DeniseG

The Web site is actually

www.griffinity.com/dave/

Can you believe it? Well if they have that much power (Maybe that's why Bush got elected lol---sorry I couldn't resist) I say you go Scott!!! Win it all!!! I don't care anymore if it's not Constantine.

If I didn't do the link right, you can copy it in your search engine. It is correct.

There is a group that is really active I think it is called votetheworst.com. I think they are the reason that Constantine, Anwar and some of the best are gone and the worst still there. Scott and Anthony are miles behind Constantine....my fave. I am in mourning!

Porcindoll,

Has your doctor had cases where he actually had to replace a band because carbonation stretched a pouch? or had an ultrasound proving this?

Sometimes I wonder if we call doctors on their findings if they can back them up with evidence. I know with my band I drink up until I eat and have no problem getting food down. Now, I drink Water at room temp, I have heard sometimes people have problems when the Water is real cold.

One of my friends that works in healthcare told me that Alcohol--Wine anyway has a tendency to mess up metabolisms. I don't know if this is true, but, she said it may be why most weight loss programs want you to shy away from it.

It could be an allergy, but, I know many who have the same problem. Some didn't realize it was the splenda until I told them about my problem. They thought they were lactose intolerant all of a sudden on the sugar free Bunny tracks. When I asked if it had splenda they said yes. I figure that is their problem, but, I am not a doctor. It causes me to have major stomach cramps and well enough said lol

Only you can decide for yourself. But, if you can't eat meat...I am not sure about another fill because meat is a good source of Protein and when you have Protein it tends to make you feel full.

What are your average meals each day? for Breakfast, lunch, dinner. I know for me personally the tighter I got, the more weight I gained because I was hungry and would reach for foods that would just go down instead of what was good for me.

You may want to do what I did. Schedule yourself for a fill and take a piece of chicken with you. Have them watching you eat the piece of chicken...or whatever meat is hard for you on the ultrasound. When you are able to eat a few pieces of chicken without the "stuck" feeling....that should be a good fill for you. Believe me......after I did that. I started losing weight again.

Sometimes that slight unfill, when you think you need a fill will make a huge difference in your appetite and weightloss That's just my opinion for what it is worth.

My husband and I had our surgery done 30minutes apart. It was actually his idea. He had to convince me. If he hadn't been insistent in getting it for himself I wouldn't have gotten it probably but, I wasn't going to let him lose weight if I couldn't too. I was 45 pounds heavier than him.

Alex,

Congrats to you. We were banded one day apart I believe. You have lost so much, I am still playing catch up lol(not to you, but to myself)

I am now in a regular 18. I agree with the size differences. It is really annoying. One pair a pants you're an 18 next, you are a 20, next a 16. It will take a while to get use to that.

I rarely go out to eat, but, that is because I am broke lol

But seriously, I order the normal portion, eat some and take most of it home and have leftovers for awhile.

Not to be a psychologist, but, it sounds like your better half is more worried about what your weightloss will do to your relationship. Do they have abandonment issues?? Maybe they are afraid that once you lose weight you will leave them and find someone else. Or what happens if something goes terribly wrong in surgery and you don't make it through or are changed forever. It sounds like a fear anxiety to me.

Leatha, I was thinking the same thing.

Although everyone's band is different and everyone's doctor is different. If you read this board on a regular basis you will get an idea of where you should be on the eating scale.

Your band should just be in the healing phase, I wouldn't think that it has firmly attached at this stage (scar tissue etc) even though you feel you can eat those things. I am not sure you should be for that reason alone. Just my opinion of course.

Can't have Splenda at all...I wrote in another post about not having IBS anymore. Splenda makes me have the same symptoms that I had with IBS. If I have Splenda......even if it is in one small item (Russel stover low carb stuff for ex) I am in the bathroom all night. I can't imagine having that symptom that Splenda can be a good substitute. Sorry for the TMI

Does the coughing lead to throwing up? Is the lack of breathing do to food lodged in your band?

If so, my husband use to have that problem before we realized his band had slipped. I don't know if that is your situation though because the medicine helped your condition. Sounds like extra mucous....maybe do to pollen since it is that time of year.

If not, with sleep apnea that is a common problem. I use to experience that alot when I had it.

Do as your doctor suggests. You may need an unfill if it is too tight. FWIW, This time of year is bad for a lot of people to get fills, myself included. Pollen can tend to make some people's band feel tighter than usual.

mine was approx 17,000 but, I only paid 150.00 consultation fee. John Deere paid for my surgery and all my fills for a full year. Of course my hubby's company changed insurance companies when I still had a few months of my contract left but, I was lucky to get the surgery taken care of.

Usually doctors use the first fill to get you use to the feeling of restriction. Most believe the 2nd one is usually the better judge of what your band is suppose to be like.

My doctor always uses the ultra sound for my port, is that not normal?

I have a drink or two a week with no problems.........except........can't drink beer or champaigne for the "tiny bubbles"

I try to stay away from it as much as I can because it messes with my metabolism.

Boys mom, I was thinking the same thing, so don't feel stupid lol

Everyone is different of course, but, skin and my band are not on friendly terms. I think most of us banded have been there done that......but it stinks. Sorry you had to go through it.

For the poster who said, if I went on liquids everytime I pb'd........I know what you mean lol

My port scar is right under my bra so, I know what you are saying.

I would suggest sipping medicine if you can.

Beachbabe,

That is so true. It's so sad when you are in a size 16 but, your belly is still size 18

I know this may sound strange. I am now getting too small for plus size fashions. I can't even remember a day when I didn't shop in the "Women's Plus size" dept for clothes. Usually squeezing into 2x when I should have worn 3x lol but surrounded with people who knew what it was like to be overweight.

Today I was at Kohl's trying on 1x and they were too big. Plus size has been my home for so long, now I feel like I am the big kid again amongst the "small people" Searching for the largest Misses sizes instead of the smallest plus sizes. I thought I would be real excited about it untill I saw two girls looking me over (probably size 2 and 5) Granted, they may not have been talking about me, but, I felt like they were saying, "shouldn't she be in plus sizes?"

I know it is all in my head........but dadnabit, one of these days I am going to Celebrate my weightloss and be proud.

One thing I have to consciously decide NOT to do is run up to every fat person and tell them about this band... I want to share with them because I think they of all people will understand and maybe find some hope for themselves. But then I realize - if someone had done that to me preband it would have reinforced the shame and self loathing.... I would have been mortified.

I can so relate to that!!! I think the same thing.

I do find that I compare myself to people with obvious weight problems. Am I bigger or smaller? I notice how sad many of them seem now more than ever. Also, I have been self conscious of my weight for so many years.....especially in pictures, planes, flimsy chairs etc. I guess I was even self absorbed thinking I am the only one with weight problems in the world. Then I was looking at photos of a group of friends of mine and myself and finally realized, I am about the same size as everyone else......I wonder if they have the same thoughts about themselves?

As a side note:

I would have threatened to sue the motel if you knew without a shadow of a doubt they were discriminating based on your weight.

I know when I got my lapband back in 2003 at that time my doctor didn't do bands when someone was over 150 pounds overweight. (I could be wrong) I think his ruling on that has changed but, I am not sure.

bandit,

Some people can be overly sensitive. And, I am sure that some are just jealous and wish they could have a BMI where you are, it is hard for them to relate. I know when I started gaining weight and I was where you are now, I felt similar to how you feel. I wished I would have had a way to stop the weight gain then, instead of waiting until I needed to lose 120. I am proud that you are being proactive in trying to find a solution that will help you. As you will read in many posts.....many wished they had had the surgery years ago.

Just realize the Lapband is not an easy life. Is it what you really want to do at this point?

With best regards,

Denise

Do you think that your statitistics on your BMI could have been wrong? Maybe you might need to have it retested by another doctor. It does seem a little odd that your BMI would be that low when you wear a size 22w

I know my husband's BMI was lower than the insurance would take....he gained weight to qualify...I too would not recommend that. For the same reasons listed above plus...what if he wouldn't have qualified after he gained then he would have no surgery and be 20 pounds heavier.

What helped him was his family history diabetes, heart attacks, poor circulation etc

His doctor had to write a letter why he needed the surgery.

BMI's suck. I think mine was 42 I can't remember I was 282 and a 24w. So see, if you are 22w our BMIs were completely different, but, we were wearing almost the same size. But, I guess it is fairer then just going by weight because "The Arnold" in his heyday would probably be considered overweight because his muscles weigh more than if he didn't have them. But, he would have less fat.

As I said earlier unfortunately you can gain your weight back even with the lapband...you have to weight the risks of surgery for yourself. When I look down at my scars each day with after almost 2 years are still there I get depressed and tell myself I can't believe I needed to have this surgery to lose weight. Then I tell myself....Denise you were 282, had sleep apnea, high cholestrol etc. You had to do something.

I can't answer how you would feel after having surgery. I have 120 pounds to lose.

Self pay may be the only option for you but think about it this way too. They won't insure me because they don't think I am the right kind of candidate......Am I really a good candidate? The lapband will not change any psychological problems you have about your weight or your life unfortunately. Something I have to deal with on a daily basis...and make good choices to do the right thing to help my weightloss. Because when I get depressed or worried, or anxious, or sad, or lonely.....I know a bowl of ice cream is what I'll reach for and it will go down just fine. The lapband didn't all of a sudden want to make me instead eat a bowl of carrots.

I have to disagree with the poster who thought it was cosmetic. I don't think of this as cosmetic. I have a device in my body that possibly could cause problems, or need replacing in the future. But everyone has their own opinions on their lapband.