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Honestly this is the best place I've been ever. Nobody will judge you (well unless you need a complete reality check, LOL). There is so much knowledge and expertise and people are so willing to share. I would never have got to where I am now without these guys. Do you have a date or ballpark date for your surgery? So sensible to look at your eating habits well in advance. With respect to your original query - if you can eat soup then everything will be fine. 😍

I had my TT at UCLA, I forget the Doctor's name, it was too many years ago. So really, I'm not much help for your actual query. But, why I'm really here is to let people know that plastic surgery isn't always cosmetic. If you can document things like rashes, infections, and back pain with failed interventions, it becomes a medical condition rather than a cosmetic one. It becomes 'reconstructive surgery' which insurance often pays for. My TT didn't cost me a penny. Good luck, Tek

Everyone's post-surgery instructions are different... I'd assume that you should be sipping slower(longer breaks between sips) and therefore making your 1oz last longer than 3 minutes... But then, I'm not your surgeon/nutritionist... Your best bet would be to ask them... Maybe give it a day or so, gather a few questions (you'll have some), and call them once with a few queries rather than a few times with one question each time.. Good luck to you @@Ilovecats1985 And welcome to sleevehood...

A man posted this in the general Lapband and no one was replying so I thought I would help him and post it in here... Hi I hope you don’t mind me posting like this, but I wondered if any of you might be able to help. To introduce myself, my name is Henry Austin and I am a North American Correspondent for Look magazine in the UK. Please see our website at www. Look.co.uk We are a large weekly women’s magazine, similar in style to People in North America and we pride ourselves on ensuring the welfare of people who are good enough to entrust us with their stories and experiences. My editors have asked me to find a young lady between the ages of 19 and 31 who has lost a large amount of weight after having a lap band. While maybe slightly unrealistic they asked for about 250lbs. We were hoping it might be possible to interview them and produce a feature for our magazine. Please rest assured that if someone decided to go ahead, everything would be treated with the utmost care and sensitivity. They would remain in control of the procedure throughout and I would not do anything without your prior agreement. As with everyone I write about, I would also guarantee to read everything back to you before publication to ensure both accuracy and your happiness with the piece. While I’m sure it is not a prime consideration, it is my duty to inform you that we do compensate everyone for their time in speaking with us or indeed make a donation to the charity of church of their choice. This is usually $1000, although this can rise at the editor’s discretion. If at any point you have any queries please by all means e-mail me at henry.austin@yahoo.ca and I will be happy to answe them for you. Thank you for taking the time to read this letter and may I wish you all, all the best for the future. Kind regards Henry

Happy New Year everybody as its been a while since I was last on here. I'm quite confuzzled & concerned as I have booked my consultation on 6 March 2013; only to be told that I am meeting a Dietician, then the second consultation included in the price is to meet the surgeon & nobody told me that I have to meet the Dietician first? I'm worried that the Dietician will try to put me off for having / wanting the Gastric Bypass Surgery even though I have to pay £11, 000, 00 for it. I thehen I'll have further regular consultations once I've booked my Gastric Bypass. Can anyone help me & comment about their own experiences starting from their first consultation process all the way through up to the Gastric Bypass Surgery, as would very much appreciate it? Kindest Regards Lucii Xx Kindest Regards <br />Lucii24<br />Sent From Samsung Galaxy SIII Using RNYTalk

Hey guys! I'm new here and soon to be sleeved on the 20th of November! I came across this forum through a google search and it was exactly what I was looking for. I've been reading a lot of helpful stuff here the past few days and it's really been like a good friend that understands me and helps me get through my pre-op liquid diet and all other queries I have. A big thanks to everyone for sharing their experiences and providing such a vast amount of information. I'm 24 years old, currently based in Dubai, UAE, where a majority of the population is either over weight or obese. I myself am morbidly obese weighing 447 lbs last I checked at my doctors consultation. However, I'm blessed with a good height so I don't think its too obvious visually. I've always been over weight for my age since the time I was born. However, over the past 6-8 years i've gained weight at a scary rate. I've attempted going on diets, joining the gym, paying for personal trainers but all of that only worked temporarily. I've lost 30-40 pounds previously when I've tried hard but then maintaining a strict diet on a long term basis never worked out. But now the weight has started taking a serious toll on my health and work. I've started experiencing leg and back pains, breathlessness, sleep apnea, extreme laziness etc. So to put it in a nutshell, the past 2 years haven't been very pleasant...mentally or physically. I've been contemplating to go for bariatric surgery for the past 2 years and now i've finally gotten to it. In Dubai, no insurance covers this sort of procedure so it all comes out of our own pockets. Hence its taken a while for me to take this step. I'm currently 3 days into my pre-op liquid diet and it's just been terrible for me. I get extremely tempted since i'm surrounded by hotels and restaurants where I live. And i've never denied myself completely of food before, ever. I have 2 glasses of the Isopure Dutch chocolate Protein shake daily which doesn't taste too bad, but it felt really sickening today. No clue how i'm going to last for another 13 days! I'm just trying to stay focused on the prize. I've become really moody so its hard to talk to a lot of people, but isolation isn't helping either. So i'm really glad i found this forum. It really helps me just going through success stories and other people's journies. I'll try to keep posting updates. I'm really looking forward to the next few months. Although my doc has warned me that i'll be regretting my decision for the next 6 months . Is it really that hard?? I have an idea of what to expect but I hope it isn't too rough. From what I've read, each persons journey is unique in its own. Here's hoping for a 'not too unpleasant' one for myself. Godbless!

Hi All, Somewhere, during my research phase, I saw something that listed all the terms that are used by lap banders. Things like "sliming" (haven't figured that one!!:pray2:) and PB (productive burp:rolleyes:), etc. Of course I did not bookmark it (silly me:redface:). Anyone know where that list is? Thanks, Dana

Has he mentioned why he doesn't want you to have these things? The answer will give you an idea as to his reasoning behind it. I'm with Gh0st in that I feel you do need something in the morning to get your metabolism kick started, otherwise it'll lay dormant until your hunger kicks in and perhaps in doing so, cause you to overeat. For me personally after my most recent fill, I couldn't get any protein or smoothies down because of the texture. The bubbles were just too much. Also, the temperature of the liquids suddenly became an issue and I could only drink hot liquids in the morning. Hot smoothies/shakes just aren't appealing. :glare: You need to find what works for you. Protein is important. If the only way you're going to get it into your system is via the drinks, I don't see how your doctor could tell you that was bad. But of course, his opinion trumps mine, so you really should get his input. Make a call to his office. You don't have to go in for a visit each time you have a question, I'm sure his staff should be able to answer any queries and concerns you may have.

I am ok with a 24 hour response and I am traveling 60-80% of the time no where near the clinic, but I have no idea where everyone got the idea that they bought an instant response with the surgery... You don't get an instant response with your family Doc, any specialist I know including my Dad's cancer docs.. I know I didn't buy an instant response from my plastic surgeon who I have paid just as much money too as I have paid TLBC. You guys may have a different contract than I have but no where at any time did Kathy, Dr Yau or anyone else at TLBC promise they would instantly respond to my queries... and I think if they say 24 hours they they should honour their commitment but if it takes longer it takes longer... (and they should not promise 24 hours on voice mail etc (ie Nancy) ) regardless of where you are in a true emerg situation you are going to the hospital TLBC response or none so what is the big deal? There is nothing out there that should have panicked anyone so much that they can't wait 24 hours for a response and that if they can't wait that long they shouldn't be going to a local emergency to deal with the situation anyway. I am on the road all the time and have been since the week I was banded.. don't carry a fill disk, don't carry a banding card. or needles even. I figured in a true emergency I can get online and show the doc more than the DVD and card can tell them or I am going to be out cold and it won't matter. And I have had complications... lots of em all while traveling and away from the clinic. If TLBC wants to offer an instant pager service and people want to pay fantastic I think it is a waste of your money though. Heather

A flipped port can happen because it wasn't stitched down properly or because of some movement or exercise that you have done, possibly prematurely, that causes the muscle and therefore the port to move. It is quite a common occurrence but the fix is usually pretty simple. $3000 sounds like a lot of money to pay for them to correct this. Have you queried it?

OK, I've been on a liquid diet for 5 Weeks - and I was SOOOOO excited to go to the doctors today and be advanced to 'soft' and then 'regular' foods. I had decided a portion of a Veggie Soft Taco from Taco Time would be my treat for a job well done. I didn't drink anything until the doctors office to maximize my weight loss (I also wore shorts and thongs). OK, I get there, I did well, my mouth is just salivating - I talk to the doctor - he asks me how I'm doing - I'm doing great - no problems - excep HUNGER! I tell him about a little stitch poking out, he says climb up on the table "I'm going to feel you". My physician has an accent - but I got ready, and he took a long time to get something to remove the suture with, and came back in with a cart. He started filling needs and I said, what are you doin? He said "I'm going to feel you". I queried "why do you need a needle to feel me?". I couldn't believe it - he was going to "fill me". Of course, I was excited. Then came the words. MORE liquids for 2-3 days, and then of course - restriction. I just feel like going and slurping up some ranch sauce - I want that taco so bad! Oh well. But hey - my sister decided to do my diet with me - and she lost 18 pounds this month! She's smaller than me - and DID GREAT. I called her and let her know about my loss (just slightly more than her) - He must have known I was going to eat - he just must have known! I thought it was funny - but I'm happy.

My Doctor is being quite good and patient with mu panicked queries. He says not to worry although when I spoke to him yesterday he wanted me to cut down on my calories, something I sort of balked at, because I was at a loss what to cut out and I'm also working out for about an hour everyday :/ I just wonder if someone else has experienced something similar because it's a bit discouraging. Sent from my SM-G960F using BariatricPal mobile app

OMIGAWD!!!!! I just asked my husband about the cat balls/neutered query and he confirmed that they do indeed hack 'em off... OOOOOOOOOOOMIGAWD. So, they are CASTRATED?????? Okay now I'm realllllly freaked out...hubby just told me that the same thing happens to dogs (whom I loooooove) when they are neutered......that is soooooooooooo cruel............

Yes, I realize all that Donna, and it has already been explained to Kim about the liver etc and what the diet is for. However, I was responding to her question about the yougurt/cot. cheese versus the chocolate bar having the same amount of calories....so I told her that IN THIS CASE it was about the fat content versus the caloric content. Nothing I said goes against what you said. I was banded by the same docs as she will be banded by, had the same pre-op requirements and she will have the same post-op requirements. So, I feel confident in discussing with her the things that our pre and post operative care personnel tell us. In no way did I insinuate that calories weren't important....I was responding to her query about chocolate versus the yougurt for the pre-op diet as well as to her query about how much of the cott. cheese/yog. she can have. I am in a position to respond to that specific query, given the fact we share the same docs. Just wanted to clarify that I did not state otherwise wrt this caloric/fat issue; I'm quite well aware of the scientific processes behind the whole matter.

In the part I, I had discussed briefly about how most of the small businesses go about selecting a product, whereas a successful small businessmen would be careful and would evaluate the product based on various aspects listed below before making a choice. I will relist all the important factors, which one should consider before buying an ecommerce product (www.ritecart.co.uk) or software for their company. 1.Ease of configuration 2.Ability to Scale 3.Useful latest features 4.Available marketing tools with the product 5.Ability to analyze data (analytics, not only google analytics!!) 6.Reports 7.Integration (with other modules, Like epos with near realtime online/offline synchronization of data and other packaged application ) 8.Customer Service 9.Technical Support 10.Technical Implementation Aspects 11.Build vs Buy Ease of Configuration- It is very important that the product is configurable and suited for one’s current needs and future needs, Like some of the things one may want to determine that how easy it is to ·Add products, categories and catalogs. Can this be dynamically created using administrative tool and dynamically displayed on the user side? Can it support multiple images with different resolution to be displayed on the user side? ·Look and manage all the orders placed by the administrator? Before placing the order, does it check for inventories? Does it notify the administrators, if the inventories go below a threshold value? Can the administrator mix and match the shipment to the customer? ·Create new sales store and new warehouses for inventories? Can the store’s inventory be picked up from different warehouses? ·Define several types of prices for the same product like list price, default price, component price, sale price etc? Can the price be dynamically setup using a rules engine? ·Associate a product with host of features like size, color, height, width, UOM, density, length etc? Can the product be setup and shown on the user side on any of the feature mentioned above or any of your new custom features? ·Return an order, look at shopping list/wish list, browse through the items last visited, go to most popular products in store, discounted product or special product in store, look at promotional products, place a review on the product, recommend a product or provide a valuable feedback and look at the products which are most sought by the people who had brought the same product as the customer in past? ·Can I select or add a new payment processor easily? I may want to use PayPAL today but I may need GoogleCheck out tomorrow. How many Payment engines does the product support? ·Customize my shipment company or add a new shipping company? Can I integrate directly with ups, RoyalMail, USPS, Fedex etc? Technical Support In the same vein, one shouldn’t have to jump through hoops to get someone to aid you if there is a problem with your online store—so make sure the service providers have experienced, reliable technical support and are committed to fixing a coding error or bug quickly. Quality counts; be assured that your ecommerce service provider (www.palindromesoftware.com) has people behind and are equally committed to quality and the customer experience as you are. Technical Implementation Aspects This is one of the most neglected factors by the ecommerce customer community. Remember, Ignorance is not always bliss. it is important to understand that the product development technology plays a vital role in defining product features, customization, support and ease of product usage. It is fairly common these days to use a scripting language to build products because that is the easiest way to build a product for the product supplier!! I encourage customers to ask some specific questions, to name a few ·How can I customize the product behavior? Does it use XML or Property files? ·How can I change my query? Can I change without looking into the code? ·How can I change the content? ·Can my Home page flash dynamically pick up product images, price and other details from my database ·What language is used for development for product? Scripting language like PHP and others are a huge no, no. Make sure that your product is built using a software language like Java or .NET (most preferred ones) ·Can I add more modules to my product? How simple is it? Is the development Object Oriented Our product RiteCart (www.ritecart.co.uk) is built using robust MVC/Struts framework, which is modular, extensible and configurable. Technologies used in this product are Java, XML, BSH. Build vs. Buy Over the period of time, this has become one of my favorite customer questions. Build or Buy? I usually answer this by asking a question- how much ROI do you expect out of your ecommerce investment and product? Building is an expensive option (not from cost point of view but from ROI Point of view). You can build your solution using one of these options 1.Build with a good reliable vendor onsite (with or without an open source solution) 2.Build with a good vendor offshore 3.Build with a small vendor onsite/offshore 4.Go for your own development with some open source tools Point 1, 2 &3 are feasible but one should ask himself the following questions, is the cost feasible? Will the vendor understand all the functional needs of the ecommerce solution? How long has the vendor been in the ecommerce solution market? Will the solution be ever built? Will it work as per expectations? Can the software vendor be relied upon? How much time will it take? What impact does it have on my business if it is not delivered to my satisfaction? Finally for option 4, if you decide to pursue an open-source application to manage your store, make sure to thoroughly research and examine your options. Is the project continuously updated, or has it been stagnant for a long time, with very few updates on the project and very little news as to where it is headed? Several open-source solutions are released every year. However, very few have the longevity that you will need to be used as a foundation for your online store. Examine the programmers behind it, and others who use the program. Buying option is a much easier option. One can feel and see the solution. One can make sure that he has got everything in the product he needs. Also, he can be rest assured that the company has the required functional, technical and support expertise to support all of his needs. Finally, look at the company that’s behind your eCommerce solution (www.ritecart.co.uk). What have they done in the past? Are they a growing enterprise, likely to continually make improvements to their firm, and pass on those benefits to you? When considering a package, make sure that the company you are dealing with is credible, with a solid reputation to back up any claims. See where your customer and technical support will come from. Is it in-house or out-sourced? Do they have a solid, supportive community in the form of a forum, blog, or network of satisfied eCommerce businesses (www.ritecart.co.uk)? Examine the philosophy behind the company. Ask for references or email others, who’ve used their services in the past, and see what they have to say about the different aspects of the company you may be working with. These are the people who are going to help you build your business and make it a success; so choose wisely. Ritecart product (www.ritecart.co.uk) is sold in two flavors (Lite & enterprise). If you are looking for ecommerce software, Please request for a quotation from our Sales team. We have got the right product for you tagged with the right price!!! Author is working as a Senior Retail Analyst with Palindrome Software Labs (www.palindromesoftware.com).

In the part I, I had discussed briefly about how most of the small businesses go about selecting a product, whereas a successful small businessmen would be careful and would evaluate the product based on various aspects listed below before making a choice. I will relist all the important factors, which one should consider before buying an ecommerce product (www.ritecart.co.uk) or software for their company. 1.Ease of configuration 2.Ability to Scale 3.Useful latest features 4.Available marketing tools with the product 5.Ability to analyze data (analytics, not only google analytics!!) 6.Reports 7.Integration (with other modules, Like epos with near realtime online/offline synchronization of data and other packaged application ) 8.Customer Service 9.Technical Support 10.Technical Implementation Aspects 11.Build vs Buy Ease of Configuration- Integration Integration is one of the key non functional requirements; one should look at, before choosing ecommerce software (www.ritecart.co.uk). Some of the key questions would be how easy is it to integrate with third party software? Does the ecommerce provider have the pluggable modules provided like Epos (Online electronic Point Of Sale) and Accounting package? Palindrome Software Labs (www.palindromesoftware.com) has been very successful in marketing and selling its RiteCart enterprise product, which has ecommerce, epos, accounting and other pluggable modules. Major sales in the RiteCart enterprise have been the epos and ecommerce combination. RiteCart (www.ritecart.co.uk) has n tier architecture for its epos module. Epos module has online/offline synchronization with the order management, warehouse management and ecommerce module As I said earlier, ecommerce solution should be the tool for business to enhance its marketability, sales and in no way should limit it. Customer Service Any online retailer will understand how important customer service is to maintaining the success of a business. In choosing an eCommerce package, as a consumer, customer support is all the more important. Make sure that eCommerce software provider does provide with the elements you need to keep an online business operating at its peak level at all times. Does the vendor offer notifications regarding product updates or enhancements, personalized service, and technical support? Is there an option for an online help with live chat and IP2IP calling (www.supportnow.biz)? Keep in mind that the eCommerce solution provider should offer the same individualized service that one would want to give to his customers. Technical Support In the same vein, one shouldn’t have to jump through hoops to get someone to aid you if there is a problem with your online store—so make sure the service providers have experienced, reliable technical support and are committed to fixing a coding error or bug quickly. Quality counts; be assured that your ecommerce service provider (www.palindromesoftware.com) has people behind and are equally committed to quality and the customer experience as you are. Technical Implementation Aspects This is one of the most neglected factors by the ecommerce customer community. Remember, Ignorance is not always bliss. it is important to understand that the product development technology plays a vital role in defining product features, customization, support and ease of product usage. It is fairly common these days to use a scripting language to build products because that is the easiest way to build a product for the product supplier!! I encourage customers to ask some specific questions, to name a few ·How can I customize the product behavior? Does it use XML or Property files? ·How can I change my query? Can I change without looking into the code? ·How can I change the content? ·Can my Home page flash dynamically pick up product images, price and other details from my database ·What language is used for development for product? Scripting language like PHP and others are a huge no, no. Make sure that your product is built using a software language like Java or .NET (most preferred ones) ·Can I add more modules to my product? How simple is it? Is the development Object Oriented Our product RiteCart (www.ritecart.co.uk) is built using robust MVC/Struts framework, which is modular, extensible and configurable. Technologies used in this product are Java, XML, BSH. Build vs. Buy Over the period of time, this has become one of my favorite customer questions. Build or Buy? I usually answer this by asking a question- how much ROI do you expect out of your ecommerce investment and product? Building is an expensive option (not from cost point of view but from ROI Point of view). You can build your solution using one of these options 1.Build with a good reliable vendor onsite (with or without an open source solution) 2.Build with a good vendor offshore 3.Build with a small vendor onsite/offshore 4.Go for your own development with some open source tools Point 1, 2 &3 are feasible but one should ask himself the following questions, is the cost feasible? Will the vendor understand all the functional needs of the ecommerce solution? How long has the vendor been in the ecommerce solution market? Will the solution be ever built? Will it work as per expectations? Can the software vendor be relied upon? How much time will it take? What impact does it have on my business if it is not delivered to my satisfaction? Finally for option 4, if you decide to pursue an open-source application to manage your store, make sure to thoroughly research and examine your options. Is the project continuously updated, or has it been stagnant for a long time, with very few updates on the project and very little news as to where it is headed? Several open-source solutions are released every year. However, very few have the longevity that you will need to be used as a foundation for your online store. Examine the programmers behind it, and others who use the program. Buying option is a much easier option. One can feel and see the solution. One can make sure that he has got everything in the product he needs. Also, he can be rest assured that the company has the required functional, technical and support expertise to support all of his needs. Finally, look at the company that’s behind your eCommerce solution (www.ritecart.co.uk). What have they done in the past? Are they a growing enterprise, likely to continually make improvements to their firm, and pass on those benefits to you? When considering a package, make sure that the company you are dealing with is credible, with a solid reputation to back up any claims. See where your customer and technical support will come from. Is it in-house or out-sourced? Do they have a solid, supportive community in the form of a forum, blog, or network of satisfied eCommerce businesses (www.ritecart.co.uk)? Examine the philosophy behind the company. Ask for references or email others, who’ve used their services in the past, and see what they have to say about the different aspects of the company you may be working with. These are the people who are going to help you build your business and make it a success; so choose wisely. Ritecart product (www.ritecart.co.uk) is sold in two flavors (Lite & enterprise). If you are looking for ecommerce software, Please request for a quotation from our Sales team. We have got the right product for you tagged with the right price!!! Author is working as a Senior Retail Analyst with Palindrome Software Labs (www.palindromesoftware.com).

Money-Saving Suggestions for Buying Samsung Toner Cartridges You can find heaps of who don't know even the application of Samsung toner cartridges. Also called a Samsung laser toner, they could be discovered inside laser printers. It is the half you will need to interchange on occasion. Should you own a printer, you will need to exchange the Samsung toner cartridges regularly. Throughout the lifetime of a printer, a individual will pay a more cash just for replacing Samsung laser toners than what had been the selling price with the printer. So isn't it a excellent concept to have some knowledge of a couple of strategies to save lots of on this expense? Buying in large quantities is usually a money-saving tactic; this is applicable in case of Samsung printer toner too. Buying these in bulk may be probably the most lucrative means of paying for these. Many businesses, primarily the on the web ones, offer replacements for a excellent price. Buying re-manufactured Samsung printer toner rather than going for the new ones is one of the most direct and easy routes 1 may take to save a handful of additional dollars. An individual can be assured that they are buying an extended-lasting product, since the quality of these cartridges is examined to ensure that they are functioning as intended. These units typically take much more or much less 10 minutes to install. Another costly mistake you can make is leaping to conclusions when you find printouts with streaks of ink throughout the paper. When this takes place, individuals believe that their Samsung toner has exhaust ink and go for replacement. The reality is that they presumably have some quantity of ink left. When this occurs, the cartridge wants to become eliminated and shaken a few occasions so as to obtain the residual ink to settle. This time another cartridge may very well be ordered because when the existing a single really has no ink, you have the brand new cartridge at hand, prepared to become installed. Purchasing appropriate Samsung toner cartridges is another way of saving money. These cartridges are built in this manner which they match the correct specs of the laser printer. Thus, an individual may choose from numerous diverse to save cash on printer equipment Today you need not take out time from the busy schedule to try to find a retailer that may provide you with such supplies. LaptopTraveller.com Can be a reputed website where it is possible to get every little thing you will need! These sellers interact with you on the web and hearken to all your queries to offer you with the best feasible deal. You needn't look for a second option once you call them. Are you prepared to economize?

In the part I, I had discussed briefly about how most of the small businesses go about selecting a product, whereas a successful small businessmen would be careful and would evaluate the product based on various aspects listed below before making a choice. I will relist all the important factors, which one should consider before buying an ecommerce product (www.ritecart.co.uk) or software for their company. 1.Ease of configuration 2.Ability to Scale 3.Useful latest features 4.Available marketing tools with the product 5.Ability to analyze data (analytics, not only google analytics!!) 6.Reports 7.Integration (with other modules, Like epos with near realtime online/offline synchronization of data and other packaged application ) 8.Customer Service 9.Technical Support 10.Technical Implementation Aspects 11.Build vs Buy Ease of Configuration- It is very important that the product is configurable and suited for one’s current needs and future needs, Like some of the things one may want to determine that how easy it is to ·Add products, categories and catalogs. Can this be dynamically created using administrative tool and dynamically displayed on the user side? Can it support multiple images with different resolution to be displayed on the user side? ·Look and manage all the orders placed by the administrator? Before placing the order, does it check for inventories? Does it notify the administrators, if the inventories go below a threshold value? Can the administrator mix and match the shipment to the customer? ·Create new sales store and new warehouses for inventories? Can the store’s inventory be picked up from different warehouses? ·Define several types of prices for the same product like list price, default price, component price, sale price etc? Can the price be dynamically setup using a rules engine? ·Associate a product with host of features like size, color, height, width, UOM, density, length etc? Can the product be setup and shown on the user side on any of the feature mentioned above or any of your new custom features? ·Return an order, look at shopping list/wish list, browse through the items last visited, go to most popular products in store, discounted product or special product in store, look at promotional products, place a review on the product, recommend a product or provide a valuable feedback and look at the products which are most sought by the people who had brought the same product as the customer in past? ·Can I select or add a new payment processor easily? I may want to use PayPAL today but I may need GoogleCheck out tomorrow. How many Payment engines does the product support? ·Customize my shipment company or add a new shipping company? Can I integrate directly with ups, RoyalMail, USPS, Fedex etc? Ability to Scale customer support is all the more important. Make sure that eCommerce software provider does provide with the elements you need to keep an online business operating at its peak level at all times. Does the vendor offer notifications regarding product updates or enhancements, personalized service, and technical support? Is there an option for an online help with live chat and IP2IP calling (www.supportnow.biz)? Keep in mind that the eCommerce solution provider should offer the same individualized service that one would want to give to his customers. Technical Support In the same vein, one shouldn’t have to jump through hoops to get someone to aid you if there is a problem with your online store—so make sure the service providers have experienced, reliable technical support and are committed to fixing a coding error or bug quickly. Quality counts; be assured that your ecommerce service provider (www.palindromesoftware.com) has people behind and are equally committed to quality and the customer experience as you are. Technical Implementation Aspects This is one of the most neglected factors by the ecommerce customer community. Remember, Ignorance is not always bliss. it is important to understand that the product development technology plays a vital role in defining product features, customization, support and ease of product usage. It is fairly common these days to use a scripting language to build products because that is the easiest way to build a product for the product supplier!! I encourage customers to ask some specific questions, to name a few ·How can I customize the product behavior? Does it use XML or Property files? ·How can I change my query? Can I change without looking into the code? ·How can I change the content? ·Can my Home page flash dynamically pick up product images, price and other details from my database ·What language is used for development for product? Scripting language like PHP and others are a huge no, no. Make sure that your product is built using a software language like Java or .NET (most preferred ones) ·Can I add more modules to my product? How simple is it? Is the development Object Oriented Our product RiteCart (www.ritecart.co.uk) is built using robust MVC/Struts framework, which is modular, extensible and configurable. Technologies used in this product are Java, XML, BSH. Build vs. Buy Over the period of time, this has become one of my favorite customer questions. Build or Buy? I usually answer this by asking a question- how much ROI do you expect out of your ecommerce investment and product? Building is an expensive option (not from cost point of view but from ROI Point of view). You can build your solution using one of these options 1.Build with a good reliable vendor onsite (with or without an open source solution) 2.Build with a good vendor offshore 3.Build with a small vendor onsite/offshore 4.Go for your own development with some open source tools Point 1, 2 &3 are feasible but one should ask himself the following questions, is the cost feasible? Will the vendor understand all the functional needs of the ecommerce solution? How long has the vendor been in the ecommerce solution market? Will the solution be ever built? Will it work as per expectations? Can the software vendor be relied upon? How much time will it take? What impact does it have on my business if it is not delivered to my satisfaction? Finally for option 4, if you decide to pursue an open-source application to manage your store, make sure to thoroughly research and examine your options. Is the project continuously updated, or has it been stagnant for a long time, with very few updates on the project and very little news as to where it is headed? Several open-source solutions are released every year. However, very few have the longevity that you will need to be used as a foundation for your online store. Examine the programmers behind it, and others who use the program. Buying option is a much easier option. One can feel and see the solution. One can make sure that he has got everything in the product he needs. Also, he can be rest assured that the company has the required functional, technical and support expertise to support all of his needs. Finally, look at the company that’s behind your eCommerce solution (www.ritecart.co.uk). What have they done in the past? Are they a growing enterprise, likely to continually make improvements to their firm, and pass on those benefits to you? When considering a package, make sure that the company you are dealing with is credible, with a solid reputation to back up any claims. See where your customer and technical support will come from. Is it in-house or out-sourced? Do they have a solid, supportive community in the form of a forum, blog, or network of satisfied eCommerce businesses (www.ritecart.co.uk)? Examine the philosophy behind the company. Ask for references or email others, who’ve used their services in the past, and see what they have to say about the different aspects of the company you may be working with. These are the people who are going to help you build your business and make it a success; so choose wisely. Ritecart product (www.ritecart.co.uk) is sold in two flavors (Lite & enterprise). If you are looking for ecommerce software, Please request for a quotation from our Sales team. We have got the right product for you tagged with the right price!!! Author is working as a Senior Retail Analyst with Palindrome Software Labs (www.palindromesoftware.com).

Thank you all for your responses! I am seeing a cardiologist. I have a small blockage in one of my arteries and this will not go away without some sort of surgery. Hence the baby aspirin once a day. I've been to all the nutrition classes, and pre-op and post-op classes. Yesterday, only a week before surgery, we had another one and this one was much more informative, but I was angry, because this information should have been one of the first things they give you. My Dr. is one of the top in the field, but he is stuck on by-pass surgery and not so on lap-band. He's very good at what he does and I believe he is being overly cautious. Which can be good, at times. Since I've been trying to figure all this out, I've found out that I can take liquid ibprofen, which may be another option for my pain. One person, here, mentioned that my knee pain would lessen after I lose weight. I realize that, but it will not make my arthritis go away and I have it in other areas of my body. I've had surgery on both thumbs already. Since I already have a partial replacement in one knee, I will eventually need a full replacement in that knee. And the more I find out about what to expect after surgery, I'm getting more and more frightened of what I'm about to do. I woke up this very morning with terrible knee pain and a back ache. I know I need to lose this weight, but the surgery is scaring me. I will stay on liquids, until I can decide whether this is the answer for me or not. Thank you all, again for answering my query.

I’m 62 pounds lighter since my May 28th LAP-BAND® surgery. In eighteen weeks, there has been such significant weight loss and, more relevantly, so much positive change in my health that I can hardly remember the time when I was medically obese and “lost.” First, let’s dispense with the formalities. Need to know exactly what LAP-BAND® surgery involves? Click on The LAP-BAND® I : "Entering the zone" | Babyboomers.tv. Want to know how civilians react to news that I’ve elected to have surgery? Click on http://babyboomers.tv/content/LAP-BAND®-zone-ii-dealing-civilian-response. Interested in hearing about my status and what happens next? Read on. In addition to monthly post-op visits with Dr. Gellman, my bariatric surgeon, -- click on www.northshoresurgical.net -- I’ve lived through 4 months now as a post-operative LAP-BAND® patient. It doesn’t feel that much different than following Weight Watchers, Atkins, and other weight loss programs. Except … I’ve had laparoscopic surgery to help cure my lifelong addiction to food; There is this device inside of me banding the upper portion of my stomach; The LAP-BAND® is a “tool” to help me cut down on food consumption; While my 62-pound weight loss has been sensational, the doctor reminded me this week that the band was inserted for a reason and it’s time to tighten it now. So, this is a different reality for me. The band will be tightened in a few days by injecting saline solution into a port which has been surgically inserted on the inside of my stomach epidermis. The net result is that the band will be tightened and my little stomach pouch (the “stoma”) will feel full with less food. I’ll have to go back on a liquid diet for a few days to allow the stoma to adjust to its new tighter reality. Aside from my regular visits with Dr. Gellman, I also attend a monthly support group with other post-op patients. These groups are enormously helpful for both the camaraderie of those who have been through my same experience as well as for the practical advice I get from participants. At the last group, the topic was “How have you changed for the better or worse following surgery?” I believe life is drastically different (and better) since surgery. However, I’m still a LAP-BAND® rookie so I asked the group “do you all tell people that you’ve had LAP-BAND® surgery?” Interesting responses: “it’s none of anybody’s business”; “nobody has to know”; “they don’t understand”; and, “I only tell my closest friends and relatives”. I understand. Even though I’ve gone public on this website for the entire world to know my story, there are specific people in my life who don’t know about my decision to go through with LAP-BAND® surgery --- most importantly, my mother and father-in-law. They are in their 80’s and they just wouldn’t understand the surgical procedure (or the need for it). Mind you, they are each thrilled to hear about and see my weight loss progress. The best advice to come from the support group, however, has been “If anyone asks how you lost the weight, tell them you’re on Weight Watchers.” This echoes a similar sentiment from Dr Gellman, who reports: “so many of the patients in our practice simply default to “Weight Watchers” when asked how they lost the weight. There is logic here … the final phase of post-operative eating adjustment encompasses a diet that is very much like the Weight Watchers protocol: Eat fruits and vegetables liberally; Follow portion control: 1 ounce of meat = size of a matchbox; 3 ounces of meat = size of a deck of cards; 3 ounces of fish = size of a checkbook; Medium apple = size of a tennis ball. [*]Use little, if any, sugar; [*]Choose lower fat foods; [*]Avoid fried foods; [*]Eat 3 meals a day; [*]Exercise regularly, preferably 3 or 5 or 7 times per week (I walk 4 miles every day;) Who, among us, has not seen this movie before? And yet it really is unlike the thousands of diets I’ve previously been on. I think it has a lot to do with my commitment to a new way of life once I agreed to the surgery. And, I strongly believe in my ability to do this. Also, there is the reality that the little stomach pouch won’t hold the huge quantities of food I had become accustomed to eating. But, if we’re honest, I believe it’s that I don’t want to betray the promise I made to myself: this time, it’s for good and will be different than before. At our tender age when death and illnesses are dodging us, who is gonna argue? I’ve learned from my support group that the post-op fellowship strongly resembles Alcoholics Anonymous: it’s critical to keep sharing your feelings and to report any incident(s) of falling off the wagon. Fine with me, so far. But then, I’ve never really had a problem losing weight --- it’s maintaining my goal weight that has always done me in. For now, I take it one day at a time. The weight loss has been thrilling and I’m extremely grateful for my newfound health and mobility. I’m off blood pressure medicine, I don’t need the sleep apnea machine and my knees have magically stopped hurting during my 3-4 mile daily walks. As for the outside world and how to respond to the queries about “how did you do it?” … I smile like a Cheshire cat and reply that my answer lies in a renewed commitment to exercise and a diet of fruits, vegetables and healthy proteins. I guess my real shorthand answer can be “I’m going to Weight Watchers.”

When my mum has a reaction to medications she gets the numbing of the tongue, seeing as you've been on antibiotics for a while you might want to query it with your doctor. Also if you have weird taste check you haven't developed thrush because if the antibiotics.

I'm also wondering if my band is too tight, and I posted a similar query just moments after yours, so I don't really have answers but I am curious, does your doctor allow patients to eat regular foods (apple, cereal, etc.) after a fill? My doctor recommends only liquids the day of the fill, and then one day of mushies after that, then if all is OK, back to regular food. You might try going back to liquids or mushies (but make sure to say away from hidden bubbles like a Protein shake blended in the blender!). Kathy

I think that was me, Sunwyse, and I'm going to go find it, copy/paste it here and put it in the post-op forum as a new thread as well, as this is by far the most common query that new bandsters have in their post-op period. I wish the doctors would warn us to expect this, so that people wouldn't get the 3 week post-op blues about it.

Thank you Janie - I certainly find writing down how I'm feeling helpful, I find it helps sort stuff out in my head a bit. Hi Leatha - I live in Scotland, UK so our health service is slightly different than in the states. I agree that it is imperative that we arrange for a support network prior to surgery. I did that before I had my surgery and am in contact with a surgeon closer to home who I can contact with any queries/worries/further treatment, although I do have the option to return to Lyon which is only a couple of hours away from the UK. I'm approaching my first bandiversary and so far I haven't had any band problems, but it is something that I am very aware of. I agree whole heartedly that anyone contemplating surgery make sure that they have the aftercare in place pre surgery. Although we all focus on our surgery date, it is actually the work we do afterwards that is the most important as regards achieving optimum health and weight loss. I also believe that it is important that we address the psychological aspect of our obesity if we are to maintain permanent weight loss. I think potential band problems such as slippage, band erosion is something that most bandsters dread. If I was unable to have another band placed or have the problem fixed surgically I just don't know what I would do. The band would still be my surgery of choice, and if that option was out of the equation I would find it virtually impossible to come to terms with the thought of undergoing an alternative surgery. My long term goal is to have worked through my issues with food/the psychological issues enough that I could at least maintain my weight without any surgical intervention. I'm a long, long way off being anywhere near that stage currently but I recognise that it isn't a total impossibility and as long as I am able to form independent thought and make my own choices it is in the realms of possibility. I strongly believe that the only limitations we have are the ones we place on ourselves. It has taken me a long time and a lot of work to acknowledge that I need to take responsibililty for myself and my actions but I think that I will only truly achieve a level of contentment within myself and my weight when I have done so. It is a long, hard slog and I am still fairly early on in thep process, but I think it is worth pursing. The journey I have chosen to embark on is constantly evolving and sometimes it may feel like the goalposts are forever moving, but if I don't work at it the alternatives are a lot more frightening and frustrating. This is truly work in progress ..... Sending you all positive thoughts.

I completely get what Ur saying as I feel and felt the same, and I put a query up bout my sleeve and got chastised aswell when I wasn't actually saying what they believed