Carlene

Call the airline. My husband is retired from American and he says the trams are a service offered by the airline, not the airport.

First of all, what does he mean by "the band failed"? Does that mean it eroded, or slipped, or does it mean that the patients simply did not lose weight as they had expected? It's not a magic bullet and it does fail when people don't follow the rules, but so does the bypass. I'm not all that familiar with your culture, but it sounds like your husband is relying on the advice of your friend/surgeon primarily because he is a man and a physician, and dismissing your logic and preferences out of hand. Is there another doctor you might get to bolster your argument? Can you point out to your husband that you are an intelligent woman and ultimately, choices regarding your health should be made by you? At the end of the day, it's still your body and you are the one who has to live with the consequences of your decision.

Karen... You're welcome. Just don't tell my grandchildren, okay?

I swallow. (Sorry....couldn't resist. And during Lent, too. How bad is that?)

- Tortillas (white, wheat, corn?) - Not soft ones, for sure. Hard ones only in very small quantities. - Salad (what kind of lettuce can you eat?) - No salad - Hard breads (pretzels, crackers, melba, etc.) - No problem - "Fluffy" breads (pancakes, waffles, muffins) - Not on my best days - Ground meants (turkey, chuck, sirloin...) - No problem - Shellfish/crustaceans (scallops, shrimp, crab, lobster, mussels...) - YUM, but not breaded - Hard cereal (grape nuts, oat bran, etc.) - No problem - Hard cheeses - No problem Remember, not only is everyone different, but we all have days when we can eat something, and days we can't. It's just one of the ways your band keeps reminding you that it's the boss.

Darn...I was hoping to waste away to (almost) nothing.

I am about 15 pounds from my goal weight. I was banded 11/29/04 at 222 pounds and now weigh 138. I am only five feet tall.

You are overeating and it is causing referred pain to your shoulder. Eat more slowly and don't over-fill your pouch. I know this sounds crazy, but it's true. I learned it from my local support group shortly after I was banded, and they were right on target.

I smoked cigarettes for 30 years. I smoked marijuana when I was young - BC (before children). Pot does not have the additives (carcinogens) that tobacco companies put in cigarettes, and no one smokes 20-30 joints a day, so I think cigarettes are probably a lot more dangerous than pot. Marijuana, on the other hand, is a drug that accumulates in your brain for a long time and heavy use has profound effects on your behavior. It saps your ambition, for one thing. And then there are the munchies. As George Carlin said, "Have you ever seen the cookie aisle in a really bad neighborhood?".

I was 222 and barely 5 ft tall. I am now 138 (after 15 1/2 months) and fully expect to get below 120 sometime this year.

This is my first post (long time lurker). The procedure is called "facet injections" and they give them in the caudal canal or the epidural space. You don't actually have to be sedated. Women have epidurals all the time in childbirth with no sedation. I had the injections (3 sets of 3) and they did not help. I had two rounds pre-surgery (multiple fusions and bi-lateral laminectomies) and one round post-surgery. I lived with the herniated disk(s) for 8 years and finally threw in the towel and had the surgery. It's not a perfect "fix", but it sure did help. Carlene Lap Band 11/29/04 -84 pounds