the best me

Wow, hope for my sister here in NC maybe? Her BMI is under 50...we'll see!! Say, what should she do, jump through all the hoops with the Band doc, even though the Band is specifically excluded under her plan? Then appeal? Just wonderin. Thanks for the info Cameron!

So 60lbs in 15 months is slow? Okay, so it's .25lbs per month, I suppose that's called meandering along down the weightloss path, rather than barrelling through! But it's still great, and a LOSS, not a gian. Good for you! Be FREEEEE!!!!!! Trish! March forward, don't be riened in any longer! Breathe deeply, prepare for better changes in your life in more ways than just what you do M-F. Jobs can really get you in to ruts. Some ruts are good. I'm glad you are able to see this as an opportunity. Tell your sis thanks for her 'puter. I thought of you after you were supposed to be gone but didn't post because I didn't think you could read it and reply! Now I know you can, but there's LOTS of activity on this board to post updates as you can and don't let yourself get lost in the shuffle. I'll be anxious to find out what door you walk through next and to see how this new "free to lose weight" attitude helps you. So as you lose your job, well, Congratulations!!!!

Oh yippee!!! So glad you are back! Welcome to bandland!!! Post your pics on "Scar Stages" even with bandaids, it's neat to see where others were "Slit" (ew). Congratulations!!! :banana

wow, that's a mouthful. Thank God for copy/paste, right? whew! that was very informative. It's hard to argue, but where are they getting their data? Canada and Austrailia? how come noone comes here asking? we have very successful Canandian and Austrailian bandsters here. I also "heard" that the clinical trials in the US were not very successful because they basically banded people and let them be. I know Coffeewench here was part of the US clinical trials and she's done great. My conclusion: if you prefer to be banded, your insurance has enough of what they call proof to deny coverage. However, if there is a smidgen of hope (and it sounds as if there is) it may take some fighting and appealing but you should be able to get coverage. Do your homework, make sure the Band is for you and you are prepared to fight for it. Know what life after banding will be like. Be prepared to be your own advocate and make SURE your doc is equally as supportive. I think over time the data will prove the Band's effectiveness for well-informed, well-supported, and motivated patients. Unlike any of the bypass procedures, you can't just sit back and drop the pounds. And I KNOW it takes effort with the RNY, and support, and motivation, so don't get me wrong, but the Band isn't malabsorptive. So the effort is different.

Okay Crystal, I was going through old threads (you got me started!) and found Haiku, which I had apparently quit reading except for the notifications I got, and you know how you miss posts when you only read the notification post. So here I look and here you are!! Oh my gosh, girl! All this time I have been wondering what you look like and here you are, just as pretty as a picture! Not that I thought you weren't...so here's what I thought. Aren't you supposed to be in your 40's? I don't think so. You are a spy with Penni, I know it!!! Isn't your hair supposed to be a little wilder? I dunno, maybe wire-y and long and spike-y with colors...not soft and healthy and beautiful. Aren't you supposed to be intimidating looking and very big and tall? You just look so sweet sitting there with the puppy dog. Not that my dreams are dashed. No, I am rather pleased. And happy to have a face with the name! Thanks for posting that, and sorry it took so long for me to find it! Look everyone! Isn't Crystal pretty?!!!

Great question! For me, the disorder came first. Iv'e been running around all these years thinkin' I'm all cute, and getting fatter and fatter. The reality checks are stunning. thanks for bumping vinesqueen. it was good to read all this again.

Yay June Bandsters!!! I just found you again, good job sallykotz!!!

Okay, at the time I didn't know how to post a link, so whenever I saw someone on another thread with an April date, I would post and tell them to go to the April 2005 Bandsters thread and list their name and date, no link to that thread. So when they didn't go, I would just keep a running list and add them. I felt like I was a little "all over the place" because of that. On the May thread, all those folks are talking back and forth on that thread and it's fun. We had lots of cheerleading but we weren't as active and cohesive. I also made weekly "This week's bandsters" threads which was a little redundant, but there were SOOO many of us! It got difficult to keep up with who was going and coming, especailly since I was banded on the 8th and was distracted with my own recovery issues. So it was all worth it. I can still go back and see who was banded in April, so it's a good reference. I hope you will get all your June Bandsters together for a nice place to post to one another. But you can guide people here with a link to this thread. Hope that helps! Also, here's a link to the thread Sallykotz started... http://www.lapbandtalk.com/showthread.php?t=6949 Oh! It looks like she's got something going over there! Maybe check it out and join in there. Sorry! I didn't realize she was up and at 'em...if you want you can delete this whole thread and I won't get my feelings hurt! Hey, good luck in June!!!

Me too. I lost 15 pounds in 12 days after surgery on April 8th. Nothing since. Problem is, until very recently, I have had restriction! Now it seems everything is going down. Yes, we are doing something wrong Tee. Okay, there is a website...lemme find it and I'll edit my post...back in a sec... http://lapbandtransformation.com/Adjustments.htm okay, this tells you how to tell if you need a fill. See you there!

www.Beliteweight.com

Way to go Angie! Congratulations!!! Don't you feel relieved? And excited? And scared? And nervous? And happy?!!! Okay, you are normal!

Wow Tammy! Glad you got ole flipper flipped back! And enjoy your time off, too. Be Careful!! Wish I could join you...sigh.

What puffy eyes and blemishes? You look great!!! I get overdue on my brows all the time, so I started doing it at home with the microwave wax. And I still get overdue. Duh. Doesn't it feel good to wax the strays?!!!!! ooo,oooo, I wanna go do my brows now! Can I just confess that I cannot leave the bathroom in the morning without brushing my eyebrows? What's up with that? At least 2-3 times a day I am brushing my eyebrows with one of those well, eyebrow brushes. It feels so good!! Anyhow, you might have been brave but you sure look great, anyway! I love the liner!

Very nice!!! I'd do it, yep, and I'll look into it. I'll let you know. And I want to get a hold of your eyebrows, DeLarla!! They are beautiful and have such a nice shape and are full but not bushy...GREAT eyebrows! So go to a nice salon and ask them to wax a natural brow, just wax the strays and give a little shape...you'd be amazed at how polished you'll look, especailly with your new liner!! If you hate it and it hurts too much, never do it again and they will grow back in just fine. Just try it!! Yeah, wax the eyebrows! Yer so pretty!

Look sallykotz!!! Now you don't have to!!! wahooo! Go June Bandsters!!! Good job lins12. We did it in April, too. Wish I had done things a little different than I did, but it's a fun list, and a great place for support. May did/is doing a good job of that. yippeee!

I like you more every day!! Very funny.

Okay, I lost 15lbs the first 12 days and haven't moved since. I am almost 7 weeks post-op. I'm not discouraged yet, I have all the time in the world, as long as I'm not gaining. I'll lose it. I need time to adjust to banded life. I'm gonna give myself a minute or two!! I'll lose the weight. My resolve will kick in and I'll be fine. Actually, it already kicked in on the eating. I did great eating yesterday and was down to 207 this am. Little here, little there, it all adds up! Also Desert, maybe switch from an antacid to a heartburn/reflux type med. Sounds like you have some reflux stuff going on? Zantac, Prilosec, Pepcid, and the like? Try taking one of those twice a day (am and bedtime) and see if that helps your esophogus discomfort. Esophogitis is very uncomfortable at best, and don't let reflux ruin your recovery!! I am about 2 weeks behind on the recovery of everyone else. I compare how I feel to people banded about 2 weeks after me. Seem to be relating there a bit more. Just figure out where YOU are and compare that way. It helps and you get less discouraged. We all heal differently and at different rates. Oh well. Chin up, girl, you will get through and be normal again!

Good girl. You can do this!!!

It's a matter of perspective. If you want to believe that gastric bypass is for you and Lap Band is not, then this is a great page. I spout the "typical" Lap Band benefits, and my perspective is bent toward the Band. Oh well. Sue me. Some pretty good arguements in there if you choose to think that way about it. I can't imagine how great your success would be if your doctor felt this way. I'd never have a Lap Band procedure done there! Another thing I heard about the US clinical trials (caution: the following is loosely translated, undocumented heresay) was that there were never any fill follow-up data taken with the band patients under the clinical trials. They just got the band, no fills, no real support, and so the weight loss statistics are at 45-60% or whatever of the patients goal, and MANY more are exceeding that and meeting their weight loss goals. So the docs have stats that aren't really any good about the success rate of the Band.

(Warning, tough love ahead...) Girl! You'd better get it together! You have less than a week to get that liver shrunk or else!! Do right by your body, make things as easy as possible for your surgeon, don't risk it for a Dorito! Stay on the straight and narrow! It's ONLY a week...not the rest of your life. I promise, you will eat to fullness after the band. You can do this!!! Don't panic and give up and eat it anyway. It DOES matter! Start fresh and FOLLOW THROUGH! There, is that a good little butt-kick? Hope it helps

Oh my gosh, pics please!!! Ha ha ha ha!!!

We need some of Jenna's thumping!!!!! Wer'e dancin' for ya!! Here you go!! On your way to bandland!!!! Wahoooooo!!!!!!!

Someone here (I can't remember who! Speak up whoever you are!) did Nutrisystem on the band, said she just needed someone to tell her what to eat. She got good results, too. The band helps you stick to it, rather than saying "the heck with it" and eating Isle 2 at the Kroger. I am learing alot about me, my band, my eating, feeling full, all of that and if you need temporary extra help to reign it in, more power to ya. I considered taking half of my old Phentermine RX just to boost my metabolism and get past this 15 pound weight loss stall. Unless someone can talk me out of it, anyone know of a reason why not to take the Phentermine?) I'll let you know how it goes!!

I asked my hubby and he gave me 2 recipes.. 1) Parboil, then grill w/ BBQ sauce. 2) Parboil, change Water and add celery, onion, salt, pepper, other seasonings you like, and boil some more. Then add a white gravy mix (water, flour, butter shaken up in a jar and poured into pot) then let simmer until thick. He's the game cooker in the house. I stick with store bought chicken and beef and seafood. He fries the fish he catches. Anything "exotic" such as deer, duck, rabbit, squirrel, dove, whatever is his domain. And again, I have no problem with it, but, EW!

hehe, I knew SOMEone would feel this way