coltonwade

I dont think its something that you have to ask your doc about, I think its a matter of opinion for each individual . No its not a breathing tube. But it could be something that is needed at some point. My mom had one due to a bowel obstruction . She had hers but in during her surgery . Mindy

I agree I would call back and ask the docs office, they would know . HTH Mindy

I started out with fitday.com and switched to sparkspeople.com . I found spark people had more pre entered food , i did not have to hand enter so much stuff into it. For instance , If i ate Kraft Salad dressing, it has kraft salad dressing, I did not have to use the generic salad dressing they have already in fitday.com and guess or had to hand enter my kraft dressing . Does that make sense ? sparkpeople for me is much easier and faster HTH Mindy

are you able to get down any solid foods ? I know you said tuna but that's a soft prtoien . You sound like you might be a little tight ? I too had a hard time getting in enough calories at first. You really should be trying to get in more solid Proteins rather than the liquids, that will help you stay full longer. If you have a snack , make sure it has Protein in it . try to keep your liquids to Water if you can . If you are unable to keep solids down you might need an unfill ? HTH Mindy

An NG tube is a tube that goes from your nose to your stomach . It has to pass through your stoma to your stomach , if they do not know its there they could find resistance and for lack of a better word JAM it and tear through the side of your stoma or esophagus . Now some people say " If im in that bad of shape why worry about your band" my thinking is, recovery is possible, and why chance MORE damage to yourself by only wearing a band that says to just be careful . Others say " well your spouse or family well tell them you have the band" im sorry if im in an accident the last thing my husband is giong to think of is " be careful she's got a lap band" It might be the First thing I think of but now him . So i chose to be better safe than sorry ! MIndy

I wanted to add I spoke to my best friends brother about this recently he's a paramedic , he said the bracelets were a good idea. Not so much for the paramedics but for when your unconscious in the hospital , if your going to be tubed it will be in the hospital . He said anytime you have something out of the ordinary it is a good idea to have a bracelet to ID it . HTH Mindy

I have the bracelet, also from laurens hope. Mine says Ajustable Gastric Lap Band No Blind NG Tubes No NSAIDS I also have a card that my doc gave me in my wallet that states i have the band, what size and the serial number on it , it came from Inamed. I have never had a problem at a restaurant ordering from a kids menu . ONE Time someone asked me why i needed it ( because it was not their policy ) and i told them I had a procedure where i can not eat a whole plate or regular food , If needed i have a card from my doc I can show them . They said no its fine. Sometimes they think your trying to get out of paying a full meal . Also i have ordered from the appetizer menu which are always smaller or most resturants have a soup and salad combo or a soup and potatoe combo those are usually still too much . HTH Mindy

I agree with everything you said . Flouro for me is more of a reassurance espically being self pay . I am lucky as well and have a doc that hits my port the first time every time. And like you said using the flouro is more of a reassurance every time you go in you can see the band as well can the doc and sort of do a check up on every thing . If switching docs has to be done , i think it MAY be a little easier in this situation because there is no complications ? It may not . The doc in this situation could possibly assist in helping find a new doc. I think the best approach at first is to see if the new doc will listen . Maybe he's just scatterbrained ? And i would stress that concern about being stuck too much as well. Good luck keep us updated. Mindy

I posted this in the newbie section, but I guess since they are all in the same boat, they don't know how to answer my questions - here's the original post, and thanks in advance!! Ok, so I thought instead of starting 20 threads, I'd ask many questions in one I'm around 330, 5'6 or so, and 25 years old. Is anyone like me, if so, what is your experience with the band? Like someone else said the best thing to do is read. I know its not the easiest answer but its the best one. I spent nearly a yr on hear doing nothing but reading . I did ask questions as well . But I read every night on the threads. That is the best way you can get information . Is there anything physical you shouldn't do, that could like, cause slippage? I agree ask your doc How can I maximize my weight loss, I'd like to lose at least 200, and frankly I don't want to wait 5 years. Anyone who has had optimal success, what did you do during to make it go so fast (I saw someone here say they lost 200 in 18 mos or something)? Again probably reading . Look at the exercise forum and the before and after pics. Look at peoples sig lines. if you see someone that was your start weight and is at the goal you would like to be at email them ,PM them . I have yet to do that and have someone say " leave me alone" People are more than happy to tell you what they did to get to their goal. But keep in mind also what works for them , might not have the same affect for some one else . If I'm all hot and sweaty, sometimes I'll just down a big glass of Water -- will I still be able to do that? Yes and no . LOL Is it a good idea probably not . Will you be able to before you get proper restriction ? Maybe , i could , after i got my first fill NO WAY, not with out feeling like i had been punched in the chest . you just have to drink more slowly . If something gets stuck, how do I get it to release? Papaya Enzymes work well for me , they are a chewable "supplement" that you can chew after getting stuck , for the most part it works to get things un stuck . But as my doc says " there is no reason to get stuck if you follow the rules" chew chew chew and small bites. I do get stuck though ! Any other newbie tips would be much appreciated!! Thanks!! As someone else said , practice not drinking while you eat. that was by far the hardest thing for me to get use to . Some tips i have for that. When your at home, dont even get a drink at the table with you . at restruants , I drink up until my food comes, once it comes I ask for a to go cup with no straw, i put my drink in the to go cup and move it out of the way . After a while it is no big deal . HTH Mindy PS Feel free to PM or email me

I Triple Dog Dare ya ! I agree Mornings . So are you in ? chicken ?? LMAO Mindy

In Case anyone is interested there is a pod cast for the Couch to 5 K program you can down load each week . I believe its only for I pods? Maybe some other MP3's work ? I know i have it downloaded on my IPod , SO maybe someone who is more tech savy can figure this out ? LOL But here is the link its very helpful Welcome Mindy

Ok since today was a lazy day , Im going to commit myself and announce to all of ya'll im starting this program OFFICIALLY tomorrow so my running schedule will be Monday , Wednesday and Fridays . Im trying to figure out if it will be best to do this in the morning or evenings ? Anyone have any ideas on this ?? Thanks Mindy

ROFLMAO you sound like me . A business associate of ours entered me in a 5K in Feb so i need to get me A$$ in gear. i have known about this for over a month . So i need to get moving. here is the couch to 5 K . Cool Running :: The Couch-to-5K Running Plan Bascially you start off slowly running and work your way up to running a 5K ( 3 miles i belive it is ) So TD I DOUBLE DOG DARE YOU TO JOIN US ! Mindy

I am sorry but I would be very concerned if my doc had to poke and poke at me to hit my port. Granted I do not expect him to hit it the first time ever time( Although mine is done under flouro and my doc hits it the first time every time under Flouro ) . But she said her doc poked around for 20 mintues. That would be a huge concern for me, you run the risk of him poking the tubing to your port and band and causing a leak . If he's doing that EVERY TIME , and he's poking her so much he's causing her to be sore ... THAT is a valid concern. Flouro would help them access it better because the doc can see where the port is in reference to the needle . I can see the needle as soon as my doc puts it in and he knows where to put that needle to hit my port ! Granted this doc might have horrible bed side manners. And a conversation would be the first move. It should not be hard to find a doc to transfer care from one US surgeon to another. UNLESS this doc has a bad reputation , then it might be an issue. But your doc should be able to call up another doc and transfer your care to them . Its done all the time . Mindy

i agree this is too important to not feel 100% confident with your doc and honestly is there anything that he COULD do that would make you feel that way ? I think you should look into possibly transfering care to another MD. MIndy

LOL I doubt i'll do it in 4 weeks Someone wanted me to run a 5 k with them in Feb. But i'll fun as far as i can when i get there. Im not THAT motivated to do it in 4 weeks. Someone else on the boards either did it in 4 weeks or was close to it ? Mindy

My personal opinion , I would not go back . Your running a HUGE risk of him causing a leak in your band by poking around on you so much for 1. for 2 he's not listening to you , or at the very least taking into consideration what you say . I was too tight for a my second fill . I had an unfill, my third fill i was too tight again , however my doc and i discussed if I wanted to try a full CC fill or not . When i went back for the unfill he told me " your very sensitive to fills so we are going to have to go slow from now on , im not going to have you keep getting tight and PB and get sick " I would have serious conerns about going back to this doc. I would maybe even voice my conerns to him and tell him if he does not start A hitting your port ( Even use flouro ) and listening to your conerns that you would like a refund on your fills and you will go elsewhere. HTH Mindy

I was not told to give up caffeine either. I gave up sodas about 6 months before surgery . If i do not have a small amount of caffeine a day I will get a migraine . I drink one 9 oz bottle of raspberry tea a day . Its probably not the best choice but the tea was how i was able to kick a very large soda habit LOL . Plus its enough caffeine to stop my migraines ( for the most part) HTH Mindy

Yes those are great ideas as well. Also you said that you found yourself eating then waiting a while for it to go down and eating more ? Is that because you were not full ? Perhaps your not eating enough Protein ? Or your just not use to eating that small amount . I had a hard time wrapping my mind around " Ok this small amount of food is what I can eat" that took me a while to get use to . Mindy

My advice, read your post as if you were reading someone elses post. Read it and give yourself your own advice. Your sabotaging yourself, im sorry but that is what your doing . When you go to your doc be honest with him, Dont say " well im eating this and that and I dont know why im not loosing" tell him exactly what you told us . You did not say anything about exerscing either. Are you doing any ? Walking even ? If your an emotional eater and you know that maybe try some counseling , to help you figure out some other things to do besides eat when you eat during those emtional times. Look , NOTHING is fool proof, you have to work it for it to work . If i sat her and said " I dont understand why im not loosing , im eating mashed potaotes and ice cream all day long and it goes down fine" Would you tell me " I think your doing fine " no , sorry if im being harsh but I think it does you more good to tell you the truth . Tell your doc what you told us . And have him/her help you figure out what size fill you need, if you can revisit the nutritionists that is probably a good idea as well. I have the LEAST amount of will power of anyone I know, seriously . You can do this , IF I CAN Do this You can do this . Keep it up , work the band and let it work for you , but the right way HTH Mindy

The topical spray to me is more logical than when they numb it with a needle. By time they stick you with a needle they could have stuck you with the fill needle and it and would have been over with LOL . Glad your fills went well and your doing fine ! Love Mindy

Just an FYI , my doc Dr Jorge Rincon in San Antonio TX will do fills for patients who have been banded in Mexico. He requires a few things , records from your surgeon in Mexico and a few other things , but if your prepared a head of time you can leave the clinic in mexico with those and its not a problem. Mindy

Shelia One thing in checking into insurance, I just went through this , i knew it coudl be an obsticle prior to surgery ,,,, Private pay insurance is NOT the same as group plans . the policies that are saying they had their insurances pay for the band are they private pay polices or group plans ? Also get insurance if you can prior to surgery and once you get it do not let it go. I dont know about CA but in texas most of the insurance compaines once they find out your banded your no longer insurable. They will permanatly deny you . I could not get insurance before the band due to my weight, NOW i cant get it because of the band. Before surgery i got on Texas' high risk health pool I pay $309 a month for just MYSELF . Group plans are different , they dont deny you for things , private polices can deny you for anything. So while your looking say nothing to the insurance or your docs about surgery ! That way nothing is on your records about it prior to getting the insurance ! Feel free to email me if you like , this whole process was a pain for me , im also self employed. HTH Mindy

If your doc said liquids only the first so many days I personally would not "eat" the dannons again . Its probably not going to hurt anything to have one. But I woudl not have any more. Liquids mean liquids . So I would just try to stick with that from now on . Like others said if you have any questions the best thing to do is ask your doc, each of our docs have different advice to follow so its best to ask your doc . HTH Mindy

What will happen is once the insurance companies realize and see there is money to be made and LOTS of money to be from covering baratric surgery then they will . I suspect it will start happening in the next yr or 2 . All of a sudden the "Studies" will show how benifical it is and the lobbiests will start to lobby the insurance companies to change the underwriting. I think at this point they do not realize just HOW MUCH money there is in this surgery yet. They will soon ! Mindy