susieq321

I am feeling what people mean about full with band vs sleeve, it is going to be a learning experience to stop at not hungry vs. full. I am three weeks out and on mushy and finding that I am eating until full and that is too much. For me measuring will be a key.

Sometimes internal stitches come through the scab on your body. If they stay internl they dissolve. Two options go to your surgeon have whim or a nurse pull them. Sterilize tweezers and pull the your self. Be careful tug gently to make sure the internal part is fully dissolved they should come away with relative ease if they don't stop until they do. Watch to. Ake sure they don't get infected (little pockets of pus around the stitch where it exits the incision) if that happens see your doc immediately.

So after a looonnngggg day yesterday, I ate a little quiche, drank not nearly enough water, a protein shake and walked over four miles in a parking lot I am very tired the muscles at all of my incisions sites are really sore, my neck is spamming slightly and I am on muscle relaxants what I didn't drop out of my pocket I walked hopefully some of my butt off. So tired and in some pain this morning but not horrid for two and a half weeks out from surgery the good news is we think we raised some serious cash for our neighborhood last year we managed to give 85k back to neighborhood causes schools, parks, homeless shelters, career wardrobe etc. we are hoping we can give more back this year. Not bad for an event that takes a year to plan, it was pouring rain in a very chilly Philly yesterday and we only have ones day to sell beer, play lots of music, close down five blocks for 30k of people to have a big ole street party.

That sounds like gas pain which gasp will help but the best option is walking sorry to say it helps the body absorb the gas. Sometimes a heating pad or massage helps too. The reason the shoulder hurts is it is a referred pain, the gas they blow us up with during surgery presses on the diaphragm and that is attached to shoulder muscles, I only ever feel it in my left shoulder never my right. They try and get the gas out but usually can't get it all. The gas is the reason the nurses ask you over and over in the hospital are you passing gas then they know your body is absorbing the gas and moving it along.

So question, I am on the board of a non-profit and our big event is this weekend, 12 hours long and I am in charge of main ticketing. No brainer I do it every year. Here is the challenge I don't have access to a fridge or microwave, I am onsite 12 hours, I am still in puree and mushy food stage. I don't like things like cold eggs that should be warm. What do I take with me to eat? I am onsite can't leave the site because of my job, and it will be insane for most of the time. We will sell thousands of pours of beer (all the free beer I can drink, if I drank beer or if I could drink period ) Any suggestions on things to take my go to would be a protein bar but since it isn't allowed it is out. We have some restaurants around us again pureed and mushy not so hot at a restaurant and I can't leave my area and won't because the crowds are really really tight we have 20-30K in people over 5 city blocks. Need stuff that tastes great and last at outdoor temps in Philly in Oct.

Having done this before, the biggest challenge most people face is in their head and thinking they are giving up or losing out on something. With my band I found head hunger the worst and thinking i wanted one more bite, or was I really hungry. It took a long time to learn my signals and understand true hunger. In reality I didn't miss anything ever, if I wanted some cake I had it. Once I changed my mind losing to goal and maintaining became easier. The biggest change I made was the choice to eat real food, no more fast food, cutting out the majority of junk food. Occasionally I go a little nuts and get a bag of chips. But my partner and I love to cook so we make our own stock, we cook at home a lot, we do eat out a lot but we know the restaurants where we eat and we tend to split an entree vs getting one of our own. It becomes second nature after a while to change how you eat and I honestly vomit on food like McDonalds. (not kidding it makes me throw up, tried it twice vomited both times) For food, protein, protein, protein will almost always fill people up and keep them full longer than anything else, it is dense and filling, you will find generally you eat a lot less because it fills you up faster. There are easier and harder proteins to eat, I generally can only do a few bites of steak or roast it fills me up faster than anything else. Fish is the easiest on me, filling but light.

I had the straw conversation with my surgeon he is anti straw as well. But my argument is no matter what you do when you eat and drink you take air in, and in a narrow straw I will take less air in than drinking a drink out of a cup. In addition the straw prevents me from gulping liquids which for a lot of patients who aren't used to the sipping culture is a problem. With a straw I am limited on how much I drink much more than a cup does. I won my surgeon over with my argument holding up a straw and saying this much air over unlimited air gulping what is better?

I understand not being ble to walk I started lower in weight than many and I am able to walk. Just moving will help, walking in the house if possible will help move things along. It is true the more you can move the faster the gas goes away and the recovery is easier.

My doc said only milk of magnesia for constipation. The other thing is walk as much as you can that will help move things along at 3 -4 days out I was walking 3 city blocks 5-7 times a day. Carry water and sip all day. Try and keep your urine running clear the water will also help bowel movements to flush through. If you don't keep drinking you will end up back in the hospital for dehydration and that is dangerous. I am still moving things slowly through my bowel. At 12 days out that tells you how long it can take the body sometimes. Fortunately not constipated just slow.

Mine was one surgery it took about ninety ninety loggers because of banding scar tissue but so far I am all good.

The best thing I have found with my band surgeries is to take a page from cardiac patients get a small pillow and hold it to your chest as tight as as you can when sneezing or coughing and it helps with the muscle pain, not an on but it helps. The sneezing and coughing pain on me was gone within a week.

I actually changed my thyroid meds right after surgery so I will be getting tested monthly for changes etc..

I think that comes from surgeons, training and practices and what they have seen work with the band and RNY for recovery. My surgeon has me on liquids for 2 weeks, puree and mush for 2 weeks then solids, but I also get a prescription acid controller and blood thinner for almost a month too. I am booked off work for 4 weeks but mostly because I am a consultant and I can't fly or lift my suitcase until the month is up... i am not sure what I am going to do with myself for that month but I will figure it out!

Hey there I was revised from a lap and to a sleeve on Sept 23. I was successful with. The band for a longtime after my last slip and new band it wasn't placed properly so I never really had a pouch or restriction and gained weight. I was in rhe hospital for 2 days which is standard for my surgeon I am still on semi clear liquids (protein shakes with milk and some soups) I am looking forward to moving on to purses and mushie next week. After all my band issues I am pretty religious about following the surgeons instructions. We eat a pretty junk free diet cooking at home so my broth is home made broth, my soups are homemade so I know what is in them I am willing to take any suggestions for the mushy stage of cooking it has been a while for me and all that come to mind is mashed potatoes which may not be the best choice . I am enjoying reading how everyone is doing. I travel for my job so I am on leave until I can fly again which leaves me some time at home to read and get to know people.

Long time member but i haven't posted anywhere in ages, but I used to be on the Lapband board. I was a long time very successful band patient i was orginally banded in Jan 02 (in Canada, pre FDC approval) lost weight at a great rate. My first band (Innamed) slipped a total of 3 times before it came out for six months, I also had surgeries to move my port and another because my tubing disconnect. Next we went to the J&J band and it was great until it slipped badly, I had it for about 6-7 years and it worked like a charm, restriction was great most of the time, lost to my goal size and then it self tightened and i left it there because of travel, personal stress etc and i thought it would release on its own when i went for a defill it completely slipped around my esophagus and it was horrible. With the J&J I had a port revision surgery in there too. Then we tried a 3rd band it never worked right, I couldn't get restriction because if we did more than i had instant reflux etc. I revised to the sleeve last week with a new surgeon in Philadelphia who told me the band was basically around my esophagus and i had no pouch which is why I had no restriction and why I could not be tightened any more. But I lost about 150 lbs in 12-16 months and maintained that loss for 10 years plus, with little to no effort. In the meantime because of the band with no restriction, some prescribed evil steroids that I had to take that put 30lbs on me in a matter of 8 days... (they change your brain chemistry in weird ways) hashimoto's disease (hypo thyroid) fluctuations for the last few years and a few other things I gained about 70-80 lbs that I could not lose weight I tried. I went gluten free and dairy free, nada, I tried the HCG diet lost 20 lbs gained it back and generally I don't eat more than 1500-1700 calories per day including when I am drinking wine, eating out 3 meals a day etc. I hired a trainer, almost went paleo not quite. Now in talking to my surgeon he has said there are new studies showing band patients 9-12 years out who suddenly gain weight they can't lose for love nor money. They try everything and it won't come off more restriction, calories restriction etc. So we made a joint strategic decision to go to the sleeve since I knew the risk, what type of lifestyle change I was in for, portion control etc. wouldn't be a problem since i had it already. In our conversations we talked a lot about Ghrelin which is produced in the stomach and it makes you hungry, when you are feeling that craving to overeat or binge typically it is ghrelin and obese people produce more ghrelin than non obese people typically with some exceptions. We also talked about leptin which makes you feel satiated and is produced in the brain. With the sleeve, about 70-90% of the ghrelin produced is surgically removed with the part of the stomach they remove. i am curious have you noticed a difference in how hungry you get, cravings and the satiation of cravings ie: I can eat two bites of cake vs. I want the whole cake now? Have you also noticed the full feelings getting different than before from the leptin. My surgeon has said in his conversations with his patients they noticed their cravings reduced which helps them with portion control and in making better choices which helps a number of other things. In other words the brain and stomach don't conspire to make cheetos seem like a great dinner choice or ben and jerry your best friend. Overall I eat very healthy without a ton of junk food in my life we cook at home, we make our own stocks and Soups etc. to help get me through the liquids phase. But we do eat well and drink wine, we might be foodies (we are told we are, I just like trying new things). I have never eaten out of control even with the last band and no restriction just trying to lose weight has been terrible, depressing and frustrating. Especially after my first experiences which was I lost well, ate well, exercised and it worked like it was supposed too. I am a consultant and I travel for my job excessively so hence the eat out three meals a day most of the time I don't have a choice in that, but you can make healthy choices even in eating out and I do. I look at fats and calories along with Proteins and make good choices. Any thoughts you have I would appreciate and any advice you have I would love to read. Thanks for reading and good luck

I have had 3 different types of bands Innamed original stiff 4cc band, J&J flexible 9 CC band, J&J flexible 9 cc band. (all in Canada) I would join a class action lawsuit with all of the complications I had, I think some were the Drs and how they placed the band and some were the companies and the way they told Dr's to place the band and how to sell it. It was sold to me as a permanent option not temporary. I went through the following Jan 02 band in innamed March 02 band disconnect at this time it was an undocumented complication and unknown by the company (cost me two flights and a week of work to fix it) Sept 02 band slipped (flight home to document) Dec 02 Band fixed (flight home to fix) May 03 band slipped (flight home to document the slip) June 03 band out for 6 months (flight home to fix and 3 days off work) Oct 03 J&J band in (flight home to put it in and a week off work) Dec 03 Plastic surgery and my port moved because it was tilted so badly all was good until (flight home for surgery) June 05 port moved again (again flight home for surgery and 2 days off work) August 2011 band slipped and replaced!! for the 3rd time with the J&J (flight home for surgery and a week off work) Placed too high on the stomach to form a proper pouch so I did not get restriction. Sept 2014 revised to sleeve Some of the problems are the band, some of the problems are the Drs and some are the way the docs are trained. I would join in a class action because of the band, the promises the companies made and the way the docs are trained.

I have had a lapband for about 12 years now and revised to the sleeve at Jefferson this week, I live just outside of Center City. Looking forward to getting to know everyone.

Kathy hasn't been with them for almost a year now. I read the article about Yau this morning, a friend sent it with the link to this thread to me... I have been a long time member I don't post often anymore though.

It is with Slimband and i have emailed them but, if they are denying people I wouldn't be surprised if they denied me too. I was re-banded by them about two and half years ago. I didn't get a contract or any papers etc. I would be interested still in knowing about the lawsuit and I have a ton of contacts who were banded by TLBC, Slimband and Joffe and Yao pre-clinic. I also know Kathy P. and can contact her for information. Once upon a time we had a Yahoo site that was very active, with lunches monthly, dinners, emails and support groups. I am sure I can get in touch with a variety of people.

This is an interesting thread, I have had three bands, 1 by Dr Joffe and Yau, 1 by TLBC and 1 by slimband. I would be interested in know more about the lawsuit since there is no longer support for patients and I am one of them. A group of patients was told by the finance team at Scarborough Grace we would always be covered and then again by Dr Joffe and Yau. When my last band was put in I was given nothing so I have no clue anymore. But when I was banded over 12 years ago it was a lifetime support for everything. I now live in the US and haven't tried to get a fill, but I imagine if I try I will be told the same story. If the person is managing the class action wants to contact me my name is Heather and my email is susieq321@Hotmail.com.

i have been banded since there wasn't clinics. I love Dr Yau, and Slimband which is the name of a band and the clinic has been good to me. Dr Yau developed his own band based on his 10+ years of experience. As one of his original banding patients I know him well and I know how concerned he is with providing the best banding experience he can which is why he developet he slimband. With that said, I have seen the slimband clinic evolve from a vision in Dr Yau's mind to what it is today. They have staff on board to support their patients and when I have needed support I have received it. This iincludes accomodating my schedule when I have had complications. I have phoned and emailed Dr Yau xrays from the US and had him work with my Dr, on what to do with me! I think about the staff the clinic has chosen to hire tend to be bandsters so they can relate to what you go through. They have dieticians, a chef, fitness specialists and they offer follow up that is great through travel and their online board. Do people complain yes of course people complain that is the nature of people... we all complain and most complainers are vocal about their complaints. I can say Dr Yau and his staff have always been kind, caring and they have worked with me on my challenges, like replacing my band when it slipped and I wasn't in Canada. I have been through a lot and based on my personal experience I trust Dr Yau more than I can say for any type of surgery. I have had some complicaitons and what stands out more than anything else is how they have dealt with my challenges and how good they were to work with! If you want to contact me my email is susieq321@hotmail.com.

I have been banded for over ten years now... and when and who to tell is extremely personal. I have had horrid reactions from all sorts of different people, friends I thought would be in support of banding weren't. I have had people tell me I took the easy way out, without knowing anything about banding at all. After a few years of varying reactions, I decided banding isn't something I am ashamed of, I also DO NOT broadcast I am banded. I tell people but I choose who I want to tell. Once I decided to adopt this policy I found the people I shared this info with were much more accepting of me. I wouldn't tell every single person I met I had a quad bypass... why would I share this personal medical information just for the heck of it. As for eating less, I just say I eat slower and lighter and I am not a fan of big huge meals... I also find when you talk during meals it helps people not expect you to eat as much.

I am not sure if you looked at slimband or not I am a patient of Dr Yau's he has been my band surgeon for 10 years now and I have had complications and he has been there to help me through them all. He helped me find a band surgeon when I moved to the US to do my fills down here. I have been a Dr Yau patient longer than slimband has been around but I have been impressed with the clinic and what they have done from staffing with banded patients to hiring nurses, nutritionists, chefs etc to help their patients and a website with forums to help their patients discuss their issues. Good luck with your choices

As requested starting a new thread... feel free to post here the good the great, the not so great, problems, complications compliments etc. Again this thread is primarily for Slimband patients so if you are reading and not a Slimband clinic patient please do not get upset when we talk about our surgeon and clinic as our best choice and the best choice we see possible. Heather

Sweet, It is not a waste you just need to find what works for you. I have a simple diet most of the time. Breakfast I start with skim milk for Protein, then i have a skim milk steamer later in the morning along with some fruit at some point in time. Lunch is just whatever I feel like some cheese and crackers, some Soup, I can eat bread so I might do 1/2 a sandwich... whatever I have I want a focus either on the protein or on the Fiber count. I love a spinach salad with some egg. Dinner is similar I look at the protein first then move on to fiber in the form of veges etc. In my losing phases I was very disciplined I didn't eat in my car, or after 7pm, I ate off of side plates and I do the rules the way they worked for me. I kept a honest food log and I didn't eat any junk in my losing phases etc. Talk to the clinic they have people on staff just to help you with some of these issues. Good luck Heather