DeLarla

Here's a special place for all us bandless wonders to call home. I'm DeLarla, and I lost my band due to erosion on 12/27/05, about 18 months after being banded. I've lost 78 pounds and am currently counting calories and struggling to lose more. Come on in and introduce yourself. It's warm & cozy in here, and you're allowed to cuss and drink beer since one of the perks of being debanded is we can have carbonation!

My uncle fondled me. He had Alzheimer's and could barely walk but boy did he love the ladies! I hugged him, so he grabbed my boobs. He was 87 and didn't remember me, so I didn't knock him out. Some people are never too old for sex.

I carry Nympho Niagra and X-Scream at my website, or send me a PM and I'll mail you a catalog.

It makes me feel good when people get answers. I'm glad you went to the doc and are on your way back to feeling better. Yesterday my goofy (yeah, you know who you are) banded friend called me from the mountains because she was feeling really ill. I yelled at her to call her doctor, not a paralegal/sex goddess (snort.) Glad you're taken care of

Awake for an endoscopy? No thanks! I get White Coat anxiety and that would just freak me out.

That's my specialty! Try an enhancement cream, which will heat things up "down there." Better yet, I'll PM you so I don't freak anyone out!

Jamoorse, you are NORMAL. I swear, there are some freaky people who went shopping the next day while I felt green and disgusting. I even ran to Urgent Care because I was convinced I was dying. They sent me home and told me, "Listen lady, you just had surgery, what do you expect.?" Oh. Let Supergal do your toenails while you take your time recovering. I certainly wasn't ready to go back to work after one week, so I took a 2nd week off. Other people were tap dancing. We are all different.

Hi Peggy, I can't answer your insurance questions, but welcome to LBT. Good luck to you.

My port incision was infected just days after surgery. It never healed from the original surgery. You just take it easy and get used to having the Band. Treat it well, respect it, and good luck in your journey

Many people were very sore for a couple weeks after surgery. I didn't have pain, but I was disgusting sick for 2 solid weeks before I started feeling better. If your port is infected, you'll be the first to know. The wound would be just like any other infected cut - it would be red, warm, hot, inflammed, leaking, etc. You sound like the typical new bandster - a worry wart! That's good news because you sound pretty normal!

Jamoorse, the only way to detect erosion is with an endoscopy, where they put you to sleep and look at the band from the inside by sliding a tube down your throat that's got a tiny camera attached to it. My surgeon thinks it's a good idea for all banded patients to have an annual endoscopy. He didn't originally think this way, but lately he's been removing too many eroded bands from people that had surgery in Mexico, which raised his concern about his own US patients, so he wants to see patients get endoscopies as part of regular band maintenance. It's good to see the band from the inside since patients can be eroded with no symptoms. Many doctors do fills while you drink a barium liquid while they view your stomach through an x-ray machine. With some eroded patients, the barium won't flow through the band correctly, so the doctor will schedule an endoscopy to get a better look since it's most likely erosion. Most people don't know they're eroded since there aren't always symptoms. Port infections have been leading to erosion around here, but erosion is a slow process. I eroded after 1.5 years as did some of my banded friends. I hope this helps ease your mind.

A sex thread? Right on! It's been too long. Did you take any pics for us? HAHA, just kidding (no I'm not.)

Oh, and stopping after dinner is gone. I have a hard time putting my dirty dish away and calling eating time over. Always gotta get a few last bites of something in.

That's what my hubby calls me when he's talking to the dogs, DaMama. Hi there! Banded words to live by are chew, chew, chew. Don't eat big bites, don't eat fast and don't swallow anything that's not mushy. Good luck and welcome to the fam.

I had bad port infections for a year, but I never felt any pain. You should get to your doctor ASAP to have a pro take a look, k?

FYI, I had my band removed 12/27 after 1.5 years, and I still avoid drinking while eating. I might sip a little, but that cup of coffee or drink right after my meal has to wait a solid hour. It's a good rule, keeps the food in my belly.

Angie and Donna, are you both eating tiny bites and chewing till your face falls off? That's really important.

I called that 1-800-Psychic hotline for you. They say "She needs to be diligent and stick with liquids for a few days, then stick with mushies a few more." Oh, and your face is so skinny!

Jamoorse, erosion is a slow process. You wouldn't be eroded only after 2 weeks. Staci, high five on that endo! No need to worry everyone, just get annual endoscopies and keep an eye on your band. I'm living proof that erosion is NOT the end of the world. I'm still fighting the battle without a band, but I'm still kicking!

Paula, yer no bigger en' a corn nub! (John Wayne.)

There's a huge difference. You are wide awake for an Upper GI. You drink barium Fluid while they x-ray your stomach, which allows them to see how the barium flows through your stomach. You are asleep for an endoscopy, which is when a camera is inserted into your mouth and down your throat to take pictures of the inside of your stomach. The camera is tiny and attached to a long tube, so you don't feel anything.

Stupid friggen coc@#$%!$%whor! night demons! I'm totally normal for breakfast and can eat rabbit food for lunch, no problem. But I get possessed at night. Once I start eating, there's no stopping till I've hurt myself. I can't get passed it.

Thanks, Sal, but I bought the plum one over the weekend. However, I never went to the prom, never had a wedding dress, never did formal too well. Now that I fit into a pretty dress, I think I'll start a collection. I'm taking any and all plus size formal wear! I'll rent them out, or play dress up, or put them on my husband for (let's not go there.)

Chris would say, "I could sop 'em up with a biscuit and swoosh them around my mouth."

Uh, they aren't wearing earrings or nailpolish. Princesses need pretties, Granny. Geeze, do I gotta do everything?