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Thanks John that was really helpful!! Doing research and trying find any possible complications. I guess so far only leaks which they are suppose to catch in the hospital if they happen. My name is Tina :-)

Evening all........long day!! Missed Robins call today because of work. Disappointed. I am gonna be in the Bay area on Thursday and Friday so I might try to stop by Richmond if she is available. Is dispo doing ok?? Don't see any messages? Sleeve people is there such a thing as being to tight with the sleeve? Have you ever not been able to get anything down? Does the stomach swell if you throw up to much? Ever not been able to get liquids down? Just trying to do some research and find out what the possible complications are?? Thanks ahead of time :-)

Reggie Kaiser West POint meeting this weekend..........than a weight lose surgery post op seminar class from 1-3pm. I know I need that seminar to hopefully get me motivated and give me some new ideas. I would love to see your Reggie!!

Pam your a success~~79 pounds is more than half of what you wanted to lose or they wanted you to lose anyway. If I get back under 200/199 I will be back in the lap band success zone. 180 and I am at 29BMI which was what the Doc told me I needed to hit to not be in the obese zone. 150 and I would be BMI 25 which is back to a normal range. 1. So goal one is under 200 by the end of summer. Than I will be at 50% lost. 2. Than my next goal is down to 180 by Thanksgiving??? 3. Than I can decide than if I want to go down further....which I probably will but at 180 I would meet the docs goal for me. 4. I would be thrilled to be down to 150 a by next spring. But focusing on my health and under 200 first and not thinking past that until the end of the summer when I write down new goals. PAM: YOu know if your have never loosened up and your lost 15.....than maybe I am normal. Thanks for pointing that out that actually makes me rethink things. Maybe I am doing better and am more normal than I think I am :-) Made me feel good to read that...............Thanks again. DISPO: I know that Holiday Inn!! :-) Thinking about you and your gonna be fine. It is over so quick you barely have time to think about it...............I didn't sleep much the night before either but that was fine since I basically slept for two days straight after. BEST OF LUCK CHRISSY; I love you, you make me laugh. So glad your as health and accident prone as me!! I don't feel as "special" now and I am ok with that!!

Cole I worry to but I have lost almost 50 pounds. Once I hit the 50 pound mark I am considered a lap band success!! So I have been successful I try to focus on that to.......I just want to lose another 50 to consider myself a success!! But I am off the blood pressure meds, the GERD is gone, and the irriatable bowl thing they told me I had is totally gone too. So if I am down 50 and considered a success than maybe revisions are not an option. Like Annalyn said the goal is to lose and maintain lose. Maybe I am already a success and the rest is extra :-) That might be closer to reality My mom is driving my crazy lately wanting to know why I am not down the 100 I aimed for in the beginning!! Ughhh...sorta annoying me cause than I start to wonder the same darn thing!!

Mo is your band doing good now?? I see your name down there......... I sure do miss Candra and Jes and Riley and Pat and the rest of the gang that use to post. Miss you to Reggie!!

Reggie are you coming this weekend?? Would love to see you!!

Good Luck Sherri you'll be fine!! I don't think you will want to come to West Point though. You will still be tired. Pam I sorta knew not to get a fill last month. But the chart says 15 down you need a fill so I agreed. But I should have gone with my gut. Gonna try to do that from now on. SAves everyone all the extra time and hassle. I am a slow learner. I figure if the charts says have a fill than give it a try. But...........I am not the norm!! Christine: I go in a 11:30 on the 15th of July. Maybe we will run into each other that would be fun!!

Pam only outside the norm cause I get tight really fast even when I lose weight...........usually 10-15 down the band loosens up. Mine never does. Maybe that makes me lucky!! LOL. So I can't go by the normal rules of fills. I am learning to go more by how the band feels to me if that makes sense!! My band is normal my fill schedule is not :-) I should have needed a fill last time being down 15 and I just didn't!! :-( I am learning........ Losing slowly I am fine with. As long as I am not going up anymore and as long as I get below 200 before summer is over!! :-) I sorta wonder if my lungs and breathing interfer with the band. Maybe once I get that dealt with things will all work better. My chest has been really tight for the last month. I am breathing way better and feel almost normal now but if I breath really deep it hurts. I know my lungs are up to something..............can't wait to see the resp therapist. I don't know if I would do a revision. And I think they have to service the band for those of us that have it. Maybe they would transfer us over to a SAcramento fill site or something like that. I really like having Dr. Baggs do the fills though he does a good job and I trust him with the needles!! I know the difference since I have had other doctors do my fills do.............even if I get a bruise now and than!! LOL. Remember when Liz did the fills so she could learn how to do them!!! Poor Nicole was the only one who said yes........LOL!! That didn't last long!! I said I preferred Dr. BAggs and he laughed. I am happy with my band don't get me wrong but I do think I would have seriously considered the sleeve if I was offered. Or if I was to I slipped or something I would want to have a revision to the sleeve. I wouldn't want to chance another slip. I am scared of slips...since I have heard the stories. I don't know mostly just thinking out loud. Robin didn't call I must have got the day wrong or something. So I couldn't ask them what was up. I am not gonna email the doc I will just ask him in person next month. Hopefully tomorrow.

Chrissy: I bet I have asthma.........I had same thing in February this year as well and yep I always have sinus infections and colds. I just HOPE I don't have it.......but if I do oh well at least it would explain some stuff. ANNALYN: Yep the point is to lose weight. IF you don't need surgery or if you do I think you will know in a couple of months. Your profile picture looks great. Well I talk to Robin in about 30 minutes and I am gonna ask her what is up with the banding at Kaiser. I might email the doc later but I want to see what she says. I also want to find out if they are doing revisions But I think I will probably have to talk to the doc on that one. I have an appointment with him on July 15 and I don't think I want a fill but either way I am going to see what he says about my fills/unfills and revisions. I know he is confused too as to why I don't operate the same as his other bandsters with the band. Maybe he will even suggest something different? Will be interesting to see. I am still losing slowly though.............just getting frustrated with my band and can't figure out why I don't fit the norm!! LOL. I really want to get an x ray or barium swallow to make sure I haven't slipped or dilated the pouch. Cause I read that can cause the fill/unfill cycle. But for now I am focusing on the respirtory therapist stuff first, than Richmond Kaiser second. I have been researching to much it scares me some of the stuff you read out there!! LOL. :-(

La Chica I say do your think and see how you feel in two months...............that give you time to see how motivated you are and if you can make it long term or not. YOu should know by than if your gonna stick to it or start to regain. YOu can always have surgery later if you start to gain. Just my opinion.

Pam you did good!! Mindful eating!! I have this book that I read that says if you take a minute to think you won't just eat..................sounds like your a mindful eater. I on the other hand did have ice cream this weekend!! I did not stop to think first............sorta on purpose cause I just wanted it!! LOL. I am not gonna buy that stuff anymore. Hopefully I will get some good tips at the seminar this weekend too. I need some motivation. Ok back to work.........working last all week so I can have thursday and friday off.

Morning all......... Pam: I agree your an example :-) Your motivating me for sure. I can't afford the program but I am trying to work my own to keep up :-) COLE: I am bringing my daughter she is 15 but sometimes that can be more work than 2!! LOL. Other people have brought their kids before. Just come. TAMRA: I say just stick with protiens and forget the liquids. You will start to go down again. Do you have restriction now? I am finding when I eat protiens I have restriction if I don't everything goes straight down. I am doing my liquids by drinking 120 ounces of water a day which makes me full so I don't eat as much. I did have some ice cream this weekend...to much but as of today no more :-) KAISER RICHMOND has an excellant rating!! I did the research and also found my way into a training power point given by Dr. Li for Bariatric surgeons. Very interesting stuff. That was from 2007 and they were already talking about doing the sleeve eventually. Sounds like the band had just been started. I was impressed and learned alot. I just wonder if Kaiser is removing bands already and that is why they are phasing them out. I know that ER had alot of band people over the winter with problems. I was not the only one they told me. So maybe that is the complications part of things??? CHRISSY: Your bad luck is a bit worse than mine!! LOL. Sorry!! I have had pneumonia four times and have scarring on my lungs. I get it very easy now if I am not careful becuase of my history. They told me pre op it could be a problem going under anthesia/or rather coming out. And it sure was I couldn't breathe at all and almost had a panic attack there too!! The nurse was great and talked me through it. Also the morphine wiped me out. I could not do that spirometer test at all......I was told that I needed to be checked for asthma!! Liz told me it seemed like something was wrong with my brething since I couldn't hold my breath long enough to do the test. LOL. I also had my lungs fill up with gunk after surgery that lasted a week or so. Now a year later more breathing problems so I think the scarring is a problem and if I can't breath I panic.............I don't know which come first the egg or the chicken.........so I am back in next week for more testing and to go through the asthma routine to see if that is where I am at. I am sure the scarring on my lungs will be brought up again but not sure how they fix that stuff or work around it. If not than we address the panic attacks. I do know stress and panic tighten your band alot :-) So no more fills for me until I figure the other part out first. But I worry if I got the sleeve I would be to tight and couldn't loosen it!! Just myluck!!! LOL. Now that would panic me and not being able to drink my water would stress me out...........LOL. Ok back to work hope everyone has a great day!!

I am all about complications too Chrissy. If something is gonna happen healthwise or complication wise it will be me everytime! LOL. I found the research on the VSG website I think. I typed in "is kaiser phasing out the band and stuff came up" Not to original I know. LOL. I think if Kaiser phases out the band they have a very good reason. I have had problems with my band and complications since about six months. Nothing life or death but still I really wish the sleeve had been an option. My main problems reside around fills/unfills. If I had the sleeve that would take out a huge negetive for me!! I will ask Robin and the Doctor. I don't know if they will answer me but I would think they would. ALot of bariatric surgeons are phasing the band out that is why I wonder.............for the same reasons complication and intensive aftercare commitments. I just always worrying about it being a foriegn object and how that works long term. Knowing me...............LOL. I have to worry about that stuff cause my luck is not the best!! How can I research Kaiser Richmonds Standing I would like to read up on it. Oh the needles are HUBER NEEDLES, you have to get the extra long, thick ones to reach the port........someone on LBT went to ER and had one in her purse. So she got an emergency unfill on a weekend without going 4 hours to her surgeon. She told me she always carries one now. I just thought knowing me and my luck.........LOL. I think they sell for like 45-60 dollars online. You can also get them from a medical supply store.

Pam your are kicking butt woman!!!! 79pounds!!! We need to celebrate that is so, so impressive. I gotta get there next!! WOW, WOW, WOW!!!:smile2::thumbup::thumbup:

I am just joking about my age............I guess I am middle aged at 39 but I feel old!! LOL. I am an old soul too. Dr. Baggs didn't discourage the band when I went in BUT some of the other surgeons did at the orientation and it was VERY CLEAR that RNY was preferred. I just couldn't do that and I am vegetarian so that made RNY a bit of a problem too. I do think Kaiser is phasing it out. I think that is the whole reason. Because I was given the choice and when I asked Dr. Baggs what he preferred he said it was my choice. I was also BMI 42 and he said the lower BMI's do better with the band. I don't know what your BMI is but you weigh close to what I did. Lap band expects a 50% weight lose so that would be about 200 in the end but lots of people have done more. I plan to do more than that......eventually. Cole will you be at Kaiser this weekend??

Yep kaiser southern california is phasing out the band to many complications..............did a bit of research and came up with the same thing. Maybe Kaiser North isn't doing the same thing. But yea I don't think we will know until it is already decided. But I am gonna ask Robin tomorrow and ask her about revisions too. I am just so tired of the fill/unfill cycles for some reason my body fights the band or at least it feels like it.............I don't think I want anymore fills and yet I know I can't go on forever without the fills. I just hate the fill/unfill cycle I am always in. What works for other people (down 15 pounds means a fill) doesn't work with me. I lost 15 abd still a .5 fill is to much. So I am gonna see what they think about revisions. Not even sure I would do it but I do wonder........... Yea fills are expensive. AT the fill center they were 365 and than 165 a fill............I think Nicollie paid 150 for her fill or something like that. Oh geez.............I just realized all my fills and unfills ............I am making Kaiser go broke!! LOL. They did say the special needles they buy are very expensive............I was gonna buy one to keep in my purse in case I ever end up in ER and need an emergency unfill I could provide my own needle. But haven't been able to afford them............someone told me it was good to always have one if your surgeon was more than an hour away for emergencies. Most ER rooms don't have them................Ebay sells them!! Just a bit of trivia.........well gotta finishe off my water and head to bed. still have another 20 ounces to go. Takes me all day to get my water in. I am gonna talk to Dr.

Hello Chrissy Why were you in ER? are you still not able to eat or drink? What did they say? So sorry. Why is it so many of us have been in the ER lately? Not band related but it seems like quite a few of us have had to make a trip. Ok I think that is probably right that Kaiser is phasing out the band. That makes more sense. I think the sleeve will take over........one the band doesn't have as much success statistically and two it takes tons of aftercare and from what head alot of ended up in ER over the winter with to tight bands. I think the sleeve and RNY only has to have appointments every 3 or 4 months. I know Kaiser discouraged the band whent I went to orientaion. They lived the RNY better. Hmm.......I talk to Robin tomorrow I am gonna ask her. I will email Dr. Baggs. But if there is a good reason why or studies I would like to know whats up. I still have the sleeve in the back of my mind just becuase of the long term aftercare and my darn insurance issues. But like Pam I want to try to deal with the head hunger first and than maybe do a conversion later. Who know the head hunger issues might be solve more than any surgery. I bet your right i bet they are phasing out the band after only doing them for 2 years........

I live in Antelope which is close to Citrus HEights and work in Rancho Cordova............I am also older I am 39 I guess that is why I can have a band!!! LOL!! Tried to find that study about older people and the band but nothing so far. I hope it isn't something like the band gets old and has to come out or something. I will ask Dr. Baggs next time I see him. We also go back and forth with research ................I updated him on what I know and he updates me. Last time we talked about cognitive therapy!! and than I looked at my paperwork and he recommended I go to Cognitive therapy!! LOL. That had me rolling on the floor laughing!! He is funny!! TAMRA no bread is a good thing!! I am there to although if I go really slow I can sometimes do it ( eating tofu hot dogs all weekend but only end up eating half the bread) But you lose faster with no bread!! I can't eat broccoli, rice, Pasta and bread and I like it that way!! ;-( except i love broccoli but the other stuff I don't need!! I bet there is other stuff you can't eat either..........

Morning all............ MO: Be care and watch it. As long as your getting Water down and not PB'ing to much you should be ok. If you do PB know your stomach swells and you end up tighter than before. Vicious cycle. I usually go on liquids the rest of the day if I PB. For me the first day after a fill is fine but I get tighter each day after until about the third day when I start to stablize. YOU DON'T WANT TO BE TO TIGHT!! That is why I went back and got some out last time. I was to close to being to tight and I don't do to tight at all now!! Forget losing fast and loosening it up......doesn't happen that fast. Last time I PB'd like 4 times in one day and I went back and got some out..........My body is weird I have sorta accepted that I am gonna stay at 5cc's. LOL. If I eat protien I have awesome restriction right now. But sliders you wouldn't know I had a band!! LOL. So it is in my hands!! I am back to drinking 120 ounces of liquids but it takes me all day. Just remember that if you do feel to tight they take out way less if you back right away than if you wait and swell your stomach. Dr. Baggs only took out .25 or so last time. Just enough to give me some breathing room! Please be careful!! TAMRA: Yea I hear ya on the weight gain. I did that too but the thing is with me I rarely go up more than a couple pounds and than I stabilize. So your probably good. IF you stay on liquids to long you start to get dizzy anyway at least I do. I would love to see your new picture post as your avatar!! Next time you see Baggs you should give him a pack of gum and tell him your giving it up!! LOL. That time Liz got upset with that patient she made them clean out their purse and give her all their gum!! I was floored it was so uncomfortable to watch Dr. Baggs has a different approach he uses humor to make his point which works better for me!! I am stuck at 212!! I so want to be 199.........working really hard on that. My goal is August 31, 2010. I am doing the protiens and staying stable which is better than gaining. I am going between 212 and 214 something has to give soon. I usually lose 5 at a time quickly than stuck for awhile than another five. So I know my 5 has to be coming soon. PAM: I agree on stuff coming out with weight loss. I am working big time on anxiety now. I didn't realize I had it so bad until I ended up in ER and they said it was a panic attack(or possibly undiagnosed asthma made worse by panic).......now that I am really thinking about it I know I have to go back to counseling and I think the anxiety is keeping me from losing as fast as I want to.............I am so there with you on working on my head hunger and whats behind it. I NEVER want to go to ER again.............had enough of it the last year!!

Evening all..... Tamra I bet you have restriction. I lost 10 pretty quick last time I had a fill. Down 15-16 now and slowed way down. I still have restriction though as long as I eat protiens. I don't have the full feeling that I had right after the last fill that was SOO NICE!! COLE: I am surprized that Dr. Baggs said that. Re op? Why that makes me wonder what that means. Cause I have a band and I don't hope for a re op. I was 254 when I started and I am now 213 but I was down to 194 before I had to get an unfill that last 7 months ;-( Now I am back on track!! But hmm.............that makes me pause a bit and wonder why Is anyone else going to the training? Just gonna be me??

Good Evening all........ What a week!! Everyone was out on vacation but me and I have worked late a couple nights this week. PAM: Sorry I couldn't come tonight I just got off an hour ago. You have lost close to 20 pounds in 7 week?? Ah I am jealous!! YOur doing great. TAMRA: Yea after liquids I gain back quick if I don't stay strict. I usually go down 5 quick after a fill than sorta settle in and have to fight to lose. I am sure he it your port.......LOL. I have been bruised a few times too. I tease him about bruising me and leaving scars (surgery scars)..........he says I jinx him when I talk about it!! :-) When I went to the fill center they had a hard time finding my port so it is all good!! ANNALYN: I am so sorry about surgery. I also ended up in ER two weeks ago for breathing problems. Scary stuff I hated it. They said I was just stressed out.......really?? I don't buy that totally. They did referr me to a respiratory therapist but I have to wait two weeks and put me on anti anxiety meds. I am still having problems and I am sorry it totally sucks. But yea you wouldn't want surgery with those problem. The recovery room was hard for me since the anethesia gave me breathing problems too.........I totally felt for you when I read your post. Good weekend all with good choices. :-)

It is a quick visit maybe 15-20 minutes..............which surgeon will be doing your surgery??

TAMRA: You did it!! Wow you lose fast weren't you 233 last week?? LOL. Congrats!! Funny about the gum good thing it was Dr. Baggs;-) I heard Liz really let someone have it when they came to the pre op class with gum!! She didn't smile or laugh she threatened to cancel the surgery!! :-) Ah Tamra how is the restriction? I might as well be dead if I was 6cc's. Hurts to think about it. I am still 5. something cc's and don't want to be any tighter right now. I am getting looser but I really hated 5.5cc's so I am gonna try to hold off on a fill until late next month!! Let me know how it goes. PAT: I saw your pictures you can totally tell you have lost weight!! All of the sudden in the last picture there is a big difference. PAM: You are looking good too. 17 pounds is great!!! That is alot of weight for six week!! I am at 15 pounds down still. Haven't lost for almost two weeks now. just up and down 2-3 pounds. I think I have to shake things up to get the lost to stick!! CHRISSY: Congrats!! HOpe your up and around soon!! CHRISTINE: Glad your back!! APRIL: How did the 8cc's come off?? Everyone else happy almost Friday!!!

I always swell when I am stressed out which is often and when I have my period. Everytime. My doctor was surprized by the period issue but knew about the stress issue!! I stay a bit loose so that once a month I don't have to deal with being so tight I can't drink water. Been there done that twice and not willing to do it again!!