Alexandra

Thanks for sharing that story, Donali. What a drag! But it could have been a lot worse--once again showing that most of even dramatic lap-band complications really aren't all that dramatic. I'm so glad they were able to repair it easily, but sorry it cost you so much moola. Please let us know if your dent evens out and when feeling returns (which I'm absolutely sure it will). Now: Watch yourself! Don't be doing any calisthenics until this is well and truly healed in place. No more port revisions!! :D

Hee hee! I'm with you! I've been trying to grow my hair long since I was 5 years old, and haircuts only happen when I'm desperate. After Optifast, though, my hair had gotten pretty thin and lank, so chopping off several inches made a huge difference. It still hit my shoulders but there was a lot more bounce and movement, so no one noticed the thinness. And I actually loved it! Maybe someday I'll be brave enough to really make a change. (Naaaahhhh...)

hair loss can follow any bodily changes, and I experienced it after both of my children were born. I shed like CRAZY for months starting at about the 4th month post-delivery both times. I couldn't believe I wasn't bald, but all that happened was that my hairline receded a tiny bit--I was the only one who noticed. It also happened after I did Optifast back in 1990. It stopped by itself after a while. I think it always looks a lot worse in the bathtub and hairbrush than it really is, and by the time you really start to worry the shedding is ending. I don't have any suggestions about stopping it--nothing really seems to work--but if it's getting to you a sassy new haircut can go a long way toward making you feel better about it.

Hi Julie! Welcome to LBT!! First off, the Lap Band is designed to be implanted laparoscopically--hence the name (LAParascopic gastric BAND). I have never heard of anyone having "open" Lap Band surgery, though I guess it's possible. You may be thinking of RNY surgery, which can be done either open or laparoscopically. As a rule, people having lap surgery are typically in and out of the operating room much faster than with traditional surgery. My surgery was done out-patient, and I didn't have to spend even one night in the hospital. I was in the OR for maybe an hour, and home just a few hours later. Other people will have similar stories about the surgery itself, though many doctors and hospitals like to keep patients overnight after the surgery to be sure everything is OK. My surgery was on Wednesday morning, and I was back at work on Monday feeling almost 100%. As surgeries go, Lap Band installation is a pretty easy one!

Hi Leannie, I was worried about this too. I take Vitamins every day and used to pop three at a time. I never want to take any chances with getting stuck, so I've been pretty cautious about them since banding. But it's not a problem at all. Gelatin pills, like Vitamin E, go down just fine. Larger tablets are OK if I crack them in two. I figure anything the size of a pencil eraser or smaller is OK, and that principle hasn't failed me yet. I haven't taken any ibuprofen, though, just out of an excess of caution. I don't have a sensitive stomach and I'm sure that one or two tablets a month wouldn't hurt me. But not taking them has been a revelation, too: the cramps aren't as bad as I've convinced myself over the years they had gotten, and they're over in a day. So as it turns out, the painkillers aren't even necessary! Good luck with your banding!!

Hi Amberose, I don't have any words of wisdom to impart except to say you are not alone! I'm sure many of the long-term success stories here started with episodes like the one you're describing. Try not to beat yourself up (though I KNOW that's very hard to do). This is a long-term journey we're all on, and it can take a while for all of the parts to fit into place (...she says while taking a slug of coffee along with her breakfast--a habit I'm extremely hard-pressed to break). Like Leo says, you've made great progress since your highest weight. That's something I continually remind myself of, since the scale is not moving for me now either. You're likely a completely different shape than you were when you started. Try to appreciate that progress while you're in this holding pattern. Your next fill may make all the difference, and it may not. So try to be kind to yourself and keep your eye on the long-term! Take care,

Ginger, how is this going now? Did you have a chance to speak with your doctor? How is your incision now? I'm hoping it's all cleared up and healing neatly. Check in!

Hi Charlene, welcome!! Wow, a full-time mom to 6!! I'm in awe of you. I'm sure you need every ounce of energy and stamina you can get, and banding will help you get there. Please ask any questions you need to; don't be shy. I've never heard of Encore insurance. Does your doctor have any idea whether it covers banding? If he's in a network with them it should be fairly easy for him to find out. Good luck!!!

Hi Wade, Last-supper syndrome is well-known to all of us. Don't feel bad. The thing to remember is that post-banding you WILL be able to eat anything you want, just like before. Once you've healed from surgery and before your first fill, you might even be able to eat a similar quantity. There's no reason to eat like it's your last meal, since it won't be necessary to *completely* give up anything. It's still hard to get your brain to realize that, I know. But do try--you don't want to pack on more weight before surgery. Good luck with your surgery...you're almost there!!

CJM, I went through a lot of freaking out about the very idea of making something that was very much not-me a permanent part of ME. Before surgery it was one of the things that kept me up at night. But bypass was just never something I would consider, because the scary stories about potential problems were so much more frightening. And you know what? 2 months later I have not one iota of worry about this "foreign object." It's as much a part of me as my mother's artificial hip was of her, and every bit as important to my quality of life. And the band was immensely easier to have implanted! Surgery is not easy, but as surgeries go this is pretty minor. For me recovery from the anaesthesia was the hardest part, and most people have an easier time of that than I did. I can't feel the port or the band and the fill was really surprisingly easy and quick. All of my worries were for nothing!

Oh, Bright, what a horror that must have been! But thanks for the great big laugh--I can just imagine the nurses' glee as little bits and pieces of your "tan" came off with the bandaids. OH MY GOD!! :D You are the personification of the words "good sport." This was hilarious!

Hey Lisa, My first fill was two weeks ago, and yeah, the restriction was pretty surprising in the beginning. It made me very nervous for the first few days as I learned how to eat with it. Now it's much, much better, and only really makes itself felt when I take too big a bite. I think that at least part of what people perceive as a lessening of restriction is, in fact, an increase in understanding how to eat with the band. Take it easy, it may take a week or so for you to learn how it feels, and when. I personally haven't had that experience of being tighter in the morning, for example, but I do have other times of greater restriction that can take me by surprise if I'm not careful.

Hey Mello_one, I'm so sorry to hear you're having a rough go! Did you find out at the hospital what exactly was causing your pain? At this point you're still on liquids, I'd guess. Did you get any explanation and instructions? I don't know what to say except please take care of yourself. Healing from surgery is evidently something that happens differently for everyone, but one thing is common to all of us. It's very easy to overdo it before your body is ready. Don't be afraid to sit still for a while! Please continue to let us know how you're doing. I predict you'll feel 100% better in a couple of days. Good luck!!

Hey Bright!!! CONGRATULATIONS!!! I can't believe you used all three pairs of flip-flops. Were you doing a fashion show in the hospital hallway or something?!? Oh, how well I remember that crappy anesthesia feeling. All I can say is I'm sure glad I didn't have to fly afterwards. I would have been a basket case!! The good thing about feeling so lousy, though, is how GREAT you feel once you feel better. And you will feel better, soon, I promise! Enjoy the not-hungry feeling, because it will go away. Drink, rest, read, and relax! WELCOME TO BANDLANDIA!!!

Hey Ginger, I've heard that some doctors use the navel as another entry point sometimes, rather than making yet another incision. You should ask your doctor, but if you had a bandaid over it I'll bet that's what happened. How many other incisions did you have?

Hi Chantal, Lots of people put those statistics in their signatures, so many of us are already keeping that kind of log. Did you have something else in mind?

Hey Bandsister! You are so lucky that you can get an adjustment right there in the doctor's office. I've lost track--when was your last fill? Did you feel restriction the first time and how long did it last? Please go carefully with your new level of restriction. We don't want to hear any stories of nasty PBs!! Good luck with it!!

Thanks for the update! I hope she's feeling even Brighter today. :cool:

PLease send Bright all our best wishes!! Tomorrow there will be one more banded young lady in our midst. Go, Bright!

Each carrier handles these things differently. Aetna, for example, would not confirm or deny having received my surgeon's request for precert at all. They would only tell me AFTER it was denied that they'd even received it. I agree that calling frequently can be helpful, but I'd caution against showing too much frustration. The flunkies who answer the phone really do not have much information and honestly can't do anything to speed things up. The point of calling frequently is to show that you're on top of it--which can make a difference in the way you're ultimately treated. (I don't mean the outcome of your request, but the speed and efficiency of your case.)

ARGH! Does anyone else ever actually forget about the band until AFTER that first bite of Breakfast has gone down? Or, as the case may be, not gone down? And when I am careful, I'm finding it sometimes difficult to gauge the time span between swallowing and knowing it's safe to take another bite. This morning was the first time one of these misjudgments has actually sent me to the bathroom. I had, I think, two bites of egg and one of ham when I suddenly realized something wasn't going down. For the next HOUR I wavered between mild discomfort and extreme pain, and even though I experienced that charming side effect known as "sliming" no actual food reappeared. So I guess it finally continued on its way. That was it for breakfast, and for lunch I had some egg drop Soup. dinner was chili. All went down fine, but I can still feel the ache behind my sternum that is a reminder of this morning's misadventure. Add this to major cramps, two extremely whiny children, and a family excursion that was over-priced and under-entertaining, and you see why this is NOT a day I want to repeat. Thank god for ice cream. :cool:

Hi Sheila! Welcome to LBT!! Your experience is very familiar to me. When I first found out about the band and started reading the various boards, it really stood out to me that the people who follow this path have something different about them. I felt, as you do, that I had indeed found my population. (That's a great way of putting it!) I had the insurance fight from hell but stuck it out and finally won in the end. At any point they would have happily paid for RNY. No thanks. Once I'd found the band there was no turning back, although like many I had my fleeting moments of doubt. But the company of like-minded Bandsters kept me motivated and secure in my decision. If we're patient, the insurers will all come on board and probably even come to prefer the band over RNY within the next few years. At 41 myself, I know how you feel about doing it NOW, but another year or two seemed like not too long to wait if the alternatives were a) resected internal organs at great personal risk, or :cool: mountainous debt. As it was my year of waiting went by very quickly (as they do at this time of our lives) and I had the best of all possible outcomes. It's lovely to "meet" you and I hope your insurance carrier comes around soon!

Breathe, girl, breathe!! I can SO relate to how you're feeling, but for me it was packing to go deliver my first child. I'd had no warning but a phone call from the doctor told me to get to the hospital immediately, and I was hysterical!! One pair of flip-flops is plenty, hon. :cool: (And that's what we call them in NJ, too.) Even if you're going to be there for several days, the only thing that for me would be an absolute necessity is a book (or three). Everything else you could want they will have, or it can be gotten. But here's a short list: Comfy nightgown, ideally one that has buttons up the front. (But they'll probably make you wear their gowns anyway.) Warm socks. Lip balm. Your toothbrush. Did I mention a book? Small radio or walkman. Thats about it, really. (Can you tell I like to travel light?) For after surgery make sure you have pants with a loose or elastic waistband, because you will have at least one scar down near your waist, maybe two. I'm SURE they'll let you out before Thursday, heavens! Do you have a place to stay if you are released on Wednesday? Anyway, Bright, baby! Don't worry!! You're going to be absolutely fine and be talking to us as a banded Irish lass before you know it!! HAVE A GREAT TRIP!!! :D

Babs you're an inspiration! Congratulations on the amazing progress you're making!! :cool: :D

Thanks for posting that great information, Alicia! I have to admit that the LAST thing I'd ever think about is the amount of radiation from an x-ray. I guess I just figure that unless I'm having them daily for a year there's really nothing to worry about. I have no scientific basis for that belief, but I'm happy. :cool: