Kat817

The day I got home, My DH had made me some broth---I took a sip, and I have no idea what he did, but it was so flippin' salty, I must have inadvertently inhaled, and caused myself to choke---I coughed, and choked and gagged, all while trying to continue to breath as well as ----trying to hold a mug of hot broth, and my belly in several spots......NOT easy. Also highly NOT recommended..........yeah this is one of those proceed with caution times!! Kat

This is really piddly in the overall issue-------but if you are trying to bring your BMI up---so that you can have the surgery, since you have no comorbidities showing up yet----then you do not want to be taller! Being shorter would make your BMI higher. My suggestion would be to call and speak to someone at your insurance company, and find out who all is in network to do this, and make some phone calls. Unfortunately most anyplace you go to in the US at this point, by the time you manage all your assorted pre op appointments, will be scheduling you into the summer I am afraid. As has been pointed out, aftercare is crucial, and having a surgeon as well as an entire medical group you can work with is very important. It sounds like the place you went is huge.....maybe look into a smaller practice, where you have a name not just a patient chart #. Good Luck----and don't stretch!!! Kat

I am SOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO happy for you Jenn!!!! Even I breathed a sigh of relief when I read it!! Good for you Girl!! Kat PS--Pamela does Manual have a sister....named Alyssa? I swear 20+ years of my daycare, no one hit my nerve like that child could!!! And yet I felt so sorry for her sometimes, and felt like she needed me more than the others----but I was also afraid I was going to have to beat that into her!!! LOL.....don't miss it!

I am amazed at how intent some of you are on justifying your decision to have a piece of plastic jammed in your body, in an effort to get "Healthy".<?xml:namespace prefix = o ns = "urn:schemas-microsoft-com:office:office" /><o:p></o:p> <o:p></o:p> You are SO invested in this that you will debate and argue every single point until you are blue in the face. EVEN WITHOUT HAVING HEARD THE ENTIRE STORY. Sorry, but this makes me snicker----YOU ARE one of us!!! It wasn't that you were/are so much smarter than the rest of us who insisted on having a piece of plastic jammed in our body! YOU DID IT TOO!!!! If having the band makes me a dumb ass then you are right there next to me! I researched long and hard before making my decision. I knew going into it, same as I recognize now that problems may arise. I also know I am better able at this point in my banding to face an oncoming problem, than I was at almost 300 pounds. To say it will not happen is ridiculous--we never know. But please do not belittle me for making the decision I made, nor mock me for defending my decision, when for 30+ posts we have listened to you defend statements you yourself made! And sidestep answering legitimate questions. So now you have found a better way, well I am thrilled for you! I know others who have lost weight without banding, I know RnY'ers who are thrilled....whatever works for you! Yes we have argued and debated without ever hearing the entire story------because you prefer to bit and piece it. Not something we can control! I will tell you that I discovered within a WEEK of having the band installed that it is VERY easy to bypass the effects of the constriction. You can't chug down a piece of steak easily, but you CAN shove down a few chocolate shakes, mashed potatoes, ice cream, and all sorts of other things pretty darn easily, even AFTER your maximum fills. For those that have had problems controlling your eating, the LB is no guarantee. There are ways to bypass it if you want to. This is back from page one. When we called you on not following post op, you then said you followed it to the letter. I invite you to re-read what you wrote, and ask you not to blame us for taking it to mean that you discovered this by doing it. I read and researched the band thoroughly as I said prior to having the surgery and I knew going into it, that it was something you could eat around, every newbie here likely knows that----so either you ate too soon, or you waited til after the surgery to learn anything about the band. I'll post the whole story later, perhaps even some of the photos of the CTscans and Xrays when I get them from the Hospital. My whole surgery will be taped and documented as the basis for lawsuit, and probably some appearances on talk shows. There are some TV Talk Show Hosts (National) that are very opposed to the concept of WLS, and are VERY interested in featuring my story. I do not like debating every point you make, but your points are all over the place, first you have lawsuits pending, then the attorney is out of the country, then you have 2..... The Talk show circuit is courting you not the other way around....but even though here you say you will likely make appearances, later you decline wanting to do that, find it embarassing. Way too much crap. Do I believe something happen to you? Sure if you say it did. Do I think you are elaborating on it, yes I do--I also KNOW you do not care that I think that, and that is fine by me. I continue to point these things out for the same exact reason you claim to be here. These people considering lap banding, yes they need to know things can happen, and I ALWAYS encourage them to seriously research the procedure, as well as the Dr. and facility. But they deserve honesty, if you are going to come in here and try to scare the shit out of them, then be a man and be forthcoming with information. Quit caring if we believe you or like you--------if you have information to share, then just share it and get on with helping yourself, or at the very least helping the people you claim to want to be here to help----yep your target audience! Like I say -------- more often than not with LBT you get what you give, and you are giving a run around, so you are getting one------YOU and only YOU can change that. Kat

I think I remember him saying he was 300 pounds overweight....which being a man, would put him somewhere near 500 pounds, on an average. Surgery could have been very risky at that weight. Y'all found the perfect solution though----he can make his talk show debut on Dr. Phil, and they can be pompous asses together---and side step everything each other says! Maybe even co author a book! Maybe OJ would give them tips on how to write a book without admitting they have anything to write a book about......... Kat

Sliming-----is what the body does to try to help us pass something that it perceives is stuck. Usually you get the stuck feeling from either eating too much, or eating a bite that is too big. The body thinks it is stuck, and just naturally tries to help. You begin producing huge amounts of what we call slime--it is an extremely thick, sticky saliva. There is no bad taste---it just seems to pour out of your mouth, and glands at the back of the mouth. The purpose is to slick things up to help them pass. The problem is, if you are already full, or something is seriously stuck, there is nowhere for all this saliva/slime to go. The best case scenario is to spit it out, in a cup or something you can toss---but often if you try to swallow it, there is simply too much, and it causes a PB. This is NOT and band issue. Non banded people who choke on something, their bodies do the same thing! My DH choked on a piece of chicken, actually got it stuck in his esophagus. It swallowed past the trachea and he could breath, but nothing was coming up or going down, and he slimed like crazy!! The ER Dr. said it was normal! I thought it was a band thing----but it isn't! Anyway, sometimes as you spit it up it appears foamy----other times you can blow massive bubbles with it as you try to spit it out, it is not fun. It is also not a huge ordeal! It is another of those lessons you learn----it reminds you to chew well, and stop before making yourself too full. That is sliming.......it usually happens to us all eventually. But you learn! Kat

Morning girls~~ Lazy day here. Kinsey is snoozing, thought about joining her---but had just taken my anitbiotics, and was not thinking I wanted to lay down, my stomach felt kinda rumbly-----so I finished my book.... We were supposed to meet Rick for lunch, but he stood us up! He is going to Colorado to a tech school, going to go try to recruit some help! It isn't just his company---my son called and he is ready to quit his job---they are so short handed, they have no choice but to work when they are on the call out list. Normally they have a set schedule, and then they rotate what position they are on the call out list. So the first weekend he would be first out, second weekend 2nd....and on down, through week 6 because there are supposed to be 6 hands--but they only have 4...so they are having to cover it--and he gets no days off! They sat and figured it, and the company says right now he will get 4 days off after over 40 on....he said forget that! He has a pretty severe hernia that needs repaired. The Dr. told him sooner rather than later, the concern is it will twist. They told him at work they could not do without him, he couldn't have time off. Rick told him, they have no say in the matter if it is a medical necessity. But it is like that everywhere, no one can get enough help! They pay pretty well for the area, and are up with the competitions pay---but the competition is hiring too! Yesterday Rick worked the local job fair, he said it was basically already employeed people looking to see if they could make more $$$---but no good prospects.....I guess it is always that way-----feast or famine. Your spur of the moment trip sounds fun Pamela!! Our every move this summer is hinging on what and when I find out tomorrow!! We keep putting off planning anything, til we get a time line.... I smashed my finger last night, and every now and then typing I hit it--it hurts!!! We got our beef back from the processer. I was moving frozen packages of meat, and smashed my ring finger on my right hand between 2 packages. I think it only hurt so bad, because it was half frozen itself!! We ended up with over 575 lbs out of the steer.......not my favorite, I prefer to buy my meat at Safeway. I hate to eat what I meet........but I pass a HUGE bulk of it on to the kids. I'd say 8 out of 10 pounds.....and the other 2 we use for family BBQ's!! I know Rick thinks I am nuts, but he doesnot say anything!! Hoping you hear good things today Jenn. Enjoy your coffee dates, hope the cramps ease Michelle. Will check back in later..... Kat

I'm in New Mexico, and if Flat Stanley wants to come visit me and my grandchildren----we will find something for him to do while he is here..... Kat

Grab your tape measure....whenever my scale would quit moving, the inches dropped off. I have no idea how or why--but they did, and I took it!!! LOL!!! Kat

Rep power is some off the wall thing they tried using before, and people were doing the old high school thing of sending people to say bad things....it was/is stupid in my opinion. The people who left negative comments on mine, I never even spoke with!!! Now you can only leave positive----so unsure what the purpose is----it is still a popularity thing. It would be like me asking all of you to go give me rep points so my number would go up-----but why? What does it do?????? I hate that Denise doesn't post anymore. I have been wondering how her house is going, and if they found out what the other DD was having yet. If she responds to you on her MySpace, tell her we miss her. We grilled burgers, mine is not setting well. Burping the BBQ----yuck! Good for you Pamela---working on your dissertation---I am proud of you! I pretty much sat here all day with my feet up----keeps me from feeling so crampy.....I wanna be better!!! LOL Well girls, I am gonna go get me something to drink so I can push dinner through (!) and go to bed. Talk to ya in the mornin' Hugs~~ Kat

Yep....you can mix with milk----but not usually in the first post op phase. It is for Clear liquids only. You can use it with milk, yogurt etc, for Protein shakes during the second phase---full liquids. For the first stage of clear liquids I used the Zero Carb Ispopure drinks--they have a koolaid like drink that is high in protein. Not the yummiest---but man they helped me feel so much better!! Good plan to pretaste and plan for your post op diet!!! Good Luck!

Lol--------aaaahhhh green-----have I told you lately how much I love your posts???? He beat the hell out of R & R today!!! Kat

I agree shortgal, it is worrisome to read of complications, but it is something we all need to stay on top of. Just today I got an email regarding ovarian cancer---and citing the statistics of women getting the equivalent of ovarian cancer, even when they no longer have ovaries!!!! That means me! I researched the info in the article, and learned new things from it. I have no doubt that as long as this band or any other is in my body it will be a learning experience. And if the OP wants us to learn from his experience---then share the info. It just did not come off that way at all. But he has said point blank it is not us he is addressing. It is those considering the band. Unfortunately for him though, many of those readers are not as demanding of answers.....as we have been today. I can honestly say I did not say anything to him today that I would not have said to someones face, whether it be friend or foe. I don't think anyone did, and if he is getting the drift that many are finding his story a bit difficult to swallow---he is the only one who can clear things up.....He put himself in this position. He can fix it....and I for one will be glad to give him the chance to do so, and to learn from his experiences. It might not be things I want to hear---or even like to hear. I also did not want to think after a full hysterectomy I could get the equivalent of ovarian cancer either....but it seems to be so! Kat

Hmmmmm did the caffeine in the coffee perk up the girls??? I might have to invest in Folgers if so!! Kat

By far and large the people on this forum are not mean. When one of us .... meaning bandsters in general....have a problem, we support that person. There are exceptions.....people who come here, and begin spouting rudeness are not tolerated. You did not do that. You were met with understanding and support, and even said you were somewhat surprised by the early responses. Then you began talking like you had secret answers, that you knew something the rest of us didn't. Claiming to want to open pre-bandsters eyes to the possible problems. Most people researching the band, that come far enough to find our site, have a pretty good understanding of what can and might go wrong. Most reputable Dr.'s will also inform us of that. Yes some posters have accused you of spouting BS---but that is the worst of what has been said to you. There have been hints of you being a snake oil salesman. But all in all, no one has been horrid to you. You say you have no time, yet you come back and give snippet answers, but really no answers to direct questions. This is your perogative, but if you want to be found believable, you are going to have to answer the hard questions! Lawyers are involved, and you don't have ready copies of that picture? Uh uh! I know my attorney would have multiples locked away!!! And the surgery would be being done, and when the settlement come in, he would take his share then.... If this is the case, it truly sounds to me as though you need a reputable attorney and an experienced Dr. to take over your case, regardless how many fingers are already in the pie. Overall with this site, you are going to get what you give. You give support, you will get it. You give attitude, you will get it. You give us half assed answers---you are going to get half assed belief, and you are.....YOU are the one who can change that. Kat

That is one of the things I like about the thread---it is not in anger---it is in a "prove it" type of attitude. People are being decent yet calling him on his claim.......Lots of class being shown thus far....when that ceases, I will quit following it, I refuse to give people like that the satisfaction, when that is all they want!!! Kat

To me this makes no sense....if the tubing perforated into the colon----then it only makes sense to me that other things could leak out as well. Is that not an infection waiting to happen? Especially if they disturb it further with 'another' colonoscopy..... I mean there are tests that are non invasive to look into this----how many of those have they used for diagnosing your issues? Were you not covered with insurance when you had your original banding? Kat

We were all in your shoes at one point or another!! First step is to find out if insurance will cover you, and if so, who they cover as far as surgeons. Then take some time, research them, attend the seminars offered. Most will discuss multiple WLS options. Some Dr.'s do have a BMI cutoff--you do not mention how much weight you want to lose, or what your BMI is, so I have no idea if you might fall into that category or not. I have read of bandsters with BMI's of 60 before. How will it be different from any other diet? Oh the differences are HUGE!! It is a TOOL---as I am sure you have heard! I will compare the differences like this----If I sent you to the backyard to dig a hole---you could do it....you might scuff the earth with your foot, then begin scraping away the dirt by the handfulls....slowing when you hit a rock, or hard earth----you could do it---but it would be a difficult and at times impossible seeming job. Now, if I gave you a TOOL---say a shovel, or a pick. There might still be rocks, and hard earth, but digging the hole would be possible! It would give you power to wield the shovel! The hole is your weightloss, the band your shovel. It makes a hard job easier. If you simply lay the shovel down, it is not going to do anything....if you don't work with your band it will do nothing much. BUT----working together, amazing things can be accomplished!!!!!! My band has given me control back! I personally opt not to have seriously tight restriction. I work my band more on a hunger control level. I used to walk in the house and be ravenous! I grabbed a bag of chips or Cookies, and started shoveling them in! I went for quantity over quality! I ate huge amounts of food! When I went out I ordered with that in mind--what would be enough?! Since my band, I have had 2 fills, and have a nice level of restriction that allows me to eat all foods, but in much, much smaller quantities. I no longer experience much hunger, if any. When I eat, I do it with thought behind it. I know I have a much smaller pouch to fill---and I must fit proper nutrition in, in the smaller place. So with that in mind, and since I am not starving half to death, I can throw a small salad together, or make a meat/cheese roll up....make a wise choice of what to eat, instead of just grabbing something to fill the hollow stomach! When you are banded you chew your food thoroughly....and it allows you to develop a new understanding of food.. Highly processed foods, do not break down pretty when you chew them that much!!! I took a bite of my granddaughters Little Debbie snack--yuck---I began chewing and it felt like a mouth full of lard!!! You learn to appreciate fresh, quality foods....which in turn are better for you! As you begin dropping the weight, you find yourself able to do things you have not done in a long time, and enjoying them. I probably did not exercise in any manner the first 50 pounds or so, then I found myself enjoying the walks we took, and looking for ways to increase my improving health!! I went into banding on several prescription medications for high blood pressure, high blood sugar, joint pain, high cholesterol----now my blood work, and my blood pressure are all in a normal range, I no longer take a single prescription medication!!! DFLIPPO---do some research---this might be your pistol to protect you from that snake!! Kat

Now that is a hiccup cure I have never heard of before!!! I agree, call your Dr. Sounds like you have some serious swelling going on--hiccups are often a stop signal---so you might be swelling and making your body think you are full. Dehydration can be extremely dangerous, so get in touch with your Dr.....before it becomes a problem. Let us know what the Dr. says----and I hope you feel better soon!! Kat

His surgeon may or may not have been at fault, but he mentioned, though he glossed over it, that he was having multiple shakes, and mashed potatoes and all kinds of shoving food in at a WEEK out!!! HIS fault, not necessarily the surgeons. Plus the quote Fairy Laura pulled up---he says over 600 repairs or some such crap, but later when questioned about if they are so bad why is the Dr. still doing them---then the poster didn't know for sure he was. He knows everything the Dr. does---when it is convenient for his story!!! I did my best to voice my disbelief while not being a bitch, and making the battle between the 2 of us. I agree with the later poster who said she is waiting to get the sales pitch.....that he was gonna tell us all about later---how to do this without the band... Buy it from me, I am so good, I only had to almost die to learn!!! Sorry, now I Am being a bitch!!! I'll quit!!! Kat

Thanks mods for the appropriate move!!! Kat

I think the thread you read, is a poster searching for something----not sure what to call it besides attention. My take on it is--he has been over 300 pounds overweight for so long, he is used to negative attention. He was banded, he DID NOT follow a post op diet--mistake #1. He did not apparently return to the Dr. at the first sign of trouble or it would not have burrowed into any part of him--mistake #2. This list could go on------but there is really no sense in it. YOU have some control. You chose a Dr-------then it sounds like you changed to one more in tune with you! GREAT!! Now when you have your surgery--it IS going to be hard sometimes to stick to that post op diet--but it is there for a reason---one of them being to reduce complications!!! Follow your surgeons directions explicitly! Complications such as the poster over on the other thread mentioned are so few and far between as to not even have statistics on them! The problem is, when he sues--and makes his infamous talk show tours------the band will get the bad rap----how much you wanna bet he glosses right over shoving massive amounts in a week after banding! It boggles my mind that someone purposely comes around to upset people because they themselves screwed up. Morbid obesity is a proven killer! You are slowly killing yourself every day that your blood pressure or cholesterol is high! Yes there are some issues with being banded. Sometimes patients have problems eating some foods---I personally don't but it happens. I can tell you I have learned amazing things from this band. It picked me up out of my horrid eating habits, made me stop, and set me back down in a new frame of mind when it comes to food. Do I still occasionally want to eat from emotional triggers? Oh yeah! But by far and large, I have learned huge amounts of information, on portion control, and nutrition---and had the band to help me through the hunger, and the need to overeat. I hope you do not let one unhappy person, looking for recognition throw you off course. He couldn't do it, and I see him as someone who dislikes others doing what he could not. Good Luck....please read those things but also read between the lines----look for the missing links----did you see where he said he ate all that a week out? Lights flashed in my mind! When you get the doubting Thomas' of the world--dig a little they will usually show you why they are trying to rain on your parade!!! Hugs~ Kat

I am going to be quite blunt, and it is not meant to begin a battle of the words with you. IN MY OPINION------- The key words in your latest post are "Target Audience". This is your path to your 15 minutes of fame. Whether it be Oprah, or an audience here. Quote "My bottom line is that it DIDN'T work for ME....and the pain and suffering has been enormous. The Bariatric Industry is painting WLS as a "simple" and "safe" procedure, and while most of time it is, sometimes (often,actually) it is NOT. I think that the proliferation of WLS ads on TV, radio, etc, are making people give up TOO fast on finding the power within. The human body is a wonderful, miraculous thing. It was DESIGNED and BUILT to function a certain way. When it is given proper nutrition, rest, exercise, Water, etc, it arrives at it's NORMAL weight. But, our society has manipulated our eating process (processed foods, fast food, junk food, etc) to the point where we have just become bags of fat. I'll have more to say on that issue." Quote Many of us--by far MOST of us battled with different diets, and multiple attempts to eat healthy. They failed. Have you looked into the percentage of people who lose and maintain the loss of over 20 excess pounds--it is like 5% that manage that!! Have you considered the fact that with the complications you suffered, you were unable to eat in the way you had become accustomed. For many of us that is key-------an interuption of habit, and the time required to learn new habits. YOU state you did not have the ability nor desire to learn the new habits, saying you could have milkshakes and mashed potatoes. Could you have helped your complications along??? You said you discovered this within a WEEK of being banded!!! My Gosh! I was on liquids for 4 weeks----not overfilling a newly formed pouch. You say you will have more to say to us--although why us, I don't really know---concerning how you learned to eat properly. The point being.....it did not take a band....you ignored it. It took a LIFE threatening complication, that you possibly brought upon yourself--to wake you up. What leads you to believe that those who are here researching will take heed? Personally......I would never have handled myself in the manner you describe....so find myself unwilling to "trust" your opinion on other matters. That is not said to be hateful--but your track record on "doing the right thing" is not so great------why should we rely on your experience now? Kat

I too was an overprotective parent. My child did not just go spend the night somewhere--nor did I allow kids in my home I did not know, and speak with the parent. Yep it led to a lot of hostility from 3 teens at times, but so what! They had plenty of friends--they only had 1 Mom, and 1 Dad at home!!! They all survived it....and are productive members of society---now having children of their own. Which leads to my reason for joining this thread. My oldest DD has a little girl, she is 3 now, and very well behaved. I actually babysit for her while my DD works. She works a good schedule and spends a lot of time with her child. She has rules, and my granddaughter follows them the biggest part of the time. She is a child, and she does talk back--and goes into the corner for it! My Son--has a son. He is 2. He is WILD! Uncontrolled! My DIL does not discipline him at all. My son works long hours---and says he refuses to spend what little bit of time he gets with him punishing him non stop. Which I understand, but still view as a cop out. I will say if he brings him over on his days off---he does make him behave. DIL does not. When she shows up--she goes off duty....but gets pissy if we try to make him behave. He throws things, he hits, he does not try to talk---but he is smart as a whip! He watches you do something once, and he can do it! His hair was long and shaggy, because he threw a fit everytime she tried to get it cut.....he got his way....as usual. We used to go out as a family once or twice a month for Breakfast. Well we have quit, because to go to a restaurant with him is beyond embarassing! The floor is atrocious when he finishes! Where do I step in as a grandparent? This son lives on our property next to DH's parents, (babies great grandparents) who allow him to go wild there too. They have cleared all end tables and put everything out of reach! I raised my kids and ran a daycare for years, and never put things away---but never faced this either. Anyone have any ideas????? And as a side note--the girl across the street teaches 4th grade. She did a home visit, and saw several bongs sitting out on the table when she walked in....when Mom saw her she was livid! Told her she had not been invited to leave! So Jenn-my neighbor-informed the school of what she had seen, and it went through the channels. Next thing you know the kid was pulled from her class, and she was informed there was a restraining order to keep her away from the families home----the police saw nothing when they went, and thought maybe the Mom was right, that the teacher was finding ways to pick on the child!!! Heaven Help us all!!! Kat