LizzieNJ

I am curious as to where in NJ you are looking to book the conference. North, Central or South? Newark area, East/New Brunswick, Mount Laurel, Atlantic City? Philadelphia is also a great East Coast location with easy airport access for out of towners as well as easy train access. Before booking it would be nice to share a location more narrowed down than the entire state of NJ. NJ is alot bigger than NYC. Are you looking for a hotel with alot of conference rooms for breakout sessions, big ballrooms or an actual convention center. How large of a conference to you anticipate this being. I would be interested in alot more details.

Hi - I'm Elizabeth. I just got banded on Tuesday May 20th. Sent the night at the hospital and came home Wednesday afternoon. I had my surgery at the Hospital of the University of Pennsylvania (HUP) in Philadelphia. My surgeon was Dr. Noel Williams. A real Top Doc. Excellent and highly experienced and recommended. I had robot assisted surgery, which is supposed to increase how fast you heal and decrease incision size atc. creating a more precise procedure. I have been taking it easy since I got home. Walking each day, even made it all the way around the block yesterdy. Yay!! I feel like I have been more sore and slower than others I have spoken with, but I am ok with that. I would rather take it easy now and make sure everything heals correctly than rush out to the mall or to get a pedicure. I worked hard to get here and don't want to have a twisted port fixed or a slipped band in my future. I am feeling much better today than I have but kicking back to watch the Indy 500 then the CocaCola 600 after that. Having trouble getting in most of my fluids but I am making sure everything I drink has protein in it. I have had a little SF Jello too. Just starting this journey. Looking forward to the future.

I hope you are doing well. I took this week off as well and I am glad that I did and was able to. I really don't think I was up to returning to work this week. I am still pretty weak, from lack of nutrition I guess. I just can't get in enough Protein although I have been doing a little better with liquids the last 2 days. I go back for my 10 day check up on Fri May 30th. They told me I couldn't drive until after that appt, so I haven't pushed it. I will try to drive to the appt on Fri and depending on how I feel driving will dictate my returning to work, because I have a 30 mile commute each way. So I want to make sure I feel truly strong and confortable enough to not be a danger to anyone else on the road. It's not the pain meds anymore it just the turning and stretching to see the other cars etc, and being in traffic.

I ahven't been sleeping well either. The pain meds don't really seem to be doing anything anymore. I have 2 pills left. I took something last night to help me sleep around 4:00 am and then I slept well. I went out on Monday to get my hair washed and blown out and it really wore me out!! I go for my post-op on Friday and I am dying for some mushies mashed potatoes - something wonderful. I need food!!! lol I did have a tiny bit of ice cream on Monday. It was my b-day and my son got me some cake batter ice cream and I let it melt some and ate little bits at a time. I didn't have any bad side effects from it just felt bad for doing it. I haven't tried to eat anything that wasn't liquidy. I am looking forward to the mushies, like I said.

I hope you are doing well. I took this week off as well and I am glad that I did and was able to. I really don't think I was up to returning to work this week. I am still pretty weak, from lack of nutrition I guess. I just can't get in enough protein although I have been doing a little better with liquids the last 2 days. I go back for my 10 day check up on Fri May 30th. They told me I couldn't drive until after that appt, so I haven't pushed it. I will try to drive to the appt on Fri and depending on how I feel driving will dictate my returning to work, because I have a 30 mile commute each way. So I want to make sure I feel truly strong and confortable enough to not be a danger to anyone else on the road. It's not the pain meds anymore it just the turning and stretching to see the other cars etc, and being in traffic.

Stef - I just HAVE all that stuff - I tried it before surgery. I haven't even gotten through 2 cans of Slimfast today plus a couple of sips of Crystal Light with my meds. I didn't mean t mislead anyone into thinking I am consuming all that since surgery. They were just ideas for choices to use. I ahven't had Jello today. I have probably had about 16 or 17 oz of SlimFast and 2-3 of crystal light. I just made some broth we will see how much of that I can get in. It may help the gas because it warm. Here's hoping.

I am still not able to drink my requirments. But try to find something that gives you protein and liquid at the same time to make what you are drinking count for more. I find warm fluids go down easier than cold ones. I am straining Campbells Chicken Noodle Soup because I like the that broth tastes better than others. It makes me feel like I am having soup. I think I got in more liquids yesterday than today, but I am trying. Just feel so full so fast, a few sips and I am done for a while, I can't force/push it. Just do the best you can, and if you are still nauseaus I would call your surgeons office tomorrow or the hospital, someone will be on call. I need to call because my feet are swollen because they don't want me to take my BP meds cuz they're diuretics - don't want me to flush out the little fluid I am taking in and get dehydrated. we all just do the best we can. Take your pain meds if you are hurting and if they aren't enough tell your Dr. You need to stay as comfortable as possble. Chin up we will both make it and in a few more weeks this will all be a memory.

I am sorry you are having a hard time. My tummy has been pretty distended today from the gas I guess, uncomfortable. Gas-x has not helped. I am having trouble geting in my liquids too. Pretty slow. I am just doing the best that I can. Not comparing myself to others. because more sem to be having a easy time than a rougher time. we will be ok. I would rather be slow and make sure everything stays in the place that it was sewn into than hurry out to do something. Slow and steady wins the race, right? Good Luck.

I love me some Dale Jr. but love to look at alot of them!! My brother was part of the pre-race festivities today with his motorcycle club, he presented a POW MIA flag to the Speedway to fly. They rode on the track, but unfortunately it wasn't part of the televised pre-race. Someone said they saw an aireal view of them, but I must have missed it.

I am not felling pain really when I drink, just that full feeling and pressure very quickly. I have alot of pressure in my belly today. More than before. I assume its gas. I am on liquids for 10-14 days post-op. I go back to see the surgon on May 30th. I assume he will tell me if I can go ahead and start the mushies or conitnue on the liquids. I am not in any hurry to over exert myself or do anything to make my "innerds" not heal perfectly. I am missing food a little but I know that eventually I will be able to eat most of what I love. It will be ok, and I know we will both be ok too!! Good luck.

Dave - Good Luck to you in your journey to being banded. Mine was 12 months from starting to talk to my PCP about it, going to 3 informational seminars, being declined in Dec and then seeing a Nutritionist for 3.5 months and then finally approval in April and banding last Tuesday, May 20, 2008. I am not privy to your financial situation but some people have gone to Mexico and been very succesful with their banding experiences. I was lucky and my insurance covered 100%. I hope you have luck getting approval and surgery through your health services. There are lots of resources on the Web. I also use a website called ObesityHelp.com. They have a specific message board just for LapBand people. Good Luck!!

Star Jones did have a Gastric Bypass, I am not sure exatly which kind. I think the poster just meant by saying - "Pulling a Star Jones" was that she was keeping her procedure very quiet. Star did not go public for a VERY LONG time. She said she regretted that decision later becuase she could have helped people. But for her at the time it was the right decision. I have told a few close friends and minimal trustworthy coworkers. I just don't want everyone watching me eat and judging me. A woman at work had RNY and everyone judged everything she put in her mouth, how much she put on her plate, how much she lost and how fast. I don't need that kind of stress in my life. So for me at this time keeping this quiet is a good decision for me. No one needs the stress of being judged.

If you read her response - her first words are that she was banded in April 07- 13 months ago. No need for butt chewing just more careful reading.

Hi Nikki - I was banded May 20th as well. I am sore, but not as bad as before. I guess more tender than anything at this point. I don't feel like getting out but I have done a little laundry today and a few dishes. Just ready to get this new life started. Finally seem to have flushed the extra fluids I received in the hospital out of my system. I am back to presurgery weight today. Here we go!! Yay us!!

I was prescribed delaudid which is a synthetic morphine derivitive. so far so goo. I have pretty much quit taking it except at night and I don't know that it really helped last night so I may be done except for liquid Tylenol. Alot of people get by on just liquid Tylenol.

The SlimFast low carb shake has 20 grms of protein - more than the high protein shakes. Crazy I know but true. I think both are similar in calories. I am using Isopure and SlimFast Low Carb. I also have Creamy Hot Cocoa with 12 grams protein from NewLifeStyleDiet.com and Chai Tea with about 12 grams from Medifast1.com. I also have Grapefruit drinks with Protein from DietDirect.com. I have only used Jello as a "solid" no applesauce. It wasn't on my list until "Mushies".

newlifestylediet.com you can also try dietdirect.com have the same plus more and a little cheaper.

I just got my surgery approval and date today - (May 20th). I think I have gone through every emotion imagineable today. From excitement to fear and sadness. I also think there is a little sene of mourning thrown in there for good measure. Because when you think of the how food has been a friend at least to me) for so long, and now I am ending the friendship, and feel it will only be an aquaintance - so to speak. Losing a friend does bring out strong emotions. I really think it is natural to have fears and doubts. But I truly believe that this will enable me to achieve the success and maintain it, and have the quality of life that has eluded me for far to long. Don't know if this helps. But I just have to say you are not alone. If you want to e-mail me privately lizdebarr-at-msn-dot-com. Elizabeth

hajohnson1 - Hope you have a great experience tomorrow. Please keep us posted!!

This is quoted from a response "LapDancer" gave to a question regarding fills. Thought it might help. Think You Need a Fill? THINK AGAIN By Nikki Johnson Do you remember that feeling you had when you first had your band placed? For a while, everything was great. You didn't experience hunger, you felt satisfied with a small portion of good food, you had more energy, and you were thrilled with your initial weight loss progress. If you are like most people, your experience changed over time, Some of those feelings of hunger returned, and you stopped losing weight. You knew you needed something, so you went to your surgeon's office and asked for a "fill" right? If so, you might be surprised to learn that it is your thinking about your band, and not the band itself, that needs adjusting. The LAP-BAND Bad Word Paul O'Brien, MD, FRACS, is a skillful, compassionate surgeon and a foremost expert on the LAP-BAND System. he was involved in its design in the early 1990's and placed the first band in Australia in 1994. Since then, he has treated thousands of patients and is recognized worldwide for his expertise. When his patients utter that worst of four-letter words, "fill," in his office, they are asked to throw a dollar in the Red Cross donation bucket--a reminder that, according to Dr. O'Brien, thinking about a "fill" is just wrong thinking. How can a concept that we hear about so constantly be so very wrong? Dr. O'Brien's answer is simple: "Any adjustment to the band is something that only takes place in the context of clinical consultation--part of a relationship of trust, honesty and communication between patient and surgeon--that is much more key to the success of the patient than the precise number of milliliters of Fluid in the band. This concept of partnership is the central theme of Dr. O'Brien's new book, The Lap-Band Solution--A Partnership of Weight Loss. Patty's Note: Available on Amazon.com ISBN#9780522854121 Like many people, you might assume that weight gain or a sustained plateau means an incorrectly adjusted band; in fact, you may be right. But you may be surprised to learn that weight gain sometimes results from a band that is too tight. This is part of the reason why the "fill" concept is so misleading. If your surgeon determines that you are not losing weight as you should, then discovering why that is happening is crucial. Sometimes adding fluid to the band will only make matters worse. Life in the "GREEN ZONE" Most people who have the LAP-BAND operation will have an amazing feeling of disinterest in food for the first week after surgery, before any adjustments are even made to the fluid in the band. According to Dr. O'Brien, that lack of interest in food is referred to as satiety. A related but different feeling is satiation, or the feeling you get as you are eating, precisely at the point that you don't need any more food to eat but you do not have an uncomfortable feeling of fullness. These two feelings--satiety and satiation--are what the properly adjusted band helps you achieve, allowing you to maintain your new healthier eating habits. Your careful observation and truthful sharing of your feelings and eating behaviors, combined with the expert care and training of your surgeon and his or her staff, can make the very individual determination of whether your band is properly adjusted much more accurate. In order to help create the most effective partnership between themselves and their patients, Dr. O'Brien and his colleagues at the Australian Centre for Obesity Research and Education have developed a concept they refer to as the "Green Zone". When patients are in the green zone, they experience satiety, satiation after properly-sized small meals, and satisfactory weight loss or maintenance. However, there are also yellow and red zones, both of which indicate that the band is not optimally adjusted. If your band is too loose, you will not have the benefits the band's hunger-controlling mechanism. If your band is too tight, you will have trouble eating properly and may actually gain weight because the foods you can eat more comfortable, that tend to be liquid and calorie-rich, like ice cream and chocolate, do not provide the proper nutrition. Learning to recognize when you have the feelings and eating behaviors that signal a problem can help you give your surgeon the information he or she needs to help you keep the band optimally adjusted. Thinking Adjustment Once you have eliminated the concpet of "fills" from you Lap-Band vocabulary, you will be able to let go of much of the conventional thinking connected to it. Perhaps you have heard talk about the "ideal" amount of fluid in the Lap-Band. While it may be helpful to have some idea of how much fluid is in your band, Dr. O'Brien says there is no magic number. No perfect amount of fluid will provide the best results for everyone. He says, rather, that "whatever volume of fluid is needed to achieve the [feeling of non-hunger] is the correct volume." When you notice that you are feeling hungry or are not losing weight, your body is telling you it is time to revisit your partner in weight loss -- your surgeon. your success absolutely depends on this relationship. So rather than thinking "adjustments," adjust your thinking, and, in partnership with your surgeon, find a lifetime of health! For more information about all of the themes discussed in this article, please see Dr. O'Brien's book, The Lap-Band Solution--A Partnership for Weight Loss, which is available fro Amazon.com. We also invite you to visit LAP-BAND® System Forum - Home for more information and supportive resources. You should You are You should ADD FLUID OPTIMAL REDUCE FLUID Hungry Early prolonged satiety Difficulty swallowing Big Meals satiety Reflux - hearburn Looking for food Small meals satisfy Night Cough Satisfactory weight loss Regurgitation or maintenance Poor eating behavior __________________ ~*~*~*~*Lap Dancer~*~*~*~*

When I went to my surgical consult if I was paying for my surgery myself I could have had my surgery as soon as I finished my pre-op testing required by my surgeon. My insurance required 6 months of supervised weight management with my primary care physician before they would grant approval for my surgery. This just consisted of going to my PCP each month and weighing. I did actually lose 12 pounds. Not a huge amount but every little bit helps. If you have insurance - the six months may be for approval purposes. Check back with your surgeon for clarification.

Hi- I am a member of another group and this was a recent post referring to your question. I have not gotten my LapBand yet but I thought this was a great explanation. Quoted from UPenn Bandsters Group on Yahoo... "...I had a LapBand with Dr Williams in May. I have had 2 band fills since. It Does Not Hurt! You go to the X-ray department and sign in and WAIT. You get taken to the X-ray department and Wait. You take off your bra for the procedure, but that is all. You leave your shirt and other clothes on. You are taken in to the X-ray department. They scan your abdomen (with a flouroscopy X-ray) to locate your port, mark it with a pen then the doctor puts a long thin needle into the port to add the Fluid. After they add the fluid, they stand you up on the X-ray table and have you drink liquid barium and watch to make sure it goes through the band without problems. Then you put your bra on and go home. The procedure itself takes less than 15 minutes. You are told to do pureed (mushie) food for a couple of days then advance back to your normal diet. Best of luck! ..." Hope this helps Elizabeth