Alexandra

Vinesqueen, thanks for the recommendation. That sounds perfect!! This summer my project is to instill the same love of reading I have in my older daughter. She's reading well now, but as a 6-year-old she's pretty busy with other things and reading for fun isn't high on her list. So this summer we're going to read some of the Little House on the Prairie series and she can discover the magical world that exists between the pages of a good book. How did you guys pick up reading as a pasttime? Or do your kids read? It astounds me how many people don't read for fun at all. Any ideas for me? (And before you ask, no, she does not and never will have a TV in her room, or own a Gameboy.)

Paula, this is a question that gets asked at my doc's pre-op meetings all the time. The answer is always "it depends." I've certainly heard of situations where bands have been removed and replaced later on, but can't swear those removals were erosion-related. I'd imagine it would depend on the degree of damage and then the degree of healing. So, the bottom line? It depends.

There's a lot of wisdom in your post, all of it yours. What you're thinking about is very normal, and it's great that you can give it voice so you can examine this from all angles.

Penni, you look AMAZING!! Have a wonderful trip.

All I know is that when I went to my doctor with reports of increased restriction, his reaction was to caution me that it could mean my band was out of position. He took a bit of fill out and said we'd check again in 6 weeks. Ultimately everything was perfectly fine, but there was no explanation for the suddenly increased restriction. Sorry I can't help!

Yaaahhhoooo!!! Thanks, Bill, for letting us know. You're quite the sport! Please tell her we're thinking about her and to rest up. We'll keep the light on for her!

I tried this series, and liked the first one a lot. But I was totally out off by the excessive violence in the second one. I LOVE good fantasy (I'm a total LOTR geek), but nothing has ever held a candle to Tolkien for me. Any ideas? As for other books, well, I like historical novels and westerns. Weird, huh? I'll ready anything by Elizabeth George or Larry McMurtry. I also like Anita Shreve but found my tastes really changed after I had children. I just canNOT handle anything that involves missing or dead children. (Did anyone read The Weight of Water? Man, that killed me.) Do I like to read? Books are like air to me. There's always a big stack of them next to my bed. And I'm a magazine junkie--I think I have subscriptions to twenty or so. But now that I don't commute anymore I have a very hard time reading it all. Our bathrooms never want for reading material!

I'm Misunderstood Dreamer. Hmmmm...

Oh my god, Terri, that is the BEST NSV I've ever heard!! Is this likely to continue improving? How fantastic!! CONGRATULATIONS!!! :banana :banana :banana :banana :banana :banana :banana

Maria, which doctor did you go with?

Be prepared for the possibility of an exclusion if you had a lapse in coverage, Dlynn. If you had a lapse of five months immediately before taking this current coverage, you may very well have a pre-ex imposed. If that happens and you're denied for this reason, just find out how long the pre-ex is, and try again at that time. Don't lose heart!

Dlynn, the HIPAA form your carrier is asking for is only to establish that you had coverage for a certain period of time prior to coming on their plan. That will tell them whether they can apply a pre-existing condition exclusion on you. (I believe the regulation is that if you had coverage for a period of 18 months prior to starting this plan, they CANNOT impose a pre-existing condition exclusion on you. If you had no coverage or coverage for a shorter period, they might be able to. But even if they do, it can't be longer than 12 months in most cases.) The form you get when you request a HIPAA form from your prior carrier or employer gives no more information than your name, ID number, and the beginning and ending dates of your coverage. Not to worry--it's not anything invasive of your privacy and a perfectly legitimate request. Good luck!

No situps until when? Ever? That's absurd. My doctor puts no restrictions on any exercise whatsoever after we're healed.

Hi Eileen, What did your doctor say about exercising after surgery? I'd suggest waiting at least a week or two, but that's just a guess. With regard to sagging skin, exercising your abs only strengthens the ab muscles. It won't do anything about the skin over the muscles; if it's going to sag it's going to sag.

I'd venture to suggest that all of those surgeons have had complications. Perhaps their patients do not come post on support boards. Where would you expect this information to come from? Have you asked the doctors' offices for their complication rates?

Who would have ever thought shopping for clothes could be so much fun? I now understand how people become shop-a-holics. Congratulations on your NSV!!

C, the fact is that it's easier to eat less when your hunger is dimmed by a properly adjusted band. So the question is: Are you saying you are able to eat a lot even when you're not really hungry? Or are you really hungry and so eating a lot? If you are not hungry yet are able to overeat, my thinking is that a fill will not really help. Even with tight restriction it's always possible to overeat and eat the wrong things. Grazing or soft foods are the culprits there. If that's what's going on then it may be that you are perfectly well restricted and need to focus more on changing your habits. I've gone through this process several times. If, on the other hand, you are hungry just an hour or so after eating a protein-rich meal, I'd say a fill will definitely help. Only you can really determine what steps you should take. As for whether I consider myself a success on my weight-loss journey, the answer is a resounding YES. My reasons for getting banded were more about arresting the upward trend in my weight and becoming more energetic than anything else. Both of those things have been achieved in spades. I was a success a year ago after only a 40-lb loss.

Sensy, if you really can't take in liquids you are too tight. If this doesn't change significantly in the next 24 hours, CALL YOUR DOCTOR! You will not lose weight in a good way if you can't eat or drink anything. All you will get is ill, possibly dangerously so.

Congratulations, Tanya! Welcome to Bandlandia! We can't wait to hear how it went and welcome you on to the bandwagon. Rest up and take care!!

We'll need more information, Mr eyes! When were you banded? How many fills/adjustments have you had? Did you ever feel well-restricted? People "can" eat a lot after banding, it just takes a bit more effort. Are you trying to hear the stop signals, and letting your body accept that it takes less to fill it up? And how's your weight loss been? Hard to comment given the little that you've said, but we'd be happy to try.

Hi Karen, I think the MOST important thing anyone can do who is considering surgery in Mexico is to be SURE there is a local doctor willing to take on a new band patient if there are complications. That would go a long way toward reassuring any nervous family members.

What great photos, ladies! It's so terrific to see new faces and the great progress everyone is making. Yay, LapBands!!

I'm a big fan of my doctors' office, which has a team of surgeons and a great support system. Check them out at www.advancedlaparoscopicsurgeons.com. They work out of Morristown Memorial Hospital. There are also programs at Chilton Hospital, Hackensack Medical Center, and others farther south. Where are you located?

Hi Cutz, (You might want to start a new thread, since your post won't get much attention here.) My thoughts about what you're thinking and feeling are that you're perfectly normal! If you've lost 17 lbs since 2/18 you're well ahead of the curve already. Another fill might help you eat less, but you probably ought to give your current fill some time and see if it "kicks in." That happens to a lot of people. You're clearly doing something right.

Hi Kris! Welcome to LBT!!