nightingale2u

(((Betty))) You are a sweetie pie and I hope your foot feels better soon! Now... if I can just stay motivated... guess I will have to stop wearing the keep me from sagging and flopping clothes ( at home only ) so that I don't fool myself into thinking I can do this without exercise. Darcy

Miss Becky Lee... I just wanted to come in here and tell ya that I finally got on the treadmill this morning... better late than never right???? I just woke up this morning and said... okay... that's it... no more excuses! So... started with the goal of walking at least a mile... ended up doing 1.75 miles/31 minutes. My treadmill has a computer in which one can enter current weight... guess what... haven't been on the darn thing since I weighed 222... yikes! Everything is sagging and flopping... not a pretty picture... Darcy

That's Awesome Lauri!!!! WTG girl! I am 206... which is the same that I weighed this past Wednesday (naughty girl couldn't weight:) ) Soooooo... that still remains a 2 lb loss. I have got to do something to get my arse moving again! I am like a big ole lump o lard... can't seem to get myself to exercise! Okay... promise to self... SELF... going to get on the treadmill at least 2x's this week. Hope everybody had a good week! Darcy

Well... it's official... I had my first official PB tonight. I have had the terrible pain and sliming before... but this was the first time it came up instead of finally going down. I still feel like the one bite of dinner I had is stuck... any suggestions if I keep harking up slime balls and the food stays stuck????? I want to take a sip of Water SOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO bad... it's taking all of my willpower to ignore this urge! :ermm

Thanks Nancy I'm feeling better but I think part of the problem was that my fill was sneaky and restricted me out of nowhere! My hubby and I went shopping this weekend and stooped to eat at our favorite place in the mall... he brings back two heaping plates of chicken/sauce and rice. I think I took 5 bites and I knew the 5th one was a mistake... WHY do I do that? Sheesh... I was full... but my head wanted me to take another bite. At least it only amounted to the golfball feeling in the chest! Debbie.... Everyday will get a little bit better and all of the sensations you are having sound very normal. I also wondered if I would ever NOT think of the band and feel banded. While I feel like a bandster... I don't often think of the actual band around my stomach and sometimes I am almost shocked when I see the scars on my tummy. It seems like something that happened a LONG time ago and I feel better than normal... actually... I feel more normal and eat just like normal person would! PB stands for productive burp... for many it starts out with the stuck golfball sensation... lots of sliming followed by the coughing up of slime and food. This is an awesome bunch of people... I think you would have a hard time finding a member that is not friendly. Congrats on getting your band! Darcy

I have never read such a mean spirited and closed minded post DALRA... I also find it strange that this topic would be your very FIRST post on this site. My guess would be that somebody is just trying to get everybody stirred up and upset. Leatha... you answered Dalra's post so well... (((HUGS))) For the record.... I have seen ZERO complaints for any other foreign doctor other than the one mentioned in this post. This surgery was done in Mexico LONG before it was ever done here in the USA. I feel very lucky that my insurance covered my banding.... if it hadn't... I could never have afforded to do it here in the states private pay. Finally... this is a group of fantastic women and men... and everyone is entitiled to their opinion. Dalra... most of us try to approach each other with respect and with an open mind... give that a try.

Absolutely fantabulous Audrey! You look like a million bucks! Darcy

You are a total inspiration Audrey! I think a before and after picture might be in order???? I bet you look absolutely fabulous! Congrats! Darcy

Dashing and Beautiful! It must be wonderful to see just how far you've come! WTG girl! Darcy

Hiya Spud... PB stands for productive burp... it's different than actually throwing up... if we push it and eat more than our pouch will hold we often start producing copious amounts of saliva... have discomfort in the chest region and sometimes couph up a slime covered chunk o food. Now... I know that sounds completely disgusting... but it is something that makes a person think twice before overeating. This can also occur with the gastric bypass... I've seen it happen to my sister numerous times. The complications that can occur during and after surgery are far less with the Lap Band. THe Lap Banding is usually a 23 hour admission in place of several days with the bypass. I guess I personally just wanted my GI tract to function as it was meant to... just wanted a tool to help me eat less and that's exactly what I got. As far as fills go... I am really glad I got a fill on December 3rd... It is really just now kicking in and I have great hopes that I can enjoy the holiday without the added guilt that comes from stuffing myself. I'm hoping that this will be my first binge free Christmas! Happy Holidays! Darcy

Theresa Marie I am sooooooooooooooooo excited for you!!!!! Just think of all the quilts you are going to be able to make from those ole clothes that aren't going to fit you anymore!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! I saved my nervousness for the night before... and then I was a basket case. I must have had a look of complete terror on my face when Dr. CHua came into the holding room to see me because he grabbed my hand and told me everything was going to be okay! So... *grabbing your hand* Everything is going to be okay THeresa Marie and we are all going to be thinking about you will be here waiting for your return. Yay... Theresa's getting her band!!!!! (((HUgs))) Darcy

Hi Angel... My sister had the RNY Gastric bypass as well but I am still very happy that I chose the Lap Band. If I have good restriction... which usually starts after you have your band filled... you just aren't able to eat the big quantities of food. If I wanted to work around the band... I could eat candy and icecream and have done that a couple of times. It's an exercise in patience and learning and the band helps you control yourself... it helps you take charge. I am unable to binge eat like I used to and am trying to learn different ways of dealing with emotions and fears. BOTH surgeries are tools and both have their advantages and disadvantages... the best thing about being banded is knowing that your GI tract is not being altered permanently and you well be able to absorb all the nutrients that god intended your body absorb. Oh... if I don't listen and eat ONE MORE bite after I am full... I get a sensation of pain and something being "stuck"... it's not pleasant and it has really helped retrain my brain. Good Luck! Darcy

Teresa... you ROCK girl!!!!! WTG!!!! We love ya! Darcy

I have a pretty big mouth... and I wasn't afraid to use it when it came to charges that were not covered... the charge for the procedure far surpassed my sister's Gastric Bypass and 3 day hospital stay and I saw know reason that I should be reponsible for the charges that were not covered. I know... I'm a booger butt. I spread love and joy everywhere I go...LOLOLOL.

Oh Miss Lisa... I had a similar experience with a co-worker prior to being banded... except she was a skinny little picture of perfection. I would be dieting and would come back and find Cookies... and candy and other yummy things sitting on my desk with cute little loving notes on them. She was the most minipulative person I have known in my life. She is the one person I would love to parade a skinny butt around one day... unfortunately she has since been fired. Whoops... how wicked of me to smile. Sounds like your co-worker is veeeery insecure and doesn't want to lose her partner in crime. I think it might be a case of the user going straight and you may not be able to hang with the friends that continue to use. Darcy

Soooo sorry guys! I am just praying that our newly aquired Aetna will cover my last fill... if not... my next hope is that Dr. CHua's office will reduce the cost to that of a private pay fill. My previous insurance paid for the assist for the banding but would not pay for the assist on the gallbladder removal... luckily my surgeon's office didn't require that I pay for his surgical assist for that procedure. Again... sorry... what a bummer before the holidays! (((hugs))) Darcy

Hi Melissa, My fills have never been done in the hospital... always in my Doc's office. I think if the fills are approached slowly there is little reason to do them under flouro. Private pay cost for a fill with my surgeon runs 200.00. The bariatric surgeons here where I live charge 75.00 per fill and they also include 1 years worth of fills with the surgery. I don't think there should have been 2 charges in regards to the radiology. How experienced is your surgeon in regards to placing and caring for the Lap Band? Don't fret yet about not feeling the restriction... it is not unsual for the fill to "kick in" a few weeks down the road. All in all... I still think that banding is the best option for bariatric surgery... once you have restriction you will have the help you need for controlling food intake. Don't be afraid to express your concerns to your surgeon... and perhaps even ask why they feel it is necessary to do the fills in the hospital with radiology assist. Darcy

Hi Rhonda... I hope you find the right doc for your fills and wish you much success with your band! I have found that prices for fills vary widely... my surgeon charges 200.00 for private pay and the two surgeons in my hometown charge 75.00 per fill and they have a multiple fill pay option. It's a pretty simple procedure... usually takes a whole 5-10 minutes with my surgeon. Darcy

Sultana... I'm glad everything looked okay and hope that the partial unfill will stop the reflux for good! It would definitely be better to have a little less restriction than rishk the complications that accompany longterm reflux. Darcy

Thanks Betty! It was a milestone that deserved to be in the pink! Next stop... Onederland! Nancy... I agree about the awful tasting part... no amount of liquid or applesauce can disquise that bitter taste! I thought the liquid pain medicine was absolutely horrid... lucky... I didn't need it much!

I also take my pills without any problems... you may want to ask your surgeon before switching your meds to liquids. I did crush most of my pills for the first two weeks post-op because I was very restricted. I did take liquid tylenol for 2 weeks post-op as well. Darcy

Welcome back Tim and congrats! So glad everything went so smoothly and that you are feeling good! As far as the Protein shakes... I agree with the posts above... every doctor has a preferred plan for progression of diet. My Doc had me on Clear liquids for two days and then I progressed to full liquids with the Protein Shakes. Good luck with your new band! Darcy

Hey Tim... hope you journey to bandland was a smooth one... come on in and let us lnow how you are doing. Darcy

Thanks Michelle... I will definitely follow your advice! My insurance has changed and my coverage for band related healthcare is questionable and will be zip after the 1st of the year... don't want to do anything that will cause a visit to the doc. I had a problem with BBQ ribs once before... but I just had to take one bite...lol... no more ribs for this bandster!

Yup Becky Lee... I'm all growed up now! I think I liked being a baby bandster better! I sure hope you don't follow in my footsteps...PLEASE... STEP AWAY FROM THE RIBS