Instyle98

I've also stopped losing, but it's still the beginning so I'm just hanging in there. I'm going for my second fill tomorrow so hopefully that will help and perhaps they will give me some good advice. I'm struggling since my energy level is very low (I also struggle with Chronic Fatigue Syndrome), I have some other health issues I'm trying to cope with and I don't seem to have any restriction yet. The good news is I do weigh less than I did before surgery and am still working to control my weight and have changed my eating habits drastically. I guess the only advice/encouragement I can offer is it's still early yet in the process and I think sticking to it will pay off in the long run. Try and look at what you have accomplished and just keep plugging away. It may not seem like it, but we are making progress.

Wow! You look fabulous!! Congrats - you now have a rockin' body!

dee527 Go to YouTube.com and search on What if wild animals ate fast food That might work for you.

I of course am not a medical professional but in my opinion any doctor who tells you he treats the symptoms and not the X-ray is an idiot! X-rays, blood work, etc. are tools which help lead to a diagnosis and treatment. He obviously now knows your problem - a slipped band and needs to treat that. Treating the cause of the symptoms will lead to a cure in this case hopefully. By just treating the symptoms he is taking the lazy way out, not to mention guaranteeing that you will have to return and keep paying his fees. Imagine if all doctors only treated the symptoms and not the cause. What if you were having severe headaches and he just gave you pain medication and it turned out you had a brain tumor that could be safely removed? Would you just take the pills?

I was discouraged when at my first appointment I learned I had a 4 month waiting period. However for me it was good. It gave me time to really think about whether or not I wanted to do this, if I could do this and come to grips with and say goodbye to the way I had been eating. I finally got to the point that even my favorite foods no longer tasted as good as they used to and no longer gave me pleasure. Right down to the last minute though I still felt a little pressured because if I didn't have my surgery by the end of December, I would have to start the waiting period over and my insurance carrier was changing starting February 1 and I didn't know if the new insurance covered WLS. As it was, I had my surgery 12/31. All that being said, I'm glad I did it. Even on days when I slide a little and eat more than I should, I know I am back in control of this part of my life. Before, I couldn't even lose 5 lbs on my own. At least I'm doing something to improve myself! Even on days when the scale hasn't moved or moved in the wrong direction, I know I'm making an effort and it just makes me that much more determined. Between this forum and the people I have met through the surgery center, I feel like I have more support than I have ever had before. I now have a way to keep in touch with folks who understand where I'm at. I haven't lost much weight yet, but I have regained a lot of the confidence I had lost over the past several years. Someone can tell me I am fat or need to lose weight, but guess what? I'm already doing something about it!

My insurance company has been changed (I'm no longer with Aetna) and I'm not sure they will cover any of the costs, so the prices I was quoted were for self pay fills. With my old insurance I didn't have to pay out of pocket for fills for a year so I was surprised the costs were as low as they were.

Rojasanoll, Your posts are one of the main reasons why I went ahead and got the Premier Protein shakes. I didn't want to spend any more money on ones I didn't like or couldn't stand so I thought what the heck, I'm going to give these a try. I was drinking unjury, I tried Muscle Milk Light and a few others and either didn't like them or just couldn't stomach them anymore. Thanks for the tip! I also put them in the freezer for a short time as you suggested, but find they are good straight from the fridge. The price is pretty good too! Have you tried the vanilla flavor?

I just bought some of the chocolate Premier Protein shakes from Sam's Club and I really like them. They have 160 calories, 30 grams of protein, 3 grams of fat, 5 grams of carbs and 1 gram of sugar. I think they were 12 shakes for $18 and some change. I have been having trouble finding a protein drink that is palatable.

Wow! That's a lot of money for a fill. The clinic I go to charges $75 or if you pay 6 months in advance or agree to monthly bank draft withdrawals for 6 months it's $240 or $40 per fill.

I was banded 12/31 and for a long time I felt like I had done a 1000 sit-ups. When I started being more active sometimes I felt sore, almost as if my guts were falling out, but that was also normal. I don't always have the best posture when I'm sitting at my desk on the computer so I would get sore from that too, but that also gets better. I ate Gas-X like crazy but the best thing to help get rid of the gas seemed to be moving, stretching, the heating pad and soaks in a nice warm bath. Sometimes while I was still in bed I would get up on my hands and knees and stretch in both directions and that really helped. Sounds weird but it helped.

I have been told to go to specific hospital's ED also. It's it in the city, a little bit of a drive for me. I can't even tell you how many hospitals and Emergency Centers I'll have to pass up. I was told it was because they were the only ones that could do everything that the surgery center I used can do.

You ladies crack me up!

Leslie80 I feel bad for you but the folks here are correct about the ER. I don't think anyone here is trying to be harsh or rude, but instead just telling you the honest truth so you can put working plan in place. They will see you and if qualified treat you for emergencies however, a fill is not an emergency and won't be treated the same. Not only will it cost you a lot more than if you had it done in an office, but you will spend an eternity waiting. Sure they can refer you to a specialist, but that doesn't mean he will show up to the ER to do a fill and if he gets called in and finds out that what you are there for and not an emergency, it will be a rare physician that won't be unhappy with you. Whoever they refer you to may have the some policy as the ones you have already spoken to or for all you know be the exact same doctors. Going through the process of fills involves more than just inserting a needle and pushing Fluid in. What happens if you have problems and need an unfill? You can't just keeping showing up to an ER requesting fills and unfills, plus you really need to have a resource to call if you have questions about difficulties you may experience. An ER is not a walk in clinic for those that don't have a doctor or fail to plan ahead to have a doctor to see although it seems many people use it for that. This is going to take some calling around to find someone to do your aftercare. I wouldn't give up either, because I think you may be able to find someone. I agree with the person who suggested finding a True Results or something similar because I do believe they take patients who have had their surgery elsewhere. They also have pretty much everything they need in one spot. If they need to take an x-ray to check your band they can do that right there on the spot very quickly. Heck, you don't even hat to take any clothing off! I know they even have payment plans and discount pay in advance programs so it would be worth looking into.

Creekwood That's too funny. Made me LOL! I wouldn't tell him! But then I have a sick and perverse sense of humor!

OMG! That's horrible! Who did your surgery? Honestly, if I were self pay I would expect top notch treatment, not bargain basement behavior! It's time to report these people. I would even consult with a legal professional because if you have to have another surgery to correct the hernia and it was because of bad aftercare and post op instructions you should not have to pay for that. I'm so sorry you were treated like that. It doesn't matter if someone is self pay, insured, or on government assistance. Everyone deserves to be treated with respect and consideration. Their lack of medical knowledge is a whole different issue that needs to be addressed before they harm someone else.

Well first off, I'm so sorry that happened to you (having a hysterectomy and all). That had to be beyond disappointing and quite heartbreaking for you. On the other hand take a look at what your body has gone through in a short time. Surgery for the band, surgery to correct your inability to conceive and then another surgery for the hysterectomy. That's a lot of recovery time in a short while not to mention a lot of physical restriction to facilitate your recovery and hormonal and emotional upheaval and plus stress. You have mentally and physically been through the wringer. Give your body and mind time to bounce back from all of this. I would think you also need some time to adjust and grieve over this curve ball you've been thrown then you can regroup and focus on your weight loss goals. Fatigue to the point of exhaustion and loss of motivation go hand in hand with depression. This might be a good time to seek outside help like a therapist or support group if you aren't doing that already. For me it's not something I can force. If I'm not ready to commit to trying to eat healthier and work towards a normal weight, it simply doesn't work for me and actually makes things worse. If I try to do it because I should and not because I want to, I tend to eat more and move even less and it sort of backfires on me. I have to "get my mind right" as they say. You've been given some good advice by the previous responses and you can do this, just give yourself a bit of time and remember each day is another chance to start over.

Click on your user name at the top right of the app and then click on patient profile. You will also be able to add things like tickers and stuff if you want.

I haven't broken anything but once my husband grabbed his jeans, put them on and seemed to be struggling with them. He turned to me with a puzzled look wondering why they fit so weird and were like clown pants - short but wide. Turned out that the jeans were mine! I didn't know if I should laugh or die of embarrassment. I ended up laughing my butt off - couldn't help it.

That's hilarious! That sounds like something you would see in a sitcom. It makes me laugh because I am wondering if your husband is like mine and replied with that calm almost monotone voice. This has nothing to do with size, but I have a visual field defect (very little to no peripheral vision) and several times I have walked into a room shouting for my husband only to hear a low quiet voice say, "I'm right here," which of course causes me to scream in fright.

I made an "accidental" treat the other night. I keep some of those ready made individual containers of sugar free Jello pudding around in case I have a sweet snack attack. A couple of the dark chocolate ones got pushed back to the really cold part of the refrigerator where they almost froze. Instead of thawing I just zipped off the lid, spooned on some light Cool Whip and it was like eating a piece of thick fudgy chocolate cream pie without the crust. It was at that stage of just before being frozen so it was smooth and creamy and sooo good!

I went through a lap-band center and they took care of almost everything. My insurance had a 4 month waiting period (Aetna POS) and you had to keep your appointments within a certain time frame or else you had to start over. I actually gained weight during the 4 months but lost more than what was required by my surgeon and insurance during the 2 week pre-op diet.

Yay you! Outstanding!

I foolishly weighed myself the day after surgery. I think my weight was up by 8 lbs! Duh! Of course it was between all of the swelling, gas, fluid pumped into me, etc. At first I was like WTF! Why did I just go and actual surgery to lose weight to only come home heavier? I hadn't eaten any food for over 24 hours! Sometimes your body is going to do what it wants. This has been a great lesson in patience and perseverance for me. It's a surprise each and every time I step on the scale. I never know if it's going to be a good one or not! LOL!

When you say you've never been able to drink protein shakes, what do you mean? Do they make you vomit or do you just not like the taste?