faithmd

SE Michigan, near Ann Arbor

Okay folks, time for a brief lesson about what NSAID's are: Nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (NSAIDs) have the following properties: analgesic (pain-killing) properties anti-inflammatory properties antipyretic (fever-reducing) properties There are three types of NSAIDs: salicylates (both acetylated, such as aspirin, and nonacetylated such as salsalate, choline magnesium trisalicylate and magnesium salicylate) Traditional NSAIDs which include: Ansaid (Flurbiprofen) Arthrotec (Diclofenac/Misoprostol) Cataflam (Diclofenac Potassium) Clinoril (Sulindac) Daypro (Oxaprozin) Dolobid (Diflunisal) Feldene (Piroxicam) Ibuprofen (Motrin, Advil) Indocin (Indomethacin) Ketoprofen (Orudis) Lodine (Etodolac) Meclomen (Meclofenamate) Mobic (Meloxicam) Nalfon (Fenoprofen) Naproxen (Naprosyn, Aleve) Ponstel (Mefanamic Acid) Relafen (Nabumetone) Tolectin (Tolmetin) Voltaren (Dicolfenac Sodium) COX-2 selective inhibitors which include: Celebrex (Celecoxib) Vioxx (Rofecoxib)(No longer on market as of September 2004) Bextra (Valdecoxib)(No longer on market as of April 2005) There are also other COX-2 Inhibitors being developed, including: Prexige (Lumiracoxib) Arcoxia (Etoricoxib) The Enzyme Cyclooxygenase Further research of the enzyme cyclooxygenase, also known as COX, has revealed that there are two forms, known as COX-1 and COX-2. NSAIDs affect both forms of cyclooxygenase. COX-1 is involved in maintaining healthy tissue, while COX-2 is involved in the inflammation pathway. COX-2 selective inhibitors became the newest subset of NSAIDs born of this research. Other Facts About NSAIDs Pain and inflammation sometimes occur in a circadian rhythm (daily rhythmic cycle based on a 24 hour interval). Therefore NSAIDs may be more effective at certain times. NSAIDs can be divided into two groups: those with plasma (blood) half-lives less than 6 hours (i.e. aspirin, diclofenac, ibuprofen) and those with half-lives greater than 10 hours (i.e. diflunisal, piroxicam, and sulindac). Since it takes three to five half-lives to stabilize blood levels, NSAIDs with longer half-lives require a loading dose to be given (large dose given initially). The "half-life" is the time it takes a drug to go down to half of its initial level. Prostaglandins, which are inhibited by NSAIDs, function in the body to protect the stomach lining, promote clotting of the blood, regulate salt and Fluid balance, and maintain blood flow to the kidneys when kidney function is reduced. By decreasing prostaglandins, NSAIDs can cause stomach irritation, bleeding, fluid retention, and decreased kidney function. Hope this helps!

Deanna, it's AWESOME when it's done. I would not suggest you do it to him if you've not waxed anyone, though. There are plenty of professional waxers that do it, it seems to range from $80-$120 or so in my area.

Thank you so much for posting and being such a wonderful inspiration! You both look absolutely wonderful and have achieved a fantastic goal together, you should be very very proud. Thank you again!

EVA, your doc is incorrect. The AP band was released in the US during the ASBS convention earlier this month (June 11-17th to be exact). At the ASBS the docs could get trained in the differences in placing the AP. I have also heard the ports are the same, regular or the low-profile mini port. From what I understand, the other poster is correct that the port size really doesn't matter that much, the doc (or at least mine did) will choose the band size and the port size while in there. Both are based on what your body looks like inside. Thickness of abdominal wall for the port, thickness of stomach walls for the band. The other consideration for the port has to do with amount of abdominal wall fat for fills, you gotta have a port you can find. Though I believe most docs in general go with the low-profile mini port if they can. If your doc is going to order the AP, have him, not you, but him call Don Mills at Inamed or have him talk to his band rep and set up a proctor to be there for the first AP he places. I say this because it doesn't sound like your doc attended ASBS and thus didn't get to take the AP class. There are differences in placement, which possibly could be simply explained to him over the phone, depending on his comfort level, how many bands he's done, how many VG bands he's done, etc. When I was trying to get an early release of the AP Don Mills did suggest that my surgeon order a minimum of 4 bands, 2 small and 2 large. They won't know until they open you if you need small or large, and then if something happens to the first one they try to place (drop it or rip it), they'll have a back up. Don also told me the instruments (trocar) used to thread the AP must be much larger than the ones used currently. There are some distinct differences in placement so it is important for the docs to get training either by reading or talking to someone or by a proctor.

Mitch, ! Pamela, hubba hubba! And you have a gorgeous smile!!!! I guess I just noticed that you live in PS, or maybe it just hit me...our very very dear friends Tim and Andy live there and own a fantastic B and B on East Ramon (333bnb.com). We love PS and hope to come again this fall. I'll have to post a Halloween pic from a couple years ago when we were in town. We all dressed as various characters from the Flintstones.

hello Gaut, WELCOME to LBT! Move down to the bottom of this page and you'll see that some other threads like yours have come up as Similar Threads. Check them out, there's loads of good info here. There are quite a few bandsters who have had babies banded. My surgeon dosen't want you to get pregnant for two years, but that's not to say that it doesn't happen, I'm sure. Some docs do a complete unfill, some unfill a little, some just see how it goes. All depends on your surgeon.

Yep, there's a few threads around here about this, I think. From what I recall, many folks have lost at least width and in quite a few cases, a shoe size. I am looking forward to it myself (being an 11W)

petag21, I know this won't help you over the weekend, but on Monday morning, I want you to go and get your insurance card, then go to your telephone and call your insurance company. Tell them you want to have adjustable gastric banding done and ask if they have a special procedures case manager who takes care of the bariatric cases that you can speak with. If not, then speak to whoever can help you figure out if they cover it and if so, what the requirements are. Have a pen and a pad of paper handy, write down the name of every person you speak to and note the date and time. Make notes of what they say. Most big companies have case managers that deal exclusively with special procedures like this. If not, then with the codes below, you should be able to get somewhere with the rep you talk to. The codes to ask if they are covered are: laparoscopic surgical adjustable band:Procedure code 43770; diagnosis code 278.01 Once you have found out from them if they cover it and what the requirements are, ask them to snail mail (and email if they can) you a copy of those requirements.<!-- google_ad_section_end --><!-- / message --><!-- sig -->

Pssst, there is children's liquid ibuprofen. It works great. Most bottles are the 5ml=100mg (but always check the label), so take the amount into account if you need a lot of Motrin (in that label's case 800mg of Motrin-the usual adult prescription dose-would equal 40ml or almost three tablespoons). Aleve, YOUCH!<!-- google_ad_section_end --><!-- / message --><!-- sig -->

I am glad to hear you are alright! So did you at least get the moose meat? What kind of car was that? Looks like it did a pretty good job of absorbing the impact.

BTW, I don't know more about your situation than what you have just posted, but based solely on that alone, I just wanted to say that some doctors elect to put the port on the right side. Your doc may very well be a quack, and I realize you are upset, but if your comment *is* based only on his port placement, I'd hesitate to call him that. The band itself has undergone some refinements in design in since 2003, the new AP band does address some of the issues with port problems and band replacement versus the need for just port replacement. In 2003 in the US the band was barely two years old and since then docs have also perfeted surgical technique, like more often than not choosing to place the port on the left side. Port placement is MD's choice, no real benefit to the band from what I understand (anyone please correct me if I am wrong) from placing it on the left, or the right, or the middle. The tubing that comes with it is trimmed to the length that is needed. The reason I recall being told that most docs started placing it on the left was so later on if the patient were to need studies or abdominal surgery of some sort, the port and tubing would not be in the way. I hope this helps a bit.

Okay, another person *just* wrote about a port flip, how weird is that? Small world! Here's a list of links for you to other threads about this on LBT: Flipped port? My port is flipped already!! Port tipped/flipped- questions Flipped Port Please help w making decision/flipped port My port flipped If she gets rebanded, try to make sure she gets the new AP band, it is supposedly easier to buckle and unbuckle and replace the port. I think one of the new design features (just came out in the US to the general public about 10 days ago) is that it is easier to replace just the port and the tubing without having to replace the whole band. Best of luck! <!-- google_ad_section_start(weight=ignore) -->

I forgot to add congrats on your wonderful loss so far! That is quite an accomplishment.

:welcomeB: Welcome to LBT, I'm sorry you've already experienced one of the possible complications of this band. That's really too bad. You are not alone, though. Take a while, look around here, the search function is great for finding information. I clicked on it, then Advanced Ssearch, then looked in Thread Titles Only for flipped and here's just a few of the results. I do hope this helps you, it must be a frustrating and somewhat scary time right now. Take care and keep us updated, will ya? http://www.lapbandtalk.com/f78/flipped-port-32250/ http://www.lapbandtalk.com/f78/my-port-flipped-already-34151/ http://www.lapbandtalk.com/f78/port-tipped-flipped-questions-28310/ http://www.lapbandtalk.com/f78/flipped-port-26480/ http://www.lapbandtalk.com/f78/please-help-w-making-decision-flipped-port-25406/ http://www.lapbandtalk.com/f13/my-port-flipped-20560/

:Banane16:Now a guy might *think* it's a gallon, but I would never tell him it wasn't :eek:

I've laid down while drinking (propped on pillows) and haven't had a problem. Average ejaculation is usually only about 5-15 ml (one teaspoon to a tablespoon), so it's lot like you're drinking a gallon and laying down.

By the time you get filled (4 or 6 weeks out) you should be fine doing the "crunch" if that's what your doc does.

Yep, what bubble said. I was cleared to go on to full liquids yesterday and I still don't want to do it. I don't want to take any chances and I'm only a week out. I know that following your MD's advice is what we should be doing, but I figure being MORE cautious isn't such a bad thing. Time for tough love (I'm givng it to myself, too): Waaaaa, you want to chew, you just can't stand it?!?!?! Get OVER IT! I wrote something like this in another thread: If you were pregnant or if a man and your wife were pregnant and the doctor said you had to be on a liquid diet (or a man, something you couldn't do around mom) because it could cause damage to the baby, you'd have NO problem staying on that liquid diet, would you? You'd be on that liquid diet PAST the date the doc told you to just to be on the safe side, wouldn't you? Why won't we protect OUR OWN health with just as much vigor?

I'm not looking forward to my first one...I did chew my Viactiv Calcium chew and swallowed it whole today and felt some serious pressure in my chest. I immediately got up and walked and stretched and burped, then I heated some Water and very gingerly sipped it, it went down okay, so I guess the Viactiv wasn't stuck, but it did remind me that I can't just swallow whole anymore! I also am gleaning a lot of tips for the future from these threads. If stuck, DO NOT try to drink to wash it down. I'm getting that... I did already buy some papaya enzyme pills, some small cans of pineapple juice (okay, the only thing I'd drink, I mean) and I have meat tenderizer in the cabinet. I figure the more things I have in my arsenal, maybe it will help me ward off the evil stuck/pb/slime spirits. Well, at least that's what I keep hoping!<!-- google_ad_section_end --><!-- / message --><!-- sig -->

Yep, love it. We've talked about it here on LBT several times before, but it's always good to have a reminder about it. Depends on the layout of the market where you find it. I've found it in the juice aisle, the Water aisle, with the kool-aid/Crystal light, with the coffee/tea, I've also found it in the baking/sugar aisle. The True Orange is the hardest to find. I have found it (these are regional, I know) at Kroger's and at Hiller's. I have found the True Orange Plus (14 packets, each has 100% RDA of Vitamin C) for $3.99 a box at Target. Most places I have purchased the True Lemon and True Lime and True Orange (40 packets in a box for $2.99, 25% RDA Vitamin C-MUCH cheaper than that "Plus" crap) also have the shaker of True Lemon as well (~$3.49)-I know Meijer's carries the shaker. You can also order it from this website, though it is loads more expensive in smaller quantities: True Lemon® I LOVE it because it has NO sweeteners in it at all, and I don't care for any artificial sweeteners. I try to avoid them as much as possible. It really and truly does taste like you squeezed a slice of lemon, lime or orange in your water, etc... I add the lemon or the orange to my vanilla shakes for a yummy alternative.

Thanks Heather!!!

Think about all the pain we go through, eyebrow plucking or waxing, high heels, thongs, perms, shave burns, nylons, garters,etc...(not to mention child birth). A few minutes every couple of months of having hot wax spread on their balls and having the hair yanked out by the roots seems somewhat appropriate...:heh::heh::heh: :whoo: No, seriously, DH says after the first time it really wasn't so bad. The wax is very warm, that opens the follicles a bit and the yank is really fast, then you immediately apply pressure to the area and it sort of calms the pain quickly.

Taint is an old Beavis and Butthead term. Tain't your crotch and tain't your ass... :eek:

I also hate the "floss" effect and the feeling of having a hair ball in your throat you get when fellating a man if they have hair, ewwwww.