Headhunter

A quick note; First, thanks for all the good wishes. My sugery went well. I'm still in the hospital, but shoudl be able to go home later today. This was the first time I felt like getting the computer out! They did have to cut me all the way open. So, I feel awful, and I think this may be a long recovery.... Once I get home and settled, I'll check in with ya!

Thank you so much for the good wishes, Shirely! It's tomorrow morning, and I am getting a bit nervous. The surgeon told me that it is unlikely that he will be able to do the whole thing laproscopically, and he will most likely have to "open me up". So, I'm not happy about that, But I do think I have one of the best surgeons in the country for this kind of thing. It was an interesting series of events that led me to him, so I think this was one of those "meant to be" things. I'm all nicely "wired up" with a new laptop and Wireless Broadband, so I may be able to post something within a day or two after the surgery. Actually, this was huge excuse for me to go out and buy whole bunch of new tech goodies so I can stay connected with my business while i am out. One of the bad parts is that the Hospital this is being done at is about 40 miles from where I live, so I won't be getting too many visitors. But, that's ok....I'm bringing plenty of DVD's and audiobooks, and I have a bunch of James Bond movies on my Hard drive! :thumbup:

I'd have to agree with Susan. I would imagine that it would depend upon what you mean by "not liking it". If there were some very specific problems with it, well, that would certainly cause you to not like it! Now, if by "not liking it" you are referring to someone being uncomfortable with having a foreign object in their body, well, that makes sense, and I'm sure that there HAVE been people who have experienced that kind of discomfort. It is a known psychological disorder that makes some people panic or react in some way when something is placed in them like that. Even things like earrings. So, I am certain that there have been people who have had the band removed for that reason, but I have never personally heard of such a case.

Hi, Smiley: Thanks for asking 'bout me! :frown: My surgery is scheduled for this next tuesday, so I'm spending this weekend making preparations, because I may be gone for a while. Perhaps as long as 14 days.... I do not know what the whole thing will cost me. I do have insurance, BUT this whole thing has been complicated by all the things that have gone wrong, and it may be classified as a "pre-existing condition", which means I will be in big debt for many years. This is more than just just a removal, because of the additional problems. I am detecting a "hint" from the surgeon that they MAY cover the cost, because he wants to do an extensive paper on my situation for a Medical Journal. He reiterated that what happened to me has not happened to anyone, to his knowledge. So, I really don't have an answer for you regarding the cost of removal. Just speculating, I would think that it may be in the same range as what it cost to have it put in, MINUS the cost of the actual Lap Band. I would think that it would cost maybe a little less to take it out than put it in, although the same medical infrastructure would have to be in place. I don't know....anyone else out there that has had your band removed want to comment on the cost?

I think some schools withhold transcripts if all fees aren't paid. Nasty, but true.

Hi, Everyone; An LDS subgroup! Now, that's too cool! I kind of figured GraceUtah might be one of us.....:thumbup:

And, if you REALLY, REALLY want to get HEALTHY (and that should be your goal...) You should simply cut out the soda, period. Just drink a lot more water, and fruit and vegetable juices. Eventually, your taste for soda will go away.

Wow, Txbbwstrwbry; You and I have been down the same path. I wish I had posted my story in the same way that you did, and HERE rather than in another part of this forum, as I did. I came on a little stronger, and People didn't like it all that much. You are SO correct. The band is NOT for everyone. It works miracles for some, but it can be a nightmare for others. The commercials you see on TV are painting the band as a "fast and safe" answer to the problem of obesity. Again, true for some, NOT for others. I am having band removal surgery this next tuesday, and it's going to be very messy. The Tube from the band has burrowed INSIDE of my Colon, and there may be some other damage as well. They won't know until they get inside. The port popped out of my stomach a long time ago, and I have suffered ever since. But, I have also learned some other things as well. I was able to lose nearly 90 pounds WITHOUT the band being functional. I have come to the conclusion that I never really needed the band to begin with. I just needed to look a LITTLE further to find out what would work for ME. Txbbwstrwbry, you are SO correct. People need to exhaust ALL options before they go down this path. ANY WLS should be a LAST RESORT, rather than an elective cosmetic procedure, which it is becoming. So, I look forward to my life without the plastic noose around my stomach. And, I hope that my surgery will be able to correct the other problems. The outcome is a little unsure. One of the points I was trying to make in my previous posts (to those who did NOT want to listen) was that you really need to make sure you have the RIGHT doctor. Make sure you know what his actions will be if you encounter any problems. Again; The LB has been a wonderful thing for many, many people. But there ARE a group of us here for whom that has NOT been the case. Thank you for your well-spoken comments, Txbbwstrwbry!

.......which is EXACTLY what you need to be doing! You don't NEED the band anymore. It was a tool while you had it, but now you need to rely on YOURSELF. And I GUARANTEE that you have the power within to be able to move yourself to a place in your life where you don't NEED the band at all. It's all about what you described, my friend; slow eating, wise eating, and time at the Gym. I think that eventually, you will come to learn exactly what I did: You never really needed the band! Some of us needed the band simply to teach us that truth, that we had the power inside all along. Having the band and then losing it can be a powerful lesson in what we can accomplish. Keep us posted!

I'll be having my pre-op appt with the surgeon for my band removal and corrective surgery (all sorts of stuff went wrong with my band...) today. My band has not functioned at all for several years, so I have essentially been without one, which is fine. My surgery is going to be next Tuesday, 5/6. This will be an interesting meeting with the surgeon, now that we have all the scans and colonscopy stuff back. I'll keep you all posted, I hope you are all doing well. I have not been on the forum for about a week.

Please note that I said that "there are those" who have had success and it has come easily. This means that SOME people have had easy success. Not all, but some. For others, it has been a miserable experience. I would fit into that category. Mine was a resounding failure. :wink2:

I agree with the previous poster. If fact, that IS similiar to what happened to me. My port became infected, and it ended up popping out of my stomach, which was the beginning of a whole bunch of problems. Go to your Doctor RIGHT AWAY.

You need to get back to your surgeon. That is NOT normal. A little swelling is normal, but if you've got a bulge the size of a small african nation under there, well, somethin's goin' on.....

It is indeed unfortunate that so many of the Surgeons involved in WLS do NOT give the patient whatthey need to know to make everything work the way that it should. GOOD communication between patient and doctor is CRUCIAL. And yes, you are in the RIGHT place by being on this Forum. If you feel at all uncomfortable with the information you are getting from your Dr and his/her staff, then you need to consider looking at other providers.

Excellent! And it's not just a small victory....it's a BIG one! Exercise is a hard habit to get into, but it is KEY in this journey you are on. One thing you have to keep in mind, and something that a LOT of people miss is that you are NOT trying to get slim....you are trying to get HEALTHY. If you are truly healthy, then your body weight will be normal. Think of it in those terms. And a BIG part of being healthy lies in exercising. So, it is an important component of the entire formula. Exercise can be hard at first, especially if it is something you have not done much of before. I used to listen to music when I exercised, and I still do. But, you kind of get tired of listening to music after a while, so one thing that really helped me a great deal is listening to audiobooks. Virtually anything in print is available in audiobook format, and you can actually get an education in some things just by listening. Get an MP3 player, and get walking! But DO keep exercising. It's CRUCIAL to your weight loss and overall health.

Different people respond in different ways to the surgery. In my case, after my surgery I was up and around right away. I went to large trade show within a week after I got out of the hospital, and I did just fine. But, other people have taken a lot longer to heal....It's very individual. Besides, the "one day at a time" is a great way to live your life anyway! Give it time, you'll do just fine. :smile2:

Chelsey, get to your Doctor and have him look at it right away. Post infections are BAD NEWS. I had one, and the port eventually ended up coming out of my stomach. It's not like a zit or a rash that will go away with a little TLC. You need to have someone look at it very soon!

Making sure that you have the RIGHT surgeon is oh-so-important. Not only in that he has plenty of experience, but that you have a firm understanding with him as to what he will do to help you if there ARE problems. And it sounds like you DO have problems. I think you really need to have a consultation with ANOTHER doctor who is well experienced with the LB, and try and determine what the real problem is. Maybe you already answered this, but why does he refuse to entirley unfill you? If there is NOT a good reason, then INSIST on it, and if he won't, then see someone who will. Again, I think that it's high time you see another Doctor. THIS one is not treating you right.

Shame on you! :biggrin2: Well, you might be able to lose 25 to 40 pounds before he gets home...a lot more if you ramp up the exercise.....you could get pretty close to losing half of it.....!

oops. sorry 'bout that! You must be kind of excited, since your surgery is coming up soon and you'll be able to lose a bunch of weight before hubby gets home...... :thumbup:

No, I am still here. I have not posted anything here for a while because every single thing I say here is blasted. As I am sure THIS comment will be. Particulalry by shortgal. I did indeed tell her that she was ignorant, because she WAS ignorant. If you had seen the thread that she tried to hijack, and seen our exchanges, it would be clear WHY she was ignorant. I was not nice to her in the PMs. But she was not deserving of politeness. She has gone out of her way to create problems. I have only sent TWO unpleasant PMs, and they both deserved it. EVERY bit of it. I am communicating with people now via PM, simply because I'm tired of being blasted for everything i say. Not questioned, but blasted. For a while it looked like this thread was taking a better turn, with members talking about cancer and other imporant issues, and i was happy about that. It looked like if I stayed away, then the venom would disappear. Apparently that is not the case. Some of you are being trolls in your own right. So I, here and now, officially apologize to the membership of this forum for coming in here firing both guns the way I did. It was wrong, and i'm sorry for that. I do not usually do things that way. My enthusiasm for telling my story and perhaps being able to help someone in some way got the better of me. I have stated this in PMs to many people. And i state it here now, again. If I had to do this over again, i would do it quite differently. But I do not have that opportunity now, do I? It has been commented that I appear somewhat "holier than thou" in my writing. I am very aware that my particluar style of writing can be a little terse. It is just who I am on paper (or screen..). It is not who I am inside. I have not yet decided whether i will stay here; some of you will be very happy if i leave. Others, who I have corresponded with privatley, have made some very wise suggestions about how to resolve all of this. I do not know what i will do. I only know that this has impacted me on a very deep and personal level. There are several "bottom lines" here. One is that This has been MY REAL experience, with no embellishment or enhancement. It does happen to some people, and those of you who it DOES happen to (even if it is only a fraction of a percent) could benefit from my mistakes in handling it before and after the surgery. I do not know how anyone could deny that fact, even if my motives were NOT pure. And, they ARE pure. So, I offer my apologies to all of you, and I will continue to correspond with those who wish to, and there are a lot. I do wish everyone the best in your particular journey. And I thank those who who have wished me good will as well. I'll now go back to my PMs, and you can choose whether or not you want to use your time on this earth pursuing this. Many of you have been given a new life by the lap band. I would recommend that you go out and enjoy it. It is short, as I have come to understand. best wishes to all.

Awesome answers, every one of them. It's probably true that MOST people don't have a single, defining moment like I did, that it is just a series of events that leads up to the "slow melt" that becomes the decision. Mine was a more specific, defined moment of truth. Keep 'em coming, this is very interesing stuff!

Oh, Ok, you're a tech guy so then you know what you're doin'! Didn't know if you were a consumer-grade kind of guy and just having problems or what,...but since you're a pro, you don't need any help from me! :thumbup: I like Belkin for consumer grade stuff, although I hardly ever use it. I like them mostly for all the cool little accessories they make for tech stuff. I also like them as a company. I remember at the old COMDEX shows I used to stop by their booth and chat with their reps. Really, really nice and helpful people, a lot more so than many of the other companies that make the same stuff. I surprised that you don't like Netgear. I've had good luck with most of their stuff. I really like the little blue 4/5/8 port switches they make. They are really solid, made of metal. Perfect for environments where we have to add a few connections, and it's a situation where someone might step on the box or something. Tell me about why you don't like Netgear....you might have some info I can use!

Pix; Linksys is KNOWN for their lousy support. It's ironic, because they are owned by Cisco, who are well known for their world-class support (although Cisco support is for IT pros, and not consumers, they don't make much consumer gear.) But don't give up on Linksys stuff. It's normally very good. It's consumer-class gear, but it's good enough so that we use it in many, many commercial environments. If it's just a configuration issue and NOT a hardware malfunction, there are PLENTY of places on the 'net where you can get questions answered and directions for configuration. Getting a bad piece of gear is a given on occasion, but I would would stick with Linksys. Netgear is the other Very Good product in that class. Dlink is a third choice, but I would choose the other two first. D-Link will ultimately be a good product, but they are still rising from their "junk" days! :tongue_smilie:

I do regret it very much. If had to do it again, I would NOT. 2 Reasons: 1:) Severe complications, one result being that my band is non-functional. 2:) I discovered afer the band became non-functional that i did indeed posess the ability to lose the weight without that kind of assistance. In other words, I found that (for me, and me alone) I never really needed it the first place.