WASaBubbleButt

Yet another reason Mexico rocks! My last two fills... $25.00 w/fluoro.

Gahhhhh... I am SO over barium! I had a bunch of tests a few weeks ago and 4 different barium swallows in three hours. You know those styrofoam coffee cups? All total I had to drink three full cups. Ever get that feeling like you forget how to swallow? Your throat just won't cooperate with what your brain says? I'd have that crap in my mouth and try to swallow, I'd try forcing a swallow, it would just sit in the back of my mouth until I was afraid I would start gagging. Finally my doc laughed and said it appeared I had enough. Sometimes docs aren't real quick.... I had enough two full cups ago!

I stick to about 600 although my doc wants me to go for 800. I can get 66gms of protein with 360 calories. Fiber, I have never managed fiber. A good rule of them is 4gms of fiber per 100 calories. I haven't managed that yet although others have. Lower calories come with restriction and better food choices.

Makes sense. The way society treats gay folks doesn't exactly add to their self esteem.

Never! I am seriously addicted to these things. I'm not kidding, I've been counting down the days before they will get here. I swear they put something addictive on those things so we keep buying them. I just have a larger "fix" of my addiction than before. Than ever before. HA!

Under these circumstances you should call your doc and see if you need a slight unfill, fluoro, Nexium mups, or something different. If you would have had heartburn before banding that would be one thing. But since it started after banding, you might want to get checked out.

I'm so sorry you will lose your band. Now, I could well be wrong but I thought the only way to really diagnose erosion was with endoscopy. Does anyone know for sure one way or another?

I am such a putz, know what I did? Sheesh... I can't believe I did this. I was really tired when I put my last order in. Apparently I wasn't paying attention to zero's or something. I got the order confirmation right away and didn't even open it. Well, I just opened it. I actually ordered 17 boxes of those parmesan crackers. (smacking self) At least I won't run out for a bit! HA! I hope everyone I know likes them as well as I do.

Your port is the very last thing to heal. I'm 4.5 months out and I still get port pain sometimes if I overdo on the treadmill, etc. Sometimes if I bump my port area it is sore for a few days. Had a fill a couple of weeks ago and for the first time ever my doc was feeling it (he uses fluoro so he never does that) and just him messing with it made it feel similar to a bruise. You are still very much a newbie, I would just relax and let it take time to heal.

People are often times surprised at what accountability means in the US when it comes to docs. We have the attitude that the best medical care with the most checks and balances is to be had in the US. That simply isn't true, it is an assumption by people and nothing more. Years ago (and to some degree today) people idolized doctors and really believed they could do no wrong. Today we know better but the old time rules from yesterday still apply to docs today. In Arizona (as many other states) doctors get a letter placed in their file if they kill someone. If they keep doing that then something is done assuming they are not one of the good 'ol boys. For example, in AZ the farthest you can go with a complaint of a doctor is the Az Medical Board. They call the shots. If you don't agree that the doc who killed your loved one should continue practicing medicine, too bad. It's not up to you. It's up to the peers of that physician. You know, often times that means his friends. There is a pediatrician in Maryvale, AZ that is a known, convicted, and admitted pedophile. His "punishment" you ask? He was told to get therapy and have a female licensed person with him while he examined children. Most rational people would question why he still has a license to examine and treat children especially after the CA police dept was done with him, but not our medical board. He got therapy, his records were made available for public record for two years. The licensed female that was supposed to be with him? He didn't wanna. So he didn't and continues examining them without supervision. Want to sue? Insurance companies used to just pay off claims because it was easier and cheaper to pay it off vs. fighting it. Not anymore, insurance companies are tired of lawyers that take advantage of the fact that most insurance co's used to pay off $5K claims without even trying to fight the case no matter how stupid the case. So now they fight them ALL tooth and nail. They won't be taken advantage of anymore. So with all due respect I we are going to have to agree to disagree on this one. As long as doctors police themselves, we get what we get. Sometimes the system works and sometimes it doesn't. Just like in Mexico. The key here isn't to plan ahead on if you can sue or not, the key is to research the doc REGARDLESS of country. 99% of the time that takes care of the potential problems.

When were you banded? Do you have a fill yet? Did you have heartburn before being banded? Details?

Do whatever you have to in order to stick with it. Come here, post, write us all individual PMs, scream, yell, vent, complain, whine, whatever it takes. You can do this. Turn the TV off. Commercials don't help. Remember, you'll be able to have a burger again, just not today. Take it one day at a time. You can do this, you want to lose weight, right? What's more important, satisfying one craving at a time or getting healthy? That's how you have to think about it.

Don't use Metamucil. It gets thick like jello and can be very painful.

This is sad, indeed. You know, there is a saying that docs have and that is that patients have ONE rule when it comes to surgery. Don't die. Sometimes no matter how great the surgeon and no matter how well the procedure was done, people have complications and they die. My heart goes out to the person and the family.

Agreed, docs do have this stat or they should. But remember, there are other reasons for converting from lap to open so it is important to be specific and ask why the surgery was changed. My doc has done over 1300 bands and all were done via laparoscopy. So compare your physician's stats with other docs as well. MusicalMomma... thanks! It finally happened. I'm shooting for a pound a day for a bit... yeah, we'll see! LOL

If the liver is that large (according to my doc) he would close you up and have you diet. A full incision is a lot of risk just because someone didn't do a pre-op diet.

LOL! As long as you are burning fat your breath will be funky. Just remember, better bad breath than a fat butt!

You are right about keytones. When you lose weight your body converts fat into different chemicals and the bottom line results when it comes to testing for keytones. If the strips turn color, you are burning fat. That's really all that matters. You don't want dark purple, all that means is that you are not getting enough fluids. You merely want a color change. This doesn't have to happen from just low carb, if you are burning fat the strips will change color. Keep in mind that over time (and I don't know the reason for this) your body might stop producing keytones. It doesn't mean you aren't still burning fat, it just means the tests show negative. When you burn fat most people believe it comes out in poop. It doesn't. When you burn fat the chemicals are released from your body via breath, urine, and sweat.

Maybe just focus on one positive change at a time. You are doing that, you are changing your food types. Is it better to eat more foods that are healthy or less food that is very harmful? Just take it in steps, this is a life changing event coming up, you aren't going to be perfect every step of the way.

You'll have to give it time. It doesn't happen overnight. Seriously, think about it. Did you put the weight on as fast as you want to take it off? Relax, heal, get a fill, you'll lose weight.

Start looking now for a new fill doc. $528 is sheer insanity. I pay $75 w/fluoro.

Evcase... Isn't today your appt? What happened?

Do you made scrambled pancakes too?? That's how I make 'em. Don't mean to but that is what happens. $12 for a bag of crackers? Sheesh... that's horrible. No wonder Atkins brands hasn't done well traditionally. Their baking mixes and such I never tried because I don't cook however, I have yet to hear anything good about them. When I was doing Atkins I did a lot of salads, Protein shakes, cheese, eggs, etc. With the exception of their shakes I never did buy many of their products.

Sure. They wouldn't have been given JUST Protein, but protein with other things too in the form of a TPN. (IV for those that can't eat) Protein alone won't cause you to gain weight unless it is excess protein, just like anything else. Anything in excess and you'll gain weight. With that said, IV nutrition has come a long way in 20 years.

My doc says 800 calories daily, I say 600. It's working for me but many don't like to cut back that much.