Chris S. - L.I.

You are truly a remarkable woman! I am so sorry you had to go through this. I am in awe of your courage.

I saw on another board that there is a doctor in Dallas who sees patients of Mexican doctors. His name is Dr. Frederick Maese. I just thought I would pass this info onto you. Have fun in Texas!!!!

Kathy, I had my first endoscopy a little over a year ago and back then the doc told me the same thing and just told me to take some Pepcid Complete chewables. I had no symptoms the first time I had the endo. This time I did have some heartburn and very minor reflux so I was really believing something was wrong. So I was very happy to hear I have no erosion just the gastritis. This time the doc gave me a prescription for Prevacid solutabs and I felt better within a few days.

I was worring about the same thing about 2 weeks ago. I am filled to 4 cc's in my 4 cc band so if that doesn't make you feel like you are erodred....... But anyway, I did have an endoscopy and everything is fine. I just have some gastritis which the doc gave me medicine for. So please try not to make yourself crazy thinking something has happened because chances are it hasn't. Everyone should calm down. I am still thinking about the people here on LBT that had their surgeries today and hope they are all doing fine in body and mind.

Good luck to all of you and you will all be in my prayers.

Well, just wanted to update everyone. I had my Endo Monday morning and I am happy to say that I do not have any erosion which is what they were checking for since I am filled to 4.2 cc's in my 4 cc band. I just have some gastritis which is what is causing me some minor heartburn and the doc prescribed some Prevacid for that. Everything is in order so my weight loss problem is all on me. As far as the 4.2 cc fill, I guess I am just "special". What I did need from the doc was a swift kick to get back on the band wagon.

Kathy, Jessica passed away on Monday at around 5AM according to the posts on Obesity Help.

What guidelines did your doc give you? I'm assuming you are pre op and if so a liquid diet is any soups.

Yep you read it right! I'm over filled. LOL I had a Video Esophagram yesterday before the fill and everything looked fairly good. The doc said my pouch was a little enlarged but nothing significant. He said I could use more fill. I don't feel any different yet. I did soups yesterday and most of today. Had some Egg Foo Young for dinner. Went down fine. Maybe this will kick in in a few days?

Yep. He doesn't seem to be concerned at all. I've read before on other Bandster boards where somepeople have to be filled this high and the band can actually hold more then 4 cc's. I just happen to be the unusual one. I'm sure it is not crimping my stomach as I have no problem eating and the doc would have seen the tightness in the video esophogram. I don't have a big stomach when you look at me so maybe my weight loss was from my innerds and that's why the band needs to be so full. LOL Just a thought!

I see you read the fine print! LOL Well I do have some restriction but not as much as when I first got my fills. So I have been stalled for quite some time. I also have not been good and sometimes eat around my band or eat soft foods so I can have more. My head is still not fixed. I will be having my 2 yr check up Nov. 14th which will include a video esophagram just to make sure everything is OK.

Actually the cabinet door panel is copper foil method also with a copper patina. I've been doing stained glass for about 7 yrs. now and I teach at an Adult Ed. class with a friend I met in my first SG class. I don't really remember how I put the shard box together but I think I used masking tape to hold it together and then just tack soldered the important spots.

I'm a glass artist and here are two pictures (I hope they come out right). One is a gift I made for a Jewish Wedding. It's a shard box to save the broken glass that the groom steps on at the wedding. The other is my kitchen cabinet door.

You can take Wellbutrin you just have to have to doc give you a script for the regular Wellbutrin not the SR of XL. I was on Wellbutrin and that's what I did. I broke them in half to take them. You are never supposed to go off anti depressant's without reducing them little by little.

You probably feel crappy cause you went "cold turkey" off your meds. What med is it that can't be crushed? There must be an alternative that can. Check this out with your doc. Be happy that you have started your 18th year off on the right track by having this surgery. Think of all that there is ahead of you!

What I'm trying to figure out is, when Donali posted this message. Was she able to eat alot because her band had eroded and she didn't know it yet? It seems the orginal post was made on 2/27/04 and her band was removed on 7/2/04. Donali, are you around? Can you help me out here? BTW how are you doing "flying solo"? I think about you all the time.

First of all congrats on Day 4 - No Soda. Good job! I can see you have been doing quite alot of research into Band Docs and are just curious about what your opinion is of the docs from Australia who have been doing Lap Band surgeries for quite awhile. I'm also curious as to why the first doc is the best with the Swedish band. Thanks Chris S.

Teresa, Were you told that you have sleep apnea? If you do have it, you should be using the machine not giving it away. I had sleep apnea before my surgery (actually was diagnosed way before I even thought about WLS) and it was pretty scary. I would wake up in the middle of the night with what I thought were panic attacks but after seeing a cardiologist and then the pulmonologist was told I had sleep apnea. The "panic attacks" were actually the episodes of me not breathing and then when I would finally breathe again, my heart would be racing because it was trying to catch up. Sleep Apnea is very serious and shouldn't be taken lightly. After I lost about 35 lbs. I started to wean myself off the machine and now I don't use it anymore.

LouLou, I would agree with what everyone is saying especially having your meds adjusted (I hope you are on anti depression medication) in order to deal with these situations. I would also mention that since you were banded on Aug. 1st some of the depression might be related to the anesthesia you had from the surgery. I know at 4 weeks I was having a hard time and I've heard it mentioned before that alot of people kinda have a depression come over them about a month after surgery. Chris

I just have one question. If the doctor is leaving the practice who will be your doctor for your aftercare? I would make sure I know what to expect after the surgery. This is not RNY and the aftercare is very important. That's the only thing I would be worried about.

Has anyone here tried this program? I just borrowed the book from my library and started reading it. It's by Michael Thurman the guy that does all that amazing body makeover stuff with the people on Extreme Makeovers. Originally I believe his program was the 6 "Week" Body Makeover. This one is the 6 "Day" Body Makeover. He says you can loose a pants size or up to 10 pounds in one week. I'll let you know more about it as I read the book. I hope someone out there can give me their opinion. I have lost 62 lbs. over the past 2 years with my band but have been making very poor food choices lately and have be going in the wrong direction. I thought by trying something like this is would give me the motivation I had at the beginnning of this journey. Also I figure if I could do the liquid diet as well as I did pre surgery and for the 2 weeks post surgery, I could certainly try something for one week. Thanks

Kimber-lilly. There is really nothing I can say to make you feel better. All I can say is that you and your family are in my prayers.

I had my surgery 6 months ago and have lost 40 pounds with 7 of that being pre surgery. My question is, do most of you follow a diet plan or do you eat whatever you want but just less of it? Also do most of you exercise? I would set up a poll but I don't know how to. I guess I thought with the band I would just be able to eat whatever I wanted but I would be eating a lot less of it and therefore I would lose weight. I seem fairly restricted during the day although I am able to eat more then I think I should. And at night I can eat what seems like a lot to me and I don't think I get that "full feeling". I am going for another fill on Wednesday, my 4th, and the doc says that if that doesn't do the trick, I will have to see their Nutritionist. Somebody speak to me!!! LOL Thanks

Joy, Just remember in case your doctor didn't tell you that after Band surgery your chances of getting pregnent increase so if you don't want that to happen be extra careful!!! I didn't have to worry since I'm too old to have to worry! LOL

Daniela. I had my surgery back in 2003 and I have GHI CBP. I did hear that they were not covering it anymore but I would go to the Yahoo group Bandsters INsurance and check there. Who is the surgeon? Also, I think you can probably win on an appeal if you got an attorney involved. Chris