DeLarla

Biggest Loser is a one time deal, but France has been around forever. You gotta make your own choice. What means more to you?

With all the debating over gastric bypass vs. the Band, I still don't understand the difference between roux en y (sp?) vs Duodenal switch. Which one of these causes some people to battle severe odor? Why does one have a pouch but the other doesn't, and which is which? I'm suddenly facisnated with the gastric bypass and must have info!

Sue, thanks for the advice - I sent my demand letter yesterday. Sugarbear, good luck to you. I'll never go to Mexico for surgery again. Last week while lying miserably in pain, I swore I'd never have another WLS, but I'm fickle and might change my mind in 5 years once things are perfected. You might want to ask Lopez if he changed anything in the way he places bands since Me, Penni, Donali, Karen, Michelle and Franceca were all banded around the same time from he & his old partner. Be good to yourself and get regular endoscopies. My husband told Dr. Billy he wants to toss my band in a pot of boiling Water with my old bras and make Soup. He's an ill man.

Thanks, Rachele. I realize now that I would make a bad GB candidate. I get yelled at by the doc all the time because I forget to take my meds. I'm supposed to take thyroid meds every day, but I simply forget. I often forget 2 or 3 days in a row, and way too often. I've never been good at taking daily supplements, maybe because I often gag on pills. I keep chewable vitamins on my desk but I cringe at the thought of taking them. Not sure why though.

My GB friend, Denise, gained back 50 pounds even though she eats like a dainty 120 pound woman. She started writing down her intake and realized that the entire 50 pounds is from her several daily trips to Starbucks. So her GB helped control the amount she eats, but her choice to drink sugary, fattening coffee drinks all day has her up 50 pounds. I have 2 other GB friends who have gained all their weight back. I asked, "How?" The both said the same thing, "We graze." They can't eat in large amounts, but their food is processed so quickly that they can eat often. They train themselves to eat bad, just the way us bandsters learn how to eat around the band. I've known many GB patients over the years since it's been around longer than the band, and I personally know more people who have gained all their weight back and fewer that have maintained the loss. But still, I can't compare them to bandsters since I only heard of the Band about 1.5 yrs ago. Regardless of what surgery, it always boils down to the same nonsense, which is blah blah blah, watch what you eat and the weight will come off (I'm naggy cuz that's what I'm doing now, and I'm hungry!) I guess Inamed bandsters can argue that their bands are better than the Swedish band. And RNY patients can argue that DS is better. The grass always seems greener on the other side, but it's all the same color in the end.

"You truly rock, even without a back-up band!!" OMG, someone cloned DeLarla! Now there's two of us!

Rachel, thanks so much for showing me this thread! I agree, "Each surgery is awesome in its own way." I've waiverd on what surgery is better since this whole process started, but the truth is, any weight loss surgery that gives us a 2nd chance at life is remarkable. I've said in the past that any WLS sucks because I just want to be normal, but ALL of these procedures have people losing weight and living life again. Even if the weight doesn't stay off, I've noticed bypass and unbanded people trying harder and maintaining hope, which I didn't have prior to surgery. Rachel, good luck to you, and please keep us posted on your journey. I'm especially interested in the supplements you have to take.

Who said I work? Actually, my 2006 resolution is to actually work before they fire me for being at LBT so often. But I just love all the love, it's infectious! I'm too much of an LBT junkie to ever leave my family here

Yeah for you!!! Good news for sure for sure. Thanks for sharing, Leatha

Alex said what I was going to say. Ask girls at the grocery, hair salon, bank, etc. A high priced guy doesn't mean he'll do a good job.

I was just daydreaming that same dream this morning! Congrads to you, that must feel incredible! My husband tortures me by using (losing, breaking) my stuff, espeically my collection of Harley t-shirts from around the US, even when he has his own collection. I keep threatening him that I'll get skinny enough to wear all his jeans. I can't wait - I think I'll stick some panty liners to his boxers to freak him out, just for fun. Congrads!

"Is your hypothesis that there was a bad batch of bands?" My hypothesis is that Inamed is too mysterious and refers people to Lopez stating he's cream-of-the-crop, refusing to acknowledge the rash of recent erosions is anything other than mere coincidence.

I suggest making sure there's a band surgeon wherever you travel, just in case of emergencies. Other than that, make sure to pack only comfy clothes (general rule for anyone banded.) No tight jeans or binding clothing, lots of liquids and move around the plane so you don't cramp. Oh, and have fun and buy me presents

Day 3 of my 1200 calorie diet: B: 4 oz l/f cottage cheese 4 oz n/f yogurt L: 1/2 can split pea soup - yuck but need fiber & protein after band removal Snak Pak pudding D: Broiled chicken, no skin steamed veggies with 1/2 tblspn olive oil & 1/2 tblspn butter 3 mini boiled taters 1/2 cup pudding

I don't think pain with any bite is normal. Like Lianna said, everything should be a consistency that can pretty much be sipped through a straw. Peanut Butter & crepes certainly can't get through a straw. I've heard people putting Wendy's chili in the blender and calling that a mushy. I don't agree that Chili is something we should eat so soon in the game, regardless of how mushy. The object is to go really easy on your stomach with soft, bland foods till your band is completely healed (that's just my opinion though.) The band demands you take tiny sips at first, tiny bites, tiny swallows. Everything must be completely mushy before swallowing. If you follow these rules and still feel pain, you should let your doctor know.

Because Inamed wants all the bands to inspect, so they must be concerned with defective products.

Cha cha cha! This board certainly has its share of beautiful people, doesn't it? NICE!

If anyone is willing to do the research to find the exact name and address of the correct department of the FDA, I'll be more than happy to lodge a complaint on behalf of anyone who has lost their bands due to erosion. The FDA is huge, and a complaint sent to the wrong department could sit around for months. Anyone interested, please PM me the information. If I decided to lodge a complaint, it will be kept confidential and not be made public for the entire board. Fair?

I know one person who has her band in her underwear drawer. Billy said Inamed needs them to do research. I'm irked that I can't keep it. Let them figure out their problems on their own, not with my band. I'm writing Inamed now asking for a refund. Thanks for the fire in my belly to get 'er done.

I just remembered that I started a thread called, "Why are you Fat" a long time ago. I was frustrated, like you, because it seemed to me that I was the ONLY one suffering from compulsion and obsessive overeating. It's really interesting to learn that we are all overweight for different reasons. You might want to check out that thread and find the people with similar problems and ask how they cope. Good luck to you.

If you click on my name and read "all posts by DeLarla" you'll see that I suffer from the same struggles. I'm severely addicted to food, and I'm overly compulsive and USED TO eat till past being full. I just lost my band due to restriction, and now I'm trying harder than ever to fight the demons. This time I'm not taking one approach, but I'm using every single resource available at once, from talking on the phone to reading books to looking into local support groups. I promise, you aren't alone.

I'm down 1 pound past my lowest! Today for the first time, my wedding ring slipped and the diamond ended up on the palm-side of my hand. I'll have another please (pound of fat gone, that is.)

One of my original incisions formed a very annoying kiloid. During band removal, Dr. Billy was nice enough to remove the kiloid, though there's a chance it will come back bigger. The rest of my incisions are flat. Today at work I realized how my bra really irritates that area below and between the boobies. I wonder if my bra caused that original kiloid to form from rubbing against it? Looks like I have a medical reason for not wearing a bra. Just don't ask why I carry one in my purse. Did anyone else get kiloids? Thanks.

They are all priceless! It makes me so happy to see all the fur love

Penni, these are all my insane thoughts. Like Alex, there's nothing I can say here. If you were closer, I'd kick your ass, but then you'd have to kick mine right back.