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{ Cool Pic, Road Queen. } Interesting. I see LapBand PreOps worry about Plastic Surgery and I guess my thought was - It's only an issue if you lose the weight. Why stress about it? One thing at a time!:phanvan I don't think it's a case of 'needing' plastic surgery. Everyone has a different tolerance level for hanging skin. I had zero tolerance! I want to look great. So maybe my attitude is a bit different. I'm single/no kids and wanted a single girl's wardrobe. I knew a long period of obesity had done a number on my body. Nothing on me "bounces back" no matter how fast or how slow I lost weight. Period. And since I don't have some man who has sworn to love me "for better, for worse" or "For wrinklier, or For saggier" :confused: I approach this from someone who would be seeing me for the first time. One day I might not be single - and I was hoping not to traumatize whoever the poor sap is who sees me unclothed (the only men who see me unclothed now all have medical licenses so they're not allowed to faint on sight). :rolleyes But I knew I'd only need some work if I got the weight off first. Trust me, for a lot of people, you won't know how you'll look or how you'll feel about how you look, until you get nearer to your goal weight. As for me, I'm considering my body to my best investment. Some women have jewelry and heirloom diamonds. I have a $20,000 ring (but it's made of silicone and it's internal instead of external), instead of a diamond bracelet I have a $8,000 Tummy, and pretty soon I hope to have some $7,000 boobage and cleavage. Who said diamonds are a girls ONLY best friend?

Did someone mention my Future Hubby? Luv Ya Vin...

Oh, Penni. I'm so sorry. This sucks. I know how it sucks because I've been there - the only difference is that back when I had all my complications, they were too afraid to take my band out because they didn't think I'd survive the surgery. :phanvan So you're in a great position - you're healthy enough to consider ALL your options now and you can take time to make the right choice for you. And years later when my doc told me I'd lost all the weight I could with the band (he was wrong, mind you!) I wrestled mightily here and offline about my next step. I decided that if the band had to go (and hey, one day, it still might), I would be revised to a RnY. No I didn't want one, no I didn't hope for one, but it's a proven effective (albeit more severe) procedure and although I didn't want a more serious surgery, I didn't want to be obese anymore. What scares me now is that if I have to get the band removed now, I won't qualify for RnY. If this has to be done - do it now, Perri. Please, do yourself a favour. I feel it so strongly: The RnY will be best for you. Deciding to have any bariatric surgery is tiring, getting it is tiring, recovering and living with it is a big deal. When you add complications to that - it just gets overwhelming. But if they removed the band, and got you better that's a great start. So you're no longer sick:sick - that's a relief. But the other half of the puzzle remains: in other words, your weight is no where near where you want it to be. So that means we still have work to do, right? Why fight on your own. Get surgical help! And as for surgeries: I really do see Dr Billy's point about The Sleeve. At that point, you're only a few more snips away from a RnY. And you will absolutely, positively do well with a RnY. From what I know about you, the DS just doesn't sound like a good match. It's still a great procedure for the right patients, but I just wouldn't think you'd thrive as well. You'll be like a RnY Superstar. Think of yourself as a WLS Superstar Champ! And at 270#, even for us tall gals, you could probably lose safely with the RnY long before your body rebels. And statistics prove that revision surgery patients generally lose a bit less with the newer surgery (the body isn't 'scared straight' into losing like it is with the first surgery) so you'll be in a great position. You've been through enough. An RnY is no walk in the park but after all the work and effort you've put through, and the surgeries you've endured - let this third WLS be the charm. I know it's a huge decision and I wish you luck. But I'm rooting for you and the RnY. Just don't make us too jealous with your weekly updates about how much & how fast you've lost, Missie! Keeping you in our thoughts. ((( HUGS! ))) Happy Band (And Life, And RnY) Journeys To All...

OK, I guess I'm an oddball. Since I was switched to the low profile port, and since my Abdominoplasty, I honestly don't 'feel' my port unless I'm in the office getting a fill. Now that everyone has mentioned this question, I'm going to try to see if I notice any occurences of 'feeling' the port during normal activity.

If one has to go to Mexico, then I wouldn't recommend anybody BUT Rumbaut. He is hands down one of the most impressive LapBand docs in the world. Having said that, there are understandable concerns with going out of the country for any surgery, especially one that requires so much hands on after-care. It goes without saying that most knowledgeable US band doctors realize Rumbaut's surgical skill level and have no fears about the technical challenges of treating his patients. However, there are always those US doctors (and face it, you might need these docs for fils and aftercare) who are going to be more comfortable with patients from other US doctors, no matter what. So basically if I were you I would closely examine the Wish Center's aftercare options, your comfort level with their customer service and skill, and your own gut instincts. If you have to go internationally, Rumbaut wins hand down. But if the same money can be used to allow you to stay in this country for surgery, then I certainly understand. Good Luck!

Well, actually I forget all the time. I've been banded so long, it's like being on auto-pilot. Until I take that infamous "one bite of food too many" - LOL - then I remember quickly.:success1: I guess after five years, this feels normal. Burps, tummy gurgles and all. This is my new normal - and I honestly don't feel abnormal.:party: I guess you could also ask a person who had RnY or Bypass (like our own GeezerSue) if they are constantly aware that their insides have been rearranged. Or it's like asking someone with a knee replacement if they are always aware that they have a piece of silicone in their joints! (*shrug*) Happy Band (And Life) Journeys To All...

Am I the only one who can't see any competitors (or PlunderBunny's entry link?) I see the general rules of the contest, but that's it. Anyway: P-B, I think it's a great idea. I used to work in the I.T. field, and was often told I was kind of a Goddess to the Geeks. Now you have that kind of title officially. Good Luck! And yes, I thought the 3rd photo was the 'hottest' and you look quite a bit slimmer now than you do in your signature line photo. Fingers crossed for you!

First question. Does this refer to stats after "Band Removal" By laparoscopy 60% By open procedure 40% This last stat just sort of floats there with little explanation at the end of the article. Plus a complication rate of 88% sounds really high until you read further and see that it includes a statistic referring to 51% experiencing nausea and vomiting. Um, duh! Yeah, with Weight Loss Surgery of any sort, nausea and vomiting can be an after-effect. It may not mean bringing up your entire lunch, but it could well mean that "almost like nausea" feeling after you eat that one bite or two bites more than you should have. Gee, what is the "nausea and vomiting" rate for RnY or Bypass patients? I'm sure it's even higher. Besides, the only statistic that matters, in my opinion is: During surgery: Death 0% Gastric perforation 1%

OMG, I could NOT disagree with this more.This is one small step away from "Fatty, you're just fat because you're lazy or because you want to be fat." The mere thought that I was fat because I wanted to be is simply preposterous. I've been banded 5 freaking years - and didn't look it until a short while ago. But it would enrage me to have someone possibly think "deep down there somehwere, what they get out of being fat at any particular moment sort of outweighs what they perceive getting out of being thin. " Nothing could be further from the truth. I knew I was fat, and would be fat for life. I took VERY proactive steps to address this problem. I invested my time, my money, my career, and my previously-unscarred body to try to fight the battle of the bulge. I got banded, had a huge setback and stayed obese for years. I bought a tool and it didn't work as it was supposed to do. This was NOT what I wanted! It did not serve a purpose, fulfill some fantasy, or make me feel complete. Being obese has been one of the most devastating parts of my life. And it was gut-wrenchingly horrible to have people look at me every day wondering "Why did she even bother to have that operation? She's still fat." Sorry, I think this is B.S. and over-reaching plus over-generalizing. Oh, yeah? Guess what. I wasn't fat because I was depressed (although this is a very common correlation) but I was depressed about being fat. It wasn't consciously planned to stay fat or subconsciously being happy that I was fat.It was a tragedy. Never. If I couldn't find or fit stylish, fashionable clothes it was because they didn't make them in my size (and many fashion designers & trendy stores are guilty of this ) but I never allowed myself to be frumpy. It may be easy for some, but just because I was obese didn't mean I didn't ever give 110% to be as polished as I could. I live for fashion, live for clothes, live for shoes, live to shop - so to be obese literally was killing me inside. Too late. Yes, we sure do. And to these comments, they may be your situation, they may be the situation of those you know, but please realize they are not indicative of what all obese people feel.

I'm totally grateful to have had the band but I've had a long, long, long journey to just get down to this point.:rolleyes I love the band, love how it works, love the fact that it's not a permanent re-routing of my intestines - but then again, as slow as it's been - perhaps I could have used a teeny bit of malabsorption over time, maybe. I've worked hard and been very patient.And I'm still overweight! :phanvan (I know, I know, I'm getting there... but how much longer?) So granted, what happened to me is hardly normal for most bandsters, but if I'd known it was going to take this long to get to a reasonably decent weight, I'd probably have just gone for the RnY Bypass (a very basic, very distal RnY). I got approved for one, but I thought the LapBand was really better for me. I hope it will prove to be, ultimately. So catch me when I get to goal and THEN maybe it will seem worth it. Otherwise...the jury might still be out over here.

Congrats!:clap2: Exactly, Babs! I think this is more common than we think. See if this sounds familiar to you: I knew I would have been destined to gain if I had an unfill before my TT surgery. I consulted with my PS (does a lot of banded patients) and my doctor and decided to stick it out and keep my fill. Well After my TT, I lost weight due to eating less and having less appetite but I definitely saw a loss of restriction. In fact, although my fill wasn't removed, I felt like I had a lot less restriction after the TT. (It wasn't the act of moving the band or that my PS did anything wrong. In fact, my PS called my LapBand surgeon into the OR during my TT, so the Band surgeon got to know exactly where it was being moved. ) I think that when they are moved, the bands just sometimes expel fluid or something. Once I finally got to my fill doc for a fill, the band had lost a lot of fill, just as I suspected.:eek: In fact, I lost about half of my fill...plus on my newer abdomen and smaller stomach, the band needed to be filled back again. If I had gotten an unfill before surgery, I don't know where I would've been. I thought about this too. But all the Upper GI tests said the darn thing was in place. But it just took a lot more fill to get me to the same level of restriction that I felt before my TT & weight loss. So I'm hoping the same will happen for you too: just a bit more fill to get you there. If we think of the LapBand like a belt, the more weight we lose, the snugger we have to close the belt. So as we lose more, our bands, may just need a bit more fill to help. For example, I was tired of 'nickel and diming' myself to get back to my old fill level. So yesterday, I opted for what I call a Nuclear Fill - a big jump back to real restriction. :fish: We'll see if I tolerate it well once I transition off liquids/softs - right now I can't imagine how I'll do with real foods. So I'm still feeling my way with the Band, even now. Beautifully said. What a great journey you've had.

CONGRATS! Good choice and welcome aboard as a Moderator, Wheetsin. :clap2:

I have this issue too. II always tell the hospital, surgeon and anyone before any surgery. Before my LapBand surgeries they listened, but before my Plastic Surgery procedure, I ended up with tape blisters. (Maybe it was only tape or staples, in which case, tape was better, but...) I really hope these heal, this time, the tape took some skin off right in the middle of my incision and I do not want to lose pigment in that part of my incision. UGH! Happy Band (And Life) Journeys To All...

I'm not a patient of yours, but I checked out the site. I must admit that is one impressive website. It's informative, without trying to oversell the band or your practice. The general info on obesity is great and the whole site is clear, colorful and easy to navigate. I also enjoyed the testimonials although they were brief, it was upbeat. The patients in your region are lucky to have a nice resource and we're lucky to have you aboard in the "virtual" realm. Happy Band (And Life) Journeys To All...

Hilarious! This was just covered on our local news too. And when i've had to cancel it for friends and family (I refuse to use it) the process has gone very similar to that. By the way AOL officials say this rep has been fired, but we all know there are hundreds more just like him. AOL = EVIL :heh: Happy Band (And Life) Journeys To All...

Welcome, JSewell. If you are willing to do some research - there is lots of great information here and on other websites, about your Weight Loss Surgery options. Definitely read profiles and stories here for detailed information on the good, bad, and ugly of Weight Loss Surgery - especially LapBand. Well... OK please remember that you live in a major metropolitan area that is literally exploding with coverage about Weight Loss Surgery. There are tons of TV commercials, local newspaper ads, local news articles, billboards and more...all about LapBands and other surgeries. There are TONS of free seminars, meetings, and support groups in Houston. It's the home of one of the world's largest Medical Centers and there are more bariatric surgeons in Houston than there are in some whole countries. The city has literally tens of thousands of Weight Loss Surgery patients. Ask friends, neighbours, co-workers, family - they will probably know someone who has had it. Or you can attend any free seminar or support group; you'll meet many patients there. No one can help you finally make this decision but you - but definitely there are many resources for you where you can talk to people in depth about this life-changing journey. Good Luck! Happy Band (And Life) Journeys To All...

Oh yeah, really? Other than Oprah - do we know a lot of rich celebrity women who are fat? Roseanne is always on a diet and she eventually just got a Fobi ( RnY bypass) pouch years back. Anna Nicole finally won her lawsuit and first thing she did was get the weight off. Here in Texas, rich women are like buses - there's always another one coming. And down here they are almost NEVER ever fat. Literally. In the Lone Star State, being rich is synonymous with being thin. :guess And also preferably blonde, but they do let the occasional brunette into their exclusive ranks! :heh: And in towns like L.A. and New York City - I almost never saw rich women who were slightly overweight, much less fat or obese. Just doesn't happen often, I bet. I think that for the most part, in this country WEALTH = NORMAL (or Thin) WEIGHT. Anything other than that is an exception. At least in Texas, Los Angeles, and New York City. Happy Band (And Life) Journeys To All...

OMG, I can't believe I didn't see this until now. Any updates? Absolutely, I'll PayPal something over right away! The flowers were so pretty, I bet that was a nice 'brighten-up' for the drab hospital. :clap2: You're so considerate. Is there an amount everyone is sending? Also you probably pay merchant fees, so should we send a bit extra to cover that? Best wishes for Happy Healing for her.

Just like the old song says: "...and Little By Little, You're there..." I always tell Bandsters - don't just monitor your scale, also monitor your measurements and how your clothes fit. Often with Banding, the progress doesn't show up on the scale but it can be slow, steady slenderizing. We all get 'caught up' on a particular weight or a certain number but often while we are stressing that the scale isn't moving - we're slowing losing inches and decreasing in size. I always use the metaphor of a golfer - sometimes we don't always hit big, long drives that fly hundreds of yards away - at times we are just chipping away at our weight. I've been chipping away slowly at my weight for the last few months but it's been steadily decreasing and my sizes tell the real tale. And that's all I care about! Happy Band (And Life) Journeys To All...

I'd call my surgeon's office and ask if I schedule it a little bit earlier (maybe closer to the end of this month) to make sure I had time to get my fill, and 'walk around with it a bit' before my vacation. Once you explain you're going to be out of town for 10 days I bet they'd prefer to see you beforehand. Other than that, I've gotten fills before vacation with no problem so far (*knock wood*). I don't need to overeat on vacation so I'm always happy to be properly filled. So although you don't want to be overfilled and stuck far out of town, that is no reason to walk around NOW knowing that you are underfilled. Move that appointment up, I bet your surgeon's office will understand. Happy Band (And Life) Journeys To All...

Let's remember that two months is not a plateau with the LapBand. Only after 12 weeks (or 3 months) would I even consider it anything other than a 'resting phase' for someone banded at your point. Plus even when the scale is not moving, because LapBand weight loss is scale-slower, you should also be watching your clothes and measurements. Often even when I don't lose scale weight, I lose inches and sizes - and that's what matters to me. Also remember your LapBand is a tool. Having 2cc in your band means your band is technically less than half full. Again, I realize you haven't been banded long, so I don't endorse overfilling - but remember that the more weight you lose, the more fill it takes to maintain your level of 'satiety'. (And you said your daughter only has 1cc - that's hardly a level of restriction that is going to mean maximum weight loss over a longer period of time.) I always use the example of being like a belt: When you're heavier you might just be able to close it on the first notch; but as you lose weight, you might need to use the 4th or 5th notch just to keep the belt closed. Same belt - but you are smaller. And it's the same way with the LapBand in my opinion. Happy Band (And Life) Journeys To All...

I had many Last Straws... I was so tired of being on the diet bandwagon. It hit me: There are only 5 Ways To Lose Weight (this is a trademarked Sho-ism phrase): Diets Exercise Prescriptions & diet pills Programs & Support Meetings Surgery Then I realized, I had been doing the first 4 ways and nothing was working. I only had the 5th option to try. I knew surgery was my only chance. Realizing that I could no longer wear the brands, style and types of clothing that I liked. Shopping is my passion and the higher my weight crept up, the fewer fashion options I had. This finally hit me at the mall one day. Having this miserable little man make fun of me & my weight in an online forum/message board (I never gave him the time of day so he felt justified in making comments about my appearance, my clothing, and me - although he didn't know me.) It made me mad that being obese made me a target. Happy Band (And Life) Journeys To All...

Well I find that even though I maintain well all month long, I sometimes crave carbs only at certain points of my cycle. Most people feel like their Bands 'tighten up' physically during this time (probably due to hormonal fluid retention and bloating :sick ) but I feel like I'm hungrier during this time, occasionally. So give it a few days before making any sudden decision. But, if you see this trend continuing even after your cycle, then make that appointment ASAP! I notice you've lost over 90#. CONGRATS! :clap2: Which makes me wonder if you won't notice another trend, as you continue to lose. One thing that I regret isn't made clear in LapBand documentation is the fact that when you lose a certain amount of weight, the band does require more frequent tweaking. Yes the Inamed brochures stress that we have to get fills regularly but nothing Think of it like a belt - the more weight you lose, the more little notches that you pass up in order to make the belt fit. The LapBand is like that. You'll often hear people say (or even brag ) "Oh I've never needed more than 1 or 2 fills and I've stayed at 1cc (or whatever amount)." Well, that's great. But then you might also find that they've lost a bit less weight (maybe due to a lower start weight anyway) so that one small fill can still maintain them longer. When I started losing a lot more, I required more fill to keep me at the same "hunger-busting" level of fullness. So I just think of my band (a.k.a. "The Silicone Freeloader" ) as an expensive luxury vehicle. It needs frequent maintenance, and I try to gladly provide it - to keep my luxury engine at top performance. Just something to think about. Happy Band (And Life) Journeys To All...

No, no, no. I found it absolutely fascinating... If studies show a 65% of excess weight loss after the 3-yr mark, maybe I won't be considered a Remedial Bandster when it's all said and done. Happy Band (And Life) Journeys To All...

Most of us seem to agree on why cheating is wrong, but there's something else being said (or left unsaid)... Again, our opinions are based on our own experiences and beliefs, right? I believe that insurance, like WLS, is a tool - and I try to use (not abuse) my tools for their desired purpose. I needed a Weight Loss Surgery but I went in to this process knowing this was my only hope. But I think there is an undercurrent here that goes beyond 'people cheating the system to get over.' What I'm reading (and sensing) is that there is some disapproval over those with lower weight getting this surgery even if they can fully qualify by insurance standards. No, it's not just a sixth sense, I definitely read it. What if someone who thought like some of those who are here - made the decision to approve or deny me? It's amazing that based on what I've read here, some might deny me (or others like me) because of my slightly lower start weight by WLS standards. I was very pro-active about my weight and trying to fight my obesity. Was I successful ? Not quite, but I fought at it. So why does a person with lower start weight (who is still obese mind you, which technically I was until just a few short months ago) seem less deserving to some of you had higher start weight? It's unbelievable. In other words, even though I started in my 200's and decided to put the breaks on being obese, I don't judge those who wait until they are in their 300's and 400's to try to address the problem. But on the other end, there are many who either had higher start weights and had full insurance approval or those who had lower start weights and understandably chose to self-pay - who seem to have no problem denouncing (or simply chiding) those who approached getting this surgery differently. Why is that? I use myself as an example. I had 7 different consults with different bariatric surgeons. Only one said he questioned whether I was heavy enough (but since I was already fully approved then, I was desperate enough to get back on phentermine and trying to chip away at the mountain of weight I had on me before surgery). That's the way it should be? I can speak that there is no "line up by start weight" system that insurance companies utilize to approve people for surgery. As I believe you are, Alexandra, I'm relatively tall. But I was inarguably obese by all practical purposes. I was about 38 or 39 BMI at full insurance approval , depending on how successful my diet efforts were. I needed the insurance company to cover mine because even at my (previous to being ill & disabled, then very high) income it would have taken me at least 2 years to save the $25K for LapBand or $35-$40K for RnY Bypass surgery. (In those days, medical or surgery financing wasn't as common as it is now and I didn't own a house to refinance or use for a collateral loan.) Fearing how much fatter I'd be in 2 years, I decided to take the approval route. So I was approved with no co-morbs but I did have a nearly lifelong fight with obesity and a long diet history. So I was a 'perfectly healthy' person who needed surgery. Later, I learned, in my other capacity as a (now former, thankfully) insurance company employee, that people get denied for 1 BMI point or 5 lbs every single day. I think you mentioned in an earlier post that you didn't believe it happens routinely - but it does. Just as people with 50 BMI's get disqualified for absolutely unquestionably unfair reasons that have nothing to do with qualifying. The system is not quite working for a lot of people. That's me, admitting that I judge insurance companies and our health care system - yet some of here won't admit that we judge those who have different reasons for approaching this surgery when we did. As Diane as some other posters mentioned, without insurance approval many people could have never afforded or even justified having this surgery. That doesn't justify cheating the system in many people's minds which I understand - but statements "people with a 39 BMI who are healthy" aren't as deserving or aren't as priority cases, does seem to be a form of judging to me. Again, the continued discourse is fascinating. Happy Band (And Life) Journeys To All...