Will T

I hearby officially promote you, and give you the title of: Queen Fiona the First (everybody knows it takes an ogre to kick the crap out of a troll)

Yep... I'm as hirsuite as we can get. They only area shaved was a small shape around the incisions. It itched a little as it grew back, but nothing that wasnt tolerable.

Now... you are all REALLY official bandsters!!! Wait until the dry heave time, and nothing comes out but an enormous belch... and immediate relief when you do it. I think.. (I'm not a doctor nor do i play one on TV) it has something to do with the excessive gas needing to be released, and I eat too quickly for it to slowly release. But welcome to the PB club!!

Yep.... ditto what she said : )

I was banded on a Tuesday, and at work the following Monday. The only problems I encountered were food related, meaning no more snacks at the usual time, I carried a gatorade-type drink around with me, made bathroom trips frequently (I was saturating myself) and things like that. I listened to my body: if something caused a little grief, I was slow and careful, otherwise, normal routine. Like Jim, I didn't have a lot of pain, other than at the port where it was placed close to the skin. That subsided after a month or so. A person with a back or shoulder injury would have more difficulties returning to work than he will have in normal circumstances.

We were supposed to eat soups without the chunky thingies?? Oops. my bad. For me it was Schlotzky's. They serve a minimum of two different soups each day. Potato and Bacon was succulent Corn Chowder had very little chunks except the corn, which caused me no problems at all Chicken and Wild Rice is to die for (like Julie's Tuscan Tomato Bisque) but it's Chunks-Ahoy I'd still have the Chicken Noodle because the little noodles chewed wonderfully, and made me feel like i was eating and I would rather chew it than use the blender thingy.

You people really know how to hurt a guy !!! Whew....... time for me to take a walk or something...... I' ve found one of the biggest rewards I've received so far is my belt. When properly worn, my end of my belt would tuck under the first little loop. In the past months, surprisingly, the belt has "stretched" longer and longer. Now. the end of the belt is tucking into the dead center-of-the-back loop. When I wear my Chinos without the belt, I can put them on or remove them without unbuttoning them. For the record, I've always been braless (I wont count the time in high school where i was chosen to be a cheerleader while the girls played a fooball game - I tore a nerf football in half and HAD to use a slingshot to keep them in place and boy.... was I popular that day) and I've never worn a sundress. And no, there is no desire there to wear them The neatest part of this thread is....... one day, all THIS CAN happen!! It is a realistic goal now!! Patience, and perseverance!!! (and keep looking at Lisa's pics.... she is the ultimate ideal "I can be like her" (well, I'm a male, I can ALMOST be like her).

Also, this entire forum is full of people, just like you, who had questions, doubts, fears, excitement, eagerness, and every other emotion concerning the lapband. Many went to Tijuana, but not all, which gives more than just a one-sided account. I encourage you to look at previous posts, previous threads, and ask specific questions about what concerns you have. There are a lot of wonderful people who will tell you that they, too, felt like you, and how they overcame their apprehensions. The key is to look a few pages back at the topics in the general forum, and then, formulate your questions for this awesome panel of bandsters (some of whom have been banded for more than a year, some for only a few days, some of whom are bandsters-to-be). Good luck with your decision.... only YOU can change your life. The band will help, if you allow it to.

Does anyone know why Piglet (yes the little piglet with Owl and Eeyore) washes his hands more than any other creature? Because all day long, he plays with Poo !

Revoultion Avenue, here you come!!

Tadpole, we golfers have a saying... "Grip it and RIP it". It seems to apply now : ) Erin.... wait until you get a fill. Make sure the kids are a safe distance away at meal times. Body armor for them would be a safe precaution.

And it started with all you pet people talking about the crap. Someone had 9 cats, someone else 5 cats and 3 dogs, and stuff like that. I was the team manager!!

Yep... gas will pass from the attic AND the basement. There is a "rumor" there will be a contest at the lapband convention for all of us as to who belches loudest and passes gas the loudest. There are three candidates who are at even money on the board at this point as far as winning.

We had to walk through US customs. We physically had to exit the van with our luggage in hand, and move forward in a long line of people entering the US. As we entered the building, the process was painless and trouble free, but it took a long time because of the amount of people. As we exited the customs building, there was a walk to the van, approximately 150-200 yards, carrying our luggage and souvenirs, and then we were able to re-enter the van to continue to the airport. That didnt happen to everyone, I don't believe. I think the long line of people was due to the time we arrived at the border. Maybe earlier or later, the line would have been short. If I ever go again, I'll stick to my EST times, and leave VERY early in the AM to see if we avoid them. Francisco was wonderful. Our trip to the airport was delayed by one patient and family who forgot the time, and was over 40 minutes late to leave. That, plus the delay at customs put us at the airport with little time to spare. And that is CLEARLY not the fault of OCC. The departure time planned by Francisco was excellent.

Plus, in the US, the HIPPA requirements would prohibit the release of that type of information without our consent on signed release forms. The board of advisors may see numerical information (statistics and such) but it would be a violation to see names without our permissions.

I believe Dr O is on the board of directors for the Fill Centers. The material I received on my initial visit talked about another owner. I watch the fluoroscope during my procedure. I watch the thin stream of the barium sulfate as the restriction initiates, and I can visually SEE what is happening, which gives me not only comfort like you mention Jessi, but gives me an understanding of the physical process. Fill Centers has the 3 day window, which is a second great feature. The only issue with the 3-day window is that the adjust causes swelling, and I wasn't sure if complications were due to the swelling or the actual fill itself. The lady who does our fills in Roswell can maximize a fill by SEEING how much the flow through the band is limited. I cannot envision how it can be done without the visual. Another poster was told that men only need one or two fills in TJ. If I lived close, I would take advantage of it. The Roswell team has earned my confidence and it's less than 2 hours from home - a day trip. Good luck in Frederick and St. Pete - I hope you have the same success that I found with Roswell!!

Look at it as a POSITIVE experience. Be positive that it won't happen like that with you.

We always stay in Fredrick whenever we go to Gettysburg.

Interesting question Beatriz... I'm going in a couple of days, and I'll let you know how I feel afterwards. I'm excited that I'll have the opportunity now - with the weight I've already lost - to fit in the "N-A" seats. (The same seats they have on airplanes, too.) N-A stands for "Narrow A--" One neat side effect... we can only contain a small volume of food, so if someone is the type to hurl on coasters, it'll be a mini-hurl!! I know that's TMI, but it struck me as funny, picturing some middle aged person with a little "uurrrppp" and then moving on to the next coaster.

Since you are an experienced hiker Lynn, you know there are wonderful nutritional meals for hikers that carry high-energy in small volumes. If I had your fantastic opportunity, I'd think about planning a mid-length hike a little while before Half Dome, and try some of those energy meals. I might even start the high-energy foods a couple of days before I started. One of my students works at Yosemite, and has for a while now, and I've seen his photos of the area... what a great opportunity you have! PS: Girl...you quit smoking AND did the lap band at the same time.... there isn't ANYTHING like this that can slow you down!!! Make sure you post a photo at the pinnacle of the climb!!

You'll be able to have smores again.... just not so many of them : ) I think your analysis hits the nail on the head. Forego a little now, to have hundreds more options later. You are going to succeed in the battle, I can tell! Good luck on your surgery! I do not regret my decision one bit to do it! (and until that day you can enjoy smores again, scour a few recipe sites and look at alternatives that YOU can have while they are making the gooey sticky mess)

Oh dear, I made a blooper. Someone passed on that Kim is a sooper dooper souper pooper snooper trooper grouper. If some of you are acquiring exquisite burping skills, would that make you brrrrappppp stars? or brrrapppppers, for short? Oh no... that means the contest at the gathering would be called the Brrrappppers Delight??

I hope everything comes out all right!!... OOOPS.. in this case.. I hope everything goes IN all right!! (And it will.. you are in excellent hands... just ask Josefa for a back rub, and you'll see what I mean!!)

Take it ONE day at a time. Dita is right.. the lean cuisines et al are wonderful meals. To go from large meals to them, have a second one if you need to, weaning down to one. It is a lifestyle change. Going from a large platter full to a small saucer full is a drastic change. Make it work for YOU... do what you need to do to get the job done. If any of us are unhappy with the band, we can always have our fills removed and live happily ever after, or even take a second step and have it surgically removed. These are options because our "plumbing" wasnt altered by the surgery like the by-pass participants. I decided before I went to Tijuana....... this will work, and only the clock stands between me and my goal. If I am extreme about the post surgery diet, I can lose faster. If I choose moderation (which to me is as close as i can get to normallity) then I still lose, but perhaps at a lower rate. The band is a TOOL... not a miracle. Use what works for YOU to accomplish what you WANT to accomplish. And win your battles one day at a time.

Awww.... you all are wonderful. I've received lots of PMs and emails. Thank you all. I'm afraid the entire story though, does not need to be printed in the forum. Needless to say, it was wrenching and unsettling, and hopefully is over at this point. This forum has many awesome individuals in it, many of whom I am honored to call 'friend', all of whom I am honored to call 'supporter'. Isn't this world - this forum world - interesting? People are here from all walks of life, from Snowuptomykeester, Washington down to Orlando, Florida by way of Texas, Tennessee, New York, and from our wonderful neighbor to the north, Canada... and we all share one desire, and now we share a common piece of silicone that will make us achieve our dreams!!! As I progress at my pace toward MY goal... I thank you all for sharing your experiences that help guide me. Your footprints help me, and those walking beside me see the way just a little bit better. And my purpose, is to leave big enough footprints to be viewed by those to come....