Wheetsin

No wonder he's hanging out at an online dating site.

If you're ever unfortunate enough to lose your band, I hope someone has the integrity to not throw it in your face. If stopping the bickering isn't an option, then at least take it to Rants & Raves. This is not the place for it.

My consultation was 3 weeks after approval, as the surgeon was booked. Surgery was about a month after consultation.

It's possible to PB without a fill. I PBed on my 3rd day post-op. Maybe try some papaya tablets (don't do anything for me other than turn my PB orange, but lots of people seem to have good luck with them), or some meeat tenderizer disolved in warm Water. Maybe try a tiny, tiny sip of something hot. For me liquids are a sure fire indicator of whether or not something is stuck. If they pass, chances are I'll avoid a PB. If they hurt instantly, I know I'm stuck.

RE: your patient, I'd like to echo what Jack said. Full is the least relevant word here. S/he is still going to have to make the effort to change the behaviors, one of which is "eating until full" versus "eating until no longer hungry". There is a world of difference between those two states. Perhaps in addition to whatever is done band-wise, some more trips to the psychologist would be helpful? Sounds like the patient is having a really hard time breaking their eating behaviors. As for the types of food he can eat - so can I. Bread, rice, Peanut Butter, Pasta - all the things I was told I wouldn't be able to tolerate. And I do have mild restriction, and do have to PB - but I have never PBed from eating too much, just from swallowing too much at once or not chewing well enough. My band has yet to restrict the quantity of food I can eat, so it's up to me to say when. That's my compromise for only having mild restriction... when I feel I can no longer own that part of the agreement, I will go for more fill. What size band is it? 6 in a 4 is a much different scenario than 6 in a 10. At 6 in a 10, perhaps the patient just needs more fill?

I too am allergic to adhesives. Some of the worst pain I felt around the surgery was when they pulled the Patches off, and my skin went with them. Incision looks great - healing nicely.

Re scalp & face, lots of things could lead to red & sore. Check in with a dermatologist. It may seem like the least of your problems, but remember it only took one straw to break the camel's back. Focus on the things you can take care of now, because every little bit you can alleviate will take you that much closer to a healthier you. Seek out a dermatologist for the skin issues. Have you changed shampoo, conditioner, or other treatment for that area lately? They don't (here anyway) normally have that long of a waiting list. Every little bit truly does help.

I've finally started losing below the waist but it took a while, and it's definitely coming off slower. The first place I lost was neck/shoulders, then back. Then stomach. My gut/hips/thighs are smaller, but not in proportion to how much smaller the other areas are. About 6 months ago I started really being able to see my collar bones. About 5 months ago I noticed my "Inner tube" (nickname for that ring o' fat around my torso, that "came together" at my back... always reminded me of one of those floaty rings people wear in the pool) was not only not touching, it was gone, and no matter how far back I tried to bend & recreate it, I simply couldn't. About 2 months ago I was scratching my back and noticed I could feel my shoulderblades protruding... also around this time I noticed when I shaved my legs that my knees were really bumpy. About 3 weeks ago I was playing with our dog and my wedding ring flew off my finger. I also wear an anniversary ring on the other hand, and between the two rings, I've "lost" a ring by having it fly off my finger about 5 times since then. My thighs still not only touch but press together. I think upper/inner thigh is possibly going to be my worst area - there or pannus. Skin is definitely getting loose there. When I sit with my legs crossed (Indian style) there are "wrinkles" all over the place. My pannus is flatter, but not shorter.

I have a slightly different take. When I drink with meals, and when I do not, I am full with the same amount of food. So for me, the drink doesn't "flush" the food and make my hunger last, or indirectly make me eat more. It just keeps me from getting thirsty while I eat. I can't drink to avoid a PB though. If I get stuck, drinking anything leads to immediate and powerful pain. Can you cheat? Absolutely. Eat a gallon of ice cream a day, or drink nothing but OJ, and see how much weight you lose.

382 in March. 265 this morning.

I eat pita, I prefer toasted wheat pitas. Scoop up a big glop of homemade hummus, some tahini, push in a chunk of feta - doesn't get much better than that! I also use wheat pitas as the bread for fried tofu sandwiches.

I ran into that when I was researching facilities for my surgery, but it wasn't over 400, it was with over 200 to lose, and I was really close to that mark. Part of it has to do with the questionable and fluctuating weigthloss statistics. I don't know if it is still, but statistically speaking, RNY patients lost a greater percentage of their weight. Keep in mind this is comparing against LB patients who are held to a different level of accountability. Also, because at over 400# there's no way you're "healthy" unless you're like 10'6, and RNY patients typically drop their weight faster, RNY is recommended because of the quick and more immediate (in most cases) weightloss. A lot of doctors also feel that someone who has allowed themselves to get to 400# simply cannot make the changes necessary to succeed with LB weightloss. And lots of other reasons, I'm sure. When I went in for my consultation I truly expected the surgeon to debate my decision for LB with me. Based on all my past experiences, I just figured I would get some pressure to go RNY. I mean - he did RNY on a friend of mine who had a heck of a lot less to lose than I did. But he never said a thing about it, and next thing I knew my date was scheduled. I'm glad for that, because if RNY had been my only option, I'd still be close to 400#, if not more.

I'm not effected in that way, though sometimes I will hit a sort of involuntary panic state, where I really have to focus on just breathing. That has to be some sort of physiological response, but I don't know what. After I PB, sometimes I'm ready to go do whatever, and sometimes I'm completely drained and will be "shaky" for a while afterwards, and just want to lay down and rest for a bit.

Thanksgiving Mystery: Does Turkey Make You Sleepy? Brian Handwerk for National Geographic News November 22, 2006 Thanksgiving feasters take heart. Contrary to popular belief, turkey's tryptophan dose doesn't cause drowsiness. In fact, the substance could possibly aid in the treatment of depression and multiple sclerosis. Purified tryptophan is a mild sleep-inducing agent. That probably spawned the idea that turkey and other foods heavy in tryptophan cause drowsiness. But tryptophan can't get to the human brain in large amounts when ingested as part of a massive Thanksgiving feast—it needs an empty stomach. "Tryptophan is taken to the brain by an active transport system shared by a number of other amino acids [the chief components of proteins], and there's competition among them—like a crowd of people trying to get through a revolving door," said Simon Young, a neurochemist at McGill University in Montreal, Canada. Consuming tryptophan-rich foods may cause blood levels of the amino acid to rise. But not enough tryptophan will reach the brain to have a sedative affect. "Brain levels of tryptophan could even go down after a big meal because of the [amino acid] competition," Young said. Turkey isn't even unusually high in tryptophan. Many foods, such as beef, chicken or soybeans, boast higher concentrations. "Think about how much turkey you have in a turkey sandwich without getting tired," said Sherrie Rosenblatt, spokesperson for the National Turkey Federation. The Washington, D.C. nonprofit represents the turkey industry. So why the traditional Thanksgiving nap? The slumber may be caused by the stressful hustle and bustle of the holidays, alcohol consumption, and the massive caloric intake of the year's biggest feast (overeating makes you tired!). "There have been many studies citing a post-lunch dip in performance, from factory output to single-car accidents," McGill's Young explained. "These things tend to peak in the early afternoon. A thousand-calorie lunch causes a sedative effect that a smaller meal doesn't have."

Ooh yes, the pets get gifts. Our dog is spoiled rotten - he's our kid. And my parents have his sister, so it's twice as bad. And usually the "dogs" (me) get my husband and parents small gifts, and sign their little foot print on the name tag.

Craving some Cheetos isn't sabotaging. Don't be so hard on yourself. I've really noticed a difference in the way guys treat me, just in the last few weeks. And it pisses me off.

I had a small fill at either 5 or 6 weeks, don't remember which. 1cc total. Normally my surgeon goes a little more, but I was losing steadily and he wanted to make sure I didn't get overfilled (I was losing steadily because of my own efforts at this point, and b/c I simply had no appetite, but when I wanted to eat I certainly could without a peep from the band).

Couple of things that might help clarify the differences. Flu shot (vaccine) is added tolerance (partial immunity) -- not actual immunity, to influenza. It would be nearly impossible to truly get to a point of flu immunity. Influenza can cause nausea and vomitting, mostly with children. People here use "flu" generically. The stomach flu is "gastroenteritis" (norovirus). The "flu" (influenza virus) and "stomach flu" are not the same things. Gastro is just that, influenza is respiratory. It's just that "the flu" becomes a kind of catch all for anything more serious than a cold. I believe norovirus vaccine is in development. I could be wrong. It has been a while since I've picked up any medical literature!

Curves has come up several times. Search for "Curves" and you're boiund to hit at least 4 or 5 threads where people have discussed their opinions & experiences. Lots of good information in those posts.

This is probably the first round of holidays ever that I've actually lost weight. (Except for the holidays I spent in Europe, but I wasn't fat then, and had to walk up 184 stairs to get to the apartment, and had to leave the apartment at least twice a day, so it wasn't really a weightloss effort). :laugh I still try to watch my carbs, but for the most part I've fallen in to a routine of eating whatever I want, just not eating a whole lot of it. I eat tofu ALL THE TIME. Seriously. Not in pie though. It's a great protein.

Just adressed this very question earlier this morning. Try here: http://lapbandtalk.com/showthread.php?t=26030&highlight=anti-emetic

Regular foods one week post-op sounds like an area of concern to me. Is this what the surgeon indicated he should be doing, or is this something he's doing on his own? Most surgeons have a careful post-op diet where different stages of foods are gradually re-introduced - liquids, thick liquids, mushies, soft solids, etc. This normally happens over the span of at least a few weeks. Just having the band in place, for most people, makes no difference. Restriction is required to satiate the appetite, and restriction normally doesn't occur without fills. He may gain the weight back. Lots of people do. Don't be afraid he's going to, just support him if he does.

Preventatively I had my doctor give me a Rx for a liquid anti-emetic/anti-nausea. Can't remember the name, but it's really dark and fairly opaque. Hope I never need it, but like the peace of mind that comes with knowing it's there. Call your doc, it's something they're probably willing to just phone in for you.

I'm sitting here doing a reality check because more than likely we'll spend over $2000 just on my parents. Gifts to ourselves are usually something for the house or some kind of vacation - we don't buy each other "knick knacky" gifts. Occasionally we will buy each other things for our hobbies. I'm really good at surprising DH, but he's horrible at buying for me. The in-laws are expensive to buy for indirectly, because we have to internationally air mail whatever we buy. Roughly, for about every $120 we spend, we pay $60 - $80 to ship. We've thought about just wiring money or buying int'l gift certificates, but to me that's so impersonal -- just can't do it. Our family is too big for everyone to buy for everyone. We've tried lots of different solutions (drawing names, only buying for the kids, etc.) and nothing has worked so fudge it, no gifts for anyone.

Just got a letter in the mail yesterday that I have to do 6 month lab work and have the results faxed to Billie, complete with lab orders. I'm about 9 months post-op, so I'll probably check and see if she really wants me to do labs at 9 months and then again at 12 months, or if I can just blend them into one. Did you guys have to do 6 month labs?