faithmd

I really dig this skin!

And User CP?????

Os is the opening or stoma created by the band. I'd call your doc.

Brandy and Brandi: Ack!!!! Basically, it all SUCKS! Brandy: Tequila, tequila is a friend for a day, and you can use the empty bottle on D's head... Brandi: Eeeegads, what rotten string of bad luck! And that's all it looks like to me, a rotten, awful string of bad luck. I would never have thought of the term "drama" at all. Just rotten luck. You both have NO idea how VERY VERY much I wish I had magic wands and could wave them for both of you wonderful women. Brandi(y)'s, you WILL have the last laugh! Things WILL get better. They really, really will. When? I do not know, but I am certain they will. You two deserve so much fabulousness in your lives.

I love you Jack! I love you, too Derick! GREAT posts, gentlemen!

Absolutely agree with those above. Also, the longer you are chewing and chewing, your stomach is churning and churning and producing acid and enzymes in anticipation of the food that is in your mouth. Okay, so it's not like your stomach is doing a 440, but it is working and moving in preparation of food coming down. (Notice how your mouth waters when you smell something yummy?) Any extra movement you don't have to have in the early stages of healing is good to avoid. The band is held in place on the front with sutures, but the back has to scar into place, the scars take longer to heal with the more the stomach moves.

Green, I'm making my grocery list now! DH's 45th b-day is this coming week, he loves a good slab of red meat and garlic mashed potatoes.

Suzanne, while it is true that in general calories in vs calories out usually results in weight loss, please remember that when you were on Clear liquids or full liquids you were eating very few calories. Those few calories were and are being held onto by your body while you are healing. Now that you are on mushies you are likely eating more carbs as well. Some folks' bodies react differently to different types of calories. I know that if I eat 2000 calories of mostly carbs, I'm not going to lose a thing, but if I am eating 2000 calories and it's heavy on the Protein, I'll still lose. The body in it's healing phase requires calories for rebuilding tissues, blood, etc. So it hangs onto every calorie it gets. Hang in there, this is normal (frustrating, but normal). As I said before, you *will* get there.

I just read on another thread where you haven't been banded yet. To be perfectly honest, I wouldn't worry about any of this until you are closer to your goal weight. I would hate for you to get married to what you may find out now about coverage and have it totally change just as you are getting ready to apply for your TT. Who knows, you may not have UHC by then. Seriously, make your life much less complicated and don't worry about this now. I was excited about what I had learned about coverage when I changed ins co's to get the band in the first place, then I discovered my information had been wrong. Had to wait another year to change to another ins co that did cover the band. In that year they went from a six month MD supervised diet requirement to a TWELVE month requirement. Needless to say, I was livid and depressed. So please don't put too much time or trouble into finding this out now.

Wait, didn't I just read this same thread someplace else? Here's what I wrote over there: The first six weeks or so after the band is placed are for HEALING. NOT weight loss. If you lose, great. But most people do not lose, most gain. This is a very common topic around here. There have been threads and polls galore and the answer most folks give is that they gain some of their weight back. It WILL go away. Just hang in there, you are about to enter Bandster Hell, and that is worse, but eventually it gets better. It's just a few weeks out of your life. If you are like me you've been fat for years, a few more weeks/months aren't going to hurt me in order to be healthier down the line. Hang in there folks, it's not your fault!

The first six weeks or so after the band is placed are for HEALING. NOT weight loss. If you lose, great. But most people do not lose, most gain. This is a very common topic around here. There have been threads and polls galore and the answer most folks give is that they gain some of their weight back. It WILL go away. Just hang in there, you are about to enter Bandster Hell, and that is worse, but eventually it gets better. It's just a few weeks out of your life. If you are like me you've been fat for years, a few more weeks/months aren't going to hurt me in order to be healthier down the line. Hang in there folks, it's not your fault!

You should call them and ask, that's the ONLY way to know FOR SURE. Someone else may have UHC, but plans differ from employer to employer. Employers have the ability to buy (or not) riders for various things like bariatric surgery or cosmetic surgery. And what may be considered cosmetic to one ins co may not be cosmetic to another. You need to have them send you a hard copy of what the requirements are if they say tey cover certain things if "medically necessary." You need to know what that exactly means.

I wish you all the luck in the world! Thanks for mentioning the book, I have some head work to do around eating, perhaps I'll order it. I take it that it is a UK author?

Very VERY VERRRRY rarely are these operations completely free. I did burn for several years and many people would come to us and ask about donation for free surgery. You can certainly donate the excess skin that is removed in the course of a planned TT or LBL, etc. But as far as having that operation for free, that is beyond rare. Burn surgeons are not always plastic surgeons. Their surgical specialty is not in reconstructing someone after they have lost a large amount of weight, they reconstruct someone after a trauma or a fire. Very different approaches. In the OR after a burn, we didn't use lipo to shape and contour or tighten abdominal muscles, etc. We didn't care about perfect scar placement when grafting a burned area. You simply can't. Burn surgery (at the time of the burn) is about covering the exposed tissues and preventing infection and promoting wound healing. I wouldn't want most burn surgeons doing my TT or LBL. I have read and heard where a portion of the surgical fee was waived for a donation. But that is a PORTION, not the whole thing for free.

Sweethot: I think it would be a great idea to still send a note in a nice card. Simply say that you are sorry did not know until they told you that he had been killed and you feel terrible that you were unable to be there for them at the time. Sometimes it is nice to get a card a while after a death, so much support floods at you immediately following but in the coming weeks and months it seems that you are alone and your loss forgotten. At the hospital we send cards at regular intervals when parents lose a child. Immediately after, a few weeks later, six months and then at the one year mark. I'm sure you would have sent flowers or a plant at the time if you had known. Perhaps you can offer to plant a tree in his name, maybe a flowering shrub?

Brandy, can you give me the brand of Protein bar? What gym do you go to? I'll def. call you when I get my next appointment, maybe I can make it a day and come over and see you on my way home. I know you guys welcomed me before on the other thread, but I guess I was being a bit silly. I wasn't feeling quite yet that I was into this thing (band/weightloss) long enough yet to be considered a "Steady Loser" (not sure I am much of a loser these days, but I'm trying). Being clique-ish is not such a bad thing, you have wonderful support from one another and I would LOVE to become a part of this. I really, really loved reading the old thread (yep read the whole thing) and admire each and every one of you. Thank you again for once more welcoming me into your very fabulous "club." I have some chips in the house, DH loves them...Pre-band I'd have eaten half a can of Pringles at a sitting, fortunately post-band I'm not craving them. I guess my tastes have changed. Sadly I now want sweets like I've never wanted them before. But like you I keep tossing them into the trash. I can snarf about three fries from my husband's plate at dinner and be happy with that (thankfully). Before I'd have had the Mayonnaise and Ranch dressing out and been using them as dips. But doggone that pasta, it's yummy. I just make it heavy on the veggie sauce and light on the pasta. I'm going to try portioning out the sweets if I have them or give into buying them. One or two cookies in a snack size bag. I think I could be happy after one cookie if that's all I had at hand. I need to pick up some OT and get one of these bodybugg (or similar) things. Of course that means I have to start moving around again! Bman, hope you feel better soon!!!! You guys are fantastic!

http://www.lapbandtalk.com/f112/ticker-instructions-help-47581/ http://www.lapbandtalk.com/f112/how-create-ticker-add-your-signature-47643/

Alex, the smilies codes aren't working. I tried :smile: :welcomeB: :bounce: et cetera. Whazzup??

Why? Here's an explanation I copied from another WLS support site. It's really good info: Vagus Nerve: The Vagus nerve is the longest of the nerves. Its name is derived from the same root word as "Vagrant," and "Vagabond." (A wanderer; a rover. - Wandering from place to place and lacking any means of support.) From the Middle English vagraunt, probably alteration of Old French wacrant, present participle of wacrer, to wander, of Germanic origin. This "Vagabond" originates in the Cranium but wanders from the brain stem through organs in the neck, thorax and abdomen, all the way to the first third of the colon. It has motor functions in the larynx (voice box), diaphragm, stomach, and heart, and sensory functions in the ears and tongue. It has both motor and sensory functions in the pharynx (sinuses) and esophagus. Stimulation of the vagus nerve is thought to affect some of its connections to areas in the brain that are prone to seizure activity. It is a "Hot Topic" for research in areas of Depression, Obesity, Epilepsy, and is responsible for some phenomenal sensory and motor responses even without WLS. Emotions running high? Feeling a lump at the back of your throat that you didn’t put there? That’s the Vagus Nerve at work. Can’t tickle yourself, except the roof of your mouth? (try it) Because when you try to tickle your armpit-The same nerves that perceive the tickle also "know that it’s coming," and thus the "surprise" aspect that allows "tickling" to occur have been preempted. But- Roof of the mouth? Different selective dumping of info prior to reaching the brain. That’s the Vagus nerve "sharing" some info with sensory and motor controls while "not telling others." The Vagus nerve is known as a "mixed nerve" meaning it both receives input from the body and sends signals to various muscles and organs of the body. It is the primary nerve of the Parasympathetic Nervous System. It isn’t an even mix, though, about 80% of the axons inside the vagus nerve are sending signals from the body to the brain. The Vagus nerve consists of Five Components with distinct functions: --Brancial motor: (special visceral efferent) Supplies the voluntary muscles of the pharynx and most of the larynx, as well as one extrinsic muscle of the tongue. --Visceral motor: (general visceral efferent) Parasympathetic innervation of the smooth muscle and glands of the pharynx, larynx, and viscera of the thorax and abdomen. --Visceral sensory: (general visceral afferent) Provides visceral sensory information from the larynx, esophagus, trachea, and abdominal and thoracic viscera, as well as the stretch receptors of the aortic arch and chemoreceptors of the aortic bodies . --General sensory: (general somatic afferent) Provides general sensory information from the skin of the back of the ear and external auditory meatus, parts of the external surface of the tympanic membrane, and the pharynx. --Special sensory: (special afferent) A very minor component. Provides taste sensation from the epiglottis region. A simplified explanation to describe "how it works"- Rather than sending signals out from brain, or bringing sensory info back to the brain, it does both, and it allows "pieces parts" or "stations" along the way to communicate with each other without directly routing through the brain. It controls much of the movement of the mouth and let’s the esophagus "synch up" with back of tongue motions in order to make swallowing possible. And signals the lower organs of the digestive tract to adjust activity when "food is on the way!" The Vagus nerve also sends signals to and for those "unconscious" or reflex reactions- such as swallowing when not thinking about it consciously. Often the example given is- "swallowing while sleeping so you don’t drown in saliva." It is associated with Nausea governing factors, Relaxation, (particularly pulse rate) digestion synchronization, etc.. It’s "Fence-sitting" behavior as both Voluntary and Involuntary signal provider, makes it a key factor in most Bio-Feedback processes for reducing stress levels. How does this effect or associate with Bariatric Post-Op patients? Signals from the Stomach are "distorted somewhat" and often Disrupted or damaged by the Gastric Bypass. The signals from the pouch often trigger the Vagus nerve to "fire" unique reflex responses. The Vagus nerve transmits the signal to the brain when we are full. It seems to "drop off" some info to other stations on the way to the brain. It is responsible for Diaphragmatic "Dry Heaves" that some experience in the early days following Bariatric Procedures, and longer term is often associated with rapid gastric emptying. Many Post-ops claim to have their nose start running when they take "that last bite" just before feeling too full. Some experience sneezing or hiccups if they eat a bite too much. Both are actions inextricably bound to Vagus nerve signals. Many claim to get a "runny nose" with one bite too much food for their pouch, and hiccups from eating too fast. Many Gastric Bypass Post-ops have similar odd signals associated with the connections that the Vagus nerve makes along it’s wandering path. Complements of DxE...he originally posted this on March 5th, 2007 & I found this very helpful. He is a wealth of information.

For some people that is their "soft stop" sign that they are full. It is very common.

http://www.lapbandtalk.com/f112/ticker-instructions-help-47581/ http://www.lapbandtalk.com/f112/how-create-ticker-add-your-signature-47643/

Hello and :welcomeB: to LBT!!! I'm in the States so I can't help too much, but if you haven't found it yet, there is an entire subforum dedicated to the UK. UK Local Lap-Band Support - Lap Band Talk Forum - The largest forum for Lap Band Surgery Discussion and Lap Band Surgery Support There are quite a few posts there about the NHS. Good luck!

Awesome, Suzzzie. !!!!

I wonder if I will lose friends (don't have many to begin with, though :smile: ) as I lose weight. I chose not to tell many people because I do not want the food police or people constantly asking how I am doing, etc. I just saw a friend (last night) who had moved away (back to her home state) for a year and now she's back in my area on an assignment. She doesn't know I've had the band, she didn't know I had lost weight prior to the band, either. We didn't exchange any pictures in that year. She's a plus-size woman as well. Probably a 20 or a 22. I have lost about 65 lbs and a couple of sizes since she last laid eyes on me. I don't see my own weight loss, but everyone around me (and they don't know about the surgery) comments on it. She hasn't said a word. Now I am sort of mildly sad that a) she hasn't said anything-though I don't need validation, it still is nice to hear, and b)maybe I haven't lost as much as I thought, or maybe it isn't as noticeable as everyone says. She does look like she's gained at least 20 lbs since she left, I wonder if that's got something to do with it.

As long as they are fully healed shut, there is benadryl cream available. I found simple cocoa butter with vitamin E worked best for me, though. But if you purchase CCB, make sure it is either the number one or number two ingredient in the ingredient list.