married

Any bandsters from New Jersey?

Hey Nancy! Thank you so much. I have gotten alot of good info over at OH. Thank you so much for the information. I cant wait to start losing weight. Talk again soon. Thanks!

Had the band in for a year and it slipped. Was unsuccessful at losing weight ...so to make a long story short I just had RNY. I am two weeks out of surgery. Someone from this site advised me to go over to obesityhelp.com and go to revisions. Theres a wealth of info over there on revision surgery. FYI...my RNY surgery took four and a half hours due to all the damage done to my stomach from the band. My surgeon refused to put in another band saying they very often fail on the second attempt and recommended RNY although I know some people have been successful the second time around.

Wanting to talk to anyone that has gone from band to bypass but is still on this site. I think lessons learned from the band will help with the bypass surgery. Would love to talk to anyone who has had this experience. Thanks! (Band slipped and doctor felt bypass was the way to go)

This is a powerful thread. Thank you for starting it. The responses are great.

Well hi!!!! How are you feeling?

I was thinking exactly the same thing about the name obese cow. None of us are cows. You are not a cow. If you have been called that...then shame on that person. Your journey is not only one of losing weight but also of learning that self hatred and putting oneself down is totally detrimental. It also encourages abuse from those who are so inclined. And if you have children .. those kinds of names would have an affect on the way they see themselves. Please change your name to something more reflective of who you really are on the inside and the outside. You are not an obese cow. You are a beautiful human being..worthy of love and respect. And the respect starts from you. Being unhappy with ones weight and/or health does not make you anything other than being unhapy with your weight/health. It doesnt change your status as a human being.

A size 10 is a very normal size. I felt great when I was a size 12 which I was for most of my younger life. When I was a teenager I had a "fat" friend. She mustve been at least 240 lbs.. Men FLOCKED to her. It was her attitude. She was sexy and big. She walked around like a goddess and men picked up on that. Handsome men!!! So its not necessarily the size. I was in awe of the way she just owned it. So that was a lesson learned for me.

I had a slipped band that has been removed. But I enjoyed reading what you had to say. It was inspirational. THank you. I am going for a gastric bypass but still thought your post was great

Can I ask when you say they opened you up was it a vertical or a bikini cut? I have had both a vertical and a bikini when I had prior abdominal surgeries and the vertical was a killer. Thats why I am curious. Thanks

I had my band removed in Dec and am hoping to get approved for bypass. Have you had and problems with Iron and/or ferritin (sp)? levels?

You have GOT to be kidding!!!! Holy crap. Thats unbelievable.

I started losing hair too and read alot about it. My friend recommended I try Therapro shampoo and conditioner plus the pills they make. I also started taking high quality vitamin supplements. (Kind of expensive). I also started taking Thyroid supplements even though my thryroid results are in the normal range. The good news: MY HAIR IS GROWING BACK. The bad news: I dont know which change made the difference. So I am going to keep on doing all the things I have been doing. I am SO THRILLED that my hair is coming back...I have had nice hair my whole life and it was devastaing when i could see my scalp from all the hair loss.

Welcome! unjury makes an unflavored Protein powder. I havnt tried it yet but if you dont like the sweetness of some of the others try that. I unfortunately just had my band removed after having some problems. I hope you have great success with yours!

THank you so much Dan. I have the feeling that when I ponder this some more I will have more questions.

I like your surgeon better than mine. My surgeon is a foreigner who has a hard time or just isnt good at communicating to me EXACTLY what the problems are. He kind of takes the approach of dont worry ..I know what I am doing kind of thing. I saw him for about one second before the removal and didnt see him or hear from him after surgery so I dont know what he saw or didnt see. I feel he is very much lacking in alot of areas although I think as a surgeon he is skilled. Well I would be interested to hear how you progress with your weight loss. I hope you do very well and get to your goal. You have been very kind to answer all of my questions!!! Happy Holidays to you!

Dan..thank you so much for your response. One question...why were they waiting until you were on the operating table to decide whether you were getting a band or a bypass? My problem is that I have had several abdominal surgeries which might make a bypass op more difficult. Forgive me if I am asking too many questions.

I just replied to your message and then noticed you have been rebanded. Can you share your re band experiences with me?

You know I have been thinking of doing just that. He says in his experience people who have been banded for a second time are very often unsuccessful the second time around. He said they very often dont get to their goal weight, sometimes dont lose any more weight and oftentimes have slippage again. I have also heard other people say that they have come across people who have been successful the second time around. So thank you for suggesting a second opinion. I think I will do just that.

I just had the band removed so I think yes I wouldve done it again if it hadnt slipped. Unfortunately the doctor cant put in another one and wants to do a bypass instead. I think my band had slipped very early on and thats why I had limited success with it. I am sort of up in the air as to whether I shouldve just gone right to gastric bypass.

I have flown several times and had absolutely no change in the band. My girlfriend has flown also and she didnt have any change in her band. If anything..some people say tension or nerves make their bands tight..but I havent experienced that either. So dont worry about it!!!

Hi. My band slipped and my doctor doesnt want to do a band replacement. He says gastric bypass is a better way to go. He said very often a band replacement will slip again. So I am waiting to hear whether the insurance will pay for gastric bypass but in the meantime I am scheduled to have the band removed. I am kindve bummed out by this cause I would rather have a band than go thru the bypass surgery.

No I would have gone for the bypass. I have had too many problems with the band. ANd it has to be removed. I am scheduled to have a bypass in January.

Well said!!!

I realized it didnt say O's after I had already sent it. But I still wouldnt have known what it meant so thank you for the explanation!