WEESIE

Thank you. I am feeling well today. Still sore, but this amazingly quick healing.

Some weight watcher groups are online with their headquarters and some aren't. If they aren't when you check in they write it on a card. I know our weights are on those cards at the location. If they need the weights, the location might have it.

This moved quickly as I had hoped it would. I attended the seminar on April 30, 2011 and was banded on May 25, 2011. I was fortunate because it was covered by insurance due to a BMI or 36 with more than the required two morbidities. The one that concerns me most is my blood pressure. I am on three medications and my blood pressure the day of surgery was 170/101. It was up when I came out of surgery which kept me in recovery for three hours as they brought it down. My blood pressure is my main concern--even over losing weight. Today is going better. I Have walked a total of 33 minutes in short laps around my driveway. I think it took me about four trips out to make it, but I did. I am looking forward to being able to walk that long in one stint instead of several. Food (or liquids) is already getting old. I feel like I am getting hungry, but I'm thinking maybe it is partly hunger. I was skipping my pain meds, but decided to go back on them for a while longer. The hunger feelings are better since that so I guess some of it was pain. I splurged on a few ounces of egg drop soup for dinner (minus the egg drops). It tasted good and I didn't feel so deprived. Just two days ago the thought of food was nauseating. Today I am obsessed by it. So I have made a vanilla protein shake and added some orange water flavoring to it. I am letting it freeze while stirring it every few minutes. I hope it tastes like ice cream by the time it is time for me to eat again. This might be my first day to get all three shakes in.

Thank you for the links. I ordered the book from Amazon yesterday after you posted it. It should arrive Wednesday and I can't wait. Thanks for all the help. How are you feeling today?

In reading your post I can see your pain for your daughter. You are seeing her physical as well as emotional pain. I would say that if her doctor believes this is what she needs and that she is ready for it, you need to look at her emotional commitment. Does she understand all the work that goes into it for her after the surgery. I would insist that she read exactly what is involved and her long term commitment. If you can find a few people who are banded to talk to her with the good, bad, and ugly then let her make the decision. If you were talking about something more invasive like gastric bypass I would not have the same opinion. That being said, it is her commitment to this that is important. If it were me and my parents denied me, I am afraid that as the years went on and I felt worse as I aged I might wonder if they had allowed it that I would be doing better. If you allow it and she doesn't use it, she will be responsible for her own follow through. Because of her age, you will have to make sure she has all the knowledge she needs to make a wise choice and then use the tool. Let us know how she does.

The surgery went fine. I was banded on May 25th. Apparently they don't resubmit your weights once you have been approved. I assume that if you wait too long after the approval it would have to be resubmitted, but I was in a hurry. I just posted about my insurance experience in another thread. I have United Healthcare but it is my employers policy that makes mine so good. The phone line at United Health Care told me that most of their policies aren't as easy to deal with. Good luck with getting your band done quickly.

Cocoabean, Thank you for the encouragement. All the people on these forums really are helping me feel more comfortable.

I have told one of my children things in the past that she has "accidentally told". She is a happy, bubbly, talkative person. This thing that she told was because she was proud of me, but it was confidential. So, as a result of that I can't tell her. It's not that she would mean to hurt me, but if I tell her I know I will be sorry. If there comes a time that I don't mind the world knowing I can tell her at that time. This means that I can't tell any of my children because I don't want to ask them to keep secrets from her and put a wedge between us all. And yes, this does take a lot of energy to keep a secret. They know I had laproscopic surgery to repair a hernia. But, I have already called it lap band surgery to repair a hernia. They always correct me like I'm a little dingy. This secret is tough.

You are on the right track by making sure you have all your appointments done quickly. My insurance approval went very quickly. There are a few things I did that might have helped keep it moving along. 1. I called my insurance company and had them read the exact requirements for my surgery to me. I know the surgery center did it, but I wanted to make sure that I had it down specifically. There was one difference between what they told me and what insurance said. So, I called back and talked to three people to be sure. This saved me at least a week because the surgery center believed that I had to have records of weights from the last five years from my doctors. That wasn't on my policy so I insisted that we file without that. In a hurry here. 2. I stayed in touch with my provider to see that it had been submitted. It took several days to get it submitted and I made it clear to them that I was on a time crunch due to my work schedule so this might have helped a bit. As soon as they told me it was submitted, I started keeping in touch with my insurance. Once it was faxed to them it took a couple of days for them to be able to even see it had been received. 3. Once my claim was received I called several times a day to see where it was in the process. I learned the process from anyone who was patient when I called. They did tell me that I had a right to call as often as I wanted to. They told me that they had to make a decision and notify us within 15 calendar days of receiving it, but my estimated surgery date was before that and if it wasn't done two days before that date they would escalate it. This estimated date was not even scheduled, so that was a help to know. 4.On one of these calls they gave me a number for this case. Try to get that and it will make your calls go much faster. Also, knowing what date the doctor has entered as your surgery might help 5. When I finally was told that it was approved (I had called twice this day but at 4:00 I got the word), I got the approval number and called the surgery center. They only check twice a week on Tuesday and Thursday and I got this on Thursday after they checked. So I called them and gave them the number. At this point they got on the ball and I was in surgery within a few days! In summary: Stay involved and remember that it is your insurance company. There is someone there who will talk to you.

Congratulations on joining the land of the banded. Sounds like you are doing very well already. Everyday gets better.

Angel, I'm sorry you're having a hard time. Just remember this won't last long compared to a lifetime. I have been hungry today also. I just did something that I don't know if I'm supposed to do but I added a teaspoon and a half to my GNC 60 cookies and cream protein with unflavored, unsweetened almond milk. It tasted so good and I was able to drink more of my protein drink. If any of you know about the peanut butter in the liquid phase please tell me. Angel we will get through this. You have done the right thing for your health.

Your humor helped relax my fear from all of the reality stories. Now to teach my husband to have a sense of humor. But, I hope I'm one of the ones who doesn't have this stuff.

Hi, I was banded on Wednesday, May 25th. I also had a large hernia repaired. I went home the same day but it was an uncomfortable ride. I am amazed at how quickly the pain goes down. I could easily do without pain meds today, but taking them keeps my blood pressure from going up so much. I was banded by Dr. Holden at True Results in Richardson Texas. Today was my first day to go out and I went to my grandson's HS graduation. It was almost too much but I'm glad I went. I am really hungry today. I have only had one protein shake because I'm too tired to make another one. I'll try to get one in soon.

Wow Girl! I'm impressed that you got out so soon. Did you get very tired? I went to my grandson's HS graduation today and it wiped me out. I thought how strong I was because I've been walking but sitting up and visiting for two or three hours was really too much. You did really good with not eating anything there. You will be that skinny hostess before you know it.

NJGirl, Thank you for the recommendation. I will go to Amazon and order it now. I hope it is available on Kindle so I don't have to wait. And how are you doing today?

Jen, I feel for you. It is difficult being in the post op recovery and also having issues with hunger. I read someplace that egg drop soup is high in protein so I decided to try it. My husband bought me some at a local oriental restaurant. We cooled it, skimmed off the fat and I ate the broth minus the eggs. It made me feel like I had some real food. I don't know if it will help you, but maybe it can get you over the hump.

Becca I have not experienced this with weight loss, but I am sure that he will find you beautiful. He saw the beauty of you inside and out when he married you and he still will. Remember that he is going through a lot while he is away and you will both learn to adapt when he is back. It might be difficult at first, but just think of it as another opportunity to get to know each other and fall even more in love. When my husband came back from Viet Nam he was like a skeleton but I still saw him as handsome. You will feel the same about him and he will you as well. We look forward to hearing about it when you have a chance.

Wow, this is unbelievable. Do you feel like the before pictures are you? You are like two different bodies. Good work!

Coley, I was banded on May 25th. I have been having the same problems with knowing what these feelings are. I have figured out that when I have those sharp pains I go walk as long as I can while holding my stomach because the movement hurts. I sometimes apply a little pressure. After a few minutes of walking the burps start to come. I burp a lot. I try to walk until the burping slows down, but sometimes I dont have the energy to keep walking. I also had pain today that I was sure was hunger, but the pain med made it go away. So, I guess it's not hunger. As far as sleeping, I have some heat packs with clay in them from WalMart and I microwave them and go to sleep with them on me everynight. If my husband or I wake up during the night we heat them. These things help me. I hope some of them will help you. Oh, and the deep breaths you talked about. Be sure you are using your little respiratory thingy so you don't get pneumonia. I have to make sure I have pain meds active before I do that.

I don't have any words of wisdom based on experience so here is a BIG HUG. You have come so far already. Keep on keeping on and you will reach your goal before you know it. I admire all your progress thus far.

Thankyou for responding. I am glad that the poll feature works. I thought it would be fun to try it. I love your name "nomorejellybelly". How do you like the aftercare there? Is there usually a long wait? I will be going in about 4 weeks and am anxious to get this going.

It sounds like you know what you want. You will find a way to do it. Don't give up.

It sounds like you know what you want. You will find a way to do it. Don't give up.