Wendell Edwards

I recommend reading this thread: http://www.lapbandtalk.com/f15/thread-super-sized-bandsters-starting-bmi-over-50-a-16168/

:scared: I think I'll write a book...

A big part of the problem is that some doctors do not follow the Allergan recommendation for a 4.0CC first fill for a VG band.

My advice is to find out what size band you have. The band sizes in the USA are 9.75CM, 10.0CM, VG, APS & APL. Allergan states that the maximum fill for the 9.75CM & 10.0CM bands is 4.0CCs. The maximum fill for the VG and APS band is 10.0CCs, the maximum fill for the APL band is 14.0CCs. Some doctors choose to disregard Allergan's maximum fill amount.

An inability to eat normal food indicates that you are overfilled.

LapBandTalk and other online weight loss forums are a tremendous resource for anyone who has a question about the Lap-Band. Many experiences are common to people who are exploring this operation, or who have already had the operation. The sharing of our experiences makes us all better prepared for what lies ahead of us. Sometimes I will see a post, or receive a PM or email that asks a very specific question about a person's after-care or medical treatment, and at that point I will advise people "Please ask your doctor about this". I know that everyone here only wants to help other people in this journey, and I know that nobody would intentionally offer advice that might present a danger to someone else, but sometimes the best advice that can be given is this: "Ask your doctor" Many times people may have underlying circumstances that they forget to include when they ask a question, and it's possible that the advice they receive would not be correct if the underlying circumstance were known. Our doctors are our employees, and we should never be afraid, ashamed or embarressed to ask them a question when the answer could affect our health. So by all means, continue to ask questions here, and anywhere you can obtain knowledge, but please, bear in mind that the very best source of answers to your health-related questions is to ask your own doctor, because only your doctor has your complete medical history at hand, and the training to offer you the correct answer. :confused:

Lap-Band ports require the use of Huber type non-coring needles to avoid damage to the septum. Use of a standard needle could damage the septum by cutting a core out of the septum, which would cause a port leak which would require surgery to replace the damaged port. You may want to inform your doctor about attempting to unfill your band, as they may want to verify that the port is undamaged.

I have heard two theories as to why people get colder after weight loss. One theory says that the human body realizes that the caloric intake has been cut. Hundreds of starvation periods helped us to adapt to times of decreased food by the body shutting down any non-essential functions, such as maintaining body temperature. When I went on Optifast I did NOT experience this feeling of cold, but when I did HMR I did feel very cold. Both OPTIFAST and HMR are medically supervised diets with very low calorie shakes substituted for food. After getting a Lap-Band and losing weight, I am much colder than any time previously. The other theory that I heard about is that morbidly obese people adapt to their heavier weight by growing larger blood vessels close to the skin. Blood circulating through those vessels cause the body to lose heat, and when a person loses weight, their cooling system takes a while to shrink, which causes the person to feel cold all the time.

This is an excellent post. I wish that I had this information before being banded, even though my operation was done in the USA.

This is an excellent post. I wish that I had this information before being banded, even though my operation was done in the USA.

I'm just a guy who is trudging up Mount Normal....

Success with either gastric bypass or adjustable gastric banding is determined by the patient's willingness to modify their lifestyle. If you are willing to do the work, it is possible.

My comment is that YUGO OWNERS think that YUGOS are GREAT CARS! :confused:

Hi Jeannie! Drives you crazy, doesn't it? Weight loss with a Lap-Band seems to be a "Staircase, not a curve". It's drop, then stop, drop, then stop, rather than a long downward curve. There doesn't seem to be any rhyme or reason for it, it just IS. Two great pieces of advice that I got from my great friend and mentor Christy Means were: 1. Take measurements. Because when the scale weight loss STOPS is when the body seems to shrink. it's a paradox, but in my case it was very true. Whenever the scale weight stayed the same, the inches fell off. 2. Stay off the scales. It seems like a weird concept to almost everyone with a weight issue, because we are trained to judge our success by our scale weight. Unfortunately, that also means that we sometimes will consider ourselves to be a FAILURE when the scale weight stays the same or, (HORRORS!) goes UP instead of DOWN! The reality of life with a Band is that many times our weight loss WILL "Stall" or "PLATEAU" and when that happens it's HARD to not be DISCOURAGED. That is why I recommend that newbie bandsters only weigh themselves during their normal doctor's appointments for SIX MONTHS after banding. We have to learn an entire new lifestyle after banding. We have to re-learn how to eat, when to drink, how to exercise, how to DEAL with EMOTIONS WITHOUT food as a CRUTCH.... It's a LOT to LEARN all at once! During that time most people are SCARED TO DEATH that the band won't work, that they will be the EXCEPTION TO THE RULE, that they will SCREW UP....... and frankly, seeing a stall on scale weight at that time may make it much harder than it needs to be. Once I took Christy's advice and STAYED OFF MY SCALE, and learned to CONCENTRATE on the BEHAVIOR MODIFICATION aspect of Lap-Band, a funny thing happened; I relaxed, it got easy and I lost a LOT of weight and INCHES in a HURRY. :confused:

Thank you! My time is somewhat constrained now by the amount of activities that I am able to participate in. That explains my absence from the message board as of late.

I am the source of this post.

Angela says: "That's hilarious!"

I have got to get one of those avatars....

I wasn't referring to you Neal.

As far as I know, they are here: Wendell Before and After

You go to your doctor and they schedule a fluoroscopic exam with barium swallow.

I'm sorry I didn't do it sooner.

Nobody knows because everybody is different.

Precisely. (And here's the additional words to get it posted)

I just love logic, don't you?