

Okay I was banded on 10/7/11 and has lost 13lbs as of now I have an okay diet but I don't no why I am losing so slow. Is this normal?

[grni77 0]

Okay I was banded on 10/7/11 and has lost 13lbs as of now I have an okay diet but I don't no why I am losing so slow. Is this normal?

I lost about 10 lbs a month but have stopped losing since Sept. 20 th. My Dr. told me between 2-3 lbs a weeks was normal and healthy. I really think it depends on the individual.

[grni77 0]

You are entitled to your own medical records. You should call your surgeon that performed the surgery and request them to release your records to you. That way you can personally have them for yourself and take it to whatever doctor you pick.

I thought just having them faxed over would have been easier but I m starting to see it's not. Tomorrow Im calling a different Dr. to see if they are any better with helping me. They are 40 minutes away compared to 10 minutes. But I've been trying to get in this office now for over a month and they seem to not want to deal with me.

[SkinnyMiniMe 63]

You are the customer. Remember if they don't want to help you now then maybe they are not what you need in the long run. Unfornately between doctors and insurance companies you are forced to take matters into your own hands. GOOD LUCK!!!

<br />I thought just having them faxed over would have been easier but I m starting to see it's not. Tomorrow Im calling a different Dr. to see if they are any better with helping me. They are 40 minutes away compared to 10 minutes. But I've been trying to get in this office now for over a month and they seem to not want to deal with me. <img src='http://cdn.lapbandtalk.com/public/style_emoticons/default/unsure.gif' class='bbc_emoticon' alt='' /><br />

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