dishdiva

Becky -- what were your symptoms? I've had fairly sharp pain in the port area for the past 24 hours...I'm hoping its just related to the ab exercises I did at the gym on Monday and not my band. Calling my doctor's office this morning just to be safe. Elizabeth 8-28-03

Great article. But how does a bandster who can only take small sips get in enough all day??? I hear many bandsters say they just sip all day. But if I have a pouch full of Water, there's no food going down. (I know, the water should be moving on through the pouch -- can't explain it -- but I don't feel good if I eat after a big round of water... even if I wait 30 minutes.) And a girl needs her nutrition! Sometimes, I don't want to drink because I'd rather eat. Imagine that! I try, I try...but I will try harder. Water rules. Elizabeth 8/28/03 -45

Cynthia -- I'm with you. As someone who has truly taken a set of scales and literally thrown them away (years ago), I find that once a week is healthy enough. Otherwise, it's kind of the same obsessive feeling I get with food -- at least for me. Taking the focus off the scales and numbers keeps things in perspective. I also went the other way where I didn't weigh at all for a long time. That wasn't good either. It created a 'who gives a flip' mentality that wasn't healthy. Thanks for the re-inforcement. Elizabeth 8/28/03 -45 (as of last Monday, my weekly weigh day!)

Hi -- I'm guilty of going through phases of frequent or ocassional vomiting. It's usually for the reasons everyone mentions -- food too fast, too much, too big... I have also helped it along -- which I know is awful, but I'll be so darn uncomfortable and that's the only remedy. I never had any issues of purging or frequent vomiting before the band. I've worked with a nutrionist for years and she's aware of it. I document all my food every day and include a note on any vomiting episodes so we can figure out what's triggering it. This typically happens in the weeks immediately following a fill -- and then stops. The best negative re-inforcement for trying to avoid vomiting is the prospect of slippage or other complications. Be careful! Elizabeth 8-28-03 -45

Laura -- That's awesome. As someone who has been several rounds with insurance company, I totally can appreciate your disbelief! Good luck on your journey! Elizabeth 8-28-03 -45

Carmen -- Just to echo the message of others -- taking care of yourself is the best thing you can do for him! And try and let go of the guilt about you being healthy (there are many support groups for family members of cancer patients). Here's a story of hope -- my mom has breast cancer that spread. After undergoing intensive chemo last year, she was put under hospice care after Dr.'s said there is nothing more they could do. The hospice nurses told us she had only a few days to live. She rebounded to the extent that the Dr.'s said there was no explanation for it and could only describe it as a miracle. The message here: Prayer, a patient's will to live and the love and support of their family and friends goes a very long way! Hang in there! Elizabeth

I'm in too. That time of day works for me, usually. Elizabeth

Wow, lots of us with experience on the reflux front. I've had it since banding last August. Dr. said it would go away -- it does. But when I had a second fill, it came back...and again, it got better. I'm careful about what I eat at night to make sure it doesn't hit in the middle of the night. Yuck. Dr. recommended Gaviscon, which works well. Also have had success with Pepcid, on the recommendation of another bandster. Very interesting comment about your husband having a fill during the time of day when he's more restricted. Haven't heard that before. (Timing the fill to daily restriction fluctuations.) Like a lot of people, my restriction varies by time of day. Both fills have been early afternoon...sometimes that's a tight time of day, sometimes not. Depends on the day! Elizabeth 08-28-03 -45

Jeanette -- Are we sisters?! Seperated at birth?! We definitely sound like we have the same mother. (Long story short, when my mom was on her deathbed recently, she made yet another (in a life full of endless ones) comment about why I need to lose weight. She's dying and all she can think about is my weight?? (She recovered, but her frame of mind about body image remains the same.) Like you, I love my mother -- but we have to take care of ourselves. See her criticism and commentary for what it is -- HER STUFF. You get straight about yours and don't worry about her. Good luck and Go DAWGS Liz UGA '84

Misty, You're in a tough place, no doubt about it. My advice, for whatever it's worth, would be to ideally land a job with an employer that has insurance that would cover the procedure. You really don't want to dig yourself deeper into debt. Or, you can save up the amount it would cost to have the surgery done in Mexico, perhaps? If you don't have any debt and feel like you could manage monthly payments, there are companies that provide credit to patients. Call a few surgeons in your area that perform lap band and see who they recommend. You could use this time to really learn everything you need to know about the band... so many people have had to "hurry up and wait" before getting the band, and everyone says it was worth the wait. Meanwhile, do the best you can to stay healthy. Good luck to you. Elizabeth 8/28/03

Your website is awesome! Congrats on your decision...thanks for your willingness to share the journey with the world! Elizabeth 8/28/03 -42

Good luck with your surgery...let us know how things turn out for you. Take care of yourself meanwhile -- those pre-op instructions are there for a reason! Elizabeth 8/28/03 -42

We had a good thread going a while back of people who were banded in August. Since it's been six months, I thought it would be helpful for all of us to get an update. Any takers? As for me, my weight loss has been slow -- most of it came immediately following surgery and my two fills. No complaints. I'm now at 1.8 cc. I've had some issues with reflux, gas and not getting enough Fiber in. (Read into that whatever you want!) After this last fill, I've had some vomiting episodes. I don't think I'm too tight...but that I eat too much too fast. All the rules are so true. Eat slow. Eat Protein first. Take tiny bites. Exercise. Get your Water in. All in all, I'm thrilled to have lost what I have. If I don't lose another pound it will have been worth it. There are stops and starts and lots of learning curves, but I'll get there. Thanks for being here! Elizabeth 8/28/03 -35

Hey Bobby -- My surgeon said I'd be fine doing anything except sit ups -- and I could start those back eventually. But, in my experience, there are some weight repts that don't work well. For example -- on Tuesday, I told the trainer I wanted to work my side muscles at the waistline -- obliques (sp) ?? He's a trainer that does tend to push a little (extra) weight on me...but I have had some pain on the side where my port is since then. Just tender, nothing I'm worried about. Also -- when I do crunches (I never do full sit-ups), I sometimes feel like I've overdone it in the band area. It may be that my ab muscles are just that wimpy because I'm too wimpy to work them out more regularly. Arms, no problems. Certain lower body/leg exercises, no problem. But when your torso starts getting involved in pushing the weights, my feeling is go with your gut. (ha ha) Elizabeth 8-28-03

Thanks for the cut and paste! Makes perfect sense to me, based on my experiences six months and two fills later. Elizabeth

Hey Vols Fan -- There is a great mexican bandsters group at Yahoo. They have a file with names of doctors, costs and in some cases websites. Go the Groups section and in the search window, enter mexican bandsters and you should find them. Before I went with a surgeon here, I was planning on going to Dr. Rumbault in Monterrey. I'd researched several and he seemed excellent. Elizabeth Go Dawgs! :confused:

I had my second fill yesterday. First fill was 1.6 on October 6. Went back the next day because I was miserable and not able to get much Water down and he took out 1.4 cc's. Wanted another fill because weight loss had stopped and the band wasn't working as the deterrent it was meant to be. My weight loss has been slow anyway (my not-always-great food choices, I'm sure), but Dr. said it was fine. When he took out the 1.4 cc's -- it was all there, so that was good. He put in 1.8 cc's. When I asked him if that was enough, the doctor said you want to take it more slowly because you don't want to use up what you've got (meaning the 4 cc's) too soon. I feel plenty full -- and it's easier to tolerate than last time because I know this restriction won't last forever. It's just time to "work it." So, there's my update. Meanwhile, we had a 12 degree wind chill in Atlanta today. No jokes from you polar bears! Elizabeth 8/28/03 -30

After my first fill, Dr. took out .2 cc's for a total of 1.4 cc's. Sorry for the confusion! Elizabeth

Hi -- I also had the lovely and charming diaherra after my surgery...it went away as soon as my food starting getting a little more solid. Good luck. Elizabeth

I thought the article focused too much on the "look at me now" aspect and minimizes the permanance, side effects etc. Celebrities have more "invested" in being thinner, likely explaining why they go a more drastic route. I also think some lap banders don't go public...and until the stars buy into the band, it's not news to People. Elizabeth

Hey Kelly, It will be interesting to see how the restriction is as the chaos of Christmas winds down. I noticed a big "opening" in my restriction soon after my period. It comes back every now and then -- when I least expect it. I'm thinking the stress theory is a good one. Scheduled for a fill 1/6. We'll see if I still need it when the time comes. Put that vacuum cleaner away, girl. Merry Christmas, everyone. Elizabeth 8/28/03 -25

Thanks so much! We'll see! Elizabeth

Hey Alexandra, Because of your work, I think you have one of the best perspectives on insurance issues of anyone. Long story short -- I'm still trying to get my claim paid from surgery last August. (The surgeon's office obtained verbal approval from a high level Cigna exec. and failed to get it in writing, as did I. If it was good enough for the people who were going to get paid, it was okay by me. Lesson learned!) Cigna PPO denied my initial claim and first appeal. I was ready to hire Walter Lindstrom (Obesity Law Center) to handle my second appeal. Then my surgeon's office called today after contacting the state insurance commisioner's office...and was told our plan was self-funded and I needed to contact my benefits administrator, which I did. My question for you is: what exactly does self-funded mean? I'm trying to figure out if my odds have improved! It's worth about $20K to me! Thanks! Elizabeth P.S. Love the new pic

I was just thinking about that tonight... it's hard to describe...almost like mourning... how I miss those "must-have-it-and-have-it-now" cravings. And the feeling of satisfaction once that craving is satisfied. But, it's weird -- I think about it, don't act on it and forget about it... Good luck with your surgery, Elizabeth 8/28/03

Antonio, So sorry about your problems and those of others in your group. I believe people with complications post less frequently on message boards -- for whatever reason -- disappointment, failure, frustration reading about so many who are doing well, who knows? It's just my personal opinion that there's an "under-reporting" of complications. You have provided valuable information to people considering the surgery -- they need to know the good and the bad. I have had minor problems, especially with acid reflux. And, it's been a surprise to me that the "feeling of fullness" that I had expected is more one of discomfort and minor pain. The unpredictability of restriction has also been a surprise. Compartively speaking, I am blessed. I am 23 pounds lighter, have more energy and think I am healthier overall. Like many responders to your message, I also tend to agree that your daughter may require an "unfill." Best wishes, Elizabeth 8/28/03