faithmd

I'm sorry to say, skin does not shrink. Stuffing yourself like a sausage (that's the visual I got when I imagined myself in those) in garments will only make you uncomfortable, it unfortunately will not help you shrink the skin. Garments like you described are used after burns to keep scarring down, but it won't help tighten things up.

I think she meant that the pre-op diet isn't needed for her.

Christina, First: WELCOME! Second: I haven't been banded yet but from my extensive research on the band, I have learned that for most folks they say it should take you about 1/2 hour to eat. Longer in the beginning. Some nutritionists will say put the fork down and wait minutes (how many depends on the "nut" or nutritionist) between bites. You will want to savor the food you eat as the portions are smaller, and you must take very small bites and chew really well so that the food you do eat doesn't get "caught" or "stuck" in the new opening created by the band down into your stomach. But the longer you take to eat, the fuller you feel on less food. Third: Many people here have said that some of the foods they liked pre-band they just don't want or crave post-band. It's frequently foods that are bad for you, and sodas which you shouldn't have anymore, either. Don't know why that is, but it does happen. For me the bypass (RNY) is not the right choice. If it is for you, then I say go for it. But I just don't want to have lengths of bowel removed and my stomach cut and stitched back together again. Many folks who have RNY (as well as some bandsters) do regain some weight down the road. But if I have the band, I can just start over again with restriction and recommit myself. With the RNY, your body does eventually get used to the malabsorption and malnutrition created by the surgery and then your options are limited. Lots of former RNY patients then get the LapBand on top of the RNY. Sure, there are some LapBand patients that don't succeed with the band and later choose to have the RNY or DS or Gastric Sleeve. It does work both ways, but I would much rather try the least invasive option first. Realizing that it is not magic, it will not cause me to be malnourished like the RNY, I won't magically lose weight, I will have to work with the band, I will have to make better food choices and I'll have to get up and MOVE. I also know that the band will need adjusting from time to time and in the beginning I will NOT have restriction until probably my second, may be my third, possibly my fourth fill and my first one won't be for six weeks after my surgery. I know that I will have to change my habits (I've already started). But it IS possible and it is SOOO much healthier for you in the long run (unless you have significant co-morbidities and HAVE to get the weight off FAST, then I would go get the RNY without hesitation). I don't want to be a slave to food anymore, many Bandsters say they feel freed of that now. You can only eat a limited amount of food so you want to make sure it is good food. I also want to on occasion have a piece of cheesecake to celebrate something or a chocolate at Christmastime. If I had the RNY, then I would likely become uncomfortable and "dump" after that cheesecake, or chocolate, or even a glass of wine. Take care, hope this has helped.

Tann: Thanks for the advice! I do appreciate all I can get. For my official pre-op diet I'm to do something that may even be worse than Optifast, it's a totally liquid diet for two weeks (both pre-op and post-op) from a company called BetterMD.net. It includes shakes, puddings and Soups...ugh. Molly: Thanks! Inner Me: congrats on the 10lbs!

I agree, Terri. I'd want to wait it out, too. If you can wait to see if the swelling goes down, then I say by all means, wait. I would not suggest someone go through another surgical procedure if the possibility existed that the swelling could go down enough to start taking in fluids and nutrition. But if the surgeon came in and basically said that s/he doesn't believe it will and that the band is too tight, that is when I'd be digging my heels in and requesting that s/he eat the entire cost. Betsyjane, WELL SAID!

Hello! Here's a link to an entire forum (the FAQ and reference forum here at LBT) that is full of useful information, and your question just happens to be one of the threads there. Hope this helps! http://www.lapbandtalk.com/f73/

Not in your case, Renee, in mine. Never add anything unless you write a separately dated and signed note. The patient, a third-party payer, or a plaintiff’s attorney may have obtained a copy of the patient’s original records. The entry date for ink or type can be accurately determined retrospectively, and any alteration after the fact will seriously compromise the defense of your case. Nope, it ISN'T fraud. It was MY MD writing in HER own office notes adding LATE ENTRIES to her OWN notes. Looking at your quote below, it does not apply in this case. I am the patient, I sat there with her and had my journal with me of what I did each month and what we had discussed, it just hadn't made it into the record. By writing the date and time and "Late Entry" or "Late Addendum" it is just fine to add to a note. No third party payor had been sent copies of the records yet (because we were making sure what was needed in there was there BEFORE sending them to the third party payor). And what attorney? What defense of what case? I wouldn't be suing my PCP for anything relating to my weight loss visits. From the American Health Information Management Association (ahima.org), THE authority (in the US) on medical documentation (thedoctors.com is a medical malpractice insurance company website): Handling Omissions in Documentation At times it will be necessary to make an entry that is late (out of sequence) or provide additional documentation to supplement entries previously written. Making a Late Entry When a pertinent entry was missed or not written in a timely manner, a late entry should be used to record the information in the medical record. Identify the new entry as a "late entry" Enter the current date and time – do not try to give the appearance that the entry was made on a previous date or an earlier time. Identify or refer to the date and incident for which late entry is written If the late entry is used to document an omission, validate the source of additional information as much as possible (where did you get information to write late entry). For example, use of supporting documentation on other facility worksheets or forms. When using late entries document as soon as possible. There is not a time limit to writing a late entry, however, the more time that passes the less reliable the entry becomes. Entering an Addendum An addendum is another type of late entry that is used to provide additional information in conjunction with a previous entry. With this type of correction, a previous note has been made and the addendum provides additional information to address a specific situation or incident. With an addendum, additional information is provided, but would not be used to document information that was forgotten or written in error. When making an addendum -- Document the current date and time. Write "addendum" and state the reason for the addendum referring back to the original entry. Identify any sources of information used to support the addendum. When writing an addendum, complete it as soon after the original note as possible. [*]Entering a Clarification Another type of late entry is the use of a clarification note. A clarification is written to avoid incorrect interpretation of information that has been previously documented. For example, after reading an entry there is a concern that the entry could be misinterpreted. To make a clarification entry – Document the current date and time. Write "clarification", state the reason and refer back to the entry being clarified. Identify any sources of information used to support the clarification. When writing a clarification note, complete it as soon after the original entry as possible.

Regarding liquid diets for two weeks: It may be longer than that. I don't know what your doctors reccs are, but some folks are on liquids for two weeks pre-op and two to four weeks post-op. But I can do ANYTHING if I know when the end will be. After all, it is only four to six weeks out of my LIFE. It won't kill me. It will be beneficial for my HEALTH. I think we all worry about the loose skin, but I ask you, would you rather have loose skin, or 100lbs or more of fat on your body? Would you rather have some loose skin (and you can always get plastic surgery), or possibly a heart attack, or diabetes or back pain or joint problems? Do you want to be able to climb a flight or two of stairs without being totally out of breath? Sorry for being so direct, but lately I've been into tough love. Sometimes I think we need it, I know I do. PACUPatty, YES YOU DO (have another diet in you)! You CAN do this! You have GOT to! This is the start of a new life for you. Get off your toosh and get it done! Don't think of it as a diet, think of it as changes in your life. I refuse to call it a diet, I say I've made some small changes before banding and they've made 44lbs of difference so far. I've given up (well, I've backslid a bit-so I only lost 3 lbs this month) simple carbs, simple sugars, starches like white potatoes (I eat sweet potatoes) and rice and milk. I try to eat steel cut oats, whole grain breads, use soy milk on my Kashi in the morning, I avoid battered fried foods. I log EVERY bite of food I eat on fitday.com (there's many more, thedailyplate.com, calorieking.com, sparkpeople.com and they are free). I don't "count" calories in that I don't limit myself to a certain number per day. But just seeing what I've eaten seems to help keep me from going over about 2200. I log all liquids, too. Can be loads of hidden calories there. I try to eat like a bandster already (I don't want the shock of how I'll have to change after banding). Of course my portions are not bandster-sized, but I eat with baby utensils to force myself to take tiny bites, I eat Protein first then veggies, then if I have room I eat carbs/fruits. I try not to drink with my meals (I won't be able to down the line), I chew, chew, chew. I gave up carbonated beverages in January and caffeine in December. It sounds like a lot, but it really has been pretty painless (until this past month and then the potlucks started happening at work). YOU CAN DO IT!

I hear ya maziemommy, I'll just have to settle for living vicariously though these lovely ladies and gentlemen.

Us Michiganders are for the most part pretty darned happy to see him released before he died in prison. In the Netherlands he'd be revered, no, strike that, he'd be normal. That's what they do there. Death with dignity.

Annie, if you are in the US, about 50 (maybe a couple more) surgeons (not 10) were given the Advanced Platform (AP) band in an early release so that Inamed could see what they'd need to set up in advance of the general release scheduled at the ASBS conference June 11th-16th in San Diego. There is some differences for the surgeons in placing this new band, nothing bad, just different. They also need larger instruments to place the band with. So Inamed gave out some bands early to some surgeons to sort of work out the kinks. The AP band itself has no kinks, perse, it has been being placed in Australia and Canada for some time now, it was just how to best teach the docs in the US to do it.

That is really good to know, thank you! Some of my favorites now that I know will be a challenge post-band are Sushi (NOT Sashimi, I love the vinegared sticky rice), but not raw, I like the vegetarian and the crab rolls, salads galore, nuts, chicken, steak, falafel. But I'm up to the challenge!

Tammy, the search feature here will point you to even more threads about December bandsters, just use advanced search and search for thread titles with the word December in them. Here's a few specifically geared to December 2006 bandsters. Hope this helps! http://www.lapbandtalk.com/f17/december-bandsters-25506/ http://www.lapbandtalk.com/f17/december-bandsters-april-32496/ http://www.lapbandtalk.com/f17/december-bandsters-january-28482/ http://www.lapbandtalk.com/f17/december-bandsters-february-29029/ http://www.lapbandtalk.com/f17/december-bandsters-march-30612/

Do a search for thread titles (advanced search) with Spivak in them. There are many threads around here about him! Welcome!

Linda, I hear ya! It's very hard! I've lost 44 so far and it hasn't been fast, I've been trying since late January. I had to be 335 to be approved, so I figure everything I lose on top of that is my jumpstart.

They likely won't know for sure until they "get in there" as everyone's stimach is different. But ask him beforehand what he thinks he'll be placing, and then ask him to save the box for you as a keepsake!

It is not about being "crazy" or the insurance company trying to get out of it! It is because lets face it, we've had an unhealthy relationship with food and that's why we're fat. It is to evaluate to see if you: 1) Have realistic expectations of what will happen after OR 2) Realize that this is only a TOOL and we will have to WORK to lose weight. 3) See if we are really ready to commit to the significant changes we will have to make in our lives. 4) Evaluate if we have significant addictive issues that will need to be addressed as we lose weight.

Woohoo Hottytoddy! It's almost here!

Quote: Originally Posted by nursekathy2u Surprising to me that a physician would be willing to falsify medical records. Its against the law.... Especially knowing it may be turned in to insurance company... Not very smart. I'm not quite sure why you care? Isn't it just wonderful that the poster *did* get approved and is going to be able to have this fantastic tool! And I don't see how it is insurance fraud if a) nothing was ever submitted that was created and the poster DID have weight problems for YEARS, there just wasn't the dotted "i" and the crossed "t" the insurance company makes you have in order to try to deny you. After receiving what my insurace company required, my physician and I went back through my records (I *did* go monthly, and we *did* discuss my weight every month, but sometimes it didn't get written) and added things to each month's note like "patient is eating more veggies" or "patient is walking 30 mins a day." I do not consider that fraud, it is adding late entries to records.

Hiya Toni!!! Keeping my fingers crossed that everything goes perfectly and you are out with little pain! Just an FYI, all bands in the US are Inamed. There are four different types of Inamed band, though (not including the large and small AP band that is being wide released next month): 9.75 cm (4 cc capacity) 10 cm (4cc capacity) 11 cm (9cc capacity) Vanguard (10cc) How awesome for your IRL friend, you'll be there very soon!

You are VERY wise to plan ahead. You are also VERY fortunate to have in Ohio the wonderful Dr. Trace Curry who fills MX bands, his website is Trace W. Curry, M.D. Lap Band Surgeon :: Home

It just sort of seems to me that if the doc when s/he was placing it looked at it and said, "Maybe this is too small," then placed it anyway, *they* should eat all of the costs. It was his/her error in judgement, not your fault as the patient.

Good job, Molly! I'm sure that was a lot of hard work! I'm glad to hear you're back where you need to be with your restriction. I am really trying to lose pre-band for just the reasons mentioned, I hope it will make it easier to adjust to eating post-band. I've been trying to use baby utensils, taking small bites, eating protein first, not drinking with meals (the second hardest thing) and chewing, chewing, chewing (the very hardest thing to do, I can't stand the mushy warm texture of food when it is chewed to a pulp). I also figure if I don't stick to the pre-op diet 100% (which is intended to not only shrink your liver, but to jump-start your weight loss), I've had a great loss and my liver should be shrunk some already. I just want the scale to move again. I'm hoping that with the warmer weather and working outside more, that it will. And hey, for the past month I did *lose* three pounds, not gain, right?

What Randy said. Derick, it's gotta be frustrating as hell. I wish you the best of luck!

It is released to the US in general release after the ASBS conference June 11th-16th. So it is quite possbile if your doctor didn't get early release bands, that s/he will have the AP by the 18th. I cancelled my surgery for tomorrow (May 31st) because even though I did the legwork for my surgeon's office to get an eraly relelase band, they didn't feel comfortable placing one until after the conference. So I've rescheduled for June 20th. And if they don't have it by then, I'll reschedule (but be really ticked) for when they can get one. I'm excited to hear your thoughts on the differences, Liz. There are lots of folks here who have the AP but hadn't been banded with the others. It is interesting to hear from someone who has had both. Please keep us updated!