ddee

Also, I started at 211 lbs. in '05; lost down to 135 before the band slipped; gained to 166; have lost to 156 since surgery. I am walking 30 minutes each day and struggling to drink water (mainly in the form of Diet Citrus-flavored Green Tea and Peach-flavored Crystal Lite).

Mysherrijo, have you heard anything about Dr. Sanchez? I heard from a friend who was banded in MX this year who said he had been murdered. Dr Sanchez banded me for the first time in 2005. The band slipped from overfill in the states; I was rebanded Dec. 8, '06. Please let me know if you have any info about Dr. Sanchez.

I am 53 and banded for the second time. The first time my band slipped; I had life-saving surgery for its removal, and as of Dec. 8, I am rebanded. I have never felt better nor been happier than with the band. I am healthy and feel years younger. The band gives me the second chance I need to feel good about myself and to contribute more to the lives of others because the positive energy is contagious. Good Luck, househuntress, and my prayers are with you to make the right decision for you.

Morning, all! My port site is really sore, but I'm beginning to get my strength back. I was open-banded, so it's taking me a little longer to recoup. I have the eyebrows waxed/dyed and the haircut tomorrow, so I'm looking forward to primping a little. My 1st soft food was smoked viennas and saltine crackers. I totally savored each bite of "meat." My hubby thinks I'm hilarious talking about food the way he would talk about good sex. Should I tell him which I'd rather have or leave it a secret? Ha! Disturbing news! My surgeon from MX, 2005, has been murdered by a competitive dr. who was charging more. This lapband business is only going to get more lucrative for dr's. I think it will be the Phen-phen of the future. That certainly was a miracle drug. Sorry for rambling...Take care!

Hey, all! I went to the doc today. He says I can start soft foods; gave me a list to go by. I ate 3 smoked viennas and 2 crackers for supper. I was so glad to finally eat some form of meat. Got some bad news. The hernia I had repaired during my band surgery which the hospital charged me separately for was denied under my insurance coverage. I'll have to appeal. They had pre-approved the hernia surgery, just not the band portion($15,000.) My husband assures me it will work out, but I'm in a nervous panic. I had borrowed money for band surgery (just paid off the MX band surgery). Please say a little prayer that insurance will come through for me...Thanks, all...

Hi, all! I am having trouble with the dreaded constipation. Sorry! But I've done 2 rounds of milk of mag. with no results. Since dec. 8 two blow-outs are all that I've done. I honestly felt that was left from the pre-op colon cleansing . Well, I go back to the doc tomorrow. I'll walk tonight and drink the rest of the diet green tea before bedtime. I'm excited about getting out of the house tomorrow. Take care! Dianne

Something I thought you all might like to try once you get to the mushy stage. Instant hearty baked potato flakes. They are delicious. It's just like eating a baked potato with bacon, cheese, chive flavoring. Just a little different taste from the yogurt, pudding, and tomato soup meals. Oh, I have to confess, at the Christmas meal for my family, I mashed up some rum cake and liquified it in my mouth before swallowing two bites. My slip for the day. Rum cake has always been my holiday favorite so Mom sent one over for my guests. I go back to the doc for a check-up tomorrow. Can't wait to see what the scales reveal. I hope he doesn't put too much pressure on me about weight yet. I'm very sensitive right now. I too feel like I've lost my best friends (foods). I'm definitely going through withdrawal. Best of luck to all!

Just wondered. Do you all check e-mail, see which forum responded to last input and go to that forum, or do you go straight to one forum each time? I feel like I'm jumping from one site to another by responding to e-mail posts. Which is the best site for frequent posts? I enjoy chatting, but the responses are usually slow on some sites. I am so bored (never thought I would say that) sitting on the couch, no interesting tv to watch, and all of my family members are last minute Christmas shopping. Every time I start doing something I stress that I'll hurt myself. I had a large hernia repaired in addition to band surgery for the 2nd time. Doc also said he saw 7 or more dime-sized hernias in my esophagus. Has anyone else had a similar experience?

My first banding was done in MX. Had I been physically able to travel back to MX, I feel sure the surgeon there would have saved the band. I had become ill while on vacation with my sister in Hot Springs, and rather than return home, I toughed out the vacation and was deathly ill when I arrived home. A surgeon in MS debanded me, and according to his story, saved my life by doing so. Looking back, I would blame the slippage on too much fill. My fills were being done by a nurse who was herself a band patient. She was the only person in the area at the time willing to fill MX banded patients. I knew that I had a lot of restriction, but I had really started losing weight, so I used poor judgment, and kept the band tight. That's the only thing I can attribute the slippage to at this point. The MS surgeon rebanded me Dec. 8, and so far all is well. He will do my fills, and will always be a phone call away. Two things in my favor. I have a closet full of all sizes right now. I pray each day the Lord will help me to keep this band. It is difficult not to direct a conversation to the banding topic, so I'm glad I have you all to share with.

Just wanted to touch base with all of you before the kids, grandkids, sons and daughter-in-law arrive. I've got instant baked potato flakes for me. We exchange gifts tonight. My hubby came in from work and commented on my weight loss. He said I was looking really good. I must have needed to hear that because looking at all the food on the tables was about to cave me in. I am now one week, 4 days and 14 lbs. post-op. I've taken one round of cherry flavored milk of mag. with no results yet. I need to get some of the protein drinks because my energy is so low. It's hard being so dependent on others to pick up things at the store. Very humbling.

StephC, the dr. in MX gave me a laminated card which stated that I had had the lapband procedure. It was like an emergency card. It also mentioned that I could medically only consume 1/2 C food at any given time. I'm looking for the card in old, discarded billfolds and when I find it I'll post. It might come in handy for me again. I have found that the surgeon in MX had all his paperwork, pre-op and post-op, for the patient's info. much moreso than the doc here in the states.

Wide Sargasso Sea by Jean Rhys is a great 189 page book if anyone is interested. The setting is in the West Indies: water is everywhere! streams, rivers, forests, beaches...very therapeutic. I felt like I was somewhere exotic instead of on the couch wrapped in an afghan. It's a good two-day read with the typical day-to-day interruptions.

Hi, all! NG, Yes I'm still dry and things are still coming out of my nose. I'm trying to drink lots of water but I've never really developed a taste for it. The grape-flavored and lemon-flavored so far are the easiest to get down. Also, peach-flavored Crystal Lite. Evathenurse, the tv has certainly been a big disappointment. Anyone know any good DVD's to rent? My family is gathering here tonight for our Christmas meal. I'm considering the instant stuffed baked potato flakes for myself. They are really yummy. As far as the foods I'll eat later on, WW is good, Nutri-System is ok, but the first year, before my band slipped, I pretty much ate 1/4 what I normally ate of regular foods. No fried foods, of course. When my husband and I ate out, I just asked for an extra plate. I didn't eat enough to order. You can also show your lapband card and eat from the child's menu. Restaurants will usually just take your word without having to show the card.

Don't know if you were told, but remember Gas-X. It's a miracle drug. Also, the breathing "thing" they give you at the hospital is to prevent the fluid from building up in your lungs. And, honey, walk, walk, walk. It gets the "juices" flowing.

Gosh! This is absolutely the best site. I didn't know that the breathing thing they give you at the hospital was for the prevention of fluid build up in the lungs! This is my second time around with the band. The first time it slipped after being in a year. I had my first surgery in MX. Dec. 8, I had my second surgery in Oxford, MS. I left the hospital with no written instructions. This site continues to amaze me with facts! Thanks guys!

Jahair, Great advice! Or Jo Ann. I can't really tell who posted the info. but thanks. I'm sore after a walk outside today! I got started and couldn't stop. The weather is unseasonably warm for MS, so off the treadmill and around the block I went. I was exhausted afterwards, but I feel that I accomplished a lot. Maybe we should each share one thing a day that we feel is our biggest advance for the day. Your accomplishment for the day might give me a goal/something to look forward to. You can tell that I am beyond boredom with this recuperation period. Any suggestions?

Well, I have learned that I definitely need to be drinking protein shakes, something not mentioned by my doc. That's why I'm so unsatisfied I guess. I'm one week post op. I feel pretty good so far. Very emotional also. I feel that I've been reintroduced to the world of tv. Nothing on, of course. Family Christmas dinner this Tues. night at my house where my children and their families and I will eat and exchange gifts. Wish me luck. Daughters are bringing most of the food which will help.

Just wanted to advise any of you who experience migraines. Zomig is the miracle drug for in the throes of pain. Let it melt under your tongue. Axert is also incredible if taken at the onset. I had open band surgery Dec. 8, 2006. The worst part of the surgery was the migraine that started before that Fri. morning and lasted until Sat. afternoon when I was permitted to dissolve a tablet under my tongue. Oh yes, the anesthesiologist did overkill thinking he would stop the migraine. I was awakened by 3 nurses in a panic because I was down to 7 breaths a minute. I thought I was still in surgery and they were slicing me open. The nurses said they had to wake me up, less pain med's to get my breathing right. Ordeal!!! Point being, don't go in to surgery with a migraine and if you have one don't tell anesthes...Sorry, just had to share this story. Find myself needing to tell someone.

Vanna, my biggest advice for post op hunger is to prepare! By that, I mean, stock up on foods you will be allowed to eat so that your hunger can be appeased immediately. Don't rely on someone to run to the store at the last minute, that's when you panic. Chicken bouillon, Cup A Soup, sugar-free Jello, Diet Citrus-flavored Green Tea, Crystal Lite (peach flavored is really good), Frozen Juice Bars... Be creative with these. Put an orange slice on the rim of your tea glass, great taste! One week of those things wasn't really bad. Now I'm in the creamed soup stage, and WOW, Soup was never so good! Best of Luck! I've lost 12 pounds so far and continue to meet my 30 minutes (total) a day of walking on the treadmill.

The next book, right. That's the hollywood way. I can't identify with that, but I do, unfortunately, relate to her obsession with food. When she removes that band, I think her problems with food will double. The emotional and physical changes are overwhelming. I can't imagine doing without the band. Mine slipped last summer and I feel whole again after having it replaced. Now food can be savored, bite by bite, again. I don't think everyone who has passion for food is masking an underlying problem. We have to eat to live. An appreciation for the flavor, artistic presentation and atmosphere at mealtime could be considered an art. I know I love to cook, create, taste...Does that make me unstable? Or, in a way, an artist of a sort?

Thanks a million for the menu website. I left the hospital with nothing about what to eat or drink except "liquids for a the first few days and start creamed Soups Friday." Following anesthesia, I'm not really sure what he said. Thanks again. I like to be able to read instructions. Never did trust my memory.

Just got off the treadmill and feel much better. That's my 2nd time for 10 min. today. I'm trying to work up to 30 min. How long does it take for walking to become addictive? I so want to do two things differently this time. Walking and drinking water. I don't know which is harder for me, but I do know it's inspiring to hear things that make this work better from people going through the same thing instead of a skinny-a** nurse or doctor. Didn't mention that my husband brought home a choc. shake for me. He was on his way home from a day at the golf course and wanted to treat me since I've been closed up for a week post op. He said he knew that I was supposed to start "creamed" foods today. I just didn't have the heart to tell him that meant creamed soups. LOL

Cream of asparagus soup is good too. Vanilla cream cappuccino, diet citrus-flavored green tea and a floating cracker in broth are all delicacies! Psyche! I'm really trying here. One week open-banded post op and really trying to tame the dragon. Believe me, no one wants to go through what I did with band slippage and re-banding like I have. Life is too short not to enjoy to the fullest of our potential. Let's all stick together.

Hi, I was banded Dec. 8. I was open-banded because my band of one year had slipped and had to be removed. One week post op I am very sore and hungry. Be thankful if your band is done laproscopically as was my 1st time. I pray every day that this second out-of-pocket surgery will last. My Taurus only goes 55 mph because the transmission is going bad. Please, Lord, help me to get this money (loaned) paid back. Best of luck to all Dec. bandsters. My surgery was done in Oxford, MS, by the way.

Saw the show on Dr. Phil and I think her battle with colon cancer is the reason for band removal. Maybe something to do with nutrition. Never really discussed her reason only her fear of gaining the weight back. I so identified with her explanation of hunger. You know, going to bed thinking about what you would eat the next day. She said she already had her 1st meal planned for when the band comes off. I'm one week post op for the second time due to slippage. Seeing her this week validated so many feelings that I have about mealtime. Dr. Phil asked her to promise to do just what he asked for 30 days, and he would guarantee the weight would stay off. Who are they kidding? If she could do that, she wouldn't have the band in the first place. Some of us truly like to eat, enjoy the next bite, live to eat! Anyway, I've done the year without the band, thinking I won't gain back the weight. All the cute clothes I had bought are now awaiting the new me,...Once Again !!