faithmd

Hello mcloser, welcome to LBT and welcome to bandland! I posted this on another thread, but thought it might help you so I'm posting it here, too. I do understand your desire to chew something, I really do, but... Just because something goes down okay doesn't mean it isn't setting us up for damage later. ANY solid food is just that, FOOD and could be "major." The sutures are helping scar tissue form around the band and that's what holds it in place on our stomachs. The sutures only help hold it on the front, scar tissue is all that holds it on the back of the stomach. Everytime we eat something more than a liquid, (and no, chewing something until it's liquid does not count) it causes our stomachs (which are muscular) to churn and undulate to digest that food. That churning stops the scar tissue from forming, or helps break new scar tissue just barely formed. Liquid requires little stomach movement to process. When we start to chew something, that lets our digestive system know that food is coming down, fluids begin to be secreted to aid in digestion and the stomach starts moving in preparation to start the breakdown of food. I understand that some doctors move folks along faster in their diet programs, that's okay if it's what your doctor says to do, but Allergan (the manufacturer of the band) advises a very slow progression. Damage we do now freshly banded may not show up until a year or two down the line. Maybe we have a bad episode of vomiting and because we just couldn't wait to chew, we didn't get good adhesion of scar tissue early on, it may slip. Most everyone here says that we should always follow our own doctor's advice. My doc's practice is a slow one, 4-6 weeks for solids as well. The Allergan website (the folks who MAKE the LapBand) says this about food stages: Post-Surgery Nutrition After surgery, you will need a new nutrition plan. Your surgeon and/or dietitian can help you learn about and get used to the changes in lifestyle and eating habits you need to make. It is very important to follow the eating and drinking instructions beginning immediately after the operation. In the first few weeks after your surgery, you will be on a liquid diet since only thin liquids will be tolerated by your stomach at that time. As you heal, you will gradually progress to pureed foods (three to four weeks post-op) and then soft foods (five weeks post-op). Finally, you will be able to eat solid foods. Granted perhaps there is new research that says prolonged periods on liquid diets are not necessary and the Allergan site just hasn't been updated yet. However, I would want to know WHY a surgeon and nut (nutritionist) would make such drastic changes to their post-op eating plans. I would also ask that surgeon about what her/his complication rate is and more specifically what their SLIP rates are. Are they making these changes because of the AP band and the selling point that it's less likely to slip because of it's width? Is there a study they can show me to support the move so soon to soft foods? Has surgical technique changed and is there a way now to access the back of the stomach (not previously accessed because of it's proximity to the spinal nerves) and suture the band (I haven't heard of it)? At least that's what the band folks have said for years that is how it all happens. That's how I was always taught that digestion works. Perhaps someone somewhere has done a new study and what we've always believed is actually not right. It's possible. Do you see now why I'm hesitant to eat early? Of course, if somoene can show me concrete good data (not just a study with a sample of a few patients) that our previous held beliefs are wirng, then I'll be happy to change my thought process. Think about this, it is only 4 to 6 weeks out of your LIFE. Is that really that awful? Are we so far gone that we can't make a committment to something for a month to then have it help us in the long run? You can do this!!!! We can do this!!!!

I'm glad my explanation helped somewhat. I found (and this sounds silly) that pickle juice REALLY helped me.

PFfftfhthththttt!!! I ordered mine online for delivery and I still don't have it!!!!!! ARRGGHHH!!!! And today is my f--king birthday, too! Son of a Biotch! Oh well, I guess I will re-read 6 while I'm waiting.

Sometimes when they get in there they can't access a certain area from the location they made the initial incisions from. I can't imagine having only three. That wouldn't make sense given the tools needed to band someone. The Pars Flaccida approach is the most accepted on these days and it utilizes five incisions. Maybe a surgeon could get away with four, but I think that would be the minimum. Here's a link to an article describing the technique, it's quite interesting and has photos: http://thinforlife.med.nyu.edu/assets/REN%202.pdf?RCD=J53039&NAME=Christine_J._Ren

Hello and welcome! There is a very important forum for beginners to read, it's the FAQ forum: http://www.lapbandtalk.com/f73/ Here's a link to a thread in that forum that should explain many of the initials we toss out: Abbreviations and What They Mean

Dear God I hope not HRC! But I agree with Carlene, I think it would be a GREAT race to see Hil against Condi

I'm sorry you are going through all this. I will tell you that MANY times there are LOADS of things many places do not tell you at those seminars. Even when you ask specifically sometimes they won't tell you. It's VERY frustrating! I hope you get some good answers on Monday, and please make sure to get a copy of covered benefits in writing.

:welcomeB: Take some time and read, read, read around here. I think at one time someone did a poll here and greater than 50% of the people here have been banded in MX. There are LOADS of threads about it. You might want to try the search function on the blue tool bar and put in Zapata. There are quite a few threads about Dr. Zapata as well. You'll likely find those in Mexico or in Doctors and Hospitals.

Yep it should help!

Welcome and glad to hear you are getting banded soon. Actually, lots of folks say that they find they are spending more on their food bills now. It's cheap to eat poorly. I have also found that I am spending about as much as I was before because I buy better foods, but it's worth it anyway!

There are literally hundreds of posts on her daily, maybe thousands. I can't imagine that you could do a daily digest for LBT. The Yahoo groups just don't get this kind of traffic and as such are able to send digests. Maybe it would be a good idea to have something that emails you if you haven't signed on in X period of time. Maybe there already is, but I'm on here just about every day so I wouldn't know.

Naw, you won't talk funny to me, I have spent a whoooole lotta time in Dallas, TX.

Just as they were geting ready to head to the Ministry of Magic and ended as they were back in Dumbledore's office. The whole Department of Mysteries and fight in the Ministry was in 3D. It was pretty good but soooooo much was left out of that, too. I'm just sooooo annoyed with it as a Harry Potter movie. And to think it cost me $52 to see it once all was said and done. (I had purchased tickets to see it last week at $13 each and couldn't go, so by the time I bought a second pair of tickets to the IMAX it totalled $52.) I'm noticing that more and more reporters are calling the current series Harry Potter and the Hogwarts Years. I wonder if that's telling at all?

Why would you be peculiar? I think that's what most of us do. It was something I learned to do when dieting years ago. It's a great visual trick. I have purchased some smaller cups, bowls and plates that don't look so juvenile and that seems to help a bit.

Actually, I just saw a first post from someone who came here to say that they cannot reccommend the band and are getting a RNY. Fascinating, huh? I mean, a first post? Oh yes, and KarenB is still here after her bypass. MsDad is correct, they will monitor your blood sugar closely if you are a diabetic and will take appropriate action. Just an FYI, Ringer's or Lactated Ringer's or Ringer's Lactate (depends on where you are) does not contain any dextrose, only sodium, chloride, lactate, Calcium, and potassium.

No, no, you *are* posting on the Texas board, I was just saying that whenever I see the Mt. Pleasant name I think of Mt. Pleasant MI. I NEVER look at the forums by board, I read them by clicking on New Posts, so I don't really pay much attention to which foum it is posted in. Except for this one because when I first was looking at the Mt. Pleasant thread I clicked on it and then noticed it was in Texas Did you try resurrecting the old one? Or is it just totally over?

Jenna, that's the second time I've seen you post this. I am just as flummoxed about it this time as I was the last time. I was always instructed, and everything I've read in the literature and at Allergan's website says that this device is meant to stay in forever, so I'm cornfuzzled. I agree that not drinking with meals is VERY tough.

Nope, but I'll join ya wherever you run to as long as there's a tall Cabana Man involved!

Do you mean another one as in other than this one? http://www.lapbandtalk.com/f64/mt-pleasant-bandsters-27862/ There's a Mt. Pleasant MI not too far from me and it always throws me off to see Mt. Pleasant Bandsters and realizing it's TX, not MI.

WasaBB is completely right. I have been losing weight for almost six months now and I am coming into a hair loss phase. I notice that more is on the brush than before, I feel the difference in my ponytail and it looks listless. I have been getting 80-120 grams of Protein a day (fitday says my average was 90 grams of protein a day for the past six months), I take two chewable MVI's a day, Calcium supps, get about 4000mcg of Biotin a day and STILL am losing hair. It just happens, it just does. Not much to do about it, I don't think... I am still trying to stay about 80 grams a day postop and am hoping that it will grow back like everyone says it will. My hair is past my waist and I'm devastated at how it is starting to look...<!-- google_ad_section_end --><!-- / message --><!-- sig -->

Fascinating! I wonder why not? Perhaps not broth, but boullion? If pickles are okay, I can't imagine that boullion/broth (fat free of course) would be worse in the salt department. Dill pickle juice saved my life in the post-op clear liquid phase!

I started drinking those Gerber Baby juices in the Apple Prune variety, they are the perfect size at 4 oz and are 70 calories and it made ALL the difference in the world (if you know what I mean!).

You are so welcome! I'm also glad you like the Gerber juice. Wow, what a difference it has made for me!

I do understand your desire to chew something, I really do, but... Just because something goes down okay doesn't mean it isn't setting us up for damage later. The sutures are helping scar tissue form around the band and that's what holds it in place on our stomachs. The sutures only help hold it on the front, scar tissue is all that holds it on the back of the stomach. Everytime we eat something more than a liquid, (and no, chewing something until it's liquid does not count) it causes our stomachs (which are muscular) to churn and undulate to digest that food. That churning stops the scar tissue from forming, or helps break new scar tissue just barely formed. Liquid requires little stomach movement to process. When we start to chew something, that lets our digestive system know that food is coming down, fluids begin to be secreted to aid in digestion and the stomach starts moving in preparation to start the breakdown of food. I understand that some doctors move folks along faster in their diet programs, that's okay if it's what your doctor says to do, but Allergan (the manufacturer of the band) advises a very slow progression. Damage we do now freshly banded may not show up until a year or two down the line. Maybe we have a bad episode of vomiting and because we just couldn't wait to chew, we didn't get good adhesion of scar tissue early on, it may slip. Most everyone here says that we should always follow our own doctor's advice. My doc's practice is a slow one, 4-6 weeks for solids as well. The Allergan website (the folks who MAKE the LapBand) says this about food stages: Post-Surgery Nutrition After surgery, you will need a new nutrition plan. Your surgeon and/or dietitian can help you learn about and get used to the changes in lifestyle and eating habits you need to make. It is very important to follow the eating and drinking instructions beginning immediately after the operation. In the first few weeks after your surgery, you will be on a liquid diet since only thin liquids will be tolerated by your stomach at that time. As you heal, you will gradually progress to pureed foods (three to four weeks post-op) and then soft foods (five weeks post-op). Finally, you will be able to eat solid foods. Granted perhaps there is new research that says prolonged periods on liquid diets are not necessary and the Allergan site just hasn't been updated yet. However, I would want to know WHY a surgeon and nut (nutritionist) would make such drastic changes to their post-op eating plans. I would also ask that surgeon about what her/his complication rate is and more specifically what their SLIP rates are. Are they making these changes because of the AP band and the selling point that it's less likely to slip because of it's width? Is there a study they can show me to support the move so soon to soft foods? Has surgical technique changed and is there a way now to access the back of the stomach (not previously accessed because of it's proximity to the spinal nerves) and suture the band (I haven't heard of it)? At least that's what the band folks have said for years that is how it all happens. That's how I was always taught that digestion works. Perhaps someone somewhere has done a new study and what we've always believed is actually not right. It's possible. Do you see now why I'm hesitant to eat early? Of course, if somoene can show me concrete good data (not just a study with a sample of a few patients) that our previous held beliefs are wirng, then I'll be happy to change my thought process. Think about this, it is only 4 to 6 weeks out of your LIFE. Is that really that awful? Are we so far gone that we can't make a committment to something for a month to then have it help us in the long run? You can do this!!!! We can do this!!!!

I purchased some baby utensils to practice with before I was banded, wow has that helped! It's awesome, and I find myself only putting a small amount on a regular sized utensil as a result. My Nut said that I am supposed to only be taking bites the size of a pencil eraser. That's impossible!