arthukd

Here is the link to the thread: http://www.lapbandtalk.com/f78/lap-band-erosion-46721/ Here is what Dr. Watkins wrote: Erosion is where the band erodes into the inside of the stomach. The history of erosion: Gastric band surgery started in Europe/Australia and they were using the peri-gastric technique (the band was placed lower on the stomach). When they started seeing a high slip rate with this technique they started stitching the stomach over the top of the band to prevent all the slips they were seeing. The problem was they were stitching the stomach really tightly over the band. When you have living tissue stretched tightly over a hard object (like band plastic) the tissue will be under so much tension that it won't have good blood flow and will necrose (dead tissue) over time and then the band works itself inside the stomach. It doesn't erode into the stomach that the inner balloon is squeezing on, it erodes into the stomach that was wrapped so tightly over the top of the band. Fortunately, the European/Australian surgeons changed the procedure to the pars flaccida technique (place the band much higher on the stomach) and they learned to wrap the stomach tissue much more loosely over the top of the band. This brought the erosion rate down from 10% to less than 1% and over time and with more experience erosions are now quite rare. Every U.S. surgeon that I know uses the new pars flaccida technique. In our Seattle practice (2,500+band procedures) we had 2 erosions. When you suspect an erosion on x-ray (fluoro) it is best to proceed with a scope (EGD - scope of the stomach) to make sure the band has indeed eroded, i.e. you can see white plastic from inside the stomach. If the band has eroded, the treatment is to remove it, let everything heal for 3-6 months and then replace it. The Australians have a fair bit of experience with this and report good results replacing a new band later. In the past they would put a new band in at the same operation that they removed the eroded band but the re-erosion rate was too high and they now recommend replacing it later. Erosions vary. Some patients have a tiny erosion (can only see a small bit of the band from inside the stomach) that some surgeons will watch if the patient is still losing weight. I've heard of cases where the entire band erodes into the stomach and it was removed without surgery using a scope to retrieve it from inside the stomach. I have heard of cases where they tried unsuccessfully to remove the band from within the stomach. Hope that is useful information brad __________________ Gastric Band Surgeon since 2002 www.CincyWeightLoss.com "There are no secrets to success. Don't waste time looking for them. Success is the result of perfection, hard work, learning from failure...and persistence." Colin Powell Remember that every band patient's journey is individual and that reaching your goal is far more important than how long it took you to get there.

There is a GREAT thread about that under the forum that deals with problems. I can't remember the Docs name but an actual WL surgeon was talking about it, why it happens, how to fix it, etc. Also talked about slippage. just go to that forum and use the search feature for erosion and/or slippage. If you can't find it let me know and I will try and post a link or cut and paste it here.

Well, I am sure it is frowned upon, but I had an alcoholic drink less than a week post op. No harm. I am not losing as fast as I could, but I still get to go out w/ my friends and enjoy life. I do an extra workout on Friday and a really long workout on Saturdays to try and make up for the extra calories I consume in alcohol on the weekends, but it is crazy how fast it adds up. I track it on Lose It and it is almost makes it not worth it when you realize how long you have to work out to have a couple drinks! (not to encourage beer, but my sister had lap-band 4 years ago and drinks beer several times a week and hasn't had a problem...but everyone is different)

I use it too and LOVE it. Both pre and post band.

NO - consuming more calories than you burn makes you gain weight...period. There are lots of things to take into consideration. What is your BMR, are you eating good calories that make you feel full and don't affect your blood sugar so you are starving later??? All of that goes into the equation, but the simple fact is 3500 calories = 1 lb. If you want to lose weight you have to create a caloric deficit. After going off the liquid diet, I hardly ever drink Protein shakes b/c they don't stay with me. If I have one for Breakfast, I am starving by 9:30. Some people are different and like Protein Shakes or NEED them to make sure they are getting in enough calories and protein. If you are eating a normal diet and adding protein shakes, you might be eating too may calories which could cause weight gain...it is not the shakes...it is the calories that make you gain.

I agree! Jachut is always giving sound advice! (and rocks the bikini!!)

Could you make the dough and only bake 1 for you and how ever many your child wanted and freeze the rest? Then you could have on hand if you needed to bring something to a party. I can't give up Cookies indefinitely. I have to learn to eat a cookie every now and then. I know some people can't do that and need to give up sweets (or what ever his/her vice is) completely. It was just a suggestion.

I have around 16ozs of coffee every morning and started the first day after surgery.

I like eggs so since I moved to solid food, I have had 1/2 ham, egg, and cheese sandwich. (I use the sandwich thins - whole wheat, 100 cal each) 1/2 sandwich is around 180 calories. I made 2 sandwiches on Sunday evening, cut them in half and had my breakfast already made for 4 days! This morning I had a spinach quiche, it was around 250 calories. not the best option but I had a lot of eggs and spinach I needed to use. I've only been on solids for two weeks so I don't have much else to offer.

I concour! I typically eat healthy foods, I just eat too much. Every now and then, I want a burger...w/ fries. Granted I am only 4 weeks post op so I have not had a burger post band, but yesterday at a superbowl party I enjoyed some of everything, chips, dip, brownies. I just didn't hover over the food like I did preband. I still ate too much, but I ate less than 1/2 of what I would normally eat at a party. The good news is, I am not going to eat too much today, or tomorrow or proabably the rest of the week so it is ok for me to enjoy myself and act like a normal person on special occasions.

Great advise KKarryall. I am in the same boat...I get my first fill Monday. I have pretty much eaten what I wanted. (with in reason...I didn't have major surgery to eat a bag of doritos for dinner :thumbup: I use the lose it app on my iPhone and track the calories I consume. So far, I haven't had a problem w/ any food, but I do make sure I chew really well. If I eat too fast, I get a lovely punch in the chest and have to stop eating for a while. From the books I have read about the band...no food is completely off limits. You just need to add one new food at a time to make sure it is something YOU can tolerate b/c we are all different. (it kind of reminds me of when you introduce solid food into a baby's diet to make sure they aren't allergic!) Good Luck!

OK - to put the thread back on topic.... I am 24 days post op and have only lost 4 lbs since surgery. I lost 9 on two week pre op diet. The scale has gone up and down for the past two weeks but I haven't lost any additional weight....However, as frustrated as I am several people have told me they can tell I have lost weight...people that I see every day. I want to say, Well, I haven't lost anything in almost 3 weeks!!! but I just think, maybe something is working and I am just not noticing on the scale. Cure - looking at your stats, it looks like you are not eating enough. I know that sounds odd, but your body does weird stuff. I would recommend calculating your BMR and only reducing your daily caloric needs by enough to lose 2 lbs per week. or what ever your doc has suggested. My doc told me to expect 1 - 1.5 lbs per week....so I guess I am actually on target at 4 lbs...seems very discouraging to go through major surgery spend 12K to only have lost 4 lbs...but this is a marathon not a sprint. I saw some really good sites posted on here this week for calculating daily caloric needs. If you search for BMR it should pull them up. Good Luck!

I definitely would not worry about the relationships you have with your plus size friends and family...what changed in your relationship with your friend was her...if you don't want your relationships to change w/ your plus size friends and family than it won't. My sister had lap-band 4 years before I did and nothing changed in our relationship except that we hung out more often b/c she had more energy and less depression. I have been plus size my entire life and have gone shopping w/ my skinny friends...I am the only plus size in our group. Often I just offer advise and every once and I while I will say, ok time to leave, nothing in the store will fit me! Looking forward to the day I don't have say that anymore. Also, if you and your husband have a strong relationship, the fact that you are getting healthier should not destroy it. I know several relationships have ended after one partner lost a lot of weight, but there were under lying issues. Maybe the overweight person thought he/she WAS settling for someone and then gained the courage to move to what they deserved. Who knows! The bottom line is, if you value the relationships you have, you will do what is necessary to keep them...Hopefully your friends and family feel the same way. I was slightly jealous when my sister started loosing weight and was then SMALLER than me! I didn't even notice until I saw a picture of us together. But that did not effect our friendship. It just made me try and work harder at losing weight...which obviously had no lasting effects since I was banded 4 weeks ago :thumbup: Ok, sorry for the novel, hope this helps. Good Luck!

So I have decided I don't like using unflavored protein powder in any hot liquid. (I like my soup too hot to mix in protein powder) I ordered a ton of this before my surgery thinking I would be adding it to everything I ate post op. The only thing I have found to add it to is cyrstal light. Anyone have any other suggestions for what to do w/ the $60 worth of protein powder I have left.

unjury is the best I have had. Also, I found mixing them yourself in a blender or magic bullet turns out better than buying premade. I also freeze cubes of milk and add to the blender to give it a more "milk shake" consistency. If you need the convenience of premade the Believe shakes are very good from baratriceating.com and the carnation instant breakfast no suger added are good, but they do have a higher calorie count per grams of Protein than other ready to drink options. My fav protein shakes: 1 scoop chocolate Unjury 1 cup milk 2 or 3 milk cubes 1/4 frozen bannan 1 tb Peanut Butter ~ 350 cal/33 gr protein 1 scoop vanilla unjury 1/2 cup yogurt 1/2 cup diet V8 splash (or other low cal juice)' 1/4 frozen banana 3 frozen strawberries 1/4 cup frozen mangos calories probably around 350 and protein 30ish. I haven't really calculated this one b/c I really just throw the fruit in the blender. If you don't have a good blender you may want to let the fruit thaw a bit before blending.

I use the "lose it" app as a food journal and it states for me to loose 1 1/2 lb per week I need to eat 1700/day. That doesn't work for me. I realize that 3500 calories is one lb but my BMR must be extremely lower than it should be (and I excercise at least 5 days/week). If I ate 1700 calories/day, I wouldn't gain but I wouldn't loose. I am trying to use the app to keep my calories around 1200. You can also use it to log excercise. If you have a phone that supports apps I highly recommend it!! I love it. I have used it pre and post band.

depends! if you are trying to get insurance to pay for something...round down. If is for your own interest, round up...your bmi would be lower

I had hernia repair, didn't know I had it prior to surgery and went for 1/2 mile walk in my neighborhood the same day as surgery. Continued to increase the distance everyday and was back to working a 60hr/week in 5 days. (granted I sit at a desk) I am three weeks post op today and walked about 4 miles before work this morning.

My doc required a diet but it was very liberal compared to what I have read on here. basically it was unlimited protein, meat or LF cheese, 4 veggies, 1 friut, and 3 starches (1 starch = 1/2 c mashed potatoes) NO added suger or Fat. I actually lost more on the preop diet than I did two weeks following the surgery!! The only time preop I was told to do liquids was the day before surgery.

Everyone one this site says to follow YOUR doctors instructions so my opinion is to get another doctor!! I am 3 weeks post op today and have had a 1/2 of banana, canned peaches, even...BREAD this week!!! whole wheat of course :thumbup: In fact last week when my surgeron told me I could move to soft foods he even recommended mac and cheese....just while healing, after I am accoustomed to the band, I am not supposed to make a meal off mac and cheese b/c ...it doesn't have much Protein and can get through the band easier.

leagally, your employer can NOT ask why you are having surgery. I would just tell your employer either 1) you are taking off during spring break to be w/ your kids if you have them or some other reason that you could say was for spring break or 2) tell them you are having surgery. they do not have the right to ask any further questions concerning your medical procedure. If they do ask, simploy respond with, I really do not want to discuss it. (that is what I told my boss when he said, "I assume it is female related" when I told him about my surgery). other people at my office know what surgery I had, but I chose not to tell my boss b/c he makes inappropriate comments.

I had some left over lasagna that my mom had cooked while she was helping me recover on surgery day. about 5 days post op, I blended it with some tomato Soup for something different. I was good, but it just didn't hit the spot like a real bite would. one of my fav meals during mushies was ff refried Beans w/ melted lf cheese and enchillada sauce. delicious! and I ate a lot of mashed potatoes.

Well, I am 3 weeks post op today and I have eaten (small portions of) prime rib, chicken, ceaser salad, bread, tortilla chips. My doc relased me for soft food like mac & cheese and fish at my two week appointment and I seemed to have no problem with those things. So when I went to a family gathering Saturday I just ate what the rest of the family was having, just a smaller portion and chewed, chewed, chewed. I think each person is different and has to follow the advise of their doc and their body. I would be starving if I was just on full liquids/mushies right now and miserable!! (per the guide I got before surgery suggests I would still be on pureed foods right now)

My experience with people having concern and trying to talk you out of it, is they don't know much about the procedure. They think of it like bypass. Maybe if you showed your friends some material on lap-band they would be more encouraging since it is minimally invasive AND for that matter reverseable! I am a pretty open person so I told EVERYONE! I wouldn't say I regret my decision b/c now I feel accountable to make sure I lose the weight! But people can be pretty stupid. The day before my surgery as I was leaving the gym, I told my buddies it would be a week before I would see them and one of them asked me if I would be wearing a name tag when I came back, because she wouldn't even recognize me! HELLUR! I am not going to lose 80lbs in a week you dumb a$$!! Hope your friends come around and will be the encouragers you need. If not, you can find it on this site!!!

I haven't tried eating a cucumber since i have been banded (I am only 3 weeks post op), but I loved cucumber and hummas preband. cucumber has almost no calories so it is the perfect dipper and you still get a little crunch. I have tried eating hummas plain w/ a fork and it wasn't the best...although the hummas I tried had an overwhelming garlic flavor (great on a pita, but a little overpowering w/ a fork!)