Telecia

I also have several in the family who have had WLS that were unsuccessful. but they also had things like bypasses/stapling 2 have had serious malnutrition issues & have gained ALL their weight back plus some. 1 cousin right now is pregnant and seriously worried cause she had a bypass and is worried for the unborn child. And also gained most of her weight back. She's considering the band after the baby's born. I had a uncle who had like 3 different WLS surgerys who died well over 400+ lbs. The fact the bands adjustable, doesn't reroute/remove internal organs, and if there are major complications it can be removed. Were the biggest major selling points to me. Plus the fact that you can still have sugars as long as you plan them into your diet wisely(and the way smaller portions). Unlike allot of bypass people who have to give up sugar.

Never realized that vaccinations were not required. Since every school my kids have ever gone to wouldn't let you enroll them without them being current on their vaccinations. Heck the school threatened to expell/remove my 15 year old daughter cause she wasn't current. She is now in the process of getting up to date but thats gonna take 3 months to do cause hepatitis is one of the vaccinations shes getting.

One thing I realized early on after becoming a parent was that kids are more aware of things then parents sometimes give them credit for, 9 times out of 10 if theres something causing stress/grief/problems in the house even if you deliberately try to keep it away from the kids they seem to know SOMETHING is wrong. And not understanding it for a kid can be terrifying! So I have always been open and honest about everything with my kids, that way if there is a problem they end up feeling more secure and more ready to face whatever the problem is. Amazingly enough they can sometimes offer support/suggestions to you even! :wub: When they are small it can be really hard to explain things in a manner they can understand but you also don't have to have a 3 day lecture on the situation either. What I would do is: I would explain to her that we (as a family) had not been doing as much for our health as we should have been so now I had to have a bit of help to help with my making my health better. And that mean surgery for something that would help me eat less. Then start setting better examples for her as she grows up. She will most likely really enjoy helping you exercise and by making it fun for you both helps keep you motivated, and become your #1 cheerleader/coach. It will be MUCH easier teaching her at a young age better eating/exercise habits. As she gets older and can better understand the complexities of the band she will ask more questions. I wish I had heard of the band BEFORE my daughter hit her teens because now shes all teenage angsty and not open to my advice/concerns (adults suck don't you know! we live to make our kids miserable! lol ) to her about her health. At 15 shes in a womans 22/24 and eats mostly carbs, refuses to do things that could be considered exercise etc. My oldest who's 20 and my youngest who's just turned 13 (both boys) are becoming my best support system and semi coaches. Heck my 13 year old just 4 days ago chewed me out for splurging and having smoked sausage sandwiches and tater tots for dinner. lol Something we only have maybe twice a month. He scolded me for not having veggies and 2 carbs in the meal.

well lets see financial pro's of the band from my view ..you will eat CONSIDERABLY less possibly 1/3rd less, maybe more, somewhat offset by buying higher quality foods but junk can be equally as costly even so your eating alot less. ..reduction of or complete removal of co-morbidy medicines/treatments (for me this is over $1000 a month just in meds, not including the hours of heating pad/massager etc. use using electricity/batterys) ..Living longer Priceless ..reduction or loss of aches/pains priceless ..reduction or loss of being winded easilypriceless ..clothing costs halved (NORMAL sized clothing is typically cheaper to buy, and much more available in consignment or secondhand stores) may be offset by shopping sprees for the new you :wub: ..the changing of your eating choices flowing over to/affecting your family (if you have mate-kids etc.) Priceless ..Improved self esteem and more energy will lead to more productivity/activity so you might get that job promotion, less sick time, less missed work/activities. and the list could go on forever. When thinking about the justification of spending that much money on this just think of anything you used to do, that you had to give up or was made unplesant because of the excess weight.

I lost 250 lbs and have kept it off for 8 years now. Trouble is I can't get anymore off LOL. At my high point I was 650lbs o.O got down to 450 just by cutting out sweets and eating healthier but due to physical issues can't do the excersise needed to do this without a band. But your right sooo many people haven't been through it so they can't understand why someone would pick a WLS. Also so many people have such a fear of surgery to begin with that ANY kind of surgery mentioned freaks them out. Or they may have had the same weight problems and are to stubborn/scared/uneducated about the whole WLS issue to accept it. I know myself watching my step mom go through RNY 20 years ago and all the troubles she had after and how unhealthy she looks today, malnourishment issues, she never lost all the weight etc. I SWORE I would NEVER consider surgery and here I am 20 years later fighting both my PCP and Insurance to get it done. LOL My response to those with negative comments is to smile and politely say I have made my choice now I have to live with it. Thanks for your concern.

Yea I know and like Fanny Adams said People outside the US have had bands for 10+ more years longer then us in the US. And the band is actually considered preventitive(sp?) in europe.

yea been a member there for years just dont think to go back and post often lol. I Am amazed to find how many doctors around here seem to be clueless about sleep disorders yet we have a sleep disorder clinic. go figure.

Ohh I know before I got my CPAP eating was one thing that actually helped me stay awake. I found I would eat just to avoid the constant dozing off. With sleep apnea you need to get agressive with your doctor or the company that supplied your machine. Just 2 weeks ago I had to get a new mask the old one was leaking at night no matter what I did and while it wasn't waking me up it kept the BF up half the night. And they always say don't over-tighten the mask well thats easier said then done. I would have impressions in my skin 4 hours after waking. So Instead of getting the same old brand of mask I told them I had to try other options. (I was thinking maybe nasal pillows) So they had me come in. Took 4-5 tries but I now have a mask that fits like a dream. I can't believe I've been on my CPAP for 13 years and never had a mask so comfortable!! But I had also never had a mask made by this company(fisher & Pakyle) I had always used respitronics(Sp?) btw I am also fighting with a PCP tht knows NOTHING about sleep apnea and refuses to let me get a humidifier (wtf!?!?) She seems to think a humidifier in the room is enough. :huh2: Anyhow sleep apnea going untreated causes high blood pressure & strokes, raises the risk of heart attacks also so please try to work out a way that you can use your machine.

I think before making any kind of decision of such drastic measure you should seriously do your homework on it. There is a TON of information on this board, but I don't mean just read a handfull of posts. Dig in and go back a ways. I suggest first. - Read the FAQs/Basics section. pre and post ops the complications forum too. Cause you will need to know the bad and the good of the band. Ask questions etc. You will find a great bunch of people here that will gladly help you obtain the information needed to make your choices. I know I chose the band for me. As it seems to be the best choice for me. I prefer the fact that they do the least amount of cutting putting in the bad and that should something come up in the future that I need to increase eating (no pregnancy for me though lol) the band can be unfilled to allow that. I just haven't gotten the whole Insurance mess worked out to actually get the surgery yet. But I'm working on it :huh2: So I mostly lurk allot and soak up everyone elses info. lol

Monostat cream is what works for me. I just try to prevent it in the first place but that don't always work. after a shower or wash i use germX alcohol gel dry it well then (walmart brand) Gold bond powder.

Monostat cream always works great for me. I've tried my BF's Lamisil(sp?) before and it burns like heck so no more of that. lol. Yea you should call your doc and get it documented. I find that as part of my morning regiment(Sp?) wash , then a squirt of GermX alcohol gel then drying ( I have a fan on in my room all the time or use a hairdryer) And then using medicated powder(generic version of goldbond) works best for me. Started using the GermX a couple years ago since washing in the creases was causing my skin to dry out badly and it has moistureizers in it that stop that.

I think the fact that the band is cheaper is why allot of doctors seem to push it. Or maybe its the fact that many are more comfortable/used to doing the RNY compared to the band. I joined a mailing list this wee for knitting and mentioned getting the band done soon as the reason why I wanted to learn better how to resize patterns. And I was somewhat suprised to have several people mail me off list putting down the band and promoting RNY. One lady even said her DR. said the band was a failure and was going out of style and wouldn't even be on the market in 5 years. Boy did that one keep me chuckling for a couple days.

Someone asked about tums. They will work for heartburn but not for gas. Simethicone the main ingredient in GasX breaks down gas bubbles in your system. My daughter was colliky(sp?) when she was tiny and her doc perscribed simethicone drops for her that helped. I don't personally see how gasx would help anyhow since the gas isn't in your digestive system, its in your abdomen where they blow gas into it so the surgeon can see and work. Anyhow we keep gasx in the house already. The chewables aren't to bad. Haven't tried the strips. Oh and on the tongs issue. Being supersized I know how this is. But you know what helped more then tongs.. A toilet seat riser. Used to make the toilet seat higher for those having issues getting up and down. (cost like 50$ though) My In Laws had one of these (cause mom had a knee replaced) and then eventually replaced it with a actual disability toilet (like 8 in higher then a average). And I found I didn't need a reaching device. Which was SOOOOOOOOOOO nice. lol

I agree with Jachut, why wait till its out of control ? But its also something alot of adolecents aren't ready to handle. I would LOVE for my daughter to want the band but I know she isn't prepared for the changes she would have to make to have one successfully. Heck I can't even get her to take Vitamins daily without a fight. lol Or lay off the rameen. But I have known some that would have done fine with the adaptations. I think its a individual thing. Some kids can some can't.

Well you could split your eating time up from the kids and just sit with them at the table and socialize. But honestly they are old enough that they should know better then to act up at meal times. I would first sit them down and talk about it. Why this is important to you. And why you want them stop the nonsense at the dinner table. I had a similar problem with my oldest 2. They would fight like cats and dogs till I got fed up with it and told them that they WERE going to eat dinner at the table with the rest of the family or they wouldn't eat. (At least not till later ALONE) My BF and I did this after they had me so upset I was in tears. It took a couple of weeks. And I will be honest at first it was rough. And a few times we had to listen to temper tantrums from behind the door. But the one who started acting up got sent to his/her room promptly. "Drop that fork mister/miss and get to your room!!" LOL And were not allowed out till dinner was done. Then they could sit down and eat by themselves. Which might not work if they like being alone but you know your kids best and I'm sure you can come up with an effective punishment. Its so much nicer now. I can take them out or sit down at home and dinner time isn't an issue anymore. My oldest moved out so 99% of that stress left till he comes home to visit. But they STILL won't argue at the table. lol The 2 oldest still bicker constantly when my sons home but the bickerings changed. Now he chews her out for giving me a hard time about things. lol But the dinner time bickering actualy showed us which one was most responsible for starting things. Also which helped me stop allot of it before it got out of hand. Stress can affect you way more then just the band so reducing it can help with several things.

OMG you mean since I'm 40 I can't get the band or GASP!! Have to give up my awesome sex life???? Man!!... and here I was all excited to think that sex was gonna get even better after some of the weight was gone! O.o (typed with extreme sarcasm) Geeze guess I'm over the hill now and should break out the cane/walker and polident and start making nursing home plans now.. NOT!!!!!

I find that watching tv or being on the computer, reading a book, isn't enough to keep me from eating. But some kind of a hobby works wonders!! even if you don't have a hobby you can always start one. ANYTHING to keep your hands busy.. if you have no aptitude or knowledge for crafting you can always do something simple from premade kits like latchook rugs or paint by numbers. And kits for these aren't all that expensive either. Plus you get the added bonus of the great feeling you get when you made something Gratz on your upcoming surgery!!!:thumbup:

a couple of other non list kind of things you might wanna do before the surgery. Catch up your household chores like laundry, mopping etc. Cause you probably won't feel up to these things for a few days. Grocery shop for the next week or 2 weeks ahead. Check ahead if your doc/pharmacist is gonna perscribe anything for pain, nausea or any medicines your currently on etc that your pharmacy actually has liquid versions onhand or if you can crush pills etc. Somethings you cannot crush. My BF works at walgreens so I know the pharmacist pretty well and in talking with him he said they don't normally keep liquid alternatives in stock for adult medicines but they can get them in a week or less (usually 2-3 days but it varies) if they get the perscriptions ahead of when you will actually need them. if you have kids/husband etc. Cook or by meals you wont have to work hard to fix. Make up stuff you can freeze etc. So that if your to tired or in pain the family's able to microwave/toss in the oven meals. I had to have an emergency apendicitis removal in 2002 and these are some things I WISH I would have had time to do before hand. But couldn't due to the emergency part. lol. The meals and grocery shopping especially. Cause my BF the dearheart he is will go shopping but he buys lots of junk. And he don't know how to cook much. So again he buys for convience and not nutrition. Household chores was not a problem as all my kids were old enough to chip in while I was recovering. Lots of moaning & groaning but the house wasn't a wreck lol. If you don't have one on hand or can't borrow one a shower chair/seat. Even a milk crate covered with a thick towel works. For helping with the afterward dizzy/weakness spells.

It could be low blood sugar, low blood pressure or dehydration. Or a combo of these so calling your doctor is your best bet. They may need to adjust any medications you might be taking or change something in your diet. Gratz on your surgery! :biggrin2:

I still haven't gotten my surgery approved yet but wanted to comment on the whole thing. For me personally I will talk it over with my surgeon the whole liquid thing for one major reason. Because of my diabetes I am a slooooooow healer. Things now take 4 times longer to heal then they did when I was younger before the diabetes. So this is something that is high on my list to talk over with the surgeon. And because of this I will do the liquids longer then they recommend (Unless they recommend 3-4 weeks) It can't do me any harm. And I would rather err on the side of caution then take the chance of losing the band when I finally do get to get it. Personally I find it upsetting that many docs have chosen for whatever reasons to differ their diets from what the band manufacturer recommends. I men heck you have take into consideration the band is relativily new to the USA but they have been using it in Europe for 20+ years now. AND the consideration the trials and studies the manufacturers have to go through BEFORE they can even start putting bands into people. I fell more confident to go by 20+ years of experience and study then a doctor who MIGHT have 5 years experience and probably very few LONG term banded patients. But thats just my opinion on the matter. It doesn't mean I will disobey my docs guidelines but we WILL discuss it in length or I will find another surgeon. Everyone saying that we can do this for a month or two is right. I mean jeeze how many times over the years have you started a diet and stuck to it for a month or two or more?? It's probably a safe bet that most of us have. This is honestly NO DIFFERENT when you get down to the basics. Where the difference comes in is the band is a tool that should be a lifetime change, it is not going to go away in a month or two. Bleh back to lurking I want my band so bad it gets depressing.

Advice given to me since i can't stand for more then 5 min before my legs go numb and my back screams. Was do ANYTHING you can to get your body moving. even if its grab a couple of cans and chair dance in place. I find I keep forgetting to do it. So im going to try one of InStride Cycle XL | Stamina | Walgreens Since I can place it on the bottom shelf of my computer table it will be in sight so I will hopefully remember to do it more.

Asprin and NASIDS can deteriorate the lining of the stomach, and cause bleeding ulcers and such troubles. Haven't been banded yet but when my Dr put me on the asprin a day and Indomethacin(NASID) for joint pain she said always take with meals or a large glass of milk. So that the medicine was diluted enough not to cause any damage. And to tell her quickly if I had any heartburn or stomach pain. Sounds like you should talk to your doctor about it. Because if its just for thinning the blood there are other meds you can take if they feel it might harm your stomach/band. Also since its only for 30 days your doctor may say its not an issue to take short term.

I don't know about any other school systems but I know ours I have been told by the head of transportation and 3 principals now that the school is responsible for the child from the time they leave your doorstep to the time they get on the bus. So the schools CAN and SHOULD discipline these kids for anything they have done while at the bustop. They have disciplined a boy in our apartment complex for harrasment to my son. So I agree with what others have said. Take photos/videos call the police, post NO TRESPASSING signs in your yard/driveway. Document it all and let the school and or transportation office know what is going on. More then likely they won't change the bustop till summer. But they should. And you should get in touch with their transit office and make sure they change the bustop before school starts back up in fall. And unless your moving out of the school district even if you decide to move turn it all in anyhow. So that at least the school can notify the parents that behavior like that is not tollerated at the bustops.

Wow I'm glad to see the leashes are still around. I used them on the older 2 kids. my MIL recommended it to me 20 years ago when my oldest was toddling around. Only we couldn't find them commercially we had to make it. So that meant I bought as wide of a leather belt as I could find, dad had to add extra holes in it and cut it down to fit my son and we would put it on him backwards and buckle it and it had a sleeve that fit over the buckle even and a roughly 10 foot leather dog leash that fit around my wrist. And this is what we used when he didn't wanna ride in the stroller or shopping cart seat, or when he got to big for the stroller. Around 7 or so he got to the point that he was getting embarrased by it. So he was told ok we will take it of but he was to stay with us at ALL times. He never wandered off. Now his sister who was 5 years younger then him got the same treatment. then the time came to not use the leash anymore and she wandered off a bit. I was watching her at the time but she didn't realize it. I told my husband and the couple we were shopping with. (at the mall) to go on shopping and we would meet up in a bit. And I moved around and situated myself to watch her it only took about 10 minutes she wandered around in a toy store then suddenly looked up and realized she couldn't see us and she started to freak out. I got to her before the first tear fell but that was the last time she ever wandered off. Shes 15 now and still stays right with me anytime we shop. But I also take the time to look at things she want's to look at also, as long as we have the time. Son # 3 never really ran off per say but once walking back to the car he decided he wanted to run back to the car. He checked looking both ways and all. But hit his hand on one of the parked cars as he passed it and broke his finger! after his second visit to the dr. to have it xrayed to check how it was healing he told me he knew better then to run in parking lots after that. Was a hairline fracture but it still swelled up real good and was really hard to use for him for a couple of weeks, and he had to keep it splinted for 5-6 weeks tops. But yea its really sad to see kids running wild. I see it daily in our apartment complex. Technically we are not allowed to let our kids out without supervision but tons do anyhow. Last summer we thought we would enjoy the complex pool for a while so me and my boyfriend and youngest son packed up some towels and put on our suits to go have a nice dip in the pool. Now in order to actually USE the complex pool you have to rent a pass each family can get 1. And you have to have this pass to get through the gate (electronic thingy) You even have to have the pass to get into the bath/shower rooms for the pool. We had about an hour of a pleasant stay with 5-6 others. Then some teens showed up. Wasn't a big deal till one of them started to get mean and downright violent towards the other teens. Then 5 kids, ranging from 3-8 showed up. ALL without supervision. Now mind you there is NO lifeguard, no office staff nothing supervising the pool. Once the teens showed up all the other adults with their kids left. I guess we should have took the clue but when the little kids showed up with NO adults, I couldn't leave. the oldest in the group was like 7-8. the littlest one only 3! OMG I kept telling my BF how can anyone let a 3 year old out alone! The one teen was picking on one of the others so the little kids got bored and left after about an hour. And had wandered off. but not once did anyone show up looking for these kids. We did inform the complex managers on monday about it. And they kicked out several familys because of their kids, So we will have to see if the pool is usable this summer or not.

And here I thought there were supposed to be laws at least in some states against using a cell phone/pda etc. while driving? Not something I've followed but man I know my kids get pissy if we don't answer right away. And I keep telling them if they call and I'm driving if theres no one else in the car to answer it.. Tough... I will call them soon as I get stopped somewhere. My son plans on getting us both hands free headset thingys for our birthdays. It's like people eating, putting on makeup etc. while driving. If you can't make the time to do these things safely. DON'T bother! I'd much rather be late then dead.