wild6

Joan is my mother -n- law and also does my fills but I wanted to put it out there that her prices have changed.....I am not exactly sure what they are but you could call the office number for exact pricing. She is very good and also has a band so she is familiar with how it works.

Hello..knowledgeable bandsters! I got a flu shot in September and found out that I am allergic to a preservative that is in it and have been breaking out in a severe hive reaction since then. I have been on prednizone before,, due to the depo-shot reaction I had yrs earlier, and did NOT want to go back on it. The side effects plus weight gain is horrible and since I had lost 30 lbs since being banded at the end of March I was a happy little camper and did not want to put the weight back on. Well, in October I hit rock bottom and had to go on prednizone.....I have gained 10 lbs since then and I am not sure when I will be able to go off of the medication. Hopefully soon as it has been a few months since getting the flu shot. My question is....is there anybody out there who has taken this while being banded and how did you do with the weigh gain and side effects? I have become a little depressed and I am not like that....I do believe it is the steriods playing with my emotions....but if there is anybody that can tell me about their experience I would love it! Thanks so much!!

Thanks so much AngieB....where do you find them at? Sorry for the little questions!

Hello~ I read some time ago about enzymes that help food go down better when it is stuck but I cannot find where it was. Does anybody know what I am talking about out there? Thanks so much for all of your help. I read this forum at least 3 times a week and you are all so very helpful!! Off track, but has anybody taken prednizone since being banded? I have been on it since October and was just wondering how others that are banded have done on it! Thanks~ Bev

Congrats....and good for you!! I am wondering if that is were I am at...a little too tight! I am maintaining but I want to lose more. I have not been the best at exercising so I am getting back on that bandwagon and toning up. Thanks for your update....and good job!

I am the same way.....Just a couple lbs away from 160 and I will sometimes go up and then in one day will lost 2-4 lbs....although I am READY to get to the 150's!! Good job!!

I LOVE it Lisa~ I will be going to the NFR in Vegas next month and I am planning on getting on a bull also! You looked good girl!

Me too...I am a size 12 and I want to join the Operation Size 10 club!!!

Cindylou~ It was as if I was writing your question.....I am exactly the same! I have only been banded since March 27th, 2009 and have lost 26 lbs....and I am continuing to lose but it did worry me at times. I would think that my band had slipped but I would ask my mother-n-law, who is a doctor and has had the lapband for over 3 years in the States but now refers to Dr. Ortiz, if she thought I had slipped. She assured me that it is really very hard to have your band slip and there are some stories out there but that what we are doing is sometimes a little bit normal. Since that talked I have started losing more weight. She said to do soups and foods like that for a couple days because it may be irriated. Anway, I am glad that someone else feels the way I do at times.....my friend that was banded with me NEVER feels like this. I guess we are all a little different. Enough of my blabbing...good luck with the weight lose for your reunion.

Hi fellow Idahoan bander....I live in Lewiston! Good luck. I am a lucky one. My mother -n-law is a nurse practitioner here and has had the lap-band herself and she is trained to do fills so I can get them anytime and at no charge. I am spoiled not to mention she has had hers for over 3 yrs so she has some great advice.

I feel the exact same way that you do. I am not ashamed of what I did and I will tell anyone that asks me about it. I made this decision and I am the only person that has to live with it. I do not judge people for what they do and if I am judged for this...they are obviously NOT a friend of mine. I am happy and so is my family!! That is just my two cents!!

Good luck ladies!! I had the surgery done on March 27, 2009. We stayed at the Marriot and they were GREAT!! I would recommend them highly. Recovery was not bad at all....we had the surgery on a Friday got out that day and then went shopping all day on Saturday. I feel great today and have lost 14 lbs. my first fill will be this Friday. I am excited and a little nervous for it....I am wanting to start losing more weight so I am ready for that. But, I am a little nervous about the restriction and learning what I can and cannot eat. I can't wait to hear the progress you girls will make...I am telling you that you will feel so good about your self. So, once again, GOOD LUCK and have fun down there!! <a href="http://www.TickerFactory.com/weight-loss/wDMf3jI/"> <img border="0" src="http://tickers.TickerFactory.com/ezt/t/wDMf3jI/weight.png"></a>

Yes...it totally went away and there was no extra charge at all. I was telling my husband last night that it is so nice to not be throwing up in the middle of the night anymore. No heartburn or anything. I had no idea that I even had it until they told me they fixed it while they were in banding me. Good luck...you will love being banded and without your hiatal hernia.

I am totally with you!! My friend and I both went and did this together. And, we too, kept talking about how people will think this is the easy way out and that we should just try to lose it on our own. Well, we have done that for years and we might lose a couple lbs. but we would gain it back all over again. My husband told me not to worry about what others think...and he is right...he said you are not taking the easy way out. You still have to work at what you eat and exercise. It is a tool that we can use to our benefit but we can also sabotage it. I am completely happy with this decision. Good-luck!!!

I am not a more experienced bander..but I was banded right before you on March 27th. So, I can tell you what is going on with me. I lost 10-11 lbs in the first week and a half. Then I slowly stayed there but this week I have lost another 1 or 2lbs. I am definitely not walking as much as you are (good for you). I think I am just staying very busy running everywhere with my active kids. I think that is is a case by case situation. And, I know we need to stay away from the scales everyday but I just can't seem to not get on them every morning. Good luck to you and once we get the fill we will be on our way!!!

I also had a low BMI of 31. I was banded on March 27th weighing in at 189. I have lost 13 lbs since then. It is the best decision I have ever made. My husband was behind me 100%. I was a little scared to go into Mexico, not for the surgery, but because of the media's perception of Mexico right now. It was completely safe. We had a great time. The Marriot was great and the OCC was better then going to an outpatient facility in the US. My nurse practitioner referred me as she has had it down in Seattle, Washington 3 years ago. She said that if she had to do it all over again she would've gone to Mexico. I thought of it this way...weight is something that is ALWAYS on my mind and do I still want to be thinking about it 10 years from now? NO!! And here I am...3 1/2 weeks post band and loving it. Good luck...you won't be disappointed. :-h

Thank you for explaining more to me!! Is that a common size band or are there many different sizes? :-?

I agree with you...I was a little scared to go the day before we flew out but once there I felt completely safe. We even went into Rosarito to shop and still felt completely safe. It was a little sad though....the amount of tourist there was minimal. We were just there two weeks ago....it's safe, have fun!!

Can anybody explain to me what size band I have exactly?? On the card it says it is a 10CM band. They were explaining it a few hours after surgery but I am not sure I fully understand what size it is. Is it a 10 band that only hold 4cc's? Please help explain some of you smart banders!!

Done...voted for you!! I live in Idaho, too!! You go girl! :-h

I cannot exactly relate to you at this point as I was just banded 2 1/2 weeks ago. But, my mother-n-law is on her third year with it and she was just telling me last night that she wished she would've known this in the beginning. She said she would sometimes get food stuck and it would be very painful until she was told that if she tried to cough it up it would feel much better. So, after hearing about your pain...and listening to her maybe trying to do that might help!!

I was banded on 3/27/09 and also had a hiatal hernia that was fixed while they were in banding me. Now I know why I would throw up at night about 3 times a week. Everything is great and I feel great!!

Yes...Valerie looks absolutely amazing! I have always been a fan of hers and now I think she is an inspiration. I have never been one to wear a bikini but I would sure LOVE to. Hoping that I can achieve that!! To me that lapband is just a tool for us. I have only been banded for 2 weeks but I have been around a few people that have had it done and you can definitely sabotage it. It teaches you what we should have been doing all along...eating smaller portions and chewing our food better. However, on our own that just wasn't achievable. I have lost 12 lbs in the last 2 weeks and I already feel better about myself. This is not only helping me but my entire family. My husband is proud of me and my younger son thinks that I am some kind of pro regarding food now. Ha-Ha I have NEVER been a pro at food. I think once you have been banded your mind-set changes because it is something that is finally so achievable you start thinking healthier and want to start exercising and get that body going. =D>

Thanks Lisa!! I read your blogs and am inspired by you. I love all of your ideas. I will be signing myself up for a fun run in our town April 25th. I am excited for it!! Thanks, Bev

Hello, everyone!! I was banded on March 27th, 2009. I feel GREAT!! I have lost 11lbs to date and I feel very good. This is the best decision I have ever made. This is not only a life changing experience for me but my entire family. My husband and I are going to share meals if we go out to eat. And, my son told me the other day that he thinks that I am some sort of expert on food since I have had the surgery. Reason being, is when he eats I am telling him to chew his food and eat slow. I thought it was funny. I have never been an expert on anything related to eating or food. If there is anybody out there that is still researching that this is the right thing to do....I can assure you that you will be very happy. The thought of never needing to diet again is a huge load off my shoulders. I do need to admit that I was a little scared to go into Mexico but once there felt very secure. We went down to the beach the day after surgery and walked and shopped. It was great. The Marriot Hotel was great too!! I honestly have nothing negative to say about the whole experience. Thanks to everyone that post things on here. I read so many before and after being banded. You have all helped my and answered some questions that I have had.