Rachelle

There is also a 24-hour fill-doctor locator at toll-free 1-877-LAP-BAND. I've never used this service, but it's nice to know it's available. Rachelle

I relate to going it alone. Only my husband and my pastor know that I had the surgery (I was banded Sep 2006). In the past, my family has mostly been critical of my weight-loss attempts that aren't main-stream (i.e. going to Overeaters Anonymous). I have failed at so many weight-loss programs, and I have wasted so much money, that I want to at least wait to see if the LapBand is a permanent success before I tell my family. To top it off, my pastor told me NOT to have the LapBand surgery because God could heal my overeating problem! I was devistated!! I have been struggling with my overeateing problem for thirty years, and I have tried everything, including countless attempts at faith healings. I believe in the power of God, and His ability to heal me. I told my pastor that God created the intelligence gene pool, and the intellingence gene pool is where medical miracles come from, and the LapBand is a medical miracle . . . so God is giving me His miracle healing through the LapBand! My pastor has no experience with overeating problems whatsoever. His entire family is rail thin. He never would budge on his position that I shouldn't have the surgery, so I finally boldly told him that unless he is a medical doctor, it is inappropriate, and dangerous for him to be giving me medical advice. It was hard for me to say this to him because I know he only had my best interest at heart, and that he was sincerely trying to be helpful. After my paster reacted in such a negative way, I have felt extra fearful about telling anyone else. I feel embarrassed enough that I ever got myself to the point of needing weight-loss surgery. I like what Clynn said, though. I do believe that having weight-loss surgery is a sign of strength, not weakness. I am fighting to live a healthy life, rather than throw-in the towel and give up because of all my failed attempts. I am willing to go to any lengths for good health - for myself and for the people who love me. Rachelle

Addendum: One of the cheapest places I have found to purchase vitamins is Vitacost.com. Not only are their prices cheap, but they also ship for just $4.99 regardless of the size of your order. That's one of my pet peaves about online shopping is when you think you're getting a good deal until you check-out and realize they made up the savings in the cost of shipping. Rachelle

Great topic. I want to try the Apex & Muscle Milk since they are so high in protein. I am using a product called "Whey" by MRM that I got at our local health food store. It's a powder, and it has 18g Protein, 87 Calories, 1g Sugar, per serving. My favorite is the "Natural" flavor because it tastes good (not too sweet) and it doesn't get too frothy in the blender. When I drink froth it makes me burp a lot, and it makes my tummy feel uncomfortable. For a multi-vitamin & mineral I take "Source of Life Liquid" by Nature's Plus. It actually tastes good. I prefer the liquids over the chewable vitamins. The lady at the health food store gave me a good tip: If you must drink something yukky-tasting, mix it with cranberry juice. The tart taste does a good job to camouflage yukky-taste. I have tried it and it works well. Rachelle

I used to l-o-v-e Mexican food. It was my favorite. But the tighter my LapBand gets, the more I get heartburn when I eat hot sauce. I don't know if this is the case for everyone. I just wanted to give you a head-up if it happens to you. Rachelle

Very well presented, and very informative. I knew it was important to stay on top of one's protein intake, but I didn't know to be extra attentive to iron intake, too. That's important for me to know considering I was once diagnosed as anemic. Thanks for posting this great video. I recommend it! Rachelle

My doc told me that popcorn could get stuck, so I'm too afraid to try it. I had to go to the ER once because I got something stuck, and I threw-up so violently, and repeatedly, until it passed, that I never want to temp fate again! Rachelle

So true about not drinking after eating. For me, if I drink too soon after a meal, my stomach starts making these loud gurgling noises. My doc says to wait an hour after eating before drinking. Recently I woke up early, ate breakfast, and, without thinking, I took a drink of water, then I got back in bed with my husband thinking mabe we could be intimate when he woke-up. As I lay in bed, my stomach started gurgling so loudly that it woke-up my husband! Talk about N-O-T sexy. I laid there with my gurgling stomach for about 15 minutes. I finally couldn't stand it any more so I got up and started running the stairs - up and down about 5 times. I was huffing and puffing so I rested before I returned to bed so my loud breathing wouldn't re-awaken my husband. When I got back in bed, my stomach had completely stopped gurgling - it was silent! I knew that exercise helped food pass, but I didn't know it stopped the gurgles, too. I'll have to remember this remedy in case I ever have an attack of the embarrassing gurgles again. Rachelle

I did my LapBand surgery alone, too. I stayed at a Holiday Inn, and explained beforehand about my surgery, and about being alone. They arranged for a shuttle to and from surgery. After my surgery, Holiday Inn called the hospital to check on me! Even the nurses commented on what uncommon personalized service for a hotel. I stayed at the hotel for 3 days to be near the hospital, and everyone from management to housekeeping was checking on me! I was so impressed that during my stay I made a small cross-stitch framed picture for them that read "Holiday Inn is My Sunshine," and I cross-stitched a picture of a big sun on it. I was almost embarrassed at all the attention the hotel gave me. I felt unworthy, but I was so very grateful. Rachelle

I have had 8 adjustments since I was banded in Sep 2006. Half of my adjustments were due to being unfilled after a partial obstruction, and then I had to be gradually refilled again. When I went for a fill yesterday, my doctor suddenly annouced that he was concerned at how many fills I've had, and that it could damage my port so that he might possibly have to replace my port or, depending upon the damage, remove my port permanently. I was shocked. I asked him how many fills the LapBand manufacturer suggested before port damage, and he said the manufacturer doesn't say. So I asked him if he ever had to remove a port due to damage, and he said, "yes." I asked if the damage was due to too many adjustments, and he said, "Possibly, who knows why the port gets damaged, really." Now, if there is a real problem of port damage from too many adjustments, wouldn't the manufacture have guidelines to that effect? Here's what I think. I think that my doctor has my $15,000 for the LapBand surgery, which includes free unlimited adjustments for a year. Now that he's got my money, I think my doctor simply wants to move on to new-revenue patients. I think that possibly this fear-tactic is maybe a standard routine he pulls to "get ride" of his patients that keep coming back for "free" adjustments. Am I being paranoid, or should I trust my doctor's concerns. I would like to find out if there is any validity to the idea that there is cause for concern of port damage after 8 adjustments, or ever. If my doctor is trying to pull a fast one, I want to call him on it! Does anyone know anything about this, or could you refer me to find out? Rachelle

As of 5/5/07 I am still looking for a 4" Huber needle. The bariatric medical supply sites I have found online (including imed.com) carry up to 2" only. I have emailed queries to several medical supply sites, but no luck yet. Please let me know if anyone finds out where I may buy a 4" Huber needle. Thank you. Rachelle

I am a sugar addict. Before I got the LapBand, I read that some doctors refuse to give LapBands to patients with a sweet tooth because it can be ineffective. That concerned me since I have a t-e-r-r-i-b-l-e sweet tooth. My diet before the LapBand consisted mostly of chocolate and Dr. Pepper. I was desperately in need of help with my overeating problem. I had already been to two expensive eating disorder treatment centers, which helped for a time, but then I would always go back to old eating behaviors and gain all my weight back - plus more. I have been to countless Overeaters Anonymous meetings, which helped, but I still could never maintain control of my eating. Bypass surgery wasn't an option for me, so I decided to risk getting the LapBand. I am grateful beyond words that I am no longer able to drink Dr. Peppers. I was addicted to drinking about a case of Dr. Peppers per day. Now I drink NO carbonated drinks at all. I miss Dr. Peppers like crazy. I envy anyone I see carrying a can of Dr. Pepper. I know if it were not for the LapBand, I may never have been able to stop drinking Dr. Peppers. I will be 50% satisfied with the LapBand surgery if all it did was break my Dr. Pepper habit. The other "50% satisfied" will be if the LapBand can block my sweet tooth. I have a 10 cm band (installed Sep 2006), and the only time that the LapBand helped me cut back on chocolate was when I was filled to 2.75 cc. Chocolate simply tasted too sweet to eat much of it. It worked perfectly for about 3 months , but then I started choking on my own saliva at night. The doctor said I probably had a partial obstruction, so he unfilled me down to 2.0 cc (I am now at 2.5 cc). I have since been gaining my weight back rapidly from eating cookies, chocolate, and ice cream bars. My doctor thinks that getting mad at me and telling me to use my willpower will motivate me not to eat sweets. I told him if I could have done this through "normal" diet means, I would not have paid $15,000 for a LapBand! I knew from the beginning that the LapBand is just a tool, and that it may be ineffective for patients with a sweet-tooth, but I am still hoping that I can find my perfect fill number between 2.5 and 2.75 cc. I am scheduled for a .05 cc fill every two weeks until I find the right fill number. In the mean time, I'm humiliated by my weight gain. I had to ask the girl to whom I gave my fat clothes if she would give them back to me. She did, but I felt so ashamed. I have been just wanting to crawl in a hole and hide-out until I get this LapBand figured out. I would rather be and stay fat than lose 30 pounds and then start busting out of my clothes from regaining it. My fear is that, just as I have failed at all my other weight loss attempts, I will fail at the LapBand, too. Does anyone have any words of encouragement for me?

I want to buy a 4" Hueber needle, you will see why after you read this. Here is my emergency room experience: First of all, be sure to get a LapBand wallet card from your doc that has an x-ray of what the LapBand looks like in case you have to visit an emergency room. Also, keep handy the toll free phone number 877-LAP-BAND which will locate the nearest bariatric doctor to you 24/7. I accidentally swallowed a piece of shrimp shell that got stuck. I have never thrown up so loudly and violently in all my life (mostly dry heaves). It was painful, loud, and scary. I thought I was going to die. Put it this way, my husband is as tough as nails, but when he saw how violently I was throwing-up, he literally cried. This went on for thirty minutes before I went to the nearest emergency room which was an hour's drive away (it was on the weekend, after hours, of course). The emergency room docs had never even heard of a LapBand before, much less seen one. The x-ray on my wallet card helped immensely; however they only had a 2" Hueber needle so they could not unfill me (requires a 4" Hueber needle). After about three or four hours of periodic, violent vomiting, the shrimp shell finally passed on its own, but if it had not, I would have needed to know where the nearest bariatric facility was that had a 4" Hueber needle (877-LAP-BAND). A few days later, my doctor's office called the emergency room to request that they keep 4" Hueber needles in stock because he has several LapBand patients in the area, but the emergency room refused, saying that I was the only LapBand patient they had ever seen, so they could not justify keeping 4" Hueber needles in stock. I asked my doc if he would sell me a 4" Hueber needle in case of emergencies, and he refused because of liability. Does anyone know where I may purchase a 4" Hueber needle?

Thank you for the link. Very informative. I wanted my husband to watch, but he has a weak stomach when it comes to stuff like this. The video verified things I knew, and taught me things I didn't know. It reassured me that I made the right decision to go with the LapBand.

I was banded 8 mos ago. I no longer have the hunger-pang problem, but it was a very real and troublesome problem for the first 2 or 3 months post-op, and it continued AFTER I was eating solids. I would call my doctor's office because I was so concerned and uncomfortable with the sever hunger pangs. The nurse would say that it probably meant it was time for my LapBand to be adjusted. She would advise me to try eating an egg, which I did, but it didn't help much. My experience is that nothing really helped except for time. I also figured out that it might have had something to do with the birth control pills I was on at the time. I suspect it was mostly my body freaking out with having something new and foreign strapped around my stomach. The good news is that my severe hunger pangs finally went away for good. It might help to call your doctor to reassure you in case it's causing you too much anxiety. I know when I was going through it, I thought it was going to be that way forever.

I know it's different for everyone, but I was curious what are some of the final fill numbers for other LapBanders. Mine was 2.75 cc. Seemed perfect for 3 mos, but then I started having trouble swallowing, and waking up at night choking on my own saliva. The doc said I probably had a partial obstruction and he took me down to 2.0 cc at which point I started gaining weight like crazy (just after I'd excitedly given away all my fat clothes - I made a quick trip to Goodwill to tide me over. Lesson learned? Don't give away ALL your fat clothes!). Now I'm back up to 2.50 cc, and I think my "perfect" final fill may be somewhere between 2.50 and 2.75. Trial and error I guess. What are some of your experiences?