54Shirley

You go future BandSister !

You can always go tighter, and have the fill help kill the hunger itch. Make it possible that you won't even think about food for 5-6 hrs... Talk to your surgeon, this is all possible.

Welcome to the other side... and CONGRATS ! :party::party::party::party:

Maybe you should try Craigslist. I'm sure people will gladly come forward, and say they are writers. If you are a member,,,,,,, and you are Banded. Then you should be able to put out a Book on the subject. From going to meetings, to talking on this site, the input is always coming in. In other-words we still keep learning everyday ! I can't Imagine what kind of Stories that you are looking for ? You say you will provide the Topics. (RED FLAG JUST WENT UP !) Shouldn't it be up to the writer to Freelance, and tell the Facts. Or are you looking for Fables ? I have 6 yrs. experience with this Band. Have seen Highs, and Lows, and enjoy writing. But NO Thank You ! I'm not interested. Something doesn't seem Kosher here... Again, Try Craigslist. Shirley.

I didn't want my stomach cut up, and my guts cut out and disposed of 20" of intestines. that's longer then some rooms in a house.. Then re-route everything else. I also wanted to live.. People that I new that had this fantastic WLS had Died. So I was interested in something that if it didn't work, I could go back. Once you go Band You'll never go back to Fat Land.

Believe it or not, just for safety take your INS. CARDS ! I was banded 10/31, spent the night and the next day started the month of November. Well Billing called my room, and told me I had No Coverage..... ( I told them I did.) They said you have until 9:00 A.M. to clean out, or you will be Billed for the day. My Husband brought the cards down, got me packed, and we were on are way out when the phone rang. Were sorry Shirley, are little mistake. You have coverage. Enjoy your stay at HENRY FORD HOSPITAL DETROIT. I said I'm packed and on my way out the Door... The Surgeon will not be Happy ! Then you explain it to him ! and I hung up. 1,000,000 to 1 odds, but still take your cards. Shirley.

I been saying it for years ! Throw the Dam Thing Out ! Get weighed at your docs office, you will be impressed, and so will they, and you will tell the difference by your cloths size. Shirley.

It's said that "When the Lord Closes a Door, Somewhere he opens a Window" I am sorry for your Loss I know my Mother died a week after Our Wedding Anniversary, and a week before my Birthday. Well I thought that was bad enough ! Only to learn that she Died on her Wedding Anniversary. This was a ruff time. You will be Celebrating a New Birthday ! Don't you think your Husband would be Very Proud of You ! I sure do ! It is now your Opportunity to Blossom ! Coincidence ? Maybe.... Faith ! sounds more like it to me. I know your sad, but Hold you Head up High while you do this, and think of him. Next year you will have a Birthday to Celebrate, and you can say it's for him too. Hope this Helps, and makes sense to you

You need to get in touch with your surgeon, and tell him what you lost in 3 years, and how you feel also. Ask to be filled under Fluoroscope, and maybe he will fill you to your fill line. But go see your Surgeon ! If No satisfaction then go see someone else.

From Detroit ! Retired in Saint Helen, Michigan. :party:

This is a very serious situation. I agree to that totally ! But they all have there ways. I lost over a 120 lbs. dieting before surgery, so know reason tp go on liquids to shrink the liver. I had mine done in a Center of Excellence, and he saved my life by having the surgery. They are truely skilled in their field, and they know what they are doing. If your not to overweight, some Dr.'s feel it's not that extreme, so you will do it in the weeks after. They can also tell by the feel of the liver if it's to large or not.. No this is not a joke ! Each Surgeon has his own way. You might diet for a couple of months, and not have to do liquids. It's still losing weight, and that's a loss.

Born n Raised in Detroit .

Sure that makes sense.

Where I went they couldn't do surgery on you if you were over 500Lbs..... That's what the equipment held. I seen Men in there at 550-600Lbs. with No Legs! do to Sugar ! They were in there wheelchairs, and there daily or every other day just to get weighed, so they could come down to 500Lbs to have surgery. Now that's what you call something to get Freaked Out over. My Dear it's Nerves, and Reality all rolled into one thing. What If? and I'm scared. NATURALLY ! WHO ISN'T ? It's a perfectly normal feeling. What if you don't do something about your weight, and you die from it ? Then they will be Motherless. I know you don't want that at all, so do what's best for you... But it was a rude awakening for me to, It scared the Crap out of me. But yet I knew without it I would die. If I would not have had the surgery, Well,,,, I wouldn't be here today. I was drowning in my own bodily fluids. Didn't have much time left. He saved my Life.... I owe him that. You don't want to end up like that either. So you do what's best ! But it is a true reality check. Good Luck, and let me know what your going to do, Shirley.

Sleep in a recliner for a while./ With Pillows! It took about a week before I could lay in bed.

Make your own broth ! It tastes a lot better. S.F Jello, S.F. Pop-cycles. I know there colored but they are still considered clear by most Dr.'s because they are Water. Chrystal Lite for your water. I had Soups, and just put them in a strainer to catch the vegetables after I had surgery... It can be done before. Welcome Aboard, and Good Luck, Shirley.

Well,, it's your choice with the Band .... You can have some restriction,, and eat, and watch your calorie intake on myfitnesspal.com (FOR EXAMPLE) Then when you hit between 800-1200 calories, your done for the day.. That's how I do mine, and it works..... Actually I would prefer being a little tighter ! Because it deadens the hunger hormone in me for about 5-6 hrs. which is nice. Problem is,,,, I can't swallow my meds, crushing them is to nasty. I'll have to see if I can get any of it in liquid form, then I would consider a slight fill. The other thing is I told his P.A. ONLY .1 cc at a time for a fill, I have a 4cc band and it don't take much to feel more restriction. Well she put in .1 and 1/4. That was to much,and I was Flemming up. (TO TIGHT). I said I told you, and she started to say I didn't think....... RIGHT ! You didn't think, or pay attention. For me, thats just over 120 miles one way ! That's a 2 hour Drive there, then the same back. By the time I get down there, and it takes them time to fill me, So 2 hrs. plus 1hr. office, 1hr. take the husband to lunch (MY TREAT), fill the gas tank $30.00, then drive 2 hrs. coming home. I'm glad to get home, and my day is done. So I can't afford mistakes. But that's my situation, I'm sure yours is different. Like I said though,,, Glad your fixed up ! Now you will see how the Band works, and remember to chew your food into mush, and only little bits at a time. Then you will get the full benefit of the band. Look into the site I gave you. If your not there yet,,, It's a good place to be, a lot of us are there. Good Luck, Shirley.

Well somebody opened the can. So it's time to spill the peas. The person asking is entitled to know your experience, knowledge or thought. Thats it. Were not going into x rated. Simply talking about a subject that I see still should remain Hush. What Century is this ?

That part is true too. But I'm sure they do it different then when I was banded. 5 incisions, and some still want to go by the old rule. But if you think about it, 2 weeks of liquid is not going to do that much for say 10 years of being Fat, and the tole it took on the Liver. I'm not here to discourage anyone, they make the rules ! Some of them are getting away from that, and say it's just Healthier for you, when you lose a good deal of weight. Either way it's a loss right ! That's all that matters.

You'll go FAR ! YES ! Simply because you understand the Basics, and realize that this takes time. I have lost 113lbs since the last time weighed. The ticker shows the loss from January. Right a Letter to your Dr. like I had to do. He wanted to know why I should have surgery, and why he should do it. I took my time, while I thought deeply, and I would start, and stop, and pick up again. I could have wrote that whole thing in a Flash (TRUST ME) but he wanted me to soul search. So I did. I'll tell you what, with the pressure of getting banded, knowing that everyone was against it in my home, jumping threw the hoops, then the letter. I broke down and spilled it all out while writing one day . Then I had to read it to him. I knew I was going to die, and that he was the one that could make my life come alive.. (THE S O B NEW IT TOO). He was impressed, and he said with what I wrote, he could tell that I understood the Band, and my Body. So he said "You'll get your band." Just keep going forward, and don't look back. Every day is a new day with this band. Some are good, and some are not so good at times. All in All,,, It's well worth it. You made a wise choice... Good Luck to all you October 2011 Bandsters. Shirley Banded 10/31/2006 Henry Ford Hospital, Detroit.

I'm hear to listen.. Even if some people think it's just for the money... Cause in this day and age, that's getting mighty slim... Also some males will tell you it's for showing of ... I would like to hear a Woman's Opinion. So tell me whats on your Brain.

Over 50Lbs.

This does not come with a on /off switch for the pain. You never know how you will feel Make sure that your pain medication works, if not call the Dr., and let him know (I HAD TO !) If your Dressed Comfortable and do a lot of relaxing, I would think you should be fine. Just remember ! Your stitched inside, and stapled outside, So I would stay away from to many hugs. If they wonder what's up with that ? Just tell them you had your Appendix out, So your sore, and have to be careful. That they will understand. You can sip Water with a twist of Lime or Lemon. No One will know. Now dinner ? You will have to tell them that with the surgery you have to stay on Fluids, take a drink or 2 with you. Hope you enjoy yourself, just not to hard on yourself o.k....

Actually it makes sense ! I was on a diet for 12 months do to Ins.. 1200 calories a day. When I got to the 2 weeks of liquid, I said "C'mon Doc ! Give me a break ! I have been busting my @$ for a year, dieting included !." He just laughed and said "yeah go ahead, it really doesn't matter for you. You see the purpose for the liquid diet is just to see if they can do it, because of the 2 weeks after, that will be all liquid... So you just do liquids the day before surgery..." That was it ! It all turned out fine So it makes sense to me..

My Band is like that to. Very touchy ! Get angry, excited, pissed off, weather, and climate, whatever, and she'll shut me down. My surgeon was the one that told me about this. He asked if the 2 of us ever argued ? Yeah ! Well do you ever try to eat after it ? It won't go down ! Right ! It's sensitive.... I thought he was crazy.... But, he was right. So yeah I know what your talking about. Congrats ! ! ! on the weight loss. That's quite a bit of loss. As far as the Endro. goes. I would wait, and retest, and then see what they get back. Then they can take it from there. I see mine in November. Besides not being able to eat (except soup mostly.) I hope you had a Great Time. Keep in touch, Shirley.