Alex Brecher

Do you have his practices contact info and/or website please ?

Just PMd you

We've added your surgeon here.

Not yet! We hope to have Kindle apps available in a few weeks.

Who was your surgeon ? We're referring to your total out of pocket, not the actual cost of surgery.

You should fill it out as best as possible, even if you have to guesstimate some costs and dates. As long as there's any info about you in your profile, you'll still qualify.

Our most popular group with over 280 members is called African American Sleevers, check it out!

Thanks! the link has been corrected.

We’re Giving Away a New iPod Touch! To Celebrate the release of our Mobile apps, we’re giving away a brand-new Apple iPod Touch. It’s a drawing, but we want to reward our active posters, referrers, bloggers, members with completed profiles and new members. The more you participate in VerticalSleeveTalk.com, the better chance you have of winning. Here’s how it works. Eligibility and Chances of Winning Forum members must make at least one post in any forum on VerticalSleeveTalk during the contest period of 30 days from today. Members must have a completed patient profile. You can increase your chances of winning by making more forum and blog posts, uploading more photos and referring members. At the end of the contest period, one of the forum administrators will find all of the eligible forum members – remember, you have to make at least one post and have a completed Gastric Sleeve profile. We’ll make a big spreadsheet with the Username of each member who is eligible, and assign points based on your activities. The more points you have, the better your chances of getting the iPod! Point Structure 1 point: each forum post and each uploaded photo 2 points: each forum post from our mobile apps and each blog post 5 points: join a group 10 Points: complete My Surgery, My Surgeon or My Gastric Sleeve Story; upload before and/or after photos 20 points for each successful member referral; and 40 points for a fully completed patient profile Get Involved Again If you’re an old-timer who hasn’t been around much, this contest is a great opportunity to bring you back to the boards. You have tons of experience and advice to share with newer gastric sleeve patients. If you’ve fallen off the wagon, don’t be shy. It’s never too late to get back on, and we’re here to give you the support and confidence you need for success in your lifestyle goals. Features Built-in Apps From the App Store iOS iCloud Tech Specs Buy iPod touch now iPod touch takes fun to the next level. It now comes in two colors: black and white. It includes iOS 5, which gives you over 200 exciting new features. And with iCloud, whatever’s on your iPod touch is automatically on your other devices, too.

VerticalSleeveTalk News This is it! We’re launching our VerticalSleeveTalk News, a regular newsletter to keep you up to date on our community. We’ll tell you all about our exciting new features, programs and anything else you need and want to know about VerticalSleeveTalk.com. Our goal is to make sure you know everything This is the first edition of VerticalSleeveTalk News, and we have a lot to talk about. In this edition, you’ll find information on: The Alex Brecher Founder VerticalSleeveTalk.com Apps Have Launched! Now take VerticalSleeveTalk.com with you wherever you go. The fully functional Celebrate the release of our Mobile apps, we’re giving away a brand-new iPod Touch. It’s a drawing, but we want to reward our active posters, referrers, bloggers, members with completed profiles and new members. The more you participate in VerticalSleeveTalk.com, the better chance you have of winning. Here’s how it works. Eligibility and Chances of Winning Forum members must make at least one post in any forum on VerticalSleeveTalk during the contest period of 30 days from your receipt of this newsletter. Members must have a completed patient profile. You can increase your chances of winning by making more forum and blog posts, uploading more photos and referring members. At the end of the contest period, one of the forum administrators will find all of the eligible forum members – remember, you have to make at least one post and have a completed Gastric Sleeve profile. We’ll make a big spreadsheet with the Username of each member who is eligible, and assign points based on your activities. The more points you have, the better your chances of getting the iPod! Point Structure 1 point: each forum post and each uploaded photo 2 points: each forum post from our mobile apps and each blog post 5 points: join a group 10 Points: complete My Surgery, My Surgeon or My Gastric Sleeve Story; upload before and/or after photos 20 points for each successful forum referral; and 40 points for a fully completed patient profile Get Involved Again If you’re an old-timer who hasn’t been around much, this contest is a great opportunity to bring you back to the boards. You have tons of experience and advice to share with newer gastric sleeve patients. If you’ve fallen off the wagon, don’t be shy. It’s never too late to get back on, and we’re here to give you the support and confidence you need for success in your lifestyle goals. Some Reminders and New Features Create or update your own Gastric Sleeve Patient profile. Your information encourages other members and helps you connect with members that have your same interests and struggles. It also gets you 40 points for our iPod Touch giveaway. We've recently updated our surgeon database; now, every bariatric surgeon in the world is included. Check it out and find a local surgeon who can help you. You can locate and read reviews on gastric sleeve surgeons to help you choose an expert for your care. Our social and support groups are up and running. We know that you all have special interests and identities, and our social and support groups provide more specialized platforms than our general community. Just of the few types of groups we have are Regional groups of people from your city or state. Surgery Buddy groups with people who got the Gastric Sleeve at the same time as you. Medical Condition groups with people with a particular condition, such as PCOS Eating Support groups with people who struggle with eating issues, such as emotional eating Check them out and join one or start your own. Be a Good Friend Be sure to mention VerticalSleeveTalk.com as a source of support and information for any your friends, family members or associates who are considering gastric sleeve surgery or have had it. Also, don’t forget that VerticalSleeveTalk.com is a member of the WLSBoards.com network. Recommend our other four communities to anyone you know who needs them, and please stop on by and introduce yourself if you have had a weight loss surgery revision. LapBandTalk.com for LAP-BAND Adjustable Gastric Band RNYTalk.com for Roux-en-Y Gastric Bypass SleevePlicationTalk.com for Gastric Sleeve Plication RealizeBandSupport.com for Realize Adjustable Gastric Band We Need Your Help When you come here, you can depend on support, encouragement, sympathetic ears and expert advice from surgeons. But we need you to let community be able to continue grow stronger! Over the years, I’ve found that many bariatric surgeons and their staff don’t even know we’re here. Help us out by asking your surgeon to hang a couple of fliers in the clinic. They can go the waiting room bulletin board, at the reception desk and in patient consultation rooms. I’ve even gotten the fliers ready for you in color and black-and-white options. Print them out and bring them to your next appointment, or email them to the office. So please, support us and ask your surgeon to post these fliers in their office and hand them out to their patients. It helps you out because our community will benefit from more patients and surgeons with valuable advice. Remind your surgeon and clinic staff that it helps them out because it gives them more exposure to patients. Stay in Touch Feedback forum - we're always open to members ideas and feedback. Please use our feedback forum to let us know how we’re doing and send us your ideas on what you’d like to see at VerticalSleeveTalk.com. We always want to know what you’re thinking and how we can improve! We're now on Facebook and on Twitter. Like us and follow us to keep track of what's going on in our communities and show your support! Don’t forget to support and celebrate! Our upcoming surgeries list tells you which members are about to get their bariatric surgery, so stop by and wish them luck! Come by the surgery anniversary list to congratulate members when they hit their annual anniversaries of their surgeries. Your name will be automatically entered onto the right list as soon as you update your patient profile. Coming Soon… We're releasing customizable health trackers and tickers within the next 90 days. We'll include more info in future newsletters, so stay tuned for information on those and the other latest happenings around VerticalSleeveTalk.com. Thanks for reading, and talk to you soon! Sincerely, Alex ============================================================== If you no longer wish to receive this newsletter, you may unsubscribe by going to your Control Panel and clicking on the Newsletters tab, or clicking on the following link: http://www.verticalsleevetalk.com/index.php?app=core&module=usercp&tab=newsletter

We're not planning to release any app based on the current Blackberry OS. There's a good chance our Android app will be compatible with the next release of BB OS 10 but that won't be until October of this year.

We hope to have this fixed within the next few weeks.

He needs to contact us in order to update or add his surgeon profile. Alternatively, you can provide me with his website and contact info and we can add him as well.

We’re Giving Away a New iPod Touch! To Celebrate the release of our Mobile apps, we’re giving away a brand-new iPod Touch. It’s a drawing, but we want to reward our active posters, referrers, bloggers, members with completed profiles and new members. The more you participate in LapBandTalk.com, the better chance you have of winning. Here’s how it works. Eligibility and Chances of Winning Forum members must make at least one post in any forum on LapBandTalk during the contest period of 30 days from today. Members must have a completed patient profile. You can increase your chances of winning by making more forum and blog posts, uploading more photos and referring members. At the end of the contest period, one of the forum administrators will find all of the eligible forum members – remember, you have to make at least one post and have a completed Bandster profile. We’ll make a big spreadsheet with the Username of each member who is eligible, and assign points based on your activities. The more points you have, the better your chances of getting the iPod! Point Structure 1 point: each forum post and each uploaded photo 2 points: each forum post from our mobile apps and each blog post 5 points: join a group or comment in our new WLS magazine 10 Points: complete My Surgery, My Surgeon or My Lap-Band Story; upload before and/or after photos 20 points for each successful forum referral; and 40 points for a fully completed patient profile Get Involved Again If you’re an old-timer who hasn’t been around much, this contest is a great opportunity to bring you back to the boards. You have tons of experience and advice to share with newer Bandsters. If you’ve fallen off the wagon, don’t be shy. It’s never too late to get back on, and we’re here to give you the support and confidence you need for success in your lifestyle goals. Features Built-in Apps From the App Store iOS iCloud Tech Specs Buy iPod touch now iPod touch takes fun to the next level. It now comes in two colors: black and white. It includes iOS 5, which gives you over 200 exciting new features. And with iCloud, whatever’s on your iPod touch is automatically on your other devices, too.

This is a tad difficult using todays mobile devices. It's easy to do with tablets. I'm going to see what we can do to add this to future releases. Thanks for your suggestion!

Sandy, Great suggestion! We're sending out our first newsletter this week and we've included the following info: "We're releasing customizable health trackers and tickers within the next 90 days. We'll include more info in future newsletters, so stay tuned for information on those and the other latest happenings around VerticalSleeveTalk.com."

LapBandTalk News This is it! We’re launching our LapBandTalk News, a regular newsletter to keep you up to date on our community. We’ll tell you all about our exciting new features, programs and anything else you need and want to know about LapBandTalk.com. Our goal is to make sure you know everything This is the first edition of LapBandTalk News, and we have a lot to talk about. In this edition, you’ll find information on: The launch of the LapBandTalk apps for Apple and Android devices (and a free iPod contest, of course!) Creating your own LapBandTalk.com patient profile Social and support groups on LapBandTalk.com How to contact a local real-life surgeon on LapBandTalk.com And more! I want to thank each and every one of you for your participation and support, and I encourage your feedback and comments. Together, we’re moving toward a healthier future! Sincerely, Alex Brecher Founder LapBandTalk.com Apps Have Launched! Now take LapBandTalk.com with you wherever you go. The fully functional LapBandTalk Android and LapBandTalk iPhone, iPad and iPod apps are both free. They let you track your favorite threads, post to the forums, private message your buddies and upload photos using your mobile device. Now you never have to feel alone because you can carry the support and information you need. You can access and download them directly to your smartphone, so why wouldn’t you get your app today? We’re Giving Away a New iPod Touch! To Celebrate the release of our Mobile apps, we’re giving away a brand-new iPod Touch. It’s a drawing, but we want to reward our active posters, referrers, bloggers, members with completed profiles and new members. The more you participate in LapBandTalk.com, the better chance you have of winning. Here’s how it works. Eligibility and Chances of Winning Forum members must make at least one post in any forum on LapBandTalk during the contest period of 30 days from your receipt of this newsletter. Members must have a completed patient profile. You can increase your chances of winning by making more forum and blog posts, uploading more photos and referring members. At the end of the contest period, one of the forum administrators will find all of the eligible forum members – remember, you have to make at least one post and have a completed Bandster profile. We’ll make a big spreadsheet with the Username of each member who is eligible, and assign points based on your activities. The more points you have, the better your chances of getting the iPod! Point Structure 1 point: each forum post and each uploaded photo 2 points: each forum post from our mobile apps and each blog post 5 points: join a group or comment in our new WLS magazine 10 Points: complete My Surgery, My Surgeon or My Lap-Band Story; upload before and/or after photos 20 points for each successful forum referral; and 40 points for a fully completed patient profile Get Involved Again If you’re an old-timer who hasn’t been around much, this contest is a great opportunity to bring you back to the boards. You have tons of experience and advice to share with newer Bandsters. If you’ve fallen off the wagon, don’t be shy. It’s never too late to get back on, and we’re here to give you the support and confidence you need for success in your lifestyle goals. Some Reminders and New Features Create or update your own Lap-Band Patient profile. Your information encourages other members and helps you connect with members that have your same interests and struggles. It also gets you 40 points for our iPod Touch giveaway. We've recently updated our surgeon database; now, every bariatric surgeon in the world is included. Check it out and find a local surgeon who can help you. You can locate and read reviews on lap-band surgeons to help you choose an expert for your care. WLS Magazine just launched! Get all of the latest news and information on weight loss surgery. We’ve recruited the most knowledgeable and helpful bariatric experts to provide the tips and articles you need to stay on track or get back on track. Check it out and let us know what you think! Your thoughts are worth 5 points in the iPod Touch contest! Our social and support groups are up and running. We know that you all have special interests and identities, and our social and support groups provide more specialized platforms than our general community. Just of the few types of groups we have are Regional groups of people from your city or state. Surgery Buddy groups with people who got the Lap Band at the same time as you. Medical Condition groups with people with a particular condition, such as PCOS Eating Support groups with people who struggle with eating issues, such as emotional eating Check them out and join one or start your own. Be a Good Friend Be sure to mention LapBandTalk.com as a source of support and information for any your friends, family members or associates who are considering lap band surgery or have had it. Also, don’t forget that LapBandTalk.com is a member of the WLSBoards.com network. Recommend our other four communities to anyone you know who needs them, and please stop on by and introduce yourself if you have had a weight loss surgery revision. VerticalSleeveTalk.com for Vertical Sleeve Gastrectomy RNYTalk.com for Roux-en-Y Gastric Bypass SleevePlicationTalk.com for Gastric Sleeve Plication RealizeBandSupport.com for Realize Adjustable Gastric Band We Need Your Help When you come here, you can depend on support, encouragement, sympathetic ears and expert advice from surgeons. But we need you to let community be able to continue grow stronger! Over the years, I’ve found that many bariatric surgeons and their staff don’t even know we’re here. Help us out by asking your surgeon to hang a couple of fliers in the clinic. They can go the waiting room bulletin board, at the reception desk and in patient consultation rooms. I’ve even gotten the fliers ready for you in color and black-and-white options. Print them out and bring them to your next appointment, or email them to the office. So please, support us and ask your surgeon to post these fliers in their office and hand them out to their patients. It helps you out because our community will benefit from more patients and surgeons with valuable advice. Remind your surgeon and clinic staff that it helps them out because it gives them more exposure to patients. Stay in Touch Feedback forum - we're always open to members ideas and feedback. Please use our feedback forum to let us know how we’re doing and send us your ideas on what you’d like to see at LapBandTalk.com. We always want to know what you’re thinking and how we can improve! We're now on Facebook and on Twitter. Like us and follow us to keep track of what's going on in our communities and show your support! Don’t forget to support and celebrate! Our upcoming surgeries list tells you which members are about to get their bariatric surgery, so stop by and wish them luck! Come by the surgery anniversary list to congratulate members when they hit their annual anniversaries of their surgeries. Your name will be automatically entered onto the right list as soon as you update your patient profile. Coming Soon… We're releasing customizable health trackers and tickers within the next 90 days. We'll include more info in future newsletters, so stay tuned for information on those and the other latest happenings around LapBandTalk.com. And finally, at last count, we had 1,704,973 total member posts! Thanks to all of you who contributed to that number, and let’s keep on going! Thanks for reading, and talk to you soon! Sincerely, Alex

To the general public, bariatric surgery may be a single procedure that ends as soon as you leave the clinic after surgery. Or, they may think of aftercare as periodic adjustments to make sure your surgery is “working.” As a weight loss surgery patient, you know that post-op care is crucial to your success. Most clinics have extensive mandatory programs to ensure your continued weight loss and pursuit of a healthy lifestyle. Shared Roles of Surgery and Post-Op Care Your care after bariatric surgery, or post-op care, is as important as the surgery itself. The surgery helps you eat less because you feel satisfied on a smaller volume of food, but it is up to you to follow a healthy diet. You can lose 100 pounds or more in the first year, but you may have more to go. The best way to lose weight and keep it off is to carefully follow the meal plan and exercise recommendations from your bariatric team. Consider these facts: A lap band does 30 to 40 percent of the total work; this means that you, the patient, are responsible for the remaining 60 to 70 percent of your weight loss journey’s success. Some banding or sleeve patients have procedures that do almost 100 percent of the work in the first year, and then the patient must adjust to continue that work. This means that aftercare is vital to your success. Components of Aftercare These are typical components of aftercare. They are critical for your success so that you know what to do and stay motivated. Dietitian appointments: You will take several weeks to work up from a liquid diet to pureed foods to your regular diet. The dietitian can work with you to provide meal plans and food choice ideas. Recovery period: You need to ease gradually into your regular activities and an exercise program to prevent poor healing of your surgical wounds. Surgeon follow-ups: Gastric bypass will require more follow-ups and blood tests than other forms of bariatric surgery, but these appointments are crucial for everyone. You want to be sure that you are healing properly and preventing nutritional deficiencies. Support groups: These groups are mandatory for many clinics. You can attend weekly or monthly meetings initially, and some clinics ask you to attend annual follow-ups for the rest of your life. These groups keep you motivated and informed. Adjustment Visits for the Lap Band Adjustment visits. These visits are periodic checkups that can lead to adjustments to make you more successful. Three different adjustments are possible. Your nutrition program: You may need to alter your calorie intake, frequency or volume of eating or type of foods that you choose to make sure that you are getting the nutrients you need. Your state of mind: A session with a psychologist or another member of your bariatric team can help you get motivated if you’re feeling discouraged, or make you more confident if you’re feeling lost. Your band. The Lap Band is the only weight loss surgery option that allows adjustment to improve the procedure’s efficiency. The band can be narrowed to make you feel full faster, or opened if you need to increase the volume of food you eat, such as what might happen if you get sick. Aftercare versus Maintenance Aftercare, or post-op care, is distinct from “maintenance.” “Maintenance implies that you have reached the end of a program, such as a diet program, and you are ready to go back to your old habits. “Aftercare” helps you continue the transition to a healthier lifestyle. People who think of you in maintenance might be waiting for you to regain the weight, as with another failed diet. So what can you do to change the negative perception of aftercare? Being a good role model is always a good start; follow through with all of your appointments, eat well and exercise as recommended. You can be more verbal about your continued efforts, and spread the word online through social media, such as Facebook and Twitter. What other ideas do you have for changing negative terminology disapproving assessments of post-op care for bariatric surgery?

Misinformation about Weight Loss Surgery If you have ever who has discussed weight loss surgery with uninformed individuals, you know that the initial reaction is likely to be negative and backed by false information or no information at all. Many people who have not investigated weight loss surgery believe that the surgery is a quick fix for lazy people. They may think that you can walk in off the street and leave from bariatric surgery a couple hundred pounds lighter; that you chose to ignore your weight for years; and that all bariatric surgery is the same;. Wrong, wrong and wrong. These misperceptions contribute to the stigma associated with weight loss surgery. People may look down on surgery as the “easy way out” for “lazy people,” instead of as a tool for hard-working people to have the opportunity to lead the healthy lives that everyone should have the chance to lead. You already know that you’re not lazy and that bariatric surgery is not a magic bullet; the next time you run across an uninformed, disparaging individual, you can patiently explain to them the steps of the process and the hard work you and every other successful weight loss surgery patient puts in. Not Everyone is Eligible for Weight Loss Surgery You can’t just “go get bariatric surgery,” and this is an important fact to understand to reduce the stigma associated with weight loss surgery. Each weight loss center has strict eligibility requirements that you have to meet before you can become a candidate. In general, patients must be morbidly obese, with a BMI over 40, or have a BMI over 35 and have health complications related to being overweight; for example, you might be eligible if you have a BMI of 35 and already have type 2 diabetes or high cholesterol levels. Most clinics have additional eligibility criteria that you need to meet before being considered as a potential bariatric surgery candidate. You need to have been overweight for several years, usually over five years. You also need to show that you have tried, unsuccessfully, to lose weight multiple times through diet alone. You cannot be a smoker or be an abuser of alcohol or drugs because the additional health risks from surgery will be too great. Pregnant women or women who want to become pregnant soon should not have bariatric surgery because pregnancy is only safe after your weight is constant. The decision to have surgery requires significant consideration and planning. Bariatric Surgery Requires Preparation Bariatric surgery itself does not guarantee permanent weight loss success, and much of the responsibility for losing weight will be up to you. Even after going through the screening process and learning that your clinic agrees that some form of bariatric surgery is right for you, several steps remain before you can undergo the procedure. The steps are in place to ensure that you are likely to succeed with the surgery and are not signing up on a whim. You will meet your bariatric team members, including your surgeon, dietitian and psychologist or psychiatrist. In most cases, you will undergo a psychological interview or series of tests to make sure that you are capable of sticking to the required diet. You may be asked to follow a specific diet for weeks before your scheduled surgery to demonstrate your commitment and ability to succeed after the operation. This step may also be required by your health insurance company for your bariatric procedure to be covered. There are Risks People need to understand that you can’t take bariatric surgery lightly. Each type of surgery has risks, although different processes are riskier than others. The lap band is relatively low-risk, with minor concerns of the band slipping out of place or infections at the incision site. Roux-n-Y gastric bypass carries a higher rate of complications, including ulcers, spleen injuries, leakage through staples and deficiencies of micronutrients, such as vitamin B-12 and iron. Nobody would choose to have a bariatric procedure if they weren’t convinced that they had tried all of their other options to get healthy. It’s a Long Process Bariatric surgery is a crucial milestone, but it is early in your weight loss journey and bariatric care plan. After surgery, you will continue to have follow-up appointments with your surgeon as dictated by your health and type of weight loss surgery. You will also meet with your dietitian regularly to stay on track with your diet. Most clinics have optional or mandatory support groups to motivate you and provide opportunities to ask your surgeon and fellow patients questions in a group setting. The surgery does not take off any weight. It’s a tool to make it easier for the patient to follow the proper diet for the long term. Contrary to what some people may believe, you do not lose any weight during the surgery. All of the weight that you lose is because of changes to your diet. The surgical procedures help you eat less by limiting the size of your stomach and making you feel full faster. Even if you lose 100 pounds in your first year, which is a standard benchmark for success, you may still have more weight to lose. Once you reach your goal weight, you still need to watch your diet and exercise regularly to keep the weight off. In Conclusion You’re already familiar with the intensive efforts required for weight loss surgery, but unfortunately, most people are not. This often leads to negative reactions when you tell them about your procedure. An important step you can take in reducing the stigma is to explain that the procedure is a component of an overall program to improve your health through lifestyle modifications.

LapBandTalk.com is a wealth of weight loss and healthy lifestyle tips, a source of information specific to your situation, and a place where you can locate and connect to the best bariatric surgeons in your are. Despite this abundance of resources, most of our members come here for another reason: the positivity. Our members are supportive, encouraging and empathetic. But among the general population, it’s a different story due to misinformation and hasty judgments. Why Weight Loss Surgery Misinformation is Rampant In the age of digital media, information can be immediately available to millions of people as soon as someone posts it online using a laptop, smartphone or other mobile device. Unfortunately, nothing is automatically censored, so misinformation is just as easy to spread as facts. In the blink of an eye, people can post random thoughts via Twitter, Facebook or other social media platforms without even realizing that their followers may take their intended musings as hard data. How People Choose What to Believe Many people are unable to distinguish between weight loss surgery fact and fiction because they simply do not know enough to make a sound judgment. Some people are cynical by nature, and have a tendency to instinctively believe the worst when they are presented with opposing facts. These people, for example, may automatically believe that weight loss surgery is harmful and ineffective instead of low-risk and healthy for the right patients. Common Myths If you want to combat widespread weight loss surgery information, you should know some of the common myths and how to respond with the truth. These are some common false beliefs surrounding bariatric surgery and their realities. Myth: It’s a quick and easy fix. Reality: It’s not quick, and it’s not easy. Surgery does not make you lose a single pound. You lose the excess weight over the course of years through diet and exercise modifications. Myth: It’s dangerous and invasive. Reality: Complications are rare for lap-band procedures, and they are usually minor, such as needing an adjustment in band location. Roux-n-Y can cause nutrient deficiencies, but you work with a dietitian and have frequent check-ups to lower your risk. The procedures take less than two hours, and full recovery takes a few days to a couple of weeks. Myth: You don’t have to change your diet, or, you can only eat a limited variety of foods. Reality: The truth lies somewhere in between. You are encourage to eat a nutritious diet and avoid high-fat, high-sugar foods as well as liquid calories. What Can You Do? With instantaneous transmission of information, rumors spread like wildfires in the social stratosphere. Worse, rumors can easily because widely accepted as facts. How can you help to combat this harmful gossip? These are a few possibilities. Fight fiction with fact: Social networking platforms, such as blogs, Facebook, Twitter are just as good for spreading truth as they are at spreading lies. Every time you come across an inaccurate or demeaning statement about weight loss surgery, stand up for you and your friends who have had weight loss surgery. Be a good example: Most people tend to base their judgments on what or whom they know. If they know one person (you) with weight loss surgery, they’ll base their judgments on you. Hopefully, they will realize the benefits of bariatric surgery when they see you eating well every day, exercising regularly, being more productive at work and being a happier, healthier person overall. Emphasize that not all bariatric surgery options are the same. Roux-n-Y is irreversible and more drastic than Lap Band procedures, which take less than an hour. Can Celebrities Help? Celebrities can be spokespeople for the cause. If you know of any celebrities who are bariatric surgery pateints, consider contacting them and asking them to be more verbal about the cause. Nobody can get the message across like a celebrity. These are a few examples of famous people with bariatric surgery. Carnie Wilson, television host and singer: Roux-n-Y, 1999; laparoscopic band over bypass, 2012 Star Jones Reynolds, television host: gastric bypass, 2003 Brian Dennehy, actor: Lap-Band, 2008 As a bariatric surgery patient or someone who is considering the procedure, what are your thoughts? How can we change the negative perceptions surrounding aftercare? Does the terminology need to be changed? Can some sort of publicity campaign online or in the offline media be helpful? As an individual, can you be a role model to demonstrate that you have worked hard for every pound that you have lost, and that you are continuing each day to make healthy choices in your diet and exercise? Let us know what you think!

Roux-n-Y gastric bypass surgery can help obese individuals lose a significant amount of weight in a short period of time. During the first year after their Roux-n-Y procedure, many patients lose 1 to 3 pounds per week or more than 40 percent of their body weight to get started on the journey to a healthy weight. Within a few years, however, you may start to feel that your progress is slowing. For many patients, a Lap Band after having a gastric bypass can put you back on the right path to a healthy lifestyle. Review of the Roux-n-Y Procedure In Roux-n-Y bariatric surgery, the surgeon makes your stomach smaller by creating a small pouch of about 1 to 2 ounces. The surgeon sews the top of your small intestine to the small pouch, thereby bypassing the remainder of your original stomach pouch. When combined with lifestyle changes, a successful surgery can help you lose 60 to 70 percent of your original body weight within 5 to 15 years. However, 15 percent of Roux-n-Y procedures are not considered successful because patients do not end up losing the amount of weight they had hoped for. How Does a Lap Band after Gastric Bypass Work? A laparoscopic band, or Lap Band, is a possibility for Roux-n-Y patients who have seen their weight loss slow or even reverse. A Band over Bypass, or BOB, describes the process of putting in an adjustable band in patients who have had Roux-n-Y patients. The surgeon needs to make only small incisions in the wall of your abdomen in order to insert the inflatable band. The band restricts your stomach size by cutting off the lower part of the stomach so that the upper pouch is smaller. Similar to Roux-n-Y, this helps you feel full faster. A BOB is minimally invasive and does not require changes to the work done in the earlier Roux-n-Y procedure. Why It Works A Roux-n-Y procedure is good for rapid results, but some patients need a little more help to maintain their weight loss. Modifications in your diet and exercise routines are crucial for long-term success in controlling your weight, and the Lap Band helps you focus on these lifestyle changes. Years after the early effects of a Roux-n-Y surgery have worn off, the BOB procedure can safely get you back on track to following the diet and exercise program that can keep up your weight loss and improve your health. Band over Bypass in the News: Carnie Wilson Television host and singer Carnie Wilson, age 44, is a recent example of a patient who had a Lap Band after gastric bypass. Wilson had struggled with her weight for years, and had tried many diets without long-term success. In 1999, weighing nearly 300 pounds, Wilson underwent Roux-n-Y surgery in an effort to improve her health and save her career. She lost 150 pounds, but eventually returned to yo-yo dieting. In January of 2012, she had Lap Band put in. Wilson hopes that her Band over Bypass procedure will be her permanent solution to good health and control of her weight. The Weight Loss Surgery Foundation of America supports her decision to rededicate herself to a healthy lifestyle. Making the Decision If you’re a Roux-n-Y patient whose weight loss has stalled or been reversed, you might be a good candidate for a BOB. The lap band is an outpatient procedure that takes only about 40 minutes. A study published in the journal Surgery for Obesity and Related Diseases found very few complications and an average weight loss of 47 percent of excess weight at the five-year mark. After following a very rigid post-op diet for about five weeks, you’ll be ready for your new, lifetime program. Your plan will include three small meals per day, nutritious foods, 30 minutes of exercise most days of the week and plenty of water.

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Pretty odd! Can you restart the app and tray again please ?

Hey!! Good to hear from you You are VERY welcome. If it wasn't for members like yourself, we wouldn't have a VST. Shhhhh, let's not jinx my luck with the band. So far so good - for me.