XX BeGone

I have also been told the pretty face thing... One time this guy i was dating said "you'd be so hot if you lost some weight" Of course I was young and insecure, so I didn't say anything, but that hurt. My grandmother would always tell me that I need to loose weight, and if I ever planned on going to see our family in Italy I need to loose - she always made me feel bad about my self in the weight dept, yet liket the Italian she is, 5mins later she is putting food in my face!! Funny thing is now today at 200 lbs my grandmother thinks I look great and when I told her I need to loose 50 more pounds, she tells me very seriously that I don't need to, I'll be too skinny. LOL - I love my grandma! Just the other day I had a friend over and she was looking at one of my BIG pictures and she kept saying DANG!! DANG!! I didn't know you were that big... you were HUGE!! - this is comming from a 5ft nothing overweight girl herself. But took it as a compliment anyway. :smile2:) OH - one time when I was walking down the street when I was 18 some guys in a truck decide they would "MOO" at me - that sucked, and then I was 200lbs. One insult-hidden compliment I am looking forward someday is some stranger getting so mad at me yelling out "Skinny B*%@H" :tongue2:) That will be the day I laugh and say THANK YOU!!

:smile2: WOOOHOOO - I just picked up my report and CD of fluro from the radiologist and the f/u GI showed that that band was in place, no dilation and no evidence of hernia. This radiologist did my films a bit different then the last rad, this one did it all standing up and filmed each time I swallowed and tracked it as it went down. The other had me do all different kinds of positions. Part of me wants to doubt, but I am keeping faith that this is Gods answer, because I am going on a mission trip to Spain next month and would have had to cancel if I was going to need surgery. I still have to see my surgeon for the "final" answer and get his interp of the report and films, but for now I see this as a negative. I update after I see him to see how we handle the fills. OH and not weight gain either!! For 2 weeks no fill & total of 30+ days I have had very little restriction. :tongue2:

WOW - both of those would kill me before my current meds! Heck anything acid, fatty, hot, spicey, would hurt instantly.

If you have regular medical insurance, give them call. Even though this was elective surgery that was paid by you, you now have medical comlications, and most often this is covered by your insurance if you go through your PCP (primary care provider). They would then refer you to have the testing (which you did) and then can refer you to a surgeon who can adjust/remove/replace your band. Seriously check into it and PUSH THE ISSUE.

Hey - I would try it all.. How about any old pictures of you as well if you have been honest on your drivers licience, this would also be some sort of proof. Maybe not as solid as they want, but it is. FYI - Your docotors office might refuse to fax your information because of HIPPA as well - I know I have ran into that a few times myself. So if they do, then request that they mail it to you directly or overnight it - that way it is in your hands and you have copies for your own records as well. Did you play any sports and happen to have to go to a clinic for a physical, as well as maybe a pre-employment physicial?

Hi, I was unfilled yesterday due to a mild slippage. I have am placing myself on a liquid diet for the next two weeks until I have another upper GI, to see if it goes back into place on its own. My question is from experienced slipped bandsters, is what type of diet did you have during that period? I am keeping to liquids and if I get hungry then eat small portions of mushies - cottage cheese, apple sauce... etc.

Since you are now having medical complicatons due to the band, your insurance should cover this. I am sure you looked into this, but I would push the issue. I had my band done under one insurance and then two months later my employer changed insurance. The new insurance does not cover any of my follow up's or fills, but because I am having complications it does cover that as long as all my PCP is the one doing the referals and requesting the testing.

Thanks Jack. Good to know that the esophagus can go back down to size. I too endured for quite a few months. I have alread seen my surgeon and will have a 2nd GI in 2 weeks to see if anything changes w/ my slippage and esophagus He didn't mention to me anything about my diet except to watch the calories. I went ahead and put myself on liquids, mushies & puree foods. I think I can mange 6 weeks on this - heck I will if I want things to improve!!

Oh I am so happy for you!! So no liquids or mushies required huh? My surgeon already saw my films (I have copies too) a thinks it should go back into place on own, so we will do another GI in 2 weeks to see. Did yours mention if you had any dilation of the esophagus? I have that as well, hopefully that will go down as well. OH - will you get a 2nd GI to confirm if it adjusted on its own?

:confused: AWESOME YOU ROCK!!! What is a Bugg?

I am staying on track today because I don't miss my knees and back hurting me from the excess weight.

I apologize if I offended anyone when I said "I didn't have the luck like others..." I was not infering that others were not putting in hard work, however meaning even though I was my body would not loose, it was very resistance and in shock for the first couple of months. Maybe a poor choice of words.

Yeah for you too!! Today I was down a pound - right now I am at 200 lbs +/- I was telling my husband today that it is weird but I am not hungry and thought I would be starving too. He seems to think that would be "normal" for us since our mind and bodies are used to eating so little, but I reminded him, it is that long lasting fullness that helps to not go back for "more." So I am sticking to the same quantity and portion sizes as I have before, and timing myself. If you would, keep me upto date on hour your doing and what you end up finding out w/ your GI Study.

One thing that was not mentioned, is sometimes right after surgery or any "diet" your body will go into a little "shock" or resistance. It has been so used to you giving it CALORIES and now all of a sudden it is getting nothing or near nothing, so the body's natural response it to try to store up all those calories, but you will begin to see a difference. As for me it was a very slow start - I was frustrated. I didn't have the luck like some people have where they loose 20-30lbs the first two months. However now that my body is adjusted my weight is comming off steady. It comes off a bit faster w/ exercise too. I am averaging about 5-6lbs a month sometimes more dependent on my activities. 5lbs does not seem like much, but it is healthy. Remember to not to compare your loss w/ other forms of WLS surgery.

Hey Lookin, How are you today? I hope things are improving for you. Be sure you talk to your doctors about this and connect w/ some of your friends. Maybe even get your mind off of things and go see a movie. I did read somewhere while doing my research that there is a very small percentage of people who experience this after surgery. Sometimes it is related to the "idea" that there is something foreign in their body. If this is the case I would suggest you go see a counsler or someone you can talk to. Make sure you are taking your Vitamins - especially the Bcomplex - B vitamins help with stress.

YEAHHHHH for you!!!!!! If you haven't already make a goal list...keep adding to it as it comes to you. I did it and it is fun to see the milestones. I put only my list anyting from weight, to pants/blouse as well as exercise goals, and other things such as doing a certain activity, or noting a certain mental change...etc. It helps to have this to see where you are...where your going, and where you came from. This is especially helpful for those days/moments when maybe you are not loosing weight and you might be down in the dumps - pull out the list and remind yourself the goals you acomplished, as well as the ones you need to meet. Enjoy your new life.

Wow - that is interesting; I hadn't had that done that way before. I might suggest that to my doctor. He is very conserative - and gives in small increments each fill and he checks by the "dixie cup" method... LOL - I sip on some water and then I go. BUT because I tend to get over tighten, I think I might suggest this.

I am cash pay for fills. It has been $36 for the past 17most, but just increased to $65 because of the Medicare law. This is of course done in the doctors office w/ out US guidance, and no GI swallow following the fill.

I stopped by my doctors office to p/u some more AciPhex and I questioned about the "diet" and was told I should keep it light and liean like when I did pre-op, just in case I need to have surgery, that way my liver will have a chance to shrink up and loose the fate around it, but to also do liquids & mushies. I have been doing great sticking to it w/ my shakes & supplementing w/ mushies to "cut" the hunger when I get hungry, but I am not that hungry. :party: and am keeping to my same small eating habits - not because I am restricted, but by choice.

Im staying on plan today, because I am worth it!

All of you have made some noteable comments. I guess I wasn't so "open" minded at first, because I was looking at the quantity of Protein. HOWEVER, the benifits are very noteworthy. Maybe later down the road in my weight loss this is something I should try. I didn't know but love the fact that it is a complete protien.

How are you feeling now? I have not had any pains/refulx for over 2 weeks after I started AciPhex, and that was before I got my unfill. I also hadn't had any blockage or difficulty getting food down when they released .2cc from my band. BUT yesterday and this moring (day after the unfill) I "think" I feel something in my stomach - it's not really a pain, but kind of like an ache - on a scale of 1 - 10 I would rate this like a .25 - It is more of feeling of something very small, dosen't hurt but a tiny ache, or as if a muscle is slightly used and you can feel it. Maybe it is all in my head, or maybe it is working its way back into place. My son was trying to horse around w/ me last night and I was so cautious to not rough house because "just in case." We usually restle and play around, but I don't know if I will ever do that again :thumbup:

You are exactly right - each day is a choice, and a choice to make the right decision. I think I learned a whole lot and looking back, I will be doing things much differently. This morning I thought if I need surgery, Maybe I can have it Thursday 23rd before Memorial day, that way I only have to use 2 days of my PTO and have that Monday paid off because it is a holiday. Thats what I did for my first surgery. I will be calling my surgeons office to see if we can pre-schedule now, and call my PCP to also get a preauthorization going for the "just in case" I need surgery. The other econcern is I am going on a mission trip to Spain June 19th - July 2nd, and would like to be post op several weeks - month before I fly. I don't feel comfortable going to another contry just 2 weeks postop. And I don't know if waiting until I get back in July would be wise either.

Jack - how long did you endue the symptoms before you sought treatment? I have a dilated esophogus as well and am concerned that I endured the symptoms too long.

I had this happen once, in the early stages. I was snacking while on the computer and was not paying attention. All of a sudden I had this major pain and I thought I was going to die! I have never had a heart attack but it sure felt like one. I began to salivate, as well as having ringing in my ears w/ a major pounding head ache and was begining to black out. I got extremly hot. It seemed like it was forever, but lasted maybe a min. Never again did I do this. Major scary!