bogiesmom

I have been going crazy for the last couple of hours searching for the thread on this forum that discusses the success rate of the band & having 25% of the banding population that do not find success with the band as stated on the Lap Band web site, etc. At any rate, I came across this poll of 621 banders on the lapbandtalk.com site that show a break down of personal experiances that I found very interesting and I wanted to share the results with you: Band is fine, no complications so far 435 (70.05%) Band was removed for reasons other than erosion/slip 22 (3.54%) Band slipped but unfill repaired it 11 (1.77%) Band slipped, I was rebanded 30 (4.83%) Band slipped, removed, no new band 25 (4.03%) Band slipped, revised to bypass, sleeve or switch 8 (1.29%) Band eroded, unfill repaired it 3 (0.48%) Band eroded, removed, no new band or other revision 28 (4.51%) Band eroded, revised to bypass, sleeve or switch 4 (0.64%) At 1 year or more my band isn't working, not losing 55 (8.86%) So there seems to be about 30% of the banding population that experiance some form of complication with the band. If one uses this poll as a sample of the banding population, the conclusion that can be drawn is that approximately 23% of bandsters experiance a form of complication with the band that ultimately resulted in the band not being successful for them. If someone can provide me with the link to the thread I tried searching for I would appriciate it . That way I can move this post to it's proper place.

Lisa & Pammie, Thank you so much for brightening my day with your comments. I needed that. After the Christmas I had I am glad I read what you had to say before deciding to stick my head in the oven. I think this whole thread has been a blessing in a backhanded, twisted sort of way (at least for this reader).

Hi Kim, Welcome! I will be at the OCC on January 16th for my second fill. Only staying for 1 day as I live in Los Angeles and am taking the train down from Union Station.

Shelby, I am right there with you. Only lost another half pound this week.

POINTS® Tracker entries Wednesday, December 23, 2009 Morning 2 tsp coffee, instant or regular, powder 0 1 Tbsp sugar 1 2 Tbsp Coffee-Mate French Vanilla Liquid Creamer 1.5 1 serving(s) 4 Butter Cookies 2 Subtotal 4.5 Midday 2 cup(s) greek salad with dressing 6 Subtotal 6 Evening No entries for this meal time. Subtotal 0 Anytime No entries for this meal time. Subtotal 0 Food POINTS values total used 10.5 Food POINTS values remaining 12.5 Activity 30 min elliptical trainer, moderate intensity 2 Activity POINTS values earned 2

Hi Kat, what size band do you have? I have the 11cc Johnson and Johnson Realize band and was banded on 11/13/09. I had my first fill at the OCC on 12/17/09 for a total of 3cc. I have almost no restriction whatsoever. Right now it's just me and Weight Watchers. I estimate that I probably will not have restriction until my 3rd fill at best. So we are talking in February or March at the soonest.

Okay enough with the speculation. Dr. Ortiz, Hypothetically, you have 2 patients, 1 male and 1 female. They Both have the same BMI and the SAME brand/size band. Why would the male patient only require 1 fill & the female patient require 3 fills to reach the same level of restriction? Thank you for your candid reply.

Hey Steph, Here are some ideas: Step away from the kitchen... 1. Order gourmet baked goods for the family instead. 2. Have extended family members & friends show their support by baking goods for your family. 3. Get the family involved in the baking process is 90% of the fun! Have kids bake up their own goodies under adult supervision. Never too early to learn even if it is just cracking an egg or measuring milk. 1A. Have your hubby take on an accent and mimick the lady from the Yoplait commercial and whisper in your ear every so often: "There's no such thing as a bear sheriff." (sounds corny but this really, really works! 1B. Write down this phrase on paper and stick the papers all over the house (even on the bathroom mirror) "Nothing tastes as good as being skinny feels." And when all else fails have the proper ingediants on hand for the perfect coctail that makes you feel you are treating yourself to something sinful. My stash for example is vodka, vermouth, pomegranate mixer, mango mixer, marachino cherries, bag of ice, blender, & martini shaker. Lots of love to you

That is a really good question considering that there are quite a few doctors who do provide an initial fill during the surgery anyway. Yah, I was told that all stomachs are about the size of an American football and the doctor did not say anything about gender being a factor.

3 Musts for Effective Food Journaling December 4, 2009 | by Brett Blumenthal Many people count calories when they are trying to lose weight. Doing so can be very helpful, and often, can lead to greater and more sustainable weight loss. In a study done by Kaiser Permanente Center for Health Research, those participants who kept a food diary lost almost twice the amount of weight of those who did not journal. Further, those who kept a diary managed to keep the weight off. What really makes a food journal successful? Obviously, recording what you eat and how much of it you eat is definitely an important component to track. But is that enough? I’d argue…no. Tracking your caloric intake is undeniably important, but it doesn’t necessarily tackle the emotional side of the food intake equation. Many of us use food as a form of comfort…whether it be to fill a void…to alleviate emotional pain…to calm nervousness…or to offset boredom. In order to create sustainable lifestyle changes, knowing what triggers you to eat is arguably, just as important. Mindfulness of the hows, whys, whats and whens of your food consumption promotes balance, choice and acceptance of what is. To practice this mindfulness, keep a journal to document how you feel physically AND mentally…before, during and after meals and snacks. Here are the three components you should track in your journal: 1.What You Eat. Document what and how much you eat. This will help you identify those foods that are most gratifying and filling as they apply to actual hunger as well as emotional triggers. It will also enable you to determine how balanced your snacks and meals are. Include calories of what you ate as well. 2.Appetite. Evaluate your appetite on a scale of 0 to 5: 0 represents “extremely hungry,” 5 extremely full. Whenever possible, strive never to be a 0 or a 5. If hunger sets in, aim for a rating no lower than 1; after you have eaten, you shouldn’t be fuller than a 4. 3.Physical and Emotional Status. When you get hungry and while you are eating, tune into your physical and emotional state. What were you doing when you became hungry? Were you thinking about anything in particular? Were you stressed? Depressed? Happy? Relaxed? Bored? Note your feelings in order to understand what triggers your eating. Are you really hungry? Are you using food to fill an empty void? Is food an automatic “go-to” when celebrating? Noting these feelings will help you distinguish between real hunger and emotional hunger. Here is a chart of what your journal should look like: Date & Time What did I eat / drink? Caloric Value How did I feel before/during/after eating? (0 – 5) What was I doing? What was I thinking? How was I feeling?

Hi Stephanie, I called Dr. Miranda and asked her this very questions specifically since i too have an elliptical in my living room and she said "you can start excercising after 21 days post op." And that is exactly what I did. 30 Minutes a day on the elliptical and now I am at ramp level 20 - 22 and resistance level 4

Went over on my points today by 4 points Good thing I am earning activity points by working out to make up for it POINTS® Tracker entries Tuesday, December 22, 2009 Morning Red Velvet Cake 6 2 tsp coffee, instant or regular, powder 0 1 Tbsp sugar 1 2 Tbsp Coffee-Mate French Vanilla Liquid Creamer 1.5 Subtotal 8.5 Midday 1 item(s) Smart Ones Fettuccini Alfredo 4 1 cup(s) Split Pea with Ham Soup 2 Subtotal 6 Evening 1 cup(s) Low-Fat 2% Milkfat Small Curd Cottage Cheese 4.5 1 Vegatarian Baked Lasagne 6 Subtotal 10.5 Anytime 1 serving(s) Starbucks Short Caramel Brulee Latte W/ Non-Fat Milk 2 Subtotal 2 Food POINTS values total used 27 Food POINTS values remaining 0 Activity 30 min elliptical trainer, moderate intensity 2 Activity POINTS values earned 2

I saw the You Tube Video in which Dr. Ortiz mentioned this and for some reason he never explained the "why." It is a awkward moment that borders on slightly offensive in a gender-centric egotistic way (IMHO). If anyone has any idea as to the "why" please share your thoughts.

My New Year's Goal is just to learn how to sit back and enjoy my journey & get involved in an originzation for animals. What inspired this was a visit to the OCC last week. Second time I have gone to TJ and I see stray dogs walking in the middle of the road invisable to everyone My heart can't take going back to TJ for fills and not getting involved some how some way.

POINTS® Tracker entries Monday, December 21, 2009 Morning 1 packet(s) Lower Sugar Oatmeal, maple & brown sugar 2 1 oz Raisins 2 2 Tbsp Coffee-Mate French Vanilla Liquid Creamer 1.5 1 Tbsp sugar 1 2 tsp coffee, instant or regular, powder 0 Subtotal 6.5 Midday 1 oz Pirate's booty 3 1 item(s) Smart Ones Bistro Selects Beef Pot Roast Frozen Dinner 3 Subtotal 6 Evening 1/3 cup(s) cucumber(s) 0 1 medium serving(s) baby carrots 1 1/2 cup(s) celery 0 1 Vegatarian Baked Lasagne 6 Subtotal 7 Anytime No entries for this meal time. Subtotal 0 Food POINTS values total used 19.5 Food POINTS values remaining 3.5

I would suggest bean-o or Gas-X (not the strips since they do not work that great). You might want also add a little prune juice to your diet (2 - 4 ounces every night) to aid in the digestion process.

Louise, Were we seperated at birth? If not we should have been You gotta be a Capricorn, Capricorn rising or at least be Capricorn dominante somewhere in your chart! Brilliantly put and what an amazing topic. I am PMing you right away! Okay, I see you are a Sagatarius and I am Sagatarius rising that partly explains you brilliant mind I also love, love, love your personal photo.