Melissa S

Hello all... Just wanted to drop by and say everything went well yesterday...was in quite a bit of pain last night but was MUCH better by this morning. I was to be banded at 10am yesterday but for some reason was pushed back to about 2pm. The first thing I asked upon waking up was..."did you have to do it open" ... thankfully they did not...and i only have 5 small bandages! We got home about an hour ago and right away went for a little walk to try to ease the gas pains. Anyhow, I wanted to thank all for their well wishes... and best of luck to those who are being banded today!!

clear liquids... GRRR... i'm struggling... i really am. Lots of crystal light and sugar free ice pops.. i also used one of those little packets of seasoning that comes with the pack of ramen noodles... threw the noodles away and just dummped the packet into the boiling water... its some kind of spicy chicken flavor.. not bad.. if i close my eyes and pretend..it tastes kinda like a chicken taco. any other ideas for the clear liquid diet?

GGGRRRRRRR!!!! What a lucky gal I am.... I started my clear liquid diet today... AND my T.O.M. came yesterday. ....If you were to look up the word miserable in the dictionary you would see my pic plastered to that page!!

I'll be out of town for the next couple of days (with no internet connection)... best of luck to everyone!!

Debby... Yes, I feel the same way about the gestation age.... There was a girl I went to school with who had 4 abortions....all with her long term boyfriend.. She was a smart, straight A student all her life.... I thought she was a smart girl... the kind of person I wanted to be (I really didnt do so well in high school...) but after learning about the abortions... I surely had a way different opinion of her. I was responsible enough to go to planned parenthood and get on BCP and have a yearly exam... no reason why others couldnt.

WOW! that IS alot to lose!!! I remember the nurse in my pre op classes saying that people tend to lose about 20-30lbs the first month after being banded... so, looking at it that way I suppose you're right on track. Really, it only makes sence... being on clear liquids (not sure how long you had to do it) only takes in a VERY minimal amount of calories... I checked my broth and its 25 cal per cup... and everything else is sugar free, low cal.... full liquids are a little more..but not drastically more. I would say... WAY TO GO!!! however, make sure you are getting in your daily amount of protein...

Alexandra... It took a LONG time for me to accept who I am. And being bipolar is as much a part of me as anything else. I'm no longer ashamed of who I am.

I also am ProChoice. I'm not sure that I would have an abortion, but I also would like to have the choice if needed. I had my daughter when I was 19.. but we managed to make it on our own. Not sure how... but we did. Abortion wasnt even an option in my mind then... I had my bloodwork drawn yesterday for preop.. I called the lab (where I used to work) to get a verbal result..it was negative.. (btw... normally they are forbidden to give verbal results to patients...).. I was hoping I was not pregnant. As directed by my Dr I stopped my BCP a month ago and we have faithfully used condoms..but accidents DO happen. We have already talked it over...and with me staying at home, getting married in 6 months and having this surgery...without a doubt we would abort...if I could actually go thru with it. Yes, it would be hard, and we would have to live with it the rest of our lives...but it would be the right decision.

Hmmm... You're right.

OK Jodie listen up... I'm not here to bash you, call you crazy or a liar or tell you what you HAVE to do.. you can take this for exactly what it is..advise. OR you can throw up your defences..OR you can click the little "X" up in the corner and just leave the post... My name is Melissa, I'm 31 and I AM BIPOLAR! So what? Does that make me a crazed insane out of control person? NOPE! I was diagnosed when I was 24 and it took a very long time to get a correct diagnosis. I also went to the Dr thinking I was only depressed..afterall, my great-grandmother was just murdered...of course I was depressed. I started taking antidepressants and I slowly began to get worse...it threw me into a manic phase.. I worked 12+ hours a day with no breaks or lunch, 6 days a week for months. I never slept, and hardly ate. Don't even ask about my impulsive decisions....completely out of control. Then one day I just kinda snaped... I was at my desk and started crying hysterically for no reason. Apparently I went home... I do not remember the drive home or the following 3 hours or so. My thoughts were racing...I can only describe it as having a million thoughts in your head at once and not being able to grasp one thought long enough to comprehend what you are thinking before the next thought jumped in. I was terrified. I also am more depressed than manic. In a weird way, I can almost handle being manic... more energy, less appetite....but then it always turns on you. and YES, of course depression can be crushing and difficult to face...but it CAN be done. It took me a VERY long time to accept the diagnosis. And even longer to get a right medication combo that worked for me. I also had to accept that I would be on meds the rest of my life. I've had a few relapses...but for the last 4 years I've never felt better. The way I look at it is.... OK, if I were Type 1 Diabetic I would be on insulin shots for the rest of my life.... is it hard for a Type 1 Diabetic to admit they have Diabetes? Prob not, because they have learned to accept that it is part of their life...just as I had to accept being Bipolar is always going to be part of who I am. I'm over it.. I have very supportive family and very supportive friends. Reading your posts remind me alot of the old me. Its scary for everyone including you and the people who love you. Treatment is out there, if you want it. If you are no longer a full time student you parents can no longer claim you. Even so, go apply for assistance.. the worst they can say is no.. am I right? And if they do say no, then go find a FREE support group... you'll find they normally meet at halls or churches at least once a week. Best of luck to you.

We have 2 welsh corgis, male and female Our Female, Patches..aka.. Patchi, Apatche, Pretty girl, Pretty, Tons of fun (yeah.. I'm sure shes thinking "yeah, like you have room to talk".. haha) Our Male, Bailey..aka.. Bail, Bell, Ball, Ball-e, Jack@ss, D@mn dog, goofball 3 ferrets: Cash (Male) ..aka.. Cashman or Man Zoey(Female) ..aka..Psycho, Dumb@ss Mitch (Male) ..aka.. The new one, The little one, The cuddler, Face, Mitchell We also had 1 ferret who passed in March (due to eating the recalled Iams kitten food).... JoeDirt..aka.. Dirt or Dirtyboy.. sometimes The dirty one

Hey... I see that too... I was kinda wondering why they had some little skinny chick up there... guess thats her "before" image in the background??

For the most part I use unjury. I mix 1 scoop with 1 cup of skim milk...and throw it in the blender to avoid clumps... Very rarely do I drink it with just powder and milk... I normally add fruit to the vanilla... or a dash of cinnamon (kinda tastes like a cinnamon bun), or my fav. is to mix 1 scoop of vanilla with 1 cup of flat diet orange soda... tastes like a creamcicle.. yum. With the chocolate I add a half banana and sometimes a little Peanut Butter. Also from time to time I use the unflavored in my crystal light. if you go to www.unjury.com they have a recipe page...

I was just approved today by Empire BCBS of DE...who requires a medically supervised diet.... this is what was sent: *Emails to and from my PCP discussing losing weight, going to the gym and changing my diet, requesting lab work as well as lowering my BP *Gym billing records from 8/05 to present *Letter from my PCP confirming all of my weight loss attempts and my intentions discussed in the emails ....I'm sure my surgeon's office also sent them my records with the sheet where they ask you to fill out diets tried, weight loss meds taken, programs attended...and the amount of time you spent on each as well as how much weight lost on each... I did go to my PCP about once a month for different ailments and issues...but never specifically for a weigh in or to discuss my weight. But it was documented that my BP improved drastically... **** I'm sure it varies as to what insurance uses for proof of the 6 month medically supervised diet... ****About 95% of the time when I went to see my primary for random issues... I was not weighed....

OH, I know ALL about the runaround you get from the military hospitals... been there a few times with my fiance... my all time favorite was when they misdiagnosed him with ...first, appendicitis (he had his appendix removed at age 14) then strep throat, then a sinus infection. ... no symptoms of any of these.... and no cultures were done... AND ...like we told them... I was just diagnosed with Mono. earlier that week ...it was in one ear and out the other... wouldn't even check him for it...even though our symptoms were exactly the same. ...not to mention the 4 hours we waited there...he was the only patient there!!!! ...gotta love it. ...on the other hand..there is alot of the same B/S in civilian healthcare/insurance also...

...not sure if we've done this lately but another reason to lose 100lbs.... *so the nurse taking my BP doesn't have to go running off to get the extra large cuff!!!

Welcome Patty... Have you searched for a surgeon or have you attended an information session? Most surgeon's offices are very familiar with insurance and what is covered. However your best bet would be to call the insurance company directly or better yet.. obtain a printout or handbook for your specific policy...that way you can get a definite answer as to what is and what is not covered...and you can avoid the sometimes "not so helpful" reps in customer service* Best of luck to you!!! *By no means am I putting down customer service reps...I myself have worked in a customer service environment. I have experienced many times one answer from one person and a completely different answer from another.... and I have learned when it comes to health or money, you most definitely want a correct answer!!!

Thank you!! I've said it before, and I'll say it again.... I've never met so many supportive people in my life! Best of luck to everyone....We're all in this together... We can do this!!!!

SillyWillyMommy... Oh, tell me about it... I kept having visions of being wheeled into the OR and someone come running to stop the surgery because they didn't have the surgical auth!!!! HA!

I just got a call from an RN at Empire BCBS of DE ..... and....... I'M APPROVED!!!! I screamed and asked her to repeat what she told me... just to make sure I heard her right!!!!

I just got a call from an RN at Empire BCBS of DE and ............... I'M APPROVED!!! I screamed and asked her to repeat what she told me...just so I heard it right!!! I can't believe it... its really gonna happen!!!!!!!

hmm... NOW I understand why my surgeon's office gave me a brochure for the medical ID bracelet. I was kinda thinking to myself...... what in the would would I need this for? Now I know...and now I think I will order one. They're actually pretty cute... www.LaurensHope.com

LOVE the name!

Ohio... HAHA!! you too?!?!?!

The statistics on sanity are that.... 1 out of every 4 ppl are suffering from some sort of mental illness. Think of your 3 best friends -- if they're okay, then it's you. OhioChick... I can't stop laughing...