Hi, Everyone....I think I'll be the contrarian voice here...

[Kat817 19]

Brandy--OP is short for Original Poster--the one who started the thread.

Usually daughters are referred to same as husbands....

DH, DD ... Darling, Dear, Damned-----your mood, you decide-husband or Daughter, or DS for son.....you get the idea!!

There is a sticky on one of the threads, maybe the FAQ--not sure, but it has a list of all of the acronyms commonly used around here....anyone seen it lately???

Kat

[Ceradad 10]

The more I think about this whole thing, the more I tend to believe he is not on the up and up. Either he is not a bandster and is looking to do research for his own agenda/books. Or, he is a bandster and looking to do research for his own agenda/books.

Both stories of his I've read on here smell of "basic". Like they are either something he made up in his mind, or he cobbled together from other stories he has read elsewhere.

In the other thread I posted, his story is very basic. He says it was one incident that made him decide to get it. Pretty much everyone else rattles off numerous reasons as to how they came to the decision. I don't think I have met/talked with one person who has had WLS that had one major experience only that made them decide to get the surgery. Everyone I've dealt with has had alot of little minor ones that have led up to the decision.

[anonemouse 1]

Yes, and that is not the only place the troll has been.

And one could think that he has not been back on this thread to finish his story because there is no story to tell, or at least one that is believable.

So instead has he left his own thread to troll the other ones?

He comes across as sweet and caring in some of the posts but the PM's to me are definitely a harsher tone and that is why I have blocked him on my PM list.

I think "pompous" is the best description of him that I can think of. He comes across as very self-important, like the rest of us are peons that don't know any better, yadda, yadda, yadda. It's rather irritating, and I think it's that behavior that's really turning a lot of people off.

[brandyII 9]

Kat,

I was starting to think it was opposing poster, lol. Okay I'll look to see if I can find the sticky. I can figure them out sometimes but not always, thanks brandyII.

[kathystrick 3]

Honestly, he's starting to give me the creeps. We already know he is sending offensive PMs to other members here. He has posted on other forums claiming to be gathering information and interviews for books. He stirred up this thread, then abandoned it (although I feel he is still lurking and following the drama) to go elsewhere in the forum and try a nicer, more friendly approach. The whole situation involving him just really makes me uncomfortable. Who knows where anything we say might end up being quoted?

[kathystrick 3]

Kat,

I was starting to think it was opposing poster, lol. Okay I'll look to see if I can find the sticky. I can figure them out sometimes but not always, thanks brandyII.

Or in this case, offensive? :thumbup:

[Kat817 19]

I have looked into that new band with the "remote control" I'm not an engineer obviously, but I can see some issues with that. Does it mean we're in complete control of our band fills per se? That would be weird to me, I don't know why but it would. Hey I had problems going from an electric typewriter to a computer but I did it, lol. Take care, brandyII.

No, we would not control it---your band Dr. would still adjust you in small increments, it would be a specially calibrated remote----beyond my understanding---but most remotes are!! LOL

They referenced a certain brand of pace maker, that the wearer simply places a phone receiver over the pace maker, and it can be adjusted over the phone!!! It sends a signal showing if there has been any problems and adjusts accordingly. My DH wore a heart monitor during his A-fib experience that he wore for 30 days. Each time he had a problem the monitor would beep, and he would call an 800 #, hold the phone receiver over the monitor and it would "send" the info, and they would reset the monitoring device, all over the phone, without ever leaving home.

The Dr. that was telling us about this, said that eventually they hope to be able to see if there is too much pressure on the band---from say pouch dilation etc., and adjust accordingly---either in the office, or over the phone possibly----all without needles, and ports, and the possibility of introducing infection with each poke.

I have not heard any more about it, he was talking to DH and I about it well over a year ago---while DH was wearing the heart monitor---the subject come up. The Dr, my fill Dr. has also had heart valve surgery, so he sat and visited with DH and I for well over an hour, almost 2!!! He was not technically IN the office that day, but he knows I drive a long way to see him, so he come in....and then we yacked for a looong time!!!

Gives me great hopes for future generations----

Kat

[MrsFlipFlops 2]

I saw this thread yesterday- it took me forever to read through it all- I kept getting interrupted! I smelled something foul from his very first post. Anyone who is looking to really share doesn't begin with saying he's got book/talk show deals. You all did a great job! I have to say, I really loved reading everyone's postings. :thumbup: Some of them had me laughing for awhile- whew, what a workout.

Kat- thans so much for sharing all this. You are so knowledgeable! That sounds so interesting, I had to go do some research on it!!

Anyway, just thought I'd throw in my change (.02).

[Headhunter 6]

No, I am still here.

I have not posted anything here for a while because every single thing I say here is blasted. As I am sure THIS comment will be. Particulalry by shortgal. I did indeed tell her that she was ignorant, because she WAS ignorant. If you had seen the thread that she tried to hijack, and seen our exchanges, it would be clear WHY she was ignorant. I was not nice to her in the PMs. But she was not deserving of politeness. She has gone out of her way to create problems.

I have only sent TWO unpleasant PMs, and they both deserved it. EVERY bit of it.

I am communicating with people now via PM, simply because I'm tired of being blasted for everything i say. Not questioned, but blasted.

For a while it looked like this thread was taking a better turn, with members talking about cancer and other imporant issues, and i was happy about that. It looked like if I stayed away, then the venom would disappear. Apparently that is not the case. Some of you are being trolls in your own right.

So I, here and now, officially apologize to the membership of this forum for coming in here firing both guns the way I did. It was wrong, and i'm sorry for that. I do not usually do things that way. My enthusiasm for telling my story and perhaps being able to help someone in some way got the better of me. I have stated this in PMs to many people. And i state it here now, again. If I had to do this over again, i would do it quite differently. But I do not have that opportunity now, do I?

It has been commented that I appear somewhat "holier than thou" in my writing. I am very aware that my particluar style of writing can be a little terse. It is just who I am on paper (or screen..). It is not who I am inside.

I have not yet decided whether i will stay here; some of you will be very happy if i leave. Others, who I have corresponded with privatley, have made some very wise suggestions about how to resolve all of this. I do not know what i will do. I only know that this has impacted me on a very deep and personal level.

There are several "bottom lines" here. One is that This has been MY REAL experience, with no embellishment or enhancement. It does happen to some people, and those of you who it DOES happen to (even if it is only a fraction of a percent) could benefit from my mistakes in handling it before and after the surgery. I do not know how anyone could deny that fact, even if my motives were NOT pure. And, they ARE pure.

So, I offer my apologies to all of you, and I will continue to correspond with those who wish to, and there are a lot.

I do wish everyone the best in your particular journey. And I thank those who who have wished me good will as well.

I'll now go back to my PMs, and you can choose whether or not you want to use your time on this earth pursuing this. Many of you have been given a new life by the lap band. I would recommend that you go out and enjoy it. It is short, as I have come to understand.

best wishes to all.

[Oregondaisy 2,021]

WasA can explain a sleeve better than I can. Basically, they go in and make your stomach smaller so you can only hold a small amount of food. I would like to have it done, and I would definitely do it if something went wrong with my band.

[green 6]

Hey Green--

I think I mentioned to you that I do have 2 tumors currently, that they are monitoring. One in the fibula of my right leg, and one in the right mastoid.

I have bone scans to monitor them, twice a year. And I have CA-125 blood work up twice a year as well. My CA 125 always comes in above normal----but they compare it to MY baseline.

I also have standard Xray of my leg done as requested by the Dr.'s. There are actually they think 2 tumors in my leg, but it kind of looks like a figure 8----and is easily seen, they are the full width of the bone----but in the almost 7 years I have been aware of them, there has been no change. There was no change during the chemo for my uterine/endometrial cancer. So----I just do the follow up.

My oncologist, I got very lucky with. I originally had a father/son team here, and I liked them, but they sent me to Scottsdale, AZ to the mayo clinic there, to have evaluation of the mastoid tumor. While I was there, they introduced me to this Dr., who said he was moving to my area to open a cancer treatment center. He was part of the team I had dealing with my case while I was there, and then later when the cancer actually was Dx'd he was here running things.

Is the nausea any better green?

I was having terrible headaches not long ago---I believe it was allergies---but they ALWAYS send me for additional scans. Everything come back with no visible signs of change.

Brandy--I know the couple of times I was on steroids---once was for un explained severe hives, and the other to attempt to reduce swelling....I was always ravenous!!! I would come close to chewing my own arm off!!!

Then the 2nd round, they messed with my vision. First day of the Prednisone, I was to take 5 pills, by that afternoon, I noticed I could not make out license plates. By the next morning when I was to take 4 pills, I couldn't see billboards!!! I could see where the TV was, but not what was really on it! Needless to say I was taken off of them, sight returned to normal in a day! I now list them on my allergy list....which is sad to say growing!

Kat

Thanks for replying. I think about you a lot these days, especially when I am lying down under some machine or other. I think of you throwing up on the nasty lady and that always makes me smile. I am hoping hard that your cancer never, ever returns. I am also hoping hard that mine goes and never, ever returns.

My scans have been clear so far but they have yet to do my brain. The brain will get scanned this week so it is more isotopes for me. I am assuming that it will be okay: I never get headaches or blurred vision.

My oncologist is a Canadian Korean and one of the best looking men I have ever laid eyes on. He looks a little bit like Keanu Reeves but more exotic. He is also very charming.

I guess that, like yourself, I will continue to have ties to CancerLand via scans and other forms of monitoring.

[brandyII 9]

Athinnerdenise, thanks for the info, I was confusing it with some type of lap band. I think I know what you're talking about. They don't reroute the small intestine in that one do they? I think that's why people tend to lose weight faster with the bypass because of the small intestine not absorbing everything as it had prior. I need to know info on both types of surgery because I have the lap band and also because my 19 year old is getting the gastric bypass in May. Thanks for the info, brandyII. We're a bi-curious family, lol.

[brandyII 9]

Headhunter,

I am not angry with you as it is important that we all know the good and the bad of lap band surgery and not take it so personally. In fact maybe it's because I'm still kind of a "newbie" even though I had surgery almost a year ago but I find it strange that people would feel animosity towards you.

I don't know that much information that I keep hearing about you having "email book deals", I don't even know what that means. I mean is it a book or is it something you write as a blog or what. But be that as it may, you had an issue with your lap band, a major one in fact and are sharing your story like we've all shared our stories and whether you fit the bill of the majority of the people on this site or not it's important for you to get it out for your ownself and for us to hear it too. That is what support is for.

I'm not going to go out and have mine ripped out tomorrow because you had an issue but I know how important it is to keep an eye on it and look for signs of problems along the way. I will be seeing my surgeon and other physicians next week as previously scheduled and will now probably bring to their attention some of these things I've heard from you because I now am more concerned about my future but am not feeling overly paranoid but like I always say knowledge is a good thing!

Good luck, no animosity here, brandyII.

PS: I also don't know what people mean by saying you are not giving out your "whole story", it seemed like you gave a lot of info, is there more that I am missing?

[MacMadame 81]

I looked into gastric sleeves when I decided to get a Lap Band. I even watched a surgery on that OR Live channel. (I swear I am addicted to that channel. ) Basically, they put a tube into your stomach and run a staple line up the tube. Then they take the tube out and you have a stomach the shape of a tube. The rest of the stomach gets cut off and thrown away. There is no restriction and your stomach functions completely normally, it is just much smaller.

[Kat817 19]

Wow! I have only recently begun hearing about the sleeve, and to be honest, life has been good, and full, and I have not read up on it--I might just for the knowledge of it though!!

So is there risk of stretching the stomach again with the sleeve as there is with bypass?

I know you are going through a lot right now as they finish up your testing green----hopefully it all goes smooth, and you can lay back and let the meds kick this bout with the big "C" in the ass!!!

Will be thinking good thoughts, and will say a prayer for your brain scan to be clear as well!

I know many of you will find this extremely hard to believe, but my brain scan actually showed signs of a brain!!!!!!!

This is totally off subject---is there a subject anymore? Back a couple of years ago my BIL had a colonoscopy, and they give him pictures---of inside his colon. His DD, my niece used photo shop and dropped a head shot picture of him down on the colon pics---and printed it. Then we told him we KNEW they would find his head up there!!! He has it on his locker at work!!!

Kat