Albacheeser

I have found the "geometry" and "size" of what I let in my pouch determines how much I can eat. In other words, if I have a bowl of spaghetti and chop it up I can eat the entire thing without a hitch (frighteningly so). However, if I don't cut it up and simply roll some up on a fork and eat ONE (1) mouthful and I am done for about 20 minutes. It's funny, but I get headache when I'm stuck.

I was eating grilled chicken on a bed of wild rice. It tasted so good that I flashed back to an old eating habit: focus on the next bite and the forget what's in my mouth already, swallow it. The following happened over the 5 to 8 minute period or so: First symptom: The first thing was the feeling I've had several times, the pain in the esophagus. Every other time it went away after waiting a minute. Second symptom: Rather than the food dropping to Stomach#2, it just sits there like a fat guy behind 8 skinny ladies in a buffet line. Third symptom: Drink a sip of Water. Not helping. It's not going through. Wait, this may not go down. Fourth symptom: All of a sudden salivary glands were making saliva or something in substantial quantities. Fifth symptom: Pain gets progressively worse until you feel like this might come back up if all goes well. Six symptom: Pain got intense for a second and I spit up the large quantities of saliva and some very small bits of food, but then most of the solid food passed through and... Instantly back to normal feeling. Moral to the story: Slow down and chew you frickin' idiot.

I will start. The MOST frustrating thing I see from my friends and family is either the stated or implied notion that this whole thing is "the easy way out". I think they are confused by the new-found optimism of many of us and think cynically that we think we are getting away with losing weight without having to "earn" it. I can only tell these people that, while am more optimistic about my health than I've been years, there is pain and recovery. Moreover, I did this as a last resort. I had lost and regained weight 4 major times in my adult life with nothing to show for it but a BMI of 53, hypertension, etc. It's a great way out of the prison I was living in, but it has and will be anything but "the easy way out".

Here's my advise. Whenever you fall off the wagon, re-watch a movie made in the early 80's starring Dom DeLuise and Ann Bancroft called FATSO. Hilarious movie, particularly if you are Italian.

I like a lot of things about LBT. Often, however, things can get so serious and/or melancholy when we share our problems and concerns. That's all important, but woudn't it be great if there was a "lighter side" section where people could read/post things like the following: A) funny anecdotes funny comic strips C) "chicken soup" cheer-up posts D) fun poking fat/skinny jokes (nothing offensive of course) E) etc. Having been a "class clown" all my life, I recently posted this funny pic on Facebook and I wanted to post it here on LBT somewhere but couldn't find just the right area so this lighter side thingy came to mind. This pic had the caption given to my facebook friends: "As you can see this LapBand tool is really reducing my size." The moral of the story is. If the weight is not coming off fast enough, don't fret about it and simply consider Photoshop and hope "The Law of Attraction" will kick in!

Godspeed to you Opus03! All the best.

Unbelievable.

Your comprehensive remarks on my post would indicate two things: 1) My perceived condescension did not go over too well with you and at least one other. (actually I was being sincere, but I guess everyone is used to dripping sarcasm around here.) 2) My assertion regarding too much condescension was, in your post, actually proven true by your response. If what you said of me is true, than it is also must be true of some of your colleague posters here and validates what I said. I never criticized, on the contrary I complimented, any research and facts. I only had a problem with the demeaning tone. As a moderator, you have chastised me instead of those that are demeaning around here as a matter of course. Just my luck, I guess. Still, I don't believe anyone here can deny that every poster here is biased toward what they had done and away from what they did not do. That's natural but should be considered when evaluating a post no matter the "facts" they throw around, regardless of what procedure(s) one has had done. I bid all of you peace and skins of greater thickness.

Please take the following post in the friendliest of contexts, please... I left for a couple days and then returned cooled down and re-read much of the thread. I then realized why I was so put off by one or more of the posters. Despite using a good measure of reason and facts they found it difficult at times to bring any people to their way of thinking that did not already agree with them. Here is some good friendly advise I thought I would share so as to assist certain posters with their interpersonal skills... First, as Dale Carnegie once asserted something like: if you want to win someone over to your way of thinking avoid criticizing, don't be condescending, and compliment sincerely when you can. Much of the wordy posts were well constructed. However, there are several kinds of rhetoric you might want to stay away from... For example, one of you claimed that... However, sprinkled in with your facts, figures, and stats, I found, lo and behold things other than just facts and figures. Here are some recent examples from their posts... You might not have realized that this was condescending if the person was a noob, but if they were not then even more so. The most charitable thing a person can say about this is that it is "flippant" and, again, condescending. Psychologists, Psychs, along with their "peer reviewed" studies indicates this type of comment makes your interlocutor entrench in their own position under these circumstances and will not be brought to your way of thinking. Avoid this kind of remark. Presumptuous, unless you are in the mind of the poster you cannot know if they are being honest or not. Presumptuous and condescending, my father's a doctor, my brother's a doctor, my sister is an RN and a head nurse, my niece is an PA, and have 2 best friends that are doctors. I'm a businessman. I know that, while doctors tend to make lousy businessmen, they know how to make money whatever procedure they perform. Moreover, I have a 146 IQ and am no idiot myself and RNs, PAs, and MDs are not mystifying to me and I don't consider them high priests but rather highly skilled professionals. I've known some health care professionals that are opposed to ANY kind of bariatric surgery. Should we take away their license? Your health care title can only take you so far. By the way, some nurses around here seem to have an unhealthy opinion of most doctors. I guess that's normal, though. Now maybe this poster is an English major too and was simply applying more "facts and figures", but I'd rather think they were just making a good old fashioned "dig" at the other person. It might be a "fact" but it is not a fact related to bariatric surgery as far as I know. Well, isn't this ironic. The poster of the highest statistical and "stick to facts and figures" order (and I mean that) has just made a statement based entirely on personal anecdotal experience and not backed up by "peer reviewed" studies. (chuckle) These all seem more like "flaming" than "facts and figures". It might have felt good to make these statements, but they don't convince people. The bottom line point to all this is if someone does not like you, they will always be inclined to disagree with you no matter how much "sense" you believe you make. It's simple human nature. I consider myself open minded, but I am not a masochist. I hope everyone out there with the "love-sleeve" considers some of my points. Best wishes to all...

I agree and don't feel comfortable about it, I just got to the point where it became so absurd for me to look for LapBand support on a board where many belittle bandsters and those that support the procedure. So I got frustrated (I'm A.D.D. and suffer from low frustration tolerance. - not an excuse just a reason) I was warned to stick with obesityhelp.com by my surgeon and now I know why. I apologize if anyone has been offended.

That is demonstrably not accurate. The research I have done says that the LapBand takes 45mins to 1 hr. (mine took about an hour) and RnY takes 2.5 hrs or so. And they charge accordingly. The difference in the nature of the surgery is why the get more. The point is that the surgical firm has NO axe to grind either way. They can make money either way. My surgery was substantially less expensive than my sisters.

The term "push back" is a commonly used term that means, amongst other things "a defensive reaction in response to a perceived provocation." For example, when one asks their children to go to bed, one often gets "push back" from them The rest of your post explains my point for me. If you found nirvana with the Sleeve, then why are you even here? Go to the Sleeve board. If the person that backed out of the band to go with the Sleeve wanted validation and/or support than why would they not go to the Sleeve board? Maybe I'm missing something. Generally, what I have been responding to here is the nature of the pro-sleeve posters that goes much farther than supporting the person but also engaging bandsters in superfluous and antagonous debate about research. The question I honestly have is why would a Sleevester feel the need to come and engage bandsters when you claim to be happy about your choice and respect the choices of others? The answer must be that you're looking for validation. If that is the case, then, I'm simply stating that this is the wrong place to look for it. By the way, everything I said about my "mood" etc. was complete hyperbole and exaggeration. I'm perfectly happy with where I am. I was simply demonstrating absurdity by being absurd.

Funny post. I think about silly stuff like that too, but here's the thing. My wife still prefers I would have just gotten the flesh eating bacteria. And I know and those people know it might not work. Sure. But one thing they can never say again is that "Albacheeser is not serious about losing weight.". I'm giving people in my family some hope even for themselves. I take that as a real responsibility to do this right.

I thought it was obvious since they make more money with the RnY that it would be a point of candor to admit that that the LB was working as well. Thus, it would make no sense not to believe them. Lastly, and perhaps most importantly, you've obviously done a lot of research, but after reading all of your posts I get the general sense, with all due respect, that blosmtx and others are persons looking for validation for a decision already made rather than using the research in more objective fashion to find a knowable fact. In business, salesman are taught that people ALWAYS make a purchase decision with their right brain. They like to read through facts and figures, but ultimately decide with their gut. (no pun intended) But that's fine, do what you feel is right. No one here will stop you or judge you. But it is naive to the extreme to think you would not get a little push back from recent bandsters when you are, in effect, flaming a Lap Band board. If you want validation, go over to the Sleeve board for heaven's sake. I need validation for what I have done so I'm staying here on the LapBand board. I'm not going over to the Sleeve board to look for validation in NOT getting a Sleeve. Thanks for nothing blosmtx. Now that I look back on this entire thread, it all seems so absurd for it to even be on this board. But no, you have to come over here to the frickin' LapBandTalk board, to research us bandsters into a fit of maniacal depression. Great, I've got a gun to my head now. Are you frickin' happy? Thanks for nothing WASaBubbleButt. I guess now you're just a hard @$$. (couldn't help it) With all due respect and no offense intended. If any offense has been taken I reserve the right to revise and extend my remarks.

Did you wonder how these ladies found this thread? I can see them searching now for a topic of their interest... Search: _LapBand__johnson__girth Ah yes, hit the "Sweet Spot".

"Anal Play" Sounds like somebody farting out lines from MacBeth

Well this topic is not what came to this board for tonight. Sheez. But I've learned one thing from it. There is a ladies powder room and there some interesting discussions that are going on over there. I came to talk about P.B. Guess that means "poke butt" in this thread.

For those that have "hidden" the LapBand from others. For me, the idea of that was more work than it was worth. By telling everyone, I received much more good sentiment than not. I recommend being open about it, it has worked very well for me and I'm a man. I even post progress on Facebook. Let go. That's what I say.

Different people react differently. I believe you will get over this. I have had the opposite reaction. I am more willing to talk about things with people. I am more willing to return the call of an old friend because, even though I just started my journey, I now am no longer ashamed of what I have become. I am more inclined to go to places where people might ask about it. Most are now getting sick of me talking about it since they don't have this tool and are a bit jealous anyway. For those who have not told anybody about having the device, I can't really help hear. For me, it has been much easier psychologically to simply discuss it. I even post updates on my Facebook. As far as triggers. Once you have PB or even a near PB, you won't worry about triggers anymore. Your body can tell you to start eating little shrimps but your "little friend" will remind you not to. And even if you do cheat, you won't eat as much as you did before. Basically, you have to learn to "trust" the tool you now have.

After reading a lot of bickering posts and negativity here, I thought it would be nice to relax with some humor... What jokes and funny stories do you have? I'll start... 1) When people ask what was the biggest size I wore, I tell them "double F". (See "Tony Soprano") 2) Before my friend decided to get WLS, he was FASTING one day. Later in the day he got a terrible fit of munchies. He rumbled in the kitchen rummaging for food like a bear. Obviously some inner drive had made him forget his goal. I said to him, "I thought you were FASTING!". Without delay he barked back, "I'm going as FAST as I can!"

One other point, when I was determining which surgical firm I would use, I talked to a group out of Northern Va and Maryland that has performed around 3000 Lap Bands and thousands and thousands of RnY also. They said they have tweaked their care to the point where there is now no substantial statistical difference between APS/APL and RnY at the 3 to 4 year mark. The RnY lost quicker initially but bounced back up as the more steady trajectory of the Adjustable band was clearly more healthy. The key is the follow-up care and teaching people how to use whatever tool they have.

The problem with this study is that it is looking at five years back (starting in '03 or '04). For the gastric band and banding follow-up care and protocol development that was light years ago. The APS and APL were introduced in '07. Many elements of the pre and post care are now designed specifically to reduce complications. This is a common flaw when looking at studies, whether independent, peer-reviewed, or not. Again, after what happened to my sister and brother where much of the weight has come back, it is a complete myth that RnY and/or Sleeve cannot be defeated. I know this from flat-out first hand experience.

I hope I get to restriction before you did, sheez. Am I going to have to wait for 6 or 7 months of fills while my friendly little skinny female PA pussyfoots around with .5 to 1cc fills? I suspect the published fills protocols are overly conservative, anyway, because they have to be the least common denominator for everyone. I live 2 hours away from my doctor and I have as much a problem with delayed gratification as I had with portion control. We want our fills now! LOL. The one thing that is good about it, though, in comparison to 2 siblings that had RnY is that it gives me a chance to gradually adjust my chewing and eating habits rather than the abrupt cutoff. I just don't want it to be unnecessarily slow for no good reason.

Hey M Taylor, that pdf is part of what I am talking about. The data shown is like from 2000, before APS/APL and updated follow-up care and protocols. They really need a more up-to-date set of numbers. It's been 2 or 3 years now since APS/APL came out.

I have the APL, I've had one fill @ 2cc. I read some info from late '07 that seemed to indicate the percent of first year EWL for the APS (52%,i believe) was better than the APL (in the 40%s). To me, that indicates that they should be a little more aggressive with the APL protocol, IMHO. Granted, I have not seen any studies since that study back then. I would love to see a newer one if anyone has it. What I am looking for is a study showing average 12 to 18 month results with APS vs APL as well as others such as the Realize etc.