How important are the rules really?

[btrieger 21]

Since this thread has the lapbandtalk world's attention, I have two questions:

1. I added my weight tracker ticker under my signature but it is not appearing when I post, anyone know why?

Here's a step by step:

http://www.lapbandtalk.com/f17/ticker-tutorial-pictures-41782/

2. I was banded 6/2/10 and under my port incision site is a firm lump about the size of a golf ball (or a little smaller). It is not the actual port (which is placed lower than the incision). It isn't visible to the naked eye but can easily be felt by touch. Does anyone know what this is? Did anyone have this and did it resolve? My doctor said it was probably scar tissue but I think it is more likely a seroma or hematoma. Any thoughts?

I have no clue. I had a hematoma and a huge bruise at the spot where I was injected with the blood thinner prior to surgery. It went away after a month or so.

[sloanjd 0]

Here's a step by step:

http://www.lapbandtalk.com/f17/ticker-tutorial-pictures-41782/

I have no clue. I had a hematoma and a huge bruise at the spot where I was injected with the blood thinner prior to surgery. It went away after a month or so.

Thank you Btrieger! The link to the ticker tutorial is awesome! I had missed a step.

[LeighaMason 19]

Since this thread has the lapbandtalk world's attention, I have two questions:

1. I added my weight tracker ticker under my signature but it is not appearing when I post, anyone know why?

2. I was banded 6/2/10 and under my port incision site is a firm lump about the size of a golf ball (or a little smaller). It is not the actual port (which is placed lower than the incision). It isn't visible to the naked eye but can easily be felt by touch. Does anyone know what this is? Did anyone have this and did it resolve? My doctor said it was probably scar tissue but I think it is more likely a seroma or hematoma. Any thoughts?

Can you also feel your port?

[sloanjd 0]

Can you also feel your port?

Yes, my Dr. showed me how to feel the port (do a half sit-up and press down on the left side about 2 inches to the side of belly button). I can feel it there when I do this. My port incision site is about 2 1/2 or 3 inches above the actual port location.

[madpassion 0]

Another part of this that isn’t discussed much: There are a number of people on this board who are self-pay. They can do what they want with their money, I don’t really care. BUT…if you are someone whose insurance is paying for your surgery, and you choose to disobey the rules laid out by your surgeon, well,….I have a big problem with you, and potential LAP-BAND® patients should as well.

Insurance companies are tightening up with their money for Bariatric surgeries. They do not approve the procedures as readily as they did a year or two ago, and a part of the reason is the increasing incidence of failures: Increasing Erosion, Slippage, and the inability of the band to effect the desired weight loss in many people is causing the insurance industry to re-think the way it allocates funds for these surgeries. And part of this reevaluation is because of the nitwits that decide that they know better than their Doctor how to behave post-surgery. They eat what they want, when they want, and how they want, and then whine about how they’ve only lost a third of the weight they need to lose, or their band slips.

YOUR failure has the potential to impact the chances of other people to have their band paid for by insurance. So, if you are not going to play by the rules laid out by your surgeon, you need to stand aside, and let someone who WILL cooperate get their band, and be successful with it. Every LAP-BAND® success means that there is a better chance that insurance will continue to pay for this procedure. Every failure diminishes that chance.

I pay $700 a month for my family to have health insurance that doesnt even get used unless theres an emergency, which there hasnt been in the last 5 years. The way I see it, I dont owe my insurance company, or anyone else, ANYTHING !

I've figured out that no matter what anyone on a message board says, I'm the only one who knows what I'm capable of. I know I'll succeed no matter how much alcohol I drink (My surgeon actually advocates a glass of wine per day. Too bad I prefer cognac :smile:). I know that just because I might have 1/2 a tall frappucino once in a blue moon, that doesnt mean I'm going to fall back into the habit of a venti every single day.

I read these boards every day, but rarely post because most of what I see is people telling others "You messed up so now you fail" or "This has been asked before and I'm tired of answering it"

Wow! If you dont want to answer, than dont, and save the replies for someone who does. If all you have to pass on is "You dont deserve a band" then keep it toyourself.

[illuminationlady 7]

Sorry.... I can't let this one slide by without comment... :smile:

First the disclaimer... the following is my opinion only... You know what they say about opinions... Okay... that part is done...

Now... I don't want anyone to think that you can just get banded, eat chips, drink alcohol, and full sugar soda and lose weight so long as you just walk around the Home Depot all day... :thumbup: Oh if it were only that easy...

She was just banded in March? She may be losing weight right now... Well guess what, come along August or September she's going to be due for a big a$$ wake up call... She'll be complaining that she's plateau'd and stalled out and this damn band thing isn't working at all... that'll be followed by "maybe I should go get a fill."

If she isn't exercising, but has a good calorie deficit from intake alone (diet), then the weight she's losing is, percentage-wise, far larger Fluid and lean muscle tissue when compared to someone who is sufficiently exercising. What's the difference? The exerciser is maintaining a healthy metabolism by keeping as much lean muscle tissue as possible, which will keep the FAT loss going. The other is slowly but surely crashing their metabolism, losing lean body mass, and when the equalibrium is met - the plateau arrives.

And walking around the home depot, or anywhere else for that matter, is a part of a good active lifestyle, but that aint exercise.

Ok... I'm done...

Brad

Agreed! My intent was no to say it's okay to do this. I myself am banded and follow the rules. And guess what? She has started to gain a little now. So, I couldn't agree more. Sorry if my post came across the wrong way....

[illuminationlady 7]

Yes, my Dr. showed me how to feel the port (do a half sit-up and press down on the left side about 2 inches to the side of belly button). I can feel it there when I do this. My port incision site is about 2 1/2 or 3 inches above the actual port location.

I can feel mine too!

[SavvyCat 0]

lol, so your husband doesn't know whether you are a he or she? A chivalrous husband would have said who he was, imo.

Here's hoping that I did the quote thing correctly.... I need a tutorial just to maneuver, and for that matter a key to decipher many of the abbreviations... Seriously folks, I'm a busy girl but even I can spend the tenth of a second it takes to spell out my thoughts. I know, I know, change or become extinct. I’ll invite my teenage niece over so that she can give me the “down low” on all these abbreviations…. Fortunately I can infer most of them…

Is it vanity or paranoia to think that I am “trolling”? Is it more or less offensive to call me a troll than it is for me to make a generic comment of: “I imagine those with a sheep mentality are the most successful being banded - you know, those folks who take direction without question”? Would your reaction have been different without the sheep mentality reference? The thing is that I did not direct it at any one in person; those of you who found it offensive took ownership of it. How you view yourself has nothing to do with me. None of you took issue with my later statement of, “My guess is that most of you consider yourselves to be fairly intelligent....” Any idea as to why that is? Any idea as to why some of you felt it was okay to make PERSONAL attacks? Boy does anonymity make one brave!!

To address the doubting Thomases: It was my husband’s intent to show support anonymously. Once he realized his post popped up under my name he deleted it. The responses to my original posts indicated that no one was clear as to my sex, therefore he used he/she. What do you get by believing otherwise?

“because she is posting under 2 screen names on this very thread .......... trolling

.......”

What is my other screen name is supposed to be?

I imagine if I were a student of sociology I could have a great case study in just this thread alone! Many of the people posting in this thread have likely felt out casted by their weight at one time or another, and rather than show compassion and empathy for those who are walking in their old shoes, they have chosen to be their aggressor.

“I may be fat and imperfect, but tonight I’m going to bed with someone who has more heart than ability to spell, and loves me like no other and I get to wake up to take care of our beautiful children” - and, no matter what the number on the scale reads, I won’t be trading the difference in to be sanctimonious or judgmental!!

[btrieger 21]

If you really want help on general use of the forum and abbreviation; click the "FAQ" link at to top of the page or go here: LAP-BAND

Bob

[Marine mom 3]

you know, you don't have to be such a drama queen. you passed judgment all over the place. pot kettle black.

eta: Your husband wanted to post anonymously for what reason? I can't think of any good one. Anyway you look at it, it is dishonest.

My husband knows I can fight my own battles. There is no way he would think i need rescued from some mean old msg boarders.

Edited June 27, 2010 by MissyMS

[SavvyCat 0]

you know, you don't have to be such a drama queen. you passed judgment all over the place. pot kettle black.

eta: Your husband wanted to post anonymously for what reason? I can't think of any good one. Anyway you look at it, it is dishonest.

My husband knows I can fight my own battles. There is no way he would think i need rescued from some mean old msg boarders.

MissyMS - I am not sure where to start. Drama queen? Hmmm... maybe... I do come from a long line of them... B*%&h? Good chance of that as well.... However, it does take one to know one..... Judgments are for the perfect -retort is for those who apparently can't help themselves...., (wish I had the time & funds for extensive therapy to change this character flaw....). However; as far as I am concerned, I responded in kind.

With regard to my husband - has there been anything in my posts that indicates that I NEED to be rescued? My husband is "old school" - he wanted to defend my honor. He is not my puppet - I do not control what is in his head - I love & appreciate him for it. Whether you think his actions are sweet, (as I do), or dishonest is not relevant to me. He loves me and doesn't like the idea that someone has been disrespectful to his wife. How can I not love that? I understand his "dishonesty" and really couldn't give a rats @ss if you don't.

btrieger - thanks for the "heads up". I'll check it out between interruptions - I hate always being 2 steps behind. :scared2:

[shoewhore17 0]

I couldn't agree with you more savvycat, I think there are mixed messages and everyone has different diets, rules etc from their different doctors. I am also not one to do something just because someone told me to do it so I can relate. I drink diet coke and I still drink alcohol on occasion. I've been fairly successful with my weight loss, I've lost almost 60 pounds in 6 months, could it have been 65 if I didn't drink those vodka and cranberries last month, probably. Am I upset about that, not one bit.

What I'm saying is, I haven't been a saint, I don't always follow the rules after a fill, I drink soda (I'm drinking one right now) and I have alcohol. All that being said, I've been successful and am happy with the results so far. My suggestion, do what you need to do to get through the day because if you start hating your band because you can't have soda or beer it's going to be a long and hard road.

[sloanjd 0]

I usually like a good drama but even I'm getting sick of this topic now (however, I like all the players on both sides of the debate so I don't want the thread to go away- we're like our own little dysfunctional family due to this thread!)

OT (off topic (for Savvy Cat)) - I've entered bandster hell.... In the last two days, I've gained 4 pounds... I'm sickened by this. Starting Monday, I went to Tai food and ate too much- Think I got something stuck b/c I felt sick for the next 12 hours (but no vomitting). Tuesday morning, put meat tenderizer in Water and the problem resolved. Then ate the rest of my Tai leftovers . Amazingly and luckily it went down this time w/o a problem. It's now Wed. I weighed myself today and am up four pounds since Sunday. As if this weren't bad enough, slipping into my all or nothing past bad habits, I ate a good helping of tator tots this morning. I'm getting my first fill on Friday- I unjustifiably justified my behavior by telling myself this was my last chance before my fill- even know I know this is the kind of bull____ thinking that helped me pack on the weight. I'm really concerned b/c at my two week post-op appt. I had only lost 8 pounds. By Friday, two weeks later, I may be down only another three pounds or so instead of the 8 pounds down I was aiming for. I wanted to be 220 by Friday and am 225 today. I was so close Sunday- 221. I'm thinking about doing all liquids until Friday. I feel like my Dr. will be disappointed, and although I know this is my journey, the thought of him being disappointed in my progress still bothers me. This sounds like a lot of pathetic venting and feeling sorry for myself but I have to get it out so I don't self sabatoge any more.

Does anyone have any suggestions or stories about dealing with or beating banderster hell?

[LeighaMason 19]

Sloan-- I recommend you avoid restaurant food, at least for a while. It really packs on the salt which helps retain Water and shows on the scales. It takes 14,000 calories to add 4 pounds so I really don't think that is your problem. (I am going to ask my favorite question now) Are you journaling your food? (I know, a lot of people don't have to, it makes it seem like at diet, etc.) But if your struggling it might help you. I personally thought I was doing everything right until I started journaling and I found I was kidding myself.

[sloanjd 0]

Sloan-- I recommend you avoid restaurant food, at least for a while. It really packs on the salt which helps retain Water and shows on the scales. It takes 14,000 calories to add 4 pounds so I really don't think that is your problem. (I am going to ask my favorite question now) Are you journaling your food? (I know, a lot of people don't have to, it makes it seem like at diet, etc.) But if your struggling it might help you. I personally thought I was doing everything right until I started journaling and I found I was kidding myself.

Thanks Leila- I am not journaling. Restruants are killers- even if I plan to be good, I'm usually not- I think avoidance for now is a wise recommendation. If it's not accesible, I can't eat it!! Any suggestions to get rid of water retention?