athykay

Loved the video, thanks for sharing.

Good luck Alex, hope all goes well and you get good results.

I smoked for almost 2 years after I had my band. Always said that I would quit. Well I am on day 27 and no smokes. It really hasn't been that hard, but put an abscess on the lung and pnemonia, and then the scare of cancer. Well all of those things have really helped. This is really only about my second time that I have quit. The first time I lasted 2 months and I used the patches. This time was cold turkey, but I was pretty sick so that made it easier. My new band doctor Dr. Neal is the one who really gave me the inspiration to quit this time. He said that I had done so much to improve my health by losing all this weight, and that I should really consider quiting smoking for my health also. I knew it was time!!! Do I think about them? Yes but not to much, this time I mentally told myself that I was going to crave them and that I would probably be tempted to try them again, I think that has helped. In the past I thought when I quit after a certain amount of time the cravings would go away. Well I know now that they never will and if I can just make it thru each one, maybe I will succeed. Best of luck to you!!! It is a tough habit to break...........

Way to go!!!!!!! Congrats!!

Wow you look great, thanks for sharing. Great job

So glad you are feeling better. I have been there and I know what a relief it is. Just take your time, it is worth the wait, you will lose again. Nothing is worth being overfilled. I am struggling with a abscess on my lung from aspiration from being to full. Trust me you are doing the right thing. I hope this Dr. will continue to see you. I think we all need local Dr's for our band care. Take care, Kathy

Congrats to you!!!!!!

And to think I sat around being bored yesterday. Wow sorry I missed this one. But it was entertaining today. Thanks all!!!!!! Love a good debate!!!!!!!

Hey I need Erin at my house to eat up all my food. Getting well, not smoking, none of my fill left. I am eating everything in the house. If she were here maybe she would beat me to it. I really forgot what it was like to not have restriction. I think they took me down to my very first fill. This just sucks. It is great to get better but, I don't want to gain all my weight back. Send Erin my way she can eat everything around here.

Glad Mom is home and doing better she is lucky to have you!!!!!!

Best of luck to you Jonathan, everything does have a reason. Something better must be in store for you! You better be here to let us know what it is!!!!!!

Vera, So sorry, you and your family are in my prayers!

Thank you everyone, I can't say it enough!!!!! Happy for you too Delarla!!! Makes a person stop and smell the roses, let me tell you!! And now I am smelling those roses much better. Your all the greatest!!!!!!!! :Banane40: No SMOKES 13 days!!!!!!!!!!!!

Penni, You and your family are in my prayers. Remember to take good care of yourself your not any good for anyone if you don't. Take time out for Penni it will do you wonders. Take care darlin, (((((((((((((((Penni & Family))))))))))))))))

I know how you feel I find it hard to fib/lie/?? what ever you call it. Just think it is how I am geared. Maybe the same is for you. But the older I get and the more I see, I guess sometimes it just doesn't matter.

Hi everyone, Thank you all so much for your thoughts and prayers. I just got a call and the results came back no malignancy/CANCER, at all. It came back as they thought it would bad infection with abscess on the lung. It is going to be a long haul but the meds should clear everything up. I can't thank all of you enough. When I was worried I was here, lurking trying to find things to kill the time, time that was killing me with such worry. Your stories, things going on in your lives helped me get thru this. Thank you all so much!!!! I know that this was my wake up call. I lost both my parents when they were very young 54 and 58. Both of them had cancer. My father had lung cancer but lived thru that they removed part of his lung. He later died we believe from Lupus. My mother had Kidney Cancer and died 7 months after my father. I was 25 at the time of their deaths and that was a very difficult thing to go thru. Losing them both so close and young. I feared for my own children this past few weeks. I gave up cigarettes on February 2nd and I will not go back to them. I have been pushing my luck way to far. Dr Neal said something to me about accomplishing so much with my weight loss and improving my health. He said you know you really need to let the cigs go now.... The next day I did. I know being sicked helped me get there but I feel that I am really done with them. I don't want them controling my life anymore. Thanks again everyone, you really don't know what you have until it might be taken away. ONE VERY HAPPY LBT GIRL HERE IN WA!!!!!!!!!!!!:clap2: :clap2: :cool:

I would suggest any one having reflux that started in after a fill to think about having a slight unfill. I never had it for almost 2 years then on my last fill had it almost everyday and night. Had some unfill and no more reflux or heartburn. Too full is not a good thing, trust me!!!!!!!!!!!

Oh my gosh too funny, so do you do parties in WA State??????

Just checking in for today. I am feeling better everyday still very weak but better. It is so heart warming to read all of your post. Brightens my days let me tell you. Delarla, how are you doing? Any news on your test? The waiting is the worst!! You are in my prayers too girlie!!! I am trying to stay busy. My grandson is here for the day and that will help. I hope to hear something on Monday if not then Tuesday for sure. So glad I came back to LBT and decided to share my story. The support is the greatest. Thanks again everyone, have a great SUNDAY!!!!!!! (((((((((((LBT)))))))))))

Oh I love hugs, never can get enough!!!!!!! ((((((((((((((((((((((((LOVE)))))))))))))))))))))))))))))))))))) Awhhhhhhhhhhhhhhh this is the greatest place!!!!! Makes me feel warm and fuzzy inside!!!!!!! Thanks everyone!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Hi Everyone, Haven't posted for a few days. Went for my Dr's appt on Tuesday and they put me in the hospital. Pumped me full of antibotics and had a Bronchscopy on Wednesday. Had the greatest Doctors, after looking over the CT and the Bronchscopy they don't think there is any cancer. But we have to wait for the results, but they are all pretty sure that it is pnemonia with an abscess on my lung. Possibly caused by aspiration pnemonia. I will have to be on Antibiotics for long term possibly up to 4 months or longer. Thank you all for your concerns, sorry I haven't been able to let everyone know how things were going. I really appreciate all your thoughts and prayers this certainly has been a very trying time. I feel that we have finally found the problem and I am on my way to recovering it is just going to take some time. I can't thank you all enough for your prayers, I will keep you all posted. (((((((((((Kathy)))))))))))))))

Let me say first of all all of your thoughts and all of the hugs have helped. Yesterday was very tough. I got a call at 4:30 from the Plumonary Specialist I have a appointment today at 3:15. I was so glad they called I don't know how I could sit and wait another day. I am not sure what the appointment is for. If it is for the biopsy or just to meet with Dr. I am going to give them a call later this morning. The girl I spoke to yesterday wasn't sure. Thanks again everyone, (((((((Kathy))))))))

Hi Everyone, I find it very difficult to come here today. I don't know what to say or how to say it. Yesterday I spent the day at OHSU in Portland. I had a coughing spell and up came blood again. So hubby took me down to the emergency at OHSU I spent most of the day there. We explained the last 2 months of bronchitis and pnemonia and all the meds. I told them that I had lapband surgery and maybe something was wrong with the band. They assured me that the band was not involved in this problem. They imediately started testing, CT scan, blood work, chest xray and at one point I thought we had some pretty good news. From the first looks at the scan it didn't look like there was any cancer. Then the senior radioligist read the test and said that cancer can not be ruled out yet. I do have Pneumonia and wether it is a tumor or abcess is the question. I will have to have a biopsy. They sent me home and I await a call today or tomorrow from their Pulmonary clinic to schedule the biopsy. The waiting is awful, I don't know what to do with myself. I am really trying to be optomistic I know that what ever will be will be. But the things that go through your head. Oh my gosh!!! My husband and I cried in each others arms last night. We are both so frightened. I don't think this day could be any longer. How do you get through the waiting and wondering?? I just wanted to update you all on my situation. I had been so worried that the band may have been involved. Thank you all for advise and concerns, Penni thank you for your kindness!! I will keep everyone updated as things evolve. Thanks again for all the support here!!!

Delarla that poor girl is me. And I am filing bankruptcy not because of the band but I couldn't find a job to replace my 40,000 a year salary. I posted that post earlier this week. I have been having alot of health issues. Bronchitis, pnemonia and I had been overfilled so I thought maybe there was a posiblility that the band was involved. I don't know if my band has anything to do with what is going on with my health. I just know that it would be nice to know that it is not involved. I go to PCP she has no clue if it could or could not, I went to Dr. Neal in Olympia this last Thursday wanting to have a Endoscopy. He said that he didn't think it was necessary and we should wait until my bronchial stuff is all cleared up and he will do a fill under floro and check the band out further. So you see I don't see that I can do anything further. I have spoken to Penni and she offered for me to come and see Billy also. I would love to jump on a plane and go have it checked out but that is just not feasible. I don't have the money for that. And so I have decided that if things get bad I will have my husband take me to a Portland Hospital I really think that is my only option. I am feeling somewhat better today. So I am hoping that things are going to improve and I can see Dr Neal soon. But for now I can't let my self worry it is just been to difficult. Hanging in!!!!!!!!!!!

If I have any regrets about the band it is that I didn't make sure I had great follow up care. Yes I researched the Doctors in Mexico and felt sure I made the right choice. I had the money to have the band placed and had a good job at the time that I had my surgery. Didn't think money for aftercare was going to be an issue. Well lost my job now aftercare is an issue. I just can't jump on a plane and go back to Mexico for care. Nor do I want to. Would I have the band again yes in a heart beat. Would I have it done in Mexico or any other country NO. Why? Because if you can't find anyone to take care of you after what good is it. Finding a doctor to care for me has been one of the biggest struggles. Right after my surgery I tried contacting Dr. Lopez office for advise on some meds and to request my records. That was a nightmare, I called and called no one ever faxed my records. I think I got the med advise from someone here. So my advise to anyone seeking out the band, would be find someone you can depend on and that is close by. We shouldn't have to jump on a plane or travel miles and miles to find someone to take care of us. But we should know all that before we make the decision to have the band. It would have been well worth it to pay the extra and have the comfort of knowing that your doctor is near by if you need them and knows about you and your circumstances. This post said it best!!!!!!!! I have to point to Big Paul's post again. This is not just about finding someone who can get that band in you and send you on your way. It's about thinking ahead, thinking smart, covering your bases, and being prepared. If you can get to Mexico for after care and you have a good relationship with your doctor there, that's awesome. But if you're thinking about putting all of your savings into a quick trip to Mexico and you know you won't have the money or whatever you need to get you back down there when and if things go wrong.. you might want to pay that extra bit upfront and find a surgeon with a completel plan for your well being here in the states. This if from another thread.. and it REALLY puts a spotlight on what we have all been trying to say in this thread: Ok I just got off the phone with Dr. Neal's nurse. I talked to her about my problems that I have been having. Now I don't know where to turn. She basically said that I should contact Dr. Lopez in Mexico and let him know what is going on. Well that is not a option for me like I told her. I want a american Doctor that I can depend on. She gave me the cost of the Endoscopy and it is about 4200.00 and my insurance will not cover, if the band is eroded or there is a problem with it. From what I told her she didn't say whether she thought the band was related to my problems. She did say that if there is a erosion and it is left untreated it is very serious. So now what do I do? I don't have the finances for this type of procedure right now unless they take payments??? Delarla, Penni any advise. What about Dr. Billy what is the deal with him. Would he see me? I am getting so frustrated I am about to have my husband just take me to Portland and check me into the hospital and see what they can do. What should I do??????????