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Yes it's a good idea. We do have a couple of off topic areas but they seem to be aimed at rants and raves more than fun stuff. I think there is an LBT suggestions forum. Maybe you should post your idea there as I think that is the area that Alex looks at.

In the USA protein seems to be the answer to everything. Tiredness could also be from a lack of complex carbs and fruit/veg. You need to get all the required vitamins & minerals and if you are not that can also make you tired.

That sucks. I find it amazing the way no-one takes responsibility and that you are expected to just dig deep in your pocket the whole time. I am so glad that I don't have to deal with that kind of medical system. Hope they find out what's wrong and that everything gets sorted.

Sounds like a typical heat /sweat rash.

My thoughts are with you. This is so horrible. Wishing you the best possible outcome.

Jacqui - I am concerned that you actually know what drain cleaner tastes like! LOL

I went for a fill today so I asked about this.It wasn't my surgeon but one of his team. The response left me even more confused. I was told that although the band slows down the passage of food into the lower stomach that it actually moves through quite quickly. It isn't really sitting in there for long.Which would mean that when you get the stuck feeling that the food probably is trying to get through the stoma. The problem with this is that this seems to be different to what we have been told about how the band works.I said this and was told that yes there is the mechanical part but there also seems to be something else that the band does to make us satisfied that they(or this particular fill person) don't yet fully understand. That somehow the position of the band is making us feel full even if the food is not sitting there. Still looking forward to reading the explanations that you have got from your Dr's. Please don't forget to keep us updated.

I asked about carbonated drinks at my appointment today and was told that so long as they are low cal I can have them. Obviously I shouldn't drink them if they cause me problems but if they don't then its OK. Plus of course water is preferable .

Well I went for my 3rd fill today and I left feeling totally confused.It wasn't done by my surgeon but someone else on his team . 1st fill . 1.5ml 2nd fill. 1.ml 3rd fill .6ml So the total should be 3.1ml right? She drew what was in there out today before putting it back in and now my total is apparently 2.3ml. I was very confused and concerned that this meant I have a leak but she assured me that I haven't, that this is the adjusted total as they don't pull all the Fluid out. Would anyone like to explain for me in simple terms what an adjusted fill is? I was also surprised she put so little in as I have been struggling since the last fill 4 weeks ago but she told me I have lost 2kg (4.4lb) and that is really good!!! She even told me that we need to go slowly as I am close to what I should be. Not sure how she works that out - my BMI is still in the overweight range.

I've never liked Mc Donalds as most of the food there doesn't even resemble food although with the wraps and things now on offer it has improved. If I eat a burger it has to be made of meat, not plastic and I also prefer it not to be so greasy that it slides off the very sweet tasting excuse for a roll! This can be said about lots of things. Smoking, drugs etc etc

I had an overnight stay , which is fairly standard procedure here in Australia.

Never mind beer I am wondering if i can manage a glass of champagne.The Melbourne Cup(horse race) is coming up and a glass of champagne is practically compulsory!

Remember the band is only a tool, you still have to play your part. Make healthy food choices and stop eating when you have had the correct sized portion. If you are waiting for an I feel full signal before you stop eating then you are probably going to overeat. Instead of I feel full aim for I have eaten enough and don't feel hungry anymore. I was banded on 2 June and don't have a full feeling. But if I stop when I think I have eaten enough I can normally last quite a while before getting hungry again.

In my opinion - and it is just that, an opinion - the band is not on the way out. For some strange reason the experience in the USA seems to be very different to that here in Australia.Why I have no idea. Now I am not saying that it is problem free here but the percentage of problems here seems to be a lot lower and it is still the preferred surgery. Maybe it is because aftercare here is easily accessible and not expensive. Maybe it is because Australian Dr's prefer a conservative rather an aggressive fill schedule. maybe it is something else. I know a number of people here that have had their bands for longer than 3 years and are very happy. I know of others that have had them a lot longer. Some have had to have them replaced but they chose to have them replaced not to revise to something else. It may turn out that the sleeve is the perfect WLS surgery. It may be discovered in the future that there are problems with the sleeve that are not yet apparent.They may discover some other magical cure.Whatever. Whatever the future holds we don't know. But in the meantime the band is a safe and effective surgery and it should not just be written off. The most important thing as has been said many times before is to do your research and find the WLS that suits you. Pick your surgeon very carefully and then make sure you stick to the recommendations that your surgeon has given you.

I found this info on another Dr's website and thought it was really interesting.Here is the address if anyone would prefer to read the entire article. Laparoscopic Gastric Banding, Lap Band Adjustable Obesity Surgery for Morbid Obesity, Sydney Australia (Please note this is not my Dr and I am not advertising)! After reading this I find it amazing how many people appear to be overfilled and happy about it.Yes it might be great to lose weight quickly but it is not healthy and can cause all sorts of problems. Slippage of the Band & Pouch dilatation (4.75% in my series) Research has shown that the higher the placement of the band, the lower the risk of slippage. This technique is known as the pars flaccida approach as the band passes through the fatty pad on the back wall of the stomach and is fixed in place by the body tissues. In the technique of passing the band through the lesser sac, the risk of slippage is increased. Careful tunnel formation with 4-5 sutures over the front surface of the band, significantly decreases this problem. The risk of slippage is also increased by: Not emptying the balloon during surgery. Filling the band too early. Introducing solids too soon into the diet. Eating excessive quantities and overfilling the small pouch Having the band too tight and not allowing food to pass steadily through the opening into the lower pouch. The problem of slippage is, however, small. Slippage causes the pouch to enlarge and the stoma to drain poorly. This results in severe reflux and vomiting. The band has to be opened by a laparoscopic technique and the stomach pulled back down through it or the band can be removed ands placed at a higher level. It is then resutured into place. This can be a complex procedure although it sounds simple. It carries a higher risk of perforating the stomach as the plane behind the stomach is adherent to the diaphragm with dense scar tissue making it difficult to open this plane to insert the band. Another option is to remove the band and replace it at a later stage.

Congrats on your weight loss and on being so happy but please be really careful. Being overfilled and eating so little can be the cause of lots of problems.

I have seen the term band intolerance a number of times on various threads. Can someone please explain what exactly it is? i.e what is causing the reaction etc

Thanks for that.That's another thing ticked off on my list of things to do. I love holidays but i hate all the preparation beforehand. I also hate the journey to get there. Flying is not my favourite thing especially not with a teenage son who gets airsick!

I am going to be in Durban in Dec and was wondering if there are any lapband Dr's in the area in case I encounter any problems and need an unfill. Hopefully I will be fine but i would like to be prepared and have names and numbers just in case.

If you need help post a thread in the general forums. If you post in a blog you are not likely to get a lot of response.

I have a friend who has been using these. She say's the bowl is great. Personally I don't feel it is necessary to spend the extra money, I find it quite easy to dish up correct size portions on a normal plate.I also know quite a few people who use a side plate rather than a full size dinner plate.

That doesn't sound right. Possibly you are too tight and need to go for a small unfill.You don't want to end up getting dehydrated.

You need to be very careful of guys that get jealous when you talk to or look at another guy. It can escalate into a major problem and I am talking from experience although it was a hell of a long time ago now.

I would have thought the concern was clots rather than infection. Although being on a plane you are likely to pick up any kind of respiratory infections that are going around due to the confined space and recycled air and you wouldn't really want to get one of those after surgery.

He may be an excellent surgeon but as is the case with excellent surgeons he may have unrealistic expectations in other area's. Its not even the 3 minute rule that concerns me although that's hard enough it's the 3 bites per meal. But as has often been said you have to be comfortable with and trust your doc. So if you do that is great. I just have to ask though - how do you cope with only eating 3 bites per meal /9 bites per day?