Corrigan

Well glove, (strange name), your throat is kind of like a Y with one branch (esophagus) that goes to your stomach and the other branch (trachea) goes to the lungs. A little flap (epiglottis) tells air or food which tube to use. The band stoma (bottom opening) is below the little flap so air is not restricted by anything getting stuck over the stoma. In other words, anything getting stuck, won't cause any difficulty breathing.

Your first fill probably won't have much effect, other than making you a little sore for a day or so. Some people don't feel any effect. I didn't, but my band was filled and then emptied because I had a 38 lb weight loss so a fill wasn't necessary. You need to relax a little, this isn't that bad. A fill will probably give a little restriction for a few days, then you'll be right back where you were. If your weight loss is enough, a good surgeon may choose not to give you a fill until you either stop losing or begin to have hunger you can't control.

It would be a shame if your BMI fell below 40 before you began a weight loss surgery program.

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Kellysue, this was almost my favorite part of the diet. We've had an immersion blender for years, for protein shakes and it was handy for the mushy stage. You can make a tuna salad with a little extra low fat mayo,and mix it to a thin paste. Sounds horrible, but as hungry as I was then, it didn't matter. I put defrosted meatballs from Costco with a little marinara sauce and cheese and loved it. This is just an example, they have some really good ideas in the food section on this site and if you put weight loss mushie stage in Google you'll find more than you can use. There is a recipe in the food section for instant potato soup (I cook it for 5-6 mins) that's really good and fast. You can buy protein isolate on line (Amazon, e bay or a health food store), mix a tablespoon full in cool water and add to the soup and get part of your daily protein. Just use your imagination and this stage doesn't have to be bad.

Others have had similar problems that resolve themselves in a few days. Just keep an eye on it and if it doesn't heal in just a few days, or gets worse, then see somebody. Take care of yourself.

The band is the safest, most complication free surgery you can have. If you want scientific proof, I have it in my files. If a doctor told you anything else, he has an agenda of some sort, because that is the truth. There are a few clinics that were in WLS for a quick buck that have given the band a bad name in some groups, but who would get their surgery in a storefront clinic in a mini mall? This is a life altering surgery and deserves a lot of research on your part. Talk to people who have had the surgery wherever you're contemplating having it. Call a bariatric Center of Excellence, at least talk to a competent surgeon and see what your options are. Read a little reliable literature that will give you some straight information on whatever surgery you're interested in. Here is a quick link to an article on band safety. http://www.medicalnewstoday.com/releases/63973.php

There are minor differences in the way the bands are attached, The LapBand is sutured,or held in place with mesh. The AP large is 14ccs while the AP standard is 10ccs. There is an older band, the VG that also held 14ccs. The Realize band holds 9ccs, the 'C' holds 11ccs and is self clamping. I asked my surgeon which is better, and was told there's no practical difference. Most people leave the choice to their surgeon based on his experience. I know that's probably more than you wanted to know, but There it is. One more thing before I forget, the Realize band has two size profiles, one for normal, fat on top of the abdominal wall and a low profile for folks that have their fat under their abdominal wall. There is more to it than that, but this a simplified version. For more information check Google, and it'll give you way more than you want.

Just Because a clinic is in Beverly Hills doesn't mean that it is reputable. There is a clinic there that has had 2 deaths and many botched WLS. I went to Cedar-Sinai which is one of the best, also in Beverly Hills, so location doesn't mean much. The American College of Surgeons has a web site with a locator that gives the location of all the ACS Bariatric Centers of Excellence in California. I'd use that as a guide. There are other accrediting bodies that call themselves CoEs, but don't seem to have as high standards. I hope you find a good surgeon, do a lot of research, it pays.

Good for you, we're getting there!

Girls used to put adhesive tape on the back of the ring, if that's too simple, most jewelry stores sell sizing devices that fit inside a ring to make it smaller.

To tell you the truth I think, with all the knowledge I've gained over the past 3 months, I could easily lose 60 lbs or more. I've done it several times in my life. The only problem is that slowly, but surely It'd just creep back on when I wasn't looking. That's where the band comes in. By itself, it won't take off a pound, that's up to you. This is not much easier to lose than any good diet, the only advantage you have now, is that the band helps keep it off. I haven't had a fill yet, the band has reduced my hunger to a very manageable state. That's what it does. Some people have fills so they can only eat a small amount and some have a reduced level of hunger. Without the band, I'd still have diabetes (my A1C was 6.1 yesterday) for a 20 year diabetic, that's remarkable. Weight loss aside, the health benefits make the band worth it. Don't let anyone talk you out of it if you really want it. They'll come around when they see the new you w/o many health problems you had or may have had in the future. Best of luck.

Lots of chicken breasts, ground turkey (for chili), EarthSmart margarine, Cream of Wheat, 5 min oatmeal, yogurt, Wheat bread (toast it) eggs. Look in the food section on this site for a lot of good ideas. Check Google for WLS recipies. Don't forget low fat cottage cheese, great source of protein.

It sounds like you're doing great. Walk a lot and don't forget your 64oz a day. Nothing over 10 lbs for at least two weeks. Enjoy your diet.

Jean, I use an immersion Blender by Braun. We've had it for years. It's perfect for making mushies and mixing protein shakes. It works like a blender, but is really easy to clean. They're on ebay for $20. Mushies were suppose to go through a straw, but I haven't seen that discussed in quite a while. I still think it's not a bad idea, it gives your surgery time to heal. There are a bunch of good ideas on this site, try Google, there are a lot of sites dedicated to WLS foods.

There are slim differences between them. I asked a doctor that taught WLS, and he said "flip a coin, there is no practical difference". The Reliant band has two thicknesses of ports and that is only important if a person has their fat under the abdominal muscle instead of above. Most people let the doctor make the decision based on their experience.

Take a pair of PJs or sweat pants and good luck.

There is a test developed by a doctor that uses cottage cheese and water, to measure the volume of your pouch, but the chances of you actually stretching it are very slim. If it's a real concern for you, see your doctor. Actually the stomach wall is pretty tough and I don't know how you would go about stretching it. With the band surgery, that is probably the least of your worries. Following you surgical team's instructions will be your most important job, and it's not as easy as it sounds for most people. You'll need a lot of will power and sticktoitness. Some folks don't have any problems and let's hope you don't.

Jamie, put you feet up, get your ipod, watch TV, read a book, but just give yourself time to heal. You just had major surgery, you're not supposed to lift more than 10 lbs for 6 weeks. OK, so maybe that's not possible, but still, take it easy. Any house cleaning will still be there next week. You can take liquid Tylenol if the hydrocodone doesn't work, drink lots of tea and sip, don't gulp water. It's really important to get as much water down as possible, up to 64 oz and everything counts, even the water in yogurt. Take it easy, don't stress over small stuff, a little depression is normal, and be sure to take a bunch of time for yourself. The pain is normal, most people go through it. Try to keep your attitude positive and I'll guarantee you'll be over this part in just a few weeks.

Jamie, put you feet up, get your ipod, watch TV, read a book, but just give yourself time to heal. You just had major surgery, you're not supposed to lift more than 10 lbs for 6 weeks. OK, so maybe that's not possible, but still, take it easy. Any house cleaning will still be there next week. You can take liquid Tylenol if the hydrocodone doesn't work, drink lots of tea and sip, don't gulp water. It's really important to get as much water down as possible, up to 64 oz and everything counts, even the water in yogurt. Take it easy, don't stress over small stuff, a little depression is normal, and be sure to take a bunch of time for yourself. All the pain is normal, most people go through it. I hate this editor!! See below!

It's probably just muscle pain, but keep a close eye on it and if it gets much worse, follow your surgeons instructions. It's fairly common and usually not a problem.

I spoke to a registered dietitian yesterday and she said the starvation mode is exaggerated. It does happen, but only briefly, think of the WWII prisoners. If you eat fewer calories than you burn, you'll begin to burn fat, and if you eat more calories than you burn you'll add fat. There's a lot more to it than that, but that's it simplified. Normally the fewer calories you eat, the more weight you lose. We want that weight to be fat, not muscle, so try not to lose more than 2 to3 pounds a week. That will go up and down with glycogen supplies, but that's another story. Probably the most important thing is to make sure what you do eat makes up a balanced diet. You could probably eat an extra piece of wheat bread a day, without hurting your weight loss, but it sounds like you're doing great.

Way to go, Rosy. We love to hear these success stories.

Welcome Karie, come back often. It took me about two months from consultation to surgery, mostly due to insurance requirements.

I went to Cedars-Sinai and they have a similar program. The whole process is governed by your insurance co. Mine was CHP Blue cross and it took about 2 months from seminar to surgery. From your initial consult to seminar will depend on when they have one scheduled.