TucsonAnnie

I use lapband.com and can't find a help button. Is anyone here using that website for their measurement tracking? I did my measurements right before surgery, entered them on that site, but didn't write them down in a notebook. Now it appears there has been too much time passed and I can't see back farther than three months! Has anyone else found how to see back to day one? The weight loss goes all the way back, so I didn't think the measurements wouldn't. I could have a fit! I can't remember my original measurements, which is why I logged them at the website. Does anyone know if there is help available from that site? I have called the 800 number, but they said they don't do website/tech problems.

I have been a couch potato, only walking a little here and there. My weight plateaued. I have just recently started using my clubhouse workout facility and in a week I dropped four pounds. I suppose I'm going to have to listen to common reason and work out. My big thing is conquering the elliptical machine. Today I should be up to 20 minutes at level one. When I get to 30, which I think will take a couple of weeks, I will go to level two. I am doing it slowly so I don't kill myself or get bored. I mix up my workout by doing the nautilus machines (rower, leg press, chest press) and have 5lb weights for my arms at home. I used to be a treadmill fan, especially because at my top weight it was all I could do. Tried three minutes on the elliptical and about fainted. Now I am finding the elliptical almost- I can't believe I am saying this- FUN and I really like how my knees and ankles aren't getting pounded! Good luck finding YOUR fun workout. I didn't believe it was possible, but for me, it is!

.

Aaaaaaack! I am shedding, not seriously, but enough. I get my Protein. Will this ever stop? I am SO freakin' SICK of drinking Protein shakes. I HATE milk and milk products, and I have choked it all down since my banding. I just can't do it anymore. Today I about gagged trying to drink my daily dose of shakes. The last one went down the drain. I don't want to do it anymore. I hate meat and I would rather just get my protein that way- BUT - I am drinking my shakes AND eating meat and I am shedding. I am so frustrated. I am afraid if I stop the shakes I will lose more hair, but I am also afraid to throw up b/c my doc warns against it. I wish I could afford hypnotherapy to get over my milkophobia. Yuck. Boob juice. I can hardly think about it. Anyone else have any positive ideas? Anyone else been in my shoes? I was banded November 11th, and doing well, except for this issue.

Thanks everyone- I think I am going to head for the GNC and try some new things. Obviously my daily Dr. recommended Centrum isn't enough, and I will definitely look for something other than whey protein.

Great post- I saved that link to my favorites It does seem when I eat more, I lose more. I have been eating like a two year old ( quantity wise) for the last few weeks, and I'm not losing weight. I used that calculator and now I think I understand why!

This past week we had our first out of towner come to stay with us. We did a lot of touristy things, which meant I did sit down restaurants for the first time since October. I hear ya about the drink thing. After the first time I just ordered a Water to get the server to leave me alone. Once I had to explain I had a lap band to shut someone up. Uncomfortable. I also couldn't believe the weirdness of just asking for a plate. We went to restaurants where the portions are HUGE and I wasn't doing it. Just a 1/2 cup amount of my husband's meal and I am done- and he still had leftovers. I had to tell one waitress I was post op and that worked - that time. One steakhouse we didn't go at all, because the menu states there is a $6.95 charge for a plate. Not being cheap, but that's ridiculous for three bites of a steak and a spoonful of Beans. If I am ever out of town and a buffet is the only choice, I'm going to stay behind with a headache! From now on, if I have to go to a restaurant, I am calling ahead to speak with management, and ask if their servers are trained to spot bandsters- or at least leave it alone when a customer says no thank you. Hopefully, I won't have to go to a restaurant again anytime soon!

Wondering the same thing here. I know FEPBlue is good when "medical necessity" is proven on most things, but I worry I will be needing the same surgery/surgeries next year. I hope not! I saw in another thread somewhere that someone's apron caused infection. I am sure irritation and infection would be followed by your general doctor, so it would be charted. I imagine that it would be sufficient to send to the UR./approval nurses at FEPBlue to see if a pre-approval could be written. Then again, I have dealt with them on the lapband surgery, and know how some things are approved, but then they don't guarantee payment. It's scary. The manual is almost cryptic. We pay an arm and a leg for the coverage, I think they should take excess skin as payment too!

This topic - the responses show how different we all are. Wow. I have been eating by the clock on my workdays, just so I don't get jittery or faint. I don't eat much at those times, just maybe a s/f yogurt or a piece of cheese. My work lunch is a 4oz container of the last night's dinner leftovers. I do feel a litle hunger once in a great while this way- instead of the terrible starving feeling at the beginning. My hunger isn't bad at all now. Yesterday was a first for me. I felt a little grumble in the morning, ate my litte bitty Breakfast, then a tiny mouthful of a snack while running errands. The only reason I ate dinner was because I don't want my metabolism to drop. I also don't want do to a freak out and scarf food because I feel like my blood sugar is crashing. So I suppose I should eat when I am hungry, but watch the clock too. Maybe you can find a balance like that as well. It's certainly not easy, is it?

_delete_ error!

Wow. Someone read my post and hit me with a negative mark, maybe they were just trolling, maybe they didn't like that I agreed with Cleo's mom. Maybe they were just being spiteful because they are one of the hateful posters. I don't know, but it's not cool. I just keep thinking about the post that reminds me that a child could be on this forum and we would never know it. Think good thoughts everyone - Karma happens!

I wish I knew. I am drowning in medical bills. My husband had major surgery a month prior to my banding - and we ended up with copayments to so many doctors my head is spinning. I am also trying to keep up with paying for my new year deductible along with the cost of my fills that I didn't know weren't included. (I knew some fills would be out of pocket, but I misunderstood and thought three fills would be covered in the global period. Wow, I was so wrong.) In short, I need to consolidate thousands of dollars. All medical. If anyone reading this knows of a company that does loans for medical bills, please let me know. I want to get all caught up, and fast! I hope I dont, but I might need some cosmetic surgery next year and there are loans available for those types of procedures (at a premium) but is there anything out there for just plain old medical bills? My online search is not turning up anything.

I understand! I hit plateaus. It makes me crazy. IT IS SO FRUSTRATING. But we will get past it. I don't get depressed because I figure during the plateau periods, it gives my skin time to adjust. I feel saggy enough already. I would rather lose a pound a week - or plateau for a while - than go through the cost and pain of cosmetic surgery. You will get there- you will. You are in charge!

Quit with the politics already. Please.

Right on, Cleo's Mom! I have only posted a few times because of all the awful things I read here, and I figured about as much. When I see something hateful or spiteful, I click the red minus button. I wish more people would.

When I asked my doc (yesterday) about the 1/2 cup vs. 4oz thing she explained we were working on volume (1/2 cup) not weight because she is guarding against stretching and slippage. She said I was doing a good job following her book of rules. I did get a fill so I am not feeling so deprived. Now I am allowed up to one cup of food, or less if I feel fullness. I tried a cup of soft food tonight, and I feel better. It stuck with me. I still don't feel full, but I'm not going over her allowed amount.

Wow. No wonder I'm hungry all the time. All I get is 4oz (1/2 cup) for a meal. 3 times a day. My doctor says that's all I should ever eat. It's working but I am miserable.

Good question. I'm going to ask my doc at my next appointment. I use a measuring cup, regardless of weight. I'm afraid of stretching. I try to keep the 5 hour rule, but most of the time it's just not possible. I eat a lot of popsicles. I actually look forward to those Protein shakes now, and I hate milk.