DeLarla

I'm getting lots of little questions, PMs, e-mails, etc... anyone that wants to talk is MORE than welcome to call me. I'm leaving work now, and I told them I won't be here next week. I'm not sure of any solid plans yet, but I certainly can't focus here. Send me a PM if you want my number. As always, thank you all so much for your loving arms. I'm on some really weird emotional roller coaster that I hope is just from not sleeping off yesterday's anesthesia. I didn't even tell you guys the nightmare endo! Yesterday my appt was 11:45, but they called and asked if I could come sooner due to cancellations. HECK YEAH, I wanted it over with! So I rushed down there just to sit all afternoon an hour beyond my normal appt. I was pissed and stated so, I told them they shouldn't treat people that way, blah blah. Then my ride showed up an hour late, as I sat groggy and freezing wanting to go home and lay in bed with my furry people. But she said I looked bad and needed Soup. She drove me around the corner, where we ate soup. Then finally she went to take me home but her car wouldn't start. We had to walk several blocks to my vehicle (I drove and parked it) to try jumping her car to no avail. Then a cute guy hits on her, tries to help, tool boxes, cables... all I wanted was bed. Finally she gave in and I had to drive her home, naturally on the other side of town. So my 10:00 endo got me home at 5:00 p.m., and I couldn't sleep. Today I feel WEIRD. I mean weird, like on drugs or like I need drugs. I can't wait for it to be over with. I AVOIDED the goody table today with the exception of two crackers with dip. Not one morsel of candy, thanks to my coaching by the lovely LaMadame last night. I have no problems making long distance calls to people who are serious about their eating plans. I need to surround myself with healthy eaters. I want to be thin... I'll have to liquid fast during and after the band removal process, and there's actually a chance that I'll be BELOW my lowest banded weight if I can stick to it. Right now I'm 249, which is 6 pounds higher than my lowest. I'm rambling cause I'm leaving work for a week now... it's been a weird day filled with gifts and a surprise call directly to me from my favorite celebrity, right out of the blue (Chloe's uncle called for those of you who know the story, and my head's been spinning since.) Love to all, and more thanks than I can ever ever express. You are my family.

Elisa, I was banded May 2004 but my port site never healed due to infection. They removed my first port a month after banding, then replaced it 8 months later. However, Dr. Lopez should never have replaced it throught the same "dirty wound" according to another surgeon because the 2nd port became infected and was surgically removed (along with too much very painful inflammatory tissue) on January 29, 2005. Yesterday I was diagnosed with erosion. I'm probably driving you crazy by being so vague with names and details because I don't want to start a war! I can only speak from personal experience, and two Mexican surgeons did me wrong. One of them screwed me up twice. Both in Tijuana. Feel free to read my old posts where there's novels more, or PM me and we can talk privately.

I personally have heard this problem many times. Port revisions are somewhat common. However, I can only suggest getting a 2nd opinion and/or an edoscopy if you havn't had one this year. I'm learning that port infections almost always lead to band erosion. I'm not saying you're infected, I just think that any port issue should be taken really seriously. On a lighter note, I've seen quite a few people get port revisions due to discomfort and come out fine.

You so very much rock, Mr. Alex! Thank you

I wasn't necessarily having "problems." It's way too hard to describe, but the band is like a fine instrument. Only a professional piano player can hear when his instrument is off key. My belly was off key, that's the best I can say. It felt different, odd, squishy. My restriction was there, but then it would go away, the old normal digestive feelings are more rumbly, and I can feel my lower stomach a lot more now. I used to feel the squiggle of Water and hear the funny funnel noise when I drank liquids. I'd drink, then a minute later I'd hear the noise. Now I don't hear it, things go straight through, and the bottom belly rumbles oddly. I had lots of port complications, and so far everybody I know that had a Mexican port issue ended up eroded. So I demanded the endoscopy as a rule of general housekeeping. I would have been shocked if I didn't have erosion. Some people had no symptoms, but I can definitely feel and hear the difference from a year ago. Kel, seems lots of posts are getting lost in this new format. I can't find stuff any more!

I woke up feeling really weird - probably anesthesia hangover. My doc warned me to watch for severe abdominal cramping or fever for 24 hours following the endoscopy. An endo comes with a "preferation warning" even for those non-banded. I had to sign a disclaimer about it. So every time I feel the slightest gas or gurgle, I stop moving and hope it passes. So far, so good. Vera, thanks for all you're doing... honestly. I won't be doing any research because I'm holding my breath and just "getting by" till the icky thing is out. And Rose & anyone else offering even the smallest clue is appreciated. Maybe one day they'll have the procedure figured out. The Band is an amazing tool. Will I be re-banded in the future? No way, way too expensive. But if my insurance started covering it, then probably more like hell yeah.

Alex, please change it back! There are too many old posts coming up when you click "new posts." Important stuff is being lost, and non-related chit chat is hiding it. I used to get 4 pages of new posts, now I'm seeing 20+ pages of them but don't have time to read through it all. Also, could you open a new forum just for band complications? Thank you, and thanks always for LBT.

If you've been banded more than a year and haven't had your band looked at from the inside, it's time. Some of us had perfect Upper GI (barrium swallow) results even though we were eroded. My Upper GI results a few weeks ago came back normal, but I'm about 50% eroded according to the pictures taken with the endo camera yesterday. Getting a band means a lifetime of band maintenance. Even though the surgeons say erosion isn't emergent, I haven't seen a surgeon tell anyone to go on vacation with their eroded band or anything like that. I was warned to take it very easy from now till band removal. I'm to chew extra well and stick with mushies and liquids. A perforation at this point could send me to the Emergency Room, and that's the WRONG place to have band removal surgery. Having an experienced band surgeon for the removal is a must.

Okay, I'm normal because I woke up crying. I'm just tired, frustrated and exhausted from this entire process. I'm looking forward to a hospital bed and good drugs, and I'm not afraid to admit it. I now personally know NINE girls from the same Tijuana cluster that have eroded: Donali, Heather, Karen, Penni, Michelle, Fracesca, Lisa, Diane (plus others who I don't know personally.) Granted, Diane was banded 4 years out, but I don't know how long she was eroded before having her removal. Some people go years without an endoscopy and never know they're eroded. I'm convinced there are more, and many who think an Upper GI (barium swallow) will answer their concerns. Both Penni and I had perfect Upper GI results within the last couple weeks though. Last night the surgeon kind of chuckled that everyone's getting Upper GIs since they often don't show anything, yet some people base their conclusions on good results. I had to TRICK my primary into giving me the endoscopy, and it took me a few months to finally convince them. Insurance doesn't pay for "Having a feeling I'm eroded" or "Just feeling odd and squishy down there." I did vomit one day, so I told them, "Oh no, I'm vomiting!" Fact is I took a gamble. I had to trudge through this because now I can finally go on to my true calling - a Hollywood celebrity after kicking Penni's ass on Big Loser! Or being banned from the show for all the conspiring we will surely plan if we get on. Where do I sign? By the way, today I feel gross (physically.) I don't know if it's part of the erosion or the way I juice fasted 1.5 days then barely ate yesterday. To me, erosion feels a little like diarrhea gurgles, only up high. That's the best way I can describe the oddness I've felt. Not pain, just creepy kinda mild and rumbly baby gas? Definitely "off" but hard to pinpoint a description. Leatha, good luck on you endo results, I’ve been accused of posting simply to scare the boards. If anything, I just hope people are scared enough to get regular scopes. Bandster Bash 2006. That's a great idea. Thanks everyone for your endless love and support.

You might want to reconsider Mexico for awhile. There's a cluster of 3 doctors having repeated erosions. I'm the newest after my endoscopy yesterday. Most of us are eroding right about 18 months out, so I'm sure I'm not the last one. So far I'm not seeing this same pattern from anywhere but Tijuana. It's just MY opinion though, but you did ask for it. Good luck.

I'm eroded and need my band removed.

Betty, the key is that it's happening to so many of us from the same cluster. Pretty scary considering the volume of people that are coming out of that cluster. I'm lucky - I found out in time.

"What is the strip of dark brown with a couple of green splashes?" From my understanding, that's the eroded band eaten into the stomach, right? No, I haven't had the band removed but I need to. I'm working on details but would rather just go lay down and sleep off the anesthesia. Thanks for everyone's nice words, but honestly, I think I'm okay with this. I've always "had a feeling" I'd erode, and I was right. I want to start a whole new thread about Mexican erosions and port complications, but I'm completely exhausted. I'm convinced that 100% of patients who were banded in Mexico and had ANY type of port complication, issue, infection, flip, etc., will erode. Just my opinion, but I have a good network system and I share this opinion with some pretty impressive folks including a band surgeon. I want the thing out immediately but will have to see where the road takes me. I did consult with an excellent band surgeon (not in Nevada) who said erosion is a very slow process, so any holes seal themselves closed as the erosion progresses. However, he said an endoscopy could potentially cause a problem, and the first 24 hours are critical that I don't get severe abdominal cramps or fever. I'm to eat mushies and liquids for a couple days to make sure the endo didn't poke a hole, and a bad "stuck food" episode could land me in the ER. This doc said the last place I want to end up is having my band removed in a Vegas ER with clueless docs who "think" they can handle eroded band removal. They can't, so I'm hoping for a safe 24 hours.

Anybody please feel free to adjust the size of the picture. I have a headache and don't feel like dealing with it, but at least I'm still laughing.

Diagnosis: Erosion with bonus stomach inflammation and esophogeal erosions. Symptoms: Yes, it just feels different, squishy, gurgly, odd, off. I sure hope the truth doesn't scare Johnny.

Sounds like a perfect gift for you to wrap and re-gift back to her for Mother's Day.

I was banded in Mexico and suggest getting it locally if it's a matter of a few thousand bucks. Many places in the US won't even treat patients banded in Mexico. Make sure to have local aftercare lined up BEFORE chosing a Mexican surgeon in case you have complications. Getting the band surgery is the easy part, but then there's an entire lifetime of Band maintenance to take care of, which can include a variety of complications. Are you able to run back and forth to Mexico every time you need something?

Here we go again, DeLarla goes out on a limb trying to incite action at the risk of getting a locked thread. But honestly, can some guy tell me what the big deal is about boobs? They are blobs of fat with nipples. And I'd like to know why women have to hide our nipples in public. I'm sick of hearing that overweight women shouldn't dress in tight clothes or show skin that we need to dress appropriately for our full sizes figures. How many times have I seen an old man driving down the street or doing yard work with no shirt on, nipples completely exposed to the world. I think I just found my new mission on Earth. Either men cover up, or I'm taking my shirt off. If the world doesn't want to see fat chicks in belly baring midriffs, then I don't want to see grey haired nipples. PERIOD. All kidding aside, I think it's time I put an end to this disgusting discrimination, so who has the correct address to the White House? Where do I get one of those forms to write a new bill, or what's that School House Rock song that teaches me how a bill becomes a law so I can learn it myself?

I would have admitted to it, but I was a real good bandster for the first year or so. Then I got bad. Very, very bad!

I personally don't understand why as a woman I'm NOT allowed to drive topless. How come guys can show their nips in public? Men's nipples look just like women's. I'm all for topless but I'm still embarrassed for people like Laura, Phil and Tom.

What Nikki said. And then what Anwyn said! I've heard the twit, and she "thinks" she knows things but she's clueless. You can't speak on behalf of obesity without ever having walked in fat shoes. It's so easy for Laura (and the other Dork, Dr. Phil) to explain to the world how to lose weight when they've never been faced with an obsession as severe as us. Us morbidly obese people live life committing slow suicide because we're plagued with a disease that has yet to be cured. Many of us have had weight loss surgery in hopes of finding bits of the answer, so when anyone publicly speaks about obesity, they better darn well have worn polyester stretch pants for a good part of their lifes or just keep their holes shut.

I apologize for the comment about slaves, it was written in a severe state of PMS, which is much, much, much more severe since the day my port-removal left me with a tube temporarily "stashed" in my abdominal cavity. I agree, that was in poor taste, but I was trying to make a strong point. Having a tube stashed in my belly is friggen miserable - capital M. Thanks for pointing that out for me to correct. As far as the girl with the colostomy bag, yes, there have been posts about her, however, according to my conversation with her, they were just rumors. She believes that use of Ibuprofen following a back injury caused her band erosion. I'm not at liberty to share her personal experience, but there were complications during the band removal procedure. She's gone through several surgeries, and still had another major one to look forward to (as of our last conversation about a month ago.) Her kids think she's cool because she can "fart through her stomach" so at least she's got a really great sense of humor about it. When I had my last port removal, they left a hole in my belly about the size of a small tangerine. They couldn't sew it shut, since an open-cavity-wound needs to close from the inside out. I had to see a nurse every single day for her to unpack, clean, and repack the wound for a few months. It was so bad that I wasn't even able to look at my own wound, and even my bad boy tough husband couldn't look. My hole, however, was nothing compared to the 7 inch open gap left in my friend. But no need to worry, it's only one colostomy bag/ near-death, and only two real deaths (one, according to what I've read, was because the woman was afraid to admit something was wrong.) So don't bother reading any of my scary posts because complications are really not that big of a deal. Johnny, I'm not sure what I did to make you so angry, but I'm sorry I scared you. Please don't read my threads, okay? I'm not here to make enemies. I already burned that t-shirt.

My little mind readers Michelle, I have you on my list of calls to make tonight. I'm going to fight the battle with you gals. I have my endo this week, so I have to liquid-fast tomorrow, then after the endo, I plan on starting WW with my bypass friend. She started last week and said the MEANEST thing to me. She said, "Lisa, you don't have to start WW with me, but don't be upset when I'm 40 pounds thinner in a few months and you're not." GEEZE, I wanted to slap her for being so damn right! I can't let that happen, now can I? I miss you, it's good to see you.

Which very famous actress admitted she lied in the past about being "fat and happy?" Was it Delta Burke? I can't remember who it was, but I remember a profound discussion from an actress who had just lost quite a bit of weight after going on and on about being a happy fat woman. But once she was thin, she cried and said she only pretended to be happy and was actually terribly miserable. I'm sorry, I once weighed 315 and could easily weigh that again, and there's no way I'll ever believe anyone can be morbidly obese and happy. I'm not saying I'd have to be "normal sized" or thin to be happy. I'm pretty happy now, but it ebbs and flows with my moods. One day I feel hot and sexually charged, then I take off my clothes and see my thighs and belly and the mood goes cold. I'm still considered morbidly obese and hope one day to be plain obese. I think I'd be happy being plain obese, because then I could at least wear a size 16/18. Jenna, if you love me, you won't let me weigh 300 again. So if that happens, please shoot me. Not even kidding. Pretty sick? I don't think so.

Tommy O, who are you, and why haven't I seen you around before? We should meet (on-line at least) considering you're my new hero. She's one of those people I have fun laughing at.