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Both nicotine and cotinine (a nicotine breakdown product) may be tested for. Cotinine has the longer half life (up to 40 hours) and it takes five half lives for anything to clear completely. So a week and you should be fine. You shouldnt get snagged for second hand because its so much less. By the way they can also check a liver enzyme for chronic alcohol abuse and refuse you for that! I had a particular martini-drinking friend who got denied health insurance because of it...time to clean up our acts! LOL! Cali

I forgot already about that sore throat...its like they rammed a tube down there when you were asleep...oh, yeah, they did! The Mayos seem to have done well...that's good for the ones left to go!!! Good luck to you all! I LOVE MY BAND!!!Cali

i'll try it...the benefiber. Thanks! Cali

Fiber-wise, I wonder if we should be taking Metamucil or just lots of water? Carrot juice would be good. I dont think I could stand the prune juice but maybe those dry prunes in a bag? I really dont know...Cali

I write down my water, calories, and protein grams every day because I just am lazy to drink enough water (bad!) and I am sick of the protein (but I dont want my hair to fall out!) so I have to hold myself accountable. My doc wants 64oz water (1 gallon) and at least 60 gms of protein...I am putting protein powder from the health food store in soup now because those Slim Fasts make me sick...I think I just drank too many of them. Good Luck! cali

Let yourself off the hook....I KNOW I could have (and have!) eaten a ton more than that! its just not a big deal...the only big deal is if you let yourself feel like a failure because of it...PLEASE read JazzyMom's blog today about the concepts of 'lapse, relapse, and collapse'...you just had a tiny lapse I think!!! Cali

Hey BG and everyone...don't miss JazzyMoms blog today...keywords are lapse, relapse, and collapse!!! I think your spinach dip, BG, is just a lapse! Cali

Great blog, thanks. I saw that Kessler book on Amazon for about 16 dollars...I should probably get it too! Cali

My daughter learned her left from her right by the song Fins! We used to always sing Brown Eyed Girl to her by Van Morrison...we took her when she was about six to a JB concert and when he started to play that song she was up on the DH's shoulders...he pointed out randomy to the audience and said, "I see her, she's out there!" and started singing that song...she was absolutely sure he saw HER! I havent met JB himself but I have had backstage passes a few times and met all the other guys and gals...they are just as cool and nice as you would think! MY transcriptionist is the Mayer brothers sister! pickly

Sorry! I guess I'm an interloper because I got banded in May but I really wanted to pass on some advice... First, its a piece of cake and I can already tell its the best thing I have ever done (and I am self pay!!) It is post op day 13 and I still have ZERO appetite! I just eat my stuff to get the protein/ liquid requirements but I dont really care either way...I feel like one of those ;skinnies; who never cares or thinks about food! Second, by any means possible get an abdominal binder. Its just a big piece of elastic that goes around your waist and velcroes. It keeps everything in place and really decreases your pain. If you sleep on your side it eliminates that pulling feeling of your gut schlumping over which is very painful! Good luck all, feel free to message me if you have questions...I will be very honest with the good, bad, and the ugly!! Cali

He's the best...I have sucky insurance so I had to self pay but it was so worth it. He has a very regular-guy personality and has some of the lowest complications stats you'll see. He sews a little piece of your stomach over the band so it can NEVER slip and he has never had a slip. Also like someone said, the port isnt attached to the muscle so it doesnt hurt or irritate those abs at all. He is just the best and I really cant say enough about him...since I am self pay I could have gone anywhere and since he is four hours from here...well, I just think he was all worth it! Good luck, Cali

A word of advice for anyone who's getting banded soon or maybe just did...I know I'm like an evangelist about the abdominal binder! Find one, order one, get one!!! It will get you sleeping in a normal position in bed really fast and just keeps everything from moving around in there which is what's painful!!! Mine days dj orthopedics on it, its white and just looks like a huge elastic band (about 10 inches tall) with velcro. I wore mine for one week as instructed! I dont know if yo could find something like it at a drug store or one of those med supply/wheelchair type of stores...In a pinch I think you could buy a few of the largest ACE bandages...believe me, it would be worth it! Good luck all! Cali

The thing I have noticed is how much variability there is on EVERYTHING from different docs on this site...its kind of weird...hang in there and good uck! Cali

You sure have a lot of insight into your own mind...you're going to do great because of it! Cali

That's a great story and goes into the file for those of us who had to self pay...we have to think of things we spent money on if we couldnt do them ourselves..thanks, Cali

I think you sold me...P

Dear hsj, I think I lost 9 pounds on the preop then 7 the first week post op. Today is day 10 post op and I feel great and still have zero appetite...just doing the protein shakes and now some thin soup with added protein powder because I was getting so sick of the sweet slim fast etc! Life is good...I never even think about food and that's very new to me...So far, well worth the price of my painful self pay! Cali

Dear Heather, Stay off that scale for a week! A lot of people have gone up 5-7 lbs from all the IV fliuds they give you...dont worry about it!

Sometimes it is suspected that what is inside the gallbladder may be infected and they dont want to risk 'spilling it' during the combined procedure. S o they do the gallbladder, let you heal , and then the lap band.

Dear Frank, Sorry you had a bad experience...I cant imagine and post surgical patient being able to heal/recover on 300 cals a day! That's just wrong. If the dietician conforms that and if its for more than a couple or three days, PLEASE re-confirm it with the doctor! That sounds ridiculous! Good luck, dude! Cali

I agree...sometimes when I'm out in public I see all these heavy people and I know how unhappy they are and I just wish more docs would bring this up. Especially when they are in their 40s like me or older...its like, Hello? How long have you been struggling and are you realizing you are not winning? But I thin primary care docs should at least bring this up! Cali