Daisalana

I found out today there's leak either in my port or the tube right after the port.. So I have to go in next week to have revision surgery, and they're moving the port while they're there so it's easier to access. While I watched the contrast go into the port and then just SPLOOSH into my body, it made me cry and I feel like the band is not going to work for me.. like I'm doomed for failure. That's why I never felt proper restriction, so I know the PLUS SIDE is that when they fix it, I'll be able to find a sweet spot.. But for now, I'm dejected about the whole situation. How long does the depression of knowing you have to be 'fixed' last?

Congrats!!!!!!

Morning violets! Wow 38 degrees?!?! We were 110 just 2 weeks ago, so we're in the mid-70's this weekend, and we're like hallelujah it's CHILLY OUT!! I can't remember what 30's feels like. My parents a/c went out this weekend, best time for it to do it with how the weather has been. Nothing exciting going on here, just doing my usual weekend cleaning. I play final fantasy XI on computer, and when I had to reinstall my OS I couldn't re-install the game.. so I haven't played in a while. We found new cd's last night (lots of boxes still unpacked around here!), and so I finally get to play today.. had 8 hours of updates last night! So, cleaning and gaming. wee!

I give all of mine to a local thrift store... I let my sister rummage through first, but we have such different tastes, 99% goes to the thrift store. They don't make you go through it or anything, so I just drop off loads of black trash bags on their entry table and go.

That's great news! Is this your first grandbaby??? I bought a novel at books a million when we had to stay overnight out of town, and I got something called Baby Proof.. the writer is like the writer from Sex and the City, they're always about city women who are single, blah blah. They're easy to read and pass the time. When my mom got down there, the book was on my bed, and she goes 'OH NO!'.. being all dramatic, like I'm trying to read how to Baby Proof. OY VEY! My mom for whatever reason would be unhappy if I had a kid anytime soon.

Denise- Aww congrats!! Is this the same one you had kicked out? I must have missed this while I was gone.. Yeah yeah, you all whine about being too restricted!! HAH! Just kidding.. When they were doing contrast and everything, they took EVERYTHING out. I'm back to not even knowing I Have the band. Wow, it sucks. I can eat any and everything.. And with me being in a funk and wanting to emotionally eat, it's not helping anything. I've been trying to be good. I had 1/2 bagel this morning. We had chinese for dinner last night, normally I eat half of mine and a bite or two of his.. I was able to eat all of mine last night. Boooooo. They still haven't called to tell me when we're doin surgery, and if I need to stop taking my B/C, prilosec, or anything. I don't want blood clots, so I'm debating stoppin the b/c, but maybe it won't matter. I'm getting anxious now. I need filling!!

I missed something.. who's pregnant??

Tracy- That is awesome! It was a kick in the pants when I found out as of APRIL 1ST my insurance company covers lap-band surgery. Jumping up and down in joy? NOPE.. my POLICY doesn't cover it. What a bummer.. so my insurance has denied every single bill that floats their way. My POLICY says 'no obesity treatments'. Bastards.

I'm far from my sweet spot, but 5 months post-op.. For b'fast I can only eat about 1/4 cup.. for lunch I can eat about 1 cup, and dinner I can eat up to 2-3 cups. Should is another story..but I can eat up to those amounts without feeling 'stuffed'.

Laurend, could you just strain it? If you like the shake I mean.

I've heard that argument before. Someone else mentioned, I think if your BMI is over 50, you're at high risk during surgery, and I figured it would be doctors that deny you, but I guess insurance could too.

I don't have a whole lot of restriction, but I can eat grapes with the skin on.

I don't have any information on this, but I would think a gastric bypass forum might have more information. Likely if someone went from lap-band to RNY, they would not be around here anymore. Maybe try to find a good forum for RNY and ask them if any of them came from lap-banding. Good luck with your research!

My port has tilted to an odd angle, and that was 2 months post-op that they discovered this. This week I went for another fill, and they had such a hard time getting to it, they decided to do an operation to move my port. Then, under contrast to make sure the band was working right they realized my port or the tube above the port leaks... when they injected contrast saline into it, it just went all over in my body. So, instead of the port moving surgery, they're going to replace my port and/or the tube. But, (and I felt different than you, I'd rather they kept poking and poking to get it, than to go under surgery again) they wanted to do a quick surgery to move my port to another location.

Oh, and my DH's pain stopped after he took magnesium citrate.. and the clinic never called him back for the appt. with a surgeon.. so I told him to call them, but he said since he's not hurting, he's not going to bother with it. If it hurts again he's going to go to a real doctor, instead of the clinics. He's stubborn, so that's just how it's going to go!

Nothing new yet, they said they want me to do surgery next week, but the nurses called a few times, saying so and so won't be in till Monday to check on warranty, and now with having a post-op, and it was a week in advance last time, blah blah.. so I'm just waiting to find out. Still bummed, trying not to eat my emotions away. Had a 2% chocolate milk carton for b'fast.. Customers have been driving me batty today, I had so many e-mails and voicemails that they question our company since I took 2 days to respond, yadda yadda. I keep explaining I had an emergency and I'm very sorry.. I just don't have time for revision surgeries right now!! I sent my doctor an e-mail asking if they can let me do the 'pre-op' lab crap at my local hospital and fax it down to them, so I don't have to go twice, in the event they can't do it the same day. It's raining really good today. We've needed it.. I guess from the hurricane in TX, it's moving weather this way. We have employee appreciation day next week, its at noon and 9pm on Wed, and I have to be there to appreciate employees. So there's another obstacle I have to work around. My task is to make sure napkins, plates and forks are set out at all times.. haha. I'm starvin' right now.. me and DH are going to lunch soon.. TGIF!!!!!!!!!! I need this weekend. Been a hectic week for my family. My sister.. they thought she had kidney stones.. then ironically same time her new puppy was sick, took him in they said he had acute renal failure, caused by some disease which is highly contageous to humans. They didn't see stones in my sister's x-ray, so she going to her gyno next week to check her ovaries. Put her dog to sleep. Doctor's labwork came back and this morning they called her and said she has protein in her urine, so they're back to thinking something is wrong with her kidneys. So she had to go back today for more bloodwork, and they're treating her for whatever her dog had-just in case. Oh that does remind me of a funny.. at the hospital yesterday waiting for my doctor to come by, me, DH, sister, and mom were in the waiting room. Sister sat next to me, was rolled over and sleeping.. DH and mom were across from us. Doctor came up, and thought my sister was my DH.. hehehehehe. She is very 'dykey', and was wearing a baseball cap..but I think she has at least 80lbs on my husband, and my doc has seen DH plenty of times.. but it was funny none-the-less.. she slept through it, but when we woke her up to leave, I told her he thought she was my husband and she made a really funny pouty face.

They just called, still getting all the information... It's $1,500 for the hospital.. and the band has a warranty, so they're trying to get in touch with whoever about that. She said the $1,500 is due at 'pre-op' PRE-OP?! So I have to go back down 2 more times? ARGH! I'm so upset.

Hey guys! You would not believe.. ARGH! I went for my fill yesterday. Lots of poking, prodding.. they aren't getting drawback.. so more poking.. They did agree to give me a full CC after I bitched and moaned. So anyway, he said my chart said I should have 3.5cc. I said, no way, last guy told me 2cc. They decide something is going on with my band, they offered to pay for my hotel so I could go to the hospital first thing in the AM and get a contrast done INSIDE the band to make sure it's not leaking and my port is alright. He said if it all looks fine, he still wants to operate and move my port up (TODAY). No warning. So I'm nervous, called my mom, she came down (3 hours) with my sister.. who just put her puppy to sleep yesterday (Had acute renal failure).. DH was there, he goes with me. Everyone made me feel like shit for the inconvenience.. DH for missing work, mom for having to drive.. Wake up bright and early, go to the hospital. They're doing contrast, and having a hellofa time getting in my port.. I don't know why. So they decide instantly, they're going to move my port. So alas, more surgery Then, they finally get contrast in there, and when they injected it, it just goes SPLOOSH into my body.. So, there's a leak either in the port or the tubing near the port. He said he's going to do HIS part free, but I'd still have to pay the hospital.. who knows what that is going to cost. He said I'm his first case of this, so he is doing it for free and blahty blah, feels so bad. Meanwhile, in the darkness of the x-ray room, as I watch my contrast saline going SPLOOSH I can't help but cry a little. I did it quietly, and I think they figured I was just in pain.. but I was just SO disappointed. Why did I have to become a statistic? I know it's going to be minor to fix, he said if it's the tube, they just cut off that part of the tube and reattach to the port.. but damn, why couldn't this just work for me? SO, this is why I'm so behind in restriction with you guys.. my band doesn't fill up :( Regardless of how minor, I don't want to go under the knife again.. I just wanted to be banded. And I realized, I am such an emotional eater. I've had a milky way and a hershey white chocolate bar today.. and a root beer. I'm really.. I dunno, feeling defeated. Like I was just doomed never to have this work, yadda yadda. I know I'll feel better once it's done, and my band finally WORKS AND I GET RESTRICTED. But for now, I'm having a pity party for 1. They are going to schedule me to fix it next week, it's outpatient, so hopefully I can go back to work the next day. Our rush season starts in Sept, and just from being out 1 day unexpectedly I have customers going ballistic on my voicemail and e-mails. Sigh.

Judy- Haha! I WISH my periods would fix themselves. It's so annoying I debate getting 'fixed'. But, I want to have kids so I'm toughing it up. I guess one day I'll tell my kids how I suffered through constant periods just so I could have them!

Well, we have band doctors in my city, and adjoining city, and an hour away.. I've been calling around for 2 months.. No one will do fills from other places.. But there's a group of 3 band doctors in Nashville (1.5 hours away), that I called and said they WOULD do fills--YAY!! And the nurse said I need to bring my operative report. She said doctor visits are always free, and if I have a fill they do them all under fluero and it's $100. I saw someone on this board mention one of the doctors there, she told me one of them is a jerk (paraphrase), and to go with one of the others.. so I'm glad I got feedback ahead of time. I like that they do all fills under fluero, makes me think they utelize doing it under fluero (I.e. filling up and slowly draining, watching it, etc.) My doctor only does under fluero to locate my port.. does not look at the band. The first time he did it under fluero, he looked at the band cause I wanted to make sure it hadn't slipped (I was paranoid!).

Then don't :confused: If they have the nerve to ask you about what you're eating, ask them why they feel it's any of their business!

Pam- You're so pretty, it's nice to put a face to your name! Your other picture didn't really show us what you looked like. I go for my next fill soon.. yay 6 hours of driving.. BLECH! I am at 287, which means I lost 3lbs since last fill. I am going to cry to him.. probably will, I can't get over how frustrated I am with him that he won't just FILL ME UP!!!! So, I'm going to beg him to fill me up---yet again, and if I hear him go "Just add another .2cc" I'm going to burst into tears. I am getting hospital bills (BOO) from the hospital that he has to do fluero at. First time we went--no bill. 2nd time I went, when he let the other doctor fill me, bill for $113. My insurance said no to all charges. So, adds edge to my frustration. And, I'm trying to build the confidence to say, give me my operative report so I can go to a doctor that is local. I know pre-op, he said since I am so far away, it's important I do my follow ups, etc.. and I have done them, but now that pre-pay is almost up and he's letting other doctors do me who DO charge me, I'm ready to take my fills to someone near me. I'm afraid he'll say NO.. they can't do that can they? Heh..

My PB's, 90% of the time I got a warning. I think it had to do with eating more than I should have.. I ate, I was full, but I wanted one more bite. Then it just goes ballistic.. mine are never painful or heaving, etc.. it's just a burp and up comes liquid and food(despite not having liquid with the meal), and I spit it into a cup or toilet, whatever is handy. The times I didn't do anything wrong (that I know of), were with chicken from chinese places every time. I chew and chew and chew, but it's stringy I guess.. and the FIRST bite, it gets stuck.. and doesn't budge. And then I'm done eating. But sometimes when I eat, I'll eat too quick because I'm hungry, and in the first bite or two I get stuck from not chewing enough, and it moves relatively quickly, it's just reminding me to SLOW DOWN.. and it works.

After banding, I didn't take pain meds like I should have, ended up having bad pain in my side that kept me from being able to function right.. longer than most banders. Anyway, since then.. I still feel it if I try to sleep on my stomach. Last night I was so exhausted from a road trip, I wanted to just flop on the bed.. OUCH! I haven't heard anyone else mention this pain this far post-op.. But it's under my left breast, around where I figure the actual band is. If I lay on my stomach, or on my side, where my side is being pushed on.. it's very painful. Anyone else have this?

Mine is an actual pain... what it reminds me of, is if you're pulling your arm back, that sharp pain like you're pulling a muscle.. But I feel it just from laying on my stomach, inside my stomach area. From what little I know about anatomy (hehe), I think it's like my band being pushed into something and like the edge of the band hurts whatever it pushes.