Alexandra

Hi Rhonda! We're probably neighbors, and I'd like to suggest you come to the Abkin/Bertha support group meeting on the 27th (next Wednesday) to meet a bunch of bandsters in person. No one can make your mind up for you, but talking to people who've had it done and are living with it is the best research you can possibly do. Feel free to PM or e-mail me if you want information about the meeting.

Bitteroldhag, I agree completely. We were talking about this in the office and someone was saying that Trump has every right--as a businessman--to be angry at Rosie. She is impugning his business by sayinng negative things about the Miss USA Pageant, and that's actionable in a way that just insulting him personally wouldn't be. My colleague was saying that the Trump name is really what Donald trades in--the reputation of class that that imparts. UGH. I would go OUT of my way to avoid anything with the Trump name on it because he is the absolute antithesis of class as far as I'm concerned. He's a joke and everyone seems to know it except him.

And sometimes, even this doesn't work.

Wheetsin is nothing if not clam!

Gadgetlady, we can agree on these points, absolutely. Let's all work together to remedy these situations, and so decrease the incidence of abortions. Let's increase education and access to reliable birth control, and change the parental/societal attitudes that send scared teenagers to the windowsill with their newborns. But NONE of these problems will be addressed or changed in the slightest by outlawing or limiting access to abortion. All that would happen is a mad rush to black-market providers and an increase in injuries to women seeking abortions. Pro-life laws are ANTI-woman in the most fundamental way possible.

Because the circumstances in my life that led me to that decision the first time are no longer in place. I now have a stable home, a reliable and loving partner, and enough means to support another child if necessary. None of that was present the first time. Having had children since my abortion, my pro-choice stance has only solidified. However much I mentally and emotionally embraced and welcomed these babies, the FACT was that at the very early stages the physical fact of the clump of cells the size of an eraser, a dime, whatever, was physically inside my body and as such, no one else's territory. Any decisions to be made about it were MY decisions to make (and I made some my doctor didn't agree with, too :girl_hug: ). I know the miracle of childbirth personally, and somehow I still manage to have absolutely no regrets about the pregnancy I voluntarily terminated at 8 weeks more than 20 years ago. Both of my children are daughters, so I find it even more imperative that our reproductive autonomy be protected--for their sakes and their daughters' sakes. The very idea that they might find themselves in a situation where the government is telling them they MUST bear an unwanted baby is utterly abhorrent to me. I'm not pro-abortion. I'm pro-WOMEN.

Gadgetlady, thanks for those links relative to Nat Hentoff. I read them and appreciate his insights. However, what I don't see addressed is that slippery slope whereby the lives of women are devalued by the pro-life movement. When the "rights" of the "unborn" conflict with the will of the women carrying them, who decides? Unless it is the women themselves, women become little more than state-owned incubators, imprisoned by biology and a medieval mindset. Sorry. Not wanting to have an abortion oneself makes perfect sense for all the reasons you and Nat Hentoff talk about. You have my full support to not have one. And I would very likely not have one again if the issue were to arise. But it is MY DECISION. And that's what this is all about. Not where life begins or how it ends.

For me, I have no "goal weight." I had a goal, indeed, but it didn't and doesn't involve any particular number on the scale. I wanted to he HEALTHIER and have the means to stay that way. My doctors didn't suggest any numbers or measurements to me, because I've been over 200 lbs since reaching my adult height at age 13 so the 154-170 the charts say I "should" weigh is absolutely meaningless. Hence, my "goal" weight in my signature. I'm ever-evolving and where it takes me, it takes me.

Kitty, HealthNet generally is band-friendly, but you have to look are your specific contract to see if there is coverage for bariatric surgery. Then you have to see if you qualify medically. The place to start is usually with a physical at your primary care doctor's office, at which he or she will make a recommendation for bariatric surgery. Then you find a surgeon and take it from there. Even if you don't need a referral from your primary doc (that depends on your policy), you will need a report and full physical from that doctor so it's always a good place to start. Good luck!!

Gadgetlady, the fact that you're not getting the "answer" you want just shows that there IS NO one answer to your question. The answer lies in the definitions, which change depending on the beholder. A fetus is not a person. You choose to believe a fetus is a person, but not everyone believes the same way you do. A fetus is in no way equivalent to a grown human being. It just isn't, and science agrees.

Yep, Kathy, you're the best!! :clap2: :clap2:

In insurance terms and under the law, quite unequivocally in these situations, the MOTHER is the patient. The baby can't make decisions or in any other way have any input into the treatment and absolutely is NOT considered a separate being.

All of those questions are good and valuable questions, Carlene. None of which are answered in any helpful way by sweeping anti-abortion legislation that allows for no discussion.

You're saying the only logical standard for determining whether abortion is acceptable is whether "life" exists. Sorry, I don't buy it. There are many other standards to be applied. Obviously we as a species believe that lives have relative value, not absolute. Children have fewer rights than adults; incarcerated people fewer rights than free. It's utterly illogical to assign "rights" to a clump of cells that count more than those of its host. No matter what that clump of cells might become someday.

This is your POV. Early abortions can be every bit as much about restoring hope in the life of the woman who has absolutely no intention, desire, or ability to be a mother and for whom an unintended pregnancy has derailed her entire life. Yes, the right kind of support can open possibilities that pregnant women might not have known were there. And this includes letting 14-year-old girls know there is a surgical way to undo the inadvertent pregnancy BEFORE too much time has passed. Gadgetlady, I'll agree with you that late-term abortions of healthy babies in normal circumstances should be turned into early births of babies to be given up for adoption. I'd be all for a social (NOT religious) movement to promote adoption. I'd welcome the PR campaign to let women know where to take their unwanted newborns. But passing sweeping "pro-life" laws does not accomplish that. Laws like that remove rights from women who find themselves in circumstances where THEIR lives are at stake and who have hard enough decisions to make. When it comes to my body, I'll thank the government to keep its nose out of it.

Gabi, from your sig it seems you've been banded a long time. There's really no reason to have Protein shakes at all at this point; you should be getting all your protein and nutrients from solid food. If you want to replace a meal with a Protein shake, which I admit I do sometimes, breakfast might make sense if you're most restricted in the morning like a lot of people are. I know if I were to try to replace lunch or dinner with a shake I'd likely be very hungry shortly afterwards. And like someone else said, stay away from anything with psyllium Fiber in it. That bulks up in your system and can really be uncomfortable or even dangerous if it happens while still in your pouch.

It is a mystery, but I'm seeing it on other boards I'm on too. Everyone can help: Whenever you see an inappropriate post, please click on the white triangle with the red border at the top right corner of the post you want to report. That sends an automatic e-mail to all the moderators, with a link directly to the reported post so we can find it quickly. That's much more efficient than sending a PM or an e-mail to one of the moderators separately.

Maryrose, someone who's had it will probably answer you but I can give a start. I think they'll say that the most common symptom of erosion was an inexplicable loss of restriction. There are doctors who prefer to do fills under fluoroscopy because it gives them a periodic view of the band and its position, and sometimes if erosion is present it will be visible in this way. But the only sure way to diagnose erosion is through an endoscopy, which is why some doctors recommend having them annually or so even if there are no adverse symptoms. My surgeon doesn't think that's necessary; endoscopy is an expensive, invasive test and there's no reason to think more than 3% of bandsters will have erosion. The cases he's seen have presented with symptoms that led them to think erosion was a possibility, so it's fine to wait until there are some symptoms before heading for an endoscopy.

Hi Bret, Erosion is the wearing away of stomach tissue by the pressure of the band. It's a known risk of ANY type of implant that's in contact with body tissue, and unfortunately there's no way to predict its occurrence. It is NOT due to the patient's behavior. All the statistics I've ever seen say it happens in 1-3% of patients, so it's not a common thing, but it does mean the band has to come out. The good news is that it's not an emergency; the process is slow and the stomach is self-healing. I've been told by a surgeon I know that once he removed a band that had eroded into a patient's stomach, and after removal there was no hole behind it that needed stitching. Usually a stitch or two will be needed, but the healing is expected to be complete and often another band can be placed later.

Welcome to LBT, Vanna! Stick around and you'll find all the support you need to get through surgery and the first 6 weeks. And beyond! :biggrin1:

Hi Bret, welcome to LBT!! The itching is annoying, but it's a good sign and doesn't last long. It means you're healing! Take care of yourself and prepare for the hard part ahead--when your hunger returns. Don't worry, it happens to everyone, and once again it's a good sign that means you're healing. Eat what you need to stem the hunger; don't overdo it but definitely don't let yourself get too hungry between meals. Good luck and once again, welcome!!

That is great advice, Faybie, and it really does make a difference. I notice it most on weekend mornings, when I am deciding what to wear. Jeans and clogs, and the most I will do that day is shop. But if I put on leggings and sneakers, sooner or later I know I'm going to do something active. It's a total mindset-shift!

Let's keep it civil, people. It'd be a shame to lock such a lively thread.

Congratulations!! That's a lot to be proud of. :clap2:

It seems to me that the best choice for each of us is clearly revealed if we really examine our own situation. The two surgeries work VERY differently in our bodies, and each addresses different needs. Basically, if you eat too much and think all you need is help in controlling your portions, have patience and persistence, and want to change your behavior more than change your body, the band is probably better for you. If, on the other hand, you feel like you can't possibly control your portions enough and want to absorb less of the food you do eat, need to lose a lot of weight right away, and are not bothered by the invasiveness of the surgery and the need for long-term nutritional supplementation, RNY may be right for you. My personal decision was absolutely clear from moment one: I have two small children and was healthy (aside from the extra weight) and was absolutely not willing to take the risks of RNY or DS. I ate too much, too fast, and too often, but knew that the band's actions of reducing capacity and dampening hunger would create the environment I need to learn how to control my own behavior. To my way of thinking, one size does NOT fit all and the adjustability of the band was a huge attraction. It just made better medical sense to me to try the less-invasive thing first.