evcase

I found these fruit/veg tablets on the internet (and since reading your post found out about becoming a distributor-thanks!)...I was searching for a way to get all my nutrients in besides the Protein shakes, etc. I found gummy fruit and vegetables that worked GREAT for me! Nothing else would work - and as long as I took them every day, I didn't have to worry about getting malnourished! So no longer worried about Vitamins, minerals, etc. - cause they are ALL in these gummies Funny thing, after my band was removed and a few days passed, I ate an apple - for the first time in 6 years! Yummmm!!! I still take the f/v gummies - my energy level is better than it has EVER been. And thanks to lisanjason - I have found out that I can be a distributor and my surgeon now carries them in his office as a direct result of my results/distribution.

Thanks Karen: I was NEVER able to eat fruits and vegetables except lettuce. I found the "FRUIT & VEGETABLE" tablets and that is the reason I stayed out of the emergency room because they gave me all the Vitamins, minerals, Fiber, etc that I needed each and every day. Also, my doctor was surprised that I hadn't become malnourished until I told him about these tablets. I was so taken by these tablets that I got in touch with the company and am now distributing them. It has been 3 nights now and I am sleeping (laying down) I don't bring an empty cup with me at bedtime to spit up in and I haven't taken one tums or prilosec. So far, hunger hasn't returned so am using this time to pray and stay strong. I wish you luck on your removal it is so worth the getting rid of the problems. I am still PRO lap band - just hope people learn from my mistakes before it is too late for them too.

Band has been removed and I feel great! my removal was a 1 night stay - probably insurance related. But got lots of rest and pain killers! Am sore, as should be and am going to rest today as well. Not hungry yet, and am not going to make an issue of it. If I start thinking of "hunger" than I wil get anxious about "what if"...etc. So am taking it one day at a time. Dr said that most of my stomach was above the band and he removed lots of scar tissue. While I was preparing for surgery, I had to keep throwing up bile, and the anestologist (sp?) put a tube down my nose/throat to suck up all the rest of bile. I felt good that HE took me seriously - and all the other medical staff was astounded at the amount of bile that I brought up - with no effort I might add. I just feel that all along, the dr office never took me seriously - and I was too late in the game to switch doctors so I just accepted their lax behavior. Anyway, I am happy it is all over. I got to sleep lying down for the first time in 6 months! No tums throughout the night, no empty glass to fill up with bile during the night! Ya heww!!!! Would I do it again? I don't think so. Because I had more bad years than good ones. I had the band placed in 2001 (or 2002) can't remember. But it truly worked when all was good. If I had the money, I would do the sleeve.....but for now, I will just rest and relax and not think of anything. Also, my esophagus is fine - just like what the dr said would probably happen. I guess with all the bile/undigested food, I felt like my eso. was probably damaged. Thanks for everyones support and I wish you all great success! If I could give any advise it would be 1. Get control of your food issues (emotional, etc.) 2. If something is difficult to go down, don't eat it again 3. Stay away from bread, bagels (doughy stuff) 4. Don't take Vitamins, minerals, etc. There is a tablet that I take called "fruit and vegetable tablets" that is all natural and it replaces ALL the nutrients you would get in fruit and vegs for that day - including Fiber and is SAFE for diabetics. If you want to know more, just email me... 5. The f/v tablets (I took the gummies) is what kept me healthy during all of this. 6. Stay away from vegetables/fruit that is fiber-ous (sp?) 7. And get support from this site, friends, others, etc. 8. NEVER NEVER NEVER drink while you eat! Thanks again friends, E

Welcome back Alexandra!! Get plenty of rest. My removal is rescheduled for 14th of this month. Was yours outpatient? Laproscopically?? Recover time? Good luck with your next appts re: VG band.

I get the feeling the doctor just wants to take the easy way out and slice me open...and get it over with. Removing band laproscopically (sp?) would be too time consuming perhaps! The rest, I felt was blah, blah, blah.... at any rate. I am go to Cardio today to get through the EKG stuff and hopefully, surgery will be as early as next week.

Went to see doctor yesterday. He said he wants to just remove the band and nothing else. No sleeve, no repair, no replacement. Anyway, he said that he also feels the esophagus problem may be better when we remove the band. I told him that in the past whenever I unfilled the band (in Miami) than all reflux disappeared - so he summised, that perhaps I was not a good candidate for the band in the first place. Anyway, all being said, he will try to remove it laprsopically but may have to make a 6-8 inch incession to get at it. He said he felt it has possibly eroded and scar tissue may make it harder to remove since he viewed the upper gi in December. Whatever, just get the darn thing out! now, waiting for cardio to clear me for surgery. I see cardio on Thursday to take another ekg. Thanks for all your encouragement and prayers....will keep you posted.

Wasabubblebutt: Yes, I am getting ready to go right now. Wish me luck!! I am going to tell dr. NO sleeve! And ask him to repair band if possible. I will post update when I return home this early evening. Thanks W... (P.S. I love your nickname!!!)

Alexandra: Congrats on your successful removal...and hope the bar-b-que was fun!!! Through reading this post I have learned about the "larger band" and I am going today to discuss band removal and will bring that up. My insurance is paying to remove band but I will ask how much for band replacement as well. My symptoms are EXACTLY like yours - since December! I have just put up with it hoping that the insurance would change their mind. Not! Anyway, lots of luck on your May 3rd appointment. And I am ready for mine today. I was initially suppose to have surgery tomorrow but got canceled!

I blame myself because I knew the rules. Don't overeat. Don't drink while eating. Any throwing up - go to dr. I ignored these time and time again until my pouch got distended and well...the rest is history. I think it just kept getting worse as time went by even though I would get unfilled/wait 6 weeks/get refilled. Probably slipped a long time ago and I just never knew it and just figured I was doing something wrong. The end result is the same. I have to get it removed...and I am fine with that.

Both of my port revisions were paid for by insurance....they were "medically necessary"

After my initial surgery (2001) I went in for my first fill only to find out the port broke! So into port revision surgery. Than for about 4 yrs it was fine. Then it broke again!!! The 2nd time, I was doing exercise (Curves) and man was I getting into it (for the first time in my life) and then one day I felt pain in my lower abdomen and I just knew the port broke and the tubing was traveling! Sure enough that is what happened. The doctor said the exercise could not have jogged the port - but I beg to differ! Anyway, I had to go in to hospital for revision - and stayed 2 nights. ONly because, they did not have another port and had to order one! Geesh!!! Anyway, good luck. I don't know much about the ports but I think I can reasonably say that I haven't heard of anyone else having 2 port revisions. I would be interested in finding out if anyone else had port revisions and why they feel so?

At this point I am NOT getting sleeve. I have too many bad vibes with it. I will wait until I get better insurance that will help pay for it. When I go to see him Monday I will tell him to either remove it or repair it - and after reading your advise I will MAKE SURE to ask him about his "repair" history - and then the follow-up of those particular patients. I really appreciate all your advise/comments. I had forgotten to ask those specific questions. I got banded in 2001 and lost 125 lbs the first year or two (I can't remember now)....and it went down hill from there -my fault I am sure. I am sort of scared that if he repairs it and it all was my fault - will I mess it up again? Anyway, I will continue to pray/mediate on it and I will go with my gut feeling.