Woodys

Yoda: how did it go today? Carol

If he is stupid and he's an "ex", why do you allow him to do that to you? He is already and ex! Don't worry about your picture....my husband is a 52 year hippie with long black hair and facial hair....his picture came out looking like a terrorist! Carol

Terisita: what is your recipe for cabbage soup. Carol

Dr. C: I had the Johnson & Johnson Swedish Band installed on June 8th...most banders I have talked to have the mid-band. Would there be any particular reason my Dr. would have chose the J & J band for me? Carol

Not to worry....I never had anything before going to the OR, they walked me in, I got up on the OR table and in less than 5 minutes I was out. They worked so fast that I didn't have time to think about what was going on. I had 3 of them working on me at the same time....one on the arm, one with a mask, and one putting massage pads on my legs. Next thing I remember was the Recovery nurse waking me up, she comes several times just to make sure you are okay, then finally she tries to get you to your feet, I made it first try. You'll be fine. Carol

I'm 2-1/2 weeks post-op and still have a hard time determining whether I'm full, gassy, or dreaming....LOL. We will learn to recognize these feelings soon enough. The body is still in the healing stages so we will be feeling all sorts for things. As for the depression......I left that behind the day before I had surgery. I am so elated about having this surgery that nothing or nobody can bring me down.....There is no time for depression now, that stage of my life is over....I spent enough of my life being depressed over being overweight....no more! I'm so happy I could spit! No way will I spend precious time grieving the very thing that put me in a position to have to have surgery in the first place. I say....good bye and good riddens to all that crap in my past! Carol

I already have a fabulous skinny wardrobe that is still in style, I did this just 2 years ago but I can't keep it off. I want to have a dirty weekend with hubby somewhere I've never been before....can't wait til I'm not feeling self conscious with my own husband. Carol

I'm 5' even......my Dad always said I should sue the City for building the sidewalks too close...LOL, I would like to be 125. Carol

Yoda....do you know what the difference is between the Mid-band and the Johnson & Johnson Swedish band is. It seems that most have the Mid-band but I was given the J & J. Also, my records don't indicate the J&J comes in different sizes. I haven't had a fill yet so still very inexperienced. Does the procedure hurt? Does the actual expansion of the band hurt? Also, is there a minimum amount of wait between fills? I sound like a big baby, Huh? Well, I'm not that sensitive to pain, just want to know what to expect. Good luck with your 3rd fill. Carol

I was told the wait for your first fill is a minimum of 5 weeks post-op. Carol

I had sushi and sashimi, and later a yogurt cup with fresh fruit, honey and granola and a double shot of Scotch neat....I had horrible gas after surgery, I'm 2-1/2 weeks post-op and still have gas.....so I'm sure it wasn't the food. The Recovery nurse told me it was the anesthetic (sp), that it affects a lot of people that way. What's wrong with farting in front of your husband?....mine sure doesn't pinch them back! I wonder if the Queen farts in front of the Duke? Carol

Joyce: I haven't had the band log enough to give and experienced opinion, however.....I can tell you why I decided on the band. I am very good at taking the weight off....I have done it many times....100 lbs....60 lbs.....80 lbs....and gained it all back every time. I have done this severy times and have never had a problem sticking to a program and not failing on the plan once. However, I can not maintain. I have tried several times and the weight just keeps coming back. This is one thing that I know about myself....I will never be successfuly at keeping the weight off. So, I really do believe the band is my answer to maintaining a healthy weight. Carol

I was told no gum also because if swallowed it would cause a problem. I do chew gum because being on the post-op liquid diet I am in a state of ketosis and my breath is absolutely horrible. The gum helps, I'm just very careful with it. I chew gum all the time normally and have never had a problem with swallowing it, but I'm causcious anyhow. Carol

If your friends know how you lost the weight then it may be just shear ignorance on their part.....unfortunately, there is a huge misconception out there about the band. A lot of people think that there is no work on our part to losing the weight when we have the band and therefore...they don't feel we deserve any credit for the loss. Carol

I told very few people for just that reason.......I also didn't want to be talked out of it by those who are skeptical (sp). I am pretty private about this decision, and I don't want to talk it to death. Carol

Sunshine.....ditto on everything that Yoda has written. I will add one thing though. If you decide to stay with your current Dr, then you need to deal with the situation with Kathy. Write her an email, tell her exactly how you feel....get right to the point, mention a few specific incidents. Tell her that you would like to have another person assigned to you.....$16,000 dollars later, I think you are more than entitled to this. cc this email to anyone else you know in the office ie the Dr. or other staff person so that it won't get denied or ignored. Either one of two things will happen.....you will get someone else assigned to you or Kathy will change her divatude! Carol

Diane: No way am I one to sugar coat things. If you feel like you are on the wrong track then use the effort and energy you put into whining about it and get back on track. Obviously you know what to do....I know its easier said that done...but what feels better?.....being on track, exercising, eating healthfullly......or, whining about it and feeling sorry for yourself? You have shown great success.......CONGRATS!......you can now make it even better.........so lets go! Carol

We heard you the first time Bandayed.....LOL

I am 2 wks post op as well.....as of today I've lost that restricted feeling ...at first I couldn't take in much at all, I know that is because of the swelling, then I could stick with the liquid and full liquid plan...however...at that time I was confused about the feeling "full" sensation...I didn't know if I was really full or if it had something to do with gas and the swelling. I am very interested in the answers to this post. Carol

I live out-of-town from where I had my surgery so the Dr. phoned me for the psych test...it was more of a simple conversation. He asked me about my general health history, what had I done in the past regarding my weight, why did I decide on the lapband and why now, did I tell my family and do I have good solid support....that was about it. Carol

If you live in the States you may not have this problem, however...in Ontario our Ministry of Health does not allow a customer to bring in their own food or drink to an eating or drinking establishment. As an owner of a restaurant I'm very leary of anyone who brings their own food or drink into my establishment....even if its just an envelope of powdered drink mix. Health Dept rules or not, I would not permit it. If you got ill from eating or drinking something in my restaurant.....how would we know if wasn't the result of something you brought in.......the liability factor is not worth it......my insurance is high enough now as it is. Carol

I was banded June 8th and my port area is still tender, especially if I poke at it or lay on it the wrong way. Carol

From what I understand, no one gets a fill at time of placement because of swelling, we must heal first. I think the average wait for the first fill is approx 5 weeks. I feel just fine, a little tenderness around the port area but thats it. So far the Post-op diet has not bothered me at all, I guess the swelling from the procedure is still causing restriction because I don't really desire food at all, I'm forcing myself to take whatever is recommended but can't handle too much of it, So far I'm average .8 of pound a day, that will reduce when I start to eat mushies and solids, I will be very pleased to maintain a 1 - 3 loss / week after that. Carol

I had mine installed in Toronto Canada. I'm only 12 days post op so I can't answer most of your other questions. I had an appt with my GP yesterday who will have to do my first fill until I visit the Clinic again (I live over 2 hours away). He had no problem finding my port and said that most ports are very similar in composition and size. Apparently there are many other health related situations that depend on the aid of a tool that requires a port......Dr. said that they are all pretty universal in composition to help keep the procedure of using a port consistent. Carol

I have the Johnson and Johnson band, nothing was said to me that it was better than the others....the Dr. simply said to me that he would be choosing from 3 different depending on the size of my stomach and everything around it. I understand that other bands come in different sizes....my patient report does not indicate what size I had installed....I looked it up on the internet and there is no indication that it even comes in different sizes. Carol