Elisabethsew

Yes, you could have some elevation related to inflammation of the GI system. MANY conditions such as arthritis, lupus, etc., can cause an elevated SED rate and that's why this test is never looked at in isolation. If your CBC is OK and everything else is fine, it's not a cause for real concern and your MD may just want to monitor your blood work. Cancer would be screened for by a CEA and not a SED rate. Don't worry!

As a couple, the Edward's have agreed to seek a bid for the White House. Being in the medical profession and having read the proposed treatment plan, I don't think the cancer issue should be a factor. For now, it's a chronic illness that will lead to death in as little as six months but projected to be a few years. For THIS couple, a decision was made to not let her illness change the short and long range plans. My vote would not be effected by a candidate's cancer diagnosis. Betty Ford was an alcoholic and many other presidents have had very personal issues to deal with while in office. Some were public and some we'll never know about. If the presidency were a dictatorship as opposed to a democracy with bipartisan houses, I might feel differently. How do YOU feel about it?

Increase your water intake and try about 8 raw almonds a day.

It would be wise to hold off on getting your fill until you complete the course of antibiotics. You don't want to add esophagitis to your other airway infections. I hope you feel better soon.

I went in the afternoon of my surgery, stayed overnight, and was home by noon the next day... less than 24 hours in total.

To get things "moving" increase your water intake. Another thing that works wonderfully is 8 raw almonds a day. I read it in another post, tried it, and it really works.

Don't tell a child suffering the long-term effects (varying degrees of retardation) of fetal alcohol syndrome (FAS) that it's comparing apples and oranges.

Whatever happened to husbands that believed they should support the family while the wife raises the children? Sigh. It's called life. Mortgage payments, tuition payments, sports activities, taxes, food, utilities... VERY hard to do on a single salary.

Kay, You're off and running! Congratulations on on the weight loss.

Cup size unchanged here also. Sigh!

Most surgeons want you to heal 4-8 weeks before you get a first fill. After that, there is no rule. Some people get restriction after one fill and it lasts months. Others need to go several times before they are adequately restricted. It all depends on how booked up the fill appointments are, what your surgeon prefers, and how you are doing. I do know some people don't have a fill "kick-in" for a week or two so it's best to wait 2 weeks or more inbetween fills.

You'll be able to eat ANYTHING you tolerate in moderation. Some people have no "bad" foods and others have foods that give them some trouble. In the soft food phase, you can have mashed potatoes and meatloaf.

Don't be in a rush to get your husband home. He needs to get out of the bed and start moving. He also needs to splint his stomach and deep breathe and cough to clear the anesthesia out of his lungs. The MD likely had a hard time retracting his liver and that's why he's in a lot of pain. Make sure he has an incentive spirometer to help with the breathing and he should walk, walk, walk. In the AM, he should have another swallow test.

Welcome! You'll find plenty of support and a lot of information here. Feel free to jump into discussions and ask questions. I'm a fellow New Yorker.

Congratulations on your very low slip rate!

If you have to change insurance in August, why don't you have the surgery by the partner of the pregnant surgeon since she's out until late July? If she decides to take additional time off, it could mean you having to find another surgeon unless you already know that your new insurance will cover the surgery with this MD.

I don't have that problem but trust is very important in a marriage. When you calm down, maybe you and your husband can have a civil conversation. The answers you desire can only come from him.

If you have restriction and never feel full, what are you eating? Do you consume hard protein like chicken, fish, beef, pork, or do you only eat a diet of soft foods? Have you tried tracking your intake of food on fitday.com or sparkpeople.com?

It's more important for YOU and YOUR surgery that you stick to the pre-op diet designed to shrink your liver and make the surgery easier. I know some of the Mexican surgeons won't operate on people over 300 pounds unless they lose 10% of their body weight but I never heard of losing 5 pounds just because.

You have to lose 5-7 pounds? Why? Congratulations on your approval.

Hi Keith, I'm glad that you were in the hospital overnight so that this complication could be detected before your condition became a lot worse. Thankfully, PICC (peripherally inserted central catheter) lines make it possible for patients to get antibiotics IV and recover at home. Give yourself time to heal and then worry about if you're going to go ahead and have the band surgery again.

Christine Ren, MD, FACS, is an assistant professor at NYU Medical Center, a leading LAP-BAND surgeon and a member of the American Society for Bariatric Surgery. According to her and Inamed, "The LAP-BAND is a much less complicated procedure than the standard Roux-en-Y gastric bypass; it may occasionally slip farther down the stomach, however. This complication “prevents the band from working properly to allow people to continue to lose weight,” Ren explains. “The most common symptom of band slippage is severe reflux or regurgitation, particularly in the middle of the night, and this would require the band to be loosened, and if the band is loosened, people will regain weight. Their appetite will come back. So that’s the main reason for surgical revision of the band if the band slips. It happens in 3 percent of the population. The reoperation itself can be done laparoscopically in an ASC.”

Libra, you need to call your MD. Estrogen is stored in fat cells. While fat cells never die, they do shrink. If is not uncommon after losing a lot of weight for your period to go "off cycle" but when you're on the pill and this happens, it often means that you need a higher dose of birth control pills (most come in 3 strengths). I hope that helps a little.

Dr. C. You mentioned that this patient opted to not have a repair. Out of curiousity, how many incisions do you make when repairing the band and is the recovery easier than the initial banding?

During the 3 months of "waiting" for the surgery, I tried to eat healthier to prepare for surgery but did not diet to lose weight. I gradually got all the crap out of the house and cut down on fats and high sugar foods. A 10% decrease in your weight makes a big difference and that's about what I lost before having the surgery. I didn't count calories or weigh foods but I did make a conscious effort to stop eating when I felt full. Hang in there. You're doing great.