Lorsbander

My doctor sent my records to BCBS of Georgia last Monday (6/18). I called BCBS today to see if they had received them and if a decision had been made yet. They said that they just received them yesterday (6/25). When I asked how long it would take to get an answer, the gal stated that she did not know. They didn't even give me a rough timeline. So, will it be 5 days or 5 months? I wonder if they just take their time? I am going nuts here- wondering when I will get an answer. Does anyone out there have BCBS of Georgia? What were your experiences with them? Help!:confused:

I have been losing hair for 3-4 months now. I notice it now. You can really see it in my part- in my bang area. I have been getting all my protein, etc in. I had a complete lab work up and all was great. My doc told me to take 10-20 mg of Zinc. I am gonna try it. I hope it works. I am getting scared. My hair has always been thick and healthy. Now, it looks thin, dry and crappy! I hope this passes soon. It is embarrassing!

Welcome Get~the~Skinny! How are you doing? I bet you are happy to be on mushies now! Dr. G and his staff are great. Angie is wonderful. It's too bad she is only doing fills now. I hope they find someone to replace her who is as supportive and motivating as her. Best of luck on your journey!

After sliming, pbing or all-out puking your stomach gets irritated and swollen making the band tighter. I experienced this last month. It was not good. Had to get a complete unfill. I have experienced the bulging feeling in my throat quite often. I usually feel it after a fill or when I am full. I have heard it is common for you to feel tighter a week or two after a fill. (I don't know about a month, though.) Also, you may be tighter in the morning or during your period. I would call my doctor just to be safe.

I would call my doctor. I had pain last month about 2 weeks after a fill. I had something stuck and it turned into a nightmare. You may need a slight unfill.

Your name says it all- "HOPE" I wish for you the very best on your band journey. I am 35 years old, 5 foot 2 inches and started at 232 pounds. Had heart issues, high cholesterol, glucose intolerance, etc. All problems gone within a month of being banded! It is so worth it. The best thing I have ever done for myself in my life! Thank you for your story and welcome to this site!

Congrats! You will be in bandland soon! It is so exciting and so worth it!

I am planning on hitting my 100 pounds lost by Memorial Day. That is when our local aquatic center opens for the summer! I am gonna live there this summer with my kids!!!!! I hope to make it. I was losing really great until I had a "stuck" and was unfilled for over a month. I feel like I am starting over now. Just had a fill today. Now I have a renewed sense of determination to lose this weight! Gotta love that band!!!!!!

I feel for ya! I was losing just great- wonderful restriction and everything. Then shit hit the fan! My doctor isn't quite sure what happened, but they think I may have had something stuck. I was unfilled almost completely last month. I have gone over a month with no restriction. It was horrible! I gained back a couple pounds. Today I finally was able to get a fill, and I am excited to be resticted and start losing again! Best of luck to you and all bandsters!! Go scale, go!!!!!!!!!!

Are you taking a med to reduce reflux and acid production? I take Pepcid twice a day. If you are already taking a med for this, I'd demand my doctor to look into it further. You cannot be sleeping much, you poor thing!

This site is great support! Plus it is a wonderful source of info and real life experiences with the band. Keep up the great work! Everyone has a different journey with their bands, so don't worry! If you are not losing like you would like, maybe you need another fill? Just be patient- you'll get there! Best of luck to ya!

You are too tight. Call the doctor. I was too tight this week and got something really stuck. Even throwing up wouldn't get it. I ended up in the hospital on morphine until I got unfilled. Call your doctor for an unfill asap!

The band is not the easy way out, that's for sure! I hate when people say that. I usually tell them what I went through to get banded: the testing, liquid diet, some complications, etc. After that they don't think that way anymore. Plus, you don't have to be successful with the band. I know someone who "ate right through" his band and gained all his weight back. Losing weight is still a choice with the band. You still have to work your ass off. You still have to eat less. The band is just a tool- like WWers or Jenny Craig, etc. You still have to make a conscious decision to make it work!

Yes, I am pretty much still on liquids since Monday. I am gonna try some mushies today. My stomach doesn't hurt anymore, but I will take it easy anyway. I don't think I will get another fill until after the new year. That may not be too smart over the holidays, but it's what I have to do. I will be good! There's no way I'm gonna let myself gain weight back!

The crazy thing for me was the fact that I really don't know what I got stuck on. I know I chewed the heck out of my food that night. Now I am scared to get a fill again. I had just had my 3rd fill 2 weeks prior to this and it was my sweet spot. Now I am not so sure! Maybe my sweet spot was a bit too tight! I am gonna wait until after the new year to get a fill. Right now I am a bit gun shy, not to mention my tummy still being a bit swollen and sore!

Make sure you have a network of supportive people. It makes a world of difference. Be prepared for all the emotional stuff that comes along with the band. It can be a roller coaster! -and when it is, call on your network of supportive people to get you through.

I have bought them for years- even before the band. The best ones I have found are at Target. They may be the knock-off Spanx someone mentioned. They only seem to roll down if they are too small. I love how they smooth out my belly. I also have a "girdle" that has the bra/panty combo. It is comfortable, too.

You do what works for you! For me, I look at numbers just to give me an idea about how I am doing. I can see how I am doing by looking in the mirror, but seeing the number makes it real!

2 days of clear liquids- 2 days of mushies- then real food.

Congrats! That is wonderful! I have 3 little ones- they are my life! Have fun with your new son!

Thought I would update ya on my "stuck." I ended up in the hospital over night. The doc on call wouldn't come in and said to just give me fluids and pain meds until the morning. It was horrible. They had to give me morphine. The next morning, my regular band PA came in and was so pissed off. She couldn't believe what happened to me. She took out most of my fill and I had immediate relief. I tell ya- what a nightmare. I have a feeling that the doc on call is in a bit of trouble! By the way, I tried every thing in the book to get unstuck. I think sometimes the only solution is to get unfilled.

Well, I am still stuck. I called my doc and they said to do clear liquids for a day and it should go through. Liquids go down, but it hurts. We got a hell of a ice storm last night. Now we are getting 6+ inches of snow on top of it. I guess I am gonna have to suffer through this for now. Can't get to my doc office anyway with all this ice. (It's an hour away.) Any other ideas would be helpful. I am gonna try some hot tea. Maybe something warm will help "open" me up!

Thanks! I am gonna chill out and go to bed. I will let ya know how it goes in the morning. Thank you so much!

Should I just wait it out until the morning and see if I can drink in the morning?

I had some angel hair pasta with broccoli and chicken.