Dody

The band IS a foreign object because the port is connected...that is the foreign object. That my dr. has told me definitely. I have an under active thyroid also, but I don't think that causes erosion. My dr. has already told me that because of the lap banding I will need antibiotics before any dental work also. That makes it a pretty foreign object I would say.

I'll be darned. I thought they were dimples. It sounds much better don't you think?

Prednisone does cause you to gain weight, but worse of all it changed my disposition. I was absolutely hateful on that medication. I wish you the best of luck. I'm sure everyone isn't affected in the same way. If you have to take it you have to take it.

I've had the best of luck with Scar Zone and plain old Vitamin E oil (although it's a little sticky). I can't even see my gall bladder scars anymore. Good luck to you.

Congrats on getting those pounds off on that liquid diet. I wish you loads of luck with your surgery. I'm sure the dr. will be happy with what you have lost. They mostly want to know you are dedicated to losing, so you have done great. I'll be thinking about you and send a prayer out for you. Let us know how you are doing. I don't get banded till Spring, but love to hear how people do with the surgery and the band.

Glad you found Blair OK. I love that store and have never ordered anything I wasn't happy with. You have a wonderful Holiday season.

I was born and raised in Syracuse. It is a big, big city and they should have lots of dr's. that do fills. Have you looked in the phone book for surgeons who do lap banding or heard any TV commercials?

How are you Sue? You are the one that had the DS revision aren't you? You have esophageal problems something like I'm having treated right now. I hope to clear it up and get the band. I have an erosion right now in the esophagus, but hoping to get it cleared up with Nexium. I too am wondering what in the heck is a "nutcracker esophagus". I hope you are doing well.

I've had my gallbladder removed and was surprised at the quick recovery time. I don't have the band yet, but I would hate to go through two surgeries. I guess you have to take your dr's. advice. Whatever the decision I wish you luck. I don't know about the band surgery, but with my gallbladder I was up and around pretty fast. Wishing you luck.

Thanks for all your help. I think I'm stressing even more worring about not gettting my band, but the dr. seems to think we can heal this up. Thanks for the support.

You have time if you express it to order from www.Blair.com. They have great clothes and coats in all sizes. Happy Holidays to you. You could also try a Lane Bryant Store if you have one.

HarleyNana, how old is your mom. I'm certainly not going to be a young bandster and I haven't met anyone on here that is older, although I've sure met some great people. I'm so sorry she is having trouble. As a retired nurse I have to wonder if an upper GI is going to show any erosion. It seems to me she would need endoscopy to see if the band is slipped or eroded. How come this are going the route of an upper GI? Hope I'm not being too nosy, but I'm really curious about this.

I was up all night with pain and with feelings of things backing up in my throat. I'm sleeping on an incline just like you. No, forget that I said that, I'm not sleeping at all. I was in pain all night from pain from an ulcer and esophagitis, and I don't even have the experience of having the band yet. Now everything is on hold until I heal. I'm no spring chicken so I hope this healing takes place alright. I'm so sorry to hear you are suffering with this experience. I feel your pain even though mine isn't caused from banding.

Thanks for responding. It is now the middle of the day and my tummy has settled down. I think it is just my fear of not healing and being able to get the band that has me scared now. Everything seems to look better in the daytime. Anyway, thanks for your kind words. I've been researching the band for so long and deciding on the dr., and everything is in hand except me. He has now put me on anti-depressants in hopes they will help, but so far all I am is sleepy. I can't wait till I fit in better here and am banded. Then I will feel like one of you, but I'm looking at a few mo. out yet. Again thanks for being so kind. Sometimes people don't bother much with people that aren't banded yet, so thanks again for taking the time for me.

Not banded yet and being treated for a peptic ulcer and small erosion of the esophagus. Dr. says don't worry, the band will come after these things are cleared up, but won't this PB'ing that you girls talk about happen to me too and cause more problems with erosion of the esophagus. Will I be able to take my medication which is capsule and time released. I'm really concerned now that I will clear these things up and they will reoccur. Any help is appreciated. Is this PB'ing a real common thing and is there any way in the world to avoid having it happen...at least to the point of vomiting? It sounds like that would be dangerous if it continued. I need encouragement big time. I really, really want the band and have done lots so far to make it happen.

Maybe we will get to meet at Applebee's for the 6-week get-to-gether the office has. I think it will be spring before I get banded too.

Don't be so positive you don't have co-morbitity factors. I didn't think I did either till I had a sleep study test and found out I had sleep apnea. Have you tried every avenue you can think of. Did you have a sleep study test? Cholesterol testing? BP only controlled with medication? I didn't think that I had them all covered but I do, and most overweight people do....so think again what you might have left out of your testing. My BMI wasn't high enough either, but the other things justified it. At 5'9" and 257 lbs. I was just below the required BMI because of my height. Don't give up till you have tried everything.

The nurse in me says "hot feeling tummy" is not a good sign. I would immediately call my dr. about it.

I feel for you. We take so long in researching the band, and then it must be the pits to end up with a dr. and an office staff that don't care. As stated, if this is the treatment you are getting now, it will be the same after you are banded. What on earth would happen if you had an emergency or needed support of any type from that office. It is going to be their loss to lose you to another dr. but you deserve much better treatment and I would certainly look at other options. In fact...I would have been long gone from there, but I don't have the kind of patience you are displaying with rude people giving me the runaround either. I have met all of the office staff and I know if I have a problem to ask for Brenda and she will immediately contact the dr. The entire staff takes their job and their patients seriously, and like I said they take time out of their day to see how I'm coping with this ulcer and the postponing of surgery, and they don't really have to do this. I feel like I have joined another family in my doctor's office. Everyone is so kind and caring, that it really ticks me off you are getting this kind of treatment by anyone, let alone a professional and his staff. You have probably put a lot of time into research, and chances are if you find another dr. you may just have to attend another seminar, but big deal, be careful and make sure he is kind and you like him and the staff. It makes al the difference in the world. Me...I am anxious to get that trip to Applebee's, although I hope as a bandster I'll have learned a whole different way of eating. I'll just be eyeing the ribs

I'm not banded yet, but have been researching the band for over a year. I decided it was for me and started going about getting all the info I could. I made an appt. with no trouble whatsoever (after attending the seminar which was the first requirement). I was scheduled for surgery within the next mo. but found out the other day I have a large peptic ulcer and surgery has to be postponed a few mo. I would be so depressed, except the people that work for the surgeon that is doing the lap banding keep in close touch with me and give me a lot of support that the band is coming in the future. I feel they go out of their way to contact me because they know I'm depressed over having to put the surgery off after all the research and then coming to the decision; finishing the required items; and thinking I would be banded in a mo. It appears the doctor's office you are dealing with makes all the difference. My dr's. office tells me that at 6 weeks post banding the dr. takes the patients out to Applebee's to Celebrate and see how well they order from the menu. That's what I call a doctor's office going all out. I think someone here should be sharing the fact they are very happy with their dr. and it might make up from some that are being strung along unmercifully. My dr's. name is Dr. McAlexander and he is in Oak Ridge, Tenn. He has done many, many lap bands and I'm so impressed with him both as a surgeon and a person. OK, that's it for me. Good luck to all of you facing problems.

I think 1800-Lapband provides help in financing. Hope that is the right phone #. Not sure of how it is done, as my insurance is going to cover mine. BTW I don't know of many independently wealthly people on here. I'm certainly not one of them. Good luck in your Quest for the belt.

I'm glad I will be so informed before I get the band. Everything on here is so educational and informative, especially the encouragement the people who have been banded longer have to give. I'm taking notes on all of it and hopefully it will help when I have my surgery. First though is clearing up a big ulcer and then hopefully I will be ready. Thanks again for all the info. You guys are great.

If someone is PB'ing (I finally found out the definition), and they are chewing and food is getting stuck, how would they be able to swallow a Prilosec capsule without the same effect? I would think a capsule would be more likely to lodge. What is aloe vera juice? I've seen hand creams but never a juice. Where do you buy it? Thanks.

Although I'm not yet banded Nyquil comes to mind as being safe with or without the band. It would be my first choice.

Just so I can jot it down. My hair is already thin and I'm not banded yet.