kab1278

Thanks, MoreThanJustaPrettyFace!!!

After a 9 month depressive period (seperate from any Band issues), I am in need of getting a lot of Protein into my system. I am focusing on lean meats...fish and chicken...but need a protein shake/water suppliment to get things going. While watching calories, I want to be sipping protein 24/7! The only problem I seem tohave with have with Protein shakes is that whey protein seems to cause a weird, sweet after-taste in my throat and mouth an hour or so after I drink it. I used soy protein during my soft-food period after surgery and that seems to help. But I am looking for any suggestions. I have seen that Ensure has a Protein shake now. Any good? How about the Water additives? Thanks!!! Trying to get back on the losing-weight Band wagon!

Hi everyone! I haven't checked in FOREVER and have realized that I really need to get back on the Band wagon! I haven't lost any weight in about a year and know that between off-limits food and no exercise, it has been a matter of choices (and illness) that have caused me to pause in my journey. The good news is that I haven't gained any weight. =) Since last October, I have been fighting a major depressive period that has taken a real toll (have had depression/bipolar issues for years). I was unable to make actual meals and started living on Ritz, PB, and milk. Not exactly a Protein and Vitamin rich diet. Then, in January '12, I started ECT treatments that caused me to, more or less, lose 3 months of memory. I do know that I had 3 or 4 actual meals in that entire time because, with recovering from the ECT and the anesthetic, I was physically unable to make meals, let alone mentally able. But...I am feeling better now and wanting SO much to start exercising again, putting me first again, and losing weight again. I have about 50lbs to go, so I need to visit for support. I am hoping that reconnecting with this forum will help me do so. I wish everyone the best of luck...hope everyone with Band issue find resolution...everyone choosing a new surgery find health and weight loss, and that we all find some joy!

Hi there! I was banded 8/24/10 and am looking for online support to get back on track after a hard summer. I have gained back 7 pounds of the 60 I originally lost, and I would LOVE to have someone to discuss this with, along with ideas of how to refocus. I would also love to pass along words of encouragement and little facts I have learned here and there that have helped me, if they might help you! I would love to meet a female, age 30ish-40ish, or even start a group for support. Wouldn't it be great to help each other?! Send me a message! Let's talk soon! Good luck with your goals!!! :welldoneclap:

Commerical for the CAMC Weight Loss Center, where Dr. Sam Rossi now works. Surgeon picture: http://www.camc.org/body.cfm?id=18&action=detail&ref=147 Contact Info.: Northgate Business Park,600 Tracy Way Charleston, WV 25311 (304) 388-4965

Have you spoken to the hospital about the codes used for the surgery? Hospitals can resubmit corrected claims very easily. I used to work for CareFirst BCBS and we allowed providers to resubmit corrected claims all the time. I would check your EOB for codes (sometimes, certain companies provide them on EOBs) and then track down what codes were used successfully for others on this forum. Then take those codes to the billing department of the hospital, or better yet, your surgeon, and explain the situation. The more you push for things to be corrected, (if there was indeed a mistake), the more likely it can get rebilled, so you have more financial opportunities. Hope this might help. :welldoneclap:

Something I didn't consider when I had my LB surgery was the medication I took. I took an antibiotic (nortorious for hurting a normal stomach) and it irritated my pouch so much that my eating ability was difficult for over a month. It took a few weeks to realize that the antibiotic was just too much for my tiny pouch. Since my dermatologist (the prescribing doc) switched me to a time-released antibiotic, I have had no problems. Just something to consider and not learn about the hard way.

Something I didn't consider when I had my LB surgery was the medication I took. I took an antibiotic (nortorious for hurting a normal stomach) and it irritated my pouch so much that my eating ability was difficult for over a month. It took a few weeks to realize that the antibiotic was just too much for my tiny pouch. Since my dermatologist (the prescribing doc) switched me to a time-released antibiotic, I have had no problems. Just something to consider and not learn about the hard way.

While I have never accepted cutting out everything bad from my diet, I have certainly fallen off the "Reasonable Wagon"! :rolleyes2: I did the biggest no-no by not journaling what I eat and not exercising much. Add those two big puzzle pieces to family illness and my own depression, and I have the issue of feeling as though I am starting all over. So...to jump-start my way back to better habits, while not totally denying myself, I am going to go back to Protein shakes and lean meats. I have to start watching my sugar intake as well as emoty carbs in general! It is going to be boring for a while, but it will serve as a good reality check. I refuse to beat myself up because that will just make issues worse. I haven't gained any weight...just REALLY slowed it down. I am going to have to visit here more often to keep me grounded!!! Good luck to everyone who is starting again with me!!! I am ready to do this again! Kelley

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I have wondered this myself because often when I eat a 6 oz. yogurt at 9am, I am not ready to eat anything until 5pm (while sipping liquids through the day, but not nearly 64oz.). I assumed it was because my food was taking so long to pass through, but that seemed a little ridiculous. My doctor doesn't give much support in my post-op appointments. I usualy get the same answers from him that I can get off of the LapBand web site...very generic and general. I think I am going to ask for a small unfill to see if this helps. I need to be able to eat and drink more because I am not getting my liquids or Protein. But then again, 1 or 2 days a week, I can eat and drink pretty well. Who knows. :myscared: LOL Good luck!!!

I was banded Aug. 24th, 2010 and a lot of things still taste odd to me. I also seem to have a greater sense of smell. My husband is always commenting on how well I catch scents...not always a good thing! Sometimes things taste good and sometimes they don't. Can be very frustrating. Good luck!!!

The hospital provided this product to me right after surgery. I am having a lot of trouble meeting my Protein needs, so I am reordering the Hormel™ Healthy Shot® Double Protein Beverage Peach - 24/2.5 floz. They also have a Tropical Fruit flavor with 12 grams of protein. The peach is a very concentrated taste, so I chill well and chug. But if you like peach tea, it would be a great flavor addition and sweetner for unsweetened tea. Also a great Water flavorer! They are a little expensive, but for our health and retainment of hair, it is worth it! "Recognizing the many issues and problems with current nutritional beverages, Hormel Health Labs developed Healthy Shot® High Protein. Healthy Shot® is fruit flavored, clear, clean and refreshing. Due to the small serving size and refreshing flavor, it does not create unwanted early satiety. You can still encourage food first and provide patients with 12g or 24g of protein in a single 2.5 Fluid ounce serving." Lots of other products too! https://www.homecare...m/HHL/NXCLI.NSF

I sometimes get a sour stomach feeling in what I believe is my pouch. However, I have been wondering how medicines like Maalox would help because we have no stomach acid in our pouches. I went through a TERRIBLE time with antibiotics that burned my pouch something awful and only milk helped...but didn't help too much. My dermatologist (the antibiotic prescriber) gave me a time released antibiotic which fixed everything. But still wondering if antacids can help us. Have any answers? :confused_smile:

Where did you get your bracelet and charms? I have found some on the web, but they tend to be very expensive. Any websites you could pass along? Thank you and good luck everyone!!! Kelley

Since I was banded in August '10, I have had periods of an odd sweet taste for no apparent reason. I have searched "sweet taste", "odd sweet taste", etc. in this forum and on the net but haven't found any information. I have read about Ketosis, but that causes a metallic taste, not sweet. I have a doctors appointment in a few weeks, so I check with her, but in the meantime, thought I'd ask here. Thanks and good luck everyone! Kelley

Congrats!!! I am currently at 204.4 and am realy wanting to see 200, let alone 199! I started out weighing 245 and can now buy new clothes. I basically went straight from 20/22 to 18 (for only a few weeks) and jumped to 16, where I am now. But when I see myself in the hundreds again and get into a size 14, I am going to go wild. We are doing it!!! Keeping the faith...you go girl!!!

Hi Bren! Here is some information on diagnosis from the The Intracranial Hypertension Research Foundation at http://www.ihrfoundation.org/intracranial/hypertension/info/C72. How is Diagnosis Made? The Modified Dandy Criteria for Idiopathic Intracranial Hypertension is the official criteria used to diagnose IIH. According to the Dandy criteria, an IIH diagnosis is appropriate if a person: • has signs and symptoms of increased intracranial pressure, such as papilledema and headache; • has no localizing findings on neurological examination (Localizing findings are findings that point to injury of specific brain areas. For instance, a localizing finding could be the inability to move a certain muscle.); • has a normal MRI/CT scan with no evidence of venous obstructive disease; • has high intracranial pressure of 250mm/H2O or above on a spinal tap, with no abnormalities of cerebrospinal fluid; • is awake and alert; • has no other cause of increased intracranial pressure found. A secondary IH (SIH) diagnosis generally pinpoints the cause of the elevated intracranial pressure. Consequently, there may be abnormal findings, in addition to the signs and symptoms of increased intracranial pressure and a high opening pressure on a spinal tap. What is a spinal tap? A lumbar puncture (or spinal tap) is considered the gold standard when it comes to an IH diagnosis. This test measures the pressure of the cerebrospinal fluid that circulates in the sub-arachnoid space, which surrounds the brain and the spinal cord. When intracranial pressure is high, that pressure is transmitted through out the entire sub-arachnoid space. Diagnosis is usually confirmed after a spinal tap reveals a high opening CSF pressure. How is a spinal tap performed? The typical position for a spinal tap is to lie on your side, with knees slightly bent forward. Local anesthesia is given to numb the lower back. Sometimes, an x-ray (fluoroscopy) may be used to help guide the needle connected to the manometer, the device used to measure intracranial pressure, into the subarachnoid space. Once the spinal needle is inserted, the physician may have you extend your legs and ask you to relax in order to obtain an accurate reading. Holding your breath, bearing down (Valsalva maneuver), or sitting, rather than lying on your side, can produce an inaccurate reading. The opening pressure must be measured before any CSF is removed. (The amount of CSF drained during a spinal tap depends on several factors: the opening pressure, the desired closing pressure and the amount of CSF the physician requires for lab studies. Intracranial pressure can be measured in millimeters (mm)/water or centimeters (cm)/water. For example, a reading of 200mm/H2O is equal to 20cm/H2O. For adults: Normal pressure readings are generally below 200mm/H2O. Borderline high pressure readings are between 200-250mm/H2O. Anything above 250mm/H2O is considered a high pressure reading.

Hello zeniada and all family members! I am feeling a little better today, and I thank everyone for their responses. I guess what upsets me is the stop in weight loss because I haven't been doing what I know I need to. I haven't lost anything since the beginning of January. Being ill with Bipolar or any mental illness just is no fun. But I am getting myself psyched up and hope to get that changed! Exercise, exercise, exercise! That is what I need to remember! :Dancing_hmm: (This is me exercising...grimace and all. LOL) And zeniada, I'll be your sister any day if we get each other's back when we fall of the wagon!!! Take care everyone!!! Kelley

Hi Jerseygirl581 and everyone else!!! I talked to my friend today and found out, as has been pointed out since my post last night, that Intracranial Hypertension and pseudotumor cerebri are one and the same. And being that it is still considered a "Rare Disorder", I can't believe how many people are coming out to say they suffer from it. Wow! My friend is taking Topomax and Diamox...and maybe something else I am forgetting. Her pressure is greatly affected by the weather and stress. Her vision is really only affected by flashes of light in her peripheral. Her meds don't seem to be working as well as hoped, so she may have to move on to other treatments as I explained last night. But I told her about you and asked if she could recommend any good websites for information. She really likes http://www.ihrfoundation.org/. They have a lot of great information. Also, she asked me to tell you about the IH registry. It is a registry of people suffering from IH, which is used for research purposes and the more people registered, the more grant money organizations can get for IH research. One of the goals is to get enough people registered to get IH to not be considered rare because obviously (and unfortunately) no one wants to study anything that doesn't affect tons of people. To learn more about the registry, you can sign up at http://www.ihrfoundation.org/intracranial/hypertension/info/C36. There are also a couple of good FaceBook groups to join. And finding a doctor who knows a lot about IH seems to be a difficulty in the IH world. But there are doctors at the Cleveland Clinic who specialize in it! The doctor she is seeing isn't on the CC website but if you call, they make appts. with him. His name is Stuart Tupper (I believe), and he is the only neurologist they have who specializes in IH. They also have an neuro-ophthalmology surgeon. His name is Gregory Kosmorsky, D.O. Well, I hoped I helped! If you have any questions, I'll patch you through to my friend. She has done a ton of research and loves helping people. Good luck everyone and here is to a low-pressure day!!! Kelley

This is so sad. I am only 30lbs pounds down and so many of you are near your goals. I am really happy for you, I just want to be with you. I did really well from banding until Thanksgiving and then went into a depressive episode (I am Bipolar) through mid January. That completely threw me off. While my eating has been pretty good, I haven't exercised much, and I know that is what is wrong. I just wish I could get what I know to kick me in the butt! Hopefully the warming weather and extra hour of daylight will help my modd and energy levels. And a few posts from people encouraging me...please? :smilewinkgrin: Thanks everyone and good luck!!! Kelley

Hi agdunkle! Congratulations and welcome to the family! I can't say how long the stomach can stay swollen. I looked on lapband.com for you but nothing that I can find is specific. However, I do know it can be weeks (if not longer) because your stomach not only has a new band to get used to, but stitches were placed above and below the band to help keep it in place (cool videos on lapband.com show a virtual surgery...stiches and all!). And since we can't just let our stomachs sit dormant and heal, it takes longer for it to heal. Be careful to follow the time frame for advancing your eating because while it may not hurt at that moment, it can cause damage to your healing stitches. I was actually eating ahead of schedule (my oops!) because I read my papers from my surgeon incorrectly. Luckily, it was only things like Cream of Wheat and yogurt, so I didn't mess up my expensive new belly! I was so grateful I didn't hurt myself. I do hope you are one of the lucky people who manages to lose weight without fills...they are out there! And I am jealous! But just know, fills themselves aren't too bad. The actual, physical fill has taken me no longer than 5 or 6 seconds from needle in skin to pulling it out. Don't be afraid to ask for more anesthetic in the injection site if you need it and stick to liquids and mushies for a day or two after fills as fills usually irritate the stomach and can make it swell a little. My doctor forgot to tell me that! Yikes! But my #1 advice is always ask your doctor first about pains or things you know are just "wrong". I have seen people come here to ask questions before calling their doctors about pain and even bleeding! It scares me for them. I paid my doctor too much not to put him to work! Okay...now that I have bored you to death (LOL), I leave wishing you all the luck in the world! There are a lot of really nice people here to help, so ask anything! Be blessed!!! Kelley P.S. I hope it ok that I talked about things other than you asked. No pushiness intended!

Yes!!! The courteous, supportive people are banding together! I love it!!! No pun intended.

I started taking Doxycycline for acne a few months ago. My dermatologist originally suggested I take it with food and in doing so, I had no trouble with taking it. However, as time went by, my stomach and esophagus started burning, even with food...kinda like I had swallowed...oh, what is that minty stuff you rub on sore muscles?...Icy Hot or Biofreeze. The burn only happened when I took the Doxycycline originally. Now, the burning happens sometimes when I eat, no matter the food. What I believe has happened is that the Doxycycline very slowly irritated my stomach until, even with food, the dose caused the burning. Last week, the burning was so bad that I even considered the ER! I have an appointment with my surgeon next week (wish it were sooner) and my guess is that I'll end up with an Endoscopy. I also have an appointment with my dermatologist, so I hope we can get this figured out. So, long story short...anyone else had this kind of problem??? Thanks everyone! Kelley