I use a Polar.  I wouldn't go lower than an FT-7.  I currently use an FT-40.  

 If it was made with milk, you might have developed some lactose intolerance.  Jus****ch and pay attention and you'll soon figure out what the issue is.

 down a worm hole?? (re: where does time go).

Congrats on 9 years!!  WTG!!


Oh.. and I've had mine 3 years and 3 months.  Last fill was 6 months ago.. not sure when I'll need another.. maybe in 3 or 6 or 9 months???

When your bariatric surgeon is working WITH another physician and has trained the other physician to do your routine followup and fills (which is the situation I find myself in) .. is a bit different than being sent to a GI doc by an insurance company.

 The "backing away from the table" does seem on the surface to be an insensitive, even cruel remark.. but maybe, just maybe.. they meant back away from the OR Table.   :/  Giving them a HUGE benefit of the doubt here...

 Along with warm/hot liquids.. sometimes a hot shower will make me feel better when things are feeling "stuckish".

Glad you're feeling better.

I'm glad you're impressed.  Actually, I know you are not.  I read sarcasm very well.

If you'd like to try and be polite (as I have tried very hard to be), I'll continue the conversation.  Otherwise, I have no interest in a contest.

As I tried to say in my original post, I don't come to OH often because of the confrontational posts.  I don't do confrontation.. it hurts me in many different ways.

Talk to you later, maybe.

 Banded 3 years.  Have lost 220 lbs.  No complications so far.  I'm satisfied with my surgery choice.. all that was available to me 3 years ago was RnY and Band.  The RnY I did not want due to personal medical considerations.

Came out of surgery with 3cc's already in the band.  Got 1cc added at 7 weeks out (had already lost 20lbs at that time). Got smaller fills as time went on.  Each one helped by dimming my hunger and allowing me to make better choices MOST of the time.  Am I a perfectly healthy eater?  Nooooo.  I still have a piece of cake (tiny) or a bit of chocolate or a few tortilla chips.. Just not HUGE oversized servings any longer.  And most of the time my choices are lean protein and veggies.  :)  

For me, the band is not restrictive.  It is an appetite controller. 

And before I get accused of making things up...or skewing the picture.. I do go to the gym 5 or 6 days a week now, but for the first 7 months after banding, my only exercise was walking.  I started by walking to my mailbox and back.  The next day I took a few extra steps.  And the next day a few more... continued until I was walking a mile a day.. then 2 miles.  After 7 months I was ready for the gym and haven't looked back.

Another thing I will clarify.. my surgeon did NOT require a preop diet, other than clear liquids the day before surgery.  I was 385 day of the seminar.  383 day of surgery.  This past Tuesday (April 3, 2012) when I went for my belated 3 yr checkup.. I weighed 163.  So 218  of my 220 loss is purely post-op.

Count me as one of the ones who rarely comes on OH anymore because I can find better things to do with my time.  I'm usually here only because I'm bored or need to kill a little time before heading out the door.  I don't like confrontations and it seems like there's a lot of that here.  They make me want to stress eat and I don't need any help in that department.  :)

Good luck with your choice of WLS.  They ALL have their advantages and disadvantages, you just have to figure out which one fits you, your health issues and lifestyle the best.

Sorry to have written so much.. but if I'm going to be accused of being a band cheerleader, I might as well earn it.  

One more thing, I regularly communicate with a couple of bandsters who've been banded more than 10 years.  Both are doing well.  I'm sure that there are more than 2 out there that are long term.

 I've been on 5 flights in the past 6 months and not had any adverse problems.

I take a shaker bottle, single servings of protein powder and protein bars in my purse or carry-on JIC, but so far have never needed them.

The worst thing I've had happen is I was well hydrated and a turbulent flight and they didn't want us to get out of our seats.  I nearly had bladder failure.   But no band problems.

 So sorry you've had a bad experience.  I honestly do not know what I would do in your place.

But, I do know (via the internet) two people who've had their bands more than 5 years.. going on 12 years as a matter of fact.  One was part of a study about banding and the other flew to europe to get hers placed.  One of these bandsters posts on the DFWBandsters list and the other on the Smartbandsters list (both yahoo groups).

I'm 3 years out with a lapband, have had very little problems (an overfill one time.. which was fixed by removing the amount put in .. waiting 2 months and then readding it) and very good weight loss.


Best of luck to you.

 I'm so sorry you're not feeling well.  I understand the temptation to advance your diet, but I really wouldn't do it.. especially since you're recovering from a slip repair.. without calling your doctor and getting permission first.

I hope the pb helped (and I wouldn't have done that either w/o calling, but that's just me).

Hang in there.

 Banded 03/09/09.

Was 385 at consult/seminar.  383 day of surgery.

This morning I was 161.  I've been as low as 154, but that was immediately after finishing a "biggest loser bootcamp" at my gym.  I probably needed another small fill at that time, but that didn't occur to me.. so a tad of regain happened.  It will come off again.  :)

The most I exercised for the first 7 months after banding was walking.  Every day I walked a little further.  The walking and healthier eating (and smaller portions of course) allowed me to lose 100lbs in those 7 months.

After that, I joined a gym.. mainly cuz we had a week of rain and I didn't want to walk in the rain and no malls in my little town.  I just used the treadmill at the gym..and gradually worked my way into taking the classes that they offer.

I've had no major complications.  Had one small overfill about a year or so ago, was having trouble eating solid foods.  Unfill of what was previously added.. waited 2 or 3 months, then added it back and no further problems.

My band doctor doesn't require it, but I get an UGI done yearly to check band placement, esophageal status, size of pouch, etc.  I also ask that the radiologist or tech put some barium on a saltine to evaluate how food moves through the band.. as food acts differently than liquid.  Thinking of next time to take a little bit of a hamburger patty ... a barium burger?  hehe.. something with more substance than a saltine anyhow as saltines dissolve so fast.