Dody

I wish I had someone to go through this with me. I think it would be a great help to have hubby/wife in the same boat and going through the same things. I would feel blessed to have someone to share it with. I will have my daughter and son-in-law with me, and hopefully they will understand the different ways I have to approach food and the stages. I would ask the dr. to schedule you both for the same day. That's just my opinion though. Best of luck to you both.

Star Jones, who used to say she was big and beautiful has changed her tune now that she had gastric bypass surgery. She now can only talk about how bad she felt about herself and her health issues. She doesn't quite come out and admit she had GB but she did. It's very obvious in the way she talks. I can't stand her anyway...annoying is not the only word I would use. She is a hypocrit sho raved about being big and loving it, and has done an about face.

You are an extremely brave woman Penni with all you have been through. I have no doubt with your resolve you are going to beat this weight thing band or no band. Your step-by-step journey has been amazing and heart-breaking for you I'm sure, but you sound so determined and you are completely aware of what is right and wrong. I think you will do fine, and maybe at some further date you can get re-banded. You go girl.

When you are not banded yet you haunt this forum for good pieces of advice, and yes even miracles, and this certainly is one in the form of the lap band. It shows me if you want something bad enough it will work for you, as long as you work with it. I have to admit I'm going to miss my soda pop, but fortunately I love cranberry juice and grape juice, both of which are much better for me. This will be a small price to pay for not being depressed over my weight gain anymore, and blaming my giving up cigarettes as an excuse for the weight. This is a wake-up call, and yes I mortgaged the house too. It's a small price to pay for a longer life. Thanks for the inspiring story.

Another miracle diet drug...people died...people sued...people gained back every pound. You can lose weight on a diet pill and you can also permanently injure your heart. I'm living proof of that. I will never take diet pills again. My dr. has encouraged me with the band because it is minimally invasive, but says absolutely no to DS and GB. He also won't operate on a smoker. I quit 5 years ago and it is the best and worse thing I ever did. Best for my health, but that is when I gained all the weight. I did all the wrong things and consoled myself with eating. It is all my fault and no one else's. I was mad at the world because I was forced to quit and I wasn't ready....I have 100 extra pounds to show for what getting mad got me Hard to believe dr's. are still touting diet pills after everything that has happened, and hard to believe drug companies are still making them.

What nursing school did you go to? I never heard that, nor do I think there is anything to back it up, although no one should sit for any great time in any position and not move around, especially on a long plane trip or car trip. You are in no more danger crossing your legs then sitting flat footed.

Peanut butter is an excellent source of protein, but to put it in a protein shake destroys the purpose, simply because of the calories. I see some delicious recipes where people have added peanut butter....and of course it tastes great, but you could eat a meal for the calories in that shake.

When the thought of chips come into your mind try to think of cow chips. It isn't pleasant but somehow in the subconscious it works wonders.

I know how important it is to drink water during dieting or for bladder infections, and I know I don't drink enough of it. I quite simply don't care for water. I come from the days when my Mom said if the day ever came she had to pay for water she would give it up. Well, the day has arrived where we have to pay for bottled water and sometimes even in restaurants. Me, I'd rather drink a diet root beer, but I also love cranberry juice. Nothing take the place of water and I have to learn to do much better. Because of my lack of committment to water I get lots of bladder infections. You would have thought it would have taught me something wouldn't you?

I thought I had heard every medical abbreviation out there, till I came to this site. They have a lingo all their own I'm not banded yet, but I know now what the language means and it makes the posts easier to read. You know we could play a game with these bandsters (just kidding) and throw out some abbreviations like COPD, TIA's, etc. and I bet only the nurses here will latch onto them. They probably would not understand us anymore then the abbreviations they have chosen and they are so perfect for the band. I sometimes think TMI is not always good (too much information). Welcome.

Forget the doctor needs his rest. You are sick and need help. It is his job to help you. Didn't I hear you say you got your band removed in the ER??? That is hard to believe. Why on earth would they remove a band (a surgical intervention) in an ER filled with bacteria (and yeh they are there). I'm a retired nurse and the easiest place in the world to get sick is in a hospital. Call your doctor. What antibiotics you got in an IV may not even be the coverage for the infection you seem to have. I won't be surprised to hear you are back in the hospital for a few days. Take care and keep us posted.

This year is different. This year at some point I will be banded and dedicated to making the band my best friend. I'm going to learn new ways of eating and have a new respect for myself. I'm putting my best foot forward and never looking back. This is a very special year for me, because it has taken a long time to get through the process. It seems like first one thing and then another stood in my way. I'm on my way to curing an ulcer and an esophageal erosion, both of which are almost gone, and by this spring or summer I intend to be a full fledged bandster, and I can't wait. I'm not scared or nervous. I'm truly looking forward to this surgery. I've had a valve replacement on my heart and some pretty serious problems, so I figure this should be a cakewalk compared to what I've been through. I'm just happy and going along for the ride, so Happy New Year to all you bandsters and all who are in the process of going through the screening process.:confused:

And I am voluptuous and rubenesque (who am I kidding I'm fat)!! You can use all the terminology you want and it comes down to one thing. FAT. You can only call it what it is. For all those fat women that are oh so happy with their bodies, they are lying like rugs. No one is happy being fat. Sorry to burst your bubble, but if you hated the word you wouldn't be here.:confused:

I talked to my surgeon about my upcoming surgery and asked him about erosions, infected ports, etc. and he told me that his colleagues and him have talked at great length about these things. The one thing they find overall is that most of the patients are diabetics. I was wondering how many here that have had major problems with ports or erosion were diabetic. Maybe there is a link there and perhaps there is absolutely none, but it would be interesting to find out.

What causes the port to become infected after months of being healed up. Is it from fills?

My dr. recommends either the lap banding or the gastric balloon. I googled it and got lots of info on it, but still decided on the lap band. I'm hoping I've made the right choice. I've heard that some people find the gastric balloon son uncomfortable that they have had it immediately removed. That's something I don't want to take a chance on. The old balloons were Water filled and could often burst on over-eating. The new ones (and there are pictures on line) appear to be made of a plastic material. Go to some of the sites "gastric balloon" and you can find pictures of them. I have no idea how well they work.

Don't most doctors require you spend a night in the hospital? Mine had mentioned it, so I'm curious why she would be walking around the car still with anesthesia in her system.

I never said you could get endocarditis from being banded. I said you can get it from foreign objects inserted into the body, i.e. the port is a place for bacteria to gather, especially if it is not healed. It has nothing to do with the band itself. As a nurse I know that diabetics are at a high risk of developing endocarditis and they don't have to have any heart condition at all in order to get it. It is an inflammation of the heart yes, but it is caused by many things. The main thing is your surgeon who did the band is not a dentist; nor is your dentist able to place a band. The best person to ask dental advice of is your dentist. Mention to them you have a port from banding and take their advice as far as antibiotics. Don't just go there and assume you shouldn't tell them anything that is new in your body. There is absolutely no point in taking chances with your own health if 4 500 mg tablets will save you the trouble of going through problems. Rely on your surgeon for all info about your banding and rely on your dentist to know what you need in the form of medication especially when getting teeth cleaned or pulled. Fillings are not nearly as drastic. I hope in some way this clears up everything. Just tell your dentist you are banded and have a port and go from there. It's just a precautionary measure.

Yes, you can take out the equity in your home. You never turn over the deed or lose control of your house and you can live in it till the day you die. You and your spouse if you have one. The loan is repaid when the house is sold, and if you leave most of the loan in a line of credit and just use what you need for your surgery you are only paying on that minimal amount. Absolutely no payments for you to add to your already stretched income. It's a great way for older people who have dental and eye glass bills that are not even covered by Medicare. For me it was a wonderful answer and I would suggest it to anyone. I talked it over with the kids and they were absolutely all for it. They want me to be as well as I can be while I am here, and although they all live all around the country and have their own lives, I will now have the resources to visit them and heck once I'm banded maybe visit other places I've only dreamed of going. Since getting this loan the world looks like a much different place to me. My home will keep gaining equity so there will still be money left in it for the kids, but right now I have to do what is best for me and this is it. There are solutions out there for all problems. If you need to find another shrink then go for it. Depression should be an excellent reason for having the banding. People feel better immediately because they now have a tool to help them and they are not on their own. No wonder they call it "their best friend". Don't give up your dreams on one denial. Heck so many here have been fighting for the rights for the band forever. You just don't take no for an answer until you have tried everything. Some psychiatrists merely give written exams where you answer questions for about 2 hours (that is what mine did). Good luck to you and don't give up.

I am on Celexa (and thing I have tried each and every other one). The Prozac was the worse. I wanted to kill something...anything. It was horrible and a mind bending experience. The Celexa is wonderful. As someone said the sky is bluer, everything is clearer, and I make much better decisions for myself. There is absolutely no magic pill to make depression better if you truly have had grief in your life, but it does help you to cope with it much better. For me this was the answer, and it took about 10 years of trying lots of other drugs before it ever came to me. Now, I can't imagine being on anything else.

Merry Christmas to all the wonderful forum members on here (both banded and unbanded). I wish you nothing but happiness in the coming year. I hope for those that are banded you have learned a whole new way of life and continue to lose those unwanted pounds. For those of you that lost your bands due to erosion or some other problem I keep you in my prayers that you will be able to be banded again if that is what you want, and for those unbanded let's keep up the good fight and have the patience to see this through to the end. I know the weight is long, but the reward will be wonderful once we are banded. I truly thank each and every one of you for making me feel so welcome. Enjoy this holiday season, and always remember the true meaning of Christmas.

<p>I'm willing to bet I'm probably one of the older people on here getting banded at 60+ and I'm certainly depressed, but I have had my psych eval and was told that depression is a very good reason to have the surgery. It usually turns people's lives around.</p> <p> </p> <p>If you have equity in your home and don't ever want payments think about a reverse mortgage. There are no payments and you never ever have to move. There are a lot of legal and legit ways to obtain money and this is one of them. Talk with people at Wells Fargo or contact them on line. They also will do financing.</p> <p> </p> <p>I'm retired also and certainly not in good health, but I'm hoping this surgery will turn my depression and arthritis around. I would ask to see another shrink. This one doesn't even sound half legit. I was upfront and honest about being depressed and they said that if I wasn't they would have been far more concerned about me. The truth is most heavy people are not happy with themselves or their self-image.</p> I'm spending Christmas with my dogs and cat. How is that for lonliness. I've lost my mom, dad, husband in an accident, almost lost my daughter, have serious health issues, and hey I'm going to get through this holiday season with the help of this board and a very good friend. There is nothing can stop me from pursuing the band even though right now I'm at a standstill clearing up an ulcer. It WILL come to pass. Don't ever give up on your dreams. Feel free to PM me anytime if you want to talk. I think we have a lot in common.

A leaky heart valve is certainly a good source with which to contract endocarditis but it is NOT the only way. A diabetic is at a very increased rate of developing it also. Men are more likely to develop it then men. Vets and people who work around animals have a higher instance of endocarditis. This is not just limited to people with Mitral Valve Prolapse, Tricuspic valve leaks or anyother underlying heart murmurs. You only have to google this to find out there are many people that are vulnerable to endocarditis. As a retired nurse I know from experience that diabetics are very prone to getting endocarditis when getting their teeth cleaned especially. Lets get the word out there and get it out there right. A lot of people are definitely at risk, so why take chances????

I have been told that within the last few mo. they have found that putting the band higher up on the stomach prevents a lot of problems. This comes from a dr. stateside. I have no idea what technique Mexico's dr's. use at all, but it could make the difference. I'm sooooooo sorry about your band.

Diflucan is a good medicine for yeast infections and the only oral one I might say. However, there are many good ones over the counter with no side-effects that you could use. It is important that you get rid of bacteria that causes ulcers. Fortunately or unfortunately I already have a peptic ulcer and an esophageal erosion (think that one is gone) and I've spent the last few weeks on Nexium. I couldn't imagine getting an ulcer when I was banded. I think it would be the start of a whole new set of problems. Why not switch to OTC medications for the yeast infection. They are just as good and work much faster than Diflucan. You would be covering everything then. At first I was upset that sooooooooo many tests are required state side but now I'm extremely glad. I found out that I have sleep apnea and am now on C-pap...not that it is good to have sleep apnea by any means, but I could have stopped breathing during surgery. The endoscopy was not bad and not the first one I've had, and it certainly showed me I wasn't ready for the banding yet. Be good to yourself and take the antibiotic and stock up on Monistat or a generic form (Walmart carries Equate which is just as good believe it or not). I don't know what insurance you have but Diflucan is very expensive for one pill and OFTEN does not get the job done in one dose. Good luck to you.