A thread for super-sized bandsters - starting BMI over 50?

[rho_z 0]

Hi Everybody.

My Lap-Band surgery went fine.

I'm sore and feel real blah, but I'm ok.

Any words of wisdom?

[maziemommy 8]

txkbh--- I used capitalonehealthcare??? or capitalonehealthfinance?? something like that.... My doc is registered with them, and I got zero% for three years (catch ...if it's not paid off in 3 years, they back charge 19.99% for the initial amount borrowed, not what is left unpaid-- but all of it!!!!) They do have regular lower interest rates available too. You can apply online and get instant answers... (when applying online, use the cosmetic procedure option)! I had a hard time getting it to recognize my doc information but it finally did after I manually typed it all in.GOOD LUCK WITH ANY CHOICES YOU MAKE.

rho z---- congratulations on surgery--

words of wisdom, do as I say, and not as I do.....

follow doctors orders to the letter!!!!! Do not push the diet too quickly.... think healing and not yet weightloss!

You should do great!! I have been quite active daily since surgery 4-2-07!! walk to relieve gas- good luck and ask anything!!!!

[joteddi 0]

I have my appointment with my surgeon on July 2. I weight 354# I would like to know what factors give our weight, lead you to choose lap band over RNY or DS? Thank you. Joteddi

[DebLPN 0]

joteddi~

I chose the lapband for several reasons:

1)the lapband simply restricts, the RNY throws the body into a state of malabsorption,,i didnt want that

2)my lapband cost me $16.500 and the RNY would have cost $24.500 and i was a private pay, and

3) i hadnt reard of anyone dying from having a lapband but HAD heard of folks dying from complications from the RNY.

Each of us has to make that personal decision,,,I just felt the lapband was right for ME.

Good luck with your surgeon appt!!

banded 012907

Dr Ken Cleveland-CMMC-Jackson, MS

(someone else does my tickerthingie for me and i havent sent her my new stats yet, but here is the old one,,lol)

[Shells 0]

This page was so great to find, I have been feeling a lil down since iv had the lap band done because i feel like iv got so much weight to loose. I was banded on the 19/04/2007. My starting weight was 162.2 kilograms sorry dont know what that is in pounds my BMI was about 54 or 56 something like that i cant exactly remember. Im now down to 149 Kilograms and I know I have a long long way to go, it is nice to know i am not alone though...

[Hazelbunny 0]

I have my appointment with my surgeon on July 2. I weight 354# I would like to know what factors give our weight, lead you to choose lap band over RNY or DS? Thank you. Joteddi

I chose lapband because despite my weight I was in excellent health. I knew that eventually my weight would cause health problems but they hadn't yet. To me the RNY is a drastic surgery to get weight off FAST so that health issues can be resolved quickly - diabetes, high blood pressure, etc. I didn't need something that drastic.

That being said - I think it is a personal choice. Obviously I am a fan of the lap-band - it is what I chose. But I know several people who have had wonderful success with RNY. I think it comes down to what you and your doctor feel is preferable.

[Hazelbunny 0]

This page was so great to find, I have been feeling a lil down since iv had the lap band done because i feel like iv got so much weight to loose. I was banded on the 19/04/2007. My starting weight was 162.2 kilograms sorry dont know what that is in pounds my BMI was about 54 or 56 something like that i cant exactly remember. Im now down to 149 Kilograms and I know I have a long long way to go, it is nice to know i am not alone though...

Sometimes it is hard to commiserate with people who only have 65 pounds to lose. It is nice to have our own area to share concerns unique to us.

I am not a rah-rah cheerleader type but I am so excited for all of us. I wish I had gotten the band years ago. For the first time in five YEARS my BMI is below 50!!

[GWIP 0]

I have been wondering too what it would be like to live with the band after my weightloss is complete...the literature says you will gain weight when the band is removed...and that the band is considered permanent. I am trying to decide which surgery is best. I certainly appreciate that there are less complications with lap band.

What are your thoughts about "after loss life with the band?"

Thanks for your help

Ruth

[txkbh 0]

Hi everybody,

Thanks so much for the input. Keep your fingers crossed for me that everything goes well during my consult on Thursday.

Thanks again and good luck to all!

[sandranoelle 0]

Hello everyone, I have a question.. How do you keep up your will power. I now know that this is not a quick fix. and the band does stop me from eating so much. but I find times I cannot stop picking and eating sweets or salt or whatever. I understand that this is a live long struggle, but does anyone have any advice?

[Zannie 6]

Hello everyone, I have a question.. How do you keep up your will power. I now know that this is not a quick fix. and the band does stop me from eating so much. but I find times I cannot stop picking and eating sweets or salt or whatever. I understand that this is a live long struggle, but does anyone have any advice?

We just don't buy the things that I find irresistible. My hubby checks in with me before buying anything in the junk food category, or other foods that I'm really missing. If I say I can't have it in the house, it doesn't come home -- which has been very helpful. Not everybody has the support that I do when it comes to shopping (and yes, we have 2 kids!). Plus, I do have things at home that are okay to eat when I feel a "need" for sweets (SF pudding, Popsicles, jell-o). Of course they are not the same, but at least I don't feel like there's nothing I "can" eat in the fridge. I also keep nuts on hand for my salty/crunchy fix. If I really am feeling desperate for something that "normal people eat" I'll have a small Crystal Light Slurpee from 7-11-- it really does the trick. I also acknowledge that there are times when it's better to "give in to a craving" in a controlled fashion, rather than let it fester into an uncontrollable urge.

That's what I've been doing anyhow. :gluck:

[synicalchick 0]

Hello everyone, I have a question.. How do you keep up your will power. I now know that this is not a quick fix. and the band does stop me from eating so much. but I find times I cannot stop picking and eating sweets or salt or whatever. I understand that this is a live long struggle, but does anyone have any advice?

I don't buy it or have any thing of temptation in the house. I surround myself with stuff I can have. I have individual sizes of cottage cheese, string cheese, gerber prunes...

[ihomeschool4 0]

Hi from Dallas!

I have struggled with weight my whole life (first diet was at age 11). In 2002, I went from my highest weight of 347 to about 235 within a year using WW. I plateaued there for about six months before weight started creeping back. I am now around 325.

I have wanted to do the lap-band for some time, but I knew my insurance wouldn't cover it. I finally decided that I HAD to do this even if it means paying for it myself!

I am fairly young (30), and I am terrified of what my future will hold if I don't do this. I am blessed with excellent health. My only health problems associated with weight are sore knees and some back pain, but I know that I can only be this lucky for so long. I already feel my body turning on me.

I have my first consult scheduled with Dr. Barker in Dallas on 5/3/07. If I can get financing in place, I want to get the ball rolling on this asap. I've wasted too much time already! Can anyone tell me how hard it is to get financing for self-pay? I have a fair amount of debt right now, and even though I make okay $, I am a little worried. I just want this SO BAD!!!

Hey txkbh,

When my mom and dad saw how serious my hubby and I were about this, they offered to give me part of my inheritance early. We also opted to go to Dr. Rumbaut in Monterrey, Mexico. We were consdiering Dr. Ponce in North Georgia - one of the Docs that participated in the clinical trials for FDA approval in the US. Through LOTS of research, we discovered that Dr. Ponce actually studied with Dr. Rumbaut and Dr. Rumbaut supervised him placing his first band. Dr. Rumbaut has placed 4300+ bands and actually uses extra stitching techniques to help prevent slippage. If I had to make the choice again, I'd go back! The facilities are top notch, it's less money for a higher level of care than in the US, to this day I still have direct access to the team of surgeons via the phone, the follow-up support is good...I just can't say enough about the great experience we had!! They also have finance companies they work with.

Anyway, that's my two cents worth...I wish you luck in your search. Feel free to PM me if you have any specific questions you'd like for me to answer. Also keep me posted on your progress!

[smileelee 0]

First of all I want to say thank you to everyone who posts here! I need to lose a lot of weight and I was very discouraged to see people who only had 50 or 60 pounds to lose. I was afraid that myabe I had made the wrong choice. I'm glad to see that I was wrong. There are a lot of people here who have lost a lot of weight. I want to be one of you!

Now, to my question. I lost 15 pounds post op. Then between my surgery and my first fill, I gained 3 pounds. For my first fill (week 6) I got 1cc. It's didn't seem to make a dent in what I could eat or how much. I did lose 2 of the 3 pounds though. 2 weeks later I got a second fill, another cc. That night it was so tight that I couldn't even swallow my own spit!! I figured it was just swelling so I waited another day and on the third day I called my doc. He said I was probably too tight and I should come back to have some taken out but I wanted to wait because I assumed I was still swollen. All along I was hoping that when the swelling went down I would have great restriction. How lucky could I be to be well resticted after only 2 fills!

Anyway, I am one week past my fill and I still can't eat. I can only drink room temp tea cause even Water hurts. I can eat pudding and cottage chesse but not much else. I lost 16 pounds and I am thrilled but I am afraid that something bad may happen. I don't have any pain other than when I try to eat or drink COLD drinks. What should I do? Is there a chance that I am still swollen? I want to keep losing, I don't feel bad that I can't eat much, I'm not hungry, but I am afraid of a slip. Help! Any advice would be great. Thanks!

[faithmd 14]

It does sound like you are too tight, I am not yet banded so I can't offer insight from a banded person, but from the other posts I've read similar to yours, most banded people say that this far out from a fill, if you can't eat good food, you are probably too tight. Staying too tight can lead to all kinds of problems like erosion and slippage, etc. I would suggest you call your doc, he may choose to just do a slight unfill.