54Shirley

I was in a similar situation when it comes to time running out with medical "laid off" If I were you I would see my surgeon, explain it to him/her, have the surgery done, and you can always go to a fill center for a fill. Or find out what his fills cost.. If you end up on state aid, let them pay for it. I'm sorry to hear your situation, but unless you are signed up for FMLA "if it's offered were you work" Times are tough, and you can be fired in a flash. I would contact legal aid, and see if you have a leg to stand on. I wish you the best. Shirley

If possible..... see if either of them are chief or assistant chief surgeons. Or if they are with a CENTER OF EXCELLENCE! If so lean twords that direction. Shirley 10/31/2006 Dr. Jeffrey Genaw "CHIEF BARIATRIC SURGEON" Henry Ford Hospital "CENTER OF EXCELLENCE" Michigan.

Go to ebay, and get your MUSCLE MILK there: They have about 12 or more flavors, and there good. We are required to drink Muscle Milk, because it's good for you. Slim Fast is a diet drink. Take a look at how much protein your getting. Then go on ebay. type in Muscle Milk, find a person selling a lot of flavors, then scroll threw the info., and read the protein amount on the M.M. I like cookies n cream, chocolate peanut butter blend, strawberry shake, and vanilla cream. Good Luck! You will see how many different products that there are, and they are growing bigger every day.

This is a question that comes up at least once a year at least since I have been here. It is usually in survey question: Who is successful, and who is not? Well they determined that the people that had problems didn't come back to this site. So it was a unfair survey. Hope that sums it up for you.

If you weren't scared!!! you would be out of the normal range... I put my 2 cents on this site in 2006. I said "I'm getting mighty nervous!!!" I told my surgeon I was nervous, He said forget it this is a snap. So He fixed a old Hernia Repair for me, Took my lymph nodes out of the groin because he thought they were cancerous. They weren't, then he did my band in about 20 minutes. Turned it in to a 3 hr. surgery on the table."HE MADE A LOT OF MONEY OF ME!!!" I was fine So trust me,, you will do fine. Any Questions??? write me, and I will answer. I'LL PASS THIS YOUR WAY...AS I WAS GETTING READY TO GO INTO THE SURGERY ROOM, THE NURSES SAID TO ME.... " ARE YOU READY FOR A NEW LIFE" I SAID YES!!! Shirley 10/31/2006 Dr. Jeffrey Genaw Henry Ford Hospital "Center of Excellence"

sounds like you ate to much' sometimes you can take a glass of water and drink slowly.... it will either move it out, or bring it up. that's why they don't want you to drink water, because it will empty the band, and then your hungry.

Since we are suppose to eat & drink slow "to give the brain a chance to catch up that the stomach is full." I would slow it down sip and enjoy! Don't GULP! it might come up. Not a good idea. So take your time and enjoy!

In a Vitamin we at Henry Ford Beriatric Center are all put on Flintstones Complete with Choline. I do about 4 a day, and I am fine. It is a chewable, but it really works. What Are you taking? 10/31/2006

I have a 4cc band and they filled it and blew it! So to your question YES it ca happen.

Do you have a book on calorie counting? You can look on line for one with restaurants for your purse, and one for the house. Dr. Phil has a good one "not a fan, But a very good book. Drug stores sell it or go on Amason if you want one. Or use your Internet too for calorie King. just type in the food and you can usually find what your looking for. Since you can eat chicken, Tuna, Soft Foods. Just use the calorie counter, measure out some food, and try to stay under 1200 calories a day. Your Doctor should be happy with what you are doing. Keep track of your Protein too, try not to go over 60 if your a woman. Good Luck, and you will feel much better.

When my band was working "it's not it blew!" I ran across someone on this site that had the same problem as me and it looks like you too. She said she thought she was the only one like this in the world. I told her No, welcome to my nightmare. Everything that I ate was stuck in that pouch after just a couple of bites. Now I would prepare myself a meal, all weighed out like the Doctor said, and he told me I should have no problem with that amount of food Yeagh Rite ! Her and I both had to drink Water with our food in order to get it to go down... Now before you say your not suppose to do that, that's not how the band works! We both new that, but we would get a meal ready something small, and not high in calories, and it would be stuck every time only liquids could go threw it. So my surgeon made me keep a diary "to no how many calories we were consuming in a day, not to exceed 1200 calories." so we use the water as a tool to help get the food threw, and not be in pain. It worked!!! So Yes there is a way out for you. It is unorthodox but if done right it works. Mail me if you have to. Shirley 10/31/2006 Henry Ford Hospital "Center of Excellence" Michigan

He's not interested at all! His thing is he is Chief Surgeon, so he moves them in, and moves them out. That's all he cares about. "MONEY!" He new it was blown. When he stuck the syringe in it, and the plunger almost shot to the top of the syringe, He went WOWWWW!!! I asked what's wrong. He said when that happens that usually indicates a leek. But I will empty this band because it's to tight. Well I begged him not to, but he knows best. After I was escorted out, in about a month, I went to a fill center. Lost 10 lbs in a week all Water. I went back because it wasn't working right, so she stuck in the needle, and it was empty. She said I'm sorry but I think you hsve a leak. I felt the saline coming out with a little burh to it, so I new for sure I had a leak. That's how this whole thing went. I am still trying to get another surgeon to look at this. I called today, left a message, but no response. I'll see next week.

Just ask, and someone will answer you.

I keep a daily Diary. I use like a 3 subject note book turn it side ways and do the following: Date Time food Amount Calories Protein How do you Feel? 02/18 8:00 Turkey Bacon 2 slices 70 6 O.K.

I paid $300.00 to go to a fill center, and they must of used the wrong needle and my port leaks. There is no way that i would recommend to do your own fill, not to mention Hepatitis.

Your rite.

Go on ebay and check out MUSCLE MILK you will want the lite. These are people in business, and they have 12 or more flavors. You won't find that in a GNC. These big jugs that they sell come in some Great Flavors I like cookies n cream, chocolate peanut butter blend, strawberry cream, and vanilla cream. Even the Dr. & Dietitian said this is what you should be drinking. I never switched to anything else. It is good stuff. Banded 10/31/2006

Muscle Milk Lite is great stuff. "for your protein" Go on ebay and type in MUSCLE MILK, and you will see the Distributors, and how many different flavors are available to you. We were instructed to take Flintstones Complete with Choline "chewable" I do about 4 a day. keeps your pep up... They are good Vitamins.

I have a window for myself, 800 - 1200 per day. That way if I eat in a restaurant, and they have some high calorie sauce on something. Lets say calorie count would end up at 1300. I wouldn't feel so bad, because how I have cut back. Make sure you take good vitamins though so you keep you snap up. "energy" Flintstones complete with choline is what is recommended by my Dr.. I chew about 4 a day.

Yeppa ! Just make sure you chew it well, and if it doesn't feel like it wants to go down ! Dont fofce it, just put it out in your napkin. This is different for everyone, so you will find out.

All that is very true, but even my Doc said if your really hungry eat Proteins only, but incorporate the liquids. Because your gonna have to get use to it any way. All went smooth, and then I had my weeks of hell for healing, and i stuck to all that. At 1000 calries or under a day, You can bet I dropped weight.

Go on ebay and look up MUSCLE MILK get the light, you'll need it anyway after the surgery. Check out all the different flavors that the suppliers have, and order what you would like. Like Cookies N CREAM, chocolate Peanut Butter BLEND etc. There really good for you. I know your hungry! By some products made out of TURKEY. Like turkey meatballs, turkey bacon, eggs or egg beaters. I had breakfast Turkey sausage, egg beaters, lunch Muscle Milk shake dinner couple of Meatballs, some Gravy, Cottage cheese. Snack sugar free pudding. About 3 days before surgery I went all liquid Fruitsicles, Muscle Milk Yogurt, Pudding, and anything liquid. After Surgery I asked my surgeon how did I do with the liquids? He said " O You Were Just Fine! So that's what I did, and it worked just fine.

I have been dieting all my life, and they don't work. I didn't want my intestines cut, and pulled out, because there is no going back! So I chose the band. It was good in the beginning. You stick to what your Dr. and Dietitian tell you, and your good to go. You will lose weight. I lost over 120lbs. with a 4cc band. I went in for a fill, I was at 1.8cc, and they filled me with0.2cc. Total of saline in the band 2cc. It blew the band ! I kept trying to figure how could this happen? It's only 1/2 full? Well I quit beating my head of the wall and believe that it was defective. I never had any problem before, and it blew the line, or port. I'm hoping to get in to see a surgeon soon now that I have Ins. again. When I went back to my surgeon, he seen some weight gain, and told his student to instruct me to control my appetite, come back when I have lost weight, and will talk about a fill. Then I was escorted out. I was furious ! This was my last month of Ins. due to being laid off, but no one would let me see him so I was escorted out. I have regained all of my weight, and I am trying threw things that I have learned to cut back. It is hard. I have gotten the attention of another surgeon to see me VERY HARD TO DO! So I weight daily for a call, I will call tomorrow and see if they can work in a outsider. Just so you know. This is a plastic tool, and can break, and will somewhere down the line... So,, make sure you have a excellent surgeon. Find out if you develop a leak will he fix you, Ask questions! Find the answers to your questions before surgery. Then do what you want. Yes it is a Weight Loss Tool! It also works ! The choice is up to you. I know it works, but I know it can come with some problems. I wish you Luck. Shirley Banded 10/31/2006 Dr. Jeffrey Genaw "Chief Bariatric Surgeon" Henry Ford Hospital "Center of Excellence" Detroit, Michigan.

I have a quick, and easy recipe for a creamy hearty onion soup. It will be up in calories but you could probably substitute something for the cream. I made it today for the first time, and it was fantastic.. Let me know if you want it, and I'll send it your way. Could also be used for Cream of Mushroom, Cream of Brocoli Etc.

I like the Muscle Milk Light. They have around 13 flavors, so you can basically get what you want, and it's good.. I get mine on ebay. They have great prices, and more to offer then the nutrition shops that I have been in. Also, our Dr., and Dietician told us to drink muscle milk because it's good for you. Check out ebay just enter muscle milk and see what they have to offer. Good Luck.