the best me

BWAAAAAHAHAHAHAHAHAHA!!!!!!!!!!!!! :spit:

Wow, a "long time" bandster! Good job! How's your weight loss been? Any advice for success? Having any trouble? Except for needing a fill, that is. Give us the sccop! Most bandsters from 2001 are out and about and we don't hear much from that "class". I'd love to hear how you have done...I'm going to go look you up! But if nothing's there...well, fill us in!

Yeah, I thought I was sipping small, too. You know, the sip, sip sip, walk, walk, walk of post surgery? THAT sip is too big. Smmaaaallllll. I can guzzle a 1/2 bottle of cold Water on an empty stomach now, so hang in there.

Small sips when you are swollen are a must, and small is totally small...I'm talking 5cc or less at a time, just enough to coat the espohogus going down and barely end up in the pouch below. Did you take the Prevacid whole? I crushed the Prilosec even though it was extended release. It didn't hurt me, that's for sure, and it helped lots. Do you have a pill crusher? I'm sorry Leenerbups. It really really really isn't like this forever. It's aggravating, but small small sips. It really gets better!!! Your band is telling you to slow down and let it learn something new. I felt the same way the doc explained. My body was learning something new and it had to figure it out. It didn't like the band, but now it all gets along just fine in there. Me, my band, my stomach. How are you doing now?

Dr Gonzales in Winston Salem. Phone number is (336) 784-8299. Hospital fee is $408, I think, and Dr G charges $325. That's $733 for a flouro fill. Wow! If your port is easy to hit, he may be able to do a non-flouro office fill after your first one. Dr G has no problem seeing someone banded from MX (if that's where you were banded) so it's nice to have a local doc. Be prepared to pay, but it might be less expensive than the flight back to MX. Good luck! Let us know how it goes.

How ya feelin' Leenerbups?

Amy, I was thinking of you this morning, no kidding! I'm really sorry about the struggles with your daughter. ((((hugs))) to you and strength to get through it. I'll be praying for little Emily, that her body heals and she can come back home soon. Rest, and know that the prayers of many accomplish much. God bless you!

Leener, for now, treat it like it's too much acid. Start with Tums or Rolaids and see if that helps. Get you some Aloe Vera juice and sip it. It's very healing and settles the stomach well. I get mine at Wal Mart in the tummy meds section...big bottle on the bottm shelf, refrigerate when opened. Good stuff. Sounds to me like reflux, or just too much acid on your new band. Hang on, it sorts out!

Hang on Mary, it gets better! That first week or two can be quite an adjustment. Give that band area some time to rest and heal. Sip slowly. If the applesauce you were eating was eaten too fast or if your bites were too big, it may have caused some discomfort. You will be able to ease back into it soon. I was surprised, in the beginning, just how small a small bite was! Get a toddler spoon and a crab/shrimp for eating, that tends to help keep your bites super small as you move through your food stages. Listen to your body and your new band. If it isn't comfortable, slow down, and don't move to the next food stage so quickly. It doesn't last forever, so you will be okay. Just enjoy the weight loss! Welcome to LBT!

Something screwy is going on. I noticed a thread earlier today with the same topic...did you not do a SEARCH?!!!! I'm telling Princess!!!!!! LOL

You were being asked about in these parts...so glad you are home. I'm sorry about your complication, though. I was super tight post-surgery, but not like you have been! Take it slow and easy. It's good to have you back!

Happy Birthday my friend! Hope your day is a special as you are!!! Yay you!!!

Babyjane, coyotegirl uses a scooter to get around. Do you know how to look her up? let me know, I'll see if I can give her a nod in your direction.

Wow Denika. Thanks for the update. We were missing you here on LBT but it sounds as if you have your hands, and heart, pretty full. We'll be praying. (((hugs)))

Wow Kati...I was thinking Stuck and PB too! You know your body best. A PB is definatley scary and uncomfortable, but it's not the same pain as gall stones! Good call! Many many bandsters have gall bladder probs so you are not alone there. So glad to hear you are on the mend. Thanks for checking back!

Hey wavydaby. Just wanted to hop in and say Hey. I'm part of the Charlotte group so I hope to meet you in person! May will be here before you know it. You'll feel lots better when you actually have a date. hang on, and git 'er doooone!

Wow Melissa, good numbers juggling! I need to do that...Hey, I weighed 184.0 this morning, a new low! The ONLY good part about being sick. I'm on the mend though, so I'll be gaining it back. sigh. Happy Saturday everyone! Let's try and smile today, kay? Come on ya'll, try it, despite it all...smile!!!!!!! There now, that wasn't so bad.

Well then, I guess we have your nomination...Best Bumper! If you hadn't posted here, Tricia K wouldn't have noticed HER nomination, and she'd have missed it. No need to be jealous!!! Yay! Your post made me smile though. I feel "most pathetic" some days, too! LOL

I knew about DeLarla's Kuri-related complication before I scheduled with Kuri, so I'll tell you what I thought. If I'm remembering correctly, Kuri did a port removal for DeLarla that didn't fix her infected port problem. I decided on Kuri beacuse he was placing my band, something I KNOW he's an expert at, and I wasn't seeing him as an infectious wound specialist. If he had been doing some type of infected port repair, maybe I'd be concerned? That was my thinking, anyway. cibertalk, I'm glad you are happy with your decision. April 20th sounds like a GREAT day to be banded! You couldn't have gone wrong with Dr Ortiz, by the reports of many many happy Ortiz patients here, but having peace about your decision goes a long way! I'm excited for you! Congrats.

Here's an idea...whenever you see yet another thread with the same old question or topic, do a search and post links on THAT thread to the 10-12 other threads with the same topic. It's as much work as posting a reply, right? Okay, that was a punchy, smart-assed reply. But a good solution, no????

When I had my surgery with Dr Kuri almost a year ago, there was a gal there getting her port replaced. From what I was told, she was the last of Kuri's patients with that model of port to finally fail and need replacing. For her, it was a matter of time, and the time had come. She flew out to TJ and had her port replaced the day I got my band. From what I understood (fresh out of surgery anyway) was the surgery didn't cost her a dime. Not sure about her airfare, but the port was taken care of. Dr Kuri knew it would happen, expected her, and took care of her. That made me feel good about my surgeon. I don't know what went on "behind the scenes" though with who pays for what...or what deals were made with Inamed? Anyhow, this gal had been banded for several years and looked GREAT! BTW. so I'm assuming she's one of the "group" you are referring to, GeezerSue.

The Search button isn't the same anymore...dunno what happened, but it seems I can't find an old thread unless I know who started it. But, yes, some searching around for the answer would definately help. ON THE OTHER HAND...I remember logging on for the first few times and being completely lost. I couldn't find the New Thread button, now I know it's at the top of the Forum, not the top of a thread within the Forum. When I was looking for new Posts, I would start witht he General Discussion Section and look for highlighted posts until those were done, then go to the Support section, etc etc. Then I discovered the New Posts button...hello!!! Well, you get the idea. Until the site map makes sense, it's hit or miss and some folks need a question answered, by golly! Alexandra said, in another thread and better than I will, that the new posts and threads keep the board vital and active and interesting. Little groups of people start to get to know one another because their posts and interests and issues are similar. It's the relationships, more than the information, that are the most helpful in many cases. If all you want is info, search and be done. If you want to jump in and get to know folks, post questions. And, yes, "what's a PB?" is a very important question to know the answer to, IMO. When the answer is "buried" on a Sticky in the FAQs Forum (is that where it is?) it makes it hard to find for a newbie like I was. Now look at me I'll never go away, now. Isn't THAT scarier than yet another new thread?!!! :speechles :)

See?! Viruses run amuck these days!!!! it's terrible! I actually think I'm taking a turn for the better. A few hours ago I sipped a bit of liquid Tylenol, slept on the sofa, then drank the rest when I woke up. Headache's a bit better, but still there. Hey, I weighed a bit ago and hit a new low, 185.6. Wow! Wonder how long it will take to gain it back? LOL! Two Townhouse crackers and Tylenol since dinner last night does not a balanced diet make. Oh well. Hang on everyone. This curse will end soon and we will be our happy healthy selves again.

Sara, try sucking on a Tums. It sounds as if you may have some acid problems. Do you have any Prilosec or Pepcid AC? or the like? Try treating it like too much acid and see if that helps. Also, go to Wal Mart and grab a gallon of Aloe Vera juice. In the tummy meds section, bottom shelf. Drink 2-3 ounces 2-3 times a day, especially at bedtime. It heals from the top to the bottom, so if something is wrong...well, it can't hurt anyway. Keep us posted!

Ugh. I'm sick. First the hives, now getting better, now a headache, low-grade fever and diarrhea. I cant' eat. I'm exhausted. I cant' sleep but for 30 min at a time and I'm just restless. sigh. Angie, hang on, girl. It's worth the work. I'll be praying. (((hugs))) I thought I'd never make it through Feb, now March is funky. Will April be better? We need more prayers!! LOL Back to the sofa gang. Uuuuuggggghhhhhhh.