NWgirl

whoever does your fills should pull all fluid from the band and see if what is in there matches what they have on record. If it doesn't, you should fill again and then the next time you're in, have them pull all out and check again. If you're missing fluid 2x in a row, it's likely you have a leak.

It seemed like the article only showed about a 3% increase in alcohol related addictions in its study population after two years (about 7% of people who started the survey already had issues, and the total at end of two years was 10% ish).

I would totally recommend a book called "The End of Overeating. Taking Control of the Insatiable American Appetite." It talks about how the food industry has specifically manufactured foods to be addictive. It's an interesting read and gave me insight into why I crave certain foods. Most of us know what it feels like to fall under the spell of food—when one slice of pizza turns into half a pie, or a handful of chips leads to an empty bag. But it's harder to understand why we can't seem to stop eating—even when we know better. When we want so badly to say "no," why do we continue to reach for food? Dr. David Kessler, the dynamic former FDA commissioner who reinvented the food label and tackled the tobacco industry, now reveals how the food industry has hijacked the brains of millions of Americans. The result? America's number-one public health issue. Dr. Kessler cracks the code of overeating by explaining how our bodies and minds are changed when we consume foods that contain sugar, fat, and salt. Food manufacturers create products by manipulating these ingredients to stimulate our appetites, setting in motion a cycle of desire and consumption that ends with a nation of overeaters. THE END OF OVEREATING explains for the first time why it is exceptionally difficult to resist certain foods and why it's so easy to overindulge. Dr. Kessler met with top scientists, physicians, and food industry insiders. THE END OF OVEREATING uncovers the shocking facts about how we lost control over our eating habits—and how we can get it back. Dr. Kessler presents groundbreaking research, along with what is sure to be a controversial view inside the industry that continues to feed our nation—from popular brand manufacturers to advertisers, chain restaurants, and fast food franchises. For the millions of people struggling with weight as well as for those of us who simply don't understand why we can't seem to stop eating our favorite foods, Dr. Kessler's cutting-edge investigation offers new insights and useful tools to help us find a solution. There has never been a more thorough, compelling, or in-depth analysis of why we eat the way we do.

Keep your chin up. I still think about food often, but not nearly as much as before. I have heard some people always struggle with the mental aspect and some forget to even eat!

Good job! Those darn carbs can be so devilish!

Unfortunately, the cost is a risk you took in getting the surgery. Who would pay for the removal if not you? Most banded folks find that after awhile, the pain of eating certain food outweighs eating the food and they choose not to eat it.

This is sad I'm glad that your surgeon elected to not put the band in, some would have probably done it anyways to get money. I know that hernias can cause the band to slip, so maybe he determined it was too big of a risk? I hope you find something that works for you. The best of luck to you.

It's a slow stop response of your body telling you that you're full. Some people get them. I used to get them in the beginning, but do not any longer.

http://abcnews.go.co...25#.T-PSD_UVrhJ The difference between the band and the bypass is that the band can cause increased intoxication, but that is due to eating highly decreased calories. The bypass issue is that they actually have the plumbing differences that cause the increased metabolic absorption of alcohol, so they can drink til they are drunk and wait a short amount of time and the metabolism will have negated the effects, letting them consume more alcohol. Dr. Mitchell Roslin, a bariatric surgeon at Lenox Hill Hospital in New York City, said the link between gastric bypass surgery and increased alcohol use has been attributed before to the shifting addiction theory and that this is false. The shifting addiction theory is that if a person has an impulsive drive to eat and the ability to eat large amounts of food is taken away, then he will shift his addiction to another addictive substance, like drugs or alcohol. "A gastric bypass patient has a small pouch [for a stomach] so alcohol goes straight into the intestine and is absorbed rapidly," said Roslin. "When it is absorbed rapidly, there is a high peak and rapid fall." The higher absorption rate makes alcohol more addictive, he added. Laparoscopic gastric banding, where an adjustable band in placed around a patient's stomach and limits how much food the stomach can hold, did not have an associated risk with increases in alcohol problems. King said this is to be expected as gastric banding does not change the anatomy and thus the metabolism of alcohol like gastric bypass does.

Call your insurance and ask what type of WLS they cover. Some do not cover the sleeve.

I burped in excess the first month. I believe it was related to gas because I could have not consumed anything for a couple hours and be burping away. It'll pass.

oops, I meant to put only something related to bypass and the sleeve! Glad you caught it!

Only you know if your friends are purposefully snubbing you. If they were my friends, I would assume they know I'm on a strict pre-op diet and they may not have invited me because they didn't want me to feel tempted....

If you are not in pain from constipation, you should be okay. If you get constipated, take a stool softener or milk of magnesia to move things along.

You can order it online. I know their webpage has a store locator to who sells it, but there were none in my area.

24-48 hrs

That it can goop up and may be hard to pass through the band.

Kilo is right about 50% more than a lb. So if you see someone who is 120 kilos, they are about 240.

Men can be funny when it comes to this and not voice their true opinions. My honey was really hesitant at first because he was worried about me and what might happen. As I talked to him about it and he could see how much I wanted it, he came around. I had him watch some youtube surgery videos with me so he knew how minimally invasive it really was (this was his main worry, that something would go seriously wrong in surgery). I also showed him skin photos, and all he had to say was that if I ended up with a lot of excess skin, then I could get it removed but that it wouldn't bother him either way. The possible physical improvements in my health and body image due to surgery totally over rule any possible vanity issues. Even if he wouldn't have been on board, I would have gone for it anyways. Sooner or later he would have come around. Your husband loves you for you, not your physique. Try to find why he's so hesitant about this step. My honey watched me diet up and down for over 7 years and knew the mental pain I had endured. The fat wasn't going away without a little extra help!

I am not from the area you stated, but I also needed a new PC when I started this journey. I went ahead and called the practice I was using for surgery and asked if they knew of a PC that they would recommend. I figured they would know of some that were WLS friendly, and they did.

Unlike gastric, where you don't really have control of where you're body says stop, the band can be adjusted to restrict or allow more food intake, which will then correlate to weight loss or gain.

Protein: tuna, salmon, steak, chicken, turkey, beef, tofu, quinoa, cottage cheese, eggs, Greek yogurt, milk...

Some Dr's require such strict diets because they want the liver to be as small as possible. some don't seem to mind as much. I was required to do low-fat/low-cal, but you may be on to something with the trying to get used to the change.

Actually, Lapband is approved for a BMI down to 30, but insurance requirements are usually 35+ with two co-morbidities or 40+ without.

I was hungry after four days post-op, so it's completely normal. Just remember to make good choices and if you need to, use a food scale to portion out your food.