grannytwinkie

One of the requirements from my surgery group was to quit smoking. They would test for nicotine and if present they would cancel the surgery. I am happy to report that I have been smoke free for a year now. I had my lapband surgery in October 2008. I have not once looked back. I don't miss the wheezing, out of breath feeling. I don't miss the stink that comes with being a smoker. I especially don't miss having to go outside in the winter to smoke! (can't smoke in public places in Iowa). I don't miss having to carry my inhaler around everywhere "just in case". My mother died 3 years ago from complications of COPD. She litterally suffocated to death and I watched her slowly die that way. Horrible, horrible way to die. So this was my incentive to quit as well as getting the band. My mom is routing for me in heaven I know she is, she always told me to quit so I wouldn't end up like her and I finally took her advice! THANKS MOM

I actually asked my doctor during a fill about this issue and he said to get the 12 hour sudafed or generic equivalent. (Not the other over the counter stuff as it doesn't work). I actually have a cold now and have been taking it for drainage and it has helped a lot.

Two reasons: 1) My type II diabetes was way out of control, I was taking oral meds twice daily and injections twice daily and my blood sugar was still around 300. Which of course caused yeast infections which were quite frequent, twice a month to be exact. My sleep apnea was getting worse, sleeping only a couple hours at a time. 2) when I started to notice that I could feel my belly in my lap and had to re-position it to be comfortable - OH HELL NO I thought. So I called and booked a seminar. I had to wait 4 months cause we were changing insurace companies and didn't want to start and then have insurance problems. It took me a year to finally get the surgery done after I made the decision. Best thing I have ever done for myself. No more diabetes medicines and tummy has shrunk a litte, not enough yet!

I think everyone has second thoughts the closer they get to surgery. As far as wanting and eating everything in sight, that is the Last Supper Syndrome, thinking you will never have it again. The choice is obviously up to you, but I can assure you that you can do it. I am proof of that. You can still have some things, only in moderation. I still indulge occassionally, but mostly make the right choices. You just need to ask yourself: How much do you want to take back your health? You will then find your answer. No matter what you choose, good luck to you.

I had my first 2 fills under flouroscopy, and had a choice to have it done in the office or at x-ray. I chose x-ray. I want them to see where they are going and I want them to watch the fluid go down the stoma so I don't risk being over-filled.

I was wondering if anyone has RA and how they are takin the RA meds. Specifically Plaquinil (hydroxicloriquin), I am leery of getting another fill due to the fact that I have to take Plaquinil twice daily and it is a rather large pill. I am wondering if you can split it, or if it has to be taken whole. If I can split it I would get another fill. Thanks for any responses.

I was banded Oct. 7th 2008. As part of the agreement that patients sign with the bariatric surgery group we agree to quit smoking. They can and will test you for nicotine and if they find it they will cancel surgery or fills. I quit February 2008 using Chantix for about 2 weeks and have never looked back. I smoked heavily for 25+ years, so if I can do it, anyone can. Maybe this will be an incentive for those of you struggling: I watched my beautiful mother suffer from COPD and Emphezema for 20 years until she slowly suffocated to death. I was still smoking when she died almost 3 years ago. Then when I decided to get the lap band and it was a requirement, it was like a sign from my Mom. I was beginning to sound like her, with the coughing, breathlessness and choking on my food. So I had a double reason to quit. I feel so much better, believe me you won't believe how much better it is to breathe, and you will smell so much better!!

I have type II diabetes and was banded on Oct. 7th. I was able to go off of all of my diabetes medicines about 1/2 week into the pre-op liquid diet and am now a little over two weeks post-op and my blood sugars are rising. 145 this morning and 215 about 2 hours after breakfast. I think I am going to have to go back on some medicines, but hate to do it cause they promote weight gain. I was hoping that I could stay off of the meds altogether, I see my physician next Tuesday 10/28 and am afraid she will put me back on all of them again! Anyone else have the same problem?

I made it to Onederland! I stepped on the scale this morning and it read 199.2! OMG I haven't been under 200 in years and years. I have had a lot of health problems lately that have really brought me down, but at least for today I can Celebrate something!! Yay me!!!!!!:cursing:

I am going to go vegetarian due to my Rheumatoid Arthritis. From what I have read it seems to help with the inflammation and if I can solve it with diet rather than the awful drugs I want to try. I am concerned with getting enough protien that we need as lap bandsters. I am also concerned that I wont be able to get the leafy veggies to pass through the band. I have currently stopped getting any fills as I am on so many medicines right now that I cannot take the chance that they won't pass through the band and sit in my upper pouch. This can cause erosion and bleeding ulcers, not what a bandster needs. I am hoping that this helps to put my RA in remission and who knows maybe I'll lose weight faster!

I am currently on Prednisone 15mg per day, Plaquinil 400mg per day, folic acid, nexium, and will start Methotrexate injections on Sunday. I am really leery of the Methotexate as the side effects are quite nasty, hair loss, stomach bleeding, almost total supression of your immune system so a common cold or flu can turn dangerous. Log term use of the Plaquinil can effect your eyesight as well. Prednisone has been a lifesaver lately, but it promotes weight gain and robs your body of potassium and other vital nutrients. I will start the meds as my Rheumatologist wants me to, but I am hoping if I go vegetarian and get the inflammation under control that I can slowly wean off of the meds and control it through diet. This is the worst sort of pain I have ever had in my life, it is constant and debilatating at times. So I will try anything. I hate being sidetracked from my lapband journey like this, I had come so far and was doing so well b4 this hit. I was walking everyday, now I can barely walk 10 feet at a time.

Having to go buy a pair of pants to wear bowling cause the pair I brought with me were way to big and kept falling off! And getting the new pants out of the "normal" section instead of the plus size section (eventhough they still have the XL on them at least they don't have the "W" before or after the size :cursing:).

I drink caffinated and de-caffinated coffee all day every day. Plus hot tea both caffinated and de-caffinated. Not had a problem.

With a BMI of 42 you should qualify, I would check with your insurance company. I don't know why your age should matter either, I was 46 when I had mine done last October. I think my insurance required a BMI of 40 or a BMI of 35 with co-morbities, which I had. The seminar will help, but there is nothing wrong with calling your insurance direct and see what their requirements are for WLS coverage.

Trust me you DO NOT want to PB or slime! It is not fun at all, and something that you especially don't want to do everytime you eat. I know that I am full when it feels like food is in my throat. I am on the brink of too full. When I feel almost like I have heartburn I have to stop NOW! or it will get stuck and I'll be pbing and sliming and possibly throwing up. If the hiccups start it is definately too late. You will know the difference eventually. Eventhough you chew your food so that it will go through the stoma to the bottom of the stomach, it takes a while to do that. It isn't liquid so it will slowly pass through, that's how you keep the full feeling longer with the band. The trouble starts when food isn't chewed enough and it blocks the stoma, preventing anything, even liquid, from going through. That's when you pb, slime and throw up. You will get the hang of it. I was banded on Oct. 7th, had 2 fills, for a total of 4cc's. I have been diagnosed with Rheumatoid Arthritis, which tightens my band on especially bad days so I have to be very careful with my food. I take a bite, chew, then wait a while to see if it will sit ok or not.

Have you tried to do the 5 day pouch test to kick start the weight loss again. Or you can try the no white carb diet. This seems to work for me when I hit a plateau. I am not as close to goal as you though.

I cannot eat english muffins whether they are toasted or not. It doesn't matter if they are whole wheat or original. Kinda bothers me cause I like them, but don't want the whole stuck thing anymore!:thumbup:

I limited myself to 1 cup of caffinated coffee during my 2 week preop diet and for 6 weeks after surgery. Now I drink about the equivalent to 4 cups of caffinated coffee a day. Haven't had a problem so far.

I can't stand the smell or taste of anything fried now. I tried french fries (baked and otherwise) and cant stand them. I tried a bite of fried chicken and it didnt taste right. This is a good thing since I used to love all things fried. Now I bake or broil or cook in my turbo cooker. I love the rotisserie chicken from Hy Vee and Walmart, it is so moist and tender. I am not a big fish eater so all I eat is chicken and the occassional beef dish.

I have just been diagnosed with Rheumatoid Arthritis and my treatment options are NSAIDS for the inflamation. I know that we are not supposed to use NSAIDS with the lap band, but I am in so much pain that I have to do something. I am getting very depressed as I was finally getting my life under control. I had the band surgery, have lost about 40 pounds and am off of all of my diabetic medicines and now I have this new health issue hitting me like a wrecking ball! Does anyone else out there have RA and if so how are you treating it and still following the band rules? Been crying either from the pain or depression for about a week now, need some help!

I can't get into a rhuemetologist until after the first of the year so I went to my GP clinic today to try to get something in the way of pain relief. NOT A DARN THING!! I was told to keep taking the Reflan that hasn't done a thing to alieviate the pain at all. I am so frustrated! I layed there and cried for about 2 hours last night before I finally fell asleep, which lasted about 2 hours, so I am trying to work on 2 hours of sleep and can barely move. So not looking forward to a future like this, it's just not worth it.

Surgeons office called and they weren't thrilled with me taking the NSAIDS, but said that since I am on Nexium for Barretts disease that I can take them, but to let them know if I get any burning like an ulcer. Well I am going to make sure that I take them with food or milk as well as taking the Nexium. Hopefully I can get back to a more active lifestyle. I bowl twice a week and have not been able to cause my hands and shoulders don't work very well lately. I know what you mean about a glimpse into the future aspect, I mean if this is what I have to look forward to and worse, I am not liking it one bit!

Thanks for the reply. I have a call into my surgeons office now about the NSAIDS. Hopefully I can get the pain under control and be able to at least get some sleep which will go a long way to help with the depression aspect. I am really bummed out because I wasn't able to pick up my 2 year old grandson when he visited me today because of the pain in my hands and shoulders. Made me feel really old and useless.

When my diabetes got out of control and none of my clothes fit me comfortably anymore and I couldn't stand to look in the mirror anymore I had a good cry then picked myself up and called to get into a seminar. That was January 2008 (almost a year now, wow!). I had my surgery on October 7th and am 35 pounds down from my highest pre-surgery weight (two weeks prior to surgery). I am figuring my losses from the highest weight when I started this journey as I have had to work hard for each and every pound lost and am celebrating each and every victory. I had my second fill today and I am in a much better place today than a I was a year ago. I am no longer on diabetes medicines and I have quit smoking so I am so much healthier than I was then. I just wish I would have done this sooner!

You have to be so tired of being fat that you are willing to do anything, commit to anything to be healthy again. That is what most bandsters do. We have made the decision to commit to this program. It is NOT EASY, it is NOT FUN, but it is so WORTH the effort. I was banded on Oct. 7th and have lost 35 pounds, this is counting pre-surgery weight loss. I figure any weight loss is my victory, whether before or after surgery. So if you can commit yourself to this here is a tip: Cut out all white flour items from your diet. Eat only whole grain or whole wheat items. One really good item is Tostitos Whole Grain chips and salsa. Good snack that is healthy for you. Cut out white potatoes from your diet as well. These are "bad" carbs that your body doesn't need. Eat high Protein, low fat and low carb meals. This will kick start your weight loss and get you on track.