Alexandra

Welcome to LBT! So glad to have you with us, and we look forward to getting to know you better, too!! :biggrin1:

I'll speak for the flip side. Having a sparkling personality has nothing to do with being big, and being big does nothing to guarantee one will have a sparkling personality. Of course there is the "big people are jolly" stereotype that probably stems from some of us using laughter as a defense mechanism, but that's not really personality. My personality has not changed one iota as my weight has lessened. Not one. But I wasn't ever what you'd call "sparkling" in the first place. Not by some standards, anyway. :rockon:

I think the size band used has more to do with interior anatomy than anything else. Which, of course, may correlate in some way to the amount someone has to lose. So you may be seeing a connection, indeed!

Francesca, big hugs to you. I'm so sorry you're going through this! Please know that we're here for you whenever you need to express your frustration.

Angie, I think it's very unlikely you've had a slip, because that just isn't going to happen after one PB. What is much more likely is that you've irritated your stoma/esophagus since then by not letting it rest. You should try sticking STRICTLY to liquids for like three days. Then see how you feel with very small amounts of solid food. I'll bet the situation will resolve itself. Of course you should always call your doctor too, and he'll probably want to give you an unfill to open things up. But my suggestion is to try this first and then see if that's necessary. Good luck!!

Hi NurseTeresa! Welcome to LBT!! Where you begin depends on your insurance carrier's reason for denial, and of course with your medical testing. On the one hand you will have to be screened and tested no matter what, so get started on that process. Choose your surgeon and find out what preoperative steps you have to take before submitting a request for pre-cert. Once you have your denial from the carrier, you should be given appeal instructions. Depending on where you live you may have the right of third-party appeal, or you may be able to appeal to your employer. Dig out your insurance contract and see what they say about who makes the decisions. Take it step by step and don't be intimidated!

The answer is yes, the pouch can stretch to accommodate too much food, but there is a limit. Food will start backing up into your esophagus, causing discomfort or vomiting. This effect will lessen over time--I know I feel it less readily now, after 2.5 years--making "pouch-packing" easier to do. Can your pouch stretch permanently? I don't know. Still, now when I eat "a lot" it's NOTHING like what it was before banding. The restrictive effect changes somewhat but the fact remains, I can't eat more than a certain amount without discomfort.

Is this the same thing as the Vertical Banded Gastrectomy? If so, I've heard that procedure is less popular due to ineffectiveness over time and potential complications. But I've never heard of the one you cite.

Congratulations!! I hope you join you in overweight-land sometime this year. (How's that for a mini-goal?)

Does anyone know if they have a uniform fill procedure? Does it involve fluoroscopy or are the fills "blind"?

"Happens all the time"? That would give me pause as well. If that's happening "all the time" in his practice he's doing something wrong. Ask again about the ACTUAL number of times this has happened. I'm sure he's not handing out free surgery because his fill technique is bad--that's bad medicine, bad business, and just plain stupid. Maybe he was being facetious.

Yep! He should note your willingness/ability to comply with the diet, and any exercise program you've undertaken. That's pretty much it! The idea is to show that you're able to be dedicated to the effort, and his notes will just support that. Tell him what you're doing, he'll take notes and measure your vitals, and after three months you'll have what you need. Good luck!

I'm sorry, this is just absurd. The FDA calls absolutely anything a complication, and MOST of them are just normal effects. Vomiting? I'm sure they're including the ubiquitous PB. Leakage? What does that mean? If they mean leakage of Fluid out of the band that's not a "complication," that's just a technical issue that needs to be addressed. And as far as leakage of stomach contents, I've NEVER heard of that happening. Slippage is a potential complication, but even the MOST generous estimates place that at about 5-9%. Erosion estimates have always been 1-3%. And if that's the WORST that can happen, SIGN ME UP!! All of the erosion cases I've ever encountered are easily and quickly fixed with another surgery. And the person walks away and will be as good as new. Can that be said about any of the major potential complications of the RNY? Of course not, because the very intention of that surgery is to permanently change the way our bodies work, and they will--by definition--never be the same. Only your doctor can tell you if YOU are a good candidate for banding or RNY. But if you've had stomach probolms in the past, it would seem logical to try the gentlest, least invasive procedure first. As far as vomiting post-anaesthesia, that is a common problem and can be dealt with. Tell them you're prone to it and they'll give you medication to prevent it. Now, why do you get stomach pain and get weak and light-headed if you don't eat on time? Could be a blood-sugar issue, and you will want to get that under control. The pre-op testing will find that and any other issues you may have, so you'll have more answers as time goes on. You're right not to jump into anything, but you can't compare yourself to anyone else. Talk to the doctors, being brutally honest about your health and your habits. Consider how you want to live the rest of your life, and look at the various changes you'll have to live with. Then make a decision. Good luck, and feel free to ask anything you want. We're here to help!

Hi Steven, and welcome to LBT!! Congratulations on your approval and surgery date. What sort of surgery did your wife have, exactly? Did she have a non-adjustable band in the U.S., or lap-band somewhere else? We'd love to hear from someone who's had a band for so long, even if it's a different kind. Tell we said hi!!

Many, many people report being tighter in the morning. I think it has something to do with Fluid distribution/retention in the body. There's a school of thought that says eating at night makes the problem worse, so try to eat more in the daytime and less in the evening. In a few days you should find a little more even pattern of restriction through the day. Good luck with your fill--take it slowly!

Teresa, I was afraid it was you, too! Please send your friend our deepent sympathies and let her know we're pulling for her to have a quick, complete recovery and no regrets. How are YOU doing??

Oh, Erin, what an awful experience that must have been. Do you have any idea at all why you kept getting infected? What was the problem? I totally hear you about not wanting to prolong this unpleasantness to save your family the troubles. I would have done exactly the same thing. It's very unusual for a bandster to have this kind of ongoing problem without a reason, though, so I hope you talk with your doctor to find out why your body refused to heal. That could be a sign of an underlying undiagnosed medical disorder. Get better, girlie! Your kids need you and I know you want to feel healthy again. Big hugs and healthy vibes to you!!

Kellie, that sounds so exciting! Good luck to you and I hope you'll share the results with all of us as time goes on.

I have DEFINITELY noticed that with me, it's either one or the other. Either the scale moves, OR my body changes. It's almost like both things can't happen at the same time. It's just the way nature works, I guess. Nykee, it sure sounds like it's time to incorporate some exercise if you can. Excess skin is one thing, but flabbiness you can DO something about. Toning muscles will go a long way toward making you like the changes in your body.

It may be nothing, or it may be something. You should try again to get in touch with your doctor. A suture may have torn, or it may be an incipient infection. Monitor it closely and when you do get in touch with Dr. Kuri, tell him in detail what your symptoms are. Good luck!

I think a general informational meeting PLUS a pre-op seminar are crucial. People should have at least two opportunities to ask questions, and absolutely be given a chance to ask questions of post-op patients. Doctors and nutritionists are all wonderful at telling bandsters what they should do, but only actual banded people can describe what it's like to live with the band. As for pre-op testing, I think that has to depend on the patient's health. I had only minimal testing before surgery (other than what was required to establish my candidacy for surgery), while others do have to have a lot done. That's really a medical decision.

Congratulations! Your story is the kind of reason I'm glad I didn't have to stay overnight. I hate hospitals--they are the worst place to recover from something, IMO. Now rest up and heal quickly! Welcome to bandlandia!!!

How interesting! I remember the rollercoaster of emotions I felt when diagnosed with hypothyroidism. Now it all seems like a distant memory and I'm healthy, which is all that matters. You will be too, and it's great to have a target! Now you know what to work on and will learn how to best address it. Keep us posted, kay?

Outpatient, and I wouldn't have had it any other way. I hate hospitals. :heh:

Nykee, I know you've heard this before but I'm going to say it again. PLEASE try to get more Protein in! Do you like cheese? Instead of crap try eating cheese, cold cuts, yogurt, Beans, decent food. I can't imagine what your nutrition levels are like with what you say you're eating, and that probably has a lot to do with your lack of energy and inability to sleep normally. Why do you think you need a fill? If you're restricted so much that you literally cannot eat until evening, you do not need a fill. What you do need to do is get a decent assortment of food in your house so you will start giving your body what it needs to heal and improve. Designing a liquid diet for after a "nice, tight fill" just defeats what the band is all about. This is said with all the respect and affection I have, seriously, I know you can get control if you want to. You've come so far already and now it's time to get smarter about this process. Don't get a fill--change your shopping list. :hug: