Elisabethsew

Any MD who sees yellow fluid coming from a port and says it's OK is a nut. Without a culture and sensitivity, there is no way an MD can know if there is an infection present or not. I definitely agree with the choice to see a new surgeon and replacing your band seems like the best medical decision.

Perhaps more "insight" will be revealed on the broadcast this evening. I'm open to hearing what this man claims.

Scallops work well for me. Shrimp I can't handle at all and I have to be careful with lobster. I live on flounder, salmon, and tilapia.

I remember waking up as they moved me from the OR table to the stretcher as the anesthesiologist was calling my name and told me everything went well. Right after that, I had pain and asked for pain meds and they gave me something IV. I was also very nauseus (normal for me after anesthesia) but I warned them pre-op that me and anesthesia don't mix well. They gave me Zofran IV that did nothing and then Phenergen IV and THAT knocked out the nausea and me! LOL.

MRSA is nothing to fool around with and I would definitely try the alternate drug and apply for funding. Here in the U.S., MRSA is usually treated with antibiotics for 6 weeks. Has the surgeon discussed the option of replacing the band? Has he cultured the port fluid to see if the infection has spread?

The best advice is to get the number off the back of your insurance card and call and ask. Most seem to want a monthly weigh-in with medical documentation.

Welcome, Ohio. I am an RN and only 2 people know I have been banded. It's been a good decision for me to keep it private. Don't worry about the weight gain. If you lose too much on the supervised diet, they will deny the claim for surgery. Collector, you're entitled to copies of ALL of your medical records.

There is no absolute rule as to how many fills a person will need. Many MDs say that once you find the right level of restriction, you're set for about 6 months. I will need one to two more fills before that happens for me while others only need one or two fills and they're set. My surgeon gives "free" fills for 6 months post-op.

First of all, welcome! You asked: Does anyone regret getting banded? The answer to that is YES. However, if you read through the posts and use the search option, you'll find it's a VERY small percentage of people. Remember, the band IS able to be removed and requires no surgical cutting of the normal digestive tract. What is PBing? I really don't care for this term but it means "productive burb." When people don't chew enough, overeat, eat too fast, or eat a food that is not tolerated by them, the body tries to "get rid" of that food. PB is the heavy mucous (some call it slime) that coats the esophagus and results in an emptying of the pouch that is caused by the band. This emptying is proceeded by "bringing up slime." Do most people have problems? Some do, most don't. The band requires learning and living by rules. When you first get the band, it's usually deflated to allow for healing. At 4-8 weeks post-op, you start getting fluid (usually saline) injected into the port that had tubing that connects to the band. The saline causes the internal diameter of the band to decrease so food passes through more slowly. If you try to eat too fast, over eat, etc., you can vomit. You soon LEARN to eat smaller portions, chew well, not drink with meals, etc. SOME people allow themselves to be overfilled thinking this will result in a faster weight loss. It doesn't. What it can do is damage the esophagus. Other, less common problems, can be found on the Inamed website as well as here on this board. Can you live a normal life after? YES!!! Most of us here are doing just that. The majority of people I know (and all my family members) don't even know I had the band. You eat normal portions of food, exercise, lose weight, and enjoy life. The band is only a surgical intervention to help you control your caloric intake. I have a brother who was banded who was an insulin dependent diabetic. In less than a year (men lose faster) he lost well over 100 pounds, reached his goal weight and was off insulin in 6 weeks post-op. I myself have what you called a "Delicate GI system" and have to take coumadin (blood thinner) everyday. I also take a NSAID (naprosen) twice a day for severe arthritis. Because of this, I take an acid blocker once a day. NSAIDS are discouraged because there is a danger that the pills might break down in the pouch rather than the stomach. My surgeon has me take the pills with 8 full ounces of water and not lie down for 30 minutes afterwards... no problems! There is a wealth of info. here so read and ask whatever questions come up. Make sure you ask a lot of questions of the surgeon as well.

The way I see it, the "bride" is not willing to compromise. You and her Dad both agreed to pay for a dress and both agreed that she did not have to be part of the wedding party but could have a special role in a special dress. THAT is not unreasonable. Since you are not demanding that the younger grandaughter be in the actual wedding party, the "bride" needs to be reasonable and come to some sort of "let's meet in the middle" resolution. As for your older grandaughter, she needs to imagine how she would feel if she were the only one left out.

It takes all kinds! Geeeeez!

I don't think you were slam dunking anyone but I do feel that some people were addressed rather unfairly. When new people join a board and don't "know" existing members, it's best to give them the benefit of the doubt. For example, Carlene has to be one of the fairest and most supportive people on this board. She tried to offer a PERSONAL opinion and was met with less than polite responses. Like the lady she is, she opted to leave the thread rather than become involved in a cat fight. Religious and political threads ignite passionate responses. There's a fine line between rant and rave and slam and dunk. My point was only to remind people of that fact... all people; myself included.

Name..........................Starting…...…..Current….…..Goal…....To Go Juliegeraci......................238............. ...... 238.................228.............10 Lapbandit.......................231............... .....226………….199.............27 Waterlily.........................300............. .......287.................264.............23 Roiansmom.....................299.....................299.................270.............29 Libra...............................248........... .........242.................228.............14 JulieNYC........................212............... .....205.................185.............20 Elisabethsew...................282................ ....276........... ......264.............12 PeaCeJ...........................338.............. ......338.................318..............20 RidinMyHDDream......... 297.....................289 .................281...............8 Babygirl1234..................260................. ....253.................240..............13 Leecelove70...................228................. ....228.................200..............28 Josette............................351........... ..........351.................335..............16

Congratulations Babygrl and Julie NYC. I'm Julie will be sailing over to wonderland in a few short weeks. Everyone is doing great.

Isn't it interesting how discussions related to religion and politics bring out the extreme "passion" in many people? Discussions and debates presuppose that the opinions and beliefs of all involved are respected and that not one entity or group is singled out. Unfortunately, "passionate" discussions/debates often deteriorate into something ugly. When that happens, the learning and sharing cease and all anyone remembers is the negatives. Rant and rave is not synonomous with slam and dunk. If people remember that, discussions such as the one on this thread can be productive when respect for differing opinions is observed, we might all learn something. Also, it's important to note a person can belong to a group and not believe 100% in that group's position 100% of the time. I am catholic and the church advises against oral contraceptives. I used them for years until suffering PEs but I don't thick that makes me a bad catholic. So, sometimes it's best to take a deep breath, count to ten, ponder a point, etc., before engaging in slam and dunk behavior. This is no accusatory; just informational and a personal opinion.

Congratulations on your anniversary and your WONDERFUL success. You look great.

You're young and healthy and you'll do great in surgery. It's normal to be nervous but going into surgery with an "I'm going to ace this" kind of attitude has been shown to speed recovery rates. Read all the posts you can and ask any questions you might have. When you have your pre-op testing, you'll meet with the anesthesiologist and THAT is the person who is in charge of the operating room, NOT the surgeon. Talk honestly with the anesthesiologist and ask questions. You'll feel a LOT better after that meeting.

I have found that people on this board, whether an atheist, an agnostic, a jew, a christian, etc., respect one anothers right to believe, or not believe, whatever they find comfort and solice in. I suppose that translates to peace.

If you are totally unfilled, it's like not having the band at all and you can eat whatever you tolerate. I would not having any breakfast on Monday if you're going for a swallow.

I read that you came to this board because you were tired of the born again Christians controlling things. I suppose that anger and frustration was the impetus for this thread topic which is fine. I have to agree with another poster regarding followers of a particular religion being told how to vote. I am Catholic and have NEVER heard any member of the church tell the congregation how to vote. It's important not to make generalizations that are unfounded.

The best way to know if you're hydrated enough is to look at the color of your urine. If it's dark, you're dehydrated. It should be a pale amber color. As the swelling subsides, you'll find it easier to get fluids down. Don't attempt to guzzle anything at this point post-op. Keep fluids with you at all times and sip, sip, sip. What will also help is getting up and walking around. Splint your stomach with a pillow and try bending a little (not too low). Give it another few days and you'll feel A LOT better.

Incisional reddness and discoloration is normal. What is not normal is the "rash" increasing, pain associated with it, or heat. Try some cold compresses and inspect for any drainage or increasing tenderness. If you notice this, it's an infection and needs medical attention and antibiotics ASAP. Kidney stones are VERY painful. I hope you're feeling better and on the road to recovery.

Once most of it wears off naturally and the incisions are closed, you can peel off the remaining bits.

They make children's liquid motrin that you can try. I have terrible arthritis and take naprosen twice a day. Before having surgery, I discussed this with my surgeon. He explained that the danger of NSAIDS and the band is the fear that the pills will be digested in the upper pouch instead of the stomach. To combat this, he told me to take the pills with some mylanta and chase it down with 8 oz water... no probelms!

There is no "right" answer for your question. I had a lot of swelling for several weeks while others felt fine with no swelling a few days post-op. Complete healing takes 4-6 weeks. Best of luck on your surgery.