BandAid

ROFL at the turn this thread took! Vampy, I have some comments from Bandsters about fills on my FAQ page, if you're interested. http://hometown.aol.com/texasrosey/index.html ~Tonia

Tina, Hope you didn't think I was being nosey! I was just curious. Best of luck to you with everything!! Tonia

Well, this lady had a consult with a doctor at the place you mentioned. After the way he mislead her, I wouldn't let him do surgery on my dog. What changed your mind about the band?

I have a couple of pics on my website. http://hometown.aol.com/texasrosey/page3.html :Bunny Tonia

Congrats, Bright! Your consult date will be here in no time. I remember how excited I was about mine! Tonia

My psych eval was very indepth also. I think it took me a little over 4 hours, and included the MMPI, a couple of IQ tests, etc. I was exhausted when it was done, but also relieved that it was over. I was a little concerned because I thought this particular doctor sounded pretty anti-WLS (he told me I didn't look that heavy and I was right at 100 pounds overweight), but it all worked out and the IQ test results were a definite boost to my ego. LOL Tonia

Sheryl, My doctor has done 600+ bands. His post-op instructions are 2 weeks of liquids, including thin cream of wheat, blended Soups, Protein drinks, fat free/sugar free pudding, etc. Then on to 2 weeks of mushy foods. I had things like tuna salad, refried Beans (lots of those..yum), scrambled eggs w/ cheese, cottage cheese, yogurt, cream of wheat or oatmeal, soups. Hope that helps! ~Tonia

Tina, Which doctor are you seeing, if you don't mind me asking. The reason I ask is because I'm helping a lady from MI find a band doc. She saw a surgeon who does band and bypass and she passed along some disturbing info about him to me. Thanks, Tonia

If you have a leak, then you get it fixed and get on your way. I know that sounds over simplified, but that's the reality of it. We all hit bumps in the road. Some are large bumps, others are small bumps. Did they do a fluoro to check for a leak? Is there a band doc in your area who might be willing to do a fluoroscopy for you? Also, keep in mind that it's VERY common for restriction to vary. You might wake up in a week to find that you're quite restricted. Keep your chin up and know that we're rooting for you!

Ahhh the legendary Elma! I've seen your posts on SmartBandsters in the past. Glad to see you on the board! Tonia

Per my doc (one of the most experienced band docs in the US) it is ok to drink a small amount of diet carbonated beverage every now and then. Key words: small amount, every now and then.

Hang in there! I promise it will get better soon!

Janeen, It's crazy isn't it? Of course, I've also had conversations with people who claim to have the lap band, when in reality the procedure they had was vertical banded gastroplasty. I had a very heated discussion with one woman who claimed that her husband ended up dying due to complications from the "lap band", which he supposedly had in 1980. I *tried* to explain to her that it was impossible that he had the lap band, and she accused me of playing head games with her! I also have a friend who had gastric bypass who wasn't aware that she might have to deal with vomiting on a regular basis. I just don't get it. Heck, if I had to have an ingrown toenail removed, I'd probably be in the internet, reading about the latest procedures and advances in the treatment of them. ROFL Tonia

I've had the same experience and I partially blame the milk. Milk causes mucous and I believe it's just enough to cause a problem for me when taking meds. Now I take meds w/ Water. May or may not work for you, but just thought I'd mention it.

Well, at least they didn't use the standard line about band patients potentially becoming milkshake addicts. Bright, you might find some comfort in this Australian study, which says that there is no evidence that sweet eaters are less successful with the band. http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/entrez/query.fcgi?cmd=Retrieve&db=PubMed&list_uids=12568183&dopt=Abstract "CONCLUSION: Sweet eaters do not have less favorable weight outcomes following Lap-Band surgery. Our study confirms the findings of two other major studies. Sweet eating behavior should not be used as a preoperative selection criterion for bariatric surgery." A couple of other thoughts. Before I got my band, I thought about food a LOT. While eating lunch, I would think about dinner. I could eat dinner, and feel hungry enough to have a snack or sometimes another plate full of food before bed. Miracle of all miracles, I no longer do that. My 2nd fill reduced my appetite so greatly that the food thoughts just went *poof*. My husband will even ask me "Have you eaten enough today?" My relationship with food is so far removed from what it was before, I am still quite amazed by it. Tonia

I just want to point out that this is not a lap band specific problem. (Not that you said it was, Alexandra, but for people who might read this and think it is..) Anyone who isn't mentally ready can and often will sabatoge the weight loss. I'd be curious as to who his surgeon was. If, in fact, this guy didn't know about not drinking with meals, etc., then I have a real problem with the doc. Yes, I believe people should do research on their own, so the guy shares part of the responsibility, but something as simple as the post-op diet should have been mentioned SEVERAL times to this patient.

Welcome to the board! I'm also one of Dr. Spivak's patients. Love him to death! Best of luck with your insurance!

My doc repaired a small hiatal hernia (I didn't even know I had it), removed my gallbladder, and banded me all during the same procedure. Haven't had reflux or heartburn since then.

I'm so glad you liked it! I'm thinking of cooking some and freezing it in individual portions. I never knew chicken was so high in protein. Definitely a good staple to have around!

Posted this on the Spotlight board, but thought I'd add it here too. This is now one of my favorites! I really like chicken, but have had trouble with it on several occasions. So, I decided to experiment today. My idea was to feed my family shredded chicken tacos and I wanted chicken taco salad. Here's how I did it. Put the desired amount of chicken in the crockpot. I used 4 drumsticks and 4 breasts, with the skin removed. Add 1 can of chicken broth and 1 envelope of taco seasoning. (I was afraid the spices would be too strong, so I added Water until the chicken was covered.) Cook for 6-7 hours. Strain and retain about a cup of the juice as you'll need it. Debone the chicken and shred it, using 2 forks to tear it apart. Return the chicken to the crockpot, adding enough of the retained juice to make sure it is pretty moist, then add a few sprinkles of chili powder, a sprinkle of cumin, garlic powder, salt & pepper and let it continue to cook for another 15 minutes or so. My family ate the chicken on flour tortillas with lettuce, tomato, sour cream, salsa, and cheese. I had mine in a bowl with the above ingredients, minus the tortilla. It was very moist and yummy and after mixing the chicken into the salad, I had no problems with it. Everyone else loved it too. :Bunny

Shelly, How was the chicken? I hope you liked it. I'm with you on the bbq sauce. (Texas girl here.) I often add bbq sauce to the leftover pork. The family eats it on a bun and I eat mine on a plate. LOL Tonia

I think a lot of of us feel that way. How many time have we tried in the past, only to be let down and left feeling weak and even more desperate? However, and I can only speak from my personal experience here, as soon as I hit the 50 pound mark, I discovered a new sense of calmness about this whole thing. I know that if I continue to do the things I've been doing for the past 6½ months, the weight WILL come off. It's a nice feeling and I hope you experience it soon.

I did a little work on the site and have added a 2nd page, which has links to personal sites of Bandsters. If you have a website you'd like me to add, please let me know. Thanks! Tonia :Bunny

Michelle, I've always preferred dark meat chicken. I did make this recipe again using boneless, skinless breasts. It still went down easily, but I think the combo of white and dark meat is a little tastier. Another crock pot favorite is pork roast. I buy a pork shoulder roast, season with salt, pepper, and garlic, brown it on the stove in a little oil, then toss it into the crock pot with a can of chicken broth and a couple of cloves of garlic. It comes out tender and juicy. Please let me know if you try the chicken. Hope you like it if you do! Tonia

Hi all. I'm trying to help someone find a lap band doc in or around Charleston, West Virginia for a consult. Any input would be greatly appreciated!!