Wendell Edwards

That is so cool! :clap2:

I think it's like the reporting of horrendous crimes on the news. That has always gone on, but our awareness is higher now. People join gangs, it's a fact of life. But now the gangs get exposed. Just like some psycho people are going to be exposed for what they truly are.

The beauty of the band is that we don't have a window of opportunity to lose. We can ALWAYS re-commit and get back on track! :clap2:

I hear ya! NERVES are NORMAL!

Here's a link to all the slang that is used here: http://www.lapbandtalk.com/f73/abbreviations-what-they-mean-7959/

Most doctors say when you feel up to it is when you can have sex again. Does it improve? Well, higher self-esteem, better physical condition and more stamina tends to improve sex for most people.

"Slime" refers to the uncontrollable production of saliva, which usually happens when a piece of food is "Stuck". "Sliming" can also occur as a reaction to eating too much food, or from not chewing food well enough. Sliming can lead to a "PB", or "Productive Burp", which is a small amount of vomit.

how will that change what will happen during Lap Band surgery? Well, you will need to let the doctor and the anesthesiologist know for sure. That way they can more closely monitor your breathing during the operation. Also, if you get a CPAP machine, you will need it in the hospital if you are staying there overnight.

You;re very welcome!

The ALLERGAN guideline says a fill is required if the patient is not losing at least 1-2 pounds per week. Some doctors do not follow that guideline, some accept patient input. There are no standard guidelines that I can tell.

BRAVA!!!!! :clap2::clap2::clap2::clap2::clap2::clap2::clap2::clap2::clap2::clap2:

Some of the Nazi followers of Adolph Hitler shouted "HEIL HITLER" on the gallows, seconds before being hanged for war crimes. They just didn't get it, and neither will some other people, despite mountains of irrefutable proof.

The vast majority of band slips are caused by repeated vomiting. I don't think drinking soup is going to do that.

Are you supposed to be on full fluids? If so, I wouldn't worry about it.

I talked to ALLERGAN about how many CCs in a Lap-Band made for a "Good fill". Their answer surprised me: "It really doesn't MATTER how many ccs are in the band. The only thing that matters is whether or not that CC amount provides EFFECTIVE RESTRICTION" (Emphasis added) So the trick then is NOT how many CCs are in the Lap-Band, it's whether or not the band works well at that level of fill. The phrase "The Sweet Spot" is just another way of saying "Effective Restriction". The problem is that people expect "The Sweet Spot" to last, it doesn't, and neither does "Effective Restriction". Not until the entire residual fat-pad on the outside of the stomach muscle is melted off, and that takes TIME. As far as what effective restriction feels like to me, it means I have to chew carefully and watch for my full sign. I get full on small amounts and that fullness lasts for hours.

I heard that some people were so obnoxious, websites were put up about them!

You're very welcome! You already know that this is a learning process, and one thing that we learn about is "Problem foods", what I call "These foods are the DEVIL!". The answer that I found works for me with problem foods is identifying them and either avoiding them altogether, or being VERY careful with my chewing. Doing this, I can still eat MOST, but not ALL foods.

Congratulations on your success so far! Of course you don't really want to throw away your success, so I would recommend contacting the doctor and telling them what you posted, that you are hungry and that you fear losing control. See if they can be a little more reasonable with their fills, and remember that normal weight loss with a properly restricted Lap-Band is one to two pounds per week. Many doctors will not fill if you are losing over one pound per week, because you are in the normal weight loss range.

Hi Lorraine! We all learn from our experience, and we share those experiences here. Chest pain post-banding could be as simple as eating too fast, too much or not chewing well enough. To rule out anything else, I urge you to ask your doctor about this.

Check with your doctor to find out if what you were told were MINIMUMS or SUGGESTIONS as opposed to MAXIMUMS. I was on 2 weeks of clear fluids, then 2 weeks of full fluids then 2 weeks of mushies, but my fluids were not limited at all.

Hi there! I have been to almost every Band site, this one is the best that I have found!

Oh yeah. Some people even claim titles they are not entitled to, or make up official-sounding but bogus names to enhance their prestige.

It diminished after surgery.

Most people who are morbidly obese do not like having their picture taken. They avoid the camera because the photographs don't lie. That fact can be put to good use before and during your weight loss. Simply put, the best way to document weight loss is not a scale graph of pounds lost, or a size chart of inches lost. The best way to document weight loss is to take photographs before and during the process. I advise people setting out on this journey to take three initial pictures. The recommendations that I give are these: 1. Take three views, front, side and back (That means you need a automatic timer camera or a friend to help you) 2. Take the pictures in the same place every time. A doorway is a great choice, because it helps put a known quantity into the picture. Other good places are in front of a fireplace or another known point of reference. 3. Take the pictures while wearing form-fitting clothes. A swimsuit is IDEAL. 4. Take the pictures with the same camera, and make sure you are standing the same distance from the camera every time. That's why a doorway helps. You can line yourself up in the doorway and use a measuring tape to find the distance to the camera. 5. Take that same set of pictures every month. Front, back and side views. Wear the same clothes and make sure the distance to the camera is the same. 6. Have the "Before" pictures printed out, and tape them to your refrigerator. 7. Have the latest set of pictures printed out, and tape those next to the "Before" pictures. In doing this, you mind has irrefutable PROOF that what you are doing IS WORKING. People frequently do NOT "See" their weight loss, and they become frustrated, perhaps by a scale weight that is not moving, even though their body size is reducing at an amazing rate. This is a great way to "See" your weight loss. The best way to document weight loss is to take photographs before and during the process. My before & during photographs are at the link in my signature.

This may help you in understanding the restrictive mechanism of a Lap-Band. The INAMED protocol for Lap-Band fills calls for a six-week delay after surgery, prior to any fills. The purpose for the six-week delay is for the patient’s stomach to heal from the surgery, as well as allowing time for the Lap-Band to “Seat” or “Nestle” into the fat pad between the stomach wall and the interior wall of the Lap-Band. Prior to receiving an EFFECTIVE fill, it is VERY uncommon to have any restriction from a Lap-Band. Some patients will NOT lose weight, or may even GAIN weight until they have received an effective fill in their Lap-Band. Normal weight loss with a properly restricted Lap-Band is between 1 and 2 pounds per week. The normal cycle of fills, restriction and weight loss is as follows: 1. The patient's Lap-Band constricts when the patient receives a fill. Swelling for a few days after receiving a fill is very common. Many doctors require a patient to go on a liquid diet for a day or two after receiving a fill. A fill may have a “Delayed Action” of up to two weeks. A “Delayed-Action” means that the fill may not become effective for up to two weeks after the fill. That is why the INAMED protocol states that fills should not be performed on patients who will not have access to medical care for at least two weeks after a fill. 2. The patient's stomach capacity is lessened as a result of the restriction caused by the Lap-Band. 3. The patient loses weight because they cannot eat as much food. 4. The residual fat-pad between the inside of the Lap-Band and the outside of the patient's stomach reduces in size because of the overall weight loss in the patient. 5. The reduction of the residual fat-pad causes the Lap-Band to become loose again. 6. At that point, the patient needs another fill, because the Lap-Band is loose, and the patient has a loss of restriction, which allows the patient to eat larger amounts of food. 7. The patient receives another fill and the process starts all over again. Most Lap-Band patients receive several fills to adjust the Lap-Band as their weight loss progresses, and there is less and less residual fat-pad between the inside of the Lap-Band and the exterior of the stomach wall. Once a patient has lost all of their residual fat-pad, fills become less common. As the Lap-Band patient progresses in their weight loss, the effect of very tiny fills (Less than .2ccs) becomes greater and greater. It is not uncommon for a late-stage Lap-Band patient to experience a significant difference in restriction with as little as .05cc of fill.