LeeB1946

Insurance companies usually don't pay unless there is a medical necessity. I have medicare and they will allow for a skin amputation of the front only due to a hernia repair that is needed because of a hernia caused by previous abdominal surgery.there is no tummy tuck involve. They just lopp of the skin and make room for the general surgeon to get in to do the repair work. No, bat wings, or anything else unless I want to pay for it.

This is not a diet it is a life style change. Look at it like another diet and it will be more difficult and may even fail. Work with a professional who deals in eating disorders or maybe Overeaters Anonymous would help too. I do both and have never felt like I was on a diet. Have I overeaten, yes? but I know what to look for and work at putting a stop to it. I get a kick out of see my PA and dietitian and go to my support groups regularly. They are there to help so use them!

Did you buy a new wallet or purse that had a security tag inside that was not removed. I did this for about 2 years until a nice lady at a Wallmart in Greenvalley AZ asked to see my wallet and showed me the tag, took it out and have never have the problem since. The lap band does not set of the security alarm at airports but if you go through body scanner it shows up and you might bet the blue glove pat down as I did until I told them I had a lap band and then they let me go.

Must say I have never heard of 2 meals per day. I am instructed to eat 4 small meals about 3oz of food total each time with a small snack or maybe 2 if I am hungry. This worked great and I lost about 90 pounds in less than a year. Then I upped the food to 4 to 5 oz and have been maintaining, but need to let go of some of the food and lose the last 10 to 15 pounds. How much food would you have to take in at 2 meals per day to feel satiated?

I never have felt the band, but the port sometimes gets in the way of certain pants and belts. As I lose weight and the fat is gone I can find the port real easily when I am in the shower and just like to pull up my shirt and show it off.

Sounds like you are doing great. It is probably body image issues and a feeling of I want this all done right now. Well, we did not get there overnight and we won't get back overnight. When I had my band put in 02/13 I was told to expect a weight loss of 45 to 60 percent of my excess weight in 2 years. Well, I had a miracle and have lost about 80 percent of my weight in less than a year and now I am struggling with the last 15 pounds. I have lost only 10 pounds since Jan 1, 2014. I get a little bend out of shape now and again, but remember where I was when I started and where I am now. 46 in pants to 34. OK, in my mind I want 32's but maybe for now I had better just get used to 34 and be grateful. Maybe working with your dietitian and the therapist at your clinic will help you get over this slump.

B 52 how long do you stay on the straight liquid food plan (hate the word diet)? I think I may need to to this a I am feeling some pain when I eat and maybe even need to weight and measure a bit better. Don't want an unfill if I can avoid it. Love this new me, even though it scares me sometimes when I look in a full length mirror. Bought a new suit yesterday size 40 jacket and 34 pants. Never dreamed that would ever happen. Got to laughing the other day. them back on!

All you guys out there who had surgery in 11 and 12! How did it go and how is the weight loss doing? Banded 2 19 13 and hit the 100 pound mark a few days ago. Need to figure out what maintenance will be now! I guess that will be the hard part.

Found out medicare may pay for "skin amputation" in the stomach area. This is not a tuck, but just removal of the skin so the general surgeon can get in to repair the hernia, but nothing for under arm flab or around the back where I must have about a 2 inch roll. Won't do anything until after Aug 1 though as I have a short trip planned and don't want to be healing from this surgery as it is much worse than the WLS.

Surgery on 2 19 13 and all went well. Fill every six weeks as ordered and within 7 months I was seeing green and was giving away the pounds. One year checkup and 90 of those little suckers were gone and I was given the go ahead to talk to plastic surgeon about skin removal. Then I started having issues with coughing and spitting up phlegm after eating. Nothing was stuck and Portion Control was good. So had .5cc Fluid removed. That was 2 days ago and still coughing but not as often or as much. Then found out plastic surgeon my weight loss surgeon recommended does not take my insurance, but he did give me an exam to see if I would qualify for the surgery anyway. He said he could not do anything I needed to see general surgeon because I have issues with hernia and some muscle placement due to previous colon surgery. Well, that doctor told me yesterday that he could not operate until I had some of the excess skin removed. He tried a couple of his colleagues to see if they take my insurance and was told no. So, I need hernia repair, skin removal and can't find a doctor to remove the skin and take my insurance so the general surgeon, who takes my insurance, can repare the hernia. I knew it was too good to be true. I could removed the lap band, gain the weight back fill out the excess skin and have the hernia surgery, but don't know if my doctor or my insurance would reinstall the lap band.

Will post more when I know more. Lee

I just love Green. It is my favorite color. Took me about 6 fills but I got there and it is great. Sometimes I would like to be a little tighter, but I had it a bit too tight and was coughing and spitting up slim so had to take .5cc off and it is good. Best of luck. Think Green!

Beware the steroids. I had to use some and gained 7 pounds in 3 days. When I talked to my Bariatric PA I was told that if I continued to use them I would lose my band. Seems as if the two don't go well together and can cause swelling around the band. I understand why doc does not want to give additional fill if you were too tight before. Take time and this will come off.

I have written a response to everyone on the original post. We will keep in touch. You are welcome to attend the support groups we have Swedish in Seattle on the 2nd Saturday of the month 10 to 11:30 am or on the 4th Tuesday at Swedish in Issaquah 6 to 7pm. These are open to all surgery patients regardless of where you had your surgery done.

Thanks to those who have replied. I am currently looking for locations. I may have someone in the Kitsap area that can help and one of the social workers at my Bariatric clinic lives over here and practices part time over in the Kitsap area so will be asking him next week if he knows of any place that is available. I was thinking a once a month meeting, probably a saturday for no more than 2 hours at least for starters.

Live and learn. That is what we are all doing with the thing.

Have "bat wings". I tell people my shirts and jackets are "bat cave!" Bat man lives under my arm pit and Robbin lives between my elbow and wrist. I can't have surgery do to my insurance, but the insurance will let me have some of my stomach skin removed so will be doing that late in summer. The recovery for that will be much worse that band surgery.

My doctor addressed the issue. No drinking for 3 to 6 months then it will go slowly. My first g and T was 3 months out. Drank about 2 oz and was woozie. Two days later had another and finished it 1`.5 hours after it was served. The next one my roommate (a true alcoholic) had to finish it. Have not had one in nearly 6 months and may not. Too much money for what little I get from it.

2muchfun. To whom where you addressing?

I used it years ago and I believe that it was the cause of my respratory issues I have today. It was known for that side effect especially if it was mixed with another drug and called phen phen. The two drugs work to take off the weight but the side effects were nasty. Even just the phentermine alone had side effects. As with most diet pills I gained the weight back as soon as I stopped the pill.

Some General Surgeons will have some knowledge about bands and other weight loss surgery. Maybe if you have a GP at the new location he/she can help.

Ok Sugar Addicts I know who you are as I am one too. Ice cream was my favorite binge food although I could binge on anything with sugar. I know I preach this a lot on the site, but Overeaters Anonymous has helped me with my sugar addiction as my therapist at the weight loss clinic where I had my surgery done. Some sugar free things help but not much. Once the sweet is in my system I want more. One cookie is too many and a box is not enough. I my case one ice cream is too much and gallon is not enough. You are working with and living with an addiction. Just like the crack user you need your fix and ice cream is easier to get than crack and a whole lot cheaper. Take another rout around the ice cream places. I had to stop driving by a certain fast food place and I am not a fast food junkie but it called to me for some reason. Today that place does not bother. Another thing I do is repeat over and over "that is not my food!" This seems to break the I want or I have to have cycle. Best of luck. PS OA meetings can be found at www.oa.org and look for meetings in your area.

I agree with all the above. Maybe an adjustment is needed. I sometimes up the calories, per my dietitian as the metabolism will slow down with the low cal diet and the picks up a bit when it gets a few extra calories then back to the lower cal food plan and the weight would start coming off. I am at a maintenance weight (still want 10 more gone, but that is my head talking) and getting used to not seeing that scale move much for the past 6 months. Keep up the good work.

After about 1 year and 80 pounds given away I started coughing and spitting a little after eating. I had 6cc in by band and had .5cc removed and has solved the problem. Maybe that the band has self tightened with weight loss. I had upper GI only weeks before and all was well so PA figured it had justed tightened up a little. Seems to be ok now.

PA told me if I get too many sinus infections or asthma issues and i have to use Prednisone my band mmay have to be removed due to the excessive weight gain I have with this drug. Used to gain about 5 pounds but after band I gained 7 pounds in 3 days. It went away in a week after stopping the drug, but scared the heck out of me. That is usually the treatment all the docs give me for sinus and asthma problems.