wheeler

Hello Caroline, congratulations, its all the way downhill from now on..LOL As far as the skin goes, I can not speak highly enough about emu oil. Yes pure emu oil, get some and after a shower or bath, rub it in well, it will take a few minutes to soak up, but your skin will be great and it helps with scars and the skin elasticity. I had about the same as you to loose and have lost about 88 pounds and have not contoured too badly. My tummy is a bit loose, but hey I didnt set out to be a super model..lol. Try it if you can, I think you'll be impressed

Hi Curley Yes prof placed it too high, and I understand that my first band was not exactly in the right spot either, or something to that effect and that is why it slipped. I think he replaced it cause the first was a 5ml band and with scar tissue etc needed the bigger one. I understand that in oct when I go in to fix this one he will be only repositioning but who knows, depends on what he finds. I am worried about bad scarring internally so the band wont sit right again, its just a bloody nightmare. Do you ever go on the aussie band support site called ozbanders? I do but hardly ever post, if you're interested let me know and I'll give you the link. Do you know any other bandsters in Melbourne, I know two and we regularly talk, others that I knew it kinda trailed off. Let me know how you go with prof, and I do hope I see you one day:) Ety

Do a lot of research on 'fors and againsts' and then decide if its right for you

Natalie, you were right to cancel it, sometimes we just have to listen to that inner voice, or go with our gut feeling. Best of luck

Yes, I had that for months after my first band was replaced last year September, it was agony. Mine wasnt constant, but came and went, but it was very painful, I was told it was gas left in my stomach after the op. It wasnt, it took months for it to settle. Are you able to belch, bc in my case it was air that I could not bring up, now that part has settled but the air I swallow now gets trapped in my bowels, causing terrible colic. Since then, only recently it was discovered that my band is not in the right position. Terriffic, I am booked in for this band to be repositioned in October, which seems like a lifetime away for me. If I were you, I'd have it checked out, you should not be having any pain.

Do you have something like "Benefiber" in the States, I am from Australia, this powder does not thicken up like metamucil and its perfect to take on the liquid phase. Other than that, you can cook up some prunes and puree them and add a teaspoon or two to your water or whatever. HIH

Curly, I am also a patient of Profs. and this is my second band. First band was done Jan 05 and slipped, found out 14mths later that it slipped, lived with the slippage for about six months and had to have it replaced last Sept. I had nothing but misery since my second band:pout: , cant get any restriction, but that doesnt bother me too much, I think I have learnt to restirct myself (I hope), my problem is the gasses in my stomach. I am talking serious gas here, can't sleep properly cause it feels like I have twins kicking around, not to mention the discomfort. Its extremely uncomfortable during the day espcially at work, lets face it cant just let off fluffs every five minutes, so I am running to the loo forever. Its interfering with my social life, cant go anywhere and dont feel too comfortable having people over either. This week John D. ordered an endoscopy and colonoscopy just incase something else is going on, well there isnt, but they found that this band was placed too high, basically I have no pouch it is sitting almost on my esophagus (sp?). Prof said he will reposition it and that is happening early oct. If that doesn't help the situation I will probably have to have it removed. Both Prof and John D. said it should be the last resort as 99.9% of people after loosing their band put all of their weight back and more, sooner or later. That really frightens me:omg: :speechles as I am 40kgs down, and wold still like to loose another 8kg if possible, but I cannot go on like this for the rest of my life, its unbearable. Hope everything goes will with you, you can pm me if you wish:) wheeler

You should call your doctor asap, not being able to drink is a definite NO NO! On clear fluids you should be sipping all the time to get your 1.5 to 2.00 liters ( I think its about 68 ounces) of fluids which includes water and your soups/milk etc.

Hello Dr.C. I live in Australia and was banded in Jan2004 and rebanded in Sept2005 due to a slippage. My second band is larger one 10ml (sorry dont know the US measurements), ever since my second band has been put in I have been suffering from wind and its so bad that I am finding it diffucult to go to work cause I am running to the rest room forever, going out or to friends is out of the question, basically this band is ruling my life. I am so bloated by the end of the day and full of wind that I can not find the words to discribe it, also it interferes with my sleep cause it feels like I have twins kicking around. My doctor says that that band stops me from burping (true I dont burp) and all the swallowed air ends up in my bowels. He has removed all my fluid, and it made no difference. I am so over this band, please let me know your thoughts. One minute I am thinking of having it out and be done with it, but worried over putting weight on and thinking of having a third band. I am so unhappy and depressed:cry Look forward to hearing from you

Thank you Dr.C. for a prompt reply, my doctor is Prof.Paul O'Brien and the follow up doctor is Dr J. Dixon in Melbourne. I shall mention this on my next visit. If its a hernia, would it be caused by the lap-band or just a coincidence? You ask if I have tried simethicone - yes I practically live on the stuff, and it doesnt help, cause by the time I realize that today is agoing to be a bad day all the gases are in my bowels and then simethicone does not help. I was put on Nexium about 18months ago, cause my first band caused reflux, and in my desperation gone back on it not long after my second band in Sept, and found that it helps a lot with wind. Now it does not eliminate it and I am still having awful trouble , but when I try to get off them, then my condition becomes unbearable to the point where I cannot even go to work. I know Nexium is not supposed to have anything to do with flatulance and such but only neutralizing acids, but go figure it helps, and if anything helps I am happy to take it. I am very happy with my weight loss, 45kg and feel terrifing, but do wonder sometimes whether its too high a price to pay, seems to me I got rid of one monster and created another.

Week-ends for me only, and I hope it happens soon

You have been only been banded a few days ago, and because it is not just a normal blockage, I would most certainly call my doctor. Under no circumstance try and bring it back up before you have a chat to him/her Good luck Wheeler

Hi Janie, I am from Melbourne Australia, good to see another aussie here :banana . I dont know any doctors in WA but I do go on an aussie site for lap-banders, here is a link for you http://health.groups.yahoo.com/group/ozband/messages Its a great group and there a lots of folks in WA who can put you in the right direction. Contact me if you need more info or just to have a yarn

Waving madly from Australia! I am glad I found you, this looks like a nice place. I was banded on 1/26/04 and since then have lost 30kg (I think its about 65 pounds) I have been very lucky everything is going well, I have 0.9ml in my tank and I think it may be a tad too much. Have been strugling with reflux which is a pita. Have had some fill taken out to combat this, and its better but still a bit bothersome. Hope to get to know everyone on here.