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I have been about 20 lbs. overweight for a long time. I'm sure it is a physical tendency as well as a few food issues, but I was always able to keep it under control with exercise. So, Why Am I Fat? I have a thyroid problem (diagnosed 7 years ago) which has thrown my whole body into another world. Like many of you on this site, I knew I was headed for trouble and as much as I talked to my doctors, they didn't listen. I changed doctors multiple times in an effort to find someone who would treat my WHOLE BODY and not just look at my thyroid test results...no luck (and the issue of Doctors not dealing with the whole person is one which I would gladly get in to with anyone wanting to vent a little). I tried many things and finally, out of total frustration, I gave up...and the weight piled on. 75lbs later I looked in the mirror and said "this is rediculous. Something MUST be done because I can't live a full and productive life with this issue dominating everything I do." Life is difficult. No matter where you are in it there are stresses, and a person can only deal with a certain number of stresses at any single time. I decided that the issue of weight was one which, if I was going to deal with it on my own, was going to dominate my life and leave little energy for dealing with anything else. So I started looking for a solution, and here I am (37 years old, banded in May at 245 and down 36lbs with about 40 to go). Like many major issues in life, I think that weight is one of those things which, for some people, requires "professional intervention". I think of it in the same category as an addiction or a disease...an issue which requires outside help and internal resolve. Once you get help and deal with the issues on the table and then you can let the issue of weight fall into the background of life...off of your radar of things which require IMMEDIATE attention and into the category of things which require diligence, maintenance and "checking" on a regular basis. I am very greatful for my band (and my Doctor, Dr. Franco Favretti in Italy) and I'm eager to get down to a reasonable weight. Of course this does nothing to address the other issues which my thyroid disease has left me with (hair falling out, dry skin, dry eyes, Betty Davis eyes, difficulty concentrating, the mental "fog" which is so common among thyroid patients, inability to work a traditional 9-5 job, falling asleep anytime, anywhere regardless of how much sleep I get), but it takes ONE issue off the list and that is a great thing, because it leaves more brain power available to deal with the remaining ones. When I was diagnosed with Thyroid Graves' Disease, I remember a doctor telling me that it was an easy issue to deal with ... something to the effect of "pop your pills as perscribed and Voila!" Well, that was a HUGE oversimplification. Nothing is that simple. Neither is my Band that simple. I have approached my Band like I have approached most of life... do my research, map out a plan for success and then try to stick to it as much as possible. 2 1/2 years ago I revamped my diet, removing prepared foods, hydrogenated and partially hydrogenated oils, corn syrup, preservatives...and added more vegetables...blah, blah, blah. I took this step because I realized that I needed outside help to deal with my Thyroid issues and so sought out a nutritionist who suggested that it might help with both my health and my weight gain. I got Banded because the change in diet alone wasn't working to control my weight and it was impacting my health...it was recognition that my health and thus my weight is linked to my happiness/quality of life. There are a multitue of reasons people are fat. Rarely is it just one. So, take a look at what your reasons are and get help with them. Everyone says that the Band is just a tool and for most people, we will utilize many tools in dealing with our weight, because weight is linked to health and health to quality of life. The body is a very complicated SYSTEM of interconnected functions. My thyroid no longer functions, but contrary to my Doctor's statements, pumping replacement hormones ("horror moans" as I like to call them) into my body has NOT taken care of all the symptoms, so I look for complimentary solutions. The same can be said of being overweight and getting Banded. It isn't the "fix it" which some advertise it to be. In both cases, the problem needs to be ATTACKED from many angles to get the desired result. So, Good Luck Warriors!

thanks everyone for your interest! yes, dr. hekier, that's it. my personal history of obesity is a 60ish pound weight loss one time and four 20 - 30ish pound losses. one of those was from pregnancy and another from medicinal complications. my lifestyle has changed such that it does not "allow" for that much weight gain. i do love to exercise and i eat healthfully most of the time. but i can see dealing with a 10 - 15 pound weight gain/loss at any given time. it's just too darn easy to move too little and eat way too much. and it doesn't take much of that to gain 10 pounds!! an aside: i began wearing a pedometer about a month ago, and i was shocked at how few steps i took on a day that i didn't exercise. i realized then that is why my "last 8 pounds" weight loss has been so slow. and that i must do some sort of activity everyday--doesn't have to be intense, just long--to make up for the fact that my job is so sedentary. so i'd be interested in having a lap band to help with those up/downs. it quite possibly would remain unfilled most of the time. but i'd get a fill when i needed to lose 5 - 8 pounds. so, whaddya think?

Issue #1 – I’m a borderline case. BMI is 37.7. I have the usual aches and pains that go along with being this size, but no co-morbidities (that I know of). Also, I have a family history of high blood pressure, high cholesterol, cancer, and obesity. Issue #2 – I’m in treatment for depression. Blah blah blah, long story, but it’s been a major contributor to my weight gain – especially in the last 6 months. Yesterday, Dr. switched my meds, hoping the new combo will be more effective. Issue #3 – I have been working with a diet coach/behavior therapist since June. Her m.o. is “Go slow. Focus on changing one bad habit at a time.” Apparantly I'm a lost cause becuase I’ve actually <i>gained</i> 13 pounds since starting with her. @#%&^!! Issue #4 - My physical is on 10/29, so I have a whole month to agonize over all this. The Dilemma: I now find myself in the bizarre position of NOT wanting to lose weight. Has the world gone mad? I feel like I have to hang onto every pound I’ve got because it may make the difference between approved and denied. Meanwhile, I’ve got coach lady encouraging me to exercise, and eat veggies, and at the same time, I’m worried that the new meds might actually work. The problem is, I could lose 10-15 pounds by myself. But the band is the only thing that’s going to help me lose the 90 or so that really need to go. On the one hand, I want to do things that are healthier for myself. On the other hand, if I can gain 10 more pounds, that puts me in a better position to be approved. Ack! What do I do?

I had a fatty liver. My enzynes were sky high as well. After weightloss thanks in part to diet change and then my band, my levels are back to a normal range. My family physician had me count my carbs (10 a day) and watch my fatty food intake. (Greasy fried foods). My fatty liver was associated with excess weight gain over the years.

I'm 55 and have a "fatty" liver. It showed up at one of those supermarket blood checks for cholesterol, was a freebie. What a shocker when he told me I had high levels of enzymes and I needed to be checked. I might have a cocktail every now and then, but I'm not a drinker, so my PCP ran every test for liver disease and it came back a "fatty" liver. I think it's usually caused by rapid weight gain. Last visit it was almost back to normal, thanks to my band.

Hello, I am new to the board and wanting to get the lap band done. I am going to my PCP in two weeks to advise him of what I am considering. Everything I read I am boarder line on getting approved. Working in insurance I know what the main critia for the gastic surgery is but wanted other opinion since I don't have my own insurance with my company (harrington) I have Cigna insurance through my husband coverage and they state the cover the procedure. I turned 31 in July and have been overwieght for almost 8 yrs. Since the birth of my first child. After losing very little weight and a sudden weight gain of 40 lbs my doctor did many test. I was sent to a RE and found out I have PCOS (polycystic ovaries) I have trying many things and nothing has worked. I started out 8 yrs ago at 110 lbs and gained 80 lbs with my pregnancy. I am 5'4 with shoes on and weigh 210 lbs. My BMI is 37.1 so for my medical conditions I have PCOS, high blood pressure, and border line diabetic. I take glucophage for my pcos which helps control my blood suger from getting worse at this stage anyway. Any info you have that I can give or advise my doctor to help get Cigan to pay would be appriciated. I see to many denied in my company and just worried I won't get approved. TIA Tina

Wow, super long and didn't get ALL of it but I promise I will come back and read every word and reply again. Just wanted to say Hi and tell you to look at my stats...very similar but my weight gain has been steady up with less "way downs" than you. Banding BMI was 38, I think. I am 5'5". I am also a little older. Anyhow, it's possible. Have hope. Look at the Before-After Pics Thread.

Hi everyone, I’m new to the group. ffice:office" /><O:p></O:p> A little about me: I just turned 31 two weeks ago, but I don’t “feel” 31. I’m sure everyone says that! I’m not married, I live alone, no children, and I watch a lot of cartoons on Nickelodeon. It’s a clear case of arrested development. <O:p></O:p> I’m somewhere between 5’6” and 5’7”, depending on who’s doing the measuring, and I weigh at least 230 pounds, possibly more. I weighed myself in June and I was at 217 and I can tell I’ve gained some weight since then. I’m guessing my BMI is around 37. I’m afraid to weigh myself and find out for sure, because I fear it will trigger a feeling of complete hopelessness and the binge to end all binges. <O:p></O:p> I’d always shied away from any kind of medical stuff. I haven’t had a physical in over 10 years because it was always such a terrifying experience when I was a little kid. I screwed up my courage and gave blood last month and while I’m glad I did it, it was a horrifying experience and not one I’m likely to repeat. The idea of gastric bypass scares the crap out of me. And I worry about scarring because I’ve had keloids in the past. But then I started reading about the lap band and am thinking this might be an option for me. For the first time in my life, the pain of living my life in this body has overpowered my abject fear of all things medical and any concern I ever had about scarring. (It’s actually kind of funny, I temped in the surgical wing of a hospital for about 4 months. It was fascinating. They let me go in to watch many of the operations. I saw 5 or 6 gastric bypass operations, knee surgeries, even one brain surgery. And I wasn’t squeamish at all. But that’s because it wasn’t ME. The thought of ME lying on that table makes me feel ill.) <O:p></O:p> I haven’t been obese my whole life. I started out chubby – always about 10-15 pounds overweight. I remember having a 30 inch waist when I was 11 years old. But I didn’t become obese until my mid 20s. My entire adult life, my weight has always been on the way up or on the way down. I’ve never been able to maintain my weight at any level. I’ve dieted and I’ve succeeded, but I’ve always done what I swore I’d never do – I gained the weight back (and then some.) My most recent attempt was in 2002, when I joined weight watchers (again) and dieted down to 138. It didn’t last, of course. And at that weight, I was still a little chubby. That makes me think that I must have a small frame and probably my ideal weight is around 130 or so. Anyway, my point…and I’m getting to it, I promise – is that in my mind I’m about 100 pounds overweight. Like a lot of you, I’m sure, I remember certain events by what I weighed at the time. 172 when I started college. 154 when I graduated. 135 after my first semester in grad school. (That was the exercise 90 minutes a day and eat nothing but two bagels and a can of tuna for the entire day phase.) 165 a year later when I was in my friend’s wedding. 173 after a year on my first job 154 after freaking out about the above and joining weight watchers It went on and on until I joined weight watchers again at 220 pounds and lost 70. That was in 2002. Since then, it’s been a steady climb upwards. The weight gain has actually accelerated in the last year. When I finally quit the rip-off personal training place, I was at 182. That was this past January. And look at me now. I’m scared to death. Why even bother trying to lose weight if in the end, I’ll only be heavier? I don’t think I can handle failing again. Feeling like a loser again. Busting out of my clothes again. <O:p></O:p> I’ve been researching the heck out of this lap band thing. I originally thought it made you lose weight simply because you can’t eat as much. After reading up on it, I’ve learned that I will still have to change my lifestyle and eating habits. Three small meals a day. No liquids before, during, or after meals. Exercise is required. I’ll have to chew my food into mush before I swallow and I won’t be able to eat solids for a month after the surgery. Also, I learned that there are ways to cheat and get more food down the hatch. Part of me is thinking that if I were capable of making these changes, I wouldn’t need the surgery. The other part of me is thinking that the surgery would be an extremely important tool to help me get where I need to go. And surgery would give me something I haven’t had in a long time: HOPE. <O:p></O:p> I have Healthnet for my insurance and they cover the lap-band. I would only have to pay about $500. My worry is that I won’t qualify for the procedure because I’m not quite big enough, haven’t been obese long enough, and don’t have a medical history of co-morbidities. My position is that the surgery is inevitable, because if I don’t do something, I will continue to gain weight. But I doubt my saying so will get me approved for the surgery. <O:p></O:p> Healthnet told me the first thing I need to do is get a physical, so I scheduled an appointment. The bad news is – the Dr. can’t see me until Dec. 12. I was really hoping to get moving on this. I belong to the UCLA Santa Monica medical group and they have a ton of residents there. I could probably get in to see one of them in the next couple of weeks. But I’ve researched my PCP. I don’t know anything about any of the residents and since this is the first time I’m seeing a doctor in over a decade and I’m going to ask this person to refer me to bariatrics, I want someone who knows what she is doing. I’m sure first and second year doctors are fine, but…no. Am I being crazy? Should I just see one of the residents and get this show on the road? <O:p></O:p> But back to qualifying…I did some research and the rule is you have to have a BMI of 40 or a BMI of 35 plus co-morbidities. I don’t know if the co-morbidity thing will fly. First off, I have nothing documented, and secondly, I’m pretty sure I don’t have any of the biggies: diabetes, sleep apnea, etc. I read somewhere that depression counts, and I’ve been battling that with different doctors over the past 8 or so years. I’ve also got pain in my back and knees. I’ve started getting dizzy sometimes. I start perspiring at the drop of a hat and I’m get out of breath easily. I get really bad chafing and welts on my inner thighs. I have a welt right now that hurts so bad, it’s hard to walk. <O:p></O:p> Since the age of 18, I’ve seen two nutritionists, joined weight watchers 3 times (or was it four?), tried the lemonade fast, tried Trim-Spa (with and without ephedra) seen a therapist, been on anti-depressants, tried the “eat sensibly” thing which, if I could do that, I wouldn’t have this problem in the first place. I’ve had a gym membership for 10 years and have actually used it. I’ve done the 90 minutes of exercise every day thing. I even tried to make myself vomit, but I just couldn’t seem to make it happen. (And believe me I’ve tried.) Last year, I got ripped off for $5000 by a personal training company, and I’m still recovering from that financially. Right now, I’m working with a diet coach who is trying to help me by having me take very small baby steps that focus on changing my habits and my lifestyle rather than just losing weight. I’ve been working with her for about three months now. I’m now drinking 70+ oz of Water every day and I’ve given up fast food, but I just eat other crap so it hasn’t affected my weight. <O:p></O:p> Overweight and obesity run in my family (no one looks morbidly obese to me, but a lot of us are fat in my family.) My father has high blood pressure and had prostate cancer. My mother has high cholesterol. I never knew any of my grandparents, but I know two of them had cancer. Is that enough, do you think? I feel horrible asking that question, but I’m trying to figure out what I need to say to the doctor. The other thing I’m worried about is I don’t have a support system at all. I’m not close to my family at all, and they all live thousands of miles away. I moved here to ffice:smarttags" /><?xml:namespace prefix = st1 ns = "urn:schemas-microsoft-com<ST1:place w:st="on">Los Angeles</ST1:place></st1:City> in 2002 and haven’t made any friends. I’ve been too busy hiding away in my apartment, feeling ashamed. The only social interactions I have are with the people at work. Yes it’s lonely and it sucks, but I’m pretty used to it. I wonder if my lack of a support network will factor into the decision to approve my application for the surgery. <O:p></O:p> I guess it would help if anyone could maybe tell me about your journey – what your experience was and how you got through it. And maybe you guys will have some advice to pass on. Be brutally honest. Should I just forget this whole thing until I clearly qualify for it? Was it hard for you to change your eating habits? Has anyone gained the weight back? Is it possible to lose weight and be “normal” sized, or will the formerly obese always be a little chubby? Anyone have a problem with excess skin? Do you know of anyone the lap band did NOT work for? Is there anything I should say to the doctor when I see her? <O:p></O:p> I don’t know what to do. I just know that I’m extremely unhappy, I’m nervous as all get out, I don’t have anyone to talk to about this, and I don’t know what to do or which way to go… <O:p></O:p> Ugh. This is so depressing. What I wouldn’t give for one day – 24 solid hours – when I don’t have to think about food or my weight. I just want to get on with my life. <O:p></O:p> <O:p></O:p>Thanks, all. I know this was super long. <O:p></O:p> SJ

Welcome to my life (my old one.) Your story is very common. I've been through hell and back working for "the man." Right now life is awesome, I finally found a lawfirm that let's me combine my analytical mind and organizational skills with the kid inside me. But back in my hell days, there were limited options for me, so I had to put up with a lot of abuse. I consider it abuse and harrassment. Going to HR never helped because it always blew up in my face. I was desperate because my health was deteriorating (insomnia, anxiety, depression, weight gain.) I finally wrote a couple anonymous letters. I chose my words carefully and made sure nobody saw me. Eventually the letters got into the right hands. Things got ugly for a long time with people being pulled into private meetings. Eventually a couple people quit, one got fired, then finally the boss himself was laid off. The same thing happened to my sister, but she exploded in the open and ended up getting the boss fired and getting an apology letter from Time Warner offering her whatever she wanted. You are not alone. My friend Jennifer had the same psycho boss. We each had our reasons for not quitting, but she came over crying every night after work. Then one day she showed up in shock. She was ghost white and couldn't talk because when she got to work, her boss had committed suicide. I don't really have suggestions, but please know that you are not alone and that there is always light at the end of a tunnel.

So happy for you hope I reach such success and no weight gain in a year now that is sensational good luck

Hi Judy, I completely understand. My Dr. didn't require any special diet before the surgery and Boy did I have a party. I tried to eat all the foods I thought I wouldn't ever be able to eat again. Steaks, fries, pizza, subs, fried chicken, Hardees biscuit's and more. I guess it was my way of saying good by to a lifestyle that I loved -- being able to eat what when I wanted (spoiled that way ) but, the weight gain I hated! By the time of my surgery I had gained almost 15 pounds and I remember thinking "man it sure wasn't worth it, because now I have to lose more weight than I had planned." We've all struggled with food that's why were here. So, know this -- you are not alone and it does get better -- much better! I wish you much success.

I think I win the prize for knowing the most band doctors one-on-one. They all disagree at many levels, but the one thing they agree on completely is that erosion happens. Lopez appears to have the most erosions, but he also has the most patients. She went 1.5 years with no fill because she was doing great. Then the temporary port problem added to the weight gain made her decide to get a fill. Going to Mexico from here is a major ordeal, kill 2 birds with one stone. That's when he did the endoscopy and found erosion. I do know that port infection and erosion are related. She didn't mention that though, but since I'm the Queen of Port infections I happend to know that little diddy. I'm not sure if she's related to the person you're talking about. This is posted on the Vegas Bandster board, so it's not like I'm posting something private. I think we all need to know every thing.

Sorry to hear this Wouldnt this be normal to gain weight with no fill for 1.5 yrs? Was she going in for a fill to prevent more weight gain and this iswhen they detected it? Lisa , remember I got a phone call from a bandster friend who was banded by Ortiz at your house in Vegas, she went to Tj and had an endo to find out she had an absess under her port, no erosion however, not yet anyways, but had to have her port removed and the absessed drained for 5 days..but back in November she had to have her flipped port surgically fixed, wonder if there is any connection? Hmmm.. The sucky part is erosion is a possibility, I wonder if it has anythingto do with the Dr.s who preform it or if some people are more prone to it then others, it is obvious from those I know who have had erosion being a perfect bandster not does not stop it from happening. Erosion is something I worry about everyday of my banded life!

Have you had any bloodwork done recently? Has anyone checked out your thyroid? While it wont cause a TON of weight gain, it will cause some, and I can see how that could easily translate into difficult weight loss, you know? Anyway, just something to consider.

Not even the case with my Dr. in TJ, he will take all the time you need once you get in that fill room and it is just you and him. He will answer any questions you have , he will not make you feel rushed one single bit regardless of how many are out in that waiting room. I have spent 30 minutes in that fil lroom with him asking questions after my fill Octavia, so glad you had an ufill..it is normal to gain wieght now that you can eat more, it will taper off once your body gets used to it, did you have weight gain post op when you went from liquids to solids? I did and so did many others, what you are going through is the same concept. You havent eaten well in days, weeks, now you are able to, it is normal, not to worry. I'm just glad you did the responsible thing and went to see your Dr and got the help you needed before it was too late and too much damage was done and non reversible. One question though , I always thought being in Ketosis was being in fat burining mode, you said you wre in ketosis but not burning fat. I'm confused. Any Dr. who will tell you to leave the band alone when you tell him you cant get food down without it coming back up, well that would concern me. If I PBed more then once a week my Dr. in TJ wants me down there immediately to remove some fill. Exercising is not the sole answer to weight loss, I will tell you that in my 17 months, I have barely exercised and have lost 95 lbs my starting weight was 265 I'm now 170... If you have to grind your hard Proteins to get it down you are too tight! PERIOD! I hope this slight unfill will work for you and you can get the nourishment your body needs, forget about the weight gain ,right now focus on getting well, you have the rest of your life to lose this weight, this is not a race. Best Wishes to you

I believe I'm getting enough Water, but today I'm tracking that as well. Just because I *think* I'm getting enough of something (or not too much of something else) doesn't mean reality matches up. Thanks for asking Paula, and yes, uhm, every thing is coming out all right, as it were. I have not checked recently to see if my meds cause weight gain. I am not currently on prednisone, but I was prior to being banded. I can't think that previous use of steroids would impact my current weight loss. But one of the very first things they want ot do to you here in SE ID is put you on a course of prednisone if you come into the ER with an asthma attack. If my oxygen is below 90%, they put me on steroids.

One of the meds is an inhaled steroid, but I believe that it is not prednisone. I've been on prednisone so much that I have a standing prescription for it. I cannot even begin to express how much I hate it. That's one of the reasons I gained weight before my surgery.. I had to do a couple of different courses of it between the consult and the surgery. It's beyond frustrating when they tell you that you must loose weight, but then put you on drugs that are garenteed to cause you to gain weight. Oh, and 60mg is notthing compaired to what I would need to take. I suppose to chose weight gain over death. Funny how it got to the point where my weight was killing me. Maybe I don't own a metabolism any more. Thank-you Becky for your kind words. I hope you are tracking all your NVS, along with their date. My list of NSVs is often the only thing that keeps me going, the only think that keeps me from giving in and giving up.

I had my surgery about 2 months ago and have lost 30 lbs. I have received many compliments, I have felt really good about myself, and when people asked me (my surgeon included) if I was happy with the whole lap-band thing, my answer is A DEFINITE YES. It has been years since I felt I have control over my body, my weight. And for the first time, I am very sure (100% sure) that even if I may not reach my goal weight I will never be as heavy as I ever was. However, in the past two days I realized that there are parts of myself that I missed. Ok, not the weight, not the flabs, but I used to be quite fit (despite my weight gain/weight loss cycle). I climbed a mountain (non-technical climb), I did yoga, pilates, tennis (hard core). I ran. All more than 2-3x a week. I've walked since week 2 after my surgery, but I didnt try to get back to my previous workout habits until this week. I had no problem with 2.5 hrs hike over the weekend, but yesterday I did my pilates and I felt wobbly and dizzy. Today I went to a new yoga class and I could not even support myself with my arms, I could not do simple poses, and I could not even balance myself (I was very good at balancing before). I'm not sure why I suddenly have no control over my body and no strength esp upper body. It's only been 2 months since I really work out and am I that out of shape strength wise? I used to stop working out for 6 months before and I got into it just fine. Does anyone have this problem also restarting their workout? I think a few weeks ago I saw someone posted their exercise schedule and my impression of them are that they are quite rigorous, at least in terms of frequency and types. Is this a malnutrition issue? I am quite upset with myself...I quite the class halfway. I'm not a quitter! I just could not take it anymore. I also felt since the surgery a lethargicness in some ways - I don't mind walking, I walk everywhere: work, class, etc. But I can't seem to be able to lift - not even a bag full of groceries. I can't bend. I felt all my muscles are tight, too. I'm going to see my osteopathist next week. Hopefully she can help me....

Veronica, I'm sure you are in need of a fill, it has been a year since your last one, Call Dr. Martinez he will tell you what he thinks. What is it that you are eating in a day exactly? because we all know more calories in then calories burned will produce weight gain. Do you have any restriction? if anything I would go and see Dr Martinez to make sure all of your 2.2 cc's is still there and all is well with your band and maybe get a little adjustment. It cant' hurt.

Read this, I hope it helps, it is normal to see a weight gain or no loss when you go from liquids to mushy, you will also see thesame thing most likely when you go from mushy to solids. http://www.lapbandtalk.com/showthread.php?t=9148&highlight=struggling+bandsters

One of my patients last week asked about gallbladder removal during her upcoming Lap Band so I offer some thoughts: Many people who have not had weight loss surgery end up with stones in their gallbladder, but not all of those stones are symptomatic and cause pain. Since rapid weight loss or weight gain can cause the formation of gallstones it is an area of interest to bariatric physicians and patients. There is a debate among physicians as to whether or not to perform a gallbladder removal at the time of weight-loss surgery. I recall that it was a topic of discussion at the American Society of Bariatric Surgery meeting I attended a couple of years ago, and there was no consensus as to whether or not remove the gallbladder. Some laparoscopic gastric bypass surgeons commented that the placement of the instruments for the bypass is not ideal for removal of the gallbladder, and hence that makes the surgery more difficult or makes it necessary to place more ports for instruments into the patient. I am not aware of many Lap Band surgeons that remove the gallbladder at the time of surgery for the following reasons: 1) By removing the gallbladder you introduce the possibility of having bacteria enter the bloodstream or abdominal cavity, since the bile in the gallbladder can harbor bacteria. You would prefer not to do this in the presence of a foreign body, the Lap Band. 2) The port placement for the Lap Band may not be ideal for removing the gallbladder and more ports may need to be added. 3) It is felt by some that the more gradual weight loss seen with the Lap Band compared to gastric bypass makes the likelihood of developing gallstones lower. 4) While generally a safe surgery, gallbladder removal (cholecystectomy) does entail its own specific risks that are unique to that surgery, therefore adding a cholecystectomy to the Lap Band, theoretically adds to the risk of surgery. To answer Amy's original question about the recovery from the surgery: The laparoscopic cholecystectomy is generally well tolerated and most patients return to regular activity within a few days. I remember a patient who was a high school football couch and went to run practice the afternoon after his cholecystectomy. As with any surgery, everyone has a unique recovery based upon how their body responds to the surgery. Good luck!

I'm glad its over with. Knee pain can be mindblowing, especially if you sit down or get up to fast. I have wicked arthritis in the knees and degenerative disc disease in my spine along with a few bone spirs and arthritis. I can relate to the bone to bone rubbing. I wouldn't worry about the weight gain, like you said, your knee is swollen so mostlikely its just that plus Water weight. Take it easy, and feel better quick !! (me, I'm just fine and dandy - can't complain lolol thanks for asking )

I am losing slowly but the best thing has been coming home from vacation without a weight gain...now I know I'm on the right track. When I have those rare times that weight comes off quickly, I get all excited. But when it is coming off slowly, I also see results (in inches, energy, etc). I am also being forced to develop new good habits - chewing my food instead of inhaling it, small bites, etc. Yes, its been worth it and I know when I finally hit goal I will be doing a big hapy dance.

What did you mean by this statement? I thought you meant you were going to have an unfill..your not planning on going tighter are you? Please do not take offense to my post I'm only writing this out of concern and to offer you support but did you get the band to not eat? and only survive on two teaspoons of liquids or 1/2 cup of food for the day? . Sure you may lose weight now but eventually you will have to eat solids and then what? Your going to gain wieght back,how long do you think oyu can live like this with no nutrition? it is proven from liquids to solids there is weight gain. Its alos proven that if a person does not take in enough calories, their body goes into starvation mode and stores every calorie which wil lresult in no loss or even a gain. I sure hope it works for you. I know first hand of others in your situation who have lost their bands because they were too tight and did not take action and had the mindset you did..only to have their band slip. I can guarantee you that if Dr. Kuri knew you were not able to eat solids he would say you were too tight.I can also guarantee Inamed would feel the same way, the band was not designed to just live on Soup or 1/2 and not be able to eat anything of substance..I know Dr. Kuri's practice from several of my other bandster friends who have used him here in Orange County. Heck, other Dr.'s would think you were too tight..I know my Dr. would have a fit if I was just taking in soup and not able ot eat anything of substance, he would demand I come in for a slight unfill.....I'm sorry but It's thinking like this from bandsters that just frustrates the hell out of me..at what cost will you go to to lose weight? I got my band to control my protions, not live on liquids and not to be able to eat anything of substance..I'm sure others will agree! In your first post you say you can not eat anything of substance Then in your next post you say this What food are you eating since you can not eat anything of substance? Here is a link to Inameds handbook on the Lap Band..I reccomend you print it out and read it, you may find it very helpful and enlightening http://www.inamed.com/pdf/health/94829F_LB_Patient_Book.pdf I sure wish you the best, I hope you have no repracutions from leaving your band so tight.

Not neccessarily Read this please it is from Inamed's handbook With the Lap Band system in place, you should be able to eat only small ammount so the food you eat should be as healthy as possible. Do not fill your stomach pouch with :junk: food that lacks Vitamins and other important nutrients. Your meals should be high in Protein and vitamins and low in carbs. solid food is more important then liquid food or soft food. The lap Band system will have little or no effect if you only eat liquid or soft food. It passes through the stomach outlet very quickly and does not make you feel full. Here is another excerpt form the book If the adjustment (fill) results in too tight of a stomach opening you could have a hard time eating most foods, sometimes this causes people to avoid solid foods. They may drink liquid meals or soft food meals and this may result in weight gain. A band that is too tight may cause reflux symptoms and can also cause frequent vomiting. Too me it sounds like you are too tight..Are you planning on having some Fluid removed? You do not want to risk your band or health. Please call your Dr. and see him or her ASAP. Until then focus on Protein drinks so if you do lose weight it is not lean muscle mass...losing lean muscle mass results in flabbyness. Protein prevents the loss of lean muscle mass I hope this helps you