babsintx3

Hi Alex, Congratulations on 3 years out and your success so far!! I'm glad that you are still around to help all the newbies that are exploding onto the scene!! I lurk here 3 to 4 times a week, but dont post much anymore. You look really really great!! Babs in TX 334/180 ish -150 ish

Hi Dr. C, I have two questions but before I ask I wanted you know that I have been banded three years and three months with no complications: 1) If you put someone on a one month liquid diet for a pouch dilatation or possible slippage, would you give them a prescription for an appetite suppressant if they asked you to? Or would you expect them to "tough" it out.? I have been on liquids only for 5 days because floroscopy showed I either have a true slip or pouch dilatation and I am ready to hurt someone because I am so hungry. My surgeons office told me to go to my PCP when I called, but I see this as passing the buck. I dont have a PCP and I went to a practice today that knows me because I have been there several times for myself and my kids. They know I have a band and initially refused to give me a suppresant for three weeks to get me through this. After begging and having my surgical report sent to them proving I have a band, they agreed to the three weeks reluctantly. I have never taken a prescription appetite suppressant in my entire life, so I found this to be unusual to get so much resistance. 2) I was not aware I had pouch dilatation since I was asymptomatic, no reflux, no vomiting, but I was eating more than before and I was getting hungrier between meals and regaining some of my lost weight. I feel like I am being blamed for something that I couldnt control. I have read conflicting information about why dilatation and/or slippages occur. Whats your take on this??? Do you see banded patients that are three years out with slippages and dilatation issues? I was just curious.... Thanks Babs in TX 334/180 ish -150 ish

Hi Laura, I got a laugh about the scars!!! LOL I dont think that Golden Corral cares about the small US percentage of folks that have WLS and have families that they will lose as customers as a result of their policy. Its really the same mentality that insurance companies have about paying for WLS. They just figure if they dont address the issue or just say its company policy that they dont do that, then you will go away or just pay. I didn't mean to be unsympathetic to folks that dont have money to go out and eat and pay full price but you paid full price before you were banded, so I dont see that as being relevant. The price was the same before and after regardless of how much you can eat. If you dont think you are getting value doing this and others in your family want to go, I say just bite the bullet if you dont want to make waves. Why should a restaurant be responsible for a lifestyle change? When you were obese they didnt ask you to pay double because you were able to eat twice as much as their other customers did they?? I know that I did not have WLS to save money on food , but to improve the quality of my life. I also don't think that restaurants have an obligation at a buffet to offer a discount for smaller portions. Afterall, it is a buffet. At a sitdown restaurant, I can order what I want , so I tend to frequent these restaurants anyway and take home what I cant eat. At least for me, I find most buffets the wrong place for me to go because they are grazing joints and I tend to eat a LOT more because I can and there are so many choices of soft foods that go through the band. So I beg to difer on this topic. If its truly a money issue, I say dont go there and pick another place that offers smaller portions at a more affordable price. Babs in TX 334/180 ish

Hi Vera, Wow, you look really great and congratulations on getting to goal. When I first met you , you looked great too, but now you look even better!!! Babs in TX 334/180/? Still in the same clothes though.... !

Sunflower, I am nowhere near TJ. I do have a prescription, paid 22 dollars for 20 phentermine tablets 37.5 MG. OMG they make me so shaky that I am taking one every two days instead of everyday. So far, I am still on liquids which is day 9. I will attempt to go another 2 weeks so that way I can also actually lose weight. Might as well since I am on liquids only anyway. I am hanging in there!!! Babs in TX 334/180 ish

Hi Carrie, I have been to Golden Corral about 10 times in the last three years. ITs sometimes a good place to go because my children are fussy and like to make their own choices (4 and 10). In all the times that I have gone, I have never asked for special treatment because I eat less than others do. Even as a bandster, I can still eat a fair amount at a grazing place due to the variety of textures of foods and their consistencies. Probably about 8-10 ounces. Most bandsters I know that are banded for a while eat about that amount which equates to about 1/3 of what I ate before I was banded. I don't think they owe anything to me just because I had WLS. I was at the buffet at the MGM last year and it was a long line. I was alone and on my second day eating there, the waitress commented that I had not eaten much and wanted to know if the food was OK. I told her it was great, but that I had WLS and had lost 155 pounds and so I was careful about portions. She came back to me and said that they had changed my room charge to reflect a kids portion. I thought this was very very nice of them and explained that I did not expect any special treatment because what I ate I enjoyed immensely and I did not feel deprived since I tried a bite of everything I wanted including dessert. This topic comes up often on many of the lapband boards I have perused over the last 4 years and its a 50/50 split opinion on the way that establishments should handle this. I personally dont want any special treatment. If I go to a buffet vs a sit down and order restaurant, I know what I am getting myself into and I also know that I probably am not going to get my money's worth if I just base it on food intake. But personally, I dont care. I care more about the total experience than the quantity I am able to eat. Babs in TX 334/180 -150+ give or take depending on the day

Hi Everyone, Heres an update on my spider situation: Signed a year contract with Terminix and they spent 1 and a half hours spraying around my new house inside and out. They found another black widow in the garage and exterminated it with some heavy duty stuff. I feel a lot better now though cause theres dead stuff lying around, but I really feel sorry for the crickets. They got clobbered....... I hate bugs.......!!!!! Babs in TX

DOnali, I am so sorry to hear this happened. Please offer my condolences to his family. He will be missed. Babs in TX

Hi Karen, I did that. THe nurses seemed sympathetic and asked him but he saifd that he never does that and go to PCP. Cirangle is different. They have a very advanced practice there and do a lot of cash pay as well at a great rate. I am familiar with the way they work out there. Thanks for the advice though. Maybe I can be some kind of advocate!!! Babs in TX

Hi Dr. Curry, Thanks for the quick response. I managed to get my hands on an appetite suppresant. I just wondered why some lapband surgeons are so reluctant to give them out?? Babs in TX 334/180 ish -150 ish

HI Paulax, Todays another day!! I spoke with one of the most successful bariatric practices in the US to their in house specialist who says they prescribe an appetitie suppresant during the full or clear liquid phase. I called my surgeon and they thought I was nuts for asking, but said they would check with my doc and that no one has asked them this before. I know that I am on creamy liquids, so my situation isnt as dire as some of yours, but then again, they are not doing this to shrink my liver or as a post op healing phase type of thing so I dont have any restriction at all when they emptied my band last week and I dont feel like I have to be a martyr either. FYI: Paulax - I hate to say this, but a clear liquid diet for one month is totally unhealthy and any doc that would make you do this for a month without any kind of Protein supplement is a scary practitiioner. No nutritionist would recommend this. Even Inamed wouldnt recommend this. THe reason they put you on a liquid diet is to shrink the liver and also post operatively to reduce the chance of band slippage. This is a time for healing and having a creamy liquid vs plain broth isnt going to do any damage to your band. Most docs will do one week of Clear Liquids, followed by one week of creamy liquids, followed by one week of mushies , maybe two followed by solid food. I know all doc are different, but as you lose muscle mass, it also becomes harder to lose weight later on because protein is the most important to lose wieght and maintain muscle mass. So I guess I am not getting this. It sounds like a bypass post and preop,not a bandster diet. If you are not getting at least 30-40 grams of protein in, you are losing muscle mass and your body is not getting fuel. Maybe you can ask about this??? Just wondering how you are getting by on no nutrients and a little worried for you thats all. Babs in TX

Hi Alex, I figure at 210 ish you must look awesome cause you are 5' 10 arent you???? Michelle: I am on day three of liquids and so far so good. I hate this, but at least I will drop weight! LOL Babs in TX

Hi Nancy, I went back and looked at my post and I guess what I was trying to say in answer to your question was that it isnt a question of how few they have done since a bypass is a more complicated lap surgery than lapband generally speaking, but the question would be why they do so few??? I think any surgeon who is a laparoscopic specialist proctored by Inamed or another surgeon could do the procedure so its really gonna boil down to how they treat you post operatively and whether you will get the support you need to be successful with the band. Regarding your second question, if you are not opposed to bypass or this center is your only choice, only you can decide if a bypass is an acceptable procedure for you. I wish you lots of luck and success!!! Babs in TX

Hi Michele, You are amazing. I wish I could say the same and I have a band to help me. I have gained some weight and I am trying to lose it I have a new doc starting next week and he is the "Fillinator" and he is very different from my previous surgeon. I knew you could do it. Lots of will power you have!!!! Hugs, Babs in TX

Hi Nancy, I know you posted this to Dr. C, but I thought I would drop in as a 3+ year post op and talk about how important aftercare is with the lapband. I had a great surgeon, but once he got too big for his britches having done over 1000 lapbands, his aftercare sucks and he has turned into a money making machine billing 700+ for fills in his office with flouro and just funnels people in and out of his office with no personalized service. Since you are in the medical profession, you know how important aftercare is and practices like the one you are describing seem to be pro bypass and only do the lapband as an afterthought. If it were me, I would find a surgeon that only does lapbands, but if that is not possible and this is the only in-network provider, just remember that you may not get the support you need both emotional and post op fills which are critical to your success with the band since it requires so much more compliance. You may want to organize post op care or get more clarity on their post op care before making a decision. The problem with having surgery with one surgeon is that many other surgeons dont want to touch other surgeons patients and this is a problem that you may encounter if you dont agree with their post op methodology. Babs in TX 334/180 ish -150 ish 6/23/03 Banded 8/04/05 full abdominoplasty/medial thighplasty

Hi, I have not posted here in eons, but I took a half hour to read 14 pages of this and feel entitled to an opinion. I am so surprised at the statistics because they can't be accurate. First off, people who have cheated probably dont really want to air their dirty laundry anyway here on this site. That being said, the ones that said they never cheated or that their spouses never cheated can only be sure about themselves. I feel pretty confident that my husband has never cheated on me, but will I say this with absolute certainty???? No, I would be stupid to beleive that this isnt possible. Despite my trust in him and the fact that he is a loyal partner and great Dad and almost NEVER goes out alone where he could ever have the chance to be with another and despite the fact that he can be reached at work whenever I call, if someone wants to cheat, they will find a time and place to do it. Just because someone is married for a long time doesnt mean that they have a stable relationship. My husbands parents were married for 42 years and I know for a fact that my FIL cheated at least one time. I agree with Chameleon. People can be naive and all people want to believe the best of others especially to believe the best in their partners. But there are so many circumstances that change the dynamic of a relationship. A good friend of mine (who is male) told me that I should stay with my husband despite all the problems we are having because he loves me so much and is LOYAL. We have children and because he doesnt cheat, he is a good father and he loves me I should stay in a relationship where there is no longer physical chemistry just because there probably isnt anything better out there for me. I dont want to be a victim of would have, could have, should have and I dont want to live a life of dual exceptionality like many others do. I am not saying that people are lying here, I just think the ones that are so vehement about their relationships being faithful in a world where monogamy is a curious thing are living in a plastic bubble. Babs in TX 334/180 ish -150 ish

Hi, Just my opinion, but guys are horny bastards (generally speaking) and really dont give a crap about scars. Just for fun, I let folks feel my port. I am totally unashamed of my scars which include lapband surgery, full abdominoplasty, medial thighplasty and hand surgery. It is what it is and if a man has an issue with it then he aint worth having because he isnt horny enough (LOL) or he isnt worth keeping for a long term relationship anyway. BABS in TX 334/180 ish -150 ish

Yo Michelle!!! Congratulations!!! You look beautiful. I rarely post anymore, but wanted to say HI!!! Hugs, Babs in TX 334/180 ish

Hi Banded, I reread my post and realized it sounded harsh. I meant it to be supportive. I was referring to myself about taking accountability and not making excuses, not referring to you. THe hardest thing is getting back on track and I found myself postponing the activities that made me successful. So I am my own worst enemy. You can do it. I know you can. Babs in TX

Hi Banded, I know exactly how you feel now that I am 3 years out. I had my PS last year, lost my restriction and started to regain. So now I am back on track. The biggest problem is that I quit smoking last year, got hungrier, then lost restriction post op and stopped going to the gym for the last year. I am now back on track. I joined the Y and they have a program called Fit for life where I am accountable to come in for at least 3 cardio sessions a week and I write down in a log while I am there what I am doing. So far, so good. Last week, I exercised for almost 3 hours and I am back on track. For me the exercise is what will keep me on track. I dont know what will work for you, but its really important to stop making excuses and take accountability. The band has really done what it can for me and now its time for me to do the right thing. If you need help, email me. Babs in TX 334/180 ish 6/23/03

HI Everyone, I know that I dont post that much anymore, but I am still a lurker!!!!! Tomorrow is my 3 year bandiversary. As they say time flies and it really does. THings have changed for me immensely and I am still positive about my band. Its not perfect, but most of the time it does the trick. This has been the path for me so far: Year one: Lost 120 pounds Year two: Lost another 34 pounds and then got to the "Just overweight category from Morbid Obesity 53.9 to 28.9 Year 3: Quit smoking may 2005, gained 12 pounds, lost 6 of those. Had plastic surgery in August 2005 and lost 4 pounds of stomach and 2 pounds of thigh skin and then gained some weight while I sat with an empty band post op tummy tuck and medial thighplasty. My plastic surgeon accidently removed all of my fill which caused me to gain weight. I have lacked the motivation to get to final goal 165-170, but that is changing. IM BACK!!!!!!!!!! June 2006 - -Made a new resolve to get to a normal BMI and to lose the weight I gained during months of no restriction. SO I am back at the gym everyday and making wise food choices once again. I still dont have the restriction I once had with the band. I dont think more fill will do it, but I am gonna try to do it with what I have now in my band. My fill doc and I have had discussions about what my options are to achieve more restriction since I now have more in my band than I did before my plastic surgery with less restriction.. He said that since I have lost so much weight, my band is no longer in the ideal position which would require either more fill or possibly a repositioning surgery as a last resort. Since I am not keen on doing the latter, I am gonna try a little more fill soon and see if this does the trick. If not, then I might opt to have them fix it. Since my fill doc is not my orginal doc, I may go for a second opinion about this. THe most important thing to know if that the lapband helped me to lose most of my excess weight. I still could afford to lose 25- 35 lbs, but life is pretty good right now and I got a little complacent. THe best part about the band is when you are ready and motivated, you can always go back and do what made you successful in the first place. It is hard work, but the rewards are great. So I guess you could say that three years out, I am still a newbie! Babs in TX 334/180 something/170 I dont weigh myself anymore so I really dont know Size 14/16 down from a 28-30 Still a work in progress.....!!!

Hi Singer, I am not a doctor or medical professional. Please seek medical help immediately. It is not normal to be on liquids and to not eat solid foods for such a lengthy time. Not wishing to be rude, but an allergic reaction to the band would not be the likely cause of you not being able to eat. If you had some kind of allergic swelling which seems an unlikely culprit, you would know that . If you lack the ability to eat it is most likely caused by: !) THe band is too tight (possibly you need the larger VG band) and even unfilled is totally restricting you. 2) It is in the wrong position and may look good on flouro, but is not 3) You have an eroded band and it cant be seen without some form of endoscopy. 4) YOu have some form of achalasia or esophageal dysmotility and you cant swallow properly Regardless of which of the above it could be (and none of us know including doctors without further testing) you need to do something about it immediately. You could be causing yourself irreparable damage waiting like this. Babs in TX 334/180 ish 6/23/03

Hi Again, Leatha: Thanks! YOu are an oldster too!!! I think you are doing great. You are maintaining and thats the most important thing. Its a daily battle and you are winning!!! Babs in TX

Hi Again! Thanks for the warm wishes! Vera: I dont have Caroles number anymore and I would like to call her and see how she is doing. Could you PM me??? Babs in TX

Hi, I am glad that this post regurgitated itself. I dont think writing letters to Oprah seems to help. I tried that a few years ago and didnt get a response. Now if we could drop a huge Fed Ex package with 5,000 letters from successful lapbanders, that would be interesting....LOL. Just let me know when you need me to make a guest appearance on Oprah and I will so be there!! I know this sounds crazy, but the courier service approach works cause I did this to Richard Branson in England about an idea I had and his marketing people did call and followup with me. THe answer was still no, but it was a 15 dollar investment and it got me a response!!!! Babs in TX 334/180 -150 ish