meyouus

Awww, cheater, cheater pumpkin eater. You lucky lady!

Thanks SoccerMomma, Do you have to go anywhere in particular for the shot? * Do you have to pay for a visit AND the shot? Just being nosey.

What are B12 shots, and why not a pill?

I'm walking away from this that it does cost a lot, and I know it varies. * I'm almost at the poverty level, I'm on Medicare, I am on permanent Disability with a PT job to supplement. We can't afford "saving" with adding Humana so our pharmacy has us on some sort of NY prescription assistance. * Asking about money when there are much more serious questions to ask might seem trivial to some, but medical bills suck up all my income. So it's not trivial to me. * Otherwise, the RNY sounds good so far!

I had bad experiences with the LapBand, I'm totally unfilled. I am 99% certain I will try the RNY. Still researching for information, experiences, etc. * I'm doing it for ME, but my husband is not so sure about it since I failed the Band. He is worried because 1. I'll be hospitalized. 2. I'm having major surgery 3. ( I think) He was traumatized by my past surgeries and doesn't want to feel that way again. 4. He's afraid that I will fail the RNY too. 5. (I think) He doesn't want to go through all the "food" changes again, 6. ( I think) He's afraid that I'll succeed. He is an alcoholic, seeing me do my thing with the RNY just magnifies his addiction. * There's tension. I KNOW I can succeed at RNY (even though I question, question, question) but how can I help him be on the same boat as me? How can I assure him it's the right decision. The only decision? He's not selfish, he's very supportive, except on this issue. My soul knows RNY is the way to go, how can I get him to see that? Have any of you experienced someone that's not so supportive of your decision? * It won't stop me from having the surgery but I'd like to help him out.

I am new to GBT, in the research stage. I have had a LapBand in me since '07, unfilled. I am well educated about what the diet is for the Band, but am currently eating whatever I feel like. I've been told to try RNY by several people. I have about 130#'s to lose to be an average weight. ** I have yet to find someone who admits they are deeply addicted to food and the action of doing it, for coping reasons. Sure, people say they understand, or feel the same way, but they don't. ** I suffer from Chronic Depression, a Dissociative Disorder, PTSD and Borderline Personality Disorder. In therapy, on meds. Normal to the people who are not in the therapist's office or home to see the real me. I, am addicted to food to cure the bad and celebrate the good and more. I am terrified to the point of flaring up my relatively controlled disorders. I can't afford to do that. ** I am the mirror of an alcoholic, the narcotic addiction sufferer's, a cigarette smoker, though I don't do any of those things. What I DO do is feel and live the torture of giving up my "high". I have been to OA but I won't comment on that, I tried to tackle my addictive disorder with my therapist, but she doesn't "get it" all. I come here, to you, hoping against all hope I can read those words that really hit the spot, here on GBT. I know many of you suffer from emotional/addictive/habitual and binge eating. Come to me. I need to understand why I won't take care of this body I'm in. I hate it. Tell me how you got yourself to adhere to such a limited diet. Tell me how you came to love yourself enough to succeed in RNY. I am of an alternative religion, please don't tell me to give it to God. I have to do this, me, myself and I. I am responsible for what I've done to myself and I am also responsible to overcome my addiction. But YOU did it, tell me how. Tell me anything.....

I've been writing for over an hour now, as "pkb" and as "heidihoo" but EVERYTHING I so get's erased. And I can't get Alex's attn.!

HELP! This is annoying enough to keep me away and I don't want to be away! When I go to post a message, the underline function will not go away, though it seems so here. lol. I underlined a post once and it will not go away. I have clicked the icon softly, slowly, repeatedly, patiently and ferociously, you name it but it still underlines! * Also, my "enter" button will not let me start new paragraphs. My post's look like long, run on sentences. * I had different issues, when I was on LBT, but someone helped me fix it. Otherwise, my toolbars, keys, etc. work just fine on any other site. * Can someone help me? I have some serious, and not so serious post's to make!

I made the final decision to have RNY today, after much research. I called and made an appointment with the LPN at my Surgeon's clinic. I want to get as much info as I can before I start this process. I have a Band that needs to be removed, and then RNY in place. I've heard that this process has been done during one surgery, all at once. I also heard that Band's have been removed, then you wait a bunch of months to heal, then the RNY. People, let me know what you heard or know. ***** Since I have limited info till I see the LPN in November, I'd like to turn to those that have been there. ***** LIST WHAT QUESTIONS YOU THINK I SHOULD ASK, PLEASE.

HELP! Alex helped with one issue, but missed the other. My cursor will not move to start a new paragraph. I'm getting very annoyed. It works fine on LBT.

Hey dreamsawake...Will you marry me, flaws and all? lol. No, really, I've been searching miles wide for the food Addict that can deeply understand, grasp and admit their addiction. So many women (and men) have the backstory that fed that addictive Soul, including me. You were SO descriptive in your definition, experience and battle with your own story that I find myself at a loss for words. ****** I need to push back memories and the feelings that go with them with the act of eating. I don't gorge, well, candy yes, but I seem to NEED, LIVE and BREATHE the Freedom that not dieting gives me. Just having that option is something I'm terrified of losing. I don't each much food, but when I do it's junk food. When I was working with my Band diet or people like to say, "lifestyle" change, I did very well. I eventually became less aroused by food. And I was SO proud of that! Only thing I don't like is (and this doesn't happen when I'm Free) is that when you must adhere to a strict diet and amount of food you have to eat, I am CONSTANTLY thinking of food. "OK, what do I buy at the grocery store, does EACH item fall into the strict guidelines, how do I force myself to eat before 4:00PM, I have to track it in my food diary, the list goes on. I'm thinking of the very thing I'm addicted to, 24/7. I really don't like that. On the Band, I had to eat 3 meals a day, 2 Snacks and dessert. I was a slave to food. ***** I eat for all the reasons you mentioned and more. My therapist always tries to trick me into accepting myself, love myself, but it's an uphill battle as I've spent 25 of my 47 years hating myself. I've been to many OA meetings, have lots of the little books, tried to diet on my own, can't do it. Period. I take what I learned in OA and the literature to support me. While I have a HP, a strong one, I do not believe giving it up to... I am responsible for my successes and failures. It is up to ME to forge change, with solid support. ***** It has taken a while, but I see that I've hit rock bottom. I found a solid job that gives more to me than I give to it and it feels awesome. I had to have two knee replacements, my feet can't hold the weight, I use a rolling walker because of the wickedest pain that I am every day, because of my addiction. Other things that make me know I've hit rock bottom are too personal to share. I know that something has to be done, or I will have a stroke, or die. Yes, it's come to that. Chance of Death has beaten me, finally. ***** I am ready to stop my destructive eating, etc. Then, I start the rest of the journey, learning and giving back, That's in OA's...something about giving back. ***** Bless you for telling your story, telling it so well and responding to my post. I feel change in me. And not that kind of change that last's a week then goes away. ***** I NEED YOU GUYS! If I can be of ANY help for you, I'm a keyboard key away! I love people... Wordy, but I always am!

BTW, let me make this clear, my therapist, a woman, is excellent, constantly learning honing her skills, knows me like the back of her hand and never gives up. Just thought I'd mention that....

*** You really hit the nail on the head. You get it. I suppose I was thinking I had to be perfect (I,mistakenly, sometimes see things in black and white) in my diet, traveling this journey, thinking that I HAD to be 100% perfect. **** Fighting addiction is lifelong and with food, it doesn't have to be perfect. I guess I am human and CAN do this! Just like many of you. My therapist is a recovering alcoholic with 23 years clean, so she gets it a lot, but stumbles with the food issue because alcoholics recover by not picking up a drink, ever and with food, we HAVE to eat. It's more intense than that, but you get the drift. *** I've learned something new again, thank you all!

What do you do in the hospital post-op? ** short or long stay?

Do they give you any pain medication?

I am only in the research stage of having this RNY surgery. I found the LBT page 5 years after my Band and it still offered me much needed information (and some friends too!). I just heard that Medicare customers such as myself, had to wait six months. When I did the Band in 07, the process was quick, too quick IMO. I was not prepared for the changes to come. I ask a lot of questions now so I don't make the same mistake with RNY, though many of the Band lifestyle changes do apply with RNY. * I just wondered what lay behind the reason for specifically SIX months. Or if there even was a six month wait. My LapBand was paid for by Medicare, but I was still stuck with a hefty bill. In my planning, I need to know about the wait, the cost, etc. * And I need to find a workable, realistic means to deal with my emotional and clinical addiction to food/eating other than OA (no comment) or my current therapist/psychiatrist. She is helping me deal with some really heavy stuff that shouldn't be neglected and I've tried many times to tackle the addiction issue, but she doesn't really understand it. She tries. So I need time to pull that together anyway before I'm under the knife. * I'm calling my Surgeon's office tomorrow to make an appointment to discuss how HIS journey with his RNY program goes. I'll overthink it, then come on here and ask MORE questions! * oldone, I have Medicare Parts AB and D. I cannot afford to pay for extra insurance, no matter how I spin it. When I had my knee's replaced, there was some sort of program I applied for at the hospital that poverty zone which took off a massive chunk of the cost. Forget what it's called, I just hope I can do it again with this RNY. * Thank you guys for offering your two cents!

I've done everything you both mentioned. The "underlining" went away, but I still can't move the cursor to create new paragraphs.

Hello, I'm still working up to the Bypass, from the Band and I have a question that always haunted me. I know you're supposed to get 60-80 gm's of protein a day. With my Band, I was encouraged to eat as much protein I can rather then drink it. But honestly, I can't fathom it. My Band is in my body, but my restriction is simply not there. Fills only make me sick, and I've been unfilled for 6 years. Having never really had a small pouch, I don't get how you get along eating tiny amounts of food and/or getting all the protein in. If I do this procedure, will I be drinking protein shakes forever? No one makes it sound very good. I will try sample packs. How much protein can a bucket provide (days?). How much are they on average? I bought The Magic Bullet at a garage sale for ten bucks and wonder if anyone has used it with the protein powder? I'm just thrown completely about HOW to get all that protein in.

How much do you pay for the bucket of Protein Powder?

What are double pasteurized egg whites? You drink these eggs? Eew, Raw eggs can carry salmonella.

Would a Band removal (at time of bypass or within a waiting period) have scarring that would force open surgery?

3. Just how bad do you need hour to hour care at home post-op? I stayed with my parents post op as they were home all the time. I was there a week, but was up and about by day 3. What kind of care is needed? All I have is my working husband. Would he have to take time off from work to "tend to me?" Except for the day of surgery, Can I at least walk to put the dog out? Hubby works till about 2:30 PM, I get up by 10:00 AM, Can I spend that time in between alone? Yes you have to take vitamins the rest of your life. Depending on the ones you order will depend on cost. You also have to order protein powders for at least 6 - 9 months. You have to get your protein requirement in daily. I still buy protein powder and I also have egg whites that I buy. It can be hard to meet protein requirements with food alone. How much do YOU pay a month for vitamins and supplelments? Just to get an idea. How much are the small packets of protein? I have a Magic Bullet, it oughta help. People seem to prefer unjury. Other than protein shakes, I am at a loss of how to get 60-80 gms of protein in. I know all sorts of good sources in food, but everybody says the pouch is small. What, do you only eat chicken breast, for example, as your "meal?" The more you eat, the higher protein...but tummy is way smaller. HOW do you do it? You should talk to DL. He is a wealth of knowledge on gastric bypass. Who is DL? Thank you all for helping a gal out. Did you guys think the GB was worth it? After all you go through. I'm that much closer to GB. The cost of after care scares me though. Oh, if anyone has Medicare, did they cover it and how much , generally, does the surgery cost? Again, thanks guys!

I am considering RNY, have questions....My cursor and Enter functions don't work on this sight, so I used spaces. 1. Did you find your long term experience to be a smooth"ish" life? 2. Has dumping ever happened to you in public? 3. Just how bad do you need hour to hour care at home post-op? 4. If so, for how long? 5. I have a desk job that requires getting up and down a lot, as well as a fair amount of walking. How long would I be out of work? 6. If the GB is a restrictive diet, how is it any different then than the Band I have now? 7. I have had my band for 6 years. Unfilled 1 yr out. My pouch can hold a large meal with little effort and I drink pop that causes no problems. Will I have the same exp with the GB? 8. I have artificial knees, and I've heard that leaks can occur in the stapling. Won't this F up my knees? If I get an infection, and don't catch it soon enough with antibiotics, it's knee revision for me. 9.What's this about "no sugar?", forever? Am I right that dumping and pain will follow sugar consumption? 10. I know I will learn my body and it's tool, but are there things other than sugar to NOT eat, ever? I know you do low carb. 11. Like was supposed to be with my band, you have to eat VERY little, or suffer/fail. HOW on Earth can a person actually "feel" full on a cup of food? Or don't you. 12. What can I expect post-op to one year in a broad picture? 13. If some odd ailment concerning the stomach comes up in far post-op life, what do you do when most of your stomach is removed? Please, please help me out, I need personal experiences to draw from, yes I know I am unique!

Oops, 2 more questions I forgot. 14. Don't you have to take a LOT of vitamins, supplements, etc. for the rest of your life? I'm worried about affording it. I live in the poverty level, money IS an issue. 15. Don't you have to have a pretty extensive round of bloodwork done every 6 months? Again, money. Just trying to set up a realistic "idea" of what I would be getting into.

Thank you Amanda. What do you mean by "...in case you need it later...?"