general_antiope

Thanks Alex. Related question, didn't want to start a new topic....Is there a Group Management primer? I have a few people that say there is no join button but when i go to look at the settings, its set to Public and I can't figure out why they are members if they didn't join. Any documentation on the group section here? Im a veteran administrator and developer for community boards (phpbb is my flavor) so Im familiar with the techie stuff. You can talk nerdy to me

Apparently I have the group set to public - you're listed as a full member. You should be able to browse and reply.

Can't wait to hear all about it!

Yeah go us!! One more week Abbie, I hear great things about Dr Kurian. My pre op diet is different (7 days liquid) but I'm getting rebanded so I wonder if that's why? I'd love to have solid veggies! Maybe it varies by surgeon, Dr Ren had me on this diet 8 years ago, too. Yeah it IS hard!

Gorgeous!

Good point. Band date is a great idea. So since I've been banded for 8 years and am about to get rebanded, can I ask for access still?? I'm not at goal, but I know what I'm doing. Just looking for support and community. I was too isolated the first time around.

I also find this site difficult to navigate. I've been administering boards for 15 years now, and am praying there's an easier way I can share with you all

Crystal, you reminded me about an outfit I bought when I went through this the first time, a large T shirt I liked (normal sized) and size 14 pants. I did get into them once I lost the weight! Funny thing was, by the time I got into them, I didn't care about the outfit anymore cause I'd found cuter outfits by then, LOL! What was "cool" to me before the journey and after was different. But my priorities had changed, too, anyway... I'm going to look around for a few goal outfits. I'm currently in 18/20's on top and bottom, maybe I'll get some 12's and 10's so I keep going. Dave, my surgeon also told me to get PROPEL sports drink. It has electrolytes and low sugar, and is good for helping to heal right after surgery.

My insurance approved the rebanding, my doc just signed my medical clearance yesterday, and Monday I go to NYU for pre op testing with the hospital (3 hrs away). I start my 7 day liquid diet on Monday, too. I'm actually getting sick of eating. My DH is "dieting" with me, so we've been kinda eating crap the last few days, and I'm looking forward to detoxing. I don't feel good!

Woo hoo!! Updated the first post with our surgery dates. Welcome new people! Please let me know if anything changes or if I got something wrong

Pinning this topic, as I may add to it as I figure out more. TO POST A TOPIC: In the Group Navigation --> click on "Group Discussion" to see all our threads. You should be able to post from there.

If you click on Group Discussion from the right navigation, it will take you to the topic view. There you can "Start Topic." horrible layout. gonna see if i can customize it.

Thanks, can_do!

Great job!

If anyone is having trouble joining he Feb 2013 Bandsters group here on LBT, message me and I'll invite you! Wow, one more week until Feb is here. I go for pre op testing on Monday and today my PCP is signing my clearance form. I am so excited

Sara, trust your doc Come check out our Feb Bandsters group http://www.lapbandtalk.com/groups/show/124-february-2013-bandsters/

Personal observation. There is so much data that can prove why you shouldn't get the band as much as there is data on why you should. I really feel sad for people who hate bypass patients, or sleeve patients who hate the band. Whatever "camp" you're in, stop spending all this energy being angry at other camps and heal that hurt inside. Life is precious. Anger is a wasteful emotion.

Hm. Well I'm not here to defend my decision to you (unless you want to know because you care, not because you want to convince me I'm making a mistake and want to convert me), and more importantly, this topic is about the information you posted. So I'd rather focus on that, if you don't mind. What irked me about the post is that the whole tone is very misleading. If you are here to offer your experience and insight and possibly help others, then great. But you just posted a study summary that, after reading it, didn't pass my sniff test. I assume you downloaded (paid for) this entire study and didn't post just some vague conclusion about the lap band being inferior to the sleeve to explain why you made the choice to switch after a poor band experience. (which, by the way, is not everyone else's experience) I approach scientific data with healthy skepticism, and I'm happy to keep an open mind. So here are my questions on the abstract and results: What is gastrointestinal quality of life? What does it mean - how is it measured in this study? Are we talking good and bad bacteria, number of bowel movements, rate of intestinal distress? What is food tolerance? What does it mean - are we talking what variety of foods are able to be eaten? Quantity of food? This is most interesting to me because the band's primary purpose is to keep food tolerance low. I'm not sure why, otherwise, it would be part of a study. That's like measuring the light and heat from the sun and declaring that it's hotter and brighter than a lamp. lol. How significant is "significantly lower" did the AGB score? What do the numbers mean? Does it mean that because of these parameters, AGB patients had less long term weight loss? Lower quality of life? Less complications, less revision rates? Worse overall health? These things would get my attention, and cause me to look into my options again. Don't get me wrong, MsMaui, I wouldn't wish complications on anyone, I don't want the whole world to be banded. It's for specific people. And sometimes even good band candidates have a crappy surgical experience, like perhaps yourself. And maybe me, but I'm not convinced yet. As for me...My band has failed, yes, but for logical reasons. There is no reason to think it won't work again once replaced with a newer model and the port located to a less stressful place. Also, I am opposed to permanent surgical alteration, and will do everything in my power to avoid it. The band is still good in my eyes, especially seeing the results personally.

I used to be a know it all - I fell off the wagon and would think I was eating past the band and not losing. Reality was I had a slow leak and when I finally went to my doc she verbally smacked me around in a good way and said this is not magic. You're either able to eat or you're not. If you are eating bad band foods I haven't filled you right. So I believe in the green zone. I can't wait to be rebanded and kick this faulty band - I've only had a working band 2 years out of the past 8. I'm do e screwing around - I will exercise and stick only to friendly foods (I lived on mashed potatoes and cookies). I was lying to myself even though I dropped 100 lbs. I couldn't lose more for those reasons. No exercise, wrong foods, and a legitimate failing band. No way I'm doing that this time around. I'm lucky j haven't had erosion or a slip.

Back to Terry - have you named the Mistress yet or is she just "Mistress"?

Oh, I don't have a personal problem with you at all! And I do agree, if the band is doing more harm than good, yes, it's not a good option. but those complications are few and far between.

food tolerance and GI quality have nothing to do with weight loss or complication rates. Of course the band scores low in food tolerance. Restriction is the point! I personally would never choose permanent digestive surgery unless my life depended on it. Thankfully right now it does not. I have a food addiction not a physical disease. I've had nothing but malfunctions in my band for 8 years. Even when it had a slow leak or a fast leak I still fought to contain my weight gain. I committed to the band and it has proven to me over and over that it works for me. That being said, the band isn't for everyone. I just get so irritated with people constantly trying to prove its bad. You know what's bad? Irreversibly disfiguring your god given perfectly healthy digestive track for a psychological addiction. All my personal opinion.