EricaG

I'm kinda annoyed that the forum is not what it used to be. I remember back when everyone would update on their progress and motivate each other and everyone was pretty much a happy little WLS family. Everyone would share tips on what worked for them and were so active on the forum. I think I'm just going to take my support elsewhere. Anyone who'd like to keep in touch, is welcome to add me on Facebook. Message me and I'll give you my info. I wish everyone a successful journey. I won't be deleting my account, I just won't be checking my account so often. Am I alone on this?

Great Job!! thank you for the inspiration.

http://latimesblogs.latimes.com/money_co/2011/04/lap-band-death-blamed-on-anesthesiologist.html

thought I'd share this article about the Beverly Hills physicians that bombard our streets with billboards and tv commercials with their ads. Read on.

Do you all get/request receipts?

yes,they hand you the receipt and I get email receipts too.

I've never had my band 'checked'.

I personally wouldn't pay that every few months!

Imagine how much that will cost you in a couple of years!

I travel to TJ quiet often so It's not really an inconvenience. The price was $30 dollars, I thought that was a fair price. But $100 sounds a little too steep... how do you up the price $70 bucks? I might be ok with $10 or $20...but not $70.

I guess if you've never had it checked and feel great then, I shouldn't worry too much. I just have this fear that I'm stretching or doing something to my band without knowing it. If I feel good then I shouldn't worry, right?

The last time I had them check they charged the same as they charge for an unfill. Basically for the use of the needle. It has been about six months since I have gone though so I am not sure of the price change.

I went in December and paid less than half of what a fill costs. Which encouraged me to come back every few months and get checked to avoid any problems. So this month I thought I'd go back then I got the price and I was surprised, I asked her why and she said it was because they do it with a barium swallow and x-rays.. I told her , I knew! I've gotten my band checked before and I didn't pay that, she just said, "well the price went up" That was annoying. I probably might wait a few more months and go later but It's still not going to stop me from getting my band checked. $100 bucks is nothing compared to what I'd pay out here in Cali, besides I wouldn't trust anyone with my band other than the OCC.

So I wanted to schedule a Check up at the OCC just to get my band checked... I come to find out... getting my band checked cost the same as a fill now. I was pretty much bummed out. I got a few fills last year and towards the end of the year I got my band checked to be on the safe side. Anyone else hear about this?

So I wanted to schedule a Check up at the OCC just to get my band checked... I come to find out... getting my band checked cost the same as a fill now. I was pretty much bummed out. I got a few fills last year and towards the end of the year I got my band checked to be on the safe side. Anyone else hear about this?

hey nice to hear from you again!! soo.. scar revision? what exactly is that?

Thanks for sharing Erica. So you tell me that you used to have such an intense relationship with food yourself but after the surgery it just went away like that? Is it because you just couldn't tolerate physicaly the same food or amount of food? How about your friend? What happened to her if she was so discouraged about not being able to eat anymore? Did it get better after a while or not? ( Thanks again for sharing and helping me make the right choice)

Marie

Well no, of course it did not go away just like THAT! (snap)

It took some time to adjust. My friend was way bigger than me over 100lbs bigger and she made mistakes like going out to big parties while she was still in her liquid phase or post op. She tortured herself by watching others eat the things she loved. I would spend time with my family and when time to eat came around I'd grab my things, spray air freshener in my room (i think that was to rid of the food smell) grab some pudding or soup and sit in my room and do some scrap booking. After my liquid phase was over I started to eat with them, just like them...but smaller of course and didn't exercise. And of course... no weight loss for the first few months. My friends weight just melted off even though we ate the same and she did not exercise either, she got to my weight and I believe it has stopped. She still does not exercise.

Now I decided to take over my weight loss and make it happen. I was eating lots of chocolate and ice cream and forcing bread and things that get stuck and are terrible for me into my body knowingly that it wasn't going to help. I quit the sweets and started exercising and saw some results only because I came to the conclusion that I had to look at the things I was going to put in my mouth and think twice, "are these empty calories" and "do I really need it" that helped a lot with my food choices.

Now for lent I gave up the things that I knew I loved and craved so badly. I gave up white bread, pasta, soda, and chocolate. Those are the things I love to eat more than anything in the world. Now Easter is coming up and I don't feel like I need those things anymore.

Wow, i did not know that about life savers - hodda thunk : I don't beleive the OCC restricted us from chewing gum, either. If they did, I missed that part. Sorry you can't anymore.

I think gum is not allowed on the school bus, I THINK. but Wow... I didn't know that about life savers either..

and I pray for your mom's speedy recovery. god bless.

Hi there,

My name is Stephanie and I am a newbie here.

I live in Australia, am 31 with 4 Children (and 1 Husband!), work part time and have a very busy life!

I am also a bandit. I was banded on the 17.11.2010 after finding out that I weighed 535 lb and 11.57 oz (in Aussie terms, 243 kilograms).

To date, I have lost just over 116 pounds (53 kilograms). I am so proud of myself and am happy that the quality of my life has improved immensly since having the surgery.

I am a member of an Australian lap banding forum however, I wanted to chat to others to see how it's done Overseas.

If you'd like to check out my blog (I update it around 4 times a week), please go to www.movingforwardlookingforward.blogspot.com

Looking forward to chatting to you all

Steph

i will be reading on your journey! thanks for sharing.

Thanks again for sharing your stories and experiences with me. I know you can't rely completly on the band to stop you from eating unhealthy foods and sweets.

My hesitation on getting banded made me think alot about why I am so anxious and worried about getting the band (aside from the fack that you have a foreing object put into your body for alot of money and that you have to under go surgery..!!) and made me actually realised that I spend my days thinking about food, planing and looking foward to the next meal or trying to control my cravings for all sweets. Probably the best moments of my days are when I actually eat something. It is so pathetic and sad that I wonder if this band will change that relationship I have with food considering that I won't be able just to shove anything down ( I guess). Does anybody relate to my situation and if so how are you dealing with it now with the band?

Marie....the desperate girl

YUUP I RELATE 100%... I don't have that emotional attachment anymore but I do have a friend who would cry herself to sleep because she couldnt eat the things she used to... that's a terrible mentality, as for me, i learned to let it go and am really happy my life has changed

When I was banded I wasn't sure if it would work for me, even though I did tend to over eat, my biggest fault was stuffing my face with chocolate and gummy bears... pretty much any sweets, you name it, I ate it...all day. But I came to a conclusion that I wanted to do this and was going to make it work. I don't depend on the band to melt the fat away. I know that even I'm full from having my regular meal, I can still sneak in some ice cream or a piece of chocolate, but seriously... after 5-6 months of seeing no results in weight loss, It's so not worth it. The band helped me learn a lot about picking your food wisely and taught me this little thing we all lacked in common DISCIPLINE. So don't discourage yourself, you can do it you just have to want it.

Lindsay is right.. any surgery has it's complications. I have the band and I love it, I also researched complications and wasnt too sure at one point, but the success rate out shined the complications and I couldn't be happier.

What techniques do you use when you get frustrated because the weight loss has slowed down. I think that is what part of my problem was that has lead me to backslide and stop losing weight. Knowing how to cope with the delay in weight loss will help a great deal as I get back on the wagon and start to seriously keep track of my eating.

To be honest, when I see that my weight loss has slowed I get back into the gym. I realize that what I'm eating is not helping the weightloss and hitting the gym harder always does the trick. Then I treat myself to a nice relaxing session in the sauna.

Hi guys,,,

Its good to see that you people shares your eating habits.One of my eating habit is quite worse.I am in a habit of finishing what ever is placed inside my plate.In the past my mother used to tell me that it is not a good habit to leave anything in the plate and this thing now become my habit.

Oh I can so relate to that. My dad was one of those, "eat everything on your plate!" guys... "don't waste food" so what I do, I eat off little plates. Grab what I think I'm gonna eat and that way, I eat all my food.

I think weights are a great way to tone your under arms. I'm really looking into kettle bells but haven't really gone there yet. I look on youtube for different weight lifting exercises and tips to tone my underarms.

WOW... this sounds painful. I got banded the day before you and I had an experience with pain on my port area after I ate but this was due to irritation.. I drank too much one day and threw up and totally irritated my band. A few days of liquids fixed it back up. But CALL THE DOCTOR. I wouldn't expect anyone on here to tell you what's wrong with you and be right. I suggest you call. I made a post when I was irritated wondering if anyone else experienced it... but I got a sense of relief when Dr. So knew exactly what it was when I explained the symptoms. So call them. It seriously only takes like a few minutes and you should be able to talk directly to the Dr. Keep us posted. I really want to know what it is that you're going through. I really hope you feel better.

I would completely stay away from bread during the healing process.

http://www.smartervegas.com/

they have awesome discounts and list of shows.

Have fun love!

I was banded in August 10 and have currently am doing well without getting a fill. Should I be trying to find someone local do conduct a yearly exam? Can anyone tell me about what the check up is like? Did you go back to the OCC? Just wanted to start making plans. If you are in WA area and found someone local, would you share who you went to. Many thanks for all input

I had my band checked a little before my first year anniversary and it was nothing major. He checked the pouch and the restriction and I was good.. Nothing major.

Let's be realistic... not all of us sit down and count every chew and focus on our meals 100% and never PB... I wish it was like that. I sometimes find myself forgetting that I have to slow down and focus on my meal when I'm sitting next to someone that just eats like a duck. I'm at work right now and I usually take my 30 minutes and sit and eat.. AT MY DESK. I can't concentrate and I find myself reading POST on here or watching YouTube videos while I eat. That's so bad... I've had to spit because I wasn't completely focused... I'm 1year and few months banded and I'd love to hear your experiences while eating in a rush, on the go, or at your desk.. I've found myself looking at dresses that I would like to get into on websites.

When I eat Oatmeal and fruit in the morning (8ish)

I usually get my lunch break at 12pm.. I feel like I can NOT eat anything until maybe 2, so I usually eat at my desk around that time and Oatmeal completely throws me off but keeps me really full in the morning.

Now salads, (lettuce, spinach, mushrooms, carrots, balsamic vinegar, and some type of protein) hardly ever keep me full. Usually because it has very little protein.

I think those are symptoms of being overfilled. :/