Welcome to the Band Board!

[Michael A Todd, MD]

Hi, All!  Got the other board back up...Fluoroscopy is video x-ray.  You use it to follow barium as someone swallows it, or to help guide the needle while you are trying to do adjustments on bands, or any time you need serial images, usually for some sort of procedure, though you can use it to watch the lungs inflate and deflate.  I knew that Fluoro would be an issue here in the States, as it is much more expensive here than in Mexico or elsewhere.  I decided I had to learn how to adjust bands without it, and went to Melbourne, Austraiia, to learn from Dr. Paul O'Brien, then the medical director for Inamed, the company who made the LapBand.  It turns out we can adjust the vast majority of our patient's bands without fluro, but from time to time we will end up refering patients to Radiology at Regional or Health South, usually in large patients who haven't lost much weight yet. 

I understand that we got a call from a patient the other day who wanted their band adjusted only under fluro, which is fine, but most patients simply don't need fluoro to have the bands adjusted.

Make sure you all have your bands adjusted by someone who has been trained to do so.  There is the occasional practitioner who hasn't been trained, and who feels they can do it anyway.  They may be OK, but it could also be asking for trouble.

Enjoy your Sunday.

[Monica Merrell]

Can anyone tell me if there are any SGM (for lapband) in Fairbanks?

[Colette Grower]

Hi everyone. I have been lost for awhile. My life has been turned upside down. I do need to pay more attention to what I am doing with my band.After many weeks of up and down and testing my husband, Harland, was diagnosed with kidney cancer. Now my life is crazy. How do I start taking care of myself? He goes out to Seattle on Monday. My daughter is going with him because my vacation time is limited. For the rest of my life I have always lived, ate, and slept at such a break neck speed between work, family, and home.

I have to learn to take one day at a time. I don't know if I understand how to do that. Please remember us in your prayers. He has mets in his lungs and in his spine. The tumor goes up the vein to his heart. We need a major intervention to help us. I am so numb I have forgotten how to pray. Thanks to all Colette

[Heidi]

We will keep your husband and you in our prayers.

Heidi

[TracyK]

Dr. Todd,
I had a quick moment to write and tell you that I made it to Kuwait and am doing fine.  I have been keeping up with my exercising and eating, but the heat is the one that has been hard to deal with.  On a good day it is 115!     So far I have lost an additional 14 pounds bringing my total weight loss to 69 pounds.  Hope all is well.  I will be back sometime in September.  See you then....
Tracy Keller

[Nicole Williams]

I just wanted to thank the Bandistas for the information and support at the SGM on Wednesday!  There was actually only one post op there, and one or two pre-ops.. Good luck you guys!

Nicole

[Colette Grower]

My husband had surgery and it all went great. They got the tumor out in one piece and he will be home soon. He has to go back down on the 20th of August for a check up and to meet with the oncologist. All of the prayers are surely paying off. He did so much better than they expected. Colette Grower

[Monica Merrell]

Colette, I am so glad to hear that your husband's surgery went great!  I will still keep him in my prayers and thoughts!

[Jana M]

Just wanted to say hello to everyone on this side of the board.   

[Monica Merrell]

Hi Jana!  Nice to meet you!

[Yanira]

 

Hi Everyone,

I just wanted to say hello to everyone on this side.

[Monica Merrell]

Hi Yanira!

You're doing great on your weight loss!

[Monica Merrell]

Any Lurkers out there that want to post.   I am pre op and would love to see the board to start moving along.

[JamesBell]

I have some questions, but not sure about how to post on here

[Monica Merrell]

HI James!  You just have to hit reply on the message and you can ask your questions.  It's just one thread here so you don't have to worry about starting a new one up.