At What cost??

[La_madam 20]

This morning I am a little frustrated to read some of the posts by members here in recent days. SO I wanted to start this thread to see if Iam the only one who feels the way I do?

My questions is , at what cost will you got to to lose wieght with your band?

If you know your band is too tight, how long will you wait until you call your Dr.?

If you know something is wrong, how long will you wait until you call your Dr.

If you can not eat nothing but liquids for months, dont you think something is not right and you should call your Dr.? If you have GERD and Reflux so bad you are choking at night & living on liquids dont you think it is time to call your Dr.?

This is so maddening to me to see members here be so foolish about their health, regardless of their wieght loss, is losing wieght in such an unhealthy manner worth risking their bands but more important their lives? I almost lost my life, due to bowel obstruction recently, I knew something wasnt right and I was in the ER the next day and having surgery the next day, if I had not reacted so quickly I would not be here right now posting this thread. I was even willing to give up my band if it meant saving my life.

Come on people be responsible , do not be foolish!!! Value your life a little more then this please. Weight loss is not more important then living is it?

We are not all medical professionals but Iam sure most of know that living on liquids and Pbing everyday , living with severe reflux at night is not how the band was designed to work, common sesne tell us that much.Some are so obsessed with the weight loss they are seeing living like this that they are not seeing clearly the danger they are doing to their bodies and bands. I know for me I did not get the band to be miserable and not eat but only liquids and have reflux every night regardless of how much weight I lose...my life is so much more important and my kids & husband are more important for me to be around to love them then risking it all for a few more lbs lost then the next person who is not experiencing these problems. So Im not losing 1-3 lbs a week but I am enjoying food and feeling good with no problems.

Sorry to ramble because I usually dont let this get to me but it seems to be more evident here on LBT lately more then ever people being foolish and not acting responsible. I'm frustrated to see the lack of responsibiltiy in some people. I'm sure Iam going to get blasted by some with PM hell for this but Oh Well

[KRZYGIRLNSTL 0]

Your right. I was a foolish one, i was tryin to eat food i wasnt suppost to early on. Some how i made a good excuse to do it. Then someone made a comment about how im goin to cause my band to slip....well duh it had never occurred to me...im an idiot...but now im almost 4 weeks out and what i eat is definately chewed well and i dont take anything that i feel will harm me. I wish i was smarter than this and i could control myself...BUT i think a lot of us are here because for so long we could not control. Our brains are the same and our bodies are slightly altered....the 2 never come and connect so now i must deal with the part of me that thinks the way i do....

This is a very hard thing to do for someone like me who in the back of my mind think "this prolly wont work for "me" anyway" Seems the negative come into play everytime.

This is a wonderful post because it is true and it needs to be taken seriously.

Thanks

[Iluvharleys 15]

Michelle - I have felt the same way lately reading some of the posts.

I would call my doctor immediately if my band was too tight! Why would anyone want to take a chance of losing their band? I also want to eat like a normal person, not be sick all the time.

Just because your band is tight and you can't eat doesn't mean you will lose more weight. Your body will think it is starving and hold on to it, or gain it back as soon as you can eat. People you need to eat normal, only smaller portions!

My doctor always tells me each time I get a fill, if you pb call me, it you throw up come in!

It is very important to take care of your band, and that means not being overfilled!

[TrishS 3]

I agree. I call my Dr. if I feel anything diffrent, Useally its nothing but I always want to be safe. My life and taking care of my band is important to me, I will not try to hurt myself.

being to tight and not eating, is so bad for you, your body, and your band.

[Jammin & Losin 1]

This is deffinatly something each and every one of us should think about. Ask your selves these questions when your unsure your doing the right thing. If you are unsure CALL your Dr. We all need to make sure we are doing our very best to take care of ourselves and our bands.

After all remember how badly you wanted your band in the first place? Treat it good so you can keep it!!! Thanks LaMadem for posting this and helping us remember what is important.... TAKING CARE OF OUR BANDS AND OUR HEALTH!!!!

[paula 4]

Im just as frustrated as you in reading some of these post lately. And you are so right on about our health being more important then weightloss.

IF you cant eat any solid's for a week without vomiting/pbing... something is WRONG!

Come on people. Wisen up!

[KarenB 0]

Here Here! I couldn't agree more. Someone who is PB'ing/sliming more than 1-2x per week has a problem! The band was not designed for us to exist on a liquid diet.

I was partialy unfilled once (My own fault) and totally unfilled last week. I must add here it was not a problem w/my doctor but a tremendous amount of stress in my life, and I was constant contact w/my doctor the week before I got unfilled. I'm counting the moments till I can get re-filled @ a little less level of restriction(MONDAY-HURRAY), but I did these things twice because I DID NOT WANT TO RISK LOSING MY BAND!

Another thing that really bugs me is that people get banded, have a problem & come here & other places to get advice. CALL YOUR DOCTOR! Everyone's body and everyone's doctor's protocal is different. It's one thing to ask for suggestions, such as morning restriction, swallowing pills, what are frequent PB foods, what do successful bandsters eat in a day, etc. But we are not doctors, and I would hate to ever give anyone advice that would damage their band.

[dylansmom 27]

I have to agree with everyone. Although I've never had a fill either, if I could only exist on liquids I would know that something was TERRIBLY wrong. (Because I can eat 2 pieces of pizza and 2 bread sticks in one sitting with no complications!)

If someone here is experiencing this and has not yet called your doctor, please do so IMMEDIATELY!!!! This does mean that something is incredibly wrong!!!

Listen to your body, and listen to your band, please! It's for your health and your life!!!

[vinesqueen 2]

You know, easier said than done. My DH has been super tight for about 3 weeks and just will not go in for an unfil. I am almost to the point of being a nag about it.

Some people think that by being too tight that they will do "better" faster. Most of us had tremendous success on the liquid only, so they perhaps feel that they will recapture that rapid loss.

Sometimes, when you are right in the middle of something, it is very difficult to recognize that's going on. This is one reason why clinically depressed people who are on anti-depressants commit suicide--they feel well enough to take action, whereas when they are at the bottom of the well, it just takes too much effort and energy to do themselves in. This is also one hypothisis for asthma deaths, it's really hard to get the energy to go to the drs or ER when you are trying to live on 80% O2 saturation.

[guitarman 0]

You're so right...... I can honestly say that everyone has a strong point here. But lets all consider that part of the problem is that people often use this forum for medical advice. We must be not only responsible for our health but we must also be responsible for the advice we give here as people will interpret it in each their own way. Common sense does not always overcome. Quite often ignorance is so bliss that common sense gets shoved to the side. I have greatly benefited from the great advice and support I have received here and everyone has welcomed me with open arms. You can bet that when I have a question I come here first and always find an answer or at least a pathway to the answer. We must remember this is a journey of uncharted waters for every person who sets sail. Others have gone before and told tales of their perils and triumphs which are then interpreted by the reader in their own way based on their situation. After all what does a golfball feel like in your chest? I think I have a pretty good idea. But that doesn't mean my idea is right for everyone else. Example; my youngest son went 2 days with a cracked collar bone because HE thought the pain was normal and that he was just sore. Boy did I feel like a heel after taking him to get it checked out. Right after the injury happened The kid kept playing basketball and football and carried on with the pain because his coach said he would be fine in a couple of days. Horse puckey!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

So I agree---------- If you are unsure-----Call your doctor or even go to the emergency room. Don't come here first unless it is just for some basic info. After you've gone to the doctor then, and only then write and let us know what you experienced.

And if you come here specifically for medical advice we'll have to see if we can bar the doors.

[stevie 0]

Speaking as a newbie who came to this board to read, read, read in order to do hear personal experiences with the band I was scared to death after reading alot of the posts. That is why I posted the thread, how often do you pb? I thought, man if I am pbing all the time and can't eat solids, I am NOT doing this. Alot of it was sounding miserable and to me it is not worth it to lose weight. SO thanks for posting this so a newbie like me knows that it is not normal to have these things happening.

[cadydid 0]

I've had my band for almost 18 months. I have no fear calling my doc on a Sunday after a fill on Friday and saying I'm too tight and not keeping even fluids down. Thankfully, he gives us his cell phone and answers himself.

I have not been filled or seen the Doc in over 4 months but this weekend had an event. I ate a piece of steak and it became lodged! and I mean lodged. It would not come up no matter how hard I tried and wouldn't go down either. I jumped up and down, I tried sipping things to loosen it (even olive oil). I was so mad at myself, I know how much I should chew and how long. I haven't even PB'd in months. So finally after 5 hours I called him. Well, I'm in California and unfortunately he is in Florida currently attending meetings and won't be back in the office till July 5th. We discussed options -- he said NOT to wait and get something done now and once I'm OK tonight, call him back on his cell and let me know I'm OK. I felt bad because of the 3 hour difference and he said "I don't give a damn how late you call -- I want to know you are OK".

The options he gave me were to contact primary MD and see if the could get a gastroenterologist to put a probe down and push the piece of steak through the opening. Option B -- The doctor in San Francisco (about 70 miles away) is covering for him and if I felt it would be OK to drive up there with hubby, see if he will see me on that evening -- Sunday (the day it happened). My primary care doc was wonderful but also recommended trying the band doctor first as Stanford is not that familiar with the band, but to call her back and let her know. She was even willing to meet me at the emergency room at Stanford and explain everything to the gastroenterologist.

I then called Dr. Cirangle who was on call in San Francisco. I felt so quilty bothering him on a Sunday evening. Explained the situation to him and he said to try to find the hospital he works at and he would meet me in the waiting room. To call him directly on his cell as I got close to the hospital. While driving up there and hubby navigating because I hate to drive in San Francisco as it is, and especially at night. We got there about 9:30, he met us at 9:45 and told me that Dr. McKeen and he had a long talk already and the best would be for me to remove all my fill, not just enough so that the meat would pass. I wasn't happy hearing this but I trust my doctor and Dr. Cirangle seemed to definitely agree that my stoma needed a rest.

He took me up to his office, did the deed and here I am with no fill. Not even hungry yet as I am still very sore. Dr. Cirangle said that he appreciated my taking initiative as many patients would wait it out and that can cause so many more problems. I told him that my philosophy is that I expect this band to take care of my weight issues for life so therefore I had to take care of the band.

I know this is going to be a rough week for me with no fill but many others have done it before, so can I. My plan is to increase my exercise daily and still eat like a bandster.

So, moral of the story. If anything isn't right or feel right, check with your doctor. So many people have problems that they need not have if you just listen to your band and your body.

Sorry this is so long.

[princess_n_thep 2]

Thanks Michelle for reminding me that the band is serious. I don't currently have any problems but I KNOW I would be one of those people that didn't do anything for fear of losing the band altogether.

If I was too tight, I would suffer. If I had pain, I would suffer. If I had any type of symptoms, I would suffer with it. All in the name of fear of losing the band and not losing the weight.

I will be the first to admit my self esteem issues. And I would be the first to admit that I would rather be dead than be as large as I was. (which to many wasn't that big). Although, I would also be the first to tell someone ELSE to go get help. I worry about others, not myself.

THANK YOU! I needed the reality check in that health is more important than weight loss sometimes!

[La_madam 20]

I told him that my philosophy is that I expect this band to take care of my weight issues for life so therefore I had to take care of the band.

Here Here Carol! Very Well said!!

Sorry ot hear of your unfiill, but if Ican be unfilled for 2 months and lose 5 lbs you can do it too

I'm so glad you were responisble and called your Dr. right away. You acted very responsible, . What a great example you have shown for all of those who are on the fence about calling their Dr. in time of distress

[Alexandra 55]

What a great and important thread! Carol, I am TOTALLY on board with your philosophy of being good to our bands because we are relying on them to help us take care of ourselves for a very long time.

People think of diets as being short term, and of weight loss as some sort of race. Well, folks, with the band there is no "over." Unless we want to run the risk of being un-banded, we will be CAREFUL and HONEST with ourselves and our doctors.

Carol, what a scary experience!! I hope you're OK now and thank goodness you were so well cared for. And so resourceful! Great lesson, and thanks for sharing.