Corrigan

Why stop there? You could do your own lap band. Just think of the money you'd save!

Like Jachut said, after we're on solid foods, we need a balanced diet. Low carbs are fine, but no
carbs are not. As a recovering diabetic, I'm quite consious of blood sugar and the Pre and post
op diets seem to cause frequent low blood sugar levels. I have an appointment Tuesday and I'm
going to find out.
I did find out! My dr. said there is a very great possibility that people
on liquid diets, who become shaky, sweaty and dizzy are very
possibly suffering from hypoglycemia (low blood sugar) and should
find a source of glucose, table sugar, or even a piece of bread.< /span>
Any thing with sugar will help releve the symptoms.

I'm willing to give up many things to make a success of this Lap band, however my morning coffee isn't one of them. I usually only
drink two 6 oz cups, but I really need them to get started. On the other hand, I only need 52 additional ounces to make up my 64.

I'd like to know how you made out. I'm a week out and my experience couldn't have been better. My doctor was Dr Burch with whom I had a great repore. The room
was like a large motel room with a couch, large table and four stuffed chairs. The view was of the LA skyline with the ocean in the background. DW spent the night
in a large cot they brought in. I had no pain except for a little site pain where my cuts were. I wasn't able to sleep so at two-thirty am I walked up and down the hall,
about a mile (did I mention this place is huge!), When we left, it was all hugs and kisses, I have never had this pleasant an experience in a hospital in my life.
For anyone contemplating WLS in the LA area, I can't recommend Cedars-Sinai ( a ACS Center of Excellence) highly enough.

You're not doing anything immoral or dishonest, so what if anyone knows you are trying to improve your health. This is really not anyone else's business, and you need to relax and just think what
you'll look like when you reach your goal weight, then let them talk.

You're not doing anything immoral or dishonest, so what if anyone knows you are trying to improve your health. This is really not anyone else's business, and you need to relax and just think what
you'll look like when you reach your goal weight, then let them talk.

The surgery you're so concerned about is the very easiest part of the whole trip. You show up and they
do the rest. I can't tell you how your recovery will be, mine was uneventful, no pain, very easy.
If you can get things on line, you can get everything you need. Amazon has every thing you'll
want. costco also sells Protein powder on line. You're making this much more difficult than it has
to be. Probably the most important part of the whole thing is a good surgeon and good pre and post
op education and support. As far as medical support, the band is the simplest and safest form
of WLS, I can't imagine you are anywhere that any unlikely problems you might encounter can't
be taken care of. With that I wish you a successful journey.

An interesting phenomenon, In this hemisphere the liquid in your pouch goes down clockwise,
and in Australia, it goes counterclockwise (anticlockwise).

You're going to a Center of Excellence so you shouldn't have any problems
at all with your surgery, in fact, being self pay, you should be able to go home the same day (bring a driver), and be back to work in 3-4 days. I don't see why anyone
needs to know anything you don't really want them to know. This is strictly your
affair and if you need to say anything, say your health requires you to loose a
little weight, and that's what you're doing.
Don't forget your slippers and PJs, I hope you do well.

Wikipedia has a very good review of bands and their history. I'm sure some of the
lessor foreign clinics use bands that most good American clinics wouldn't use,
but their are a couple Mexican clinics that seem to have good results.
I wouldn't go to any other than a Center of Excellence in the US, but that's just
me. I hate to think of anyone with less than the very latest training digging
around my innards.
If one of my family asked me , I'd tell them to do as much research , from reliable
sources, as they can, find out as much as possible (don't be afraid to ask), about
your surgeon and his experience and affiliations.
Any WLS you're having will probably be with you the rest of your life so it seems
prudent to get the very best surgery you can. Think of the discomfort just an
ulcer can cause and you can imagine the pain an improperly installed band could
cause. There's a world of experience on this forum that you can take advantage
of, many other forums, some positive, some negative, but you need to weigh both
sides. Whatever you choose, make it an informed decision and good luck.

I was diabetic with sleep apnea and overloaded knees that were going to need replacement if
I didn't take some weight off them. My doctor finally put it in words I could understand. He said
"You're going to die if you don't do something soon." I wasn't suicidal so I decided to lose some
weight. I'd lost up to 80 lbs a number of times, but seemed to put it right back on. WLS didn't
seem very manly, but then neither did dying, so here I am 50 lbs lighter and wishing I'd done
it many years ago. Everyone needs to make their own decision about this in light of their own
situation, in mine, I really wanted to see my grandchildren grow up, they're just too much fun
for me not to be here for them. I went to the hospital my PCP recommended, which was a
Center of Excellence in Beverly Hills, a horrible drive, but worth every shattered nerve. My
surgeon and the hospital were so good I never the least pain except for my incisions.
To this day, as I sit here with the shirt that didn't fit two months ago,I haven't had the slightest
reason to regret it. When guys ask "Why in the world did you do that?"
I say "Pick up a hundred pound sack and carry it around all day and
You'll see".

You;ll have to get a handle on this or there won't be much point in getting the band. After being banded you;ll have to excercize a lot of self restraint in your eating habits. The band helps, but most of it will be up to you. You;ll probably
experience some "what have I done?" and a week or two of depression that you;ll have to get through, all the while
trying to loose weight. I could tell you not to worry and it;ll be all roses and bubble gum, but the reality of it is that this
will be hard work and your weight loss will be up to you. 1000 calories isn't very much, but in the right frame of mind,
many, many people get by on it.
Right now, put down those potato chips and Coke and make up your mind that you;re going to lose weight beginning
today, and do it. Grit your teeth and best of luck.

You;ll have to get a handle on this or there won't be much point in getting the band. After being banded you;ll have to excercize a lot of self restraint in your eating habits. The band helps, but most of it will be up to you. You;ll probably
experience some "what have I done?" and a week or two of depression that you;ll have to get through, all the while
trying to loose weight. I could tell you not to worry and it;ll be all roses and bubble gum, but the reality of it is that this
will be hard work and your weight loss will be up to you. 1000 calories isn't very much, but in the right frame of mind,
many, many people get by on it.
Right now, put down those potato chips and Coke and make up your mind that you;re going to lose weight beginning
today, and do it. Grit your teeth and best of luck.

If you've chosen a good surgeon and hospital, this will be a very easy surgery for you. Recovery is difficult for
some, but I had an easy time of it, as do most people. Be sure not to forget your slippers and PJs.
Weight loss is a personal journey, a little different for most of us, with lags and losses. A group of doctors and
scientists wrote a report a bit critical of WLS, but they said the one thing successful weight loss patients had in
common was education and dedication.

I spent the better part of 40 years losing weight. I didn't have much trouble losing, but the same problems that caused
the weight gain in the first place kept putting it back on. Finally my new doctor said my weight was causing serious
health problems (diabetes, sleep apnea.etc.) and I was going to have to lose weight and keep it off. He suggested
a Center of Excellence and band surgery, that was in September. I've lost about 60 lbs and still going. I haven't had
this much energy in 30 years, I've rebuilt our kitchen, family room, planted a new lawn (1/2 acre) and no end in sight.
These are things I've put off for years because I just didn't feel like it.
If you can find the dedication to restrict your diet (with the help of the band) for a year, you can lose up to 100 lbs.
This takes work on your part, the band makes it easier, but it will still take a lot of effort. Where will you be next
year if you don't do it?
Find a good program, educate yourself on lapband surgery, and if you do your part, you'll loose as much weight
as you want and feel better than you have in years. I hope you find everything you're looking for.

Some people will tell you no, but I can't see how an occasional glass of wine will do a bit of harm as long as we
use our common sense.

My port site was tender to touch for about 6 weeks, It is even with the surface of my skin, about the size of a quarter,
and if it moved, I could easily tell. I you have some reason to think it has moved, you could see your doctor's office
or wait until your next fill. The way ports are attached today, it's rare for them to shift position. I hope your's is OK.

If you've eaten something too large to pass through your stoma, it will probably have to be removed manually.
You should contact your surgeon and get some real medical advice. In the meantime, a visit to your local ER
would probably be in order. Some folks recommend meat tenderizer, but I don't know if I'd wait. Best of luck to
you, and let us know how you make out.

1300 - 1500 calories is still a lot for weight loss. Whether they are good or bad calories doesn't make any difference they are still calories. The old recommendations for weight loss used to be 1000 cal per day. I would suggest you cut your calories and see what happens.

Try a hot pack on your shoulder, it seems to help most folks. Some people seem to get some relief from 'windmilling'
their arms (when no one is looking). I hope this helps and your pain eases. The most helpful thing will just be time.

I think from this thread and many others on this site, that there are, clearly many people who should never been 'sold' the
band. It takes a lot of self sacrifice and hard work and those not willing to change their life styles will never be
successful with it, although any form of WLS can be defeated, the band takes more work. There are those who will
install the band on anyone, no matter whether appropriate or not. I feel sorry for those who expect the band to take
weight off with no contribution on their part, those whose medical providers furnished them with inadequate counselling
and education.
I'm very pro band. It's controlled my diabetes, high blood pressure, sleep apnea, and Lord knows what else, and I
wish those, for whom the band hasn't worked, could, somehow find that success.

I think from this thread and many others on this site, that there are, clearly many people who should never been 'sold' the
band. It takes a lot of self sacrifice and hard work and those not willing to change their life styles will never be
successful with it, although any form of WLS can be defeated, the band takes more work. There are those who will
install the band on anyone, no matter whether appropriate or not. I feel sorry for those who expect the band to take
weight off with no contribution on their part, those whose medical providers furnished them with inadequate counselling
and education.
I'm very pro band. It's controlled my diabetes, high blood pressure, sleep apnea, and Lord knows what else, and I
wish those, for whom the band hasn't worked, could, somehow find that success.

We're all in the same boat. MERRY CHRISTMAS! food isn't the only good
thing about Christmas. What about your family and friends? We're going to our kids place for a change and at dinner, I'll eat some salad and veggies,
taste a little roast beef and enjoy their company.
A little holiday depression is normal even without the band, You don't
have anything that we all didn't have, some depression is normal with
this surgery and almost everyone has asked 'What have I done?'.
It will pass. At three months out, I'm back to normal and except for
eating less, I'm no different than I was. Just take a deep breath and
think what it'll be like when you have your schoolgirl figure back.
Remember that the band, by itself, won't make you lose anything,
what it will do is make it easier for you to lose on a smaller, balanced
diet.

One thing most of us fail to realize when we get the band, is that if we're going to be successful with our weight loss, we have to have a completely different mind set. food can no longer be the center of our universe. I don't know what to replace it (food) with, I'm remodeling our kitchen. It's kept me busy for the past three months and I've lost about 60 lbs. I'll have to have another project when I'm finished, but it can't be food. I went to a Center of Excellence for my surgery and it's become the standard of 'how things should be done' in my mind. When I see people complain about poor care or post op instruction, I can't help thinking that maybe more time should be spent on patient education and screening and less time on how large the bank account is getting. I probably shouldn't get started on how poor I think the quality of care is getting. It does bother me though, when folks come here asking the very most basic questions about their diet and aftercare, not having been given even the most basic post op instructions. Maybe less time is needed on profit and loss and more time on patients well being. Excuse my rant.

One thing most of us fail to realize when we get the band, is that if we're going to be successful with our weight loss, we have to have a completely different mind set. food can no longer be the center of our universe. I don't know what to replace it (food) with, I'm remodeling our kitchen. It's kept me busy for the past three months and I've lost about 60 lbs. I'll have to have another project when I'm finished, but it can't be food. I went to a Center of Excellence for my surgery and it's become the standard of 'how things should be done' in my mind. When I see people complain about poor care or post op instruction, I can't help thinking that maybe more time should be spent on patient education and screening and less time on how large the bank account is getting. I probably shouldn't get started on how poor I think the quality of care is getting. It does bother me though, when folks come here asking the very most basic questions about their diet and aftercare, not having been given even the most basic post op instructions. Maybe less time is needed on profit and loss and more time on patients well being. Excuse my rant.