leatha_g

I can't believe you don't have me a Harley dude picked out yet! I could have gone on that ride..lol

Sorry to hear your having a tough time.:think I think all is this relatively normal. Do make yourself a 'cough' pillow/tummy splint for those bouts of coughing/sneezing. Question : do you notice that these bouts of coughing and sneezing are associated with drinking/eating? I had the strangest bouts of coughing when I drank sitting down. I haven't heard many others complain of this, but mine were definitely associated with drinking in the sitting position. They were uncontrollable - like a bad itchy cough and very suddenly onset. If I stood, it was relieved. I think (I know) I have a very very sensitive vagal nerve and I think that had something to do with these crazy bouts of coughing. Try to think back or pay attention to when this happens going forward. It might help you to make adjustments to avoid it. About the hunger. There really is no limit to what you can take in during liquid phases. I spaced my drinks out over the day and seemed like I was consistently putting something in my mouth. Protein Drinks from Atkins, SoupAtHand, yogurt, sugar free popsicles, Jello, broth. I would use the heavier stuff for 'meal' times and fill in with the other things throughout the day. Yogurt and puddings, instant mashed potatoes, refried Beans with V8 and cheese. Those all got me through the soft foods. It's tough, but we all made it through. Certainly gives you a new respect for foods we've always taken for granted. lol. You'll make it!

Not to dispute you, but please, please make SURE these people will see you. Maybe even a visit before banding to establish this relationship. It is happening that some SAY they will, then once a person is banded, they back out from taking them on as patients. It is imperative that you have local care in the event of any sudden complications. I would continue to ask around for patients of this doctor. It is also not a name I have ever heard and I have been reading this and many other boards since 2002. Have you gone to Yahoo Groups MexcianBandsters?

Maybe if you let it set awhile to get the fizz out. ??

Hi Sultana! I also empathize with you as I have what seems to be a pretty terrible metabolism, however, I've been told that this situation above is exactly one of my biggest problems. I am terrible about NOT eating, which tells my metabolism that it needs to hold onto whatever I give it. In order for our metabolism to work, we must feed it. I am notorious for skipping Breakfast, maybe not even having a drink of Water until late evening on same days (mostly pre-band days), then, of course, I'm starving or have a sick headache when I finally realize my body is just reacting to the fact that I haven't fed it or give it any hydration. In order to get your metabolism moving, you must feed it! Try Protein shakes, Protein Bars, high Fiber Cereal. Anything first thing in the morning will help to get your metabolism burning which in turn helps you to lose weight. We must get in a certain amount of calories or it's just not going to budge. It's a hard habit to break. I know.. but, just change one thing. It's bound to help. Good luck to you.. Leatha

Woohooo, welcome Rose!! And congratulations on such a good surgery experience! I totally agree that trying to get into better shape BEFORE the surgery is definitely a leg up when the time comes. Can't wait to see how your weight loss goes!

Amen to that. Lake Michigan is beautiful! I'm really sorry you've got this current challenge, but better to clear that up than to be banded with it. I'm really glad you've had this procedure to make sure all is well BEFORE you got the band. I hope your ride gives you some time to contemplate and sort it all out in your mind. In the meantime, we'll all be sending positive thoughts your direction. Please keep us posted. Leatha

Good luck Nancy!! Please let us know how you are doing once you feel up to it!! You'll do fine!

Inamed does state that NSAIDS is strictly contraindicated with the lapband due to possible ulceration associated with this kind of drug. I've listed a link for the Patient Handbook which every band patient should get when they get their bands. http://www.inamed.com/pdf/health/94829F_LB_Patient_Book.pdf

You say you've not had the reflux this whole time, but I would venture to say that your pneumonia may have come from aspiration. I've heard it said that sometimes we aren't even aware, but if we're a wee bit too tight, we could be aspirating in the night and not even realize it. I'm really sorry to hear you've had so much trouble and they say this aspiration pneumonia is tough to get rid of. I sure hope they get you back on track real soon! Let us know how you're doing. Leatha

I have heard of one person who has eaten around her band and gained weight. But, very few of us are THAT special that we would be the one it didn't work for. I have certainly eaten pretty much anything I wanted and often fall off the 'band' wagon and can still report 67lbs lost. The only thing I've really given up is breads, rice and Pasta which is exactly what got me here in the first place. The object, after all, is changing eating behaviors that have proven to be harmful. I haven't conquered the sweets monster, but I have done pretty good to avoid breads, rice and pasta. I've also given up seat belt extenders on the plane. My size 3x mu-mu's. Going to bed at night feeling like I'd eaten everything that wasn't nailed down. The idea that I might not make it from inside the mall to my car. The thought that I might never dance again and the feeling of being a sexless blob. I think I can safely say I won't miss these things too awfully much!

Tellie, I am so sorry to hear this, although, I was very concerned that this would be your findings. It sounds very much like my 'slippage'. Did your doctor say this other person would have to re-do the surgery or is this someone you chose? It's possible with slippage, to be unfilled (which I believe you are) and to let it sit for a few weeks, to see if it will 'right' itself. Do they think there is no chance of this or are your symptoms so severe that this is not an option? It is a tough thing to do, to be re-banded, however, I just could not see myself without the band or going back upwards in my weight. I said absolutely, I wanted it replaced. It's a risk, but no more of a risk than it ever was that it could happen again. My only hope is that I can at least make it to goal without any further complications. Then, at least I'll have a starting place and possibly more re-inforced eating habits. I've known several people who were able to just let their rest for few weeks and things went back where they should be. Mine did slip back down, but it never went completely back, which is why I was rebanded. Certainly, if you are having pain and unable to eat or drink, that would be a more urgent issue. Please keep us posted as to what develops. Again, I am so terribly sorry. But, just think, even this is so minor compared to RNY complications. Good luck to you!

Chantal, Everyone else has given you much advise to consider. Just know that I, too, have stood on the same threshold you now are standing on. I understand walking away from 20 yrs invested in what I thought would be 'forever' into the absolute unknown. It is definitely one of the hardest things I have ever done. I still ask myself on occasion if there wasn't one more thing I could have done to change the way things turned out. To this day, I resent my husband for ever putting me in the position to have to even consider it, but I can tell you that I am better off without having to wonder where he is or who he is with. Not being able to trust someone you live with is absolute torture and certainly isn't what marriage is about. I really wish you peace with whatever you have to face. It is not an easy thing to go through. (((((((((((((chantal)))))))))))))

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Welp. I went for another fill this past week since my gallbladder surgery. Dr had put in 1.3cc during the surgery which I really never could tell was there. So, on my 2 week post-op visit he went ahead and raised that to 2ccs. Things are different than with my first band, or so it seems. I don't really feel 'restriction' as far as tightness in my throat so much as I can tell when it seems that my pouch is full and if I took another bite I'd either have to spit it out or it would just have no place to go. I really didn't have this sensation much with the first band. With it, I would get pain with one bite too many or I would suddenly get the shoulder pain or sneezing or coughing or the one big hiccup. This particular band just seems to be much quieter, more subtle, although I can definitely tell the difference in my hunger. Interesting. Maybe I get to see what TWO band journey's are like due to the different techniques of different doctors? OR, .5ccs more might have made all the difference in band response? We'll see how this works.

Nope. It's just me! Since joining, though, some of the people in the facility I'm working in has expressed an interest in going, so I may just wind up among friends after all.

I DID have this problem and I have just changed to SBC Yahoo DSL and I was about to call em and give it back! LOL. I nearly went into DT's cause I kept getting 'page not found'. ugh.. :mad:

Tonight was the 2nd night for dance lessons. I was feeling kind of puny today. I considered staying home because we can do makeup practice on Thursdays if we miss. I talked myself into just going and not wimping out and I'm really glad. This time we worked on learning the Waltz, which I've done since I was a kid, so I didn't have to work as hard mentally as the Progressive 2 Step. It was fun! There are some guys there that really have a tough time. They've never danced at all. Trying to get a rhythm and this teacher is telling them to count (which I hate). Those of us who are single switch partners a couple of times, so at least we get to dance with different levels of leaders. Some have better rhythm than others. But, it is neat to see them learning and seeing that they can do it. What's neater is that as you look around the room, EVERYONE has a smile on their face or they're laughing. That feels good. I've always loved dancing. It just makes you feel alive all over. When you leave, your body knows it's had a workout, your hair is wet, your makeup is gone, but you just feel invigorated in every cell of your body (except your feet). This Saturday is a dance seminar at Gilley's. It lasts from 12pm til 6:30, then most everyone stays for the regular dance til 2am. Wow! Do you know how long it's been since I spent a whole day doing anything social? much less dancing and laughing and smiling til my face feels like it might crack? Actually, it brings tears to my eyes when I think of all that I have given up with my weight gain. All that I have been missing because of my lack of self-esteem and because my body simply hurt too bad to move it. :mad: This disease is so much more about depression and self-loathing than we give it credit for. What in us gets to that place that gives in and lets it take over our very existence? What hidden strength in us fights our way to the surface to reclaim all that we have given away? I wonder.. It has been a good week simply because I took this one step. My body felt better, my outlook was brighter, I smiled more, I talked more. I bought myself shoes that I never in a million years thought I could wear ever again this week. I was even able to wear them to work the whole day! It's baby steps, but it feels like giant leaps to me!

Learn to dance!!:mad:

That's absolutely great news!! Now, don't you feel better? ?:mad:

Wow, the icecream headache is different. The soft stop is pretty subtle. The one big hiccup, the sudden bout of sneezing, coughing, runny nose, sometimes just a tad of pain in the shoulder or left ribcage. Not terrible, just noticeable. These are all signs of a soft stop. Sometimes, if those happen and you continue to eat then you get the hard stop which is more acute pain or that sudden' deer in the headlights' Ut Oh:eek: kind of feeling. I'm sure some others can put it in words better than me. lol. All I know is my body tells me real quick when I've gone too far. (or it did before this band.) I haven't been there yet, thankfully.

Basically the same thing, I believe. Someone correct me, if I'm wrong. So, did he do the xrays?? I sure hope all is well!

lol, my two band lifes.. lol.. tellie, my first band was said to have slipped. i never had the painful vomiting that so many people say is standard with slippage, i never knew anything was wrong except my weight loss stalled. i had moved from california and needed to establish a relationship with a new doctor and had a problem doing that. i went to a local 'fill' doctor, as i felt i needed to have my band checked after being without a doc for 6 months. i still had restriction, but he saw fit to add more fill. he didn't even know when he looked at my films that there was anything wrong with my band except for what he called 'pouch dilation'. it's still questionable what the true story was, but he added a fill on top of this and immediately i could not drink, i had pain, i had severe reflux and aspiration at night - all of these which i had never had before. in seeing a more experienced doctor, he said i plainly had slippage due to surgical technique and that my esophagus was fine. when i had the second one installed, (different doc) he said there was a hiatal hernia which should have been repaired during the first operation and he was unable to re-position the band so he had to replace. it's funny how these guys cover up for one another - neither him or my original surgeon has come out and said what the true problem was. both of them have seen the films..go figure. i have insurance, they tap into it like an ATM. lol.

Wonderful!! I have a brother who is going for his consult in a few days too. Men especially do real well.

Well. I'm glad you feel good about your decision! The band can make all the difference in the world where our lives are concerned. Many of us are back to doing fun things like riding bicycles or jumping on a Harley, riding rollercoasters. Things we haven't done in years. I sure hope your life is enhanced this way also! Welcome to the forum! Tell us a bit more about who you are and how you got here? Please feel free to browse the sections of the forum. There is some great experience and support on every page!!