*susan*

Congratulations on becoming an official bandster. It sounds like everything went great and you are well on your road to recovery.

Hi, this is not a weird question at all! In fact, if you do a search, you will find it has actually been discussed quite a bit here at LBT. I recently flew for the first time from Florida to Vegas and back. It did not affect my band at all. However, many people have stated that it does seem to make them tighter, particularly when they are on the longer international flights.

My surgeon recommended no drinking for 30 minutes before or after a meal. I follow that, no exception. I want my band to work for me, therefore, I will not work against it.

Pix, my stepson was in the airforce for 4 years. Then a year ago June he made the move to the army. He, his wife and 18 month old son were sent over to Germany in November. He left on his first deployment for Iraq about 4 weeks ago. He will be there for 15 months. It just kills me thinking about the things he is going to miss out on with his little boy while he is gone. My daughter-in-law is having a tough time adjusting as well. I feel for you. I too get tired of being bombarded when I try to buy a loaf of bread or some milk or something. And, lets face it, how many of us know neighbors or coworkers whose kids are in girl scouts. Probably a bunch of us. I always buy from them. During this last round of girl scouts hanging out in front of Publix, I was leaving and a girl asked me politely if I would like to buy some cookies. I told her no thank you, I had bought plenty from a lady I work with already. The mother then made a snide comment to me and wanted to know what was wrong with me that I wasn't willing to make a "charitable donation" to a worthy cause. Wrong person to say that to. First off, I had already said I did buy cookies from people I work with. Secondly, I work in the development office for a non-profit. So, I proceeded to tell her that if I am making a charitable donation, where is my acknowledgement letter so I can write it off on my taxes. I told her I would buy more cookies if she would provide me with a receipt indicating the fair market value of the cookies versus what my "donation" for the cookies is so I can determine if what I pay is greater than the fair market value, therefore making it possible for me to claim it as a charitable donation on my taxes. She got very annoyed with me then and left me alone. Yes, I probably had severe PMS at that time as well, I admit it.

Marisa, Please, please tell me how you are entering something you eat on a regular basis? I eat the same thing every morning and it would be really helpful. Thanks.

Hi and welcome to LBT! Only a couple of more weeks until you are an official bandster, YEA!! Don't be scared by the complications threads. Remember, people who have problems come here for support. The majority, who are not having problems tend to fade away from the boards after a while and are out living their lives and enjoying their new health. Here is the thread for how to add a ticker to your signature: http://www.lapbandtalk.com/f5/ticker-tutorial-pictures-41782/ Keep us posted on how things are going. We are excited to get to know you better.

Hi all, I am going to move this thread to the local forums under Virginia. It has turned into more of a discussion thread than an introduction thread. Thank you.

I started using Daily Plate about a week ago. I really enjoy it. It has really enlightened me about the nutritional value of what I am putting in my mouth. It suggest almost 1700 calories a day for me. So far, I have not been able to eat that much. I average between 1500-1400 a day.

Kathy, that is wonderful news! I am so excited for you. Let us know when you get a date.

My ex-husband worked at a car dealership across the street from a Wal-Mart. There was always a "homeless" man standing in front of the Super Wal-Mart. He always had up a sign that said something to the effect of "homeless vet, hungry, will work for food." As we were leaving there one Saturday, I started to give the man some canned goods and my husband made me stop. He then pulled over and showed me the ditch behind where the man always stands. It was full of food and other items people had given him in an effort to help him. Apparently, he was actually making a pretty good living standing there and only kept the money people gave him and trashed the food. Based on that, and another story I heard about a group of local people that claimed to be part of the Shriner's collecting money at Christmas, and it turned out they were pocketing the money, I no longer ever give to anyone standing outside of a storefront. I only give to charities I know are legitimate, via mail.

I have never heard of anyone doing that. Usually the reason for having it removed is because of very specific problems. I can't imagine wanting to have it removed if there are no problems and it is doing what it is supposed to be doing. Interesting question, though.

Hi Beepers, we are glad you found us! Banded in 2003, we would love to hear some of your personal experiences as you are a long-term bandster. We look forward to getting to know you better.

My surgeon recommended that I take a multivitamin. Even if not banded, I believe that is a good idea. I know many people on here take Flintstone's chewables. I take the viactive chewable vitamins.

I am so sorry you have gone through all this. Do you know what your current level of fill is? I am assuming from your post, that you may be in need of a fill. As Sue said, the first thing you need to do is find a new fill doctor. See if they can obtain a copy of your medical records from your previous surgeon so they can understand your fill history. Tell them your history, the problems you have had and your concerns. Ask them to do your next fill under flouro to make sure everything is ok with your band. You may also need to speak with a nutritionist to help get you back on track with proper eating habits. Most doctors have nutritionists affiliated with them that they can refer you to. You might also want to join a site such as Calorie Counter, Diet Tracking, food Journal, Nutrition Facts at The Daily Plate or FitDay - Free Weight Loss and Diet Journal and start tracking exactly what you are eating. This is a good way to really shed some light on what you are eating. You also sound like you are in need of a good support system. Coming to LBT is a wonderful start. It always helps to talk to fellow bandsters who have a better understanding of what you are going through. It may also be helpful to join a local support group if there are any in your area. Please keep us posted on how things are going. We are all here to support one another and we want to see each and everyone of us succeed.

Hi, I was overfilled last year and due to my own personal financial issues at the time, I let it go on for way too long. I found myself pb'ing so much that it did result in my band slipping. My surgeon took all the fill out for two months. This was to allow my band to return to its proper position, and give my esophagus (which was severly irritated) time to heal. After two months, we started the fill process again. As we learned that only a very small amount can make a huge difference for me, we agreed to be very conservative with my fills and go slow. It took another 3 months for me to reach proper restriction again, but it was worth it to not risk being overfilled.

Actually, I have never heard of any of them. Are they something you buy in stores, or are they actually delivered to you?

So, if she doesn't have the band, what makes her an authority on whether or not sleeping on your stomach when banded hurts?? At any rate, I frequently sleep on my stomach and it does not bother my port at all.

I love the one of you sitting on the rock by the lake, beautiful!

Awesome, will go check it out.

Congrats on getting your band!! Glad to hear you are doing so well.

Are you referring to the video? If so, it is in our FAQ forum. Here is the link: http://www.lapbandtalk.com/f228/two-live-lap-band-surgery-videos-58171/

Poopy cat?? Ok, I gotta ask, how did you come up with that name?

8 WEEKS?? Oh hell no!!! I am with Steph, someone would have been severely injured. My doc said when we felt up to it as well. I believe we waited about 10 days. Then we were just careful to not have dh put any pressure on my tummy or port.

I had not been doing well for a while. I finally broke down, joined a gym and started tracking everything I put in my mouth in the past two weeks. It seems to have worked, because I lost 2.5 pounds this week.