donali

The Inamed band ports are made of titanium, which most airport security metal detectors do not pick up. If the detector recognizes titanium, you will beep. But as I said, as of today, anyway, MOST airport security metal detectors do not pick up titanium, so no beeping.

Hi gyp - I feel your pain. My new "strategy" is to get my heart rate up for just ONE minute every hour at work. So far I've gotten it done three times each day. I am lucky that we have a small gym here, so I just get on the elliptacle machine and go as fast as I can for a minute. Seems like an hour... lol But I'm breathing heavy, and I can feel my heart going for a good 5 minutes afterwards. I have no idea if this will do anything for furthering my health goals, but this last time I went for my minute I did 1.5 - it's only like my 6th time in two days, and already it seems as though it's getting easier. Okay, now that I've written this out it seems super silly, but I'm doing it anyway - I figure it can't hurt. lol So maybe you can do a few calisthetics in your cube every hour? Just for a minute or two?

So thrilled and envious!!! Whhoooo hooo!! I lived/breathed/dreamt horses until I was about 20, at which point I had pretty much resigned myself to the fact that it didn't seem likely I would ever have one of my own. But whenever I see one, I fantasize how free I would be, living like a hermit off the land in some remote mountainous place, just me, my horse and my dog... SO SO SO proud of you!!! Keep us updated! xxoo

Hi Ramona - I got your PM, and thought I'd answer your questions here for the benefit of others with similar questions. I don't remember exactly the regime Dr. Lopez had me on, but I'm pretty sure it was four weeks of liquids. I think he said the first week or two was supposed to be Clear Liquids, but because they never gave me my intro basket of approved liquids I just stuck to Water, broth, hot Jello, hot tea, EAS Advantage chocolate (Protein drink - pre-packaged. Pricey, but I thought they were tasty). Also Gatorade was on his list, so Mom had gotten me one bottle of that - YUCK! I did finish that off, but didn't replenish. After my four weeks of liquids I had two weeks of mushies, and then moved to solids. I was pretty tight my first four weeks, so did not suffer one little bit on 4 weeks of liquids, but that is often not the case with others. My last two weeks of full liquids I did blend chili and thin with tomato juice - yum. I didn't get my first fill right away because I was doing fine with initial band restriction. I think I was 8-10 weeks out before my first fill. It all seems so long ago now... Dr. Lopez's number one rule is NO VOMITING (he means PBs as well as "real" vomiting). I really took that to heart, and tried to be very very careful. I got and filled a prescription for phenergren from my Kaiser doc just incase of flu/food poisoning, and I was mostly very careful to not PB. In the 17 months I was banded I PB'd less than 10 times, and those few times were pretty much grouped together. Good luck!

UPDATE: Kyleigh was the lucky recipient. This drawing is now closed. *************** I posted this in Nykee's food journal thread, and am bringing this info into the mainstream for anyone interested: ********** I have an extra "Picture Perfect Weight Loss" book by Dr. Shapiro that was sent to me by mistake when I ordered a different one of his books, and I never returned it. The cover is scuffed, but other than that it seems to be in new condition. If anyone wants it, EMAIL me. I imagine I will get several responses, so at the end of today/first thing Wednesday morning (4/13/05 PST) I will do a random drawing from the requests I receive and will send it off as a gift to the lucky winner once they email me their mailing address. I will NOT consider PM requests (my PM box is full!!! Do NOT PM me!!!)

Hi All - The recent layoffs here have left a bad taste in my mouth, and BF is disillusioned with the level of education at the community college level here. We're thinking, there must be something better... This is my idea - I think it would be great if he could lead tours to places of geologic interest (he being a PhD Paleontologist). These tours would not be hard-core science tours, but more like intro level geology for the area we'd tour to - on the same level as a credit-worthy field trip. NOT touristy tours, although there would be a little time built in for that type of stuff, but the focus/point of the tour would be geology. Places of interest and knowledge for him: Egypt Italy Czech Republic Estonia Poland Certain places in the states He's arranged and lead student field trips in the past to Egypt and Mt Vesuvius in Italy, and the students really enjoyed it, but that was as an employee at a university, not just him as an individual business person. My dream would be to maybe be able to partner with community colleges across America to offer the fields trips for credit, as well as publicizing them in scientific magazines and through a regular business website where people could sign-up and make payments, etc. Possibly partnering with a travel agency that sets up tours, etc. to help with low cost blocks of airline tickets, etc. I know there would be a lot of obstacles to overcome and that it wouldn't be easy getting something set up, but just for argument's sake, lets pretend that this is a doable and viable venture. How would we go about this? Our number one concern would be what kind of insurance would we have to have - what kind of liability would we have for participants? Certainly we would have to have some legal advice and have some waivers of liability drawn up that would have to be signed. I think it would be fantastic if we could go into a business like this together - I could managed the paperwork nightmare/marketing/arrangements/complaints, etc., and be a second hand/assistant on the trips themselves, while he would be responsible for the structure of the tour, syllabus, creating anything education-wise like tests or papers or whatever, lectures, etc. We would keep the tour size small - 10-20 people, with the intention of doing several tours each year. I would like them to be affordable for the participants, but also bring in enough income for us that we would not have to work other jobs, and be able to live on 5-10 ten-day tours each year. So if the above, in your estimation, is no way-no how going to happen without huge amounts of $$$ invested or more professional experience in a lot of different areas on our parts, any other ideas (besides teaching in a college/highschool) on home-based/seasonal-type businesses or something that would bring in enough to live on and still give him the flexibility of 3 months off each year for his work overseas? Nothing overly physical to accommodate health issues (so canning fish in Alaska and picking produce are out, for example.) Jenna, I know you have a travel agent background so you are in the forefront of my mind posting here, but I also know we all have lots of info and life experience that we can collectively drawn on and benefit from, so I'm turning to all of you for advice and ideas. Thanks in advance!!!

Thanks, Ladies! I will definitely try to get a feel for demand before I spend too much time on this, and certainly before I invest any kind of money into it. I was a little afraid all the advice would be completely discouraging, and I was hoping someone "in the know" would think it was at least worth looking into. So, I know there are always trade offs. Do you sometimes wish you still worked for someone else? Or now that you're on your own are you "never looking back" and couldn't dream of ever rejoining the 9-5 grind again? Sometimes I hear small business owners talk and I wonder if owning your own business is more trouble than it's worth... Sigh. Where's my crystal ball when really need it?!?!?

For those who don't know what "being very careful" means when taking NSAIDs (aspirin, Advil, etc.): 1. Always be sure your band doc is aware that you have been instructed by an M.D. to take NSAIDs/or wish to take them on your own. He may want to closely monitor you to ensure that you are not suffering any damage. Your band doc may also have specific instructions on how the NSAID should be taken. 2. If the NSAID is crushable you may want to consider crushing to make sure it clears the pouch/stoma ASAP after taking. 3. Be sure to drink plenty of Water after taking the NSAID to ensure the pouch/stoma is flushed clean. 4. Be aware that NSAIDs can cause problems in NON-banded people - and the damage they cause is rarely noticeable to the person - i.e. no pain. NSAIDs can burn/irritate the lining of the stomach, which is why they are so dangerous for banded people and other people who have modified stomach sizes, like those who've had the gastric bypass. I don't know if it's advisable to drink some sort of buffer first - i.e. milk, or something, to help give the pouch/stoma somewhat of a protective lining. Penni, would that help?

I see lots of info on this - also known as the B.I.B. (Bioenterics Intragastric Balloon): http://www.dietaonweb.it/inglese/bib.asp http://www.inamed.com/pdf/health/94212B_BIB_Product_Data_Sheet_Intl.pdf http://www.obesity-online.com/bib/literatbib.htm http://gastroenterology.jwatch.org/cgi/content/full/2005/301/1 http://www.ingentaconnect.com/content/fd/os/2004/00000014/00000004/art00016 http://www.ingentaconnect.com/content/fd/os/2005/00000015/00000001/art00017 http://www.bajanor.com/ingles/bb.htm

Whoo hooo!!! You're doing great!!!

Good luck!! We're thinking about you, and hoping you win!! So glad you're healing up well and feeling good! ((hugs))

OT = Off Topic Or, if anyone is actually working, overtime... lol

My take on how to tell if you're too tight (from more mild to severe): 1. Dissatisfaction with the small amount you are able to eat. 2. You are not able to eat sufficient calories/nutrition. 3. Pain when eating. 4. Inability to keep down solid foods such as meats/poultry, but no probs with "easy" foods. 5. Vomiting in spite of chewing well and eating slowly. 6. REFLUX/Heartburn. 7. Inability to drink fluids. For those where everything is okay except for reflux, I would do everything you can to avoid even once a month reflux - it will add up. Reflux avoidance guidelines (in order of least to most aggressive): 1. Do not over eat. 2. Avoid acid producing foods/drinks, like caffeine, chocolate, peppermint, orange juice, spicy food. 3. Do not lie down after eating (I think they recommend a 3 hour wait?) 4. Do not eat or drink 3 hours before bedtime. 5. Take an OTC med to control reflux. 6. Elevate the head of the bed (helps keep the esophagus above the stomach so there's no backflow). 7. Take prescription strength meds to control reflux. 8. Get a slight unfill. 9. Get a total unfill.

Congratulations!! You both are doing fantastically!! Whoo hooo!!! :clap :clap :clap

Leatha, too - because of a slip.

Sensy - So glad you got a slight unfill. But PLEASE - your stomach is undoubtedly irritated and swollen from the last two weeks - do liquids for a few days to let it recuperate - don't try to eat solids right now. I personally would do at least three days of full liquids before trying to eat anything solid, and then I would move to mushies for a few days. Anyone who has dealt with chronic over-restriction can attest to the fact that once the vicious cycle of stomach swelling starts it can be very difficult to end it. Two weeks is a very long time to struggle with being as tight as you were. Take it super easy, or you may end up having to have more, if not all, of your fill removed.

YEAH!!! What Crystal said!! And besides, in 2-3 years you'll have long left the 16's, anyway...

Congrats, Kathy!! I wore a brace for the first couple of weeks to help hold up my stomach, and it made everything so much better. Apparently people don't think you look like you're doing well when you're walking around with one (or both!) hands holding up your stomach to ease the pain... lol

Hi Kendra - do you mean you were banded April 5th? Congrats, and welcome to bandland!!

Congrats on being so involved in the process and going after what you want/need. I hope your appeal is approved!!

Wishing you a speeding recovery!! We're thinking of you!

Hi Dee - I have heard of it. It doesn't interfere with food absorption, though, it just takes up room in the stomach so there's less room for food, so you feel full on less. The drawback to that is, of course, that it is only a temporary tool, and once it's removed, capacity to eat more than needed returns, and most people will, of course, eat more than needed because they're looking for that "full" feeling that the balloon helped give them on less food.

We're thinking about you, Katie!! Hang in there, and SO hoping you don't need another surgery. xxoo

Sometimes you can feel... something, a pressure, a presence, something... When you feel like you need to eat stuff you're trying not to to maintain your surgeon's required -10 pound loss, remind yourself that you WILL be able to have any of the things you want after banding - just not right away. You are not saying "goodbye" to anything long term.

Hi Monica - Your initial restriction from your fill was undoubtedly due to your stomach swelling after the adjustment. I would give it a few weeks to settle in before you decide this current fill is too little - you will probably find (like most of us) that your restriction can vary from day to day, and you may feel wide open one day and slammed shut the next. My fills didn't really kick in until 4-6 weeks afterwards (no idea why). I am not a lower BMI patient, but fills seem to be fills. Your fill level may tend to be a little higher than higher BMI patients (at first, anyway), but that would most likely be due to less fat around your stomach. So the real answer is - this is not happening to you because you are a low BMI patient. This is a typical response to fills.