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Glad you are not feeling too bad. The problem with doing it via a diet is that no one can seem to agree on what kind of diet works the best. Most Dr's advocate the low fat, high fibre, mainly carb type of diet but some people now believe that that exacerbates the problem Others say that low carb/high Protein is the way to go. Some people will tell you to avoid eggs, others say that they are fine that eating cholesterol rich foods does not cause high levels of cholesterol. Confused, yep me too. And this is without looking at the other side of the argument that says high cholesterol does not cause heart disease and that lowered levels of cholesterol actually cause an increase in diseases such as cancer.

Yes it could be. You may be eating too fast or the band could be putting pressure on one of the nerves.

It is designed as a permanent device. So if there are no complications then yes it could theoretically stay in for ever. However in 20 years time there might be a new , better solution for obesity and you might then opt for that instead. I suppose it all depends on how long you live as most implants do not seem to last for ever, many have to be replaced(hips, knees, heart valves etc)

How many people have you spoken to? How many people are on the sleeve support group as compared to the lapband support group? How long have they had their bands/sleeves? Probably not too many people that have had a sleeve for 2 or more years. I have a band , I am 100% happy and I believe myself to be successful.

The sleeve is the first part of a bypass or duodenal switch. However it has now been found to be successful as a stand alone procedure. As to the reflux this is a hard one. Some people that suffer with reflux preband find it goes away when they get banded, others may start suffering it for the first time. Often reflux is a sign of being too tight. Most sleeve patients are routinely prescribed a daily acid reducer so it can be an issue with the sleeve as well.

PS. If you were female I would have said go and see your gynae and get your ovaries checked out!

I agree with the above. You need to go and see a Dr. Any change to your digestive system/habits can be a cause for concern.

The best thing to do in this situation is to stop trying to eat or drink and suck crushed ice. The ice helps to reduce the swelling and eventually eases it enough that you can get water down again. Also the melting ice helps to keep you hydrated. You should also try to relax as much as possible and not panic although that can be easier said than done.

I am just over 2 years out. I can go for weeks without having to bring anything up and then I may have a bad patch where it happens a couple of times in a short period. The other problem I have at this point is that it is way too easy to eat foods that I know I shouldn't. No that doesn't mean I am existing on sliders but I have been eating way too much chocolate lately. I need to stop before it becomes a problem. I am fine when I am busy but when I am at home , not working I still find myself eating things I don't need just because I feel like it. So in truth I suppose my habits still haven't really changed.I think that I am still lazy when it comes to food - it is easier to grab something quick out of the cupboard/fridge than to make a proper healthy lunch. (Breakfast & dinner are not an issue, those are generally fine).

I struggled with raisins early on but now they are not a problem.

Looking good

It is personal choice. If you don't want the hassle of going to see your Dr frequently(once a month for the first year, and once or twice a year thereafter approx), are happy to have a large portion of your stomach cut away, are comfortable with the high surgery risks and want to start losing straight away go with the sleeve. If you don't mind the follow ups, want a lower surgery risk but a higher risk of possible problems in the future, and a slower initial weight loss go for the band. If you weigh it up then basically it is 6 of 1 and half a dozen of the other! With a sleeve you lose weight faster initially but people with the band soon catch up. Generally you don't throw up with the band you PB which is very different but until it happens to you it is difficult to understand. Normally this can be prevented by taking small bites, eating slowly, chewing well and not having your band too tight. People with sleeves do throw up too( probably not a well publicised fact but if you read the sleeve board you will find some of these things out) Both surgeries have an initial honeymoon period when the weight loss is relatively easy and the further along you are the slower it gets. Both surgeries can be cheated i.e. if you decide to eat all day long it is possible and then you won't lose. Both surgeries will fail if you decide to eat high calorie slider foods such as icecream,milkshakes, chocolate etc instead of healthy foods as recommended by your Dr. I have had my band for 28 months and I am happy with my choice. I only need to see my Dr every 6 months or so and I actually enjoy catching up and checking everything is OK.

My stomach does this all the time. And as Karen says it is not a sign of hunger . As far as I am aware it is just noises your digestive system make as food , air etc passes through. If I was you I wouldn't be embarrassed at least you're breaking wind! BTW - mine is so loud my hubby doesn't need to put his head on my stomach to hear it. I would like to bet that if you put your head on your fiances stomach you would probably hear something similar even if it isn't quite as loud.

I would have thought that your MRSA would need to be brought under control prior to the op otherwise the risks would be huge.

I have tried:- stretching the chicken dance arm movement thing papaya tabs downward dog NONE of these work for ME. The only way I can get relief is to bring the offending item back up. I find it far easier to cough/spit the offending item back up than to try and wait for it to go down. The times I have waited it has been really uncomfortable and it can be an hour or more later with no sign of relief. In the meantime there is all that excess saliva which has to go somewhere............ So for me waiting it out is not an option.

What you are describing (cakegirl) sounds like what are commonly called saddle bags.They are very common.

This does not sound like a band related issue. If anything the band tends to slow the digestive process down not speed it up. I would be going to the Dr and getting them to do some thourough testing and not let them BLAME THE BAND.

Always better to be safe than sorry. Especially as healthcare in the USA is so expensive. As far as I am aware it only costs an additional $60 for them to cover the band - at least that is what I was quoted earlier this year.

What is intergestion?

I don't want to put a dampener on things but just be aware this may not happen.There are lots of causes of high BP not only being overweight. Quite often high BP is unexplained. I have been at normal BMI for more than 2 years now and I still have to take mine. At one point I stopped taking them as my BP dropped too low and I ended up in hospital but it didn't take long for it to start creeping back up again.

Good luck with whatever you decide to do. I know how you feel because it is hard to go against a Dr's orders if you decide that something is not right for you. I sometimes think maybe I should take the statins and then I read a bit more and decide no way. I was reading into this a bit more yesterday as I found the script for Crestor that my Dr gave me and thought well maybe I am just being stupid. In fact it was on Crestor's official website that I found the info that statins can raise blood sugar and that wasn't something I knew previously. Some of the info that made me happy to stick with my decision included things such as the fact that statins do not increase your life span they just change what you die from! I think everyone has to decide what are acceptable and non acceptable risks for themselves.And this decision should be based on as much info as possible. Info that gives both sides of the argument. Yes Dr's do know more than us but we have to remember that a lot of their knowledge and education comes from drug companies, companies that have a huge vested interest in getting as many people as possible to buy their product. Scarily these companies have huge power and are able to influence the decisions made by the FDA and other bodies. Their power is so great that they even manage to get the recommended levels change so that larger and larger numbers of the population suddenly become people that need their drugs. Makes you think...........

I am glad that you are OK. Good luck with the Crestor. Something interesting I discovered today that I didn't know before - statins often cause an increase in blood sugar.................. To me some of the disadvantages to these drugs seem to outweigh the so called benefits!

If you choose to use slimfast or other drinks in place of food your band cannot do what it is supposed to do. Slimfast is a liquid , it will pass straight through and you will feel as hungry as when you tried to do a similar diet preband. I'm not surprised you are hungry. In order to get the most benefit from the band you need to eat foods that will keep you satisfied and that will pass slowly through the band. Foods such as solid Protein, low GI carbs and vegetables. Try changing what you are eating and it should make a huge difference.

That is why we get banded - because we have issues with food. It's quite amazing, often you read stories on here from people who say their band isn't doing anything , that they are doing all the work, yet I am sure most of them would realise it's not true if they had to get unfilled. I think we get so used to the band being there that we don't realise how much it is doing and forget what life was like preband. Sorry to hear about your sad losses. Hopefully you will one day have the baby you long for. All the best.

This is the part that really makes me wonder............... If that is so then what is the point of taking it????????