Bettina

You are very pretty....this picture is gorgeous!!!!!!! You say your friend took this?? Way better than glamour shots!!!!!! Tell her she is a great photographer!!

Donna, Call me crazy but I think you are ready for the challenge:rolleyes: of having kids. As far as someone saying if you have to ask you are not ready---they don't have a clue what they are talking about....I planned to have children and I still wasn't ready!! LOL. Babies don't come with a manual. Every child is different so just because you got one down pat doesn't mean the next is gonna be a breeze! For you to think so deeply about this, tells me that you are ready. (smart people ask questions-just remember that -ignore the advise of the PM'er) The only thing that struck me when you asked (and I addressed this in the prev post) is the lifestyle question...being in your 40's and just starting can be difficult (my older sis is a prime example of that-but she someone who requires lots of attention herself--so that is what was bad for her) But having a baby doesn't mean you don't stop living....taking babies along on trips is not so awful....I wouldn't take a baby to Vegas....LOL...but other places are always good. Just remember that once they are potty trained...omg that is worse than diapers....its mommy I got to potty ..at the most inconvenient times (like standing in line at Shop-Rite...ugh) Adoption is beautiful too because you "choose" to have that child. My sister celebrates her daughter's birthday and "adoption day" so very cool I wish you all the best, and whatever you decide I know you'll be great!!!!! :clap2: Take care of yourself! :cool:

Just curious, why wouldn't you have the doc redo your band, it was covered, the rebanding should be covered as well. When they took it out why didn't they replace it while they were there? Most doc's stitch the band in place so it doesn't slip...I'd suggest that to the doc. Good luck in whatever you do! http://video.google.com/videoplay?docid=3190472028990485080&q=lap-band&hl=en

Hi my surgery is at the end of september. (can't wait). The band is only a "belt" for the stomach....the mental part has to come from you....you'll be okay. Amazon.com has some great weight loss surgery books....that, and online support systems will be good for you. Best wishes!!!

Have you ever had surgery before?? It sounds like you really are not psychologically ready to have this done yet. You need to weigh the pros and cons.....can you live with your weight as it is? Do you personally know anyone else who has this done? How are they? Do you know anyone who has had surgery before?....what was their recovery like. Everything has a risk, even going to the dentist can prove fatal. If your preop tests came out fine, then you will be fine. Try to calm down, otherwise you are gonna have a hard time of it. Informed consent is nothing more than a piece of paper that protects the doc against your family....i have signed them many times...and I am still here..( ) . My husband had to sign with all three c-sections...who did he want to save...me or the baby?? Best Wishes!!

its normal.... http://www.askmrhealth.com/diseases_ailments/hiatal_hernia.htm

LOL...is it worth the extra calories though?? I just looked up the info on Starbucks.com...nutrition info...some of those drinks are 470 calories and 16 grams of fat..74 grams of carbs with 65 grams of sugar= almost all sugar.....just something to think about! Dunkin Donuts: https://www.dunkindonuts.com/aboutus/nutrition/Product.aspx?Category=Beverages&id=DD-712

Amanda, don't worry about swelling its perfectly normal!!! There is gonna be a camera and tools in there .......if you didn't have swelling to some degree it wouldn't be normal. You'll be great!!!

I understand . Sounds like its time to treat yourself to some extra help (I am also gonna do this !!) Amazon.com has a few books on lapbanding and a cookbook esp for banding!!! In their search bar just type weight loss surgery or lapbanding - Not too expensive either!) I'll be thinking about you...let us know how you made out!!!

This is totally normal!!! You have just had major surgry (abdominal is considered major)...you had a camera and several instruments moving around in your stomach!! The port was stitched in....piercing muscles and stitching them always hurts. They should have given you liquid codene when you left. The gas will come in a few days.It sounds like this was your first surgery...best wishes to you!

how long have you been banded??? Where would the saline evaporate to?? That can't be right, saline implants don't evaporate....why would a tiny device do that?? Sounds more like a leak...did he hit the tubing with the syringe perhaps???

I have three kids, I was 24 when I had my oldest daughter...she will be 19 in Oct, my son will be 17 on Sunday and then the youngest daughter is 9. Keeping me younger, I doubt that...lol. My older sis adopted her daughter..I am pro adoption..she waited till she was 33 to adopt and mind you all her friends were done having kids at that point......but you have to ask yourself this.....you and hubby can pick up and go whenever you want....at this stage of the game do you want to change that? And you need to discuss how important is it for you to have kids? And this is going to sound bad...but its still an issue that needs to be addressed......when the child graduates high school, is someone gonna think you are grandma and not mommy...I know several people going thru this. With my older kids...i am a young mom compared to the others...with the 9 yr old, I am on the older side of the scale (i just turned 43 last monday) My sis had a hard time having her kids older because her friends kids were older and these women got to go here and there at whim, while my sis was toting around a diaper bag. A friend of mine didn't want kids and her husband was okay with that, but he said she had to work then.....and they jet set all over the world. Its a tuff decision and I wish you all the best!

That doesn't sound right if its not covered, its not an exclusion...is just not covered. The exclusions for mine are psych eval (which they did pay..lol) and the dietician! Hmm I would call them and ask them what part of weight loss surgery has exclusions. Good luck! :biggrin1:

my sister mourned food too. And, you aren't giving up food, you are just going to be careful about your selection. For emotions, you are gonna have to find another way to handle that....but food, eventually you will be able to eat just about anything again...its in the beginning during the healing process that you have to give some up. You'll be fine! Take care!

Amanda, Why wouldn't you make it thru surgery? You got the okay...they wouldn't do it if you were in danger of not coming out of it. If you didn't follow the pre op diet ---they would know before they open you. This is not an experiment...200,000 bands were done in the US last year...they are quite successful!!! And the GB was too and that is a way worse operation. Cheer up you will be fine.....no worse than any other non-invasive surgery. And you survived childbirth, so that should tell you something. Don't fret, you'll be great!!!!!! Just remember its a tool and a gift....so treat it nice and you'll be great!!!!! Your son is gonna be so proud of you!!! (and so are we!!) Best Wishes!!

I wonder where they think they are going to get safey guarantees...that is pretty funny. US and Britian are the driving forces...and the french want protection..they hate us. ha ha viva la france

Hi Thanks for your response. I called a science buddy of mine.. Silicone cannot show emotion...it can only react to direct stimulus. Since the band is on the outside of your stomach it is impossible for this to happen. Instead its your organs that are reacting to stress. You might have this: Globus patients describe a feeling of constant lump or tightness, choking or strangling of throat which tends to clear up temporarily when eating solid food or large amount of liquids. Swallowing is not a problem and emotional stress worsens the globus sensation. Acid reflux disease has been implicated in some cases. Globus also tends to get amplified when associated with psychiatric conditions like depression, anxiety, or panic disorder. You mentioned that some years ago you were suicidal, if some of those old feeling of stress are coming back (which I would imagine the new regime at your school is causing)...this could cause the problem. So it would seem you def need some stress relief, esp since you are in school with kids--that would do you in for sure..lol So, its not the band after all. Best wishes with your stress and the new school year!! Take care of yourself. read this also: stress causes your stomach to bloat!!!! http://www.4woman.gov/faq/stress.htm#4

Okay so things have gotten better..way better. I'll do this in chronological order: 1. I call the doc's office they are closed...can't reschedule..ugh bummed. 2. Talk to a former co-worker, same surgeon did her banding 2 weeks ago....no pain at all.....everything great with her!!!! Yay. (still freaking thinking the doc won't bend for me) 3. Another pre-bander emails me to tell me about her doc. I look up the hosp in my insurance...covered ...yay!!! The doc I want is not covered...boo-hoo. 4. My sis calls to finally give me the emotional support I need...I called her at 10am and she was still out cold. Anyway she tells me take the time off from school-I am smart and get good grades, she reminds me -its no worse than being out sick for the day...duh I forgot that...see why I needed her support?--she knows just the right words to use...lol. 5. I forgot to mention--I got my sleep machine...OMG the guy was on his way to my house and THE POWER GOES OUT...omg someone somewhere doesn't want this to happen for me...he calls to say he is on his way..i do not tell him about the power...good thing...right as I hang up the power goes back on---yeah--someone IS looking out for me!!!:eek: 6. I call the doc's office today-returning a call i didn't know i had because it was on my cell which was out in the car. They change my date to the 27th...totally do-able...and...guess what I was wrong about my schedule...I only have two classes on Wednesday's not 4...whoo hoo! So I will have surgery on Sept 27th....and only miss 3 classes....omg this is awsome! (I will not have to drive into a tree after all-see prev journal entry...lol) I am so excited I think I will go clean the kitchen!!!!! Ha ha ha...odd thing to say I know, was too upset to do anything...feel like a great weight (ha ha) has been lifted...now feel normal. TTFN!!!!:confused:

Its only been 18 days...you are prob still somewhat swollen from surgery. Port site...they stitch it, so yes, you would be sore...it was major surgery. Everyone heals differently. And, hey---15 lbs in 18 days is good....really good!!! Best Wishes to you!!!

Moving of the band is going to happen as the fat around the stomach disappears.(the layer of fat that is actually attached to the stomach)

okay I don't mean to insult anyone in anyway....i am compiling questions for my doc......how does a silicone band "react" to stress? I know your organs react to stress but silicone? Please enlighten me.

lol, its okay. I love history. Its so important. I never realized it until I went to europe last year..odd, it took me leaving the US to understand its importance. History is my "highly qualified" area of education and psychology..lol. Take care!

Didn't you have a psych eval? You might want to go and talk to them again. If you are trying to talk yourself out of it, you may not be ready to do it. Good Luck on your decision!!!

I understand that, and I am sorry you went through that......but we were talking about American History, not personal history. (might makes right--history of facing political adversaries) (your comment came right after a history post....that is what I was commenting about...no way did i know you meant personal history)

We can't "let go" of the past......we need to remember it so that we can live by it and learn our mistakes (or our strengths) ..if we let it go, history repeats itself...this is fact.