maestrita

Well, It's been some time since I've been on, and I've been doing very well...mostly. I wanted to check in with folks about this little issue I've been having and to see if anyone has any useful advice. I am at 4cc, and I am about ready to go for another fill. The only thing that has me hesitant is that I have started having reflux at night. It happens a couple of times a week. It's like if I don't eat dinner by 5pm, I wake up to some kind of nastiness. Let me tell you; it's unpleasant. I worry that getting another fill might make it worse, but I don't think I will lose any more at this point (I've been here for a few months). I really don't know what to do with this situation. Will I likely change my behavior and learn to make sure that I just never eat too late and be cured, or will the problem become worse? Do you think the fill level encourages the reflux, or might it be a function of the terrible stomach acid I've always had? I'm really looking for feedback from someone who's had this specific problem. Thanks.

Gently suggest what you wish, but I am not angry. You were mistaken, and I hope that I've helped to straighten out your misunderstanding. You seem to think that speaking up for oneself needs to involve anger, and I don't think that needs to be the case. I guess I think I don't need to add unnecessary drama to simple communications. I'm not even sure who you think I would be angry with... a doctor I saw years ago...? an unknown person on a website....? In any case, this conversation has gone beyond the scope of the intended purpose of the message boards, and I don't feel that it is appropriate to continue. Toward that end, I am now going to use the ignore function. Good luck to you.

You need to get a grip. I don't feel threatened by you. You made a statement on a public forum in which you misrepresented what I said during an earlier conversation. I have not trashed anyone, nor have I demonized anyone. To represent what I said in that manner is not only highly dramatic, it is dishonest. I am not angry, but I do feel a need to correct your misunderstanding that I chose to go elsewhere to save a few dollars. I understand that you are trying to rally up some business for Moise, which is fine, but I won't let it go unaddressed that you've misrepresented what I said here. You may want to review the conversation that took place earlier if you don't clearly remember it. I'd like to point out that I was ASKED why I chose not to see Moise. I expect excellence from health care providers. For the amount they are compensated, they don't get a second chance with me. Moreover, I will only recommend someone with whom I've had an excellent experience. I don't expect to be misrepresented because I was unable to recommend her in this instance.

Prolapse is what people are referring to when they say that a band slipped. It just means that tissue has come through an orifice of some sort, in this case the band, and is situated in an unintended/abnormal way. Hope that helps :w00t:

It is not two hours to Lewiston, it is just under an hour, and I suggested that I didn't care to see Dr. Moise because I didn't care for the treatment she provided before. Driving to Lewiston is not an attempt to save money. It costs the same amount! The nerve... It is about the quality of care.

Sue, I don't know if you're being unreasonable or not. I have no way of knowing about your medical situation. 7 lbs in 4 weeks is quite steady weight loss. I wouldn't have gone in if I were losing at that rate, but that's my comfort level. I am losing a little hair at a much slower rate, and I wouldn't want to push my luck. It is not a popular opinion, but I believe that my doctors are far more educated than I am. If I ever have cause to believe otherwise, I move on with my business. I am not paying that much money to someone who can't give me sound advice that is at least better informed than I am on the matter of human physiology. I have gotten into a little hot Water for saying this on the message board before, but I do believe that it is far more involved than shopping for shoes. I can't say in your case, but it sounds like you feel that there is a miss-match between the two of you. If you decide that it is not working out with your doc, I recommend Dr. K without hesitation. You can Google Lapband Rockies to find his information. I hope you find a resolution that makes you feel like your concerns were heard. Take care.

Freckles, I am referring to the guidelines that are sent out about 4 weeks after banding. There are two little booklets. I know that the same ideas are posted on the lapband site, as well, though I couldn't tell you exactly where. I know they are the most simple guidelines, but like to do a little self check about once a month. Let me poke around on that web page when I get a chance. Perhaps I can find it. Ben, your port site can be a little tender for awhile. That is pretty normal. Mine was for about 6 weeks or so, and now if I work out too hard, I can feel a little bit of a bruised sort of feeling in that area. It might just be tender from coughing. Hope it feels perfect in no time!

Am I reading your stats right? It looks like you were just banded a month ago, and you've lost more than 30 lbs! I would think that any faster, and you'd be sickly. I wish I were down that much! Way to go!

I didn't know that, Bill. I'm glad you mentioned it. It totally makes sense, too.

BMooney, I would actually have far more trouble with the grilled chicken than I would the salad. Chicken can be dry, and I can't take more than a bite or two without eating much of anything else. Just a thought...

Funny, Bill! I couldn't do it, though. I am a school teacher. I didn't want to scare the kids. I just wanted them to GO AWAY. The whole thing was so weird it was just funny.

For me, I think the answer is to not press my luck. I need to get used to the idea that I can only eat x amount of food. I can't have something just because I crave it. I can't get away with anything if I want this to work long term. I think the answer may be a bit different for each person because we've all gotten to this point via different roads. The key to band maintenance might be that a person has to figure out his or her triggers/pitfalls and learn to control them. Having said that, there are some who have followed the rules to a T and still had troubles. I certainly don't want to discredit their experiences. My plan includes re-reading the recommendations that Allergan gives you and trying to make sure I am practicing them again with each fill. A self check of sorts...

IM me tomorrow, and I will give you some names of folks on the east side and on the west side of the state if you are in either of those locations. I hope you're not discouraged. 37 lbs is nothing to shake a stick at! That's two Thanksgiving turkeys you've lost. Way to go! Hopefully we can get you hooked up with a local doc and help you get moving along again. :tongue2:

OK. This is so bizarre, you couldn't make it up. :thumbup: It was like watching one of those "almost funny because it's so disturbing" excuses for a sitcom that seem to be the only thing left on TV lately... Today I went to a little cafe at this park that has a walking tour of several different flower gardens, and I really should have planned the trip better, but I'm kinda new so.... They didn't have a lot of good choices, and I ended up with a half of a turkey on 9 grain. I was looking for something healthy, and kind of trying to weigh that against whether or not I can get it down. Only I kind of know that I am still a little too tight to be doing breads right now, but what the hey? I think I'll go slow and give it a try. Long story short, I am in the bathroom because my plan didn't work so well. At this park, there are no stall doors. I really don't care because I am not all that bashful, but this kid comes up and tries to strike up a conversation with me. She's like 7 or 8 yrs old, and she probably should know not to talk to strangers. She comes up and asks what I am doing. I said I was sick. Barp. Then she asks why am I sick. I told her I just didn't feel good, but I would be OK. :cursing: Barp. Then she asks-- are you throwing up? I said--kind of. Barp. Then she calls over another little friend to watch me barf and explains to her that I am sick, but I'll be OK. The friend asks me if I have the flu. I said, I don't know. Barp. I'd REALLY like to be alone, though. :thumbup: Jeesh. I wanted to find their mothers and explain that sometimes, teaching your children not to talk to strangers is for the benefit of the stranger! :tongue2:

Oh, I love salads. I eat them almost every day. I eat bib lettuce, romaine, spinach, kale.... I saw that thread, too, and I really don't know what could be bad about salads unless, like with everything else, a person didn't chew-chew. It is also probably, just like everything else, different for each person. I say give it a try! :tongue2:

He is one of the more accomplished lap surgeons in the country. You can find his info under Lapbandrockies.com. He has done more than 10,000 surgeries going back since the early 70s from what I understand. I think he's done some of the first of the different types of bariatric surgeries, as well. I couldn't be more pleased with my decision.

Why would you go out of the country when you live so close to such a great surgeon who does the procedure for so little? I paid cash, under 10,000. (including the airfare and hotel for two people) to have Doc Kirshenbaum do my surgery, and I wouldn't hesitate to recommend him. He charges next to nothing for the aftercare, too. I wish I were lucky enough to live closer to him for the regular care. I know you have to make the decision that is right for you, but I am just so happy with Doc K that I think that everyone needs to go to him! :thumbup:

Onehotmama, yep. It is more common just after fills and in the morning for me.

This is ridiculous, and it would be helpful if we could get a moderator to step in. She was attacked. I felt attacked, too, and the original poster may very well be horrified that a simple question led to this. I would NEVER talk to someone the way some of you have talked to her. Common courtesy prohibits it. I have a feeling that, now that I am trying to stand up against the indecent behavior, that I, too, will be the target of hateful attacks if I continue to use LBT. I am beginning to think that this forum is a very unhealthy environment, and perhaps I should leave. I'm sure it will not be a loss to those of you who behave this way, but it will be a loss to me. I enjoy the good conversations and have learned a lot from the personal experiences people have shared. However, the bad is beginning to outweigh the good. No pun intended.

I wore a 12 at about 175 lbs. I am about 5'4" and have a lot of muscle mass, sort of a short, solid frame. I don't know if that helps answer your question or not. I think it just depends on your configuration.

Thanks Alaskagirl, It helps to know I am not the only one. It is hard to talk about because people who don't experience this think that you just aren't dedicated. It can be a slap in the face when trying so hard.

The "calories in/calories out" theory is a rough topic for me. I am one of those who does not lose from working out alone. I have to work out strenuously and lower my calories to below 1200/day to lose. Even then, I plateau a lot. I have been that way since my mid 20s. I enjoy working out, and I have since high school. When I went through the law enforcement academy, I prepared to qualify by running three miles per day, for 3-5 days per week. I alternated with lifting when I could because there is also a strength component to qualifying. I did qualify, and in fact, I broke the institutional record for women's push-ups:thumbup:. You know what, though? After working like that for 9 mos, I lost just three pounds. I made it all the way down to 187 lbs. whoo. hoo. It drives me crazy because my best friend can walk around her block and lose three pounds. She has always treated me like I just wasn't working as hard as she was. It's really damaging to hear people say crap like that when you know you are doing even more than they are. It is annoying to know that they can just quit downing Kripsy Kremes and lose weight, and you can live on chickpeas and sodawater and not. It's maddening when I know how she eats and how little she does to stay in shape...when I recall all of those times she did NOT meet me at the gym. I can't even talk to her about her attitude bc she will just act like I am making excuses. It has damaged our friendship in a way, but I try to remember that she thinks that way because it does work that way for her. If I'm not careful, I begin to feel like "why try?" I know that will not result in wl for me, and I have to get passed that and stay passed that if I am going to lose. I hope the band is going to help me stick to the dietary part better, and I feel like I have been on top of it since I was banded. It does seem easier, and since that is the part that I struggled with before, I am hopeful.

Sounds fun! I hope someone who is nice wins it :thumbup:

Yep, Paisley. That's "it." Sometimes it stings a little more than other times, but it is mostly something a person can tolerate. That stuck feeling will sometimes result in a burping up of gunk. It sounds horrible, but it's not really that bad, and it doesn't happen often (for me at least). For me, it has less to do with chewing than it has to do with consistencies of food. I wouldn't be able to drink and eat. I know you're not supposed to, and don't get me wrong, I don't drink and eat. It is when I have a watery type of food with a more solid type that I've gotten a bubble trapped. I can't do applesauce with anything else. It really sounds more awful than it is, unless you happen to be the keynote speaker at a conference or something very public when it happens. Then mostly I just make up some lame excuse and then laugh about it later with my bandy friends.:thumbup:

Well, since you asked.... I was referred to Vivian Moise for another issue a few years ago. I really felt like she dismissed my concerns and refused to finish the testing for which I was referred. She stated that she didn't think it was necessary. I felt that I was being sent away in pain and experiencing some terrifying symptoms. Well, it was a Friday afternoon, but the pain doesn't take weekends off. In fact, it has progressed for several years and is the principle reason I got the band. I never did get that test done, and now the Rheumatologist is requesting that the very same test be done years later, though she said I didn't need the test. I just hope there is no permanent nerve damage... This may have been an isolated incident, and perhaps many are happy with her care. I just believe for that kind of pay, one doesn't get a second chance with me. Matter of fact, my health insurance premiums for my family equal 1/3 of my gross salary, so I consider them earned compensation. I sincerely hope others are happy with her care. I am just not inclined to go back to her. Sorry to be negative, but you asked why not...besides, the drive to Lewiston is lovely, Joan is fabulous, and it doesn't require me to take a day off to drive an hour and a half. Take care, mae.