Josette

I'm a port huron lapbander that originally had chosen Dr. Deol first. I'm glad I made the choice I did at this point. Anyways... Port Huron is great. It's about 1 1/2 hour drive each way for me so I take a day off to go. They have two doctors that work together and both do a good job. I've been adjusted by both and they were both great and friendly. If something happens to one doctor the other comes in and takes care of his patients so I don't have any concern about my doctor (Dr. Boutt) leaving and my being stuck. I know the Lapband Center of Michigan will replace him and I won't be sent out on my own. I highly recommend Port Huron. It's worth the drive!

Call the lapband center of michigan in port huron. They will do it if you have complete medical records from your lapband surgeon sent over.

the band builds confidence in yourself and self esteem and makes you realize "Why am I putting up with so much sh*t???"

My husband is flipping OUT about the attention men give me.

I feel the same way. I'm almost to the point of seperation. *sigh*

The gym isn't a fashion show. Wear something comfortable and GO. Why let other peoples possible thoughts or looks in your direction stop you from reaching your goal even faster? Don't let that stop you.

The more I go the more I get "Great job! You're looking GREAT!" from complete strangers. You'll get the same. Do this for YOU!

Published August 22, 2007

[ From LSJ.com ]

Stomach surgeries save lives, studies find

Evening update

Judy Peres

MCT News Service

<!--STORY TEXT--> CHICAGO — Stomach surgery saves lives among severely obese people and reduces the risk of serious illness, including heart attacks and cancer, according to two new studies.

Doctors have known for many years that weight loss improves cardiovascular risk factors, but it was not known whether it prevented deaths. Some studies had suggested that losing weight might even worsen life expectancy, though those studies didn't distinguish between intentional weight loss and unintentional weight loss.

To address the question, Swedish researchers followed some 4,000 patients for up to 18 years. The people who underwent bariatric surgery to reduce stomach capacity lost up to 32 percent of their body weight and kept most of it off. By comparison, a matched control group of patients who received conventional, nonsurgical treatment see-sawed, gaining and losing up to 2 percent.

The reward for the surgical patients: Their chances of surviving to the end of the study period were significantly improved. Five percent of the surgery group (101 people) died, compared with 6.3 percent in the control group. The surgery group also experienced 12 fewer heart attacks and 18 fewer malignant tumors.

In the second study, conducted by researchers at the University of Utah, 8,000 Americans who underwent gastric bypass surgery were matched with the same number of severely obese control subjects. During an average follow-up of seven years, deaths from heart disease were reduced by 56 percent; deaths from diabetes, by 92 percent; and from cancer, by 60 percent.

The estimated number of lives saved was 136 per 10,000 stomach operations.

"The question as to whether intentional weight loss improves life span has been answered, and the answer appears to be a resounding yes," said Dr. George Bray of Louisiana State University, who wrote an editorial that accompanied publication of the two new studies in Thursday's issue of the New England Journal of Medicine.

The National Institutes of Health issued guidelines in 1991 saying bariatric surgery-gastric bypass or banding-should be considered for people with a body mass index over 40, nearly double the average normal BMI, and only if other forms of treatment fail. Subjects in the Swedish trial, which began in 1987, had BMIs as low as 34.

The Swedish trial included banding procedures, which are less effective than gastric bypass. The procedure of choice in the U.S., gastric bypass involves stapling off a portion of the stomach and connecting it to the intestine.

In his editorial, Bray suggested the NIH should re-examine its guidelines and lower the threshold for bariatric surgery.

But Dr. John Alverdy, an expert in bariatric surgery at the University of Chicago, said that despite the significance of the new data it might or might not result in more patients undergoing bariatric surgery in the U.S.

"Even though the risk-benefit ratio is in favor of the surgery, and it is cost-effective, not every insurance company covers it, not every doctor believes in it, and not everyone has access to hospitals that do it," he said.

Alverdy said there's a perception that obesity is self-inflicted and can be cured by diet and exercise. That makes some patients reluctant to undergo surgery and some doctors reluctant to recommend it.

"Are you letting them off the hook?" he asked rhetorically. "Do you want to risk the complications of surgery when there's another way to get better?"

I'm 32 and my husband is 27. I'm about ready to choke the hell out of him. We're pretty close to seperation because I can't take it anymore. We're in couples therapy right now. I'd like to say it's the age but I have a guy friend who's the same age and is so mature.

I do think that I'll be cautious about getting into another relationship with a younger man if my marriage ends.

Here are two befores and two taken last night! Big change!

These were taken last night. We finally got around to doing the afters a few weeks late.

Mary 2b150..you have such a great outlook! When I was preparing for surgery I was going through MAJOR last supper syndrome. I would think of all the places I wanted to eat at "the last time" and try to make it there before surgery. It was a miracle I lost 8 pounds prior to surgery. hahaha.

This band has been a dream come true for me and will be for all of you that are preparing. Your life changes for the good and eating becomes a new normal. I'm embarrassed at my old eating habits. I've even gotten my hubby to change the way he eats.

thanks so much mary!

I'm 80 pounds down now and I still have that fat frame of mind. I'm only half way but I'm just NOW starting to notice differences in myself. I still have the big fat girl self image. Very hard to change!

Oh my gosh thanks so much for your kind words everyone!!! I appreciate it so much!

MR123... I had a slow start on the weight loss. Here are the dates of my doctor check ups and my weight and how much in my 4cc band:

6-15-06 - Consultation - weight 393

8-3-06 - surgery date - weight 387 (-6)

8-29-06 - Post op check - weight 373 (-14, -20 total)

10-3-06 - fill 1cc - weight 373 (-0, -20 total)

11-7-06 - fill 2cc - weight 371 (filled too tight and had all fill taken out same day) (-2, -22 total)

11-14-06 - refill 1.3cc - weight 373 (+2, -20 total)

12-19-06 - no fill - weight 365 (-8, -28 total)

1-16-07 - no fill - weight 357 (-8, -36 total)

2-27-07 - fill 1.6cc - weight 351 (-6, -42 total)

4-10-07 - no fill - weight 340 (-11, -53 total)

5-22-07 - no fill - weight 329 (-11, -64 total)

6-26-07 - fill 1.8cc - weight 322 (-7, -71 total)

8-7-07 - no fill - weight 313 (-9, -80 total)

Thank you so much everyone! And thanks for the comments about my mom OregonHolly. I appreciate that so much. I miss her everyday but she's my inspiration and I know she's proud!

My gross self back a few days prior to surgery and then Me a year later celebrating with my friends on a pontoon on a beautiful lake. What a difference a year made. A year ago I would have taken that whole seat I think!

Thank you so much you two! i appreciate it! :tea:

sometimes you don't lose if you're taking in less calories then your body needs. Nothing melts off because it's trying to hold on to what it has. I would really reevaluate the whole picture. What you do, what you eat and make changes. Are you eating a lot of carbs in your 1400 calories? I eat protien first, then veggies and a little bit of carbs if I have room left. I have PCOS so staying away from carbs is huge for me. If I count calories and I'm having a lot of carbs I won't lose compared to if I'm eating a lot of protien in the same calorie range.

Good luck!

Name...............................Starting…...Loss.......Current…....Goal….....To Go

losingjusme..(Christine).........293.............9 ............. 284... ........275............9

tann.............(Tammy)...........211............ 3..............208..... ......198............10

Josette......(Josette)..............322....... .....8..............314............307........ ...7

RidinMyHDDream.(Carol).. .....264...........................264............ 254............10

FaithMD............................... 308..........2.6............305.4....... ...299...........6.4

Elisabethsew..(Elisabeth).. ....275............................275 ...........265............10

Libra..(Angela)...................... 214...........................214.............208. ............6

glindab..................................282...... ....3.4............278.6..........265..........13. 6

Inner_me.....(Chris).............. ..295...........................295............280 ............15

waterlily1072...(Nicole)............279........... ................279............269............10

Rainer (Lorraine).....................311...........5.... ..........306.............299............7

staindgal (Bridget)..................319..........5.8....... .....313.2...........299.......... 14.2

jbtullis (Jonathan)...................317...........7...... .........310.............299............11

Insubordination.......................311......... 2.6...... ......308.4...........304............4.4

Squale..........................334.........5..... .......329..........310.........19

ShaunECook..................256.2................. ...256.2........245........11.2

Name........................Starting….......Curren t …...Goal….....To Go

losingjusme...................293..............287 ...........266...........21

juliegeraci....................226..............22 6...........206...........20

areellady.....................251.5...........239 .........230..............9

punkeyb88...................306.............238.. ..........225..........13

Chris_NJ......................326.............304. ...........290..........14

PaulaD........................222..............222 ............200..........22

MM............................248...............24 8............230.........18

sdakotaRN..................255...............255.. ..........230..........22.2

Babygrl1234...............224................218.. .........199..........19

faithmd.....................312...............308. ..........285...........23

Jan421......................267...............262. ...........247..........15

Metalband.................203...............196... ..........183...........13

tann........................223................208 ............198...........10

Banannie..................182..............175.2.. .........162...........13.2

Josette....................322...............314.. ..........299...........15

chickatee.................217...............213... ..........199...........16

beachgirl..................270................220. ...............155.........65

Marlluvia...................220...............220. ..............200...........20

Jennifur....................222…............219... .........200..........19

KariK.......................179..............179.. ..........155..........24

MarCar.....................296............ 285.............276...........9

Punkeyb88................238............238....... ..... 220......... 18

Jadrad7....................243............230..... .......220..........23

Denise......................265...........259... .........240..........25

Wen.........................303...........299.. ...........285.........14

SWEETY...................217...........207........ ......199.........8

Lochnagar................249...........249.... ........221..........28

glinadb....................285…........278.6...... .....260..........18.6

Denise....................330............265...... .......240..........25

mel........................254.4........237.6..... .....230..........7.6

Amelia40..................285...........288....... .....255...........33

Crabby54.................257...........245........ ....232.........25

Sunny 112...............219...........181.............16 5........16

Mr.Yo...I TOTALLY agree with you. I've never had any problem deciding who I wanted to win. This season I still don't know. I think we should send them ALL home! hahaha

Danielle won HOH and a plane flew over the house with the msg that Eric and Amber are Liars. Dustin, Amber and Eric were the only ones outside, so now Amber is apparently bawling her eyes out and they're keeping it a secret but Dick is on to Eric and wants to back door him this week.

I have no problem chugging Water at all. I drink about 80oz a day and there's times after working out that I'll chug about a half a bottle right off. MMMmmmmm water!

You'll be fine unless you're SUPER tight filled.

Good luck!

Sooooo... Today is my One year Bandiversary! A year ago right now I was fresh out of surgery and on my way to a new improved healthier me! Making the decision to get the lapband was a huge life changing decision that I did not make lightly. After much research and praying and asking my mom for guidence I decided it was something I had to do. The past year has been a whirl wind and I'm very happy with my results so far.

As of this morning I'm 77 pounds lighter and at the halfway point of my weight loss. I'm still shocked everytime I step on the scale. It's amazing.

I wanted to thank each and every one of you for the support you've given to me during my journey to skinnyville. I'd imagine it would have been a whole lot easier without having lost my mom and going through this endless grief but I'm doing it and I know she's with me still being my biggest cheerleader! THANKS MOM! I LOVE YOU!

I appreciate the motivation and listening to me whine about food and groan when I've been eating too much and complain when my food gets stuck... ick!

Thanks so much!!!

PS...I'll post better pictures later. I didn't think about taking them last night so my afters are taken with my cell phone and are almost as bad as the before!!!

Congrats Brandy! You're awesome chicky!!! I'm so proud of you!!!

I've been looking for an excuse to take hubby to Vegas. We were thinking about that dec cruise but don't think we'll be able to swing that with christmas. I love vegas! Count me in!

I am ready for Joe to go, he sucks too. He reminds me of a snotty high school girl. Ugh....

BUAAAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAAAAAAAA!!! Amen Brandy! hahaha

If I was america's player I would have climbed on top of Joe and laid down like he wasn't even there. He did do a crap job!

I'm so sick of Amber crying. Last night the first time they show her in the diary room she's crying.. .next scene...she's crying... SUCK IT UP ALREADY!!!!!! Oh my GOD!!!!

They should have voted Eric to tell her the tramatic story. She would have flooded the house and killed everyone with her tears.