Questions I wished I had asked.....

[CM77539 10]

These are great questions! I'm going to call my drs office and ask sone of these! Because my surgery is next week and I wasn't even aware until these boards that they may not fill the band and you may not hit the green zone for months!!

[BayougirlMrsS 3,933]

I'd like to ask my surgeon how soon after surgery can we start up with the sex? But I'm too embarassed to do so. Which is incredibly stupid, since I live in France where people talk about sex all the time! Hey...after you have a baby they tell you without you asking! It should be the same of LB surgery!

Mine said as soon as i felt comfortable with it.

[SkinnyCubanChick 150]

I would have asked how much are the fills! It's rediculous!

[Spaness2012 609]

I think I would have asked more questions about "bandster hell" as well. They did not really explain this time before fills very well!

[morelgirl 177]

I think I would have asked about their ongoing plan for fills and adjustments. How much, how often, etc. I also would have asked if they had a plan for fills if it turns out that the correct fill level is elusive or difficult to achieve? Are they willing to fill more often if after 4 or so fills there is no noticeable input from the band regarding satiety? I would have asked what happens if I still have no effect from fills when I am close to the recommended capacity of the band?

These are the issues I'm dealing with now, and I think I could have saved myself a lot of time, disappointment and worry if I'd asked them earlier in the process.

Good luck!

[BayougirlMrsS 3,933]

I would have asked how much are the fills! It's rediculous!

I fought with my doctor about what he charged his OOP patients. He was charging i think $250. Did my research by calling other LB doctors in a 100 mile radius and asked what they charged and the average was $150. So i went back to my doctor, plead my case and ..... I won!! Now all the self pay only pay $150. Thanks to me.... lol

[erinjkenben 8]

I think I would have asked more questions about "bandster hell" as well. They did not really explain this time before fills very well!

I would like to know more about bandster hell without searching through loads of past replies. What is it and what questions should I ask?

[morelgirl 177]

I would like to know more about bandster hell without searching through loads of past replies. What is it and what questions should I ask?

Bandster hell is the period between when your stomach heals from surgery and when you receive adequate fill levels in your band. During this period, you will experience the return of your appetite and will probably not notice any effect of having been banded. In other words, if you don't measure food, count calories, and grit your teeth against the hunger, you will not lose and may even gain weight.

For some people, the first fill is enough to give them proper restriction and they will have a very short period in hell, but for others it takes multiple fills and many months before their band begins to really do its job. Most people are probably somewhere in the middle.

Basically, you just need to remember that the band isn't magic. The band does not make you lose weight. All it does is assist is curbing your appetite so that it is easier for you to eat less. It's the eating less (and moving more) that actually takes the weight off.