leatha_g

Awesome job!!!! This is what it's all about!! You go girl!!!:clap2:

Thank you very much Babs and Alexandra for explaining the issues that can effect us as time goes by with the band. This too is the case for me. When my band was replaced in 2004, NOTHING has been the same. I have never gotten the 'hard stop' like I did with my first band. My esophagus apparently no longer moves food through the band as it did before. I no longer get the satiety signal, either. Interestingly, my weight is also stopped at around 175-180. My doc seems to think the band has done what it will do for me and that I should be happy that I've lost somewhere over my 60% of excess weight (now DIET, Leatha). I hesitate to post anymore as I don't want to offend anyone's sensibilities. As for me, I'm looking for the 'old, disgruntled, failure' forum.... :faint:

I think he'll change his tune when you're all nice and svelte and he can carry you around on his arm. But, I do like the idea of having HIM sign some paper.

I could be wrong, but I think when you see a reference to $900, it is most often how much insurance is being charged for flouroscopy, as opposed to cash pay. Somehow, insurance means 'mark-up' to healthcare entities. This is why it's so high.

Welcome!! Good luck to you!!!

Yep, sounds like they're trying to wait out a global fill period. But, I would tell them straight up that I would not buy a car and not put gas in it and I need to get what I came for since I'm the one who employed them. I had to tell my doctor up front that I didn't pay any $$$XXX amount of dollars to get a band that wasn't working for me. Totally unacceptable. Nope, nada, no way...

Hugs, Megan. I'm there with you, girl!! You and me, things ain't what they used to be back in 2003.. are they?? lol. All I can say, is we gotta really work on this and not go backward here. We've come too far for that..

Thank you, Alex. And I certainly apologize if anyone feels discouraged by any of my straight forward and honest comments. I still agree that farther out the process changes. If that's scary to someone, or offensive then please forgive me. Because I have experienced several of these phases, including a complication or two, does not make me a failure who's attempting to throw a wet blanket on someone's party. I personally resent that implication. There are boards out there who don't allow people to discuss the ups and downs of being banded. I had thought this was not one of them. I am thrilled for Big Paul. I stated that he had posted a great post. I thoroughly advocate every single thing he said about the reality of losing weight. People do whine, people do NOT do enough research and people eat the wrong foods and moan because they haven't lost weight. AMEN! I don't discount anyone's weight loss success and I certainly don't wish them anything less than perfection with their bands. I can't help it if I'm an 'old timer'.. haha, but because I am, I still stand behind the fact that things change. I'm sure sorry for that, but it's life folks. Go gangbusters while you can!! Get what you came for, for sure.. and don't pay any attention to us old folks, we've past on all we're good for (where do you think all these cliches, phrases and knowledge come from?)

Just so you know.. the general rule is once you have a PB, you are done eating solids for the day. Anytime you PB, vomit, etc, you should go directly to liquids for at least the remainder of the day to allow for irritation of the esophagus to heal, otherwise, you could wind up in a vicious cycle of PB, agitation, swelling, PB again - over and over until the next thing you know, you have chronic esophagitis, etc. Hope you're doing better !! Good luck!

Yup. Re-evaluate the types of meat your eating. I have never been able to eat much beef at all, since banding. I simply cannot chew steak up enough to masticate it. Also, never eat bites larger than a pencil eraser, then chew, chew, chew it. If those things don't make a difference, I second the gall-bladder theory. My gallbladder also had referred pain to the back/lower shoulder area.

Interesting thing to note while on a plane. Take along a bottle of water, leave a lid on, but check the bottle on occasion, after take off and during landing. You'll see that that bottle will cave in during the flight. Things that make ya go.. hmm....:second:

Um, I'm Leatha, last name G.... not creative, but my former wilder self was Lethalwoman. Sigh... I'm just not as Lethal anymore, I guess....

I fly pretty much weekly and there have been definite times when I felt my band became tighter while in the air. Otherwise, I've not noticed any residual problems from flying.

Great post, Wheetsin. A person can get in veggies by doing something like drinking one V8 per day. Personally, I fix myself whatever Protein I'm having and a side of veggies right next to it. It doesn't have to be raw salad type veggies, it can be canned green Beans, asparagus, broccoli, pinto beans, butter beans, black-eyed peas - anything that your little heart desires. I use a dessert plate, put my one serving of chicken breast, tuna, egg, whatever protein, then a spoon or two of veggies next to it and move along.

Even if he is doing fills without flouro, he should be pulling out what is currently in there and telling you what that is. Then, he should inject that amount back in and add a little. This way you KNOW if what he had put in earlier is actually still in there, versus the possibilty of a leak in the tubing/port. IF that is still in there and he adds more, he should tell you just how much more. But, after this amount of time and fills, I believe I'd ask for a flouroscopy to actually view what is going on in there. Something isn't right with this picture at all. HE should be concerned that after this amount of time and fills that you're not showing great progress. Now, next question. Are you focusing on eating hard proteins first with your meals?

I'd be interested to know who your doc is and if when you do your fills you can tell there is actually saline still in the band. Does he use flouro ?? It's possible if you have the Vanguard you've just not gotten to the point of restriction yet. I've heard that's an issue with the larger band. Something definitely doesn't sound right. For several patients to have the same complaints, I'd be more likely to blame his technique than the band itself.

Walk, walk, walk... then walk some more. Hope you're feeling better now. Remember, the more you DO (as in exercise/walk), the better you will heal and begin to feel your old self again.

Did they say WHY they recommend band removal? Unless there is evidence of slippage or erosion, I don't guess I understand the need to do more than treat your reflux and let the restriction out temporarily. I'm real sorry to hear you're having problems. Please keep us updated. You've done an awesome job!!

I eat very little bread or bread products. It's just not worth the risk, in addition to the fact that those things made me need the band in the first place. Pizza dough is a NO NO. NO Donuts. I just don't try it.

If you check around, you can probably find a couple of people who've died from appendix operations, hernia operations, hysterectomy, tonsillectomy, liposuction or even arthroscopic surgery. Of course, there are risks involved. Underlying issues you didn't know you had, sudden new issues exacerbated by anesthesia or allergies, unfortunate, but fortunately rare occurences where there is Dr error, ie nicking an artery, etc. But I'm with the rest of the group. I do recall a lady in the Chicago area who died AFTER her surgery because she had slippage complications that she did not seek medical attention. I do recall hearing of a man who died on the operating table, due to heart attack - no fault of the band. I do recall a lady in Wa. state that had multiple issues over an extended period and I believe she died. Like Alex, I've been on all the boards since 2002 and those are the instances I recall hearing about. Could there be others? I'm sure there must, but out of the thousands and thousands who are rushing to do this surgery, I'd say 3 known cases of death even remotely connected to the surgery itself is a pretty good statistic, compared to the danger I was putting myself in being over 100 lbs overweight and having serious cholesterol, blood clotting and multiple other health issues.

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Feeling back to normal yet?

You can suddenly develop an allergy to shellfish. I wouldn't think that necessarily meant other seafood would be included. Scary ordeal, however, I feel for you and I'm hoping this doesn't deter you from getting your band which I don't think should be an issue.

www.fitday.com is your friend. focus on protein, but eat your veggies too.. :Banane13:

Liquids = anything you can get through a straw. Soups, broths and btw, jello is nothing but liquid, either.. I question the idea that you can't have that. Definitely try to get in protein, but most importantly DO NOT get dehydrated. You'll find warm liquids make you feel like you've had something more substantial. I loved Chai Tea with High Protein Milk. At 2 weeks out you are not able to move into mushy foods??