GeezerSue

If they deny her based on her disabilities, they may be in violation of the ADA and you may need an attorney. If they deny her based on age, they may be standing on firmer ground. Wait and see what happens and keep us posted. Sue

The only study I found (an Italian one) which addressed the issue of weight regain with the band, mentioned that 20% of patients regain their weight. Sue

At the risk of being a wet blanket, there is no guarantee that any weight lost with any surgery is permanent. An older study revealed that even after RnY, with all its malabsorption issues, fully 25% of patients returned to morbid obesity. I'm not familiar with a similar long-term study done with the band, however, I believe that banded patients on average weigh more at three or four years post-op than they did at two years out. (But I'll go look for the studies.) Sue

Ay, que cosa! Aqui tenemos mas que una princesa! Sinceremente, La otra princesa (Only half-Mexican-American, but ALL princess.)

I went for a fill, and to accompany someone having a port replacement. I am a very spoiled woman and would not have stayed/had surgery at his budget facility. That doesn't mean there is anything wrong with it from a medical viewpoint, because I have no training or education to make that judgement. It's just that the accommodations are way too rustic for my taste, so I'm glad he's dropped the price. He is an expert at banding; you'll be in good hands. Sue

Caroline, Kuri is an excellent and experienced band surgeon. Are you going to his luxury facility or his budget facility? I've been to the budget place and seen photos of the new luxury place. Sue

Hey, Tom! My husband is from Perry County! Good luck on the whole deal. Sue

While many doctors make up their own rules as they go along (see my whiney post), I don't recall that Inamed EVER had a before meal beverage restriction. Sue

Novel concept for me. I'm working on it, really: NOT HUNGRY = DON'T EAT

Jimmy! Goomba! Howz by youse Chicago paisans? And how's your 60-weight gunk? Back down to 10W30? I had a 60-weight episode yesterday (and I really did think of you) when I ate a little meatloaf, forgetting that there's BREAD in meatloaf and the rest was both history and truly disgusting. Welcome! Sue

Bright! Sorry about the band confusion. Jennye! The real test is if you can hop on down to Racine and eat your way through a kringle. Oh! I'd love to taste a kringle. (Can't. Too doughy for me.) Sue

Bright! You are not mad. You have a different band! I've read enough about Frering and the MIDband and MorganC's experiences to know that the products are similar, but certainly not the same. (And Rumbaut included watery oatmeal at Breakfast on Day One post-op.) Congratulations on your surgery and your choice of surgeons. Sue

Okay, I'd like to complain here. Doctors. Not all, of course, but many. Have they all read the same instruction manual? Do they stay up late nights making stuff up? A few issues: *Pre-op diets--There are some surgeons who want their patients on liquid diets or yogurt and Water only for two or three weeks pre-op. They say that they are doing that to shrink the liver. Well, humbug! When I first read that claim, the doctors who were actually running a study (in New Zealand) to see if that even worked had no test results. And, I worried about that. So I asked my doctor post-op. He said that yeah, my liver was fatty, but it sat this-a-way, as opposed to that-a-way, so it didn't make any difference, because it wasn't in HIS way. I wonder how many patients who cannot do two weeks on yogurt and water are going mad and feeling like they are dishonest and how many doctors believe that people actually follow those orders. I'll bet (a substantial amount of money, if we can set up the testing correctly) it's WAY less than half. *Post-op diets--Yes, we need to give the stomach time to heal. But we are individuals and we don't ALL need to go on a month of Clear liquids. Of course, we need to do a week on liquids, but ever-thickening liquids. IM-not-so-HO, we should be given instructions that include the caveat to go slowly, to try new consistencies for a few days at a time, and that any problem needs to be followed with a day of clear liquids, a day of full liquids, and a day of purees, and then resume the schedule, progressing carefully toward solids. *Incremental fills--Almost nothing makes me crazier than reading about these doctors who fill patients according to a schedule, not according what each patient needs. "You're six weeks post-op, so you need 1cc of saline." Well, "big-boy-cow-poo-poo," as we say when the censors are watching. Some band patients NEVER need a full cc. And some need 3.2 before they have any restriction. Those doctors need to stop being so lazy, to pay attention to what their patients tell them and to fill under flouroscopy if they are afraid of over-filling. (Duh!) *Not knowing how the band REALLY works--I went to one guy for a fill that never happened. He said that if there was ANY food I could not eat post-op, it meant I was over-filled. Can we say "Great big pony-poo," here? Many, if not MOST, band patients find it difficult or impossible to eat a few foods with the band in place, with or without any saline in the band. The most often mentioned foods are white meat chicken and poultry, breads (especially fresh, doughy, delicious, yummy brand-new--oh! sorry!--sourdough or other non-grainy types, rice and raisins and dried fruits and things that swell while in the stomach, that kind of stuff. Well, then. That may be enough for right now, huh? Anybody else with favorites? Sue

Disclaimer: We should all follow our own doctors' recommendations. Now: Many of the very, very experienced surgeons have far more liberal schedules about resuming eating. When I got my band, my surgeon had done over 1400 band placements and his diet was ABOUT a week (total) on clear then full liquids. Then progress little by little, to purees, then mushies then solids, over the next two to three weeks. BUT...I don't think ANY surgeon would want you on solids, no matter how well you chew them, two weeks post-op. This time is all about letting the band area heal with the band in place. (I'll do a separate, whiney post about how the surgeons undermine our efforts with unrealistic dietary restrictions.) Good luck, Sue

Cannot answer from personal experience, however...I have read about that phenomenon over and over again. It makes sense. For those inclined to retain fluids, those fluids are retained in all the cells in the body, including in the area near the band. More fluids = smaller stoma. Sue

October 15th of THIS YEAR? If so, you are supposed to be healing from the surgery, not losing weight. Immediate and enormous weight loss is the result of RnY, not the LapBand. I hope somebody made that clear to you before you had surgery. Your weight loss begins after the healing and after you experience restriction. This is not supposed to be immediate, and to put that kind of pressure on yourself will lead to disappointment. Sue By the way, I don't know you're post-op dietary restrictions, but the sticking to the diet is also about healing, not losing weight. You need to give you band time to heal in place.

Duplicate

Very helpful, shellyj! Had good regional info, most places don't. Thank you.

Yes, it's totally normal...at least based on my experience it is. But it will not last forever, and you probably won't starve in the interim. Do keep up on the protein, though. Without it, you'll start to feel less good. Sue

Here's a link to some relatively recent info on the immunizations. http://www.nlm.nih.gov/medlineplus/ency/article/002025.htm Please read and discuss....:cheeky Sue

Alexandra, because I've had really scary (mycoplasma) pneumonia and know what THAT kind of coughing can feel like, I'm thinking that the severe non-productive coughing spasms that sometimes accompany the flu can jeopardize the band and/or port placement. (If I'm wrong here, let me now so I can stop nagging.) Nothing is wrong with your logic, except maybe the following: I rant and rave until my healthy, young (28) daughter gets her immunization because she has a mother with COPD (asthma, bronchitis and emphysema) and an 80-year-old grandmother she visits. I think my daughter would feel awful if she got a "light case" of the flu that ended up being severe for me or my mom. For the same reason (love) I had to suffer through whatever illnesses I had while pregnant without medication, she can do her part by not exposing me to stuff I can't handle. Sue

GET ONE! If you have a band and do not get a flu shot, you are playing Russian Roulette with your band. Go get the shot. I get them; my 80-year-old mother gets them. Anyone who CAN get one and does not is needlessly exposing him/herself and his/her loved ones and neighbors and co-workers to a disease that actually causes many deaths each year. They could end up costing themselves a new surgery to repair band damages. GO! NOW! GET YOUR FLU SHOT! Thank you and have a nice day! Sue

Let us know how you're doing! Sue

Day 1--4...my tooth hurt, so my surgery felt like nothing. Day 2--3...had root canal Day 3--3...flew home I don't think I took three pain pills. I was tender but never in any real pain. Sue

Aha! Sue (And the arrogant little prince isn't MY doctor...although he messed with my fills to the point I had to go back to my doctor.)