Congrats on your surgery! If you need support with your band just post! I've had 2 bands and I would not change to anything else.

I want to lose about 40-50 more pounds, I was a size 8/10/12 with my old band for about 5 years, and then I slowly gained a few when I got married and some issues with my band and got off track.

I started in a size 26 8 years ago, so I am still happy overall.

I was happy with a two pound drop after a three week stale.  I am very happy with my weight loss and hit the centers goal for me to be an success on my four month re-surgiversary 

What Melly said!  About the sleeve and wanting to see the kiddos.

Many to other boards, band, revision and other WLS forums.

Yes, the ongoing protein shake wars, straw wars and how long before and after eating you could drink wars.

I have heard of the stones left in duct and causing the ongoing pain.  That usually shows up right?  Sorry you are going thru this.

http://clinicaltrials.gov/show/NCT01581801

Donna the study is on going to see IF it happens to sleeve patients.  It hasn't shown that there is anything to scare you to death yet.

I guess I will find out first hand.  

Wendell-  I know what you mean, the 'clique' of the day did give him a hard time and I don't really know why other than he was losing like crazy but he also started out at like... 500-600#.  The ladies that had like 100# to lose were not doing well at all and they were the ones giving him a hard time.

They kept telling him his info was wrong and honestly, it wasn't.  He was correct in his advice.  That was back in the day when this board was verrrry busy.  Newbies would ask the same questions over and over and over again ... in the same day!  So he posted his top 20--60 whatever it was pieces of advice daily just to cover it all.  HA!  Remember that?  They didn't like that.

Several of us stood up for him and reminded everyone that he wasn't breaking any rules.  One day he just changed for lack of a better word and stormed off.  He went to another board, posed as a woman, and was slam dunking everyone including those who stood up for him.

I do recall one issue that I really did not blame him for being angry.  Little Orphan Annie claimed she was working for his doctor and told everyone he really wasn't losing weight.  Truth was, at that time he was.  He stopped at about 350# but at that point he WAS losing weight well.  Annie just wasn't telling the truth and that was all she knew how to do to discredit him.

Remember how Annie used to come up with fake IDs and post slamming everyone and she would forget which ID she was using and then post as herself under her fake ID?  HAHA  Then she would claim someone hacked her computer.  Band educator.  BWAHAHAHA!!!!  Self appointed band educator.

Be sure to find out how much fills are if you have to self pay for them. I expected to have the same insurance coverage as long as my hubby worked at the same place, wrongo! They can add or drop whatever coverage they (the employer) wants anytime they want. I ended up having to pay $225 for fills and unfills!! Well needless to say add that to the fact that my band never really worked and it didn't take long to decide to get it emptied when it started tightening with no fills. I've been empty for over 2 yrs and had maintained my weight that I had lost on my own until I started on prednisone earlier this year. Even a band can't help long term prednisone use. So good luck to you but be aware there are many challenges with the band.

I REMEMBER WENDELL.....I'm on "old" bander. Jan 2007.  I really liked Wendell and had to chuckle over "orpan annie"...i know exactly who you are talking about..used to tell my husband the stuff that went on.  Seems like some of us old timers are gravitating back to the boards. Wendell left years ago...too much drama for him, don't blame him.  He was always getting flamed.