leatha_g

Hiccups - your diaphragms answer to being 'full'. Hiccups, sudden runny nose, sudden bouts of coughing or sneezing, one single hiccups. All those are your diaphragm being agitated and saying WHOA, you're almost there. And if you go past THERE, lookout..

Inamed quotes 5-10 lbs per MONTH - AVERAGE. This mostly depends on your choices and the amount of exercise you get, so it will definitely vary. Average means not every single day, week or even month... but over the course of a year, the AVERAGE is 5-10lbs per month..

:Bunny :Bunny :Bunny I'm with you, Alexandra! Me too! 3 Christmases and I've only lost and never denied myself at all. Awesome!! I only lost 14 lbs last year. but isn't that better than putting it back on? Absolutely!! I have set a goal for myself this year. Only 20lbs, if I can hit, I'm still headed in the right direction. If I pass it, HOORAY!

I was having to buy 7's before my weight loss, now I'm back down to 6.5 or 6, which was my original size. I can also buy some regular widths, but I've always had what I call 'Flintstone' feet.. :confused: It helps. I've even been able to buy some 'girly' shoes for dresses, for once in my adult life. Amazing how bad my feet actually are, however, from carrying the weight. There are still minimal choices for the type of shoe I can actually wear for more than an hour.

Very good point, Lianna. We tend to want to eat the same foods we've always eaten. Which is exactly what got us here. Most of the literature says, NO bread, no rice, no pasta, no potatoes - both because they don't go through the band well, but also because they are the basic products that got us here in the first place. The band is only a tool, learning to make better food choices MOST of the time and beginning to exercise is really the key to the actual weight loss.

Soft food syndrome is NOT your friend. You NEED hard proteins in order to lose and allow the band to do it's job. If you are overfilled, you need to have an unfill, otherwise, you risk esophagitis, band slippage, pouch dilitation, etc..

My fluid retention/swelling problems virtually disappeared post band.. Hallelujah!

Attention new bandsters... and those of us oldies who tend to do it too...Just because you CAN does not mean you SHOULD.... pizza made us what we are today... right?

Well, just thought I'd send an update. I realize I haven't posted as much this past few months. Seems like there are lots of new folks with good answers, so us oldies get to rest. This past year saw that I have completed losing 60% of my original excess weight - according to Dr Veninga, yesterday. I think that's good, considering I've not been the model bandster and I never really set out to reach any particular goal except to just LIVE longer than it appeared I might when I started this journey. I'm proud of that much, although I wished I could get my head back in the place I need lose a bit more. Somebody pray for me.. I spent yesterday seeing my sister-in-law through her own lapband surgery. She had a bit more pain and nausea than I did with either of mine. I was scared for her and I was even more scared she might blame me if her experience became a bad one. She's home now and seems to be better. Pray for her.. While I was there, my doctor informed me that the barium swallow I did last week wasn't as good as I thought. He informed me (with her lying in bed recovering) that my esophagus appeared to be very swollen and far too tight. He said it appeared that my opening at the band was about the size of a pencil lead and very little food was able to get through, which meant it was sitting above the band for extended periods and of course, causing great agitation to the esophagus. He then announced that I needed to run over to his office and he would take all my fill out for a few weeks. I'm sure it was the right thing to do because by yesterday it had gotten to where I could barely swallow at all from pain in my throat. I had several times in the past few weeks attempted to dine out only to find that I could barely get a drink down,much less the food I ordered once it came. Very frustrating, but as I've said all along, this band has never given me abrupt signs like the last. I've only felt like my esophagus just wasn't pushing it through. I guess I was right after all. Anyway, he's unfilled it for now, but says the pouch above it is not enlarged and the band is in place. That is good news. Sounds like I just have hellacious esophagitis. Next week, I have an EGD scheduled for my own peace of mind. He laughs at me and assures me IF I had erosion, I would have NO restriction and I was OVERrestricted. I argued with him that that is not what I am hearing from other banded people and I just want to have a point of reference, so he says he'll be pleased to do an EGD for me if that's what I want. He feels it is not necessary, but joked he'd take the money if I wanted to give it to him. I dunno... what do ya'll think? Anyway... I'm now on a carafate regimen and unrestricted for awhile. I hope I can maintain. Hope everyone got just what they wanted for Christmas and has a wonderful New Year!

Dr Veninga is at Trinity Medical Center, Carrollton. He's under $15000 and a really down to earth good guy.

Hmm.... can we say they have had NO erosions or can we say they have not detected any at this point? All of the folks who've recently lost their bands or are about to, had perfectly fine barium swallows only to have the EGD days later and find a sort of 'silent' erosion. Currently, it's not a common practice to have EGD's on a regular basis. Rule of thumb seems to be ' if the barium swallow looks good, all is well'. I wonder...

Paula is near Lake Charles, she's more like 3-4 hrs away. I could use some 16-18's as well and I have some that I don't use that I'd be glad to share. I also have some brand new lady bendovers waist size 34, black in color (more like 14-16) that I need to sell. Think I paid about $30 each for them. I'll take $15 a pair to get them out of my house. Funny, Lane Bryant used to run huge, but these things run very slim.

My first band slipped about a year out. I had it removed and replaced on the same day. I had to have gallbladder surgery 6 weeks to the day after the 2nd surgery = 3 surgeries in less than 2 yrs. I now am having recurrent nighttime reflux again. Current barium swallow shows no big problems, EGD scheduled Jan 6 to check closer for erosion, esophageal problems. Am I glad I have my band?? You bet... Would I do it again? Yes... but only if my insurance took care of everything.

:eek: Such terrible news. I'm really sorry to hear this, Lisa. You'll be in my prayers. I had a barium swallow done on Wednesday, unofficially, the band is in place and there is no pouch dialation. My EGD is scheduled Jan 6th. I reckon that will tell the true story. God bless you.. God bless us all.

Currently, Cymbalta and Trazadone. Nortriptyline/Pamelor from 1988. Diagnosis, Dysthimic Disorder/Chronic Endogenous depression - chemical imbalance.

Sandy, That is a great perspective and I believe it wholeheartedly. However, I am sorry that you've fought the battle and still not won what you wanted. It may be that God has something else in mind for you at this time. Just as the band is, so is your fight for health a lifetime endeavor. Even without the useful tool of the band, you can implement the healthier choices in eating, exercise and Water intake. I know how hard it is, to change habits, but I assure you you CAN DO IT! Do things just like you would have had to do if banded. Learn to use dessert plates for your meals instead of dinner plates. Use cups instead of large glasses or instead of plates. Walk 5 minutes today, if you haven't been walking at all. Walk 10 next week. These are all things those of us who are banded had to do. Baby steps. CHANGE ONE THING!! No bread, no rice, no Pasta, no potatoes. It's all do-able, band or no band. I wish you better health and the continued blessings of God.

Did you research at all before you were banded? Feel free to browse all the great informational threads here. These topics and so much more are discussed over and over.. Good luck..

Yep.. up the protein for sure. You'll notice lots of difference.

Simple equation... If you want to weigh 180 - don't consume more than 1800 calories per day. If you want to maintain 230 - consume 2300 per day. Yes. It sucks... it sucks for me too.. cause this 180 I'm maintaining forces me to acknowledge - calories in.. yadda yadda...

Tell hubby it's like this... It's probably under $500 and about half hour for him to get a vasectomy in the doc's office, or it could be thousands upon thousands for a pregnancy and subsequent birth and cost of raising a child. If you're both not interested in that happening, then why take the chance? Just my 2 cents..

Welcome home, Penni! ((PENNI))

xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx

I'm gonna blame those margaritas if any more of us from the 2004 Vegas get together come up with this problem.. Seems like an EXTREMELY high percentage of that one small group.

The pics are showing in the INSIDE of the esophagus and stomach wall.. you're seeing the band actually protuding inside the stomach wall. Normally, there would only be stomach tissue there, but you're seeing the stomach actually growing OUTSIDE the band, sort of like a wire cutting into tree bark, if you will.

OH PENNI I am SO SO Sorry to hear this news. Please know my heart goes out to you and I will pray for your safe surgery and recovery this evening.. This is very disheartening news.. God bless you.. I have also scheduled a barium swallow and EGD.. sigh.