DeLarla

Christina, I needed to hear that. I always hope for new doctors in Vegas. Today I got stung by my own bee! A Vegas friend has been really interested in my Band, and she's finally going for it. Only she has the money and she's getting hers done by the local doctor! I am really happy for her, but I can't help but feeling a little burn that she gets to stay local. Not exactly jealous... just a little pale mint green maybe. I need to stop focusing on it. That's what I need. Okay, we have the photographer, now who's going to volunteer to market this thing? You guys probably think I'm kidding, but I would pose nude (after a bottle of wine) as long as hubby does't have a cow!

That's good news, Norma. Did he tell you why your port is so uncomfortable though? I often wake up starving in the middle of the night. Sometimes it causes me to have insomnia, so I can't fall back asleep till I have a snack. Ususally some cheese and crackers.

I should have made myself more clear that "my" doc wants me to have an annual endoscopy, but that's probably because I've had so many problems with infected ports. But I think what Alexandra said is more accurate - that they'll only schedule one if they see problems with the fluoro or if they have other reasons to believe you need one.

Sorry, Paula, but I called Ms. September first! Daisy, you're cracking me up. I guess I gotta pose nakey on my Harley then! In the middle of the desert.

I know two people that went in for fills, and the doctor noticed the barium wasn't flowing through the pouch correctly. They'll notice the barium sort of flows around the outside of the band, which indicates potential erosion. That's the first sign that a doctor can see. Once they detect what looks like potential erosion from the fluoscopy, they'll schedule you for an endoscopy to confirm erosion. However, my doctor believes annual endoscopies are good band maintenance. But you must get the scope done by a Band surgeon. If a regular gastroenterologist does the study, he can completely miss the erosion and tell you you're healthy. They have to know specifically what erosion is and what it looks like. One friend said she had more PBs, while other people lose all restriction. But most people don't even have any symptoms. The sudden loss of restriction is because food isn't passing through the band any more, but instead it passes around the outside (hey experts, am I explaining this right?)

Zoe, you'll have to post a pic of it cuz that site keeps crashing on me.

We can call it LapBand Lovelies, and I want to be Ms. September. Next month we'll do Porno for Ports.

I'd pose naked for a calendar! Tons of guys like big gals!

A crazy lady used to sing to me when I was a kid, "if you don't have a dream, how ya gonna make a dream come true?" A girl's gotta dream, that's for sure.

So you're saying it's my 150 pounds worth of mutt doing the trick and I can ditch the weights? I have a 100 pounder that pulls one way, and a 50 pound muscle-packed Pit-bull pulling the other way. It's like riding a team of horses, so I have to get a good rhythm going or we get all tangled up.

Inamed, helping people financially? Oh, now THAT'S funny! They are all great guys to talk with on the phone, and one of them DID get Lopez to call me, but I barked up every single tree at Inamed and they are tighter than a drum when it comes to helping Bandsters financially. I don't think a few grand would hurt them, but they probably think if they help one person, tons of people would start flooding them with similar requests. Inamed will not take on that kind of accountability.

You gals are way too cool for me! I already started making my cardboard sign to stand on the corner. I think that every single person that ever made fun of a fat person should be forced to pay towards a weight loss surgery general fund. No, I don't think there's a chance my insurance will pay 80% towards port replacement. How would we ever get away with that? Anyway, thanks for all the nice stuff. I keep testing my band, and while I said I don't have any restriction, it's apparent I have some. I just ate a whole sandwhich (small skinny thing with rye bread) and 1/2 can Spaghettio. Then I was still hungry so I had an inch of pringles and 1/4 cup of almonds, and the last few almonds are stuck. This time I was physically hungry though, so I kept eating. That might sound like a lot, but that's just the stuff I'd drop on the floor during my old eating frenzies. Good luck to us all. And I never used to buy Lotto tickets, but I decided to jump on that Dream Train myself, so tomorrow I could be a gabillionaire and buy my own doctor. Thanks again.

Awe, Megan. Ya just made me cry at work. Screw them, let them see me cry. Yes, I'm Band frustrated in a bad way, and I'm thinking of getting the thing removed. Don't get me wrong, I love my band. But I have no local aftercare, and I really want a new port. The last surgery was over $40 grand. Insurance picked up some, but I have to pay 20% plus my annual deductible in addition to the credit card bills from my initial surgery, port removal number one, port replacement, travel, etc. I've never been one to complain about finances before. When I got the band, I simply got a 2nd job to pay the extra expense. But now it seems there's no hope. My band offers minimal restriction, but only a couple times a week. Without a port, I can't have a fill. And I can't have a port, not for several years. If one single local doc would see me, I would feel much better. But the thought of another $40,000 procedure, flying to another state, another surgery, etc., is leaving me weak and depressed. Not to mention the hideous monster mutilated scar that even has teeth on it. Lopez's stitches were so horribly sewn that my hole looks like a dark purple mouth with teeth surrounding it. But thank you for being here. And I know this time it's really gotten to me cause I looked at the calendar and PMS isn't even the culprit. Pooh.

You just described my ultimate goal, and it must feel amazing. I can't wait till the day I can wear his jeans and get even for all the clothes of mine he steals. My friends all buy me long sleeve Harley t-shirts when they travel to different cities, and my hubby thinks they're his. I don't mind sharing, but I can never find them. My friend got me one from Hawaii three months ago that I haven't worn it yet because it's never in the closet where I hang it. I need revenge! I'm honestly happy for you!

Norma, when my port was infected and inflamed and all screwed up, I had a lot more restriction and discomfort eating. I think the port and the inflamation was so close to the Band around my stomach that it added to the tight and uncomfy feeling. After they removed my port, I felt much better. Then they put a new port in much lower, and that got infected, too. But the new port wasn't around my belly, so even though it got infected my belly felt better. I have a feeling a little port revision might be in order, and if they fix your port problem, the other problems might not be so noticeable.

"my doctor assured me that I have more risk of dying from being overweight than having the band in me." Norma, thank you for saying this! My worries would be resolved if I had local aftercare considering all my problems, but I really needed that line today. I don't want to lose my band, I'm just paranoid because I've been through so much more than anyone else so far without actually losing the Band itself. It's like, what else can go wrong, and how the heck can my Band actually be safe after all this? But it's safer than morbid obesity. Thanks for that reminder.

I think what Alex said holds true for everything these days. Nothing gets solved any more with just one phone call. Sometimes you can call every day with no results, just to find out on day 5 that the file hasn't even been reviewed yet. Call today. Call often. The squeaky wheel gets the oil.

That's too much family too close to home for me! If they're the type that get in your business and try to run your life, you might consider keeping it private, at least for now. Nobody needs added stress to such a huge decision. The surgery and process is enough to take without added outiside anxiety.

Don't be too impressed, because I only do my arms! I figure my arms are the only thing I'm legally allowed to walk around with naked. It gets around 115 in the summer here, so tank tops are not optional, they're mandatory. I wish I had the time and attention span to do the whole bod!

Thanks for bumping these! The only thing I would do different is that I'd fight my insurance company till they got sick of me and either shot me or paid for the procedure. I didn't mind so much having to pay for the Band, but I've had way too many complications that have put me in a bad financial bind now. And I can't even get a new port because of money, which really sucks. Other than that, I'd do it again right now. I don't recall any pain from the actual surgery. I know they gave me regular medicine, but even when the buzz wore off I never felt pain, only discomfort from being swollen and pumped with gas.

BUMP - Donali, thanks for taking me here. I'm bumping this for a friend who is having the surgery this week. This should go in your info thread, too.

Norma, I'm feeling the same lately. I feel like I've been through too much with the Band, and I'm on the verge of having it taken out because I'm starting to experience new sensations. I'm always worried, but only because there's no doctor close by. I'm walking around with a foreign object and the closest help is 6 hours away. Please let me know what your doctor says. Don't give up on your band though because even though I feel creepy, I'm fighting it till someone forces it out of me.

Hiya back atcha!

Kelly, you can probably answer the question better than anyone since you know your band so well. You probably should have stuck with clear liquids to give everything a chance to settle. Try warm broth or tea later before getting too worried. It often takes time to feel a fill, so maybe it will take time to feel the unfill, too.

Not much, that's for sure! But nobody can really answer this question, since everyone is at different levels of restriction. Some people that are too tight can barely drink water. Some people might only be able to eat a couple bites. But according to everything I've read, heard, and experienced, somewhere between 1/2 and one cup of mushed up food is about what an average pouch holds.