Vicki J

I don't know for sure but I know that my daughter had some problems with depression and they wanted her to go to some sort of classes. I tried to call her prior to responding but she didn't answer. Whatever the reason for them requiring this it has caused her to not be able to go further into the process until she completes the classes. Having said that, you are the only one that can determine if this is something that you need to address immediately. I would never advocate putting off help even for the band. I too have suffered from mild depression now and again but like you I can usually find out what's going on. If I were in your position, I would have to do some soul searching and determine what is the most pressing right now. If the depression is taking over your life, you should probably get the help. They will put the band in but it might be delayed.

People are posting you from both sides. Sleeve AND band. However, if someone DARES state that it is weird that you must come to a lapband SUPPORT page to tout all the advantages of the sleeve over the band then they are the bad guys and you are....simply the victim. Come on - stop it - you're here because you're trying to tell everyone why they shouldn't get the band. ANYONE who is interested in the sleeve is perfectly capable of going to a website that is about the sleeve and find the information. You said that it was suggested that you go to "lapbandtalk.com" to tell everyone about your sleeve. Doesn't that seem weird to you? Are you trying to justify your decision? Yeah, this sounds harsh because this thread is a band bashing. Either that or do you have some vested interest in converting people for say your doctor? I can't see why you would want to post a thread for one surgery on a page that is totally for another surgery unless you simply want to make others doubt their decision. Well, after 122 pounds (ticker needs updating) I can't see where the band is a bad choice. And like you, if I feel you're band bashing I'm entitled to my opinion. EXCEPT - I'm on a LAPBAND SUPPORT PAGE!

I think you're all being to hard on Frenchie 1959. I have to say that when I started reading this post I had the same question as would anyone on a sleeve post if someone were to post pushing the band on a site for other WLS. Yes, it does kind of sound like you're pushing the sleeve. I can understand why since it seems to have some great results. I honestly don't think that your weight loss is the norm but it is fantastic for you. I have a co-worker that got the sleeve about a year ago and has done great with it. It's funny because I chose the band because it is adjustable and they don't take 2/3 of my stomach out and throw it in the trash can. I have a family history of cancer and should I ever need more food they can unfill or remove my band and I can get whatever I need. You say that you don't have all the follow-up (summarizing here) and that's true. Having the band can be frustrating because you have to wait until you reach the right fill to get what you got instantly. But, what are you going to do when your pouch stretches or God forbid you get ill and need more nutrition? There are pro's and con's to all of the surgeries. None of them are magic pills so to speak. It's good for everyone to be able to choose which surgery is best for them and it's also good to be able to reach out to people who need the support for said surgeries. I hope that you're in the right area in obesityhelp.com because I'm sure that you could be an effective role model for someone with the sleeve. Yes, I've read the posts on this thread and I did so because I was hoping it wasn't what it seems to be. It seems to be a band-bashing and that's sad. I see people who are on this thread that are sad because they HAVE to get the band. That's really sad. WLS can be a marvilous thing if you let it. However, if you go into it feeling like you "just settled" for what you got, you're probably setting yourself up for heartache. I totally understand why someone who had to go out of the country for surgery wouldn't want to have to continually go back. I also understand why someone would go out of the country for surgery considering the cost. However, (and this is a biggie) what are you going to do when your insurance cancels you because you had a surgery done that they don't cover AND everyone else turns you down because you had an experimental surgery done (and that also equates to a pre-existing condition)? There is only 5 years of information about the sleeve. Staple lines can deteriorate, ulsers can form, pouches can stretch, etc. THERE IS NO WLS THAT DOES NOT HAVE COMPLICATIONS. The only surgery that they can easily undo in case of a complication is the band. This is all said in the mere context of conversation. I am NOT sleeve bashing, I am NOT chewing anyone out for promoting the sleeve on a lapband website. These things are JHMO. But if you are going to post pro-sleeve/band bashing threads on a lapband site you had better pull up your big girl panties and be prepared for bandsters defend their choices.

When I started my BMI was around 46+ so it wouldn't have hurt me to loose a little before orientation. I would hope they would look at your records to find out if you were above 40 BMI should you go below that.

Papahemi - You are SO right about being proactive. During the initial phase they don't check the schedule for canceled appointments. They just go to the next available at the end of the line and fill that one. So should an appt need to be rescheduled, call and check for cancelations every couple of days. You might even be able to get some of the original appointments sooner but I'm not sure on that one. The other thing is to jump into your weight loss as soon as you get through orientation. If they see that you're applying yourself, they make sure your surgery happens as soon as your turn comes up. I have seen them delay people's surgery for what would seem a small amount of weight. Also, I checked with them and you can't loose too much weight. They go by the beginning weight to qualify you and that's all you need. I believed that I was getting a head start by continuing to loose weight and that the band would help me loose the remainder of the weight and keep it off. Good luck to all of you. Vicki

I had the same thing happen. I didn't even have to use my backup. I'm glad that things are started for you. Yeah, it will be a long process but it's totally worth it. If you ever need to schedule an appointment (i.e. change one), make sure you call every now and then to check for cancellations. One of my appointments was cancelled because the pyschologist was on jury duty. They wanted to schedule me about 2.5 months out. That was on a Friday. I called the next Monday and they found a cancellation the next Friday. They will not call anyone to try and fill those cancellations. When they finally schedule you for surgery they will ask you if you want to be put on the cancellation list. They will call and fill those so that their surgeons stay busy. Good luck and keep me posted on how you're doing. Vicki

Freemont will send a card with an orientation on it. If you want direct answers to your questions, call the bariactric unit at the Freemont facility and they will be more than happy to answer your questions. Minxz - Congratulations on getting started on your journey. I, too, am a SSF lapbander. I had my surgery Dec. 12, 2007. The bariactrics unit there is a good one even if the process is long. When I went through (boy that sounds like it was a long time ago) they had us loose 10% give or take some. But the rule of thumb to get you started and close was 10%. I jumped into the weight loss thing with both feet after getting reassurances that I couldn't loose too much and wouldn't get kicked off the program. I had heard from another patient that those that succeeded in loosing the weight and following the program got their surgeries faster. I don't know if it had anything to do with it but I was supposed to get my surgery mid to end of February of this year and got it in December. Hang in there, it's worth it. I kept telling myself on the 1200 calorie diet that I would be getting the band soon and to keep loosing weight. I'm now within 6 pounds of goal and I'm happy I gave myself that headstart. Vicki

I agree with Kat. She makes valid points. As far as the sleeve or anyother WLS goes, I think it should be standard practice that there be a lot of follow-up initially. I personally think that this is why a lot of people are having troubles with other WLS because they go along thinking "this must be normal" and then wham they're in trouble. JMHO Vicki

Blix - I bet you are pleased! Sorry to hear about your wife's troubles. I have read so many posts on other boards about people having trouble with GB. It makes me sad. I'm a big band advocate and I have the results to back me up. Congratulations again! Vicki

Yeah, I realized that after I asked. Which Kaiser are you going through? I went to SSF. Vicki

I've heard some good things about him. Don't know anything personally though.

I chose the lap band and my co-worker chose the sleeve. We've both had good results. I originally chose the band because my insurance paid for it. It also paid for GB but I'd have to be desperate for that one. It scares me too much. After I had completed all of my research I decided that I was happier with the band because it's forever adjustible. The sleeve like the bypass can be stretched and then they are putting bands over them. Why not start out with the fix and never have the problem? Just MHO. Vicki

WW - The three hour drive should be ok. I assume that she knows how to drive and can share the driving on the way up. Just make sure that a day or so prior to the trip you go to liquid Tylenol instead of prescription pain meds. Some people do heal faster than others which gives them more stamina. However, the risk you take by lifting too much weight or in the instance of moving many boxes is that your port has to have scar tissue grown around it to adhere it to the muscle. If you don't let this happen, you take the risk of the small amount of sutures tearing and your port flipping. If your port flips, it's another surgery. Also, your port area more often than not is very sore for a while. Doing too much can make this worse. The one other thing to take into account is that you will have 5 incissions trying to heal and doing too much can cause them to take longer to heal or an infection. You are the only one that can decide how far you want to chance it. No, you will probably not cause yourself any life threatening problems but you could cause yourself some significant problems. You're a self pay patient, how much more are you willing to gamble by doing too much too soon? It could lead to having to pay more for repairs. This is not meant to be an a** chewing. Really, you're a big girl and I'm just trying to give you the information as to why they tell you to do things so you can make an informed decission. I had a 3 hour trip home within 48 hours of surgery and made it fine. I wasn't driving and I wasn't trying to move anyone. I drove to work (short distance) and home within a week of surgery and felt like someone had pulled the plug on my energy reserves. This is something only you will be able to tell when the time comes. We are all different. If you feel up to driving, just make sure you have an out if you get to where you're exhausted. Take care of yourself. 'Nuff said.

Stephanie - Happy Birthday one day early. :biggrin: How about you and your Mom go out to messages or pedicures together. Maybe all the girls can go together. Well, the guys might like massages too. You're right in the fact that there's more to life than food. She had better get used to the change because when you're adjusted right your world won't revolve around food either. But she will figure it out and things will adapt. What a birthday present you gave yourself. The funny thing is I had surgery 17 days before my 55th birthday. This is one of those last forever presents. LOL Vicki

WW - See I really did come over here to read up on you. LOL At 7 days you're probably going to tire out easily. The driving is advised against unless you're off of your prescription pain meds. They're pretty good stuff. You won't be allowed to lift more than 20 pounds for about 4 weeks (I think that was the amount of time). How far away is the college? Can you possibly take a family member or friend? Make sure to keep your Protein levels up while you're on liquids. New-whey bullets taste like Kool-aide if you mix them with Water. They come in fruit flavors. They give you 48 grams of protein each and about 170 calories. Get the ones with no carbs or sugar. Don't drink a full one at one time. You can only process about 1/2 of that amount of protein at a setting. But if you keep up your protein it will give you more stamina. I didn't do that and when I tried to go back to work a week later I felt like I was going to fall on my face. A friend of mine that had the gastric sleeve done realized what was happening and gave me one of the bullets to try. She then kicked my butt for not taking better care of myself. Good luck and we'll see you on the other side.

WW - Congratulations and I guess I'll have to go check you out. LOL Vicki

HAPPY BIRTHDAY, AMANDA!!!! Welcome aboard!!! Vicki

Well thank you, whippoorwillow. Let me know if I can answer any questions for you. Where are you in the process? Vicki

Angel - If you have to be on a mushy diet forever, you're too tight. You will have to spend some time on liquids, full liquids and then soft foods. Each doctor is different on how long they want you on it but it's not forever. Sometimes it seems like that because we get bored with it. LOL Congratulations on your seminar date. It will speed by. Are you self pay? Vicki

Hey there Angel - Well, a lot depends on how you're getting the band (insurance/self-pay). With the self-pay it's a lot quicker in most cases. Insurance depends upon which insurance you're going through. I have been banded for 7 months now and I went through Kaiser in No. Cal. I was on their 1200 calorie pre-op diet for 6 months prior to surgery and lost 70 of the 119 pounds I've lost on that. If you're going through insurance you may be required to do a 3 - 6 month doctor's supervised diet. They are trying to figure out if you will follow the plan and also they are trying to shrink your liver. Again, it depends on how you're paying for the surgery. Having the lap band and finally getting to the place where the restriction is just right for me is such a blessing. I traveled without my food scale for the first time this last weekend and was terrified that I gained weight. But I listened to my band and when she whispered to quit eating I did and she took really good care of me. Notice that I said whispered. A lot of people think that they are supposed to have this band that puts a strangle hold on their stomach. They tend to get too tight because of this. Restriction is a feeling of satisfaction not a punishment for eating. If the band is yelling at you, you've gone too far. One of the things I love about the band is there is very little I can't eat. I eat like a normal person in smaller amounts. Surprisingly since I don't feel like a failure anymore, I don't seem to binge eat anymore. Success has really changed my attitude about food. Also, when I eat the dense Protein and fruits/veggies for the day, I don't feel like I need the junk. I will usually grab some chicken strips at KFC if I'm absolutely in a pinch and can only eat one. Yeah, it's not the best of food but like I said I only do it in a pinch. I've been blessed in the fact that I have not had any complications with my band. I try to keep an eye on what and how I eat so that I'm trouble free. The surgery is pretty simple but you'll have to not lift your 2 year old for a few days. The surgeon will tell you for how long. This does not stop you from sitting on a chair/couch and having him come into your lap for some loving. Other than that, ask some more specific questions and get us some more information on how you're going to pay and we should be able to help you more. Good luck on your journey and hopefully it will be a quick one for you. Vicki

Shortgal - I am so sorry to hear this has happened to you. Hopefully he'll use the same incisions and the scars won't change. I would kind of ask him about this being the second one that has happened in his practice since the new band. It hasn't been around that long and maybe he needs to figure out what "his" problem is. I'm not saying that your doctor is a bad doctor by any means but maybe he just needs to re-evaluate his installation of the new band. Good luck on your surgery. I am sure that once the problem is fixed you'll be a total success. Vicki

Yeah, Susan's kicking butt. She's gonna be buying all kinds of clothes to keep up with the weight loss. Way to go Susan!

I never had any luck on just Phentermine. I had to have both parts and boy did I loose the weight. It also gave you that mega energy - LOL. I was like a high strung bumble bee. Unfortunately, like everyone else I gained it back and more. I tried to tell my doctor years ago when I was on WW that if I ate a piece of bread extra I would gain and if I didn't I would continue to loose. He told me it was all in my head. I thought PCP's were good at anatomy - it sure wasn't in my head it was all on my butt. :biggrin: So I got no help. I guess I missed the ear stapling thing. Darn, I can't believe I missed and didn't get the chance to fail at a diet. :thumbup: Anyway, for exercise I have been working out at Curves. It was great because it is designed for women that are not in the greatest of shape and it does work. They have a new computerized thing going where the machines adjust the workout as you get in better shape. It really kicks your butt. I haven't worked out in the last month due to the air quality. I have slight asthma and I don't want to get half way through a workout and have a problem. I also think I'm going to check out full gyms because I'm not the fat kid on the block now and I would really love to do some different things. I would love to do some belly dancing or rock climbing or even laps in the pool. I'm getting quite adventerous these days. I also enjoy going out and rock hounding which is a new thing for my DH and me. It gets me outdoors and it definitely is exercise. We also get to go to new places doing this and it's a blast. Being at a normal weight has opened up the world to me again. I am in such a better place not only physically but mentally and emotionally. I look at life in a whole new way. Just think by this time next year you'll be a hotty. It's so hard right after banding because it's like having a new car without gas. But you seem to have a great attitude about this time in the journey. You're going to be so happy with how easy life can be in keeping your weight in check. I talked to a friend of mine who got the band and she was kind of beating herself up because she was loosing so slow. She said that her head just wasn't in it and she wished she could be like me. This is a girl who has lost about 70 pounds since October '07. I mean what kind of failure could loose 70 lbs? I told her that she was loosing and that means she must be doing something right. She thought about it and had to agree. The band will keep you going if you even give it a little chance. Oh well, enough chewing your ear off. Keep in touch with me and let me know how you're doing. You can always PM me. I get the stuff on my phone and can answer emails. PM me if you want my email. Vicki

I know what you're talking about. I think a lot of us did the extreme thing. I'm probably one of the few people who would still take phenfen if it was available. Well, not anymore. I found something healthier. You're right, everyone needs to have some patience because it will happen at the rate that their body decides. It's so hard though. I have been blessed with a good result from this journey. I lost about 70 of those pounds prior to banding because it took Kaiser so long to get me through their system. I asked the doctor if I lost too much weight if they would kick me off of the program. He laughed and said that they went by the starting weight. By the time surgery happened he wasn't laughing and was impressed. I couldn't have stuck to it if I hadn't had the band to look forward to. Towards the end of the wait I was chanting that the band was coming and to hang in there. It was so hard even with the good results I had had. Fortunately, I have reached my sweet spot and living with the band is great. I find I'm not as motivated to be the blue ribbon dieter now that I'm close to goal and I know that it will happen one of these days. Funny how the attitude changed from failure to hard core dieter to I'm ok with myself in just a year. I see that you're just starting your journey. It's a wild and emotional trip. I think that one of the most surprising feeling was being overwhelmed when I got into the single diget clothing. I find myself standing with clothes in my arms in sheer disbelief that they are mine. Yep, it's a wild ride. Good luck!!!

Oh, yeah, this nurse is a bariactric nurse who has been banded and written a book regarding lap bands. Personally, I think she has some good qualifications. Can she be wrong? Yeah we all can. She states that it is a time when the body is adjusting to the change in weight loss and change in calorie intake. Please don't think I'm defensive about this. I will say it again, I'm not an expert and everything I have said is STRICTLY an opinion to be taken as nothing more than that. Vicki