DeLarla

So, what's the latest in diet in nutrition? As if I don't know the answers already - eat less, exercise more, lose weight! But like Vines said, we can't give up, so I have an appointment tomorrow with the Health and Nutrition department of my insurance plan. I wonder if they'll suggest weight loss surgery? What can they tell me that I don't already know, unless the doc is a delicious slice of Heaven that motivates me to come back thinner? I hope??

Docs Fisher & Anderson in Vegas do a seminar (hundreds attended when I went) and they point out the benefits and risks of both the bypass and the band. I "thought" it was very informative till I started reading everything here, and rather than informative, it was more "infomercially" to make money on either/or surgery. They don't care which you chose, as long as you come to them with the big bucks. They fluffed around band erosion, and they fluffed around bypass malabsorption and made both surgeries look VERY attractive. People couldn't wait to line up for appointments, regardless of which procedure they chose.

I guess the difference between having the band removed before it gets eroded makes a hell-of-a difference than after erosion. I was eroded, and band removal and stomach repair was awful. I'm so glad you're back to normal!

Okay, I spent the weekend around pro-hockey players and got a hug and a squeeze and a sweaty cheek-to-cheek with my favorite guy. Since then I've been a walking hornfest, but my husband started work again and is always asleep. The creepiest sex thing is hoping my husband doesn't catch me playing with my toys. DOH! Do you believe I had the nerve to share that with everyone? My favorite is One Eyed Jack, but the Quiver will do any day of the week! Hmmm, maybe I'll engrave hockey player numbers on my toys. HUBBY IS GONNA KILL ME!

I don't have any fun planned for 3 solid weeks (maybe I'll try that "sleep" stuff I hear people talking about.) End of month is Laughlin River Run (biker weekend at the river) then the following weekend is a Slumber retreat in San Diego, where I invited Penni to come to Sea World with my Slumber family. Vera, one day we'll get there, but this paralegal thing keeps me tied to limited vacation hours. It's a vicious circle, how can I book parties when I have to work, and how can I work if I have to book parties? Most gals quit their full time jobs in their 2nd year of Slumber, and if I quit I give up a large percentage of my 401K money. DOH! Yes, the bash is still on! Vera, I'd LOVE to come for a boat ride but my vaca days are all spent this year. Paula, did I eat any Cajun food? Are you nuts? Uh, YES! I ate at Buba Gumps, plus fried catfish on Bourbon Street, plus we rode out to some really fun place where locals danced to a Cajun Band, where we ate some corn things that were Heavenly. And we ate crocodile and Dirty Debris Gumbo. I've eating crap called "southern food" here in Nevada, but ain't nuthin' like the grub down there!

Am I the only American who hates McDonald's?

I used to care for a little 5 year old who loved to sleep till noon. I'd make a special effort to crawl into bed and watch movies before 8 p.m. to make her drowsy enough to fall asleep. Then I'd scoop her and the blankies up in my arms at 6:00 a.m. and take her in the back yard so we could watch the sun come up together. Since her mom always let her sleep, I'm the first person who introduced her to the morning sunrise, which she fell madly in love with. That became our morning ritual every time she spent the night, and after the sun, we'd walk the dogs to the park. Maybe it's not the McDonald's you're missing as much as the ritual. You can start a new ritual by feeding ducks in a local park or driving somewhere to have coffee and watch people or read the paper somewhere private. Tradition and rituals don't always have to involve food.

Be careful about getting a fill because the band is a fickle little tool. Give it time to adjust up and down. One day you'll be tight, the next day loose. Some weeks you'll be tight then others loose. If you're having a loose week and get a fill, you might end up way too tight and end up getting a complete unfill, which will allow you to eat way too much. Be patient and get to know the fluctuations before considering another fill. Lots of things affect restriction from traveling, bariatric pressure/weather, salt intake, period bloating, etc.

My love is as big as me, and there's soooo much to go around! xoxo Sa'mooooch xoxo

Megan, you could start a whole new forum about "Healthy Bandsters." Teresa Hagar just came back with clean results also, and these are the long term results people around here need. Heck, I needed to hear it myself! And an effective fill to boot? SUPER!

I was banded for about 1.5 years before the band eroded and had to be removed. I'm not thrilled about the idea of a gastric bypass, but I'm glad that option is still out there in case I ever gain all the weight back. I'd rather be dead than weigh 300 pounds again, so I'd have a bypass to save my life. The worst part about the bypass is that it's considered a malabsorption procedure, meaning the nutrient-rich food you eat isn't digested correctly, so the nutrients aren't absorbed effectively, which means you'll have to take supplements for the rest of your life. I'm supposed to take 2 tiny prescription pills every single day, and I often forget to take them because I've always been really bad about taking pills (great, this just reminded me that I forgot to take my last antibiotic this morning for this awful respiratory infection I have.) With the band, food is slowly passed into the lower stomach, where enzymes break down and process food in a normal digestive manner, so you don't lose any vital nutrients. Also, I've talked to many pharmacists who explain that supplements/vitamins should always be taken with Protein because they need to bind to a protein to maintain effectiveness; otherwise they pass too quickly and render themselves useless. I forget to take my Vitamins almost every day because I only seem to remember in the morning when my belly is empty. If you chose bypass, make sure you'll be able to stick to a daily regimen of supplements and vitamins.

Awe, my pet! I just saw this thread. I just fall in love with you girls more each day. Did you see my fabulous Convention thread?

That's the beauty of the band - it will always be there waiting when you decided to put your fighting gloves back on. I'm with ya, Chrystal!

Thanks for the reminder, I'll rent the series and catch up. LOVE the show!

"Think of your operation as an investment like a stock. If you buy a stock and it goes down, you don't ride it to the bottom. You aren't married to it. You decide it isn't working for you and sell." I was impressed with this statement and think it should run across the top of this site like a stock ticker, but Pleatman, what data suggests guaranteed regain after reversal of any bariatric operation? I realize it's only been 4 months since removal, but I'm down 5 pounds since removal, and I think that kind of negative statement might implant itself in my subconscious and play head games with me. Like tomorrow maybe donuts are going to be okay because I have that guarantee of regain. That statement is depressing; is it backed up by proof?

Happy Belated Birthday Hottie!

I'm tap dancing for you in Vegas!

My band was removed due to erosion, and I'd NEVER consider another band after my real experience. I had the band about 18 months and had it removed about 4 months ago. I 100% definitely still feel a pouch and some sort of restriction. I don't think it's safe for anyone to reconsider a second band (after erosion) at this point because there aren't enough long-term studies to date of people who eroded and were rebanded. I'm using simple common sense based on my own reasoning. While most of the scars I've accumulated on my skin throughout life have healed to a bare fade, I have a few marks that have raised skin, red, thick hard "kiloid" scars. If the outside skin can form hard scars, then what's happening with the scars on the inside of my stomach (from the perforations that were surgically repaired during band removal?) Will my belly ever heal and go back to normal, or will I be the lucky one who always has a ghost-pouch to help keep my eating in check? OR, will my internal scarring become worse one day and block my ability to eat? Who the heck knows at this point? The miracle (for me) is that I'm down 5 solid pounds since having my band removed. THAT'S A MIRACLE! Part of the reason is because I won't give up the fight, but my pouch prevents me from overeating. Go figure. Just like when I was banded, there are certain days when I can eat barrels, while other days I can't eat till late afternoon. I actually threw away ice cream after eating only 3/4 of the carton because it was too uncomfortable. Another eroded friend started saving for a new band as her old one was being removed last year. Now she's decided against a new band for similar reasons as me - her stomach doesn't feel "normal" and she's not sure if it ever will. You can't consider a 2nd band until you know the extent of the damage from the first one, and since there's no way of knowing that, I'd never recommend band life after erosion. If I ever see 300 again, I'll most likely look into a gastric bypass.

I can NOT believe how unreal your lil doll looks! I'm very jelly in my belly and wanna hold that teenie tiny baby.

Priceless! I almost didn't read this post, thinking you were one more person who had all the answers, but this is great! And way to go with -21 pounds!

The big problem with support groups is that members share others their naighty bad tricks to "eat around the band." I learned all those bad tricks right here at LBT. You still have plenty of time to get on track though since you don't have good restriction. Once that restriction kicks in, you won't be able to eat and drink. Good luck to you kiddo!

I started taking hair and nail vitamins a month before getting banded. They didn't help since I lost a lot of hair anyway. However, it was very temporary, and I didn't notice that my actual head of hair got any thinner. It's all back to normal now.

Karen, I'm here for ya. Don't worry, band removal isn't the end of the world (unless you go on too many vacations.) If I can maintain most of the weight loss at my level of insanity, then you can too. I'm really sorry that someone sweet as you has to go through this, but it's better to take care of your health and safety. xo

Thanks Nyk! I think he's kinda cute when he's not being a major pain!

I felt like Cinderella at the ball, and since I went in as a pumpkin, I didn't have to turn into one at midnight.