donali

(((Mary))) Sending you strength and healing vibes...

OH! Can we add the "s" for "specifically... YOU" - I think that would help clarify things even further. sOkay? gOkay?

Alex, are you talking to ME??????? :clock: Sorry, I couldn't resist. I couldn't agree with you more. :hail: Although Dawg has a very intriguing idea... I kinda of like the new language suggestion. What do gyou think? Gyow? Gyom? How about ryou? Gwe really need to stop thinking that everything is about rus. Sometimes it's about gus, even if rwe've just posted. On the other hand, sometimes it really IS about rus, not gus. Peace and love, geveryone! Assuming ieveryone, of course. IMVHO. Really. Actually, I think gwe just need to use more emoticons...

I can't believe you deleted posts... AGAIN... I wondered what was missing, as someone quoted something that was no longer in the thread. sigh... I believe we should get what we pay for. I believe we should educate ourselves as much as possible. I believe that the surgery itself is only the beginning of the journey. And while I think lots of people need/benefit from some sort of program, I'm with Kare on the "my choice" bit. I was self pay, so okay, I didn't have a lot of options I could afford. To tell the truth, I don't know that for a fact - I think I just assumed I would only be able to afford to go to Mexico. But I was definitely over jumping through anyone's hoops, and surgery and fills was basically all I wanted from my band journey. I'm glad I had the Mexico option. And everything was going exactly as planned until... well, you know. :bananajump: I guess some things in Ortiz's post didn't stand out to me like they did to others - I didn't think he was saying that the eroded people here were giving misinformation. And I guess I glossed over the "similar techniques" comment, as I have no idea how much one doc differs from the next. A big congrats on your 12 pounds! And big hugs all around. xxoo

LOL BB - Posting a comment that basically says "Bumping" is when you don't really have anything to add to a thread, but you post a short comment ("BUMP" or something similar) so that it comes back to the top of the list as new posts so people will read it. This way they don't have to make up some sort of inane comment just to get a thread revived. Some find bumping old posts annoying, because they've already read that thread months ago, but some people find it helpful because they're new, or they'd forgotten.

I love the scramble game on your website! Whoo hoo! And welcome, and congrats on Samantha!

Big Paul does indeed ROCK! And Kare - I love your new profile name, and I love your golden rule post!

I'm mapped!!

This is the only board I've found that didn't run off people who had severe problems/complications. This is a highly unusual place. I understand how many people are uncomfortable with being reminded that the possible complications are real - not something that just happens to no one you've ever heard of, and no one you'll ever meet. Having the eroded bandsters stay is a difficult and frightening reminder to some. I would tell all of you this: make peace with the reality of what could happen. Embrace it, learn everything about it, and then LET IT GO. Deal with YOUR day to day reality. My reality is that I eroded. Your reality is that you have not. My eroding does not increase YOUR chances of eroding. Worrying does not increase/decrease your chances. Having us off the board does not increase/decrease your chances. Remaining in denial about the possibility does not increase/decrease your chances. However, if you are educated about the possibilities, IF you end up having a complication, you will know what you are in for, and you will deal with it then. You cannot "pre-" deal with something that hasn't happened, but you can be educated. And education is empowering. Everyone's journey is a little different, and everyone has their own unique challenges. We all handle adversity differently, and we all have our own unique coping mechanisms for when things don't go as planned. This thread brought me to tears - in a good way. Obesity is so complicated, and so emotional. The support here is phenomenol. I appreciate Dr. Ortiz's and Dr. Pleatman's efforts to interact with us. I appreciate those who rally to protect those of us who've eroded like we are some precious commodity (I really appreciate that, and am humbled by it). I LOVE that Cristan is being advised to stick around and get to know us - this is the essence of the LBT that keeps me here. I am in awe of all the people who have joined in this conversation to add their opinions, vent, protect, over-react, restate, poke fun, bring us back to earth, etc. I have seen a lot of posts from people relaying info they'd "heard" or been "told" about erosion that were just plain wrong. I'm glad Dr. Ortiz set the record straight in that regard. And while most band complications are not emergent situations or immediately life threatening, I will caution that in some very rare instances emergent and life threatening situations DO arise. Not all erosions heal as they go, and sometimes stomach content leaks into the gut during the process. A very rare few do experience severe, non-reversible stomach damage - I can think of two on the Yahoo! eroded bandster board. But that is even rarer than the erosions themselves. For many bandsters a more agressive WLS is their second option (for a couple it was their FIRST, but their insurance would only pay for the band!), so Dr. Pleatman suggesting a conversion is not out of line. However, emotions run high, and people can only assimilate information when they're ready for it. For some of us a more drastic WLS will never be an option - for others it would only be an option if things became unbearable and there was literally no other choice. For others it is the logical next step. It's an emotional issue, and emotions aren't static. Hugs to Penni - you will get through this, and your erosion, while possibly never forgotten, will become a thing of the past. You will move forward in your own time. Never forget that life is full of amazing possibilities, and as long as we are here we have the option of exploring them. Science makes amazing discoveries everyday. Society makes amazing progress everyday in awareness and acceptance. It's not always easy, and things don't always seem right, but I believe in the basic goodness of mankind and I think we are all doing our very best at any given moment. We all have to grow, and adversity, challenge and heated discussion helps us get to where we're going. Sometimes it's painful, sometimes it's bliss, but mostly it's just... day by day. Life has no guarantees, no magic formula. It's the journey that's important - not the destination. IMHO

Here's my fainting story from my fourth fill... lol http://lapbandtalk.com/showthread.php?t=756

Oh! I remembered another semi-phobia I have... the fuzzy TV station channels after the broadcasting day ends. I remember in highschool I would quick jump up and turn the TV off during the national anthem BEFORE the screen could go white and fuzzy... I think that was before I saw Poltergeist??? Regardless, I can't leave the channel on a "snow" channel... lol

I still occasionally get "stuck" - and my band was removed 7/04. Sometimes I still feel like I can "feel" it in there, but the restriction I have (which lets me get "stuck") doesn't seem to affect my appetite at all. Unfortunately the hunger level is the same as preband.

<oink> <oink> :baby: uh, I mean, HERE! I'd make the turtle sound, but I haven't learned it yet... :noidea: Don't wake me up... lol I'm in some serious denial... :bananapowerslide:

I did not have a loss of restriction. I was almost a model bandster - the last month my appetite seemed insatiable even though I was "full", so I was over eating somewhat, but not to a painful point, and not to a vomiting/PB point. But I did still feel like I had the same amount of restriction. But I didn't drink carbonation, did not take NSAIDs. I lived on extra strength Tylenol the month I tore my port sutures, but other than that rarely took any kind of medications at all. I lost 100 pounds in 17 months with my band. I did not have any real symptoms of erosion. In hindsight I can say that right before my fourth fill I had a night or two where my band was SO uncomfortable, I felt like it was pinching, or something, and I was thinking I should cancel my fill appoinment. But I kept it anyway, and my doc always lets all the fill run out before refilling, and I felt IMMEDIATE relief from that pinching sensation. My fourth fill was more than the one before, and felt perfect, and I didn't have that same pinching sensation after that at any time. About a week before I had my endoscopy I had what felt like a severe gallbladder attack. I knew it wasn't my gallbladder because that had been removed in 1992 - but the pain felt very similar. I felt like there was a lot of pressure somewhere, that might be relieved by a giant burp or fart, and yet I couldn't burp or fart. It scared me into going for my endoscopy. I was convinced, though, that there was nothing wrong with my band - I just wanted a clean endoscopy so that my PCP couldn't blame it on the band. Regardless of the true reason for that attack, I haven't had one since. So it's possible it was from the erosion, or it's just as possible I had a stone in my bile duct - which does happen sometimes, even after the gallbladder is removed.

Hi, my name is Donali and I was the first LBT erosion. Hopefully I am not responsible for this trend!! I lost my band due to 40% erosion after 17 months. I lost 100 pounds with my band. I was unbanded July 2004, and since that time (in spite of STILL having some residual restriction) have gained most of that 100 pounds back. I don't know how much, exactly, because I don't weigh anymore. But I have gone from a tight 18 back to a 26. Still a couple sizes smaller than where I started, but not as fun as being an 18. I continue to work on my habits. The worst one being not finding motivation to exercise. I do have a very small legitimate excuse for not doing certain types of exercises, but there are still lots of things I could do but don't. I'm working on that... :tired

I was telling my co-workers about this thread at lunch today and we were laughing (in a good way... lol). They asked me what I had posted as my fear, and I said nothing - I'm not really afraid of anything, and I was kind of proud of that fact. I mean, I get startled, but I don't really have any PHOBIAS. Well, I happen to work with my sister, and we always have lunch together, so she said, "What about giving blood? Aren't you afraid of needles?" :faint: DOH!! I am the BIGGEST weenie about NEEDLES. And anything that has to do with veins, joints, eyeballs... lol It TOTALLY creeps me out, and I have fainted more times than I can count now, just because someone was trying to get some blood from me for some sort of blood test, or insert an IV. This is my biggest fear. It is so bad that I even fainted off the toilet just reading an article about vericose veins... :Banane23: How silly is that?!?! I have yet to hear of anyone dying from giving blood or getting an IV... But the thought of that needle inside my vein... ACK! It's getting dark in here! I better stop while I'm still conscious... ROTFLMAO!!!

Ceira - I am SO SO sorry to hear your news. You are (unfortunately) in good company, though. You have a number of people here who have lost their bands due to erosion that can probably relate to everything you're going through right now. Please stick around for the support you're going to continue to need to fight the hunger demons, and for the entertaining threads that help keep my spirits up and give me at least one belly laugh a day. (((hugs)))

This needs to be a sticky - FANTASTIC post, Rorysmom!!!!

(((VQ))) White light and healing vibes beaming your way. Please keep us posted. I know that whatever reality brings you will get through it, one step at a time, and we're all here to cheer you on. xxoo

Draggin, draggin, draggin.... Oh where, oh where has my energy gone??? Not that I had that much to begin with. I want to vent on Francesca's thread, but what's the point. Sigh...

There is a non-adjustable band involved with the vertical banded gastrectomy/gastroplasty. Complications include erosion of the band and staple line dehiscense. http://www.womenfitness.net/vertical_gastrectomy.htm http://www.ddw.org/user-assets/documents/PDF/session_handouts/2004/books/Tuesday/Tues1415Farraye.pdf

Fructose has a low glycemic index compared to white sugar, and is not recommended as a combatant to low blood sugar due to excess insulin for diabetics, because it does not create the blood sugar spike that white sugar or glucose does. http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Fructose However, I just read two articles that make it sound even worse than white sugar - and here I am with several boxes of the stuff, thinking I was doing myself a favor as I try to reduce the amount of artificial sweetner I use. Sheeesh. http://www.mercola.com/2002/jan/5/fructose.htm http://www.thenutritionreporter.com/fructose_dangers.html

Depression is merely anger without enthusiasm Eagles may soar, but weasels don't get sucked into jet engines Early bird gets the worm, but the second mouse gets the cheese I'm not cheap, but I am on special this week I almost had a psychic girlfriend but she left me before we met I drive way too fast to worry about cholesterol I intend to live forever - so far, so good I love defenseless animals, especially in a good gravy If Barbie is so popular, why do you have to buy her friends? If you ain't makin' waves, you ain't kickin' hard enough! Mental backup in progress - Do Not Disturb! Mind Like A Steel Trap - Rusty And Illegal In 37 States Quantum Mechanics: The dreams stuff is made of Support bacteria - they're the only culture some people have The only substitute for good manners is fast reflexes. Ambition is a poor excuse for not having enough sense to be lazy. Give a man a free hand and he'll run it all over you. If I worked as much as others, I would do as little as they. 24 hours in a day ... 24 beers in a case ... coincidence? I think not! If everything seems to be going well, you have obviously overlooked something. Many people quit looking for work when they find a job. Dancing is a perpendicular _expression of a horizontal desire. Everyone has a photographic memory. Some don't have film. Who is General Failure and why is he reading my hard disk? What happens if you get scared half to death twice? Energizer Bunny arrested, charged with battery. Shin: a device for finding furniture in the dark. Join the Army, meet interesting people, kill them. Laughing stock: cattle with a sense of humor. Why do psychics have to ask you for your name? Wear short sleeves! Support your right to bare arms! For Sale: Parachute. Only used once, never opened, small stain. Corduroy pillows: They're making headlines! Black holes are where God divided by zero. All those who believe in psychokinesis raise my hand. I tried sniffing Coke once, but the ice cubes got stuck in my nose.

This happened to me yesterday... Today all seems well for me.

Vines - At least they are actively looking for the cause, and not telling you you're full of "it"... Hopefully if it is Cushings, yours will respond perfectly to treatment and you will be on your way! Woo wooot!