foxboro jim

I don't blame you for having second thoughts. I've been banded since March, lost 57# and still have second thoughts. You will never eat the same again for the rest of your life. You are having a thing put on your stomach. You are having people in a foreign country do it. Some people don't do that well post-banding according to these forums. It's scary Now that I've really bummed you out, let me say that in spite of my occasional second thoughts (too late to do anything anyway) I think this is the second best thing I've ever done in my life. Most people do well. I expect you've dieted before and it's a pretty sure thing to say that you've found you lose weight easier than most women do on the same diet. Most lapband people are women so you are more likely to lose weight better than most of them (I hope that didn't sound like I'm down on women) and almost all of them successfully lose weight. Slightly twisted logic, however my point is that the odds are really with you. If you follow the rules, it is probably a sure thing you'll lose a lot of weight. You will probably live longer and that is a better gift to your son than a little more money towards his education. Really, to get banded is less than 5% of a 4-year private-college degree program tuition. Trust me, you will be so happy.

I took antibuse a number of years ago now. I didn't drink while I took it because I really hate to get sick (never got hung over drinking, unfortunately). I stopped taking it after several months and, based on the half-life of the drug, had a good estimate of when I could start drinking again. And I did start drinking again as soon as i could. All in all my evaluation of the drug is that it stopped me from drinking but didn't change me at all. I had much better luck with support groups. i started in AA but the whole preoccupation with religion got to me and I found a secular group. Where secular groups don't push dependency on the group like AA does, I eventually found myself able to survive without any supports (this is common in these groups, I've found). I've been sober and drug-free (pot) since July 1984 and never think about drinking at this time. However, if there wasn't another group around I wouldn't think twice about going to an AA group. Check out several groups as they are all little different. Meet some people trying to do what you are. They ae usually really nice people and will help you want to stay sober. Women might be happier looking for a women's group since all we guys are basicly horney no matter where we are. Sobriety isn't that bad. It's about as inconvenient as a lapband.

I'm waiting until it's on cable to see it. The premise sounds interesting however there are areas where evolutionists have been similarly censured. There is a very interesting website: www.expelledexposed.com that I believe is true. But if it is only half true, the movie producers and Ben Stein should be ashamed. There is a lot of misrepresentation. For example Steinberg was only a volunteer at the Smithsonian, he still is and still has an office and research privileges. He had to give up his keys because they went to a keycard system and he still has a keycard. There are other critiques of the other 'victims'. I think you'll find it interesting granted it is published by a pro-evolution group.

good luck like some other responders, I think you'll love the Glasgows. Definitely worth the drive.

I'm a guy and I was banded 3/4/08. I was tired of just not being good at keeping weight off and, at 56 and diabetic, I figured I could just start counting the days until I was dead or in a wheelchair. I was the first person I knew of that was banded but I knew several that had the bypass and not all of them were staying thin. Also the questions about hairloss, etc on their forums worried me. Banding seemed a safer way to go and it was reversible. I was initially thinking of Mexico but I was lucky and my insurance paid for almost the whole thing. I weigh now what I weighed 25 years ago, I just bought some shirts that weren't xxl. When I drop food, it doesn't land on my shirt. I stopped my diabetic pill over a month ago and take half the blood pressure stuff I used to. This is the second best thing I ever did in my life. Anyway, you're right, I suspect, in feeling that mostly women get this surgery. They do by far but that does not mean that men shouldn't. Good luck and check out the mexican places closely before you commit. I hope this is as great for you as it has been for me

Hi, I'm new to this forum although have been reading it for a while. I am scheduled for my surgery on March 4th (which leads to a lousy pun about how I am going to "march forth' into a new life. lol). Actually, even though it was all my idea, I'm a bit scared at this time. I'll be alright though. If I lose enough to drop a few meds I'll be estatic. Anyway, I'm on my two week liquid preoperative diet. I assume that most of you could eat yogurt and cottage cheese on it. I'm really getting tired of cottage cheese and have even tried flavoring it with taco seasoning for variety. I was wondering if anyone else was equally tired of the stuff and found other, more exciting, non-fruit flavorings.

Good luck at your efforts. That's a lot to do at once. I only gave up caffeine at some point. At that time I had read that you can taper it and stop without headaches. So I put a pot of decaf in the refrigerator and cut my regular coffee a little bit more each day. Soon I was drinking all decaf and no headaches. Even at restaurants, waiters are used to making up a coffee that's half and half so it's not all that hard to do. One caveat: don't use instant decaf. It is terrible. If you possibly can, grind your own or second best, used canned or coffee bags. I gave caffeine up for blood pressure reasons but I have to say that it's reallly nice to wake up and not worry about getting my cup of coffee first thing in the morning and being useless until I've had it.

Good luck!! I was really happy to go home after the first night. first, I'm a home person and don't like staying in hospitals (too many weird germs there like MRSA and C. dif). Second, I had an annoying roommate who stayed up all night flipping the lights and TV on and off ( I think he had had a mild stroke). Even with a better roommate, one night would have been enough for me. The only thing about coming home right away was that my wife had to take time off from work (she teaches) for that first day home. I felt bad about that because she is devoted to her classroom.

good luck! my experience was fine. I don't remember falling asleep and I don't remember waking up. I wasn't nauseous. The worst I can say is that I had a very very mild tremor for three days. You'll probably be walking short distances that night.

Hi Like most of your replies, my first impulse was to be mad at the bitch because she is wrong. However, I think you have to realize that she was worried about you, probably because of something she read or some thing someone at nursing school (maybe even a doctor) told her. Maybe she's the type of person who sticks her nose into everything and has an opinion on everything but maybe she's like you or me and it must mean a lot for her to actually approach you about lapbanding. Not knowing her, really, I still would like to suggest that you educate her. Leave lapband materials around, take her to an introductory lecture, or show her this website (although I would avoid showing her this discussion topic, you started off rather strongly) I had a good friend that I hadn't seen in a while tell me to try some diet instead. I told her that I had done too much now preparing to get the band to turn back. And that was that. We are still friends, I have a lapband ( a week now) and everyday I am more and more happy with it. As of today I am no longer severely obese! and I will very likely never see that weight again.

At this point you've talked to you PCP and I hope it all went well. I don't think I had finished asking the question to mine when he offered to write the referral. I was finally banded last Tuesday and so far, so good. good luck

thanks, this should help me get through the weekend. and just in case you wondered, you can make taco seasoning with equal parts of chili powder, cumin, oregano, and onion powder, and add paparika for color. Or I suppose you can just buy a bag of the stuff. thanks again