lapbander081004

Can see my scars thru all the hair that grew back. One benifit of being a bear...lol

Great to se you back on here Vera and glad all is going well with you. Continued success with the "new" band. Thoughts and prayers with you

It can be caused by vitamins too if you weren't taking them before and are now they can do this you may just be noticing it.

Thank Alex for clearing this up. My band has fixed my eating habits but not my memory. We're all gratefull she is on the mend.

MARRIED...VERA'S MARRIED??????? Oh nooooooo. And all thoses PM's back and forth and she never let me know... LOL Just kidding Bill. Really glad to hear all is well and we will keep her in our prayers that all continues to go well.

Pat Erosion is when the band and the stamach walls don't get along and the band works its way thru the wall into the stomach area. If your body has a reaction to the band this can happen. But remember the band is placed around the stomach then the stomach is sewen over the band so when erosion accurs there is not a hole created to the outside. But the band has to be removed. At my Dr seminars this question is asked alot also. And my Dr has same answer as Alex's DR.(they must talk on the phone)... It depends. He further states if the erosion if from the body rejecting the band then until one is made of another substance you wouldn't be getting a new one. If its caused by another source, and I don't know what they would be, you may be able to have a new one placed once the stomach heals from the first erosion. I may be wrong but didn't Vera's band erode and she is getting a new one???

Kim, I agreee 100% with you. If I could have done this without the band I'd be thinner. I got the band because everything else failed. Now when I need a fill and the food is not staying up long enought I revert back to old habits...Why because Its what has cause me to fail in the past. Obiesity is a disease and the government now admits it. Alcoholics go back to old habits if they get off thier program as do drug addicts. I am addicted to food and I can control it with the band. Good luck and don't hold back from a fill. Let the darn thing work with you and good luck. Oh yes I forgot to mention that even thought I recntly gained weight due to Falling off the program. I still say I'm a success because I got back up and to it and have lost all I gained and working on dumping more in the future. Without the band I won't have gotten back up and at it again.

It should only be our hearts,minds, souls and spirits that direct our relationships. It should not matter what size house this all lives in. But who ever is going to occupy that house with me has to be communicating on the same level or slightly above mine. I have been married 31 yrs and hope that its another 31 yrs. Even though when I got married the preacher told me I could have 16 more wifes, 4 richer, 4 poorer, 4 better and 4 worse. I'm simply downsizing the house all my feelings live in. If my other half doesn;t like the change the suitcases are in the basement on the top shelf. But I don't think she is interested in trying to train another one...lol Good luck to you all in your relationships and I wish you find happiness and love

Nykee, If your interested you can PM me and I'll tell you lots more about how you can figure out how to drink the way you want to..lol But I'd need info you may not want to post here.

Ok After the butt chewing I got for gaining weight the Dr and I discussed a few things about this band doing these weird things. He told me #1 the resaon I have not found the right spot with my band yet is due to the extra fat I had around my stomach. I was under for a little over two hours for the surgery due to the fat. AS I am losing the weight the fat around the stoamch walls is dropping causing the opening of the band. He pulled out all of the 2 cc Fluid in my band I had put in to date to make sure it was there and not leaking. He put it back along with another 1 cc. So now I have 3 cc and he also said that the fat around the stamch should be normal by now and that I should feel restriction at all times now. He also said having restriction when I first get up after sleeping is probably due to the relaxed state my body is in. And as I wake and start moving around eveything is wakeing up. Its not uncommon for the band to feel more restriction. After being up for awhile my body is adjusted to the day and the stomach walls conform to where they should be and with the loss of fat the band opening is just bigger. I ate shortly after leaving his office and had tremendious restriction and wasn't hungry for about 5 hours. So I'm hoping this is it for me. KIM: I think when they asked about the stick they meant Stuck. I agree the band is supposed to make the food stick in the upper part longer before it drops. If my food got stcuk everytime I ate I'd have the band removed. That hurts way too much...

I can tell you from personal experience that if you don't eat right you will not lose. I just recently went thru a two month period where I got off track. I had restriction and was limited to what I could eat but I was making some very poor choices. Replacing salad with Girl Scout Cookies, cutting back on the veggies so I could put in more breads and meats. And I slowed way down on my treadmill from 3 to 5 miles a day to 3 to 5 miles a week. I put weight on and I went up approx 15 pounds. I did a reality check with myself and got back on track and I will be back to my lowest weight since being banded in about one more week. Its really not rocket science. Calories in and calories out. Too many in and not enough out you gain...Can't help control that. So the band does help but its just a tool. You have to be dedicated and if your now why go thru all this. Good Luck on youe decision.

Heather, I am a Federal and State Certified Alcohol Detection Expert. I can tell you that there is no reason why you can't drink alcohol after banding....As long as your system tolerates it. I was a hugh fan of beer but I don't handle the Carbonation anymore. So my second choice of a beverage, rum/diet coke is out for the same reason. So now I sip Rum or WHiskey on the rocks when I want to have a drink. But I don't drink much due to the calorie count in alcohol. Have to give up too much other stuff to make up for it and I don't find it worth it at this point. Just keep in mind your blood alcohol level is determined by your weight...so as you lose weight the amount of alcohol that will make you drunk goes down also. Type in BAC Calculator in google and click on one of the sites. Fill in the information as to what your drinking how many drinks you want the time you will spend drinking and your weight and it will give you an approx blood alcohol level. This is an approx as there are other factors that will determine how alcohol effects you but generally this estimate is very good.

When I first get up I cannot eat without it getting stuck. I wait a few and then it goes thru and the rest of the day its all I want with no problems. Can tell you what going on more today as I see the Dr for a fill. And I am going to discusss it with him.

Just like everyone to keep nancysmiles in your prayers this weekend. Today ,Good Friday, her mother-in-laws passed away peacfully. Also Nancy's father is in hospital and is an alzhemier patient. It was just found that he has a brain tumor also. SO nancy has lots to deal with in her persoanl life right now and can use our support. She will be out of town probably till the end of next week. Nancy and I work very close as moderators of a support group in the Detroit area. She is a pleasure to work with(ok s I lied she does ALL the work I just take the credit) and its an honor to have her as a friend. My thoughts and prayers will be with you for the next few difficult days and well beyond that too.

The best gift I ever received is the breath of air I first took upon arriving here. Without that I'd not know what I know, do what I do or Love like I Love

Pink, Welcome to our world. Everyday is still a struggle but with the Band I have the help I need. Prior to being banded I knew it wasn't going to be a magic trick. I still have to put a tremendious effort into my journey. The band was just a tool to help. I also knew that there would be no "Food" for several weeks before and after the surgery. I also decided that for the two weeks prior I would know if I could handle the liquid part. Wasn't banded and could walk away at anyting and continue my journey to an early grave...or I could keep thru it and be on my other journey to a healthier life. I choose this route to go. So everytime I got depressed I just took some time out to reflect and review in my head what I did and the reason for it. This has never changed...I just have to bring myslef back into focus. For me it has worked. After the liquid part of the diet was over and I was able to re intrduce solids in my life I found with the exception of a few items I can eat anything. And my buddy, the tool, helps me to remember when I am pushing the envelope on over eating. What your going thru is normal....just hang in it gets better...much better. Soon you will feel normal again and you will see the benifits of the band. Good luck and God Bless

Phillip, When God released the soul you knew as Carolyn to be born to her earthly body she arrived crying, yet her family was smiling and was full of joy. Now her family is crying. But Carolyn is smiling and full of joy as she has completed her mission here, as short as it was, and has returned to the eternal comfort found in the arms of our Savior. My saddened heart goes out to your family but know that she reached lives far beyond imagination and we are all better for it. Greg

I understantd this isn't your words so I want everyone to know I'm only quoting the quote. I feel only a reckless Dr won't use all means available to make the surgery compliction free.

Jan, My Doctor will not do the surgery on anyone unless they follow a liquid diet for 14 days prior. The only reason our Dr puts anyone on the diet is to reduce the size of the liver. Weight loss(i lost 20 pounds in the two weeks) is a good side effect. ASk your Dr about it.

Jamie, Will keep you in thoughts and prayers. Hope your surgery is quick and painless(Of course you do too). Look forward to seeing your post here when you get home. God Bless

Here's wishing you a quick and successful Surgery. A short stay in recovery. An a very rapid journey to your goal.

Christina, Glad your feeling better. Just remember it gets better everyday.

Corgi, I saw costco had Sparkling Ice Water on sale and purchased a case of it. Then Duh I realized Sparkling means carbonated. I drank them slow and shook a lot of the carnbination out of them. I didn't have trouble but I won't get them again because to many drinks out there that I can use without having to prepare them to get rid of carbonation. Try Propel...Costco also sell them and I like them the best

We will keep good thoughts all day long for you for the surgery and all day the next day for the recovery. Good Luck and may you enjoy a long healthy life.

First off check all the benifits of one proceedure over the other. Decided for yourself which one you want. If you decide the g/b is it then your all set. If you feel you'd prefer the lapband then call and talk to them. Just calling to find out if your covered shold not reflect on what the have alreay approved. Good luck with what ever you do