DeLarla

Well, my visit didn't go too well because we never even talked about weight loss. Doc is too concerned with my esophageal problems, which have gotten worse instead of better. She was very serious that I have to get my problems under control or I'll be facing about a 25% change of esophageal cancer due to my Barrett's Esophagitis. I have lesions on my esoph, which were detected during the endoscopie that revealed my band erosion. Now my symptoms are keeping me up at night since I haven't been respecting dietary rules. I'm supposed to give up everything, and I mean everything I love. No more Soup even! Did I listen last night? Nope. Did I listen today? Well, even though I have cottage cheese and Saltine's for lunch, a Coke accidentally fell into my pie hole for Breakfast. What I really need is a straight jacket.

Now THAT was funny!

Danger isn't just with the Lap Band, it's any surgery. If you were getting a boob job or back surgery you would hear the same kind of negative stories from patients that had complications. All surgeries are dangerous, but some save lives - like the band, for example.

I read on another threat that a surgeon is offering to convert his bandsters to a new version of bypass. He also mentioned it in the "Ortiz" thread. Does anyone know what he's talking about? Is it a newer less evasive bypass? I'm at a standstill with my weight. To lose more I'd have to eat less but I'm so hungry the way I'm eating now. I just don't know if I can stand restricting calories much longer. I realize a bypass isn't even an option since I'm no longer "morbidly" obese so I don't know why I'm asking, but I'm really curious why a surgeon would want to convert from band to bypass. Anyone?

I'm thrilled with this thread and the fact we now have someone who once had a band and also had a bypass. I appreciate every ounce of human experience I can get my hands on. I'm also extremely thankful that my band was reversible, and that I'm still down 77 pounds. As far as: "I always heard storys from the bypassers about bandsters being able to fill and unfill themselves if they wanted to eat more" Well, there used to be a married couple who filled and unfilled each other and themselves, though this is a practice hugely frowned upon by the makers of the band and upstanding surgeons alike. Too many injections into the port can damage the port - the object is to get to a good fill level with as few poke as possible.

I don't know the dosage of my Prilosec offhand, but I only take it once a day. It's really interesting how you mentioned sinus, throat, chocolate... all things that relate to me in the same way. I can eat the spiciest Mexican food with no problems, but chocolate burns my throat, and my sinuses and sore throat won't get better. I find it curious that we both got the Barrett's after being banded, don't you?

Are you close enough to Tijuana to drive (or fly) back and forth if an urgency arises? If not, do you have your aftercare doctor lined up? If you are too far to travel, I'd make an appointment with your aftercare doctor and meet him or her BEFORE going to Mexico, just to make sure firsthand that they'll accept you as a patient (many American band surgeons refuse Mexican-banded patients.) Once you have your aftercare plan in order, the number one rule is to TRAVEL LIGHT! You don't need anything except the basics. I carried one lightweight tote bag, while other patients dragged around a couple suitcases of clothes, their laptops, books, etc. You'll meet other patients and will bond with your new banded family, and you'll live in the IV and hospital gown. Bring a toothbrush, one book or magazine, make sure your cell phone works in Mexico (call in advance or purchase a phone card at any drug store once you arrive in Tijuana.) Bring a travel size hand lotion & chapstick, and bring some pink fuzzy booties because they make you feel cute (and everyone sees you and wishes they thought of it.) Good luck!

When I was banded, my belly was shut down for business till at least noon. It's normal for anyone to be tight in the mornings, but there's no telling what your body will do until it's banded. As far as food choices, you should be able to eat almost everything and anything you eat now, only in slow motion and moderation. Some people have problems with bread or dry chicken, but if you take tiny bites and chew till it's liquid, you should still be able to enjoy most foods.

Hmmmmm... have we seen Margo checking in at the challenge??? Hmmmm?

Dana, thanks for your ramble! But like you, I'm the calorie/gym/diet guru with my copy of The Diabetes Carbohydrate and Fat Gram Guide right here in my purse.

Docs Fisher & Anderson in Vegas do a seminar (hundreds attended when I went) and they point out the benefits and risks of both the bypass and the band. I "thought" it was very informative till I started reading everything here, and rather than informative, it was more "infomercially" to make money on either/or surgery. They don't care which you chose, as long as you come to them with the big bucks. They fluffed around band erosion, and they fluffed around bypass malabsorption and made both surgeries look VERY attractive. People couldn't wait to line up for appointments, regardless of which procedure they chose.

I guess the difference between having the band removed before it gets eroded makes a hell-of-a difference than after erosion. I was eroded, and band removal and stomach repair was awful. I'm so glad you're back to normal!

Okay, I spent the weekend around pro-hockey players and got a hug and a squeeze and a sweaty cheek-to-cheek with my favorite guy. Since then I've been a walking hornfest, but my husband started work again and is always asleep. The creepiest sex thing is hoping my husband doesn't catch me playing with my toys. DOH! Do you believe I had the nerve to share that with everyone? My favorite is One Eyed Jack, but the Quiver will do any day of the week! Hmmm, maybe I'll engrave hockey player numbers on my toys. HUBBY IS GONNA KILL ME!

I don't have any fun planned for 3 solid weeks (maybe I'll try that "sleep" stuff I hear people talking about.) End of month is Laughlin River Run (biker weekend at the river) then the following weekend is a Slumber retreat in San Diego, where I invited Penni to come to Sea World with my Slumber family. Vera, one day we'll get there, but this paralegal thing keeps me tied to limited vacation hours. It's a vicious circle, how can I book parties when I have to work, and how can I work if I have to book parties? Most gals quit their full time jobs in their 2nd year of Slumber, and if I quit I give up a large percentage of my 401K money. DOH! Yes, the bash is still on! Vera, I'd LOVE to come for a boat ride but my vaca days are all spent this year. Paula, did I eat any Cajun food? Are you nuts? Uh, YES! I ate at Buba Gumps, plus fried catfish on Bourbon Street, plus we rode out to some really fun place where locals danced to a Cajun Band, where we ate some corn things that were Heavenly. And we ate crocodile and Dirty Debris Gumbo. I've eating crap called "southern food" here in Nevada, but ain't nuthin' like the grub down there!

Am I the only American who hates McDonald's?

I used to care for a little 5 year old who loved to sleep till noon. I'd make a special effort to crawl into bed and watch movies before 8 p.m. to make her drowsy enough to fall asleep. Then I'd scoop her and the blankies up in my arms at 6:00 a.m. and take her in the back yard so we could watch the sun come up together. Since her mom always let her sleep, I'm the first person who introduced her to the morning sunrise, which she fell madly in love with. That became our morning ritual every time she spent the night, and after the sun, we'd walk the dogs to the park. Maybe it's not the McDonald's you're missing as much as the ritual. You can start a new ritual by feeding ducks in a local park or driving somewhere to have coffee and watch people or read the paper somewhere private. Tradition and rituals don't always have to involve food.

Be careful about getting a fill because the band is a fickle little tool. Give it time to adjust up and down. One day you'll be tight, the next day loose. Some weeks you'll be tight then others loose. If you're having a loose week and get a fill, you might end up way too tight and end up getting a complete unfill, which will allow you to eat way too much. Be patient and get to know the fluctuations before considering another fill. Lots of things affect restriction from traveling, bariatric pressure/weather, salt intake, period bloating, etc.

My love is as big as me, and there's soooo much to go around! xoxo Sa'mooooch xoxo

Megan, you could start a whole new forum about "Healthy Bandsters." Teresa Hagar just came back with clean results also, and these are the long term results people around here need. Heck, I needed to hear it myself! And an effective fill to boot? SUPER!

I was banded for about 1.5 years before the band eroded and had to be removed. I'm not thrilled about the idea of a gastric bypass, but I'm glad that option is still out there in case I ever gain all the weight back. I'd rather be dead than weigh 300 pounds again, so I'd have a bypass to save my life. The worst part about the bypass is that it's considered a malabsorption procedure, meaning the nutrient-rich food you eat isn't digested correctly, so the nutrients aren't absorbed effectively, which means you'll have to take supplements for the rest of your life. I'm supposed to take 2 tiny prescription pills every single day, and I often forget to take them because I've always been really bad about taking pills (great, this just reminded me that I forgot to take my last antibiotic this morning for this awful respiratory infection I have.) With the band, food is slowly passed into the lower stomach, where enzymes break down and process food in a normal digestive manner, so you don't lose any vital nutrients. Also, I've talked to many pharmacists who explain that supplements/vitamins should always be taken with Protein because they need to bind to a protein to maintain effectiveness; otherwise they pass too quickly and render themselves useless. I forget to take my Vitamins almost every day because I only seem to remember in the morning when my belly is empty. If you chose bypass, make sure you'll be able to stick to a daily regimen of supplements and vitamins.

Awe, my pet! I just saw this thread. I just fall in love with you girls more each day. Did you see my fabulous Convention thread?

That's the beauty of the band - it will always be there waiting when you decided to put your fighting gloves back on. I'm with ya, Chrystal!

Thanks for the reminder, I'll rent the series and catch up. LOVE the show!

"Think of your operation as an investment like a stock. If you buy a stock and it goes down, you don't ride it to the bottom. You aren't married to it. You decide it isn't working for you and sell." I was impressed with this statement and think it should run across the top of this site like a stock ticker, but Pleatman, what data suggests guaranteed regain after reversal of any bariatric operation? I realize it's only been 4 months since removal, but I'm down 5 pounds since removal, and I think that kind of negative statement might implant itself in my subconscious and play head games with me. Like tomorrow maybe donuts are going to be okay because I have that guarantee of regain. That statement is depressing; is it backed up by proof?

Happy Belated Birthday Hottie!