kabeerah

Thanks everyone. Call me slow but I do not see a ring on the SAGB, how does it wrap around the stomach? Jode what was your first fill level and was it restrictive? If not how many fills did it take to find your 'sweet spot'. I know everyone is diffrent but I'm thinking I will suggust a starting point to my doc because I doubt he knows anymore than I do.

As I mentioned in my earlier post, they use the Swedish band in Saudia. I just saw a picture of it and it looks absolutely nothing like the Lap-Band! I dn't even understand how it works! Can someone please break it down for me...I am so confused. Which one erodes the most? Which one has better weight lost results? All in all which one is better? thanks a bunch

I double dare you!!!

I think we are forgetting that there are different phrases for atkins. The induction stage is where you can only have 20 g of carbs a day. I'm thinking while banded, the LIFETIME MAINTANCE stage is good for me. You are not in ketosis (but who needs it with the band). I also agree with the poster that suggested leaner meats and less fats!

Hello Everyone! I saw the surgeon who removed my gallbladder, three years ago, today. He has since become a friend of the family and has helped us in so many ways. He is now performing lap band. Here is what I found out today: *The Ministry of Health has a Dr. who was trained in Germany and has performed over 5000 lapbands in the Kingdom (over 200 on the Royal Family), touring the kingdom training the surgeons at the Government hospitals. *Lapband has been in KSA for 10 years *Swedish band *My doc has only done three *Not sure if my doc will do mine or if the more experienced one will but they will both be present...one will assist the other. I completey trust my dr. and the training doctor as SURGEONS. However, I feel that they do not know much about after being banded. My doc told me that only 20% of my aftercare were with him and that the rest would be with a dietician. He told me to see the dietician for a month and then report back to him for the surgury. I told him that the dieatician there is not trained in bariatrics nor the band. She really can't help me. That I have been dieting on and off for over 15 years. He understood but I guess it is just procedure to say that so he is skipping that step with me. He did not require a pre-op diet and doesn't believe my liver is too big. They keep you in the hospital for 3 days but he said I could probably go home sooner (His only American patient and only patient who researches this stuff). Strange thing he saifd they do not do adjustments for 6 months!!! I said please...if I get hungry in 6 weeks I'm coming in! He smiled and said ok. I have decided that I will have the surgury done at the government hospital for free but will more than likely swicth over to one of the private hospitals in the area who have better aftercare. I believe the Government hospitals had the right intentions, by offering the lapband to patients who can not afford to go to private hospitals, but I think they have along way to go. They must go beyound training the surgeons on the procedure...these are not even bariatric surgeons. They are general surgeons. Ok. I'm holding my baby now so I gotta run. Just would appreciate you guys sharing your thoughts. I do not offend easily so please give me all things to consider...the good...the bad...the ugly Thanks

Hello Everyone! I go in for my consult tommorrow. I have had great success in the past with Atkins and because I have had gestational diabetes in all three of my pregnancies and have a family history of diabetes, I know that a low carb diet is best for me. Are there any bandsters out here on Atkins or simply low carbing? I noticed many people discussing calories and cups and I just can't understand any of that. On Atkins we are taught not to worry so much about the calories or the amounts (non carb). The portion conytrol kicked in with keytosis and I did fine but for 7 years now I have been pregnant and/or nursing and find it difficult to low carb without being in ketosis. i am hooping that afdter being banded the portion control will not be a problem, but what about the cravings for high carn indulgences?

I think you are wrong for coming on this board with this. We have no idea who you are and you join and your very first post is to slander a doctor! You sound like a person with a personal problem that is trying to ruin this man. If you have a legitimate beef and you want to warn people about him and his medical standards, please do so but bring your proof. Anything else is you just on here gossiping.

This shouldn't be a problem. I have had three c sections. Each time I came out of surgury they would have the mattress protection sqare things (blue plastic on one side and cotton on the other) plus a big huge diaper looking pad to lie on and a huge piece of cotton stuffed between the legs. I would think if told in advance the nurses would handle it the same.

It took me a while to finish reading your story. I kept having to stop...close my eyes...shake my head...put my head down...think...start the process over. Is that what happens when you are disturbed? lol... I am so sorry that this happened to you. i'm glad you are vocal about this, staying informed and informing others. I'm confused though...How do you explain your weight loss? Was there restriction all this time or were you too sick yto eat?

no need to answer my above question, i see the band is inamed. amazing how sad i am tio hear about this. it's like hearimng about someone's body organ failing. my dad may need his kidney removed i didnt feel this much grief about that!

Which band do they use in MX? I'm asking because I am in Saudi and I want to ask my doc which band they use, if it's the same one I may have to seriously reconsider.

My dh is realising that I am serious about this and is now expressing some concern. He thinks that the fills are potentially dangerous. He feels that mistakes can get made and that the port can be missed an an organ or vein or anything but the port can get punctured. Ever heard of anu 'opps!'?

Thanks so much Kel, Emily and Mandy! Hey, where's Dylansmom? I would love to hear her story of having weight loss with no fill. I know we are all different but I like to hear all the variations! O Mandy, don't make me homesick! I bet it's a lot of stuff I could eat in the mushy stage at THE CHEESECAKE FACTORY (we actually have them here in Saudi but only the bakery not the restaurant). O and REAL pizza...yummy. Do you guys have support groups or you just get togther and hangout?

Shelly, cut it out! That is not 207! OMG you are my inspiration! I have never seen anyone over 200 look that thin. If I look that good at 207 I may have to reconsider my goals.

yes emily, that's similar to how i feel. if i can get the weight off with no preoblems that is good. if problems set in i think i would rather have it removed than to have a 2nd surgey (after losing weight and praying that i have learned how to control myself). the good thing is that i have not heard of any related deaths. has anyone?

Dawn, Alexandra, and Lynn, you don't know how much I appreacite your responses! Thank you so much. A special thanks to you Alexandra for 'keeping it real'. Your comments on stalling have cemented my desicion to get the band, God Willing. I hear a lot of people struggle with the soda (pop i'm from chicago), thankfully that is not an issue for me. I am a Water drinker, even at restaurants I order water. I am a social tea and coffe drinker, but I can give that up, God Willing. As for the water I had concerns because I chug alug that stuff and drink about 1 1/2 gallon a day (we change our 5 gallon water bottle every other day and I drink most of that but even my kids prefer water over anything else). Not to mention I live in Saudi and it gets hot! So I usually gulp the water down trying to quinch my thirst. I am thinking about buying me a baby sippy cup to ensure that I do not drink too fast. Anybody else do that? As a matter of fact I will probably start eating right along with my almost 8 month old when I introduce him to food (still exclusively brestfed, doesn't even drink water or juice)...same baby spoon and food and all!!!

I panic and I havent even been banded yet. I worry about the newness of this and what if it is long term problems that havent been detected because nobofdy has had it long enough. But at the same time I am eager to get it before it is RECALLED (I survived phen-phen)!

C and lovescat, thank you for your responses. I keep blushing everytime I read the answers to #3.

Thanks alot vinesqueen. you're funny and your ticker and commit after made me lol! So 40lbs is all you have to lose?! Or is that a mini goal? I have like 115 ilbs to loose!!!

Thanks Michelle, that is exactly what I am thinking of doing. I don't want to come right out and say, "O heck naw you are noy about to go experimenting on me!" Even though I don't think he would have even offered to do me if he did not feel confident that he would not do a good job, God Willing. My last cesarean was done at his hospital. My OBGY opted to give me an emergency c-sec against the head surgeons advise (I found this out from my nurse after the fact), who wanted her to wait until the next day when he would be available to attend. I guess she thought it was no big deal, but once she opened me up she could not get the baby out because the opening of my uterus was stuck to the abdominal wall (too much scar tissue). An emergency team of surgeons had to be dispatched and the surgeon now in chargew of the WLS clinic new I was in surgery and rushed in to see if he could assist (I did not find this out until after the fact). So I'm confident that he has my best interest in mind. I will ask him at the consultation any and everything I can think of (he loves talking to me because most patients here are not informed at all about even the simplest matters so it's a switch to talk to me...his only American patient), if anyone else has a list of qustins that they would ask please post tem and I will be sure to inquire.

thanks everyone. my main concern is that i read somewhere that the mortality rate in gbs was higher in patients in the easrly percentile of a surgeons/hospitals wls career. my doc is very experienced in laproscoptic surgery, but i won't know how many bands he has performed until sometime next month.

I mean really...a little searching of the site and I am sure you will find your answer! So please bare with me, while I break my own rule. Hey..I looked but this is a HUGE site...lol1. How difficult did you find the pre-op diet? I keep thinking I can't possibly do a liquid diet for a week.2. I have had 3 cesareans and my gallbladder laproscopically removed. Does anyone know how the pain and/or recovery is in comparison?3. Now this is one I really haven't seen at all and am a bit shy to ask, but it's better to ask now then end up in the ER. How soon can one umm hmmm be intimate and are you limited in well you know <whispers> positions?4. After going on solids, is there a weight gain? I plan on eating only healthy (low carbs) on the liquid and solid stages and fear that once I go on solids I may actually gain weight. Should I jus eat whatever I can tolerate on liquids and solids and worry about losing the weight and low carbing after I go on solids?5. What is the longest a person went without any fills (after surgury) and STILL lost weight?6. For some reason it is very easy for me to lose 40lbs (after each of my 3 pregnancies I have lost all of my pregnacy weight which has been 40-45lbs within 2 weeks after delivery AND each time I have done Atkins I have lost 40lbs and then I stall). Do people stall on this and if they do and it has nothing to do with the restriction, how can you tweak your program to break the stall? Or is it a matter of just being patient and waiting it out? That has always been my downfall with Atkins, I would get discouarged and just start eating the foods I liked again because I figured I wasn't losing anyway.I'm sorry if you guys get tired of the same ole questions. At least I was specific and didn't just come on here and say can someone tell me about lapband...lolThanks in advance

I haven't had a consultation yet. The clinic hasn't even opened yet, so honestly i doubt that he has done many if any. I'm thinking that I will be one of the clinics first patients. Would any of you ever consider being a first patient. Sounds kinda experimental. I so hyped about this and desaparate. i just came back from the beach hich is a 2block walk and it hurt my back so bad so sooner than I walked out the door. I don't have much energy to play with my kids and I had to hire someone to cook and clean for me because it too painful and exhausting for me.

Hello everyone, Where do I start? I am an American woman living in Saudi Arabia. A few years ago I had my gallbladder removed here. The surgeon has become a family friend. My dh saw him in the stroe a few months ago and was informed that the hospital he works at has him opening a WLS Clinic. I did not think much of it because I have a 7 month old son who I am nursing. I have been eagerly awaiting him to turn 1yrs so that I could get back on the Atkins diet for the fifth time (it is ideal for me because I have had gestational diabeties in all 3 of my pregnancies and diabetes runs in my family. I nurse my children for a full 2 yrs but have done Atkins in the past with my other two children when they were over 18 months). However, I have been pregnant and/or nursing for 7 years now, so I am always losing and regaining. I have recently learned about the LAP Band. I never ever thought I would be interested in any WLS because the GBS scares the heck out of me. So I called our family friend/surgeon and asked him which procedure does he do. He said to come in when his clinic is open in a month, that they do not do GBS that they put a 'ring' on you (he's arab and is use to refering to stuff in english in a way that he thinks most ppl can relate so I am assuming he means band). I asked him how much is the procedure and he said, "don't worry about it for you it's free!!!" I will tell you the situation,here in Saudi. Since I have been researching I have found out that the military hospitals (treats the royals so they have top notch doctors) and the private hospitals have been doing LAP Band for years (I think they use the Swedish band). My doctor, however, works for the Government hospitals which are free for all Saudis and qualifying expats. I had my gallbladder removed there and a cesarean delivery (side bar: I had LOTS of adhesion/scar tissue removed I hope it has not come back and will be a problem for LAP BAND). This is a new clinic he is opening so I am assuming that I will be one of his first, if not his first patient. He is a great surgeon and has performed many laproscropic surgeories, I'm just not sure if he has ever done Lap band. I guess the advice I am seeking here, is what would you do if you were in my shoes? I have no insurance at all, anywhere in the world, so America is not an option. It is fairly inexpenive here at the private institutes, but I still could not afford it without putting my dh in a bind and then it would take time for him to save for it. I prefer to do it now because I would like to have another bAby in a few years (ALL F MY KIDS ARE 2 1/2 YEARS A PART). What are the things that would make you turn down an opportunity to have this done FREE!!!??? What would be your concerns with being a docs first patient? I would be more comfortable if he was more established, but the clinic doesn't even open for another month. Of course I will inquire about his training when I go in for the consultation. Please advise me like you would advise yourself. Give me the good, the bad, and the ugly! Thank You P.S I notice that after banding most people eat low carb. The reason I can't stick to Atkins when I am pregnant and/or nursing is because I need the ketosis to keep me in control of whatI eat. Without the ketosis I am back to my bad habits. However, it is not recommended to be in ketosis while pregnant and/or nursing. Due to the restiction of bandind I am assuming that you even get less carbs than on Atkins...are most bandsters in ketosis?