cashley

OMG.... it's already like that now... the for profit insurance companies are awful, I'm sure the government will be too, but I don't get this idea that it will be worse - it already sucks! I see commercials saying "Do you want the government making decision on your health care???? No - I don't want the big wig executives at Whatever Ins Company doing it either, I'd prefer that my doctor & me make those decisions.

This exactly my problem also but it's been going on for years. I get filled and the liquid reflux comes immediately I can hold out for maybe two weeks / I get unfilled and 20 pounds comes back on. It's been a roller coaster. I'm self pay and the barium swallows cost a lot each time they do and they don't find anything wrong. I actually feel I'm going to drown in the night. (I doesn't help that I lost a friend who died in the night after vomiting and aspirating) It's so sad and upsetting because I spend $17,500 on this which like to break me and now I can't even give it a chance to work.

My doctor has been "screwing" with me for 6 months... he's filled and unfilled me and I have the most severe acid reflux.... He's got my band empty for the last month and I'm on previcid. I had a barium and he said everything looked fine with the band... even though the x-ray tech said I showed "severe acid reflux" when they layed me back. (He said he'd look at the x-rays personally and get back with me on my next appointment) I've had the band for two years and I don't know what changed to cause the acid as I've never had it before in my life. Something is certainly different and I have it now even though the band is unfilled. (plus I have the added hunger issue & have gained about 20 pounds) My question is for you all that have had slips... did it take a long time to finally diagnosis or do you know of anything else that would cause this "sudden" new problem.. (I loved my band before the acid)

I wish the band worked for me without fill... that would be great! THis has been going on since last July... fill / unfill / fill / unfill... It's been an frustrating cycle. Any fill at all and I have the bad acid then unfill and I eat too much (and get lectured on why I'm not making better choices - duh that's why I got the band because I obviously didn't make good choices) This is the first time I still have bad acid with the unfill... so now i'm scared but the barium didn't find anything and he's not concerned.

I've just read another slip question thread and I have a few more comments... I do aspirate acid at night which wakes me up for hours but it's better now with previcid & complete unfill - If I skip the previcid then it's back. I am starving since the unfill and can eat anything... so unlike many other people here with a slip who can't keep even liquids down with a slip... These are just a few points I thought I'd point out as I didn't feel I'd given all the information.

I've had the band since 2/8/06... I lost about 55 pounds but then something happened and I started getting horrible acid reflux.... so bad I have a hard time getting any sleep some nights. He removed the Fluid from my band and it's slightly better but still bad. I'm disappointed in the band as it's not working any longer for me and I was self paid @ $17,900 / which isn't chump change. The good thing is my doctor is turning all the "acid reflux" testing into insurance so I don't have to pay much extra for now. I had great restriction and loved the band for about 8 months - he said there isn't any slip or problems he can see on the x-ray but I still have the severe acid. I can't have any fluid in my band so I don't have any restriction thus gaining 20 pounds. It's scary and disappointing and I don't have any advice. I just wish my band was still working for me.

I've been stuck at the same weight for a year and half.... it's because I'm not willing to go down to 600-800 calories. I've discovered that I will only lose if I eat only 600-800 calories a day. If I eat "normal" I stay the same or even gain. I also ride the elliptical 30 - 45 minutes 5-6 X Week and it makes me sad and fustrated that I have to do this for the rest of my life just to maintain. I also get sad when I see people make fun of "overweight" people saying they aren't trying hard enough. I'd like to see some of them live on 600 calories a day. They would say we didn't have to go to that extreme but I know it's true. I think once you get overweight your body really changes and we do have to work hard, try harder and live on less then someone who has never had a weight problem or who hasn't yo-yo'ed all their lives. Sometimes I feel sorry for myself but I try to put the negative thoughts out of my head but I paid $17500 of my own money for this and still it's a daily struggle not to gain my weight back.

I'm sure like most of you, our lives are more busy and we spend a lot of time running from one place to another. Taking kids from here to there or working tons of hours. I travel for my job... (not so much the last week since my class this week was cancelled) but all next week I'll be at a seminar and I also spend many many nights each month in hotels. So I'm looking for a great list of the best band foods... I'd like a variety of suggestion from fast food to food you pop in your suitcase or quick an easy on the run food from home. I'm asking also because I'm not super disipline on "taking my lunch" type food. Also bread doesn't go down so well so a sandwich is usually out of the question. I don't ususally have access to a microwave or fridge so that makes it harder too. Last, but not least, the food doesn't have to be low calorie. I want healthly whole real food but not necessary "fat free" etc... Sometimes it's just an emergency and my blood suger gets too low from working and running between clients that I have to pull into a fast food rest. Since the last fill I end up getting a milk or something just to correct the low blood suger but not "hurt" my band. Any ideas? Also, what do you get when you go to Mexican? or Italian? or what about McDonalds? (if it's the only choice around) Any suggestions would be much appreciated?

Yes, I have the exact same problem and I hate it. I've been filled and unfilled a dozen times. I'm not losing weight any longer and hate the band...<br /> <br /> When I'm unfilled I don't have the acid but I also don't have any restriction. When I have even a slight fill I'm miserable and still don't lose weight as I lean toward eating unhealthy mushy stuff.<br /> <br /> The acid reflux in the night is the worst thing.

Maintaining weight loss is almost as hard as losing it in the first place. This is a tool for life. I would only have it removed it it was medically necessary or they had a really cool upgrade.

Is it really neceassary to ban users for this fighting? I'm not in it but don't have a problem either a. Reading it.... or b. Ignoring it... How many people here really feels it's necessary? or effective? I mean the fight goes on regardless and users can always either make up new names or if you do an IP ban they can spoof that. (It's not hard) I've been a member of many message boards and a moderator of some. The best run are the ones that just let the crap happen and give up on the "stupid unnecessary, ineffective rules"

I agree 100%.... To me the band is not as healthy as another surgery even when other surgeries have malabsorbtion. The reason I feel that is if you get in the position either from a bad PB or overfill then you have the Reflux, vomiting, heartburn and constipation and it seems so hard to get out of that cycle once your are in it. It's like I've resigned to a friggin liquid diet for life to heal and then that leads to high calories junk food like milk shakes. Right now chocolate milk is the only thing that doesn't hurt my stomach... so I drink suger free quick in low fat milk... and I'm trying hard to heal so I can eat real food again. I've already been unfilled but my insides are just irritated and ucky! Once I heal, and gain weight they'll fill me again and it will start all over.

Is bulimic the one that throws up? I'm asking because I could see someone that had a problem with that in the past letting it happen again. I find myself wanting a sandwich or something I shouldn't eat and eating it even though I know it will make me throw up. I foresee it could be a very bad habit.

Actually I'm quite wishy washy on the entire subject so that's why I deleted my post. I'm a liberal democrate that wants small goverment, flat % taxes for all, less red tape, and assistance for the poor but not incentives to stay there... My big thing with being a liberal is I'm liberal minded... live and let live, freedom of religion and freedom from relegion (if that's what some people want). The right wing consertatives scare the hell out me with the fire and brimstone BS and I'd rather be a hippy touting peace love & rock&roll...

Wow! I should read all of this before I post... it's more serious then I thought.

I didn't visit this board prior to surgery and also spend $17,000 of my very own money... I wish I would have researched other surgeries. I was under the impression that I wasn't heavy enough for the others. I don't like the day to day life with the band. It's tricky, some days complicated, and annoying. I like reading here but wished I was better informed prior to the surgery. I'm not saying it's bad, it's just not the choice I would have made had I known... I'm happy I've lost but not happy with the daily struggle not to just eat mushies or worry about the acid, or the constant hic-ups.. I guess i am saying it's kind of bad, but that's just my opinion.

Uggg! This refulx issue seems to be a commen thread. I've never had reflux in my life until my 2nd fill and now I can't tolerate much fill.... it's like once the reflux starts then the "sweet spot" is hard to achive. I was at the sweet spot for awhile and loved it. It was like heavan to eat what I wanted at very limited quantities and was totally satisfied. Now every day is a mystery with some days too loose and hungry or to too tight with reflux the entire day and night.

Ohhhh I get it now! I haven't tried the membrane of an orange since banding but I can see that it would be hard to chew... I still eat grapes even when really tight, I think the juicyness made them go down ok... I PB mainly on meat and if I try to eat bread.

Some additional rules I try to stick by... Limit and/or avoid mushy, high calorie, liquid type food like Ice Cream, chocolate, shakes, etc. Avoid Bread because it's wasted calories and hurts like hell! Avoid chips & doritos since they go down too easily. Avoid carbonation (this rule seems flexible to different doctors) though it hurts me so I avoid completely. Eat high quality Proteins first, then veggies. Limit simple carbs.

Yeah... and to quote from that attached book... here are the ten rules 10 important rules Here are ten rules for eating, drinking, and exercise that will help you get the best results you can with the LAP-BAND System. How willing you are to follow a new way of eating is key to making the operation a success. 1. Eat only three small meals a day. 2. Eat slowly and chew thoroughly (approximately 15 to 20 times a bite). 3. Stop eating as soon as you feel full. 4. Do not drink while you are eating. 5. Do not eat between meals. 6. Eat only good quality foods. 7. Avoid fibrous food. 8. Drink enough fluids during the day. 9. Drink only low-calorie liquids. 10. Exercise at least 30 minutes a day.

Says who? I've never seen that rule, plus grape are healthy for you, have natural Fiber, don't get stuck and taste good... (I can understand the skin issue on oranges and grapefruits but didn't realize anyone ever ate those... uck!)

Here's a copy and paste from La_madam's link... 10 important rules Here are ten rules for eating, drinking, and exercise that will help you get the best results you can with the LAP-BAND System. How willing you are to follow a new way of eating is key to making the operation a success. 1. Eat only three small meals a day. 2. Eat slowly and chew thoroughly (approximately 15 to 20 times a bite). 3. Stop eating as soon as you feel full. 4. Do not drink while you are eating. 5. Do not eat between meals. 6. Eat only good quality foods. 7. Avoid fibrous food. 8. Drink enough fluids during the day. 9. Drink only low-calorie liquids. 10. Exercise at least 30 minutes a day.

Urrgggg!! I just hate that for you. I'm having issues with my doctor and his staff today also. I've had a kidney infection for about 5 days and it's not getting better (in fact worse) so I called the doctor and waited all day for a return call... when I finally called again they said "We are busy today and we'll call you back when we have time to give him the message" I said - well I'm in pretty extreme pain an thought I should be getting better 4 days on the antibotics.... She finally called back and said she needed my pharmacy phone #, I asked what he was calling in for me and she said "I dunnnno".... I was pissed. I said is it a different antibotic or a pain killer.... she replied "I dunnnno"... I called the pharmacy and it was a NSAID (which I'm not even supposed to take) Uggg!! I wanted to know how long before the anitbotics should work - it was a simple question. I feel your pain, it's annoying.

TheBestMe - I've seen you're post on Aloe Vera juice and know somewhere you posted that users have been Private Messaging you about it.... I thought maybe you could post some information here about it... like how much you take per day and what brand you like? I bought some from GNC and it's Wild berry.. it doesn't taste too bad at all. I'm taking about a tablespoon per day but wasn't sure that was enough. The bottle says a serving is 8 oz... Thanks in advance for the info...

I think it's quite funny that everyone acts like they don't like the fighting. Moderators ban people for it and chastise people for starting new threads about it but.... There are like one or two peple on all of the other boards but the "Rants and Raves" board has like 30 viewers... What does that tell you?