Lower BMI Bandsters!

[Sooverit! 1]

Thanks for your wisdom Tracy! You gave me alot to think about and by the way you look marvelous!

I live in $$New York$$ and I think the price for out of pocket is the same as in...it's terrible. My docs are supposedly two of the best in the world...pioneers actually and I had adhesions from a ruptured appendix years ago so I'm afraid to go to less experienced docs and I'd be afraid to fly back or drive too far as I'd be going alone most likely if I left the state. Oh brother.......it shouldn't be this difficult ....thanks again.....

[Mischievous1 6]

Thanks for your wisdom Tracy! You gave me alot to think about and by the way you look marvelous!

I live in $$New York$$ and I think the price for out of pocket is the same as in...it's terrible. My docs are supposedly two of the best in the world...pioneers actually and I had adhesions from a ruptured appendix years ago so I'm afraid to go to less experienced docs and I'd be afraid to fly back or drive too far as I'd be going alone most likely if I left the state. Oh brother.......it shouldn't be this difficult ....thanks again.....

Sooverit, I went to Dr. Ortiz, but I can understand with your previous complications why you would/should not...this is a very tough decision, but I think you already know what you want to do. I say find a way to make it work and it will all fall into place...I will be praying for you and hope that whatever decision it is that you have made that it works out the best for you...

renee

[Sooverit! 1]

Dear Renee: Thank you so much.. You guys really are what these support boards were invented for....I think this site is the gold standard. I've been on other boards for Atkins etc. and I can't get over the difference here ....so much kinder and no leaders taking over. Thanks for making it such a great place to go for support and just enjoyment~

Thanks for you kind words Renee you are right!

[SoupGirl 0]

Hi SoOverIt,

I went to Dr. Ortiz in Mexico, because I had to self-pay and really couldn't do it another way...he's also a pioneer in LB surgery, so check him out as an option. It's a state-of-the-art facility and his staff is very knowlegable.

My prayers are with you...go with your heart and in the WORSE case, wait the 6 months and until then, do your best.

Take care...we're all here for you!

Stacy

[Sooverit! 1]

Thank you so much Soupgirl, your warm words meant so much to me. Your support and caring kindess is special! thanks...mj

[jobyone1 0]

Ditto on Dr. Ortiz and Dr. Martinez. I went to him all the way from New Jersey and it was less expensive and he was GREAT. He is an incredible surgeon and they are available to you on their cell phones any time. They are wonderful. Dr. Ortiz does the surgery and Dr. Martinez assists. I was in and out in 20 minutes!

[Mischievous1 6]

Ditto on Dr. Ortiz and Dr. Martinez. I went to him all the way from New Jersey and it was less expensive and he was GREAT. He is an incredible surgeon and they are available to you on their cell phones any time. They are wonderful. Dr. Ortiz does the surgery and Dr. Martinez assists. I was in and out in 20 minutes!

Ditto on the in and out...I expected more complications/more pain etc and I was up and shopping at the revoluccion the next day, running around town, laying by the pool (fully clothed of course) and on the plane home the following day and back to work 3 days later! He and his team are amazing, and I Loved loved loved my nurse. She spoke broken english but told me she had just graduated from english school and was quite proud of what she did speak, she was warm and knowledgable and very caring as were all of his staff. I wish I were closer and I would go there for all my fills etc, but i'm fortunate enough to have a local ND who does these for me who is quite experienced with the band.

[sally 0]

Hello low bandsters - I've been reading the forum with interest because I've been thinking about getting a band. I've a bmi of 30 right now and while I've always been overweight in the past couple of years I've added hypothyroidism to the mix and I'm finding it incredibly difficult to manage my weight. If I decide to get the band it will be self pay in Belgium (I'm in Ireland) but I'd love to hear from any of you close to my bmi who have gone through the experience about what finally swung your decision. I'm getting a lot of pressure to "eat less", "do more exercise" etc etc - I'm doing all of that but it's not working and I'm increasingly worried that as I get older (I'm 44) my weight will only increase.

Also - are there any people here with hypothyroidism - how has having a band affected your condition.

Thanks, in advance

[Pam in MI 0]

Hi everyone!

I was banded on Wed., 8/29. My bmi on that day was about 35. I was only on the preop diet for a few days because I finally got approved and wanted to have surgery before school starts on the 4th. So far so good. I LOVE that even though I am head hungry I just can not eat because I get so full fo fast!

Question - did any of you lose a lot of weight right off the bat? Since starting the preop diet which was only 9 days ago, I've lost TWELVE pounds!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! Can that be possible? Do you think I'll gain back before my first fill? Just wondering because when there is less to lose overall I know you usually lose more slowly.

I am tired and bored. Thank goodness this site keeps me occupied - especially since I lost my hobby of eating! I stayed overnight becuase the hospital is 3+ hours away. I am SOOOOOOOOOO happy!

[munchkincan 0]

Hi everyone!

I was banded on Wed., 8/29. My bmi on that day was about 35. I was only on the preop diet for a few days because I finally got approved and wanted to have surgery before school starts on the 4th. So far so good. I LOVE that even though I am head hungry I just can not eat because I get so full fo fast!

Question - did any of you lose a lot of weight right off the bat? Since starting the preop diet which was only 9 days ago, I've lost TWELVE pounds!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! Can that be possible? Do you think I'll gain back before my first fill? Just wondering because when there is less to lose overall I know you usually lose more slowly.

I am tired and bored. Thank goodness this site keeps me occupied - especially since I lost my hobby of eating! I stayed overnight becuase the hospital is 3+ hours away. I am SOOOOOOOOOO happy!

Hi Pam,

I lost 11 lbs in 5 days. I was banded on August 1, 2007. Since then it has been a steady loss of about 1-1/2--2 lbs a week sometimes more. I had my first dr. visit Thursday Aug 30. Since I am loosing I had no fill.

Great job. Good luck to you in this new journey.

Munch.

[BabyGotBack 0]

Audree, don't think for one minute we don't miss you when you don't post.

It's actually nice to see others struggle and not just have the weight melt off.

It makes me feel like I am doing something wrong, when I know I do what everyone tells me to do. I get a fill at the beginning of Sept.

Can anyone tell me what they're doing to keep from being constipated?

(too much information, I know) I try to eat some fruit, take Fiber caplets, have been trying metamucil, I put benefiber in my Water, etc. Nothing seems to help.

I really appreciate you saying so!!!:biggrin1:

I know what I have to do though, just haven't done it. I need to exercise more often and higher intensity, have to drink more pure water and need to take a fat burner.

The only thing that helps me with Constipation is upping my liquid intake. I drink a lot of Crystal Light, about 80 + ounces a day. I do notice that when I don't drink, I am constipated.

Hey, eating prunes always helps too!!!

[BabyGotBack 0]

Well I read your posts, I read alot of stuff and just don't respond as I try to take in as much as I can in the short period of time I can when I get a break from my 3 year old! LOL

You may try another small fill to get those last few lbs, but honestly you look GREAT and those last few may be hard due to the fact that you are just so close.

I just had more (fill) put in today - i'm at 2.8cc in a 4cc band now and I'm curious to eat a meal to see if I can tell a difference or not but I have to do 24 hours of liquids thru tomorrow afternoon before I will know....

Thanks!!! I think a few more cc's would do the trick. But I am going to try to exercise first. I am afraid to get another fill in a way since I get stuck morning and noon and even sometimes in the evening. I get stuck before and during my period so about 2 weeks out of the month. The other 2 weeks I am looser. I did "choke" down my Breakfast of ground meat and veggies today. I can feel every bite being choked down. I also ate about 1 cup of it. When I am done eating, I slime a little bit too.

I am at 3 cc's in a 4 cc band right now.

My 1st goal is 155. I was happy there before. Then my 2nd goal is 145. From there I may just let me skin catch up and tone up. If I lose a few pounds more, I won't complain, but I ultimatley want to be between 140ish.

Thanks for hearing me talk to myself!!!:bounce:

[BabyGotBack 0]

I joined this forum back in May when I was pre-op. I had the surgery May 25th and now I'm on my second fill. I'm at 1.9cc and I am very well restricted. It is still a daily struggle though. Getting to the gym almost every day, eating lean Proteins, passing on the sweets and fried foods - what a chore! However, the band has made it easier than it has ever been. I'm down to 163 and I feel proud of my weight loss.

My poor husband was banded with the VG band in June. He has not lost ANY WEIGHT. He regained all of the weight he lost on the liquid phase. I feel so sorry for him! He is on his 2nd fill to 5cc (a 10cc band) Zippo - NO RESTRICTION at all! I watch him gulp his food like I used to and I salivate thinking how good it must feel to swallow like that! The VG band is much more difficult to get to a good restriction. Our fill doc is local - it's $155 a pop with no fluro - which is reasonable for the NJ area. I hope that soon he will have some restriction and I will be able to share the journey with him.

The eating plan they suggest does not work at all for me. I tried 3 meals a day and totally stopped losing weight! I was eating less but not losing. I don't know why but the 5 to 6 small meals works great. It is hard to remember to eat every 3 to 4 hours but when I keep it up - I lose. I was stuck above 165 for a while and lost the 3 lbs with the mini meals. I really recommend it! I got this book called Fire Up Your Metabolism by two twin sisters that are nutritionists. It is full of helpful advice and great pointers. The only thing that we can't do is drink Water with our meals, but other than that most of the advice is good. What they say is that you need to keep your metabolism running so that your body burns what you eat instead of storing it. The only way to do this is to eat 5 -6 times a day. Before the band I could never stick to the portions they recommend but now I can't eat it all!

One question, I am so tight in the mornings. I can't eat breakfast so I normally have a half a shake and then a whole one around 11am. Why is this? It makes it difficult to eat throughout the day when food doesn't go down well until about 4pm! I feel like I would lose weight faster if I wasn't eating the majority of my food at night! Anyone have any suggestions?

I used to do a program like that, where I ate 6 mini meals a day. It did work, but then I gained it back (preband). It is called the 8 week body makeover. I may pull it out and dust it off to use again!!! HHHMMMM

I have been doing a bad thing since I am tight in the AM too. I have not been eating breakfast, don't eat till noon or after 1pm. I know that is messing with my metabolism.

I have the same issues with being tight in the day and open at night. I need to stop my eveining eating, not eat past 7 pm.

I heard we are tight because we are laying down for so many hours and our body tissues get swollen.

I was taking a shake in the morning before. I just need to start doing it again!!!:bounce:

[BabyGotBack 0]

Babygotback,

I have a bmi like yours and am scheduled for surgery Friday. Question is if I lose enough weight on the liquid diet to get the bmi under 30, will they cancel my surgery? I want to follow the diet, but still want the surgery...

I had asked the same question and it isn't a problem!!!

Congrats on your surgury!!!

[BabyGotBack 0]

Hi everyone. I am glad you keep coming back becuase I read this thread all the time....BIG NEWS....I made it to onderland today! FINALLY and YIPPEE!!!!!

YOU ARE AWESOME!!!!!:clap2::clap2::clap2: I bet you look awesome!!! Have you ever posted pictures? I have never seen you.