WASaBubbleButt

I don't think anyone is asking you to bet a farm on that particular site. But the concept is quite accurate. For someone my size it takes around 1800 calories just to wake up daily, breathe, and function. That's an average, not specifics. If you want specifics then by all means, go to your doctor. Otherwise, these are averages and I don't think anyone was claiming anything different.

The worst for me is not knowing day to day what foods will work and what won't. It's not as bad as it sounds, you just learn to deal with it. The best is ... not being fat anymore.

Oh yeah! I forgot about your TT. Well, at least it is a small scar. Not like a TT scar. BTW, what do your TT scars look like?

BTW, they won't create another scar replacing the port if they use the same location for the new port. He'll likely just open your old scar and use that location.

I talked to my doc about this a couple of months ago. He explained that the low profile port isn't much "shorter" than a regular port but it really seems to make a huge difference. Dr. C wrote the same thing. Mexican docs typically use a low profile port at the time of banding. Happens to be just yesterday I asked my doc why Mexico does this and the US doesn't. He said that most docs in Mexico do fills under fluoro so it doesn't matter which port is used. Most US docs do fills without fluoro and they need more help actually finding the port. I have the low profile port, always have had it. I think it will stick out at goal. I was thinking about seeing if it could be moved somewhere else (such as under a muscle) if it does stick out. I'll wait and see once I'm there.

If you use the band properly and get fills as you are supposed to you won't likely be a slow loser. If you look on the Lap Band Support thread you'll see lots of others are slow to lose and likely for the same reason.

I did not get high blood pressure until I lost 70lbs. I went from having low blood pressure to high for merely losing weight. Not fair. Most go off meds after losing weight.

Yep, what Terri wrote.

If you are trying to kick soda the real culprit here could be a lack of caffeine. That is well known to give mega headaches.

I went to lunch with Kansas Sooner today, we are going to Mexicali tomorrow for her fill. I made a decision, I am going to post a photo here, on this thread. It might not stay up long but I'm going to post it here. I need to buy the jigger thingy to upload photos from my camera to my computer again since I lost the old one. But I am asking for honest opinions. It's weird, I don't trust anyone in real time to tell me the truth but I trust you guys. But I'm going to take the plunge and post a photo. Hopefully Monday I can do this. I need to know from my fellow fatties how much more I need to lose. I'm thinking 14 more pounds and then maybe 10 more (I don't know, I'll have to look at things again once my BMI is 25) + a tummy tuck and boob job. I'm going by BMI alone, if I was going by my eyes I'd say AT LEAST 100lbs. Doing the math tells me that isn't possible. So I need help here and I need the most honest opinions no matter how much it hurts to hear (read?). Thx.

A surgeon usually knows before surgery if it will have to be done via open vs. lap. My doc has done over 1400 bands and has yet to do the procedure via open. He claims much of this is surgeon skill.

I'd contact Don Mills at Inamed and talk to him about this. Just find the (800) number for Inamed and ask for him, he's the sales manager.

Attitude makes all the difference in the world when it comes to banding and you clearly have the right one!

:::nodding:::

There is a formal diagnosis code for MORBID Obesity that can be used and then all your expenses are deductable.

It's a whole lot better than being fat!

Everyone is different, there are lots of people that can and did go back to work after four days. I could have with no problem. My friend did, lots of folks do.

Usually they will treat the infection first. If it responds well they will leave it at that. If it does not respond well they often times do remove the port and bury the tubing deep in the gut where the gut can deal with any stray bacteria well. Then later they replace the port.

Nana... I was hoping you'd chime in, that's what I wrote about you! HA! Thanks!

I can only go from my own experience and what I have read of others and their experiences but I think there are two issues here regarding eating and getting a band. First of all there is final meal sydrome... we eat a million of them thinking we aren't ever going to be able to eat again. That combined with the idea that you know you are getting a band so it doesn't matter if you gain a few pounds... it's not a good thing. I kinda sorta have to agree with your doc. Getting a band is serious business. Liver issues are serious business. Someone wrote just in the last couple of days that her 20 minute procedure took 2 hours because of liver issues. Her doc almost closed her up without doing surgery. Can you imagine waking up and being told there is no band, go diet before they'll try again? Consider this... when someone is extra large they have a mega size liver. During surgery there are "usually" five incisions, each incision they insert what looks like a hollow metal rod. They slide instruments in and out of these metal rods (trocars). One of these rods has the job of holding the liver up and out of the way so the band can be placed. When the liver is huge and heavy it will literally bend and warp the metal trocar so they have to make two incisions just because of the weight, they need two trocars. This makes surgery harder for the surgeon and if it is harder for him it is more dangerous for you. Cut out ALL white carbs. That means sugar too. Flour, sugar, rice, and potatoes. Stick to adequate Protein (vs. high protein), and low fat foods. Get your liver happy and healthy and surgery will be safer for you.

From Inamed, the makers of the band. Their band was approved in Mexico 10 years before it was approved in the US. Mexico has been using it since 1991, it wouldn't be approved in the US until 2001. In the beginning the Mexican surgeons were Inamed's proctor surgeons for the most part. They had a few from other countries as well. My doc is still a proctor surgeon, as are a few others. It was also the Mexican surgeons that played the bigger role in perfecting the band and the procedure for placing it. Mexico has 9 approved bands. Most of the better docs will only use US FDA approved bands so we have an easier time getting fills here. But the Swedish band was just purchased by Johnson & Johnson and it is due to be FDA approved this fall. Mexico has been using it for years.

You could switch the white meat for dark meat, most seem to have a problem with eggs anyway, and cheese... full of needless fat. Really, 1500-1800 calories... I know I'd stop losing weight. I'd have to eat that much just to maintain my current weight and I'm still considered overweight. I understand what you are saying about sauces and mayo but aren't you really making a trade off anyway? Instead of sauces and mayo you are eating pasta and rice. Six of one, half dozen of the other. Instead of the fat from cheese I'd rather have fat from good quality oils. You need some fat in your diet so why not make it good fats? I would get an appropriate fill, cut out ALL white carbs, and cut about 800 calories daily from your menu. Weight will fall off. And with the right fill you CAN do 800-1000 calories daily.

I know what you mean about shopping in the plus section. I feel that fat and it seems appropriate. But I also wonder what sales people are thinking when *I* go to the normal size clothes. I imagine them laughing and thinking that fat girl really thinks she's going to fit her big butt in this size?? HA!

I went to Mexico alone. Honestly, for me it was no big deal.

It's only $8K in Mexico. Remember, it is the Mexican surgeons that trained the US docs. Don't let misinformation stop you from getting a life saving procedure.