NeenBand

Hi! I know what you mean. I used to be a model and actress, so being this heavy is hard on me. Now it has given me health problems so it;s not all vanity. But you know what? Having low self esteem and not living life to the fullest because you are ashamed of the way you look is just a good enough reason than any other. This is it, your life, right now. And if the fat is keeping you from enjoying it...don't wait 20 years like I did, and have your youth over.

Great question! I was also interested in how to take Vitamins and supplements AFTER the band. I have to take quite a few because I have Fibromyalgia and Chronic Fatogue syndrome. Taking certain supplements help me a lot. Like flax oil and B vitamins. I was wondering how others take them?

I know my line of questioning is annoying to some, and many are so desperate at this point that they just do it and hope for the best. I'm desperate too, believe me. But I was desperate when I took Phen-Fen along with others and was lucky enough to not be one of the many who have life threatening heart and lung disease from taking that stuff. Like Phen-Fen, I would hate to rush into something releatively new here in the US and surgery to the body as this is, and find out later it causes serious problems. I am leaning towards doing this in the next few months, just hunting now for the best surgeon I can get.

OH! ANother thing I asked (de to reading DeCarla's recent complication) was what happens if erosion occurs. First I asked if there are periodic checkups to make sure all is normal and he said no, only if you feel something is wrong do they take further look to see if there is slippage or erosion. He said the hole in the stomach is sewn up. I asked what happens to the stomach, is it okay after that? He said most of the time yes, sometimes the whole in the stoamch does not heal. !!!!! I said, what happens if the hole in the stomach can't heal?? And we were inturrupted by someone so I never heard the answer to that. I would think you could die from stomach leaking into the system right? Infection, septicemia, etc. Again, the people were hearing this for the first time. I was sort of concerned no one asked this before getting banded. I don't know, maybe I'm not normal or something.

Hey all, thanks for the feedback. Seems you hear different answers depending on who you talk to! :-)

Hi all, You may or may not know that I am a newbie having some tripidations about getting the band. SO I took myself to a Lap Band support meeting last night. It was a small group, about 6 of us. I was a little surprised at how much the banded people in the group did not know about how to eat, food selections, erosion, slippage, etc. One of the things I asked the doctor was about erosion and he said 2 in 100 people will experience it within 3 years. I also asked about long term and he said the band probably would not last the lifetime and would need to be either replaced or removed or left inside at some point in a bander's life. So, additional surgeries are likely for a bander. How do you all feel about that? I asked one person there that question and she said she doesn't worry about the risks or what may happen. I'm just can't do that. Interesting to note no one in my group asked the questions I did and where hearing them for the first time. On the positive, all of them said it's the best thing they ever did and many said do it now before diabetes sets in.

LOl That's great DeCarla. Is it possible for scar tissue to form and make it permanent?

Eileen, thanks for that suggestion. Right now I'd like to live there too! :-) Emily, thanks for the recipe, I will give it a try! I love cooking new things. ANd thanks to everyone for telling me you can eat your veggies! :-)

I just had a thought, your not by any chance have chronic fatigue syndrome do you? Because I have it and surgery or blood loss can result in low blood pressure, so get that checked out. Please with CFS have weird blood vilumnes and even giving blood can result in fainting and feeling very ill for several weeks. It happened to me.

I have hypoglycemia as well. From reading these forums,I would try to get in those protien drinks as much as you can. Also, are you drinking any OJ or taking glucose tablets to keep your sugar up?

Good idea, I will have further discussions with my doctors. If nothing else, this thread can serve as support for people like me who have fears associated with surgery or the band, and i hope it helps!

Great! Thanks all. :-)

Busywoman thank you so much for the prayer, I could use it. It also helps to know my qiestions or fears are not alone. Sometimes I read how easy and unafriad people are and wonder if there is something wrong with me. Sarahbride, I'm so glad your surgery went so well. Keep me updated on how you do. Actually, my immune system is not that great, I have chronic fatigue and fibromyalgia, so I am worried about infection too. And I know infection is the cause of erosion, let along surgery complications. My biggest fears are surgery complications and erosion and infection.

Hey all, I am on Medicare and was wondering what you paid out of pocket for your band and fills, etc. Most of it is covered, correct?

Wow, a lot of you in the Morristown area. Foo. :-(

Hi Kelly girl! I eat eggs and dairy, but I get the organic and free range kind. There are really good "meaty" recipes from Robin Robertson. I think she puts out THE BEST cookbooks out there. Her recipes really helped us transition from heavy meat eaters to vegetarians. http://www.robinrobertson.com/ It's also important that your eating a balanced diet. Vegetarians have to be more careful that we are getting everything we need. Too often people just stop eating meat, then get cravings or not feel well because they are not eating a balanced diet and getting all the nutrients they need. In order to be a successful vegetarian, you must know how to feed your body correctly. Great info on how to be a vegetarian you can find here: http://www.goveg.com If you need resove, just go to http://www.goveg.com/factoryFarming.asp or http://www.animalactivist.com/vegetarian.asp and look at all the videos and read the articles. Good luck, Eileen

Good faq from a doc, thanks for posting it.

Ah yes! Jenkinson's. Point has changed so much in the past 15 years I hardly recognize my own hometown.

I guess I should clarify what the nutritionist said, and that was with muscles starved for protien, they begin to rebuild when the body is reintroduced to the protien it needs to build that tissue (muscle).

Thanks Jack, sounds right up my alley! :-)

From what I have learned from a nutrionist (learned a lot about nutrition, but I'm still fat. :-p) Is that if your body has been starving for protien or is prone to build muscles it will take this protien like a starving person and you will begin to gain muscle. This is a GOOD thing. I know people who are 160 lbs, but look 120 because they are packed full of muscle and look really, really good.

Hey, thanks everyone! :-) What protien drinks do you recommend? The whey ones really do a number on my stomach and irritable bowel.

Have you been working out recently? Did you increase your exercise routine or start using weights?

Hi all, central NJ Matawan representing! LOL I'm originally born and bred in Point Pleasant and moved up here due to my (now ex husband) living up here. I hope to move back to my seashore soon. ANywhoo.. I am looking for a REALLY GOOD surgeon that takes Medicare. Also looking for who to STAY AWAY from and who you know is really good. I am researching two Dr.s around here. One named Dr. Chau in North Brunswick and the other Dr. Mehta in Princeton. ANyone here anything about them?

That's great news! I read on some other boards that certain veggies that have a lot of roughage can't be eaten, like broccoli and brussel sprouts, which I love.