Headhunter

I know....I forgot the smiley.......:thumbup::biggrin::biggrin::wub: Hmmm....you did mention the "package"....and then you said "playing with me".....hmmmmm HH

I'll just close my eyes and think of you....better than viagra ANY day....:thumbup: HH

No...actually, that would appear to be something that YOU'RE suggesting. It's not the first time....nor will it be the last...... HH

Oh My God. The Monkey has been unleashed. But In a good way. I see it kind of like Jesus chasing the Money Changers from the Temple..... Go get 'em, Monkey.....:thumbup: HH

Well, actually, I'm just huffing and puffing to get my testosterone all jacked up so I can actually USE this wonderful package.....:thumbup: HH

Regardless of what you decide, be aware that there are a bunch of people here who care about you, and will be there to support you any way we can. I think it's wonderful that you are going into this together. You'll be able to support each other, and that is KEY to your success, regardless of which procedure you choose. Your plan is good; regardless of what you end up choosing, you WILL be asked to begin losing some weight prior to surgery. So, yes, begin that NOW, and start making the changes that you'll need to make for the wonderful life that awaits you both. HH What's WRONG with me today? I'm being too nice. I need to find an orphanage to burn or something.

(Headhunter slowly unbuttons his trenchcoat.....)

It was my "Inner Sinatra" peeking through..... HH

Sberry; You have actually heard VERY wise opinions from several of my favorite people: Wasa, Restless, and Unforgettable. Some day I’m gonna get those Broads in a hot tub with some Margaritas and we’re gonna talk about all the LBT weirdness. Note to self: did I actually just call them BROADS? Nah. I couldn’t have…. Ok. My first question would be WHY did the surgeon recommend Bypass, specifically. Because he is more experienced with it? Because he has had better results with it? Or he thinks it would be better for YOU specifically? Did he ask you at all about your eating habits, your patterns of losing/gaining weight? Did he ask you about your relationship with “sugary” foods? Did he ask you if you felt that you were one of those people who merely LOOKS at food and gains weight? What kinds of questions did he ask you? Or what kinds of forms did he have you fill out? The fact is that he MAY have had a specific reason for recommending bypass. And it has to do with some of the questions I asked above. You should call him back and ask him why SPECIFICALLY he suggested bypass, as it relates to YOU. The fact that “you’ll lose more weight with Bypass” is important, but it’s not the ONLY factor. One of the other procedures might be better suited to you, your personality, your emotional needs, and your very individual physiology. What your potential surgeon said about the bypass was CORRECT. It IS a very good procedure. BUT….it might NOT be the right one for you. I have had a Bypass, and it WAS the right one for ME. But it might not be for you. NOTE: The fact that he seems to recommending Bypass for BOTH of you is a little suspicious, but possible, I suppose. Again….find out WHY. One thing I would caution you about, though. Don’t go shopping for a surgeon that will tell you what you THINK you want to hear. If you go to several surgeons and ALL of them say “Bypass”, then DO consider it, but MAKE SURE you find out WHY. Same with the other procedures. Also, remember that you are NOT MARRIED to THAT surgeon. Go to SEVERAL surgeons, but research them beforehand. Make sure that they do NOT have a bias. You might also seek out a Therapist that specializes in Bariatric cases to help you sort it out. This is a growing specialty, Therapists that help patients understand what their disorders are, and help treat them. THEY can give you some insight as to what might be your best method. ALL the surgeries work, BUT to varying degrees, depending on what YOUR specific need is. Bypass IS better for many people. The Sleeve is as well. Even the Band is. Look at my Buddy Restless Monkey….she’s doing GREAT with it! But it is VERY individual. Don’t make your decision quickly….you have plenty of time, and you want to make the RIGHT choice. HH (broads? Nah…I didn’t really SAY that…..did I?):thumbup:

What SHE said. :thumbup: HH

I agree. I DON'T think Beth should have responded this way. What she SHOULD have done was to crawl through the screen, over the Internet, and up into the faces of some of these nitwits and smacked them right in the head. I see stuff like this and I wonder why in the hell do some people even BOTHER to have a Band put in. What is WITH some of these people??? I know that there are some Doctors that don't provide a very comprehensive pre-surgical educational program, but I CANNOT believe that ANYONE would try and do some of this stuff. AND....the people who pat them on the head, give them a lollipop and "aww, it's ok this time, sugar"....THOSE people are equally to blame. There is one VERY LARGE issue here that some people seem to miss a lot of the time: The INSURANCE companies PAY for a LOT (Most) of the WL surgeries. And guess what: The DECLINE rate on weight loss surgeries is beginning to rise. That is happening for a number of reasons, but ONE of the reasons is that the success rate for WLS is dropping. The overall success has never been particularly high for the Band, but it’s dropping somewhat now, and the complication rate is RISING. And for a significant portion of these cases, it’s because the patient does NOT FOLLOW THE PRESCRIBED PROTOCOL. (Like the knucklehead that posted here a couple weeks ago complaining that she couldn’t swallow a piece of chicken a few days after surgery. The gene pool doesn’t need THAT crap.) So keep in mind that if YOU fail with the Lap band, it’s gonna be THAT MUCH HARDER for some one down the road who needs one to GET one paid for by their insurance. The tide seems to be turning a bit, and the insurance companies are beginning to think twice about funding a process that is failing with greater frequency. So DON’T make it fail for YOU. Your only hurting yourself, and someone DOWN THE ROAD. And far as Beth’s attitude….grow up, people. Beth is a smart lady who tells it like it IS, and NOT how you would LIKE it to be. You should feel VERY LUCKY that you have people here on this board like Beth and Restless Monkey that will take the time to educate you on what you should be doing to make this WORK for you. Don’t waste their time. They could be out getting drunk…or in a hot tub….or watching construction workers.. , but they chose to spend their time here, with you. Understand that for some of us, this process of WLS has NOT been a walk in the park. It’s serious business, and when someone plays around with it like it’s a game, I get a little pissed. Ok, I’ve vented. And I know that lotus has come back and fessed up and has been adequately humbled. But keep in mind that you are NOT doing her or anyone else any good by telling her that it’s “ok….don’t do it again”. Again….this is serious stuff. If you want IT to work, then you have to DO the work. HH

I need to create a macro where I can assign the phrase "Restless Monkey is Correct" to ONE key....because I'm tired of typing it....I type it ALL the time. But she is. And I'll chime in here about the idea of not being able to lose weight on a sub-1000 calorie diet. That would REALLY indicate a super-absorbtion problem. Some people simply cannot eat very much without gaining. Those are the superabsorbers. And those people are candidates for Bypass, rather than a restrictive procedure like the Band. The Band simply RESTRICTS your intake. The Bypass does that as well, BUT it keeps you from absorbing a certain portion of what you DO eat. So, if this is the problem you think you may have, talk to your Doctor. Bypass is not the "boogeyman" some people have made it out to be. They have been performing it quite successfully for nearly 50 years, and if the patient follows the prescribed protocol, then they can almost always predict exactly what the outcome will be. But DO talk to your Doctor about it. AFTER you've listened to Restless, that is... :biggrin: HH

Donna; One thing I HIGHLY recommend that people look into is the concept of "ph balance" in the body. It is a very, very interesting concept that really opened my eyes when I learned about it. You can find out more about it by googling "ph balance" or "Alkaline diet". One very, very good book on the subject is called "The PH Miracle" By Dr. Robert O. Young. He's not a Medical Dr, but a Microbiologist, and he looks at the body in a totally different way than regular MDs. I would suggest that you go to Aamazon.com, look up his books, and read some of the reviews.....and google him. It's very interesting stuff, and it's been life-changing for a LOT of people. It's a different way of eating, and for many people it has been "the answer". It could very well jump-start your efforts with the Band to a totally different level. HH

Losing weight with the band is VERY individual in nature. Somtimes I think they make a mistake in telling people that they should expect to lose "X" amount per week, because it SO often doesn't happen. And then people get disappointed and their confidence in the "product" is shaken. Frankly, I don't think ANYONE who has posted in this thread has done all that poorly. You're all under six months in your process, and you've all lost a significant amount of weight, more or less. It takes time to find the fill "zone" that you need to be in. Also, you need to consider WHAT you are eating as well as how MUCH. There is a lot of talk amongst "band people" about the concept that they won't have to diet anymore once they have the band. That is SO wrong. The diet is a HUGE part of the Band Lifestyle. The band will keep you from eating large quantities of food at one time, but it won't make any decisions for you about the QUALITY of the food you consume. THAT is up to you. There is a LOT in the "Band education" that they don't do a very good job of. And diet is often one of those things. If you are not losing weight at the rate you want, then look very closely at WHAT you are eating. HH

Listen, I just thought you all should know that I just checked my Shorts drawer one last time before bed, and KC was STILL in there. But THIS time she was wearing a pair of my very best silks on her head, she had a boom-box, and she was doing the Macarena. I'm gonna need extra Talc now..... Good Night. HH

Agree %100! HH

And I am glad that you ARE looking at the Failures/not so successful as well. That is something that people NEED to be aware of going into the surgery. It would be very helpful for people to hear the stories people have, and know why THEY thought they had failed with the Band. HH

"Spar" with me? You say that like it's some kind of level playing field, as though there's some form of equality here. Hardly. You are merely an amusement between screen refreshes. Much as you were for your German Shepard...until he grew tired of you, and moved on to something better; a 9 year old Beagle with a limp, that he met at a Shelter in Tucson. HH

"I'm sure there are many people just like me who don't appreciate the nastiness that spews from the fingertips of some of you. Seriously, you people should focus your energy more on doing good in this world instead of instigating arguments with people." Spew? SPEW? Cupcake, my fingertips don’t “Spew”. In fact, there is only ONE part of my anatomy that “Spews”, and trust me, that particular part of me would never, ever, EVER, come into Spewing distance of you.. I’ve endured enough shots, antibiotics, and penicillin from my surgeries over the last few years to EVER want to get close enough to YOU to be able receive one of your little “gifts that keep on giving”. “Your pal HH involved me” And how did I bring YOU into this discussion? I didn’t ONCE say “brain-dead”, “Retarded”, “Skank”, or anything else that you might consider an invitation. HH

yep. And now she's gonna share it with EVERYONE. It's the new Administration's concept of Socializing Butt Plugs. HH

Yeah, that's kind of rough, the "timing" thing. The only thing that I do similar to that is this> When i first got home from the hospital and began to eat a little more normally, one of the first things I realized was that I could NOT "gulp" in the same way i used to, with Water. And that REALLY bothered me. I eventually realized that I could swallow 5 gulps, and that was my limit. So, i began mentally counting each gulp. I still do that to this day, and it has become more of a habit than something i really do consciously. But as far as sitting and waiting for 3 minutes....with an EGG timer, no less....c'mon! That would actually make a pretty good comedy sketch. :w00t: HH

Now, I WOULD normally be happy to provide photographic evidence. However, I am not presently in possession of a Wide-Angle lens for my Nikon, which would be required equipment to capture the....."Majesty"...... HH

And Beth, my dear, it wasn't actually MY Butt Plug. It belonged to Elton John orginally, and was passed quite regularly between him, Boy George, George Michael, and Michael Jackson, with the occasional sleepover with Michelle Obama. I'm not all that certain it's ever actually been cleaned, so I would use caution. HH

AND, it should also be noted that there is a dash in between my "re" and "structure", thereby making my restructure somewhat longer as well. HH

And besides.....as Fanny has already noted, my ellipsis is substantially longer than the norm. HH