Wheelchair

don't go with the doctor on this... go with your pharmacist. there are various formulations of 'pills' on the market and you'd be doing yourself a very big disservice by breaking or crushing them.

lol... isn't that an awesome feeling?

I totally agree with you being an inspiration and a role model. Actions speak louder than words, you know? Once you slim down to a healthy weight and your comorbidities go away, your sister will be convinced. I'm also trying to 'talk' my mom into getting the LAGB done. She's 55 years old and has a BMI of a little over 32... but she has rheumatoid arthritis and has extreme knee problems. Good luck to you. If you need a companion to do this with...there are plenty of people on this forum.

I'm a fairly young guy...but the last couple months before my surgery, I started to notice an increase in my blood pressure. In my late teens, I was very athletic and RARELY had a BP of over 115/75 but recently my BP has been steady around ~140/80. I know this is not SUPER high, but it is high enough to warrant medical intervention. The cardiologist I saw before my surgery recommended that I be put on a beta blocker to lower my BP (those damn beta receptors!) but I asked to wait until a couple months after surgery. Fortunately, my blood pressure is slowly decreasing since my surgery and I already have stopped feeling the rare palpitations I used to get. Obesity does and will kill.

I slimed again today. My mother made some great panini sandwich... I knew I should take it easy if tough bread at 3 weeks after.... but it looked so good. After a couple bites...I drank some water and slimed.... But I cut down a tree over the weekend.... a pretty big tree (don't know the name). I rented a Chipper and got rid of all the branches. Good work for me. Not so easy in a wheelchair....but I manage.

perhaps you need a trainer?

Well..tell us a little bit more about yourself. How old are you? If you're 21, suck it up and change your lifestyle. If you're 71, then losing (only 1 'o' ) weight may significantly improve your quality of life and surgery may be a better option. Are you physically handicapped? I only needed to lose about 40 pounds to be at a pretty healthy BMI, but because my mobility and ability to work out is severely hindered by my spinal cord injury, I opted to do the surgery. It would be a catalyst to my healthy lifestyle. You have to give a background before any of us can answer anything...

well...luckily for me...i can tolerate eggs very well. I heard that people can either take or they can't.

It's usually because I eat to rapidly... but I've been sliming pretty regularly. I'm actually only on my second week, but my surgeon told me to use my best judgment on food. Soft foods or purees are desirable, but I can tolerate grilled meats, fish, eggs, etc., I'm ok to eat them. I was chomping down on some eggs today and knew I was starting to slime. It's a 'blocked' feeling that i think i can push down with Water, but that's a mistake. If I try to swallow the slime, it does not work. I usually need to go to the bathroom and spit it out. The whole episode lasts less than a minute or two. However, I really need to start eating slowly b/c this is about the 5th or 6th time I've done it...and I've only been eating solids for a week now. Hmmm.... What about youse guys?

how about cooking? if you're lazy like me... or on the run a lot... you can either cook in large batches and then freeze (not much different than frozen tv dinners), or you can do what I do and prep many types of ingredients at once. FOR EXAMPLE! I love and have always loved egg omelets. Back when I was healthy, I used to crack 10 eggs EVERYDAY, split them so i get 8 whites and 2 whole eggs, then dice some onions, green peppers, and bacon bits and make a good omelet. Now this takes a little bit of time... so nowadays, i'll buy a couple onions, green (or various color) peppers and I'll dice them all at once. I'll mix them in a BIG tupperware and put it straight in the fridge. Instead of cracking eggs, I buy 'break-free' eggs in milk cartons that you can just pour out. I checked out the Nutritional Facts and they seem better then real eggs. For more texture, I'd get half a pound of ground turkey breast and then just go ahead and cook them up and store them in the fridge. Each morning, I'll just scoop out a couple big spoonfuls of the diced veges and grilled them until the onions get well caramelized... then i'll scoop a little ground turkey and then pour the eggs. I'll make it big enough to get two portions... I'll eat half for Breakfast...save the other half and eat for lunch/dinner. You just need to get creative with your food choices.

Kudos to you for considering another surgery! It sure takes some courage and determination. The decision is obviously between you and your surgeon. I don't know your situation so I can't tell you anything... but weigh the pros and cons. I don't think you can expect a truly helpful advice from any of us on the forum because none of us know you as well as you and your surgeon. Only tidbit of advice I can say is to educate yourself. Know the ins and outs of BOTH surgeries and their respective inherent risks. Go to PUBMED.COM and research peer reviewed journals. Don't just go by the internet. TONS AND TONS of inaccurate and misleading information. Do your research, and then make your decision. P.S. I implore you to not just find a surgeon who is willing to do the operation. Speaking for experience, there are surgeons out there who are motivated only by another client and another paycheck. Go to a surgeon that knows EVERYTHING about you-- physically and psychologically. If THAT surgeon thinks surgery would be beneficial, ONLY THEN go ahead with it. Best of luck to you!

Well said Pap Princess! I think dogs are such good companions. When I had my accident in 2007, trainers would bring dogs to the spinal center to act as therapy dogs. There were this Rottweiler and a Doberman couple that would come and they would be the sweetest dogs. They didn't care if you were paralyzed or in a wheelchair. I have to say that a large part of my rehabilitation involved these therapy dogs. I'm assuming you have a Papillon? Smart little dogs, aren't they? My Beagle/Dachshund isn't the brightest, but she's the sweetest dog ever.

I'm with alOvely here. Although I applaud you, Papillon Princess, for your enthusiasm and advocacy of responsible pet ownership, of which I am 100% in agreement, I think you totally missed al0vely's post. Also, it seems like you have some knowledge about dogs... the thing with long-haired shepherds is that they're not very desirable, hence the lower cost. $2000 for a long-haired is near the upper extreme. The reason behind this is that in the US (not speaking for Europe), short-haired GSDs are accepted as the 'standards' so no one will buy long-haired shepherds to show only. Additionally, long-haired GSDs are a wee bit gentler in their nature so they're not desirable as protection dogs. Furthermore, long-haired (or long-coat) GSDs either have one coat or two (an additional under coat for more insulation). My Bella does not have an undercoat, which makes her the LEAST desirable of GSDs. However, being that I live in the south... Bella is the perfect dog for me. When it comes to pure-bred dogs... prices can range from a couple hundred to tens of thousands of dollars. I'm sure there are great differences within the Papillon breed as there are with GSDs. I would have been more than happy to adopt a GSD from a shelter or a foster home... but this opportunity came up with the co-worker's friend so I couldn't pass it up. Just because I got her for free doesn't mean I won't love her any less...or that I'll spend less money on her than I have done with my current dog. Anyhow... there was a grand opening at the new dog park in our neighborhood... it was quite the celebration. I took some pictures and I'll have them uploaded and scanned for you to enjoy.

I hope you're feeling better after venting and you're now ready to do some REAL work. The thing about healthy eating and exercising is... the more you do it, the more you WANT to do it. But unfortunately, the opposite is also true. Perhaps it'll behoove you to take baby steps at a time... walk for 10 minutes on the first day and then increase it in intensity and duration over a long period of time. It's hot where I am as well.... Atlanta, Georgia is hot...but it's the HUMIDITY that kills us. I sweat just thinking about leaving my air conditioned home . But it's for the greater good right? Your health and your longevity. If by your user name I can presume you have a child/pet named TANK, you'll have a better relationship with yourself AND with Tank once you start making the healthier choices. And I don't judge you on the McDonalds. Haha. I was starving the other day and was CRAVING krystal's chili cheese fries. I mean...i haven't had them in YEARS but they were the only things I could think about. Luckily, I took two bites and was sliming instantly... so no more for me. I love how my body punishes my mind for being so stupid. Don't get discouraged. Just take baby steps. You're in this for the long haul, you know?

Beautiful AND smart... this is what i look for in a woman

Through a friend of a co-worker of mine, I got to adopt a 1 year old purebred long haired german shepherd. I was looking for a German shepherd for a couple months now.... buying one from a reputable breeder would cost over $1500...and the ones at the shelter didn't fit my lifestyle. But the one I just got is pure sweetheart. She gets along with my current dog, who is a 30lb Beagle/Dashchund mix. I'll have to take some pictures of her. She's gorgeous. 100lb shepherd..which is REALLY BIG for a female German Shepherd...(average male is about 80lbs). We expect her to fill out to about 120lbs. So why is this relevant? I hope to do some training with Bella and get exercise with her. She's already got me waking up at 4:30 this morning to let her outside. I'm in front of the computer, getting some much needed work done..and now I'm taking a break to write this post. She's already a good influence on me....

how long did your sliming episode last? Mine lasts maybe 2 minutes...I'll be spitting slimy saliva and then I'll be all good. But then... I won't be able to eat after that

Can you send me a link that states this? I'm trying to read up on as many peer reviewed journals regarding bariatric surgeries, LAGB in general. I was just under the impression that time since inception of the LAGB has not yet been long enough that a fairly accurate retrospective study. Additionally, I don't believe there are enough people with the lap band to have a very good random sample along with a large enough sample size. I'm trying to get as much educated as possible about this.... I'm still pretty young and I hope for at least 4~5 decades more of my life. Thanks!

agree to disagree?

yup yup...depends on the person... I've been able to drink a large volume at a time. Of course, I can't chug Water like I used to be able to...but by no means am I just doing Lady Victoria teacup sips.

i admire your mindset

I was told that my surgeon sews a piece of the band onto the upper part of the stomach itself so that slippage is a minimal concern. Of course, he told me that slips CAN still happen.. but the risks are decreased. What say your surgeons?

I guess it's all relative... some of have fattier livers than others... it just depends on each patient.. but i don't think one burrito will make much difference... as long as it stops there Good luck!!

Thank you for your post. I'm glad that my post has gotten some to start discussing this topic more thoroughly. I do, however, have a rebuttal to make on some of your points, as I think it may not be beneficial to all. Before shutting me out from your life completely, just give me a second to explain. If you've lost 30 pounds during your pre-op diet and the first couple weeks after surgery...most of that 30 pounds is Water. I'm really sorry to disappoint you there. My response to that is so what? 30 lbs is 30 lbs. I lost 22 lbs duing the pre op liquid stage of this journey and I felt like I could do anything. It was so motivating and I could care less if it was fat, water or muscle. It made the scale move, got me well prepared for surgery and motivated me for a lifetime of healthy eating. Statements like these lay the foundations of unhealthy dieting. From reading your post, I get a sense that you're doing this for your looks.... not for your health. This is 100% your prerogative and I am in no position to argue with or criticize you. However, because this is a public site for others to read and educate themselves, I feel that this type of discussion may not be well suited, as it points the purpose of the LAGB to physical appearance, not health. I'm happy you lost pre-op weight. In my post, I've made NO judgment on pre-op weight loss because at that stage, you're still losing a lot of water weight and your body is not yet at a critical catabolic state. I'm glad it motivated you to a lifetime of healthy eating. However, your next statement confused me further... As of today I have lost 92 lbs in 6 months. For the past month I am averaging 2-3 lbs per week. Is it fat? I dont know. Its weight.... Its size... its healthy and its wonderful. It's weight...it's size...it's healthy?? I don't agree with this 100%. You've made great strides and your results encourage a lot of people...myself included. However, my point wasn't that fast weight loss wasn't impossible. My point was that we should be careful that fast weight loss may cause problems for us further down the road. If you wanted fast results... you could have opted for a malabsorptive procedure. You would have lost super fast.... but you do realize that the nature of the operation renders you vulnerable to malnutrition. It's ALWAYS easier to maintain than to recoup what you have lost (in terms of nutrients and lean body tissue). All of us have different reasons for choosing the band but we chose it knowing that weight loss will be SLOWER than that of RNY or sleeve gastrectomy. But fortunately, the 5 year prognosis is similar for all of these methods. Now.... I'm going to put you on the spot FLORIDAYS. Who is healthier? Ashley Olsen. Height: 5'3" Weight: 98lb BMI: 17.4 (tad underweight) OR Layne Norton. Height: 5'10" Weight: 226 lb. BMI: 32.4 (OBESE) Well... I guess only their respective physicians can tell you how healthy they are... but my point is that ALL BODY WEIGHT IS NOT CREATED EQUAL!!! By the way... Layne Norton is a steroid-free bodybuilder...so he's much healthier than MOST bodybuilders. Most of us are here to lose HEALTHY weight. Looking good...fitting into skinny jeans (if you're into all that)...getting cat-called at... all of these are bonuses of healthy weight loss...and shouldn't be mistaken as the goal.

Do you honestly believe this? I'm not calling anyone a liar outright, but I'd just like to ask if you REALLY TRULY believe it. They follow ALL the guidelines? They limit their intake and increase the daily activity (remember...part of the 'guidelines' for after LAGB include daily 30 minute exercise sessions) and they STILL don't lose weight? I'm just asking... because if you believe that this is possible.... why would you get the surgery? Why would ANY of us? This is a support group. This entails helping people currently on the band...but also providing first hand information for those wanting to get the band and change their life. If more people come to the site and start posting threads about following ALL THE DOCTOR'S GUIDELINES TO A T, AND YET THEY DON'T LOSE WEIGHT... it'll just feel so hopeless for everyone. And personally... I don't think it's possible. I've read some of the threads that you are referring to... members who are concerned that they are not seeing the weight loss even after trying to follow most of the guidelines. But in ALL of those situations...I see various holes. One member would suggest that he/she cannot stomach solid food and so have put themselves on a 'liquid' diet. Did you know that McDonald's large shake has 582 Calories...of which 150 are mostly saturated fat...and 85 grams of it is sugar? Or...another member may say... I have salads all the time..and I STILL DON'T LOSE WEIGHT!!! Well...a grilled chicken salad with light Italian dressing at McAlister's Deli ends up at a whopping 850 calories. Look. I'm not trying to bore you with numbers. I'm saying... a lot of the posts made by member who claim not to be losing weight have SERIOUS holes. As a support group...we need to look for these holes that the OP misses... and kindly inform them. I implore you....actually....i CHALLENGE you.... if you are one of those who are following ALL OF THE GUIDELINES TO THE T.... count your calories. Write a journal of EVERYTHING that goes into your mouth. In that journal..I also want you to write down how much you're exercising in your day. Can't find time?? Park farther from the store... take an extra trip or two up and down the stairs. Walk during your lunch hour. Remember...it takes me a lot longer to put my pants on in the morning...but i STILL find time to exercise. Don't do this for just a week or two... I want you to do this for at least a month. Good dieting and exercising habits become actual 'habits' in about three weeks and it'll be easier to do these things. Remember...no one said this was easy. All complaints of "i can't find time...who has the time and energy to jot everything they eat..." will be thoroughly ignored. NOW TO THE 0.53% OF US! I asked my surgeon yesterday what types of signs I should be looking for to sniff out a band erosion. He told me... if you're adjusted right... and you're following the guidelines... and you're STILL NOT losing weight. Then we do an endoscopy to see if your band has eroded. So other serious medical conditions aside... the ONLY reason I can see that a person won't lose weight on the band... is if the band has eroded. This is 1 out of 200 LAGB patients. Unless we have a concentrated group of EXTREMELY unlucky and unfortunate people... I don't see the ratio working out on the forum. Then, if you do suspect you have a band erosion... don't waste your time complaining on the forum.... go see your surgeon immediately. My whole post was to be realistic and HONEST. Not anyone else...but to ourselves.