Corrigan

There are a number of people on this forum that spend most of their time helping others overcome difficulties and uncertainty. Every once in a while, and sometimes unknown to you, you've touched someone's life in a very positive way with your efforts. Most of us, waiting for WLS, are filled with apprehenson, probably much as you were and speaking for myself, I'd just like to thank each of you.

I've got a big, red, semi-commercial popcorn machine that sits right next to my beer tapper, and I'm supposed to give that up? It makes the best, theater-like popcorn, and along with homemade beer, really adds to a football game. It'll really going to test my willpower to have a bunch of guys over for the Bears game and not have a beer an some popcorn. I suppose if I really want to lose the weight, it'll all have to go. Talk about lifestyle changes.

After 10 years of being told I wouldn't qualify, a new doctor decided the Lapband would be a good thing! I don't think my weight is too much of a problem, but diabetes and sleep apnea are, so on Sept. 12, I'll be joining all you banders. Cedars-Siani took less than two months from first interview to the procedure. That includes seven visits to see all sorts of specialists and about two thousand miles of travel. I've already lost 12 pounds in anticipation. I've made up my mind, after all the time and effort all these folks have put in, no way in hell I'm not going to finish this program. Best of luck to all the rest of you. It's going to an exciting journey!

I have exactly the same thing. It's almost like a grain of sand got in between my ankle bones. Someone suggested gout, but I surely hope not. If you find out what it is, please post it.

That's supposing,--------------------Never mind.

Thanks, that eases my mind a bit.Maybe I'll will it to my grandkids, yuk :>)

Thanks Cindy, I was just wondering if they might deteriate with age.

While I’m sitting here waiting to go, I was wondering what happens to the lapband when you have reached your weight goal. Does it just sit there and help you maintain, will it cause problems later in life? I’m sure it varies for each person, but I’d like to hear from someone who has had the experience.

DW just brought some Quinoa (pronunced Ke' nwa, according to Google), and my reaction was "I'm not going to eat that, It looks like bird seed.", But I just put a cup of it in the rice cooker with 2 cups of Water, a teaspoon of crushed garlic and a teaspoon of dried onion and it's good. I haven't been banded yet (next week), and I'm trying to find stuff to eat. This forum is a wealth of ideas. I particularly like the meatball and sauce blended with an immersion blender. If you are getting ready for th mushy stage, a good immersion blender is perfect, mixes protein powder into an ,almost, milkshake.

Thanks Dave, I thought as much. I was really just thinking out loud. You're just a year ahead of me and down that much! I hope to have as much success as you've had.

How relevant is Lapband surgery information from 2004 in 2011? Haven't great advances been made in the past few years? I ask this as a patient about to undergo Lapband surgery in a week or two. I've been reading these forums for a while an just wonder how much info and advice is and is not still correct.

Hi Everyone, I've seem a few queries about what's good to eat after surgery. Google has a wealth of ideas, just search for Lapband (or whatever) recipies. I was on Amazon yesterday and found a number of cookbooks that deal with WLS. I bought a used, good condition book for $4.00. Someone on one of the forums, said they put a meatball in a container with a little spagetti sauce and used an immersion blender to mix to the consistency they wanted. It really sounded great. The immersion blender is probably one of the best investments you can make. Its perfect for blending Protein shakes and will mix a little tuna with a little onion to any consistency you can tollerate. I'm not really a cook, but I do have a lot of experience eating and I refuse to give up good taste just because I need to loose weight. I get my Lapband next week and plan to, finally, attack this problem with all energy i can muster. Best of luck to everyone.

The main point I was trying to make is that any alcohol beverage will affect Lapbanders much faster than they're used to. I understand the article quoted was directed at people with bypass surgery, but a lot of what was said also applies to Lapbanders. Reading through the various forums, many posts say that the poster was surprised by just how quickly alcohol affected them after Lapband surgery. I'm obviously not against drinking (in moderation), but just be careful.

Just a moment. The article I referred to was concerning bypass surgery, but when you think about it, Lapbanders have a pouch much like an egg with holes in each end. That allows alcohol to go (with the help of gravity) straight to the empty stomach that most lapbanders, in their high weight loss period, have. I'm not a spoil sport and like a beer as well as anyone (I was a beer maker for 30 years), but I was also a California Highway Patrolman for 20 years and know what a DWI can do to a family. Now I don't have empirical evidence for all this, I still have two weeks to wait, but I can't imagine this is incorrect. If any medical professionals happen to read this I'd certainly appreciate their input. I only posted this so hopefully no one gets surprised. In making alcoholic beverages most sugars are converted to alcohol. Any sugar in drinks are from mixes.

We've been talking a lot about beer and beer making lately and it's all been in good fun. I'm not banded yet, but will be soon and In reading, I've found some information we all should be aware of. I'm no crusader and like a beer as well as the next guy (or girl), but i feel this is serious. I hope I don't get in trouble with the Admins., but here is the Link:http://www.thinnertimesforum.com/topic/26136-alcohol/ If you think you might like a drink after surgery, Please read this. (Cut and paste from http to alcohol/) it's the fourth article down.

Just wanted to say hi, My wonderful new daughter-in-law is a teacher in and lives in Rancho Cucamonga. I'm still waiting for Aug 29, so I wouldn't have any advice or help yet. Best of luck to you and remember that thousands of people have been through this and had marvelous results.

Alan, If you've ever tried to drink an old beer (Like from last night's party), you'll know why beer has to have carbonation. Carbon dioxide gives beer it's distinctive taste. Without it it's pretty awful. We work hard to get enough CO2 in beer. If you want to drink alcohol, they make very good wines these days;^). I'm selling all my beer stuff and DW thinks she's going to move her sewing stuff in my brewery. I'm in ham radio and I think it might become a radio room. Today we bought some Quinoa and sugarless stuff. I'm getting ready for my year in hell. I can lose weight readily, keeping it off is the problem. If you guys ever really want to learn beermaking, let me know. I have all the information you can use.

I've been making beer since 1985. Probably 400 5gal batches. Since making this Lapband decision, DW has been eyeing my brewery for a sewing room. I guess thats the way it goes. SWMBO and I spent 10 years in Europe and learned to love European bread. Plain German Sourdough rye is beyond me. I've tried with commercial and homemade starter, but It's never quite right.I even bought german rye flour, but no luck. There are a lot of things that are going to have to change in the next few months and I guess I'll just have to get used to it because if I'm going through all this crap, there's just no way in hell I'm going to fail

A close friend of mine, an attorney, rather sedentary, had the Lapband procedure done about 5 months ago and has lost over 60lbs. He's just a couple years younger than me, and that is really what gave me the push to start this project. I was told, a number of years ago that there was no point in anyone over 65 trying the Lapband, but apparently that thinking has changed. Best of luck to everyone.

If I can lose 60-80 lbs over the next few years, it'll all be worth it. Thanks

Thanks XLStan, To top it off, I'm a Beer maker and a bread baker and to give them up will take a Hercluean effort. That's been my life until now. It's going to be a major hurdle, but if you can do it , so can I. Best of luck to us.

I'm just beginning this program, evaluation is on the 10th and operation should be two weeks after. After five years of wondering, I,m finally going to do it. Weight is easy for me to take off, but keeping it off seems impossible. Like many here, I'm trying to get rid of Diabetes, Sleep Apnia and a bunch of fat guy problems. At 74, I need more ambition and energy and the DRs. seem to think this will help so here I go!