NeenBand

Just to interject something here that I have noticed on this and other band forums, is that the people who are not hardly eating seem NOT to be losing. It really does give evidence that the body is a machine and needs food to keep it from going into starvation mode.

So glad it went so smooth for you. :-)

Hi Kittycat, I'm in central NJ too. I'll be emailing you.

There is no Theory of Evolution, it's just a list of creatures Chuck Norris allows to live.

Godspeed and good luck!

*~Otherwise known as "Hopeful One Day, Scared Sh*tless The Next"~* :hungry: Reading through erosion posts, pictures of infections, stories of slippage and removals, I sally forth to my meeting with the Psych doc and nutritionist, with what amounts to this month's rent money in hand to pay for this visit. I don't take this surgery lightly. I was actually able to have this done by a different surgeon back in the Fall. But I needed more time to make sure I was doing the right thing. Let's be honest, going under the knife to be able to lose weight is a huge step, and a serious one. I went to a support group meeting of this other surgeon and I was shocked at how quickly and without real research these people went and had this done. I was asking questions that we discuss here in the meeting none of them had a clue about. That shocked me. I guess for some the promise of being thin is enough. Not me. Yes, I am terrified of the actual surgery, going under anesthesia. (will I be that 1 in 1000 that won't wake up?) but my fears center more on what is going to happen after the surgery. Will I heal? Will I become infected? Will I get pneumonia? Will it be freaky because there is a freaking device wrapped around my stomach? Will I become dehydrated? And farther out: Will I pass out from PBing? Will I have terrible pain in my chest like some people? Will I erode? Will complications from erosion in my stomach kill me? Emotional: Will I enjoy life without my food? Will I ever be able to enjoy food again? What will life be like without being able to just drink and eat whenever and however like before? What will I do with my time without it being centered on eating and cooking? What will I do with my thoughts and emotions that can't be comforted with food anymore?? So, my first hour is with the nutritionist. I am completely overwhelmed and set on edge by this meeting. If the seriousness of this surgery didn't hit me before, then it did now. I am a vegetarian, so getting Protein is going to be paramount. The fact that I will have to be on a low carb diet was not what I expected. As a vegetarian, I eat carbs in Beans, whole grains, etc. From the food choices I have, it seemed to me that food enjoyment is really going to be out the window. Yogurt, cottage cheese, tofu, Protein drinks. And Water. That will be my diet. I was prepared for a change, but not this drastic. What unsettled me the most was the water bit. I can hold off drinking at meals, but I guzzle water. ALL DAY. I used to be very athletic and I drank and still drink over a gallon of water a day. And I chug it. When I don't get my gallon in, I feel dehydrated and can actually feel sick. SO this is a real concern for me. I just don't see how I can keep up the levels my body is used to all these years with a sip, sip ,sip sip all day. So coupled with all that I have written above, and the fact that now I am just waiting on a surgery date has me up at night. Am I doing the right thing? Will I be doing my body more harm than being fat if something goes wrong? Anxiety and fear is riding me out. But every once in a while during the day I'll see a woman who is slim and I think "I can be that now. I actually have a chance at achieving that" or see an ad for travel and think "I can vacation now and not be miserable that I am so fat" But most of all this is about getting healthy again. I can feel my body struggling and getting sick with this weight on, and I'm only going to get bigger because I am a food junkie and I have PCOS. To be continued.....

Jack, I love your posts about how much you love your band, so to know that was an issue for you too, and your okay now really helps. vluckey, your a gem. Your post did a lot to reassure me too. Wenderella, your so right about the giving up control. I have big control issues, so I'm sure this is playing a part in all this. If I could give everyone who posted in this thread a hug I would. Thanks so much for the support and helpful comments.

DeniseG, why would you get it removed if you could?

Hi Stina, Everything you wrote I am experiencing right now too (except for the job part). I also considered Dr. Fielding, but going into NYC is convoluted and intimidates me (small town NJ girl here). So, good thing you found this place, it's realistic and supportive with good info. Wish I could be more helpful, but I'm a newbie too.

Great post Babs and much appreciated! :-) That's why I post here, to get the calmer voice and (the voices of reason) to my anxious one. I must admit, this forum helps educate me on the pitfalls, but it also can rattle you a bit.

Thanks Carola, have German blood in me, but I don't speak German. Foo. Please do post what you find!

Thank you Dr. for all this info. We talk about this amongst ourselves, but it's great to have a doctor who actually performs this surgery here to answer questions. I'm new to all of this, pre-bander that I am, but is'nt 3% a bit more than the "rarity" we are told erosion is?

This is an excellent idea! Thanks for doing it.

I have to say something here that has been bothering me. If erosion is "rare" as I have been told, why is there so many of this board? Seems it happens more often than "rare"?

I totally agree. But for me personally, I know when it's coming from an honest place or an angry place. If I post right away, it's the latter. It comes across as aggressive. If I wait, I can converse with someone in a more clear, honest way and they can respond in a more clear and honest way without feeling attacked. And in that way there is a better chance of something good coming from the exchange.

LOL!! It's a me! My real name is Eileen, my older brothers called me Leen, Leener and one of them called me Leenerbups. You know, I was thinking about what you just posted about getting emotional. I think emotional posts are going to happen more frequently on a board like this , because let's face it...we are here because we have difficulties to begin with. I have a personal belief that we eat because we have emotional issues, so pre-band it's there and post band, it's even more so because there is'nt food to stuff it down. It's all out there baby! Probably why I think for us, observing the "I won't reply for 1 hour/24 hours etc" rule is a good one. I have knee jerk reactions to things people say and if I post while I'm feeling it, I open up a can of worms I regret later when I am more calm or in a better place. My ex husband noticed this about me and told me not to call or write anyone until I have waited 24 hours.

ROFL I know what your saying. I feel like I am reading something written by God The Almighty, The Alpha and The Omega or Yul Brenner as Rameses or something. Not reading run on sentances without punctuation or paragraphs is not about grammer for me. It really actually confuses me and I can't read them. And I'll be down right honest, they annoy me. I feel like I'm reading a post by a youngster or Paris Hilton. It's not about grammer for me, it's about understanding what someone is posting. Your talking to a dyslexic here....if you want to see some twisted up mis-spelled words just visit my posts. It'll make you feel down right edjimicated and smrt. I also don't see cliques but more people who have been around longer, so therefore know each other better than we newbies do and therefore their is some kind of bond. I think the longer your here or the more you post, the more a person feels a part of things. That goes for any kind of online forum.

*~Otherwise known as "Hopeful One Day, Scared The Next"~* :hungry: Reading through erosion posts, pictures of infections, stories of slippage and removals, I sally forth to my meeting with the Psych doc and nutritionist, with what amounts to this month's rent money in hand to pay for this visit. I don't take this surgery lightly. I was actually able to have this done by a different surgeon back in the Fall. But I needed more time to make sure I was doing the right thing. Let's be honest, going under the knife to be able to lose weight is a huge step, and a serious one. I went to a support group meeting of this other surgeon and I was shocked at how quickly and without real research these people went and had this done. I was asking questions that we discuss here in the meeting none of them had a clue about. That shocked me. I guess for some the promise of being thin is enough. Not me. Yes, I am terrified of the actual surgery, going under anesthesia. (will I be that 1 in 1000 that won't wake up?) but my fears center more on what is going to happen after the surgery. Will I heal? Will I become infected? Will I get pneumonia? Will it be freaky because there is a freaking device wrapped around my stomach? Will I become dehydrated? And farther out: Will I pass out from PBing? Will I have terrible pain in my chest like some people? Will I erode? Will complications from erosion in my stomach kill me? Emotional: Will I enjoy life without my food? Will I ever be able to enjoy food again? What will life be like without being able to just drink and eat whenever and however like before? What will I do with my time without it being centered on eating and cooking? What will I do with my thoughts and emotions that can't be comforted with food anymore?? So, my first hour is with the nutritionist. I am completely overwhelmed and set on edge by this meeting. If the seriousness of this surgery didn't hit me before, then it did now. I am a vegetarian, so getting protein is going to be paramount. The fact that I will have to be on a low carb diet was not what I expected. As a vegetarian, I eat carbs in beans, whole grains, etc. From the food choices I have, it seemed to me that food enjoyment is really going to be out the window. Yogurt, cottage cheese, tofu, protein drinks. And water. That will be my diet. I was prepared for a change, but not this drastic. What unsettled me the most was the water bit. I can hold off drinking at meals, but I guzzle water. ALL DAY. I used to be very athletic and I drank and still drink over a gallon of water a day. And I chug it. When I don't get my gallon in, I feel dehydrated and can actually feel sick. SO this is a real concern for me. I just don't see how I can keep up the levels my body is used to all these years with a sip, sip ,sip sip all day. So coupled with all that I have written above, and the fact that now I am just waiting on a surgery date has me up at night. Am I doing the right thing? Will I be doing my body more harm than being fat if something goes wrong? Anxiety and fear is riding me out. But every once in a while during the day I'll see a woman who is slim and I think "I can be that now. I actually have a chance at achieving that" or see an ad for travel and think "I can vacation now and not be miserable that I am so fat" But most of all this is about getting healthy again. I can feel my body struggling and getting sick with this weight on, and I'm only going to get bigger because I am a food junkie and I have PCOS. To be continued.....

*~Otherwise known as "Hopeful One Day, Scared The Next"~* :hungry: Reading through erosion posts, pictures of infections, stories of slippage and removals, I sally forth to my meeting with the Psych doc and nutritionist, with what amounts to this month's rent money in hand to pay for this visit. I don't take this surgery lightly. I was actually able to have this done by a different surgeon back in the Fall. But I needed more time to make sure I was doing the right thing. Let's be honest, going under the knife to be able to lose weight is a huge step, and a serious one. I went to a support group meeting of this other surgeon and I was shocked at how quickly and without real research these people went and had this done. I was asking questions that we discuss here in the meeting none of them had a clue about. That shocked me. I guess for some the promise of being thin is enough. Not me. Yes, I am terrified of the actual surgery, going under anesthesia. (will I be that 1 in 1000 that won't wake up?) but my fears center more on what is going to happen after the surgery. Will I heal? Will I become infected? Will I get pneumonia? Will it be freaky because there is a freaking device wrapped around my stomach? Will I become dehydrated? And farther out: Will I pass out from PBing? Will I have terrible pain in my chest like some people? Will I erode? Will complications from erosion in my stomach kill me? Emotional: Will I enjoy life without my food? Will I ever be able to enjoy food again? What will life be like without being able to just drink and eat whenever and however like before? What will I do with my time without it being centered on eating and cooking? What will I do with my thoughts and emotions that can't be comforted with food anymore?? So, my first hour is with the nutritionist. I am completely overwhelmed and set on edge by this meeting. If the seriousness of this surgery didn't hit me before, then it did now. I am a vegetarian, so getting protein is going to be paramount. The fact that I will have to be on a low carb diet was not what I expected. As a vegetarian, I eat carbs in beans, whole grains, etc. From the food choices I have, it seemed to me that food enjoyment is really going to be out the window. Yogurt, cottage cheese, tofu, protein drinks. And water. That will be my diet. I was prepared for a change, but not this drastic. What unsettled me the most was the water bit. I can hold off drinking at meals, but I guzzle water. ALL DAY. I used to be very athletic and I drank and still drink over a gallon of water a day. And I chug it. When I don't get my gallon in, I feel dehydrated and can actually feel sick. SO this is a real concern for me. I just don't see how I can keep up the levels my body is used to all these years with a sip, sip ,sip sip all day. So coupled with all that I have written above, and the fact that now I am just waiting on a surgery date has me up at night. Am I doing the right thing? Will I be doing my body more harm than being fat if something goes wrong? Anxiety and fear is riding me out. But every once in a while during the day I'll see a woman who is slim and I think "I can be that now. I actually have a chance at achieving that" or see an ad for travel and think "I can vacation now and not be miserable that I am so fat" But most of all this is about getting healthy again. I can feel my body struggling and getting sick with this weight on, and I'm only going to get bigger because I am a food junkie and I have PCOS. To be continued.....

Is there a support forum for Lap Banders from across the pond? I'd like to read their issues, etc.

Kathy, that drives me crazy too. I have Fibroymalgia and it's sometimes hard to cut through the brain fog we can have, and I also have some dyslexia, so if I see this: "hi everybody how r u i was wondering what time it is in Mexico i dont eat b4 Breakfast but i luv to talk so do u my cat dances and goatse is cool so how about we get together 4 ever" Post with run on sentances with no punctuation or paragraph breaks make it very hard for me to read and soI just skip over them. As for those who get snarky with other members, I'm pretty new here, but I have noticed they tend to be the same people. This is a support board and should be a safe haven for everyone, so maybe these people should be privately cautioned?? Just a suggestion.:-)

I would like the doctors to answer a few erosion questions I have. I am not banded and am nervous about this complication. I am concerned with the stomach's ability to heal after erosion. What are the chances of infection and death with erosion?

You know what I want to know? WHat happens after erosion? Is your stomach scarred and does it function properly? Can it be repaired and can infection set in and can death occur? I want to know what happens AFTER erosion.

Great questions Dana and ones I ask too. Hope there are others who know

Vines, so does this mean no Graves disease?? Yay!! I'm really happy for you about that, I know how much you were worried. I also am a PCOS sister. I'm losing my hair and gaining it in the wrong places, as well as having a PCOS belly. I just had a sonoagram yesterday and the cysts were there. I'm not on any meds as they made me too sick, so this band better help me. ANyway, glad for you. :-)