BANDED AND LOST 102 LBS.!!!!

After having a VBG twenty years ago and going down to 113 lbs. from 260 lbs., the staples started to separate.   Last April 18th, 06, I had lapband surgery and weighed 251 lbs.   As of today I weigh 149 lbs. and my goal is 125 lbs.   My lapband rocks!!!  

I am sooooo happy for you and very happy to know that it can work.  I have been so hesitatant to have the lap band because I have heard that I would be more successful to have gastric bypass done instead.  I am currently waiting for my insurance to come through for a lap band revision from a failed VBG.  I would love to pick your brain if you have time and want to be an expert for me.  Thanks for sharing your success. Thanks, Deborah

Well I am no expert, but feel free to pick my brain! Donna

Congratulations!!! That is very encouraging!! I just had a revision from RNY (5 years ago) to the lapband and so look forward to reaching my goal!!!!   Keep up the great work!!!

Thanks for the well wishes,  I love my lapband!

Give me a normal day with your diet.  How often do you eat...what are you not allowed to eat....what can you not eat because you can not digest it.....how much support do you get....how often do you exercise......what is the worst thing about the surgery.....how long were you in the hospital.....how much pain were you in and how long did it last.....how does the band compare to VGB?  Is that enough to get you started?  Thanks in advance for your help! Deborah

Okay, a normal day of my diet is a yogurt smoothie for breakfast made of 1 and a half cups of 1% plain yogurt and a few pieces of madarin canned oranges drained and sweetener to taste.   Then early afternoon a small slice of pizza or a McDonald's Chicken Snack Wrap and a coffee later with two creams and sweetener.  Dinner would be salad and fish (2 - 3 oz.).  I try to stay between 1000 - 1200 calories a day.  With good restriction I can't eat bread or some pasta and rice and french fries.   But I also still had some risidual effect from stapling and couldn't digest much meat.  I don't exercise nearly enough because of back condition.   Most people have the lapband performed as an outpatient but because I had previous stapling my surgeion did me in the hospital in case he had to do me open instead of lap.  Luckily he was able to do me lap and I only stayed one night in hospital.   It is a much easier surgery than my VBG 20 yrs. ago and felt very good once the gas was gone in 4 - 5 days. What I like about the band is that with continuing fills my stomach will not stretch out over a couple of years and I will keep good restriction.  It is a slower weight loss though and it can take a few weeks to get the right amount of restriction with the fills so you need to be patient.  But I feel it is much healthier as you don't have any malabsorption that can affect you over the years. The lapband is not a miracle cure but when you have the right fill level you are able to eat less and not feel as deprived but you do still have some days where you may struggle with head hunger.  Hope this helps!