bev712

I'll keep this short because my laptop died and this is from my Kindle. I think this discussion is a waste of time and that the original post was highly inappropriate. This is a SUPPORT GROUP for people who are already banded or who are seriously considering lap band surgery. It is not for just anyone to post whatever they think about the band including incorrect and unscientific information. I hope the original poster will please refrain from further replies. The depth of emotion that you evoked tells me your negative posts are not welcome here.

I'll keep this short because my laptop died and this is from my Kindle. I think this discussion is a waste of time and that the original post was highly inappropriate. This is a SUPPORT GROUP for people who are already banded or who are seriously considering lap band surgery. It is not for just anyone to post whatever they think about the band including incorrect and unscientific information. I hope the original poster will please refrain from further replies. The depth of emotion that you evoked tells me your negative posts are not welcome here.

I'll keep this short because my laptop died and this is from my Kindle. I think this discussion is a waste of time and that the original post was highly inappropriate. This is a SUPPORT GROUP for people who are already banded or who are seriously considering lap band surgery. It is not for just anyone to post whatever they think about the band including incorrect and unscientific information. I hope the original poster will please refrain from further replies. The depth of emotion that you evoked tells me your negative posts are not welcome here.

I'll keep this short because my laptop died and this is from my Kindle. I think this discussion is a waste of time and that the original post was highly inappropriate. This is a SUPPORT GROUP for people who are already banded or who are seriously considering lap band surgery. It is not for just anyone to post whatever they think about the band including incorrect and unscientific information. I hope the original poster will please refrain from further replies. The depth of emotion that you evoked tells me your negative posts are not welcome here.

What's the matter with you people who vomit and vomit and think nothing of it???? Don't you know it can irritate your esophagus to the point of pre-cancerous cell changes called Barrett's esophagitis? Do you want to lose all this weight and then die young from cancer of the esophagus? Don't you read ANYTHING??? For Pete's sake, go to your surgeon and get unfilled enough so that you can eat and keep it down. Honestly, I find it hard to believe that some of you are so un-informed that you risk your health daily. Get with the program, people! You had this surgery to improve your health and yet you are risking your life.

What's the matter with you people who vomit and vomit and think nothing of it???? Don't you know it can irritate your esophagus to the point of pre-cancerous cell changes called Barrett's esophagitis? Do you want to lose all this weight and then die young from cancer of the esophagus? Don't you read ANYTHING??? For Pete's sake, go to your surgeon and get unfilled enough so that you can eat and keep it down. Honestly, I find it hard to believe that some of you are so un-informed that you risk your health daily. Get with the program, people! You had this surgery to improve your health and yet you are risking your life.

I also disagree that this is normal. It sounds to me that you're very depressed and need professional help. If your doctor has a psychologist on staff, call for an appointment. If not, call the office for a referral to a psychologist who understands baratric surgery patients. Do it now, before you feel worse.

Here's some motivation: I am 5'2" and weighed 208 before surgery. Only two months later I've lost 24 pounds and my Type II diabetes if GONE. Do it.

I also disagree that this is normal. It sounds to me that you're very depressed and need professional help. If your doctor has a psychologist on staff, call for an appointment. If not, call the office for a referral to a psychologist who understands baratric surgery patients. Do it now, before you feel worse.

It's highly unlikely that you've stretched your pouch. It's most likely that you simply have no restriction. Everyone's different. I've had one fill of 5 cc in a 14 cc band and am already in the green zone. My guy has had one fill of 4 cc and has some restriction but definitely can - and does - eat far too much. He obviously needs another fill, and you probably do, too. For now, try to do portion control until you can get another fill. You only need to wait a month between fills, and if your next appointment is further away than that, call for a sooner appointment.

And my doctor doesn't require any kind of diet, either liquids or even reduced intake, before surgery because he discovered that no one does it. My post-surgery is also the same as Otters'.

What's the matter with you people who vomit and vomit and think nothing of it???? Don't you know it can irritate your esophagus to the point of pre-cancerous cell changes called Barrett's esophagitis? Do you want to lose all this weight and then die young from cancer of the esophagus? Don't you read ANYTHING??? For Pete's sake, go to your surgeon and get unfilled enough so that you can eat and keep it down. Honestly, I find it hard to believe that some of you are so un-informed that you risk your health daily. Get with the program, people! You had this surgery to improve your health and yet you are risking your life.

Call your surgeon TOMORROW and GET IN THERE! No matter what's going on, you should NEVER go more than a day without being able to drink something. So big deal if he takes out a little fluid - he can put it back in. Don't damage your body! Go the the EMERGENCY ROOM if he isn't available tomorrow. GET MOVING!!!

You have to talk to your surgeon about why he won't give you more volume in your fills. I had my first fill Monday, and he put 5 cc - to get 4cc into a 14 cc band. I doubt that any of your saline is getting in, let alone staying, in the band. There is always saline that stays in the line from the port and then leaks out, so with 1 cc at a time you're getting NOTHING and probably HAVE nothing. This is a mistake by your surgeon, and you have to discuss this with him ASAP.

I'm told that with the bypass you lose more weight more quickly than with the band, but after three years the total weight loss is about the same. Many doctors recommend the bypass when they feel that the excess weight is currently endangering the patient's health - severe breathing problems or intractable high blood pressure, for example. Otherwise, it's up to you, as long as the bypass is done laparoscopically. The open surgery method is too dangerous, and I don't know if any surgeons are actually doing it anymore.

It sounds to me like you and your sister aren't close at all, if you think she'd be comfortable going to a public gym and don't know why she can't self pay. Maybe distance works best for you two.

The soup is a liquid. The crackers, veggies and noodles are not. Try clear liquids for a day.

I think you'll have to sit down with her and talk about it. You can tell her first all the positive things you've been experiencing, and then contrast that with how you feel after she says negative things to you. Don't attack her - she'll just get defensive. She's probably feeling very insecure right now and may even think she'll lose your friendship if you get so much thinner than she is. Stick to how you feel. It seems she doesn't understand how her words are affecting you.

This is not about me, it's about a close friend of mine who is a true addict. She used to be addicted to pills, wine and food, but she quit the pills and wine years ago and is now a true food addict. She's 63, weighs between 250 and 275, and is in a lot of pain. She knows she's addicted and is on medication, but it doesn't stop her from buying Cookies on sale and eating them all, etc. She's been on all the usual diets and has also been to AA and OA. Her former psychologist told her that because she's an addict she's not a good candidate for the lap band. She sees her psychiatrist regularly but doesn't address her addiction, just her family problems. When I told her about my upcoming surgery, she was, typically, not supportive and tried to tell me all the horror stories she knew. Now she says she'll see how I do, but I'm not an addict, I'm a volume eater, so I don't know if our situations are comparable.
Do you think she could succeed with the lap band? Do you think the program psychologists are really helpful to addicts? Are there any medications other than the Lexapro and Wellbutrin types that might be helpful? Thanks.

I had the same problem. Here's my very weird solution: watch an actual video of the surgery from start to finish. Go to YouTube.com and search for lap band surgery. There's a five-part video made for a TV show by a surgeon in Kansas City, a Dr. Malley, who explains in detail exactly what he's doing as he operates. You can see the OR, the staff, the prepped patient's belly, how he inserts the instruments, and then you can see exactly what he sees on the monitor - what the surgery is from beginning to end. It's not gory or bloody at all. It's actually fascinating, if you really want to know what will happen. It helped me tremendously. My feeling about all my previous surgeries has been, put me under and do whatever you want, but this time I needed the "inside information," if you will!
My guy is scheduled for January 23, and I'm on for January 30th. We're both ready for a new life together. Almost like getting married again!

Good news: my surgery has been moved up to Wednesday, January 25th. My guy's surgery is Monday, January 23rd, so we'll both be on the same diet schedule, the same office visit schedule and the same fill schedule. He's pretty pain-tolerant, so he'll be off the Percocet in time to drive me to the hospital. This is all going so well it seems it's definitely meant to be. We had our pre-op education class last Wednesday, we have our pre-ops at the hospital this Thursday, and then a week later we'll both be home together and starting our new lives.
It was funny at the class when the nurse gave each of us a sample band to hold and look at, I thought of them as being like wedding bands! We're young seniors with grown children, and we aren't married and aren't going to be, but the two bands really symbolized a new kind of life together, with a new kind of commitment, to the program and to each other. So, we're going out for prime rib and steak dinners tonight to say goodbye to Big meat and then gearing up for the next week and a half of pre-op doctors' appointments, hospital appointments and surgeries. We're ready. Thanks to you all for both factual and moral support.

Good news: my surgery has been moved up to Wednesday, January 25th. My guy's surgery is Monday, January 23rd, so we'll both be on the same diet schedule, the same office visit schedule and the same fill schedule. He's pretty pain-tolerant, so he'll be off the Percocet in time to drive me to the hospital. This is all going so well it seems it's definitely meant to be. We had our pre-op education class last Wednesday, we have our pre-ops at the hospital this Thursday, and then a week later we'll both be home together and starting our new lives.
It was funny at the class when the nurse gave each of us a sample band to hold and look at, I thought of them as being like wedding bands! We're young seniors with grown children, and we aren't married and aren't going to be, but the two bands really symbolized a new kind of life together, with a new kind of commitment, to the program and to each other. So, we're going out for prime rib and steak dinners tonight to say goodbye to Big meat and then gearing up for the next week and a half of pre-op doctors' appointments, hospital appointments and surgeries. We're ready. Thanks to you all for both factual and moral support.