SpecialK

Hi KTK. Yes, it seems every bariatric surgeon offers both RNY gastric bypass and Lapband. Some people seem to indicate they get more pressure to go with the RNY because the surgeon has done more of them but if you have an experienced lapband surgeon, I would strongly consider it. I don't regret my decision. Good luck in your investigation.

I assume you have found the Men's Only thread. Also, there are many High BMI bandsters out there, men and women, and we are doing great. There is also a link for those wanting to lose 100 lbs, 200 lbs. etc. Look down the list of all the categories off the main home page.

My opinion is to let my surgeon decide. If he has good experience with Allergan's Lapband, I'd go with that. If he has any doubts about Realize in his experience, I'd tell him to choose which one he has the most expereince with.

Headhunter, it sounds like a combination of incompetent surgeon led to lapband complications which in turn was life threatening to you and I'm sorry to hear that. I am happy to hear you are Happy now with your Revision. I have to assume you had a much better bariatric surgeon second time around and now will lead a full and healthy life. God Bless.

I hope you will post over on the General Discussion thread where more people will see a 6+ year bandster and how great you've done. You'll have a wider audience to give you encouragement there. I'm with you about 350 when I started and I'm down 110 at this point with lots to go but at 16 months post op, I have no regrets.

Dawn, I'm about 16 months out from my surgery date now and I have never regretted it one minute. I think your doctor is testing you "mentally" to see if you really are committed to losing and I'd definitely step up to the challenge, join WW or use an online tracking thing, do Slim-fast shakes plus lean meat and veg meals and you will get that 15 lbs off. Good luck!

djk24 - I'll send you a Personal Message here on this board with my email as I have a jar of Unjury Chicken Soup that I have not opened that I liked but I bought 2 and just found I didn't use it as fast as I thought. I'd be glad to pass it along for free. I also bought 2 of the Unjury Unflavored and I've used those up as I mixed them with different things, like making a strawberry shake with 1% milk and Splenda and putting a scoop of protein powder in that. I bought GNC's Whey Protein the chocolate and the vanilla and I liked them okay. At the Walk from Obesity last summer, they handed out sample packets from a company called Syntrax and they have multiple flavors. I tried the Cappacucino, the Cookies and Cream, and the Syntrax Nectar of Fuzzy Navel. I mixed the first two with my morning coffee and I mixed the last one (which is an orange/peach combination flavor) with Lite OJ (like 50 calories) and did that as breakfasts. I just bought a brand called Genisoy Unflavored and the first time I tried it I wasn't sure I liked it but I'm going to give it another try and see if what I mixed it with just wasn't a good combo. Its Soy Protein not Whey Protein. Congrats on your upcoming surgery.

Fenton - I'm chiming in too to say welcome back. What is your first goal? i.e. what are you going to do right today, then the next and the next. I'm trying to up my exercise again after finding myself in a plateau that I'm sure is a combination of too much work stress, not enough time to exercise. So, I took time to marinate some boneless porkchops in a bottle of Mrs Dash Garlic & Lime marinade from Sunday night to tonight and cooked those babies on the grill, and yummy, it is good eating something good tasting very slowly.

We had a good time of sharing at the June get together at the Mall for our bandsters group and even though I have been to several of these, I still learn more each time and enjoy being uplifted and encouraged by others who really know what this journey is all about. We had two different perspectives of those of us who were in the morbidly obese category pre-band about how we felt about ourselves and how we view ourselves in retrospect. I had an attitude that if I could physically get out there and do something, and in some cases I couldn't due to my size, I would go for it and take the attitude of who cares what others think! HeatherA had a different view - she shared that some of us withdraw inside ourselves and as we get heavier we start staying away from things we'd love to do because we don't want the ridicule or even possible embarrassment. And of course, there is every combination in between. In looking back personally, I regret having spent so many years overweight and missing out on some things I hoped to do in life but in other ways, I've come to accept who I am is God's gift to me, and I have to love myself no matter what. What I am becoming now, being healthier, is a gift back to God to say thank you for a healthy future. Another viewpoint is to look back at those years overweight and opportunities missed and say to ourself, I really hate that I wasted those precious years of my life. If nothing else, that hatred or regret about the lost past, will keep us motivated to never go back to those fat days again. So, I thought I'd post this here so that those of you who might consider coming, know that we have different views and listen thoughtfully to each person's needs when they come. Also, please say a little prayer for our special Bandster Brenda who has to have a band revision surgery here soon. Her band has slipped and she was sharing at the June meeting her experience on that. We are anxious to hear if Dr. Meyers at Riverside can just reposition her band or if it has to be replaced or what. Brenda and another of our bandsters Susan shared that they both experienced severe restriction after repeated bouts of coughing related to a flu episode and the other for an asthma attack. In one case, an unfill brought immediate relief, in another, they ended up needing hospitalized for dehydration due to not being able to get enough fluids down. Please, please, call your doctor if you can't keep fluids down. Last, we occasionally swap bags of clothes with others who come. I would have some summer things in 2x-3x if anyone is interested. Just PM me on this board and let me know.

The invitation is open to all! Whether you are pre-band, newly banded or an old band pro. Everyone is welcome! Where: Polaris Mall food Court When: Saturday July 11, 2009 Time: 2 p.m. Look for us near the entrance to the Great Indoors store in the back corner seating area next to Chik-Fil-A. If we're not there look for a large group of folks sitting at several tables pushed together in the areas on either side of the Great Indoors... that's usually us :-) Hope to see you there!

This is a very inspirational thread. I was just thinking over the weekend about how far I have come but I have so far to go, getting closer every day, in my mindset and clothes even if the scale doesn't show progress for awhile, so I really appreciate hearing from those who have to hang in there for the long haul. It is really nice to have people be flabbergasted and excited when they say "how much have you lost! You look great" but on the other hand, I know I'm still in the morbidly obese category with lots of pounds to lose. I haven't decided on a goal weight but I thought if I lost at least 180 lbs I'd be around the weight I'd consider plastic surgery to get rid of the excess skin I already have now. So, time to buckle down a little harder.

Katiebugg -- Congrats on how great you are doing too. Swood -- good to hear from you again - wow 6 months flew right on by. Keep up the good work everyone. As we know, its not magic!

Sillypuddy - next get together will be July 11 at 2-4 pm Polaris Mall food court. We'll get an item posted but we try to keep it the second Saturday unless that conflicts with a big holiday.

Greg, best wishes on your hernia surgery with Dr. Choban and yep, we know you have a good lady doc there and are in good hands. God Bless.

Anne, we are all so excited for you. I know you will do great.

Welcome Heather. I think it is really neat that you had first hand experience to observe those close to you that had lapband and gastric bypass and are doing your research to make the right decision for you. Yes, some lose like 20 lbs in the first month with a lapband, others lose less, others lose more. If you go to the Monthly Support Groups section, you could pick maybe the January 2009 bandsters, those who had surgery in January this year, and read the trail of emails that show how much they've lost in this first 5+ months as time went along. Remember, all things vary by how committed YOU are too! Good luck.

The invitation is open to all! Whether you are pre-band, newly banded or an old band pro. Everyone is welcome! Where: Polaris Mall food Court When: Saturday June 13, 2009 Time: 2 p.m. Look for us near the entrance to the Great Indoors store in the back corner seating area next to Chik-Fil-A. If we're not there look for a large group of folks sitting at several tables pushed together in the areas on either side of the Great Indoors... that's usually us :-) We usually bring a helium balloon to mark where we are meeting and please feel free to bring a friend, spouse, or support person along with you on your first visit if that will help you feel comfortable joining our group. Hope to see you there!

I am looking forward to seeing the gang at this get together as I missed you in May while on vacation. I've been struggling up and down on the same 2-3 lbs myself in the last 3 weeks due to work stress and not eating right, not getting exercise, etc. so I need encouragement too. Kathy

Scrappy - so excited for you and Lynn -- you too! I'm probably at least a year away from being able to consider plastic surgery on my tummy but definitely already wishing for it. Actually I've been stuck bopping up and down on the same 2-3 lbs for about 3 weeks now and it is a combination of stress eating, not getting exercise in because of working overtime, and just general being tired. Anybody else now look at eating as Hard Work? I went through our cafeteria yesterday and they have a board where they post the nutritional info and most days I get a cup of Soup (probably closer to 12 oz in the container) and say good enough. Other days, like yesterday they had a chicken breast with balsalmic sauce, polenta, and green Beans which I thought seemed pretty healthy for the calorie count and the Protein. It took an hour of hard work (tiny bite by tiny bite) to eat the chicken and polenta and I never made it through the green beans. I know I should have eaten the green beans instead of the polenta but it was "easier" to eat and the green beans didn't do anything for me once they got cold. ugh. I need to keep consciously making a choice to eat the healthy things even if its harder than soup or something mushie or softer. I recognize now that I used to "scarf down", eat incredibly fast, especially lunch at work when I had to work through lunch or eat on the run while driving somewhere, and I just can't do that now.

Ajoneen -- I am so, so sorry for you. Will pray for you now. Kathy

I'd like to encourage any of the Mt. Carmel pre-bandsters posting here or lurking, to stop by at this gathering for a time where we share any and all questions band related in an informal setting over coffee or whatever. http://www.lapbandtalk.com/f56/central-ohio-get-lapband-sharing-june-13-2009-a-95040/

Ditto what Seebs said.... the one person who does the paperwork stuff for this does have a little bit of a reputation for not returning phone calls as timely as we all want and you just have to keep calling and emphasizing that you want a call back. I can also tell you that if you call the main number of the doctors office, they mention if you don't know the number of the person that there is a phone directory of those in the office and if you take the option or put in the office manager named "David" you can leave him a message of, hey, I'm not getting called back tiemly enough and he does then grease the skids to get you a response. Again, the trouble with the paperwork is now a distant memory to me and it was worth it.

Sillypuddy - congrats on moving another step closer in your lapband journey. Most of us find that when we meet all the requirements like the nutrition documentation, etc. the approval process with insurance goes fairly quick once they do the submit. Wishing you smooth sailing. On emotional eating, the lapband restriction definitely helps with the quantity of food I used to eat when I was stressed because I know just can't eat the volume I used to eat when I hit these times, e.g. like the major portion of a pizza by myself, to confess one example. However, the lapband doesn't stop you from still satisfying emotional needs with something like ice cream, so yes, you are going to have to just mentally tell yourself that you can't do that. I just don't keep ice cream in the house for example. If I have ice cream now, its a single scoop in a dish, and I limit how often I even give myself the okay to do that. I do keep "safe" snacks with portion control built in as things I can eat if I am hungry and stress is driving my hunger. I keep mini-carrots, yogurt, applesauce cups, SF Jello pudding snacks, 100 calorie snack packs, for examples. I have one and see if that is enough, wait awhile, then if I am still feeling hungry, go get a second one, etc. Now that the weather is getting nicer, just getting out of the house where there isn't food is an avoidance - yard work, a nice walk, etc. I am seeking help regularly from support groups, this lapbandtalk board, obesityhelp, etc. and it helps me. And, sometimes when I am really stressed, my body is just plain tired, I go to bed early and give myself that extra rest instead of eating, a nap or earlier bedtime. I am also a reader, choosing to read a few pages of a good book before going to sleep to relieve stress. Last and of course crafts -- I am into scrapbooking and I am keeping a scrapbook of my weight loss journey and so I keep taking pictures of my progress as I go along, and I'm keeping momentos of the different milestones, and then when I have some things saved up, I get all my supplies out and make a mess keeping my hands and mind busy. Hang in there, its a journey and if we have a few detours, and I certainly have, where I have eaten things I am not proud of, get back on track the next day.

I have swapped and passed down my larger sizes to others in my support group but the best thing besides donate them to Goodwill is to take them to a Plus Size Consignment shop. They are wonderful to deal with and they really need 3-4-5x and whatever sizes because as others said, its a great opportunity for those plus sized on limited budget to get some nice things and you get money to spend on smaller things you want or can cash out and go somewhere else. Google for Plus Size Consignment in your area.

Hi and Welcome FloridainOhio -- I see Dr. Miller for all my lapband follow up care after Dr. Price did my surgery and I really like Dr. Miller. I have met several of his patients at the Mt. Carmel Bariatric Support meetings and everyone of them is positive so I'd say, you're fine working with him. All three of the Mid Ohio Surgical Assoc doctors work in concert with each other which is something I like because they back each other up if one is out and not available, you can see the other. Not sure what the nausea you are reading about is. Post surgery for the first couple days I had some pain from gas from surgery that migrates up from the abdominal cavity to the upper chest/shoulder area as it works itself out -- they use gas to elevate the abdominal skin and cavity so they can work laproscopically and then the gas is deflated but a little remains inside and has to work itself out. I think they could be referring to that. I wasn't 'sick to my stomach' with nausea really.