lapbander081004

I was put on Boost when I started my pre op and didn't like it. They let me change to Ensure and I loved them. Great flavor and no after taste. It becane tolerable when I found something I liked. Hang in there...everyday you put behind you is one less you have in front. Goes by fast.

Margo, My Dr say my goal weight is 185-190... But some of my healthist years and best years were when I weight 215..and thats where I want to get to. I played lots of sports and played semi pro hockey at that weight. Was in great shape of course and I was much younger then too. When I get around 220/215 I will make up my own mind if I want to lose more or maintain that weight.

The whole thing is sad but it is true that more times then not it is one of the parents involved. I just hope and pray that who ever it is is caught soon and placed in a cell with a very very large angry person.

Congradualtions on your anniversary. The success you have had with all you have gone thru really shows. Keep the faith and hopefully things will work out you can get that new port sooner then you think.

Best of luck and hope you get a quick positive response

Many of you may not know that I am a Viet Nam Vet. One of the most outrages things ever to happen to me in life was to return to this country and to face the hate and negative feelings people had towards me because I served in the conflict. I did what my government ask of me and I'd do it again if I had to. We are still experiencing the same thing towards many of our dedicated men and women who give up a portion of their lives if not their life altogether to serve that this nation will remain free. Those that oppose these men and women do so verbally, in print and in many other ways. They can do this because of the freedoms they have due to the men and women who have fought in our military, the ones they spit on and hate, who have keep their freedoms intact by going to fight a battle they know they may not return from. Please no matter what your feelings are about the conflicts....DO NOT lose sight of the fact that those losing their lives there are just common good people who have families like you and I. I ask you to join this movement to show your support for those fighting the war not necessarily the war itself: Red on Fridays You will soon see a lot of people wearing Red on Fridays Here's why ..... The Americans who support our troops, are the silent majority. We are not "organized" to reflect who we are, or to reflect what our opinions are. Many Americans, like yourself, would like to start a grassroots movement using the membership of the Special Operations Association, and Special Forces Associations, and all their friends, simply, to recognize that Americans support our troops. We need to inform the local VFW's and American Legion, our local press, local TV, and continue carrying the message to the national levels as we start to get this going. Our idea of showing our solidarity and support for our troops is -starting Friday, and continuing on each and every Friday, until this is over, that every red - blooded American who supports our young men and women, WEAR SOMETHING RED. Word of mouth, press, TV -- let's see! if we can make the United States, on any given Friday, a sea of red much like a home football game at a University. If every one of our memberships share this with other acquaintances, fellow workers, friends, and neighbors, I guarantee that it will not be long before the USA will be covered in RED - and make our troops know there are many people thinking of their well-being. You will feel better all day Friday when you wear Red! Let's get the word out and lead by example; wear RED on Fridays. I sent this out to everyone on my email list; hopefully, you will too. Wear Red on Fridays .... SUPPORT OUR TROOPS, WE LIVE IN THE LAND OF THE FREE, BECAUSE OF THE BRAVE. FOR US, THEIR BLOOD RUNS RED!!

Becky, Had my surgeryy on Tuesday Morning, Sent home Wednesday morning and was back at work on Friday. No problems at all. Friend of mine had her surgery on Friday and her husband picked her up from hospital on Saturday and they went shopping at costco on the way home and then I think it was a movie the next nite. Hopefully you'r surgery will go as good and you can be back up and runing quickly. Will keep you in our thoughts during your surgery and recovery.

I have been a Two allergy shot a month person since age 17. I'm 54 now and still take shots.. Normally people who get allergy injection can be weaned to oral meds over a period of time but thats not the case with me. When ever they try just meds I have difficulty and end up back on injections. I have allergy induced Asthma and I have two children who are severe asthmatics. We have three machines in the house and allergy meds on every counter. Inhalers like you won't believe. In 1992(phew this goes back aways...lol) I got the flu then went into phenuma(can't spell it but can catch it like crazy...lol). While awaiting a hopsital bed to open I had a major asthma attack and had to be rushed to the hospital. I spent 32 days out of work 20 in hospital 10 of those on a respirator and I lost 4 days while in a coma and they thought I won't survive. End result of this was that I have never had or even felt like I was going to have another asthama attack since. Doctors are completely amazed at this fact. I do not use an inhaler or my machine and have not since my release form the hospital...go figure this one out. One Dr simply stated I had such a severe attack he said I must have just blown it right out of my system. I still suffer from severe allergies and still on monthly injections but generally speaking since banding my allergies have improved. My allergist stated since my general health has inproved my body is handling the allergies better. Not that I will ever get off the injections but at least I don't have as much stuffy time during the months. I know this is quite long posting but I guess the point is the better we are helath wise the better lots of our health issues will get. And from a long time allergy sufferer I sure hope those out there that suffer from them get healthier and their allergy problem lihghten up for them.

Drama, Good luck....Hope your surgery is quick and simple and your recovery as well. Will keep good toughts for you on The 25th

Penni, Have good thoughts and prayers for you friend and her mother. 26 yrs as a cop and 11 yrs in funeral business and I will tell you I have never come across an organization as great as Hospice. My hat off to all the excellant people in that program that make our finally moments with or loved one so special. Glad to hear your mom is on the mend.

I have had four fills. First fill one poke and the Dr was in Second fill the Dr had difficulty cause my port had tipped. poked me 4 times, On third fill the other Dr had to pke me three times to get in and on last fill the Dr went in and withdrew the 2 cc to make sure it was still there and added 1 more and poked me again to put it all in. So 4 fill dates 10 pokes felt .....0...One hour later can't even see where the pokes went in. Its so easy its unbeliveable. And I am the Worlds Largest baby when it comes to needles and me. Don't be frightened when you see the needle. It just looks mean but has no bark... Good luck

Will keep good thoughts for you while your gone. Hope your surgery is quick and your recovery even quicker.

I won't change Dr at all. I have had great success with the Dr and his office. And the after care that I get is unbelievable. Only thing I'd change about the whole process is I would have done it sooner if I was to do it over.

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.