WASaBubbleButt

I'm sorry, I'm not exactly sure if what you are asking. Are you asking what a synonym or symptoms of a hiatal hernia?

My current fill is the first that I have ever kept this long. Sometimes you have to experiment and see what works for you.

You can email any mod and they will do that for you. Wheetsin has done it for me before!

I hope they are NOT representative of true stats.

Still not sure if you are more excited about your surgery or me!!!!!!! While I don't currently live in KS I used to. I used to live in Mission, KS many many many moons ago!

Everyone is different, there is no way to tell what you'll be able to eat and what you won't. It's completely individual.

Jan... I used to believe that hair loss was due to Protein issues. I don't believe that anymore. My labs have been perfect regarding protein issues and I have lost a LOT of hair. I think it is either oils or Vitamins. I'm currently trying six children's vitamins daily. That is three adult doses. I take them throughout the day, not all at once. I'm going to see if that helps any. If it makes a difference, hair loss happens in bypass farrrrr more than banded people. Most banded people I know that are losing hair lost weight quickly. We'll see if extra vitamins help any.

Doesn't it seem like WW and Nutrisystem survive on repeat business? I can't back that up with stats but it just seems as though people lose weight, stop the program, regain original weight loss plus more, and then go back again. I swear, they only have 100 customers each, the same ones coming back time and time again.

LOL! I have one of those too! Never used it but I have one. I tend to say the above about all kitchen things.

I have a regular blender that has a smaller "glass thing" that is for smoothies, smaller portions, etc. I tend to break kitchen things so I don't use it. But I have one!

http://www.optifast.com/optifast_product_profiles.do Just scroll your mouse over each product and it will give you the info you are looking for.

This is more of a vent than anything. I was banded 12/06. You know how some people name their band? At first I thought that was weird. Then I slimed for the first time and I named it, "The Evil One." Then I kept sliming and I renamed my band "Spawn of Satan." I started PBing day #4 after surgery and haven't quit. It is rare to go a whole day and not PB. I have slimed on Water before. Yes yes yes, I know the rules. I know them well. I can't even sip room temp water on some days. For the most part I've been on full liquids since I was done with Clear Liquids. I was supposed to be on clears for 14 days, I kept myself on clears for 21 days. It didn't help. Since that time I've been on full liquids. Once every now and again I can eat tuna. I don't get it, tuna is considered a solid yet I just slimed on my Protein shake. It makes NO sense. The upside to all this is that I am at 50% goal. I was supposed to go out of the country for an extended trip so I had a pre-planned fill. BIG MISTAKE! Within a few hours of the fill I was barfing every 20-30 minutes. By the middle of the night I was barfing blood and blood clots. Got an unfill and it took a week before I could drink water without discomfort again. I hate this, it is miserable. Talked to my doc repeatedly and he swears nothing is wrong. He said I am stressed and when I get stressed my band is tighter. At first I believed that, I don't anymore. He even suggested that I start a journal and write down how I "feel" when I hurl. Bah! Something is wrong and I'm at my wits end. I just want to have this thing removed. I have it narrowed down to two docs, Dr. C and someone else. Now I just need to decide which one and get it done.

Kirshenbaum wasn't my doc, I was researching him for someone else. He won't do surgery unless it fits in the guidelines. I went to Mexico however my BMI was high enough (41) but I didn't want to mess with the six month supervised diet nonsense and a doc I didn't really care for. So I just paid cash in Mexico. I'd do the same thing over again as well, just sooner. Lots of doc will operate on a 35BMI person in the US without comorbidities. I'm not really sure that I've heard of a US doc going lower than that. That isn't to say they don't, I'm saying I don't know.

Howdy! Iowa City.... are you a college student per chance?

Oh geez, I am so very sorry. Sincerely, I am. (((HUGS))) As for a BMI of 38, go back and have them reweigh you. This time stuff your pockets, bra, your underwear if you have to with quarters. Wear ankle weights, do whatever you have to in order to get your BMI up to his standards. As for this law, she's full of crap. Those are the American bariatric society GUIDELINES, not requirements. I was calling around for a member here on the boards trying to find a reasonably priced surgeon in the US for her. Just for the heck of it I used my info and my current BMI (31) on the forms I filled out. I was just looking for cost, experience, etc. The office manager emailed me back telling me my BMI was too low for Kirshenbaum (sp?) to do surgery. I responded asking if I should just gain weight to a 40BMI and she said yes. Some people are just idiots. Understand, I'm not referring to the doc but his office manger. However Dr. K won't band anyone unless they fall into the guidelines either. In places outside the US they have been banding people for years longer AND they band them with a BMI of 30. THAT makes sense!

There is NO way I can stress enough to go with your gut feelings. There is a difference between fear of a procedure and a gut level feeling. Most patients that have had complications said they had a gut feeling before the procedure something was going to happen, and it did. People who were confident and sure - do well. Gut feelings count! Now there are some folks that are sure anything that can happen, will. I'm not talking about that kind of person. I'm also not talking about the kind of person that is looking for problems. I'm not referring to those who have normal fears and anxiety about surgery. I'm talking about a gut level feeling that one should or should not do something. Follow your gut and everything will be well. I don't know what it is, I don't understand how it works. I just know it is pretty darn accurate.

You were just recently banded so I'm guessing that what happened is that what you were feeling was scar tissue. Right now is about the right time for it to have healed and the lump goes away. With weight loss you can likely feel where your port really is.

Consider yourself bandster initiated? salad can be hard for a lot of people especially with good restriction. Try eating slower, chewing better, and picking the best foods. If that doesn't work, you might be just a tad too tight.

Ohhhhhhhhh, you missed something. A LINK!!! I would have tried to find a gazillion links but I don't care quite that much. http://www.drsergiosoberanes.com/html/body.html#vaginal

HA!!!!!!! Love it!!!!

I realize they use a local for that procedure but I'm curious, what did it feel like? Did you feel anything other than pressure?

A group of up to 10-12 of us Bandsters will be meeting for lunch on Saturday 5/5/07 at Sweet Tomatoes on Dunlap/I17 at 12 Noon. Anyone is welcome to come. Bring a friend, spouse, S/O, whatever your pleasure. If you haven't been banded yet and are thinking about it, this is a great time to have the opportunity to talk to several of us. We are in all stages of surgery. One hasn't even had her surgery yet, one just had surgery about 3 weeks ago, one in February, two in December, and a few old timers. A great opportunity to see what it's all like and what it is all about. We choose Sweet Tomatoes because regardless of post-op diet, this restaurant has items for everyone. Clears to solids. Hope to meet new banded folks! If you are interested feel free to PM me and I'll give you my cell number so I'll know to wait at the door for you so you won't wonder which group of folks are the ones you'll be joining.

Sorry, I went to Mexico for my surgery. My insurance would have covered it but it would have been a six month medically supervised diet and a doc I didn't particularly care for. So I went to Mexico to Dr. Aceves. http://www.mexicolapband.com/ A bunch of Phoenix Bandsters are meeting for lunch on 5/5/07 at Sweet Tomatoes off of I17/Dunlap at 12 noon. You are welcome to join us if you wish and others might have some suggestions. Most there will be Dr. Aceves patients but not all. Some had their surgery in Phoenix using insurance. Might be a good place to network a bit.

I read posts about these butthead docs and I realize even more how much I adore my surgeon. Sorry you have to go through this. PLEASE PLEASE PLEASE make sure your doc is very experienced. Revision surgeries are always more complicated. Not all docs can do them, of those that can not all docs do them well. Ask a specific number of surgeries he has done of THIS type. Not just sleeve, but band to sleeve with esophageal problems.

Each person is different but for me I have to cut out all white carbs. If I eat any I am sooo hungry and I crave more. It's a cycle I have a hard time breaking so I cut out all white carbs. For me it is all or none. Not sure if this applies to you or not.