seanmama

Thanks for all your kind replies guys! Zoe, yes actually I have had to buy a new wardrobe- I have gone from a size 22 to a size 10/12. No doubt if I lose more, I will have to again- can be pricey! Advice for new bandsters- FOLLOW THE RULES. Your band is NOT a magic bullet it is a tool- you must still use your brain! Be tenacious about finding your sweet spot- you should be able to eat almost anything, without discomfort, BUT only a tiny amount of it. I am unable to eat more than about 2 tablespoons at any given time- and depending on what I ate, I will stay full a really long time. I never, ever drink and eat (I have 2 friends who have been doing this ever since they were banded and they have lost a fraction of what I have lost, so...) And, don't believe what the literature says about losing all your weight in the first 6 months- this is not necessarily true- heck, it took me at least that long to figger out how to live with my little best friend! My loss has been slow and fairly steady. Each day is a little different and I can't always eat the same thing one day from the next, but variety is the spice of life right?!! And, watch out for high calorie fluids like ice-cream- try to avoid. I drink Protein shakes every day- have become quite the master of smoothie blending- I had to do this because my hair was falling out in bunches from too low protein. I try to focus mainly on consuming around 60 grams of protein every day- one smoothie easily takes care of 30-45g. Sorry if I sound like I have all the answers!! But I know when I was first banded I felt so insecure and petrified. My mantra was "what if it does not work for me?" Well guys it has and is and I am living la vida loco!!! YEEHA!!!

Hello, Just a quick word of encouragement...I have had my band now for one year and have reached my personal goal of 155lb. I now plan to go beyond my wildest dreams and attempt to get down to my "medical" goal of 135lb!!! I am posting because I want to give encouragement to everyone- it is a long, hard road, but well worth it! Merry Xmas to all Seanmama

Also go to the following groups on Yahoo Groups: BandsterInsurance Smartbandsters Venting-bandsters This is where I got a blueprint for my appeal letter.

I was also denied amd then appealed the denial myself and got approved. I basically wrote a really long and detailed letter about my obesity history and the related medical and psychological problems, attached a whole bunch of medical records relating to my "comorbidities" and was approved about 3months later. Good luck!

Thanks ladies! I am currently at what I think is my "sweet spot". I only have 1.25cc in, but can eat almost anything, only a very small amount though! This is a far cry from 2 previous fills when I have been too tight and ended up unable to swallow anything. The difference is now it does not hurt every time I eat- which is what happened before.

Does anyone have heartburn? I used to get it frequently and badly before my surgery, but it stopped after I lost weight. Now it is back and really bothering me. Tums, etc does not help. It is a burning throat/chest sensation and not connected to eating or drinking. Help!

Thank heavens I am not alone in this! I feel embarassed to talk about it to anyone. The remedies you all post are great, thanks. The only problem is I am so tight that I can only eat or drink a very little at a time- like 1/4 cup at most- and then stay full so long afterwards, that I don't seem to be able to manage to get in enough water or fiber. I am going to try the Atkins bars- hope the consistency is tolerable for me.

Okay- now we will all be skinny, bald, with hairy legs and arms....and chronically constipated!!! What a hilarious picture!!!LOL!

Does Veninga still do bariatrics? There is one more here locally-(Plano Presby) Dr Horrileno- does mainly Roux-en-y here , but has done a few bands too. There are actually tons of surgeons who do em here in DFW, but the issue is getting one to take you on as a pt?

Oh, and, where did you get your band?

Hello Leatha, Thanks for your note- how nice to find a neighbour. Yes, I know Hamn and Cribbins won't take pts from other surgeons- and I believe they might sign off on you if you go elsewhere for a fill. I will stick it out and work with them- after all I have come this far. (One suggestion I made was that they get a Nurse Practitioner to help- something I would love to do, but I am about 3 years away from getting my MSN.) Now all I need to do is be a good bandster....

You know how it goes...one always thinks of how one should have handled the situation in hindsite. I plan to not let this go. I happen to be a nurse at the hospital where these guys practice and know them well. So, will make sure they know my opinion about their new "system". How would I get in touch with the Inamed person? I have actually wondered about this before.