ardelia

A little of the ol' Google and I found this regarding erosion and alcohol....See number four. http://arturorodriguezmd.com/lap-band-erosion

If you read the product information of the LAP-BAND System, you will see that one of the contraindications is if you have alcohol or drug addiction. I don't know the OP, so I don't know whether there is an addiction issue; however, if there is, the physician must be told about it so that s/he can help the OP make the best decision. It really is critical that you tell your doctor everything. Omission of anything is not fair to YOURSELF. Don't you want the best possible outcome for YOU? I surely want the best possible outcome for you. :scared2:

Right. I went to see my primary care doc to get a referral to the surgeon so that my insurance would cover that visit. Before know what happened, he has scolded me for not having taken my thyroid meds and he thinks that surgery is a bad idea. If I can't change my eating habits, then the surgery won't work. Yeah, I get that. He also said that any decent surgeon would refuse to operate on me till my thyroid is under control. I get that, too. Then he said that he wants me to read about bupropion, which I did ravenously. It is used for many things, but an off-label usage is for people with eating disorders (not anorexia or bulimia, though) - like me, apparently. He tells me that he thinks (based on what I have told him over all my visits) that I have a food obsession and (now get this) that my overeating IS NOT MY FAULT. WHAT? I can see the food obsession thing since I do have some other compulsive behaviors like counting things or thoughts cycling though my head incessantly. My fatness is not my fault?! I cannot tell you how that felt to hear. I mean, when I try to explain to my best friend (never been fat in his life) that I just cannot control myself, he doesn't get it. I feel like a weight has been lifted off my shoulders. I am about in tears. These are good tears. I am going to get myself back on the thyroid medication and start the bupropion and see how that goes. If it works, then I can avoid having an invasive procedure. If not, then I can always come back to the surgical option. I am not going anywhere, though...I want to continue to learn more so that I feel comfortable in case I have to go the surgery route. So...I have canceled my consult with the surgeon. (Though, interestingly, his office called me a few hours later - apparently they had not listened to my message yet - to tell me that the surgeon had to cancel my appointment. How funny!) I am, however, going to go to the learning session at Phoenixville Hospital on Thursday...should be interesting.

I have never been diagnosed with any sort of mental issue. Only the other day was I told that I have a food addiction. Frankly, I have no interest in trying to game the system just to get myself a band. That would be irresponsible and STUPID. The docs have to know everything about their patients and not being honest with them JUST so that I can get a band is moronic and I will not do it. If someone does have some kind of mental issue that they try to hide, and then they get the surgery, there could be major problems. If you are a food addict, for example, but you hide that fact from your doctor, it is a mistake. The band will not change one's behavior, though it seems some people here don't care about that issue. They are single-sighted: MUST GET BANDED NO MATTER WHAT. If the docs decide that banding is not for me (for whatever reason), then I have to live with that. Trust me, I do not WANT to get the band unless I really have no other option. I'll give the meds a go and see how I do.

Yep! And that is why I still look around here...if bupropion does not work in combination with the thyroid meds, this might end up being a great option for me. :thumbup:

I actually downloaded and read the brochure from the MGB web site because I am trying to learn about all options. Wow. Just WOW. The number of spelling and grammatical errors in the document is telling. Also, there are missing words and phrases. It is a difficult read in that regard. Understanding that not everyone is a spelling/grammar god, come ON! At least pay someone else to copy edit your document before putting it out there for the world to see. If his surgery technique is anything like his writing, I'd rather be FAT than to let this guy get his mitts on me.

You are too kind, thank you for the offer! I think that my e-mail address is in my profile, but if not, let me know. THANK YOU!!

Well, I have been reading about this for months now, so I feel confident that I want the procedure (if docs agree, of course). I just want to know as much as I can when I go to my consult in two weeks. Frankly, if there is a knob sticking out of my belly a' la Frankenstein, I'll be fine with that if I have lost the weight. :smile2:

Does anyone know where I could see photos of people's ports? I know, it sounds weird, but I am trying to decide what I am going to do....I just want to know everything that I possibly can. This board is SUCH a great resource. :smile2:

Wow! Congratulations on your loss and your improving health. You must be so proud!! If a visible port is my biggest problem, then I'd be happy!

I don't know that I would care that much, either if I could lose the weight. :bored: If someone else saw you in a bathing suit or tight-filling clothing (like a leotard), would they see it as well? How big is it? Sorry for all the questions, but I don't have my initial consult for two weeks....and I am ANXIOUS!

I am just starting my journey to learn more about banding. It might be my last option since nothing else seems to work for any length of time. Nice to meet y'all! (not from the south, just like to write "y'all") :frown: