New Hope

Tmarie, it's possible that you're not eating enough and putting your body in starvation mode. You should be eating 1200 - 1600 calories per day. Have you tried tracking yourself on www.fitday.com? This will give you a good idea of what types of food you're eating. Are you eating hard proteins first (lean, moist meats), followed with vegetables, and if still hungry, some carbs? Are you getting your full water load in daily (but not with meals or 1 hour afterwards? What are some of the average foods that you are eating? How long have you been banded and how much weight have you lost so far? You may be a lower BMI to begin with and just have less fat to lose. Hang in there and come "talk" to others that understand here on LBT. Best of luck to you!

Kathy's getting a band! Kathy's getting a band! Congratulations!

Wow, what a wonderful list of men and women regaining their lives! Best of luck to each and every one of you! May God guide the surgeon's hands and your recovery be quick and easy. Please come back and let us know how you're doing when you feel up to it. Congratulations to all of you bunch of LOSERS!!

You're going to need to check directly with your company's benefits coordinator to find out exactly what your insurance plan covers or excludes. Five companies can have BC/BS or United and each selects what they will and won't cover -- so none of them are going to be the same. Best of luck to you!

We're certainly not experts, just banded patients sharing encouragement and support. You should check with your doctor as soon as possible. He/she may want to rerun some blood tests to see if you are too ill to operate on. Be sure and tell him/her the type of antibiotic, strength, and dosage you are taking and what you are taking it for. I would not want to have surgery if I was sick. The dr. may want to postpone it a few days just to be on the safe side - which is certainly not the end of the world. Best of luck to you!

After you're sure your incisions are closed, you can put Vitamin E oil on them. My largest (port) is about 1 inch, just a tiny pink line. I can't find the others (just a little puncture). My incisions were "glued" and covered with surgi-strips. They healed very well - smooth, flush, no problems.

Oh, that's a bad feeling, isn't it? Pasta, rice, and bread are bad about "swelling" once you swallow them and getting "stuck". That's painful and you're really wanting it to come back up and exit your body. Yuk!

Thanks, Deb. Have you tried it? How does it taste? Does it seem to work? Do they make it for dogs? Mine need it bad!

Vera, so glad that's done and you got a different band. Where will you be getting your fills now? Do we now call you "DBV"...Double Band Vera? Take care of yourself and please don't overdo!

Party, I have a friend who had the bypass 3 years ago. She quickly lost a lot of weight and I hadn't seen her in a year. But I saw her right before I went into the o.r. She had gained most of her weight back. That reassured me that I had made the right decision getting the band. I also like that my insides are intact and if for any reason the band has to be removed, all will be the same inside. I don't have the "dumping syndrome" like a BP patient. I like that I'm losing the weight slowly. It has helped me adjust physically and mentally to this change. Do you take any vitamins for your hair? I take multi-vitamins, viactiv calcium chews, flaxseed oil, Vitamin E, Vitamin C and have had no problem with hair loss. Are you eating enough protein (in the form of lean, moist meats)? Others have said Nexium Treatment Shampoo is good for thinning hair. Hopefully you and your sister losing weight can draw you closer together and help you have a better relationship. If you live close enough, you can walk together, ride bikes, go swimming, to the gym, etc. 42 pounds forever gone is a great weight loss! Have you tried using www.fitday.com to log your intake, calories, break down of food types, and exercise? It's free and very helpful. Best of luck to both of you on regaining your health!

Flower, pbs are just about always caused from eating too quickly and not paying attention or eating too big a bite and swallowing it. Your bites should be no bigger than the size of an eraser on the end of a pencil. Then chew, chew, chew before swallowing. It's probably going to happen at one time or another. It's not the end of the world, but it reminds you to slow down and pay attention. But it shouldn't be happening regularly. Too much pbing can lead to band slippage. Another reason can be if you have too tight a fill. This is not good for you or your band. A very slight unfill will usually fix that particular problem immediately.

Crystal, you can also clean oil stains in your driveway with it and clean the corrosion off of your car's battery terminals. I bet you're really boo-hooing now! Now pull yourself together girl, and go drink some band-friendly Water. LOL

Sheila, I have a good friend that tells me "Worrying is just like a rocking chair. You can rock and rock and still not get anywhere." I'm still a worrier, but I'm trying to do a lot better. Hopefully, your doctor will be very thorough and be able to give you good news.

It really will get here sooner than you realise. Meanwhile, how about practicing getting that waterload in during the day, but not with meals or one hour after? That will take some stress off of you if you get that down now. And find some form of exercise that you enjoy and will stick with...walking, bicycling, treadmill, swimming, etc. How is your little nephew doing?

Just bumped "Where's the Merry Bandsters of Oregon" thread for you, Hippiemams. Best of luck to you! I'm sure any of those Oregon bandsters can help you with any ?? you have. They're all a nice bunch of bandsters!

Bravo, just wanted to wish you luck on regaining your health! Is your mandatory meeting for information? Mine was very helpful. A thorough film was shown (some bandsters telling of their experiences, the banding surgery, pros and cons of the band, etc.), the doctor talked afterwards and answered all ??, a successful bandster was there - sharing her experiences and answered ??. They also passed a lapband around so we could see and feel what it was like. They answered ?? about preop, insurance, self-pay, the surgery, post-op, eating, etc. The meeting was very reassuring to me...about the procedure and the doctor that I had chosen. Please let us know how things go for you.

Congratulations on getting your band! Glad to hear you're feeling better. 1. The gas will get better. Walking is the best thing to get rid of the "gas" used during your surgery. Have you tried Gas-X for the abdominal gas? I haven't had the on-going problems some bandsters mention. 2. You want to know your incisions are completely closed before you put anything on them. Vitamin E oil is good. Mine are almost invisible now. 3. Have you done a "search" for liquid Vitamins? There is a thread here about different ones. I just use Gummi-Vites. They're chewables (like gummy-bears) and taste good. I also take Viactiv-Calcium Chews. 4. Only you can decide if you want to tell others or not. Once you tell, you can't "untell."

Amber it really does get better. I know it's hard to not pick up your son. But please let yourself heal. How about getting him to lie down or sit beside you on the bed or couch and cuddle? Read a story, snuggle, or just enjoy listening to him jabber? This time will pass. You'll soon be feeling better and appreciating your weightloss and improved energy as you're able to keep up with this little guy more and more. Congratulations on becoming a Bandster!

Roc, best of luck to you! If you've been researching any, I'm sure you've seen the importance of having a local doctor lined up BEFORE you go to Mexico - in the event you have problems and/or can't get back to Mexico. There are several Mexican bandsters here and I'm sure they'll all have plenty of advice for you. We also have bandsters in your area that can tell you who they use for a fill dr. How much weight would you like to lose? We look forward to "talking" w/you here on LBT.

So glad you're home and doing well! And look how close you are to goal!

bumping for Jenna.

http://www.emedicine.com/med/topic2788.htm is a doctor's written report with plenty of information about varicose veins, diagrams, and treatments. http://www.varicoseveinstreatment.com/whatis.jsp shows some treatment options. http://www.veindirectory.org/content/prevention.asp also lists some preventative measures and treatments. Endovenous Laser or Radiofrequency Ablation of the Sapenous Vein is covered by medical insurance when deemed medically necessary. The insurance code for this treatment is 37204.

Wow, Jody, 27 pounds gone? That's great! There's conflicting stories about carbonated beverages. Some say it can damage your band, others say it won't. For me, I've tried a few sips since banding, and the bubbles are very, very uncomfortable in my tummy. It didn't even taste as good to me anymore. So I haven't had any problem giving them up. Some people let a coke go flat before drinking it. But that tastes nasty to me. Best of luck to you!

Please remember that right now that your main focus should be on getting well. You may gain some weight back, but it will turn back around after you get a fill or two. It's normal to feel hungry because the swelling is going down around your band and you're wide open. (Just like you were preband.) If you're able to drink regular, instead of sipping, that's fine. Do try to get as much Water in as possible to avoid dehydration. Eileen, have you tried adding a little fruit to your Protein shake? Some frozen strawberries, blueberries, peaches, a fresh sliced banana (or your choice)? Just be sure they're very well blended. The more you use, the thicker your shake will be, so don't overdo. Making them slighter thicker like this helped me feel "full" longer. I don't watch much t.v. any more. Too many food commercials and cooking shows. Subliminal torture! LOL You're all doing a great job!

Kathy and Kat, so excited for both of you! Kathy, I don't know, but do you need an electrical adapter for use in Mexico? I'm sure someone will answer that for us. Please get a filled prescription for phenegran suppositories on hand. These are for real vomiting, like from a virus or the flu. We all should have them available and hopefully never need them. Just to be on the safe side. You'll enjoy looking back over this thread after you get your band. Keep on posting, girl! So happy for both of you!