DeLarla

I've personally suffered many, many complications with the Band while several people I know have lost all their weight with the Bypass. I won't pooh-pooh either. I do have a question for you experts. Why do Bypass patients gain back weight? I understand they stretch their pouches so they can eat more, plus they eventually retrain their bodies to accept sugar and other forbidden foods that once sent them into Dumping Syndrome. But even so, the food still passes so quickly that it shouldn't have time to absorb. Why do they gain back? One of my oldest friends had a Bypass 10 years ago and has since gained back every single pound. My heart breaks for her, because now she's lost the weight again on Opti Fast, but we all know she'll gain it right back after she stops that diet, don't we? Gaining and losing 100 pounds ain't no picnic. I'm sick of it all, but life goes on!

This past Saturday night I was doing my Slumber demonstration for a room full of women. The rules are: No men, no children. Soon the doorbell rang, and someone yelled for me to meet their brother, Chuck, who proceeded to a chair and slouched into it. I immediately grabbed a towel and covered my demonstration table and explained that I can't continue with a man in the room. Chuck was a tall, buzz-cut, slouched, tattoed lesbian, who yelled, "I'm not a f-ing man." I died, right there.

I'm feeling pretty normal again. I'm still waiting for the referral to come through so I can see the Gastroenterologist. Heaven knows how many phone calls I'll need to make for THAT to happen! Nyk, sorry that you're having so many problems, too. Could you imagine how different life is for normal folks that don't have weight problems? Sad.

Yeah, I've heard it was reversible, I just haven't "heard" of anyone having it done. Do you know anyone? How are they doing?

Those are beautiful. I wish I had the time, patients and steady hand. I adore stained glass. Beautiful.

I lost count of my days, but no soda for me, and no goodies at night.

And here's my HELLO right back at you! You are very normal. Some people get good restriction with just the band, but other people have to wait for a fill. Be patient, because it depends on how your doctor gives fills. Some docs just give you a little fill, then make you wait for more (the "sneak up" approach.) Other docs fill you tight a few weeks after surgery. Why do you have to wait till December? Welcome to your new family

I went to a huge seminar on LB vs GB. Both have pros, both have cons. The two bariatric surgeons giving the seminar offered both. There's no way to answer questions of which is better. I know GB patients that have lost their weight and kept it off. I know GB people that have gained all their weight back. I know there are GB people that eventually get banded, and banded people that have the band removed and convert to GB. Both doctors said they support both surgeries, but that WE have to weigh the pros and cons and make our own choice. Neither are the answer, yet both were our only hope. GB people get two weight loss surgeries, which is why they initially lose so fast. They get their stomachs cut and are left with a small pouch that doesn't hold much food. But they also get their intestines rewired so the food shoots right through them. The best thing about BG is that most insurance companies will pay. With the Band, we eat, then the food slowly goes to the lower stomach where we absorb all the nutrients and digest food the normal long way. We only get one weight loss surgery. GB is good for fast weight loss, but it's not reversible and you have to take supplements the rest of your life since you don't absorb valuable nutrients. (**I've heard reversing a GB is very difficult and dangerous but I'm not sure if it is done.) Sure is a lot to think about.

It does and doesn't come down to doing your research... you have to be just a tad smarter than that. Some people think "research" is reading at LBT. It has to go way, way beyond that. Call every surgeon that will take your call. Ignore every positive post that you see, and jump right to the ugly ones (like mine.) What's more important, the majority of people that come out of Tijuana in great shape, or a bunch of people that came out with horror stories? Take your pic.

"Quote: are you saying that these doctors are re-using "disposable" Trocars?" I'm saying that a surgeon in another country, who is friends with Mexican surgeons, and who is familiar with the Tijuana surgical centers, told me that they re-use Trocars. He did not specify if ALL of the surgical centers re-use them. He did mention a very popular name that reuses Trocars. He said "Trocars cannot be sterilized because you can't get them hot enough without destroying them." He said, "Tijuan is very poor and the surgical centers can't afford necessary equipment." I've said this before, and I'll say it again: Tijuana surgical centers do NOT have an ICU unit. Better hope you don't have any complications with anesthesia or other potentialy life-threatening urgencies, because you'd have to get transported to an ICU, and that critical hour getting to an ICU could kill you, couldn't it? I'm not a nurse or doctor, just a nosey patient that talks to and meets a lot of Band surgeons. Quote: "What comes first, erosion or port infection?" Answer: I don't know. Two of my friends went back to Tijuana for fills. During the fill, the doctor noticed the barium wasn't flowing through the band correctly, so they each had to get an endoscopy. The endoscopy confirmed erosion. Neither had symptoms, and neither had port infections. Port infections often lead to erosion. Bacteria on the port tube leads to the band. Even if the port is removed, tiny bacteria usually remains. It can hang around for a couple years before growing again. Don't quote me, I'm just telling you my experience.

First of all, I did thorough research before banding. I followed Doctor Karen H., who has her medical degree and doesn't let doctors touch her without knowing every aspect of the facility, surgeon, techniques, skills, experience. According to her research, my resarch, and stellar recommendations by Inamed, both Karen and I were banded at the best facility with the best band surgeon, so for anyone to insinuate that some of us might not be doing our research is like a slap in the face. And I hit back (laughing here, so don't take offense.) I don't know if rubber tube can be disinfected, but rubber tube doesn't sound very expensive. I only said the very expensive tool was being reused. Tijuna is disgusting. Maybe the surgical centers seem clean and well-equipt, but LQQK at the city, LQQK at the buildings that the surgical centers are in! My husband was horrified that the pillars would cave in because the buildings aren't up to code. Most of Tijuana, Mexico is a scary, creepy, nasty, foul place. These Tijunana surgical suites are recently remodeled office buildings. Imagine going to a 10 story bank in a creepy neighborhood. Climb up a couple crooked stairs while wondering why the building looks slightly slanted. Pass the grungy lobby, into the dank smelling, rattling elevator that makes you wonder when it was last serviced. An elevator shared by all the other businesses in that building (trust me, nobody in surgical scrubs in those elevators!) Exit the 3rd or 9th floor with bad carpeting, then finally come to a door with fancy writing that says, "Surgical Suite." THAT is what you get when you go to Tijuana. Nice new floors, fresh paint. Tea served in china, not sterile hospital dishes. Tiles crooked - everywhere. Hmmm, what business was being run out of this suite last year? Is there proper ventilation to prevent germ spreading? What's in the Craftsman tool box? Perhaps surgical supplies? Is a Craftsman tool box a sterile environment? Did they steralize it, or did it come out of a truck from the Craftsman warehouse? The only place I'd ever "consider" in Mexico is Monterey (probably the same facility mentioned above.) The big hospital in Monterey runs by American standards. They don't reuse tools. I did not say Tijuana surgeons reuse tools. I said, "a top surgeon informed me that he has firsthand knowledge that surgical centers in Tijuana reuse tools." I'm basically spreading a rumor because I believed a top surgeon so I repeated what he said.

I have sever anxiety disorder and missed 10 years of my young life over it. I have had a few anxiety attacks over the band inside me, but a Valium or Xanax fixed it. Now I'm fine but I carry meds just in case.

Tonight my friend from high school came to town after not seeing her since the 1980. I expected Wild Child; I got Nancy Regan, with legs crossed. Based on her hot hot teen bod and butt-length teen silken hair, I expected her to be accompanied by Orlando Bloom, but it was more like Ronald Regan/George Bush. She got old and serious, I got goofier. Ronald was very quiet and subdued, even though they rode in from California on his Yamaha. Not much passed through those pursed, tight lips, but he was strangely and overly interested in my Slumber stuff and immediately asked for a catalog, which I always have with me.) After one of those weird dinners with too many long pauses of silence, they asked me where the best nudie club was. Eeeeesh! So I gave them directions to Cheetahs, but they looked at me as if I were insane for thinking I wasn't joining them. Not wanting to be rude, I offered to lead the way. When we got there, they twisted my arm, so I agreed to go in. But when they found out it wasn't totally nude, they led the way back to the parking lot and asked valets where we could find the real deal. Deep breathe. Hubby thinks I'm at a cocktail party, and he's asleep, so I can't even phone home to find the proper protocol. Not wanting to be a rude hostess, I agree to tag along. But when they found out there's no booze in the full nudie joint, they finally decide boobies will have to do. So off to Cheetah's we went. I felt like a VIP since locals get in free. Tonight I learned that I'm effeminately not a lesbian or even a bisexual. I wish you guys could be in my head right now... I have NO idea how I ended up in a booby bar. But I got hit on by a guy who asked if he could escort me inside, and even my friend said he was hot! Too bad I didn't have a camera. I should have had him notarize a statement of authenticity. He was a HOT HOT HOT. But I missed hubby and felt a whole new feeling of weird guilt, so I had my Spritzer and pretended to talk on the cell phone since all the naked girls were winking at me (they're paid to.) What will tomorrow bring? And if you don't believe I'm totally innocent, check out the time of this post. I was home by 10:45 p.m.!

(Say this in your best Mrs. Doubt fire voice.) GOOOOOD MORNINGGGGGGG! Hello everyone! Nice to see you on this super Saturday! I'm here because I need weekend support. I usually do fairly well during the weeks, but weekends turn to a FREE-FOR-ALL. I live in Vegas, so someone is almost always viiting, or I'm working parties, or riding with my motorcycle people. Every single day gives me an excuse to eat crap. Wings, Fingers, Fries, pizza, you name it! So today my challenge is to eat a salad for lunch with oil and vinegar. Lots of Water, and a nice Protein based dinner with veggies and maybe a lil tater. (I just jumped clear off my seat cause Voodoo barked out the window and startled me.) I'm so happy today - even though I didn't get any sleep. I'm not sure why, but let's all have a fabulous weekend and try to lose a pound while we're at it!

"Tonight I learned that I'm effeminately not a lesbian or even a bisexual." Talk about funny, I don't even know what that word means! I typed that in Word then did a spell check, then pasted (too lazy to spell at that hour.) I wonder what I was trying to say?

My sister wanted to play a joke on her friend who is sappy desperate for a girlfriend. I sent him a Fatty Patty Blow Up Doll as a joke. If you don't laugh, you get old. This guy is a complete stranger to me, but he got the package today and sent me this e-mail: "Finally, love!" WOW.....its true love....Thank you very much.....hahaha." If the LBT Police think this one pushes the line, then go ahead and delete it (I swear, I won't get mad.) But I NEEDED a good laugh, and this picture still has me busting up. Who doesn't need a good laugh?

I just learned that Dr. Rumbaut has had his for seven years. I know there are older ones, but I figure if you pass the 7-year-itch you should be good to go!

Woo hoo, I'm a step ahead of the game! When I was typing this thread in the morning darkness, I saw my little tenacious neighbor lady power walking past my window (she's out there daily, like 75 yrs old.) So I grabbed the dogs and hit the park, then did push ups, sit ups, weights. Now I'm taking a short break before cleaning like a mad woman to 80's party hits! I love snap peas, and I'm going to stock up! It's pretty funny throwing my helmet up because every time I wear a hat I act like Mary Tyler Moore, but nobody gets it. I'm glad ya'll are whacked like me. I need Protein powder! I'm out of shake makins! My song is, "I WANT TO BREAK FREE." I went to We Will Rock You last weekend, which is a musical set to Queen music. I bought one of those orange rubber band bracets with Queen on one side and I WANT TO BREAK FREE on the other. I'm going to put it on. Time to sign off. I'm not burning any calories here! Now my turn to get tough: Why is Corrine the only one that wrote her weekend plan? HUH? Log it in here, babies!

I'm overcoming a bad weekend where I most likely overate and caused some serious discomfort. Lots of people have called or written asking what's up. Thanks, by the way In a nutshell, I've decided to attack my situation in Las Vegas! I don't want to go to Mexico, I don't want to go to California (mind you Dr. Billy is a great surgeon, but he's not in Vegas.) Today I called both local band docs, and was turned away by the staff because I was banded in Mexico. I demanded they discuss my EMERGENCY with the doctors. Teng's office called me back and told me to go to my primary doc. Fisher hasn't called me back yet. Remember, I ran into Fisher at the pharmacy (small world thing) and he told me to my face that he WILL see emergencies from Dr. Lopez. I told the staff that I'm making an announcement to the world: If I have stomach fluids leaking that can potentially kill me, and if I die as a result of my band, then the whole world will know that Teng and/or Fisher didn't care enough to look at me because money is more important than human life. I next made an appointment with my primary doctor for next week, who will refer me to a gastroenterologist, who will hopefully refer me for an endo. I will urge them that leaks can kill me. But, it's useless for any old gastro to do the endo since only a Band surgeon knows how to find erosion. Billy told me that regular gastro doctors overlook erosion all the time, which brings me to the problem with Teng. Teng's staff said Teng refers his problem patients out to get the scope from a local lab. That means even Teng's patients can have erosion, but if Desert Radiologists, for example, don't know how to look for erosion, then they might bypass it. So for now, I am feeling better. I learned that not all "slips" are really slips. Sometimes just a small portion of the stomach can come up through the band, and by staying on liquids for a few days, things could fall back in place. I learned deep-fried cheesesticks dipped in Marinara sauce can cause blockage, as can other foods. But Sandy (from Ortiz's office) talked to me, and she specifically mentioned a bad time she had with mozzerella sticks, which happens to be exactly what I ate, and she described my exact symptoms. So for now, I'm nowhere. Sandy also agreed that infected ports can often lead to erosion, but she said there's always a chance it won't. So I have to fight for an endoscopy. If I get scheduled, I will talk extensively with the technician before going under and explain that erosion can look like the smallest dot. Dr. Teng's staff said any doctor that scopes me can call Teng for a consult. So, let's see where this takes me. I'll make a deal. If I have a clean band on May 5, 2006, then I'll let you all chip in for my new port (ducks from flying shoes.) I love you guys - thanks for always being here, each and every one of yoons.

1. Bread - no problem if I eat super slow, and only 1/2 of what I used to. 2. Pasta - no problem 3. Pop - I haven't had any for 12 days, but my doc allowed Diet ONLY 4. Tortillas - no problem if I eat slow 5. Salad - my favorite! 6. Steak - no problem if chewed well 7. Roast - same as steak, you're making me hungry 8. Cereal - no problem 9. Hamburger - no prob 10. Pizza - Ouch... it's a problem food that I need to stay away from ever since cheese gave me a blockage 11. Apples - ouch, I eat them slow, but I never eat a whole one. Applesauce - yes! 12. Chips - ouch, another problem food that goes down way too easy! 13. Cheese - my problem. Too fattening, too dense, and I can't eat just one piece and recently had a bad, bad couple days due to blockage 14. Shrimp - no problem 15. Pop corn - no problem 16. Pretzels - dry, but no problem.

We moved to Vegas in 1994 during the begining honeymoon phase of our love, but once I saw all the strip clubs and naked billboards, I got a lil worried. During the first week, I took him out on a surprise date and marched him right into Glitter Gulch (totally nude back then.) I HAD to see how this guy was going to react to all the amazing naked dancers in Vegas, let alone the half-naked cocktail waitresses at the hundreds of casinos! So we sat and had a drink, and then I left the table to go to the bathroom and got "lost" and stayed away from the table for a long, long time. I stood far away spying on him, and he won my heart double time that night. Even my perverted husbsand didn't want anything to do with those girls. He just kept craning his neck looking for Mamma (me.) Someone did buy me a lap dance once, and I'm a good sport so I let it happend. But I kept telling the girl to pleaes not rub her boobs in my face. She almost cried in my ear and said she would get fired cause the boss was watching. So I hepled her out and told her to concentrate on my neck so we could whisper to each other. It was pretty fun, like a slumber party becasue we were whispering about things that had nothing to do with sex, she got paid well, and she got to keep her job. But again, those boobs! It's not fair!

I failed to mention that Ronald bought Nancy a lap dance, which she thoroughly enjoyed! (By the way, how fun that we're talking in "Nancy & Ronny." They also offered to buy ME a lap dance, which I tastefully declined, however I did give one girl a dollar bill because I love dance and acrobats, and I was extremely impressed that she was able to do the splits, while standing on one leg, with the left one stretched straight up the pole and her back all swayed. It was very beautiful, so she earned the tip, though she asked me to slide it in her G-string, so I cooperated. OMG, if I had a body like that I'd be pole dancing too! It's simply not fair! When I got home last night I left my husband a letter since we never see each other (he had to work this morning.) I told him of my adventures, and I’m not sure he’s thrilled since I didn’t get a note this morning. Every morning I get up and run straight to the kitchen for my love note. There wasn’t one this morning. Uht OH! I had a stack of catalogs and cards with me, so I plug plug plugged the night away and propped up catalogs & cards in bathrooms and on drink trays. Never miss a business opportunity!

Bean, I'm getting a little tired of your pushy attitude - you WILL do the River Dance even if it's from a wheelchair or walker. Chair dance. No excuses. And please send me an invite to your party, sounds great! What awesome ideas. Now I'm jealous because I want fireworks and a New Orleans theme and donations to no-kill shelters. When my list is complete, I'll give it to my life insurance guy and my husband. I think it's a good idea for all of us, right? I don't have a will, and what court is going to argue with a hundred friends on a public website? I need to add some stuff to make sure Chris isn't left alone. And my fur babies must be kept together if Chris and I go together. They are number 1. Damn, it all makes death so real, so I better go blow a wad of money on Vegas show tickets that I've wanted to see, and I better book that fishing trip to Alaska and that trip to Switzerland. No time to waste!

Put on your panty liners and get ready for a laugh. After 15 minutes on hold, the Gastro dept. says they have my referral, but it doesn't refer me. What? Yes, they have a referral form from my primary, but since it doesn't specifically say that I'm referred, it's useless. I asked "Doesn't the fact you have a referral form IMPLY that I'm referred?" So since she wasn't able to answer such a perplexing question, she blind-transferred me to Brenda, who proceeded to yell at me. I should know this, and I should know that, so I put on the drama and fake cried and make her feel like crap, then asked, "WHY ARE YOU YELLING AT A SICK PATIENT?" I could hear the "Oops" in her fat head as she started tap dancing and calling me Honey. Back to square one. Circus music playing in my head.

If you're on antibiotics for your ear infection, those have always made me feel like I was starving. It's all new, and things will fall into place but you have to be patient. Good luck.