Cocoabean

I have flown several times with no troubles. Some people report they are a bit tighter after flying, so I think the shakes are a good precaution.

Hi Laura, I eat pretty well. I still struggle with choices sometimes. But I am now naturally taking small portions and small bites. I eat about 1200 calories per day and have just recently reached a normal BMI. My band is fairly loose (5.5cc in a 10cc band)which allows me to eat a wide variety of foods, and I don't get stuck too often. When I do get stuck it is usually from pilot error. My typical day: Cup of coffee on the way to work. Protein shake/bar/or graham crackers with Peanut Butter for Breakfast. note: my surgeon prefers I not do Protein shakes, he wants me to eat my calories. I recently started them because I was getting bored with my normal breakfasts. I start work at 6:30am, and cannot eat before I leave my house. lunch is a salad or sandwich (without most of the bread), or dinner leftovers. We have a cafeteria where I work. I'll sometimes get the special and break it into two meals. Dinner is often a meat dish with veggie side and a starch. I follow the band rule of eating protien and veggie first with the starch as more of an afterthought. I am allowed healthy in between meal foods. Just not brainless eating. I also spend a bit of time here to remind me of my band and to keep up the hard work! Best wishes to you!

Hey Everyone!! Bobbie! Best wishes for the job lead! Wowser! Way to go! Leigha! You've joined the ranks of normal with me! They won't know what hit them. Congratulations! Stacie: I've battled depression for years. I take Zoloft. Can't report any negative reaction with my weight and the medication. Also, I sometimes get some minor pain around my port area. Especially if the waistband of my clothing goes right over it. Or if I have eaten a lot. HB: Congrats on the MEDIUM scrubs! Awesome! So, I saw my endocrinologist today. First time in a long time, as I left this medical group for a while. He was astounded by my weight loss. His receptionist, who I dearly love. Saw me come up and said, "my goodness, look at you!! You've lost so much weight!" I was amazed she even remembered me, much less noticed my weight loss! That gave me a grin for the day. Anyway, he said the sudden drops in blood pressure are not related to thyroid issues. So, I made an appointment with my PCP. I am scared it might be heart related. But he did raise my thyroid hormone dosage. So maybe I won't be freezing any more. I'll see him again in 4 months to recheck things. I took my fasting blood sugar this morning, 112 :biggrin: The endo was happy that the pre-diabetes had not progressed into full-fledged diabetes over the past years. I am not happy that it isn't normal. So, Butters and I have recommitted to walking together. We went today. And the friend at work on whose desk I tried to pass out said I had best bring my walking shoes on Monday because we are starting to walk. So, I can do twice in a day. The more the better. We have a nice walking track around the building at work. It is flat, so won't hurt the knees and hips as much as around the house where we have hills. So, here's hoping I finally fall in love with exercise! bah!

You have a web cam or something? :biggrin: Guess it's those web Cookies your computer is eating, telling them you are coming here! I'd bet you have to fill out a bunch of surveys or "take advantage" of tons of free offers or something! Then end up on who knows how many mailing lists! I clicked one of those things once, made it about 85 pages through before I gave up. So, someone got a lot of research out of me without me getting my freebie! I'd prefer to pay for it, but that is me.

Hello Spartan, On what are you basing your statements? Educational expertise, web research, or opinion? I agree every person needs to make their own decision, and compliance is a very big factor in success of any procedure. But if I were researching, I'd want to know where your information came from in order to take it into consideration. Thanks.

Woodstock, I think if you'd had bypass, you would be having moments of, "I wish I would have had Lap Band!" It's the way we are. I do have moments where I second guess myself. Like last week when I was urping into a public toilet. I think you are having some fill issues right now. That is a rough time to question your choice. Hopefully when you feel better, you won't feel so bad about your choice.

Don't bypass folk get food stuck from time to time? My PCP had bypass and we were talking about getting food stuck. He spoke of some incidents he'd had with chicken. Maybe not as often, but it sounds as if it occurs.

36 pounds in 6 months is a fantastic rate of loss! You are doing yourself a disservice thinking that is too slow. 1-2 pounds per week is what we should expect. As you lose more, the loss rate will slow down, it is mathmatics. The less you weigh, the harder it is to create a calorie deficit. Take it easy on yourself and concentrate on good eating habits and exercise. You are doing fantastic!

I read that only about 30% of bypass patients experience dumping with sugar. So, it isn't guaranteed that you could not eat sugar. But it was a strong contender for me in my decision. At 2 years out, the weight loss is similar, but bypass folk lose it quicker to start. When I am hanging over the sink trying to get something unstuck I wish I had gotten bypass, but other than that, I am very happy with my decision. That said, if the band fails me, I'd be OK with revising to bypass, also.

Hi Trish, I had BCBS California HMO through FEHB. I had to appeal my request to see the surgeon--the denial was from my medical group, not BCBS. After I won that, it took me a while to get all the requirements in order to submit to BCBS. They submitted in late November, I think. And I got word in Mid January that I was approved. Best wishes!

Woodstock, If you can't get Water down, go back to your doc, quickly. That can be dangerous due to dehydration. Vomiting will add to swelling and can become a vicious circle. Don't mess around with it. Sip, don't slug. If you can get water down, then it's OK to wait a bit. I burp and gurgle more when I am tighter. I, too, liken things to the water cooler. When you put a new 5 gallon bottle on it urps and bubbles like crazy. If you just trickle it out, it doesn't bubble so much. Thus sipping is better. I also think of it as a funnel. Try to pour a bunch of liquid down it and it fills up. Pour it slowly and it will drain more easily. Take it easy and keep us posted!!

Here are some studies you can show your doctor. Do a web search for "adolescent LAP-BAND®" The FDA found it safe for adolescents: Lap-Band® Surgery LAP-BAND® Surgery Shows Promise for Severely Overweight Teens - Dr. Paul O'Brien Research Study Study Shows that Lap-Band® Weight-Loss Surgery Can Reverse Metabolic Syndrome in Obese Teens - Morgan Stanley Children's Hospital of NewYork Presbyterian This is about a trial for teens, from 2006: http://www.cumc.columbia.edu/dept/cs/news/si/2006_obesity_teens.html Webside for adolescent obesity surgery: Adolescent Bariatric Surgery - Morgan Stanley Children's Hospital of NewYork Presbyterian

Hey Everyone!! I just have to share a NSV from this week. We had a ham on Monday. Hubby cooked it, he did a GREAT job. As I was making my plate (I took one of our larger plates, as I sometimes do, sometimes I use a smaller one to remind me to take smaller portions). I looked at my plate and it looked so sad and empty. I muttered something about how I REALLY need to keep using the smaller plates. My hubby asked if I was piling it too high, as I usually do, bigger or smaller, it doesn't matter. I said, "no, look at this thing, it is so pitiful looking, I actually put tiny portions on it, OUT OF HABIT THIS TIME!" First time in 2 years and 2 months I have not had to THINK about my portion size, I just naturally put a small bit of each dish on my plate. :thumbup: I asked the nurse at work today if she had time to take my pressure, she said yep, come on down. So I popped on down, and she had the doctor in today (I work at a large air traffic control facility--he was doing physicals for the controllers). She asked if he would check me over. So he did. He thinks it is related to my thyroid and that I need a full panel run. I don't have a thyroid as I had an overactive non-cancerous tumor several years ago. So, I already had an appt scheduled for Friday. I'll be sure to talk to him about this episode. I'd not be too upset if I had to up my metabolism a bit :mad: I also gave the doc (he is an ER doc by trade) a little band education and let him feel my port. I told him he might see someone who was overfilled some time. He decided if he did he'd call and get advice about how to exactly access the port to withdraw fluid. Bob! My goodness, HE LIVES! Glad to have you back! Dottie: That totally sucks that you got treated that way. My goodness, you were on vacation. You are allowed to relax your vigilance! Plus you had less fill than he thought you did, so he can stick it up his nose! But yes, they do keep stats and heaven forbid we skew them. You know, I heard the doctor from the show Big Medicine on Sirius Radio one morning saying that he has lost faith in the band, and his sister has one. That was kind of off-putting to me. But, I already had mine, so I am going to work it.

Duct tape and WD-40!

What about when the girls sag even further? :thumbdown:

Hi GhostDog, Do you take all your medications in one bog handful? I used to take them all at once. Now I have to spread them out a bit and take them one at a time. I think as we get closer to proper restriction we get more nervous at fills. I was overfilled once and had to go back for a slight unfill. When I returned for the next fill I was very nervous about it, but I hit my sweet spot!

I'd be interested in where my choices would be. Mine is to the left of my belly button by about 3 inches and a little below my waist. The only thing I don't like about its location is that sometimes the waistband of my pants bothers it. Low-rise pants are fine and looser are good. But if at all tight and higher waisted, ugh.

Glad to hear things went well. I went to Dr. Mueller's seminar. I liked him very much. In the end I went with Dr. Callery. But Dr. Mueller was very impressive, too!

JaxNole, Def NOT the same man, but very similar! Mine is 5'9" and 175! NOT solid muscle either...Teehee! Oh my gosh, I'd have flipped out to go that long without food. I can so relate to the headache! Poor you! I'd have been demanding a side trip to a smoothie place, or telling him I'd be back after going to get one, or SOMETHING. Hopefully it will get better with time, as it has here! He's really great about things now. Even when I have a problem with pilot error and get something stuck. He is very understanding and supportive. Total turn around from my pre-band days!

Hi Everyone! Well, I had an interesting day! As I was getting ready to go home, I stopped by a friend's desk for a chat. I'd been standing there for about 30 minutes when suddenly I felt hot, then I started feeling a little lightheaded, then a little faint. I sat down, got VERY faint, apparently went very pale, and felt nauseous, and ready to pass out. If not for having sat down, I would have. My friend called the nurse (we have one on staff). Who came up and took my blood pressure - 90/50. Yeah, a tad bit low. She got me laying down, I drank some OJ, and rested a bit. The color came back to my face and I got to feeling better. So, that was no fun. I see my endocrinologist on Friday, I think we'll have a bit of a chat about it. Maybe I can get him to kick up my thyroid hormone dosage. I am also slightly anemic as of my last blood test a few weeks ago. So, I'm not sure what this is all about. I have done this three times since last September when I started on a new medication for migraines. Always after I have been standing for a prolonged period. Really strange to go from needing medication for high blood pressure to worrying about my pressure dropping and passion out! Dang! Bobbie Thinking of you for the interview tomorrow!!

Oh, I didn't mean from a metal detector standpoint. I meant just isn't there a bit of metal in the port. The post I quoted said it was all plastic, but I don't think so. I recall there was a bit of metal at the bottom of the port. A tiny bit that would not set of any detectors. I did a 3 month jury duty without setting of the detectors there that are much more sensitive than airports (or so the bailiffs told me).

Doesn't the port have a tiny bit of metal on the bottom side of it? I remember looking at one in my surgeon's office. I recall it as being mostly plastic and silicone, but there was a small piece of metal where the needle would hit at the far side of it.

I was approved for an overnight stay, but was released at 5:30pm.

I'm with MrsCabes. I did Medifast for my pre-op. I had also tried it before that as a true weight loss plan. It was not good. I did lose weight on the pre-op. 8 pounds in 2 weeks. If allowed to do the real program, you are allowed one "lean and green" meal each day. The food is very bland, the portions tiny. But it works.

There are other medical conditions for which people have ports. I believe I read somewhere that AP has an information card that is part of the packaging of the band. My surgeon did not give it to me, though. So I could be wrong. I read that some people use the card to allow them to order off of a child's menu. You could certainly ask for your surgeon to put a note on a prescription with info about the port and tube. I've flown several times and had no problems, but haven't done the full body scan. Interesting thought to use a banded person as a mule with drugs in the tube...hhmmmm Prolly wouldn't hold enough to be worthwhile.