Elisabethsew

I enjoyed "Silence of the Lambs" and the old classic, "To Kill a Mockingbird."

The father AND the daughter are both 400 pounds. Clearly, the father needs help as much as the daughter does. The mother is a normal weight and obviously sat there not supporting her daughter. Sounds like the family dynamics are VERY dysfunctional.

It sounds like you're ready for another fill! Call your surgeon.

I had bilateral pulmonary emboli in January and was placed on Coumadin. Genetic testing showed I was positive for a gene called MTHFR 2 which predisposes me to blood clots. Therefore, I came off Coumadin before surgery and took Lovinox injections twice a day until I could go back on the Coumadin 3 days post-op. If you have no history of deep vein thrombosis (DVT) or blood clots in your lungs (PEs's), I see no reason to take heparin injections post-op. You're up and moving a few hours after surgery and have compression booties or stockings on until you get up... including during the surgery.

Anesthesia is not stored in the fat cells and the effects vary from person to person but they certainly don't persist for a month. I would say that, for the majority of people, anesthesia effects are history by day 3-5.

If a hospital wishes to receive medicaid and medicare reimbursement they HAVE to be JCAHO certified. In New York, over 70% of the patient population "fits" this category so you'd be hard pressed to find a hospital here that is not JCAHO certified. Also, 2 years ago the JCAHO changed their way of doing inspections in response to public complaints that hospitals could "fix things" if they knew when a site inspection was planned. Consequently, just like the Board of Health, the JCAHO can come in ANYTIME UNANNOUNCED.

I had pulmonary emboli (both lungs) and had to go off Coumadin for the surgery. They gave me lovinox injections 3 days prior to surgery and for 2 days after the surgery and I did fine.

I went to the orthopedic surgeon begging for arthoscopic surgery for my knee to "buy me some time." He looked at the x-rays and the MRI and told me it would be unethical for him to do anything BUT a total knee replacement and that arthoscopic surgery would not produce any relief. So, my reward when I get close to goal from the band surgery is to have a total knee replacement. LOL. I hope you recover quickly AND get results from the knee surgery. While others say recovery from band surgery is no big deal, it took me a good 10 days to feel human again. Of course, at 46 with a heart condition, I did not expect the recovery that a 20 year old has. Be well.

You started out at a relatively low weight and have lost close to 10% of your body weight already. Does your surgeon have a dietician? If not, it might be a good idea to spend the money for one who knows the requirements of lapband patients and can review what you're eating now and make suggestions for improvements.

I'm glad your experience was a positive one. I think I was more afraid of the fill than the surgery but I've had 2 now and it's really no big deal. I got restriction on fill #2 so ENJOY!

I know when I am in clothes that fit nicely and have my hair and make-up fixed nicely, I feel good and exude a positive attitude. Just because I'm fat does not mean I can't myself look as presentable as possible.

It takes time to break a habit but, as you get into the "routine" of eating healthy foods, it really does become easier. I found it a lot easier to make substitutions rather than eliminations. Experiment with healthier ways of making your favorite meals. For example, instead of a mix of chuck beef and ground pork, I now use 90% fat free lean ground beef to make meatballs. I also reduced the size of the meatballs so I eat 2 and trick myself into thinking it's the same as I always ate. Another trick is to distract yourself. If you're busy doing something you don't think about food so much so take up a new hobby, take a summer adult ed. class, etc. Change your normal routine. Remember to keep hydrated. Many times hunger is not hunger but dehydration.

It sounds like you're healing normally and I too was on soft foods 3 weeks post-op. Because it takes 4-6 weeks for healing, most surgeons do not advise solids until week 5 but check with yours to see what he/she advises. Since you don't have a fill, you didn't damage anything by eating a few potato chips. Carbs begin to be digested in the MOUTH so stop worrying. As the swelling goes down, you'll feel less full and begin looking forward to a first fill.

I'm glad to hear the knee surgery went well and I'm surprised that the surgeon did not see the extent of the arthritis damage on the MRI. You might want to get a second opinion if you get no relief from this surgery. Take it easy and allow yourself time to heal.

Hi Amy, I am so sorry that you're going through this but it's good you're seeing someone to help you through it. I think you will find that your friends and family are very supportive if you allow them to be. Many years ago, I was engaged to a man I thought I would be with forever and he decided a few weeks before the wedding that "this was not for him." Like you, I was devastated but, after a few weeks of mourning, I decided to move on. I truly believe now that not marrying him was the best thing that ever happened to me. While it's hard to look forward when the pain is so new, you'll slowly begin to see there a whole world out there for you to explore. Stay strong because better days ARE coming.

Most insurance numbers have a 1-800 number that you can call to check on benefit coverage. If your employer does not supply it, call and ask questions directly of the insurance carrier.

Since you haven't had a fill yet, you don't have to worry too much about stretching the pouch. My directions say to have 2 ounces of protein for every once of carb. and to limit intake to a total of 1.5-2 cups of food.

I can't advise on a surgeon in Belgium but welcome to the forum and good luck on your journey.

Best of luck to both of you for an uneventful surgery, safe trip and a fast recovery.

I live in a state where weight is not posted on your driver's license and only one person (other than the surgeon and his team) knows my weight. I have not had to lie about how much I weigh because nobody asks. It's obvious to everyone that I am obese so who cares about the actual number?

I believe the "sweet spot" is the name given to an optimal fill level and that amount differs from person to person. For me, a 1.5 cc fill did nothing but the added 3 cc's for the second fill did the trick and achieved the level of restriction I needed. Now, my band lets me know when I've eaten enough but I have no difficulties associated with being overfilled.

I know one person who it happened to and it was fixed in a very quick surgery. You need to schedule this with your surgeon to make fills possible.

Have you considered asking for a fill under flouroscopy? That might give you the exact amount you need.

Healing takes 4-6 weeks and you're only a week post-op. Sometimes, cold can cause the esophagus to spasm. Since you've still got quite a bit of swelling at this point, it produces pain. Listen to your body and only advance your diet as directed by your MD. Stay away from extreme cold and hot until you're healed.

It's natural to lose a ton of water weight the first few weeks and then your body settles into a fat loss pattern. With the lapband, that's 1-2 pounds a week. When you get a fill or two and feel restriction, it's easier to control the eating.