Dody

I am in no way saying you aren't needing assistance with your lap banding surgery, but there are many on this forum and others in the very same situation. I think you would be best served by making copies of your letter (minus the donation part) and mailing them to every bariatric clinic in the U.S. and other countries in hopes that some physician (and there are some I'm sure) would take you on free. I know physician's do this for people overseas, so I'm sure there must be a few that do here. Your story is touching, but so is the story of half of the people on the lap band forums that have been battling insurance problems and their own hardship problems. I wish you good luck, but I would take a different approach.

Just when you think you've seen it all something like this comes along. It's like telemarketing on the internet. I'm curious if anyone responded?

It's very possible in gastric bypass to stretch the pouch out and gain weight again, so I would think to an extent you could stretch the pouch out from lap banding. I would think that the fills might prevent this from happening as much in lap banding. The process of losing is slower, but I'm told in 3 years it is equal and bypass patients are far more likely to gain the weight back. Perhaps you just haven't had enough fills yet to get good restrictions...patience is the key I think.

Doctors used to be big on estrogen supplements for women, but a few years ago they found out there were a lot of complications with heart disease and blood clots. Most doctors don't prescribe them anymore, but they were rampant for many years. So sorry you suffered a bloot clot with them. If you haven't had a hysterectomy you had to take Premarin and Provera....but I was taken off it 5 years ago, but not in time to prevent a heart attack, although I'm not positive if it was the Premarin or a combination of that and cigarettes. Regardless I'm on neither of them anymore. I learned a tough lesson.

I spent 5 years in Mainz, Germany and speak the German language...Haag Deutch to be exact, which is spoken in and around Bavaria. I loved Germany while I was there. My Dad was born and raised there, and I look forward to going back there within the next yr. to visit. There are a couple of different lap bands here and there is of course gastric bypass. Hope you have good luck with your band and keep in touch with us.

Premarin is a byproduct of pregnant mare urine. A lot of people don't realize that is what they are taking. Of course you don't taste it, but isn't the very thought horrifying to think you are taking this? It is a horrible abuse of animals. I love horses in particular and used to own a race horse that raced in California. Believe me he got treated like a king and did NOT spend all his time in a stall. During off season from racing he had the run of the land and is now at stud at a wonderful farm in Kentucky called Three Chimneys making good money for me and having fun doing it.

Saw the post. Gasped. Didn't respond. Good thing, because I surely would have gotten in trouble. I think it got "confiscated" along with the stash. I don't really think there were any apologies needed. It was an inappropriate post to say the least.

Susan, where do you buy these drinks? I was thinking of a whey powder and 1% milk and a blender. Everything seems to taste better when it comes from the blender then a can of something. I've never heard of a fruit flavored one though and it sounds good. Is it on line only ordering? I've been practicing some of my own using Slim-Fast Optima and 1% mile with some chocolate yogurt. It really is good, especially cold. I must be weird because I like Slim-Fast, but I've heard contradictory things about calorie content, etc.

I didn't know where the port was placed exactly, but it seems that most people had it placed to the left of their bellybutton, which is where I hope mine will be. After heart surgery (and we are talking 5 years later) I still find bras very uncomfortable on the scar area, and there is no avoiding it. I heard of someone who had their port placed in the sternum. I certainly don't want any more huge scars there. Mine don't heal well and I get what is called keloids, which are really kind of ugly and bumpy. Don't you girls who have ports right below the bra area find bras very uncomfortable to wear? I would think it would hurt that area. I know mine do. I will have to make sure to discuss this with my dr., as I think you can opt for the site you want your port if you talk with your physician. I hear the sternum and around the ribs does make it easier for fills though, whereas, I think the tummy area would be more of a problem, but in my case I don't have lots of options. Hope you all do well with your port placement. PhotoNut you could really feel yours as a bulge. Wow, I learn something new about lap banding all the time. Did it hurt once you healed or are you just aware of it there? Have you had a fill yet?

My system got immune to Ambien and I switched to Lunesta...was great for a while and then one tablet just wasn't enough. My dr. has put me on two. Right now it's 4:30 a.m. and I'm still awake. Your system just gets used to the medications (most any medications) and poof you are right back where you started. I hope the Lunesta works well for you. Ambien and Lunesta are a lot alike, but more people complain about Lunesta giving them a metal taste in their mouth. I never had that, but the effects do wear off over time. I have a high tolerance to pain meds anyway. I hope for you the Lunesta keeps working. You can always increase the dosage. It isn't habit forming...or isn't supposed to be. Good luck and happy dreams.:eek:

My friend who had RNY came home eating a cup of food with the dr's. orders. She had no problem with it, and it sounds like you are losing weight like crazy. This friend of mine ate lobster the night before her surgery...it was much different then lap banding. She came home the day after and cried for 2 weeks over what she had done. She had a psych eval, but I don't know if anything prepares you for a permanent change like that. She loved food and had the surgery for the wrong reasons...she had it for her husband. She is doing better now, but has gained back some of what she lost. She drinks loads of sodas (something we aren't allowed). I guess all surgeries are different, but she doesn't eat right on hers. I would say if you are eating a cup of food you are doing awesome. Keep up the good work.

No clue here if you are through having kids, but if you are there is a simple method done in an OB's office now that can stop your periods permanently. They do a simple cauterization.....BUT this prevents the periods from occurring again, although it in no way involves the ovaries. It is for women who suffer from irregular bleeding and periods that are real problems. I guess if you aren't through having kids you will have to seek other alternatives, but this is a great breakthrough for women. If you are interested have your wife ask her OB/GYN about it.

I was wondering about vitamins and found myself at Walmart in the children's section looking at Flintstone vitamins and comparing the ingredients to some of the other vitamins. They seem to have just as much in them, and surely they taste good. They have been on the market for years and my kids loved them. I don't know if more than one would be required for an adult though. I will have to look into this Viactin. A couple of my pills are very small and I should have no problem. A couple are bigger and I will crush them, except for heart medication which it says "do not crush". Will have to ask the dr. about that one. Thanks for all the helpful info in vitamins.

Ativan, Xanax and Valium are just about the same. They are not anti-depressants but rather calm the nerves, so if that is your problem...nervous about the surgery, it certainly won't hurt you to be on some Ativan. It's addictive, so you don't want to take it for too long. At the hospital they will administer some Versed I'm sure to take the edge off the nervousness. I wish you luck.

My dentist likes for me to use Gum brushes found at Walmart. They are like little toothpicks with a little brush on them. I love them. I just use them and throw them away. They seem to do a much better job than floss. I just spent a fortune having all my dental work finished and my teeth bleached. That is the ultimate...those sparkling teeth. You really want to keep them looking that way. I had smoked for years and quit 5 years ago, so the dentist said they should stay this way. They made me little trays to do touchups every now and then with Zoom.

Jonathan, I heard someone say on here that they got to keep the band. They had been banded in Mexico. Are the laws different there do you think?

I had a heart attack 5 years ago. They tell me my sleep apnea could have played a large part in it and the fact I let it go untreated for so long. I also smoked....haven't touched them in 5 years. There is nothing like heart surgery to make you get your mind off cigarettes, but what a hard way to learn a valuable lesson. I wasn't heavy and had sleep apnea. I knew I was waking up gasping for breath, but had no idea what the problem was. I finally had the sleep study done (better late than never) and found out I had severe sleep apnea. I too love my C-pap machine (but my dog hates it. He thinks it's a muzzle and wouldn't come near me for 2 weeks). It makes no noise and the fact that I wake up so rested makes it so worthwhile. It may not be pretty, but it saves lives. I would definitely have a sleep study done also.

An upper GI should be a requirement for all good lap band surgeons. I'm certainly glad it was required in my case, as they found a good sized ulcer that would have caused major problems had I been banded. I've had to wait 3 mo. to get the band and to clear the ulcer up, but I'm so very glad they found it. I'm also glad they required a sleep apnea test, because I had it and am now on C-Pap and feeling so much better. What you think is unnecessary can sometimes be lifesaving in the end.

This guy is one of the best, but he is located in Greensville. I don't think we are supposed to put phone numbers on here, but his name is Ken MacDonald and he specializes in lap banding. Why not shoot him off an e.mail at macdonald@ecu.edu and ask some questions. You might also check out the N. Carolina thread on here to get some more input.

Absolutely no complaints about my C-pap. Took to it like a duck to water. Only complaint-it messes up my hair do and every day is a bad hair day.

You aren't too far from me in Knoxville. I'm having my surgery by Dr. Colquist in Marysville. I wish you a lot of luck. Dr. DeAlexander did almost all the lap banding in that area for a very long time, but he has left the area to move to Memphis because his son is very ill and he needs to be near a certain hospital there where he is receiving treatment. Dr. Colquist took over a lot of his patients and perhaps your dr. did too. I know my dr. has done a lot of lap bands, but primarily does gastric bypass. He is open to each and lets the patient decide. He doesn't push gastric bypass at all, and in fact prefers the lapbanding proceedure. I wish you lots of luck.

I had the sleep study done and once they found out I had sleep apnea they told me I would be on it for the surgery? I thought everyone that had it was operated on wearing the nose mask. It's sure going to make me feel better knowing I'm going under and on C-pap.

I have to think the quiet little "whish" of the C-pap machine is better than the snoring, mostly because if you have sleep apnea (and you seem to have the symptoms) it means you stop breathing when you are sleeping. No one wants to be on C-Pap, but I assure you I feel 100 times better than before I went on it. I see a lot of people come off it with the weight loss, so I wouldn't think of it as a "forever" type thing. You know I actually find the sound calming, especially if you have a ramp on it and are usually asleep before it starts "whishing" a little louder. I bet given the choice your husband would prefer you on C-Pap and alive then going through what you are. I would certainly talk to my dr. about getting a sleep study done. You know C-pap has changed my life. I now awake rested and refreshed and feel like I've actually slept 8 hours every night. It's worth the little bit of discomfort of the slight noise (which I'm used to already). I took to the machine like a duck to water and have never experienced any leaks of any kind. I have a nose piece that is fitted with a gel base and it is excellent, although I agree certainly not the prettiest thing in the world. Hubby and you might enjoy a good night's sleep though, and look at it as more encouragement to get the weight off and get off it.:think I'll say a little (prayer) for you.

The happy drug given in varying amounts is Versed, almost always used for calming. It is used for "conscious sedation" and lasts for from 3-6 hours. The real name is much more complex and is midazalam hydrochloride. I've seen grown men brought to their knees by this drug after telling me "you can't calm me down" .:)

I think because your EKG is fine there aren't any further tests required. I wish I had the same luck. I had a heart attack some years ago and I've had about 3 EKG's and an echo so they can validate I can have the surgery. Just Thank God it is OK and have a happy journey to Bandland.