Wheetsin

The main purpose of the pre-op diet is to deplete the liver of its sugar stores. The liver stores sugars, when the body isn't getting sugars from the food you're eating, it will signal the liver to let go of its stores. Tossing out its sugars will make the liver smaller. A smaller liver makes it easier for the surgeon to access the area where s/he will put the band. Someone on a 2k calorie diet would eat around 300gm of carbohydrates. 100gm is not a huge reduction compared to what most people are told to do during their pre-op diet. My pre-op diet was 0gm carb for 2 days.

I think that most of the "healthy" alternatives are worse for us in the long run. I've quit artificial sweetners becase it just wasn't making sense to me that a little packet of chemicals was better for my body than a little packet of natural sugar. The margarine is another example. You really need to keep an eye out for processing. Frankenfoods kinda creep me out anyway. But Cool Whip is so good....

Turykey is kind of a known trouble food for many people. Pay attention on Thanksgiving and shortly after -- you'll see PB posts by the dozens. My public yaks have included - the shoulder if the interstate during airport rush hour, my parents' front yard, the bushes in front of a Greek restaurant... *sigh* Welcome to bandster life. :tt2:

30 gm is not so much. Why not just eat it in low calorie foods like lean meats? That's about as simple as it gets.

Hundreds here who have already had the surgery. I didn't really need help making my decision. A few years of saying, "If I'm not at X weight by this time next year, I will consider surgery" was enough. Recovery was easy. Abdominal pain with abdominal movement, but that was it. No gas, etc. My surgery was a Wed. I went to the store Fri b/c I was tired of sitting at home. Went out of town Sat. Pretty much back to normal Sun.

AP maybe? Advanced Platform, Allergan's newest. I used to know this stuff but it's fading fast. You asked about LapBand, and only Allergan makes the LapBand -- it's their registered brand. They have two series of bands, the "regular" bands and the AP bands. AP bands come in two sizes, Standard and Large. The Standard holds 10cc and the Large holds 14cc. I believe the pre-AP bands came in two sizes, 4cc and 10cc. Someone correct me if I'm wrong, it's been a long time since I learned this.

BTW, I've been banded over two years and I've had a total of 4 fills and 1 unfill. I've not been to my surgeon's office at all in the last year (well, I have, but that was for a separate surgery not related to the band). For band purposes, 5 visits and I believe Feb 07 was my last.

To try and ensure I hit on everything, my answers are below in blue. After reading the posts about band slippage, erections, the many doctor visits years out and so on and so forth. I am rethinking this thing. I was thinking that I would get banded, go to the Md for a couple of post op visits then once every year. You have to keep in mind that this is a support board, and by and large the people have sought this site out for some purpose. Often that purpose is complications. We likely have a higher concentration of people represeting complication statistics here than the general banded population. Complication rates are still very low. BTW, erection -- really?? As a female, I hope not! I think you meant erosion. Not to mention the hair loss!! The hairloss can come with any surgery or major body trauma, anesthesia, etc. It is not a"band" thing. I was under the impression that I would have 3 small incisions on my tummy. I've seen up to 5 and 6 VERY LARGE unsightly incisions. I have 5. I think most people have 5. My largest is just over an inch, and my smallest is probably 1/4". All but my post incision have faded to barely visible white lines. But let's get real for a moment. Incisions are unsightly, but being obese, stretchmarks, health issues, etc. aren't?? If someone needs the band, they're fat and probably have stretchmarks. Stretchmarks are likely to be in places others can see. The only way someone's going to see "unsightly" band incisions is if you pull your shirt up and show them your stomach. I don't know about you, but that's not something I do. Does the vanity of ~5 small incisions that no one will see unless you intentionally show them outweigh the "unsightly" fat/stretchmarks/health issues/etc.?? I've never understood this logic. I've read about not being able to eat, being uncomfortable and in pain. It seems as if the theme is : Yes I am in pain but at least I am not fat. If that's the theme, it's news to me. It takes a while to get the band adjusted. Part of that adjustment period is the potential that it is too tight, which can result in temporary pain. The biggest factor is our own behavior - chewing well, controlling bite size, listening to our body's built-in portion control, etc. Personally, if there's a theme then I think it's Yes I sometimes have pain, but it's my fault for doing stupid things. When I pay attention and follow the rules, I don't have pain. Perhaps you've been spending too much time in the complications area? I am NOT by any means trying to offend anyone. I appreciate all of your posts and it will help me to make a more informed decision. I appreciate everyone being transparent to help one another. Am I just delusional? This is not a 100% complicated free procedure is it? Again please forgive me if I offended anyone, I am just disappointed. You won't offend anyone. I don't think you're delusional, but I do get the impression you're focusing too much on the overall, very small rates of complication and letting that "block out the light" of all the success stories. Yes, you're going to have pain at some point. You're going to have to bring up food at some point. You're going to have some struggle in changing your behaviors. Those are things that just about all of us, especially anyone with any time out, goes through. The pain is not constant, and something that you can almost always control. The struggle is not constant... behaviors change, eb and flow.

For a hanging pannus, try deodorant. A dry stick type such as Dove. Not only will it keep the sweat & stinkies away, but it's also a smooth barrier between the skin. On the thighs, I'm not sure. I assume you get it when they rub together, e.g. wearing a skirt or dress? If powder doesn't do it maybe buy a small pair of thin cotton shorts to wear underneath.

I have never had optifast, but can't you just get more if running out is an issue?

I wouldn't bother. I've yet to find or even hear of an insurance company that would approve the procedure with a BMI under 35, especially with no comorbs.

Hairloss is the result of body trauma, a.k.a. anesthesia, surgery... I had my gallbladder out in August, and had pretty much the same hairloss. I can guarantee you it's not because I didn't use a certain type of shampoo, or didn't take X supplement. Most people who have surgery will lose hair, they just don't always put 2+2 together. Guess what --trauma, surgery, anesthesia... are the only common bonds. Not what shampoo we use, not what supplements we take, etc. Hairloss is not the result of a deficiency unless you've been tested for it and know you have the deficiency. In other words, don't take Biotin to help it unless you know you have a deficiency (if you have one, you'll know it). Don't throw a bunch more Protein in your diet unless you know you already aren't getting enough. 100gm more protein than your body needs is 100gm of extra crap your going to make your body store (fat). If your hair is breaking, oils, conditioners, tonics, etc. may be able to help, but hair falling out is not the same as breakage, and topical treatments aren't doing to do crap. See this thread: http://www.lapbandtalk.com/f178/hair-issues-54894/ (sorry, I've typed tis so many times that it's now just quicker to refer to existing posts.) At last I looked, not that long ago, I could not find a single medical document proving the effects of Biotin in people who didn't have Biotin deficiencies. Shampoos, etc. are largely urban legend. Hair growth/loss/dormancy happens in cycles, and cycles come and go. Wait it out. It's not pleasant, but it will pass. In the meantime, save your money and don't go buy whatever random people tell you to buy.

Abbreviations and What They Mean

If you don't want general, good luck finding a surgeon. They may exist, but I wouldn't bet money on it. Why are you afraid if being intubated? There are some abdominal procedures that can be done via spinal blocks - cesarean deliveries for example. But eww - the thought of being awake for a banding, with all that tugging, pulling, pushing... creeps me out way more than the thought of a tube inserted & removed while I'm unconscious.

I like Lane Bryant's clothes, most of the time - some of their style doesn't click with me but as a tall chubby girl they have the best work slacks I've found. I think they have dishonest and misleading sales. More than once I've gone for the "all sweaters, buy one get one half" only to be told that none of the sweaters I had were included in the sale. But at the same time, there wasn't any fine print detailing that only certain sweaters were included... See my previous post on LB making me mad: http://www.lapbandtalk.com/f80/lb-pissing-me-off-34446/ Also, search for "lane bryant" and you'll get a good feel for how many of us have felt that way about them, for whatever reason.

It's a standard procedure to ensure you remain able to breathe. When you're under general, you're gone, including the likelihood that you would not breathe on your own. If you're nervous about it, run a search on it here. I know it has come up a few times in the last handful of weeks.

I thought I would miss it, but I never have and it's been something like three years since I stopped drinking it. I was down to caffeine free diet coke anyway, which is basically just mellowed battery acid.

Honey can contain botulinim. Our stomachs are able to deal with any risk it might have, but a newborn's is not. Hence the no-no on babies. I haven't met with the OB yet (first appt next week) but a girlfriend gave me a list from hers and honey is OK, according to it.

Is the $3500 fee they want different from the $3000 fee you saved for + the $500 office fee you knew about ahead of time? Since the totals are the same, any chance they're referring to the $3000+$500 when they say a $3500 fee?

Well, this is Rants 'n Raves, and attacking ideas is what we're all about (your ideas were attacked, you personally were not). If you feel that you personally were attacked, then report it. We don't jive on personal attacks. We do jive on idea attacks. That's the purpose of this forum. Were you looking for support, or someone to pat you on the back and tell you that yes, even though you're already eating a low-carloie diet, the band will help you lose more weight? Yes, you're an anomoly and somehow defy the rules of physiology? If you don't want people to challenge what you're saying, or to provide other possibilities, or to contradict your information... then you might request (me or any other mod would be happy to do it) that your thread be moved to one of the support areas, rather than keeping it in our area designated as an "off-topc debate area".

Anjegrl, I am moving your post to our fills area. You're likely to get more advice on a fill doctor in MT. That's what you're after, right? Because your title might confuse people. May want to consider changing it to better reflect your question.

I googled the website for you and their TF# is 800 286 4945 if you want to call and ask. I personally don't know the answer.

If you can have rice and raw fish at the mushy stage, just get sashimi or eat the insides. I doubt nori is considered a mushy, it's actually pretty difficult to chew it up.

Many people have "last meals" before their pre-op diet kicks in. Largely they're only last in portion, not in opportunity to eat the foods. I considered one very briefly, early on, but quickly decided it wasn't worth it... it struck me as no different than "start my diet Monday" thinking. I think my last meal before starting the pre-op diet was a turkey BLT or something.

Mine did not. Perhaps call TriCare and ask if they would include it in coverage?