TheCascadian

Hello all, I got the email and figured it would be nice to stop by and say hello and give a long-winded update. Feel free to skip the boring parts! I got my band on 03/28/07; four years ago this month! Feels like I've had it longer, actually. I'm still overweight, but my weight is very steady around 300-310lbs (6'6" tall) for years now. This is down from my all-time high of 420+ lbs., although constant Atkins dieting and exercise were keeping me well below that weight in the years prior to the surgery. I think I was bouncing around in the 360-390 range in the months before surgery, but I tell people I lost over 100 pounds with the band because without low-carb dieting and running that would be very true. The band did what I wanted- it stopped my ravenous hunger and stabilized my weight so I wasn't CONSTANTLY gaining pounds or dieting back down. Ironically, what it changed most was my mind, not my body. I feel like a normal person now, somebody who should really hit the gym and drop that beer gut, instead of somebody haunted by a fatal metabolic disorder and a love/hate relationship with food. I'm at 9.6cc fill on a vanguard, reasonable restriction. I never got the hang of eating without fluids and in fact I drink lots of Water with my meals. I know I'm flushing the band but it works for me. I can and do eat normal-sized meals, just very slowly. This is a big change from my pre-band diet where I would eat a meal for two- or three- and still be hungry after. I'm a bit picky about what I eat now; my friends and I joke that I have "surgical bulimia" on those bad-band days (no, we are not very p.c. and I do understand that's a serious eating disorder), but I have had a couple of somewhat-comical upchucking/spewing events that won't be described here, usually after trying to down some tasty but heavy / glutinous food. For some reason hamburger patties and hand-tossed pizza crusts are utterly intolerable to my band no matter how much I chew them. Thankfully about a year after surgery I found lettuce/spinach/salads could finally go through the band just fine. I do not religiously avoid sweets. I just eat these things in normal amounts now. As far as band side-effects or issues go, like I said I have very occasional bad days where I hurl most food up. These days are always solitary and they never prevent me from taking water in, there is no associated pain with this other than hunger. I don't think my band has ever slipped. I don't have any heartburn issues. Sometimes I bump by port and it gets sore but overall I would say I've had no serious complications and I'm very happy with my band. I've had the flu twice, promethazin suppositories kept the retching to a minimum. I do have a standing arrangement with my surgeon that if my band ever messes up and needs further surgery, he will take it out and revise me to a vertical gastrectomy.

I went to my Primary Care Physician Dr. Dagg at Swedish Physicians Clinic and told him about my history of obesity, diets, etc. I needed to go through him for some testing for insurance purposes and also I wanted a second opinion about this. He knew that I was already seeing an obesity-surgery doctor and asked who it was. When I told him, he was very polite and political but said he "doesn't recommend" Dr. Fox. He basically told me that Dr. Fox lost his medical license for a while (but he didn't know WHICH Dr. Fox, father or son...) and implied that there had been a recent death and that the Foxes weren't trained in bariatrics specifically (although he acknowledged they had performed a lot of surgeries in that area) and that hospitals in outlying areas (ie, Auburn where Dr. Fox does surgery) are more dangerous and so on... :omg: I was dumbfounded, to say the least. You can understand when a doctor has a friend in the biz he'd like to send people to, but this seemed more like he was really concerned that this would be a bad choice for me safety-wise. He then recommended Dr. Ross McMahon. I guess this McMahon is an obesity specialist from Duke University who is apparently starting up a practice here and comes highly recommended... At least he was supportive of both the lap-band and bypass for me. He didn't push any silly diets which I was grateful for. At the end of the visit he sort of revised his earlier warning by saying that he would put Dr. Fox third on the list of who I should see for bariatric surgery. I think he realized he might have laid it on a little thick? I don't know what to think. I've heard a rumour elsewhere about the father, Dr. Ross Fox, having some issues with his license and malpractice accusations due to his age and that he stopped doing surgery because of this. But I hadn't heard anything bad about his son, Dr. Earl Fox. Is it a "sins of the father" situation? Dr. Dagg didn't know they were a father/son team, so how good is his info? :help:

My crazy work schedule and my utter laziness have combined into the perfect storm- it seems like I'll never get this pre-band testing phase over with. I stupidly allowed my PCP to do his own little side project testing my cholesterol and thyroid function. Now I've got to get back on the "bandwagon" and make some appointments. I am going to aim for having the psych, dietician and bloodwork done in the next two weeks! Then get a surgery appointment right away!!! I'm very impatient with this process and mad at my PCP for trying to instill phantom fears in me regarding my choice in Surgeon... Not that he doesn't mean well, I'm sure he does, but I don't really want to switch horses mid-race and try to get a different Surgeon. I'm suffering from a little bit of depression and self-mockery, because I keep TALKING AND TALKING instead of just DOING IT. *slap upside the head* I allowed Dr. Dagg to destract me from my goal, I will be firm with him this time and tell him I want the recommendation to Dr. Fox... Then I'll see if he can do all the bloodwork in-house or if I need to make the appointment at Auburn Hospital for it. *deep breath* *calm* I will get this squared away this week. No more delays, excuses or drama.

So I'm up to 8cc in my 10cc band. And I think I just may have finally gotten some restriction. I was eating out the other night with friends at some mexican food joint. After having a handful of chips and salsa, I ordered a beef burrito- ala carte (no rice or Beans or anything else). It was a small one, not one of these jumbo three-and-half-hand monstrosities that are so common these days. I'd say it was 6 inches long, about 1 cup of filling inside plus the tortilla. I am used to eating about a normal-sized meal since getting banded (no restriction, but my hunger just isn't there and I get satiated now, thank god). Prior to this latest fill, I could easily eat MOST of a 1/4 pound burger, a small handful of fries and maybe a bite of somebody else's dessert. ((( Now, I'm giving this as an EXAMPLE OF QUANTITY, not an example of what I normally eat, mind you. ))) So anyway, I was fully planning on finishing this small burrito and got halfway through with it when I suddenly started getting a strange new message: DUDE. THIS IS RESTRICTION. STOP EATING NOW OR I WILL MAKE YOU REGRET IT. FONDEST REGARDS, YOUR STOMACH. So, with a last mournful glance at my half-eaten meal, I pushed it away. Three meals later, the only thing I seem to be able to really pack away is sushi. I ate an entire salmon and avocado roll without an issue, but I did drink with that meal (wasabe is HOT, people, very very hot! LOL.) So I guess I'm also getting the dummy's education about drinking with the band and how it affects your portions. I'm down about 65 pounds now in 2.5 months, but it has been slowing wayyyy down. I need to exercise, too, dammit. This band is the best thing ever. Now to conquer my own stupidity.

I'm glad my pain can bring some joy into your lives, people! LOL. Had a similar experience today: My Starbucks cinnamon roll for Breakfast (I know, I know, poor choices!) was going fine: I had one bite... Two bites... Thre- DUDE. DIDN'T WE JUST TALK ABOUT THIS? REMEMBER THE BURRITO? KAY THANX BAI, YOUR STOMACH. The rest of that breakfast fiasco is sitting on the kitchen counter in a ziploc awaiting my hungry and unbanded roommate... Gotta love restriction. WASA- steal away, I'm not getting royalties for it or anything.

Hmmm... Dealbreakers? The key phrase here is "everything in moderation". I don't mind a girl who smokes weed, just don't want an addict. Hard drugs call into question the sanity/maturity/health of the user, of course. Again, the key idea here is "no addicts". I hesitate to lay down too many firm rules or qualifications that a potential partner must meet or avoid simply because people handle things so differently. What is a disastrous event or quality in one person is merely a picadillo or quirk in another. Obviously, as a single twenty-something male with no children and no prior marriages, I am VERY leery of other people's little kids. I'm not a father and don't want to jump into that role with some other guy's offspring- I'll make my own in due time, thanks. But, wouldn't you know it, I had a wonderful time on a date with a divorced mother of one child just a few days ago. If I had been unwilling to date this woman because of a hard-and-fast "rule", I would have missed out on somebody really special. I get to know people and if we don't match up I move along. It's a big world, no hard feelings and I try my best not to make enemies or to miss out on great opportunities.

After surgery, I found I wasn't very hungry and couldn't eat much more than a small chicken breast, a can of tuna or maybe a small dinner salad. Not all three mind you, one of those would fill me up completely. Then I got my first fill. 5cc in a 10cc band. Now, when I don't eat I am STARVING and I can actually eat an almost-normal-sized meal. For instance, I ate all the meat and most of the veggies off a fajita skillet at Chilis Restaraunt today, as well as some appetizer... My body is so damned wierd... Thinking about having the fill removed and seeing if my hunger goes away again! LOL.

Right on, thanks for the advice and experiences, everybody. I cannot eat anything like what I used to... I'm eating half or less and staying full longer. But those first few weeks of "four bites and I'm done" sure were nice. I have monthly fill appointments and phentermine (hunger control/weight loss pills) until I get good restriction. The pills will probably continue until I am at goal weight. As the Doctor pointed out, weight loss pills work great until you stop taking them... Then you gain it all back. Unless, of course, you have a properly-restricted lapband installed. LOL.

Actually, I had my fill about two weeks ago! LOL. Hasn't changed, other than the usual daily fluctuation on "tighter" when I get up and "looser" later on.

I didn't see a thread for us out there, so I thought I'd start it up. I'm getting it done so late this month, I'll ALMOST be an April Bandster.. but not quite. Who else has had surgery this month??? How's it going? How do you feel? Anybody waiting in the wings like I am?

Banded on 03/28/07. No complications. I felt almost completely healed at two weeks out. My Doctor wanted me to remain on Clear Liquids and Protein Shakes for two ADDITIONAL weeks (until one month after surgery). He said this was for weight loss as well as to let adhesions develop around the band. I could lie and say I was following his rules, but at the two-week mark I started on full liquids, then mushies. Never felt a twinge from the band on any of it. Couple days later, I was on solids again, chewing well and feeling great. I've got a valid excuse in that the Protein shakes were making me gag- literally. Seven different brands of powder and can, all nasty. Plus, the only clear liquids that tasted good to drink were sugary fruit juices- I am not a broth/soup person at all. I was genuinely worried that I would "sugar" myself out of losing any weight. I wasn't getting enough protein, felt weak and tired. Now, my doctor and I had already discussed me doing Atkins on the band until I'm done losing. He also put me on Phentermine (appetite suppressant) to speed this whole process and help me through bandster hell. Anyway, I've been doing Atkins with only a couple minor cheating incidents. I get my protein from real meat. I avoid sugar. I feel FREAKING AWESOME. Today is exactly one month out and I'm down almost 50 pounds. I know, I know, should have followed doctor's orders... I know, I know, could have lost more already w/out the food. And yes, I have been exercising a little bit and taking my Vitamins. My portions went from tiny to almost-normal as my body got used to food again, so that I can just about finish a chicken breast, burger patty or can of tuna and I feel very satisfied with that. But even in supposed bandster hell with no fill, I just am not that hungry. I have to force myself to eat, most days. Some of that is the Phentermine working (you can feel it when you're on it), but even without the pills my hunger just isn't like it was. Don't doubt, I already pushed myself once, trying to eat the old way: I overdid it on on chinese spicy beef and the band let me know about it! Just ate too much, felt like I was bloated and it was pressing up UNDER the band? Wierd, but it went away when I took a gas-x tab. Regardless, I am so glad I had this surgery done. I plan on going under 300 pounds next month. I can't wait to get a fill (on 05/10/07)and watch my portion size drop back down again. Oh, one last dark little confession because I am a bad man: In order to avoid stressing the band, I've been drinking with meals to keep it flushed. I don't have restriction ANYWAY, but I wanted to let the adhesions form like the doctor talked about. He said food sitting in the band would push it down, that was the reason for the long liquids period- I tried to get around it my own dunder-headed way. So, it's time to buckle down and stop drinking with my meals. Thanks for reading this novella, please berate me for being pigheaded and breaking the rules. I know I deserve it. *ducks and covers*

Lost a lot on Atkins back in the day, at 23 years old. Stomach and ass tightened back up flat with horrid stretch marks (electric red), they faded and then I regained it all. This time, skin is tightening up a bit already, but not like it did the first time. Thankfully, I kept 12 inches off my waist by working out LAST TIME, so there is not soo much extra skin anyway. It's all just front lower belly hanging a bit. Just a roll that looks nasty, that's all I've got that is hanging "wrong" off my frame. But I was blessed with 6'6" of frame, so I carried my morbid obesity better than most... Arms, legs, chest and back are tightening up just fine and look normal.

Yeah, I can't disagree with anything that was said- better to follow doctors instructions. I determined that I needed to ignore them and I may very well suffer problems down the line from that decision. Or I may end up just fine. Time will tell. For now, I'm feeling awesome and losing weight.

Good for you! That's awesome.

Banded on the 28th, about 1 week out now, feeling OK except for port pain. I'm VERY hungry, gassy and constipated. I'm supposed to do 3 more weeks of clear liquids! Argghghh. I'm going to lose 100 pounds just from the stupid liquid diet- If I wanted to do that I wouldn't have had the surgery! *grumpy* *sigh*

Whenever I've had an IV or a blood draw, that's all they use. Why wouldn't it be enough? Also, where can I find out more info? I'd love to have an "emergency unfill kit" handy, just in case.

Hmmmm.... Assuming that I KNEW I had a non-coring needle (but I dunno how I'd know that! LOL) that was unused/fresh out of the packaging, some alcohol swabs and a clean syringe, I would be willing to unfill myself in an emergency. As for filling? Why not just go to the doctor? I can easily see how, in an emergency situation/end-of-the-world-as-we-know-it sorta thing why you would want to give yourself a total unfill. I cannot see needing to fill yourself up again w/out help. Just my .02 cents.

Sounds like normal pain, but you should always get checked JUST IN CASE. Good luck, keep in touch!

I agree with juliegraci- First off, it isn't really about NOT eating carbs, it is about MAKING SURE you eat your Protein, very important for good health and healing. Secondly, carbs break down to sugars in the digestive tract. When you burn fat, it also turns into a sugar. Fat breaks down into glycerol (sugar) and fatty acids, which means that you can completely cut out carbs (but not FIBER) and you are effectively not withholding any nutrients from your body. Fat cells do not store protein, Fiber or most Vitamins, so we keep intake of those up. I'm not a dietician or doctor, I just play one on the internet- Hope medical/dietician people can correct me if any of this is innaccurate. ;D

I dunno about that. Is it where your incisions are? My port incision (big one) just hurts constantly at 6 days out from surgery... REALLY really hurts to cough/laugh/move. I'd call the doc and ask if the pain isn't in your incisions...

Day 6 post-op, my steri-strips are still on after multiple hot soapy showers and some good 'ole belly-scratchin.

My doctor's office gave me an order form for a medical ID bracelet or necklace and suggested that I wear one from now on. It is supposed to read "No NG tube w/o endoscope" and then have the Dr.s name and phone #... I was interested to know if anybody else has one of these? Also, has anyone been hassled by airport security? Do we need to keep a "prosthetics/implant id card" or whatever you call it with us for the damn TSA now? I believe there is some stainless steel in the port connector piece, possibly the port of the VG band as well (yup, I have the big 10cc one), so I was wondering about that also.

Hmmm... Dr. C???? I'd sure like to have another licensed medical professional weigh in, if any are around. :confused:

Oh, here's the company website they directed me to: http://www.americanmedical-id.com/home/

Damn, I'd go to the ER. Surely the hospital can help you if no private doctor will... Virginia Mason is a good Hospital, surely they have some answers for you? Good luck, sounds terrible for you.