Dody

I made the remark some weeks ago that my surgeon had told me I would have to take antibiotics for dental work, and I got ganged up on...so I gave up the subject gracefully. People were all saying it isn't true...I get dental work all the time and my dr. didn't say anything.......WELL my surgeon specifically informed me that once I am banded I will be taking antibiotics everytime I visit the dentist. If I recall I got ganged up on by several on here, one of whom I remember specifically (because we agree on very little...from the band and port are a foreign object to taking antibiotics before dental work) I certainly hope your post will set them straight. You can get endocarditis from having dental work done without antibiotics because of the port mostly. Thank you for being kind enough to clear this one up, and YES I have most definitely been told about it.

I don't get banded till Spring so maybe I will get nervous then, but scared I don't think. I've waited too long and done too much research to be scared. For those with cold feet warm booties help a lot :eek: There is nothing to fear except fear itself. Once it's over I bet you will wonder what you were ever worried about.

I've been using Nioxin for years. I've never had any trouble with hair loss even with a lousy thyroid, but I'm not banded yet. I think I even saw Nioxin in the beauty shop at Walmart not too long ago. It's an excellent product.

For me taking Synthroid in various amounts has done absolutely nothing to prevent me from gaining weight; being tired; everything. It isn't a magic pill. In fact I've yet to find it useful in any way. If you are looking for great results it isn't Synthroid. It's like taking a little sugar pill for me that does absolutely nothing. I have never felt one bit different in the 20 years I have taken it. I get my thyroid checked every 3 mo. and the doses have varied, but I've never felt any effect from them. If anything I find they make me more tired.

I'll be banded by the spring I hope. I'm using Dr. McAlexander in Oak Ridge. Anyone else have him and what is their opinion if so?

Oak Ridge isn't far from Knoxville. Do you know where that is?

I'm having visuals after reading this that is never going to allow me to go to sleep tonight.

OK, forget the little Jonathans and Megans. You definitely have your hands full. How about here's hoping your blended family works out just great for you What are you doing on line? Don't you have OTHER things to do?

What a lovely couple you make. You have a beautiful bride. I wish you many, many happy years together and many little Jonathans and Megans to fill up the house The seat belt thing is awesome. Other people don't realize what a huge accomplishment this is for someone. Horray for you.

Your post made me tear up, and I hate doing that. I try hard to keep the negative in the back of my mind. I was told once the Lord doesn't give you more than you can carry, but I feel sometimes he is truly testing me. My daughter is off on her own now and raising her own family and doing a wonderful job. She got well despite mo. in Intensive Care. Memories are the hard things to cope with, and little atta boys like you just gave make me realize that I'm giving it my best every day and that's all I can do. The medicine does help tremendously and is a good drug for depression. It literally saved me from being overwhelmed by what was happening to my life and I was able to hold on to sanity in the worse times. If you have your parents still always remember even when you get a little angry with them, they won't be here forever, and always find room to forgive and let them know you love them. I loved mine emmensely and was an only child so it hit me extremely hard. Hold your kids a little tighter because life doesn't always prevent them from getting hurt, but let them know you're always there to catch them. Thanks for being such a sweetheart

My dr. must have misinformed me, but I'm not interested in either DS or GB surgery. I'm going to give the lapband a go and if it doesn't work it doesn't work. I have too many medical problems to ever get OK'ed for any other type of surgery, but I'm extremely glad you are doing so well.

I'm going to resolve to find something nice about everyone I know or am going to meet, even if right now I don't like anything about them. The quest begins to find something good in everyone and to let them know it.

Your post rings a bell with me. Have you had a sleep study done. You might have sleep apnea. It's amazing what C-pap can do for you. You wake up feeling bright eyed and bushy tailed. I had no clue I had sleep apnea, but was always tired and felt miserable.

I have spent most of my adult life depressed and have run the gamut of antidepressants. I can't think of one I haven't been tried on. Celexa has saved my life literally. I've been on it for 2 years now, and it is definitely helping me not only cope, but be happier in my life. This is a brand new experience for me. I've lost my mom, dad, husband, almost lost my daughter in an auto accident, and it seemed everytime I turned around something horrible was happening. Celexa was a new drug a couple years ago, and it has turned my life around. It attacks different parts of the brain then some common antidepressants. You might give it a shot and ask your dr. about it. I've had absolutely no side-effects from it.

My dr. tells me that you have to be cut completely open for this surgery. It can't be done laparoscopically. It is Major Surgery, whereas the lap band is not. Like they said there is someone on here that had it done and probably could give you more info. It's definitely not even a consideration for me.

Because I always suffer from nausea and have since having my gallbladder removed I wear Scopolomine patches behind my ear to keep me from getting nauseated. My dr. tells me I can wear them right into surgery.

Does this mean you are expecting mail from Randall? I'm not real happy for him, but then I wasn't rooting for him to win either. I wanted the woman to win, and I think he should have said yes to Trump hiring her too.....ahhhhhhh but it is "The Apprentice" not "The Apprenti"...I didn't even know there was a pleural except "The Apprentices". That's what education at all those big named schools will do for you I thought he acted like a butt in that particular situation. He doesn't look like the type to last in the fast paced Atlantic City. I was surprised that was his choice. Maybe still waters run deep, but Gosh it was nauseating hearing him brag on himself over Rebecca. She was a smart cookie, and kudos to her for going all those weeks with a broken foot. That took guts. Now what got me on this topie...oh yeh the dream. Trump owed Rebecca big time. What a lousy gift to send a woman to play hockey. It's a wonder all she broke was her foot. What woman wants to get out on the ice and catch a puck between her teeth? Lousy prize by the Donald without any thought going into it that the women might win that and wouldn't want it.

I have always wanted to be able to walk my dogs. I would be content with that. I think a treadmill would be awesome, except for the fact that arthritis prohibits the walking part. I so hope that the banding will in some way help the arthritis. I may be reaching for the stars, as there are very thin people with arthritis, but I know mine has gotten worse with weight gain. The thought of buying and being able to use a treadmill would be an ultimate goal, just as walking the dogs would be. I'm kind of scared the banding won't work if I can't really excercise. Someone suggested Water therapy, but the thought of me in a bathing suit is about more than I can bear. I want to actually be able to walk without pain. Has anyone had arthritis that improved with the banding? I would love to someday jump on a threadmill, but the first goal is simply walking 2 little dogs. As for the emotional aspect, I'm not yet banded, but I expect I will go through a range of emotions. Perhaps an anxiety medication would work. I know I have panic attacks and they settle in my chest. It's a very scary and uncomfortable feeling and I take medication for it. I'm not really pushing medication, but I feel sometimes we really benefit from it as a coping mechanism. There is only so much we can fight on ourselves.

I'm from Tennessee. Maybe these two gems are twins. Mine is into showing horses (dressage I think she calls it). I have a riding horse and love riding so we have some things in common too. I'm glad we both get such wonderful care. Although my physician is young and beautiful and talented she also has a nurse that is a sweetheart. I think we just got very lucky to find such caring people. She told me about the lap band actually and told me that is something she would allow me to do and encourage me to do. I was happy to hear there was an alternative to more serious surgery, so I'm saying a prayer that when the time comes it works for me, as well as some people on here.

I love my physician. She is young, talented, beautiful and so supportive of my getting the band. I am 60+ and although she frowns on GB (especially with my medical background) she is all for the lap banding and wrote me a great letter to the lap band surgeon. He told me how impressed he was by her taking time out to tout the praises of lap banding. She thinks it will be excellent for me, so I guess we share something in respect for our GP. Mine is a treasure and never too busy for me or any questions I have.

I am on Nexium (much the same as Prilosec) and it says not to crush it because it is time released. How did you crush Prilosec. If you have a prescription it comes in a capsule. Did you merely open the capsule to take it...and oh yuck it must have tasted horrible, or did you take OTC meds? I am curious how I'm going to take the Nexium, but my dr. has told me that probably she will switch me to Acifed which is as small as a birth control pill for gas. What I really want to know is how you got that Prilosec down?

I am right now having to put off the banding process because of an erosion in my esophagus and a peptic ulcer. These things happen, and they had nothing to do with a band. I misunderstood your interpretation of "innards" because that is not how I look at the esophagus. It is not touched during the surgery, but I surely understand how you could have problems either related or unrelated to the banding with your esophagus. Lord knows I do. I still believe for ME the band is the safest way to go right now. You've apparently been through a really rough time and I sympathize with you. You're incredibly strong to have endured all you have, but I am suffering esophageal problems badly and I have no band to blame for it. Sorry if "innards" was a major bone of contention. I admire the fact that you were dedicated to your weight loss and I so wish the band had worked for you. Erosion is caused at a later date (after the band is placed) and must be a horrible thing to endure. No one seems to know the reason for it, and I surely don't claim too. Now if your surgeon diced or sliced anything during your banding I would really be looking to that surgeon for answers. I know I had my gall bladder removed and was told afterward "I put a nick in your liver but I fixed it with durabond". That made me feel really good to know my liver was glued back together. Fortunately, I never had any repercussions from it, but nonetheless I wasn't very happy with the surgeon and have never returned to her for anything else. I wish you, and everyone here, no matter what their personal choice is the very best of luck with your surgery.

Do they know what causes the port to leak. Is it something that happens at the time of surgery; the first fill, possible poking the tubing; do you have any idea. I would hate to go through that. That is what I meant when I said that my dr. had told me that sometimes (often) lap banding requires more than one surgery. That's been proven on this forum with people who have had to have the band removed for erosion, and people with leaks. I wonder what can be done to prevent this? It sounds like dr. error to me. Can someone help me out here?

I've been on Nexium for a couple weeks now and can't believe how much better I'm feeling. Prilosec is mainly for ulcers (either peptic or duodenal), whereas Nexium is broadscoped and covers esophageal problems wonderfully and also helps with ulcers. I hope you start feeling as well as I am pretty shortly.

Sue, I'm not yet banded but I have erosions in my esophagus and a peptic ulcer that need serious treatment before I can get lap banding. I'm hoping they will clear up so that I can have the surgery within a few mo. The dr. put me on Nexium for the esophageal problems and Prilosec for the ulcer, and within a week I'm feeling much better. I feel so sorry for you that you have had to go through so much. My dr. coated my ulcer with silver nitrate in endoscopy and said the erosion of the esophagus is unexplainable (considering I've never been banded or anything), but I do have esophageal reflux. He thinks the Nexium will take care of it, but wants to wait a couple more mo. before doing surgery. Probably a wise decision, but I'm getting antsy. I hope you start feeling better really quickly. I'm sure not a dr., but I am a retired nurse of over 25 years. Here's wishing you a speedy recovery. Sounds like you have had quite a time of it.