DELETE THIS ACCOUNT!

I always really liked the Unjury Chocolate Splendor.

Wow...look amazing! Congratulations!

If you can't handle fluids, you're too tight. Talk to your doctor and let him decide what is best for you.

I am so sorry. I would not let anyone touch your band until your bariatric surgeon has a look for himself. A lot of well meaning radiologists and other doctors often try to diagnose band issues and fail miserably because they're not trained in bariatrics. I'll keep my fingers crossed that your surgeon has good news.

I'm not an expert, but one thing I've noticed from others is if you have loose skin then you're stuck with it. The trick is keeping it tight as you lose weight so it doesn't get saggy. Once the hanging skin is already there, you're pretty much stuck with it unless you get plastic surgery. Again, I could be wrong, it's just my observation.

I have long thought the pre-disposition towards obesity was genetic. When I look at my own family it's pretty obvious. But, I think it's much like other disease. For instance, some people have higher chance for certain cancers or diabetes but it doesn't mean they'll get it. Plus, people can sometimes avoid those diseases by lifestyle. I think obesity is no different.

It's not "my" truth. It is the truth that has been proven. I didn't just pull the 5% number out of thin air, it's from an actual study. I never once accused you lying or BS. I simply stated that the majority of complications are patient caused and the doctors know when it's patient caused if the patient is honest about their behaviors. Sorry you're so defensive without cause.

No one is discounting anyone's experience, but it's actually rather easy to determine if the complications are patient caused IF the patient is honest about their actions and behaviors. I never said that complications don't occur by no fault of the patient- they definitely do. This is especially true with the old 4cc band. But the majority of complications are because of the patient's behaviors not the band.

I've always been tight in the mornings. I have a protein shake for breakfast then eat normal food from lunch on.

Real easily- by not being smart and following the rules. Bands left too tight for weeks or months (sometimes years), vomiting repeatedly and not doing anything about it, over eating chronically, and even not following up with proper care from their doctors. Heck, even cheating on the post op diet can cause some of the complications.

The band size may effect how many fills you need before you have adequate Fluid in your band, but it has zero effect on actual weight loss. Think of it like this: Would a loose bracelet on your arm make you lose weight? No? Ok, how about a tighter bracelet? Still no? It's no different with the band around your stomach. It's just a silicone band there to control your hunger but the band itself doesn't make you lose weight. You lose weight as a result of eating less because you're not nearly as hungry.

You're never a failure unless you give up. You haven't given up so you're not a failure. It takes most people multiple fills before they have adequate Fluid in their band, until then, it's just another diet. But, also keep in mind the band isn't meant to physically stop you from eating. It's meant to control your hunger: http://drsimpson.net/fills/Lap-band-eating/lap-band-not-restriction/lap-band-and-restriction.html Why did you have two band surgeries 72 hours apart???

I got mine from my surgeon's office. However, it's no guarantee you'll get a price break or smaller portion just because you have the card. Restaurants don't have to honor it.

PBing isn't bad for the band but it isn't good when done excessively. Either you're too tight, not taking small enough bites, or not chewing enough. You shouldn't be PBing with every meal let alone multiple times a meal.

It's a really personal decision. I've gone from an 8x/size 46 to a L/size 14 over the last 18 months. Needless to say, dropping that many sizes has gotten really expensive. Oddly enough, the smaller I get the faster I drop sizes too. I lost close to 60 pounds before I dropped my first size but now if I lose even 15 my clothes get too big. I personally won't replace my jeans until I drop 2 full sizes otherwise it just costs too much. Cotton pants I pretty much wear until they're slipping off my hips- which is usually a 2-3 size drop. Shirts I wear until they're slipping off my shoulders or just plain drowning me in fabric. If you can afford to replace your clothes with every size you drop- I say go for it. You will look smaller in the properly fitting clothes and you'll feel better about yourself. However, if you're on a budget (like me) then you might want to make your clothes last as long as you can stand them.

No, your port is attached to your abdominal wall. Your stomach is deeper in your abdominal cavity.

There is zero comparison between the Lap Band and Weight Watchers. The Lap Band is surgical and an entire lifestyle change. Weight Watchers is a diet. I tried Weight Watchers years ago. I lost about 50 pounds over 6 months. Of course, I also gained it all back and then some once I stopped following their diet. I have had the Lap Band for 18 months and lost over 220 pounds. Because I'm not on a diet but rather changed my lifestyle permanently, I have no intentions of gaining any back.

I agree, if you are struggling with fluids you need to call your doctor ASAP. Let him decide if you need a small unfill.

I have an actual folder on my lap top called "my evolution". Every month or two, I put a new picture in it. Looking at how I've changed along this journey puts it all in perspective for me. Jim's idea to keep clothes is good, too. In fact if you look at my profile, my "after" picture is me wearing the pants in the "before" picture.

I'm no doctor, but I did have my gallbladder out this past April. I tightened up considerably for a little while after surgery. You have to remember, you have a lot of internal swelling. Also, having your gallbladder removed directly effects your digestive system so you're going to be sensitive to what eat for a little while anyway. Just take very small bites, chew like crazy, and pause between bites. You'll be fine.

It does sound like heart burn but it's really important you tell your surgeon about it at your next appointment.

I agree, my port still gets touchy once in awhile. Most of the time I don't even know it's there, but if I lean on it weird or stretch that area just right, it's sore. I wouldn't worry about it unless it becomes a chronic issue.

And being as you were banded 10 years ago, that would also mean you have the old 4cc bands that are no longer used in the US. Perhaps you should head over to the Mexico band threads and warn them about the 4cc band because they're still getting them.

That's all fine and dandy, however that is yet another study that doesn't bother to differentiate between band failure and patient failure. If you look at all the complications caused by patients then yes, the number will be very high. This is also true if you look at people using the old 4cc bands, which now know are very prone to slips and erosion. However, if you look at patients who didn't cause the band failure, the results are very different: The study, the longest and most comprehensive yet reported, appears in the Annals of Surgery, and finds a significant number of laparoscopic adjustable gastric banding (lap banding) patients maintained an average weight loss of 26 kilograms for more than a decade after their procedure. Researchers analyzed the results in 3,227 patients who had gastric banding surgery in Australia between 1994, when the procedure was first introduced, and 2011. The patients in the study were averaged at 47 years-of-age and 78 percent were women. Of those patients, 714 had surgery at least 10 years ago and, on average, had maintained a weight loss of 26 kilograms, or almost half of their excess weight. The weight loss results were similar for the 54 patients in the study who had undergone treatment at least 15 years ago. “These results show that when you have a significant problem with obesity, a long-term solution is available,” says Professor Paul O’Brien of the Centre for Obesity Research and Education at Monash University in Melbourne. “This surgery is safe and effective, and it has lasting benefits. Substantial weight loss can change the lives of people who are obese—they can be healthier and live longer.” O’Brien says there are also important ramifications for the control of type 2 diabetes, which was strongly associated with being overweight. “In obese patients with type 2 diabetes, weight loss after gastric banding can lead to effective control of blood sugar levels without the need for medication in about three-quarters of cases,” O’Brien says. The patients included in the study had followed the rules of their treating team regarding eating, exercise, and activity and committed to returning permanently to the aftercare program. All the surgery was performed by O’Brien, an international pioneer of the technique, and Associate Professor Wendy Brown, President of the Obesity Surgery Society of Australia and New Zealand. There were no deaths associated with the surgery or with any later operations that were needed in about half of the patients. About one in 20 patients had the band removed during the study period. “In treating a chronic disease such as obesity over a lifetime, it is likely that something will need to be corrected at some time in some patients,” says O’Brien. “The study shows a marked reduction of revisional procedures with the introduction of the new version of the Lap-Band 6 years ago. Importantly, those who had revisional surgery lost as much weight in the long term as those who did not need it.” The report also included a comparison of gastric banding—which can be done as a day-surgery procedure—and more invasive types of weight-loss surgery such as gastric bypass that are high risk and require longer hospital stay. The weight loss with gastric banding, and the need for future revisional surgery, was similar to that with gastric bypass. “Access to weight-loss surgery in Australia remains severely limited for many obese patients as relatively few cases are treated within the public health system. We are working hard to improve access,” says O’Brien. “We have ample evidence that weight-loss surgery is effective, and it is unfair that half of eligible patients cannot be treated, particularly as it has been shown that gastric banding is a highly cost-effective health care measure. The stigma of obesity, and the assumption that it is the person’s fault, entrenches discrimination against people who could benefit.” Source: Monash University

You have yet to share any actual facts. Just a lot of BS based on...well...nothing of relevance. Do you have actual facts? Actual studies? If so, by all means share them. I'd love to see the data the proves we're all doomed. I'm sure the FDA would too. I mean, you claim to know far more than the FDA or any of our surgeons do. You should really share your proof. Contrary to popular belief, misery doesn't love company.