pandagirl

That sounds awful to deal with. I have teeth issues, but mostly from grinding them at night. Let us know what the dentist thinks, okay?

I hope everything is okay. Seems like cold is the general feeling.

Thank you!!!!!!!!!!!! I am not a freak!! I've been hot most of my life, fogging up car windows, running the fan 365 days a year.I live in Norther California, it is 63 degrees right now and I've worn my jacket in the office all day. I've invested in wool lined boots, cute ones. I've always wanted a pair, but they made me too hot so I didn't. And the best part is now I do not mind snuggling up to my super stove of a boyfriend at night!!! Will have to look up the theories mentioned; they all seem reasonable, but I am curious. Thank you all again. ~panda

I had to do the 6 months. All they did was wiegh me though, they didn't "teach" me anything. At the end of my six months they told me they just implemented a 6 month diet plan to boot. I got out of that and had my first appointment with the surgeon in July. I am two months into my liquid diet and have lost 36 pounds. I know a lot of people say they want the surgery quick and yes it can be frustrating, but I have used the time to get my head on straight. I have a better relationship with food and am mentally ready for the sugery. I think I would have gotten to where I am at eventually even without the waiting, but I feel better having taken the time to get ready. You might be ready though. You might have it all together, but in the end you have to do what the insurance company says. The Docs won't override them. Good luck and I hope all goes well with your surgery.

I went to see my Dietician yesterday. While walking out of the office I noticed a post card reading “Still staring your weight loss goals in the face?...Now a non-surgical option for revisional surgery is available.” Apparently there is a new weight loss product out called “Stomaphyx”. Here is there main website. http://www.endogastricsolutions.com/index.php?src=gendocs&ref=StomaphyX&category=Products&submenu=StomaphyX <?xml:namespace prefix = o ns = "urn:schemas-microsoft-com:office:office" /><o:p></o:p> Unfortunately it reads like a sales pitch and doesn’t give much information unless you call them or ask for information via e-mail. It does have a diagram of the product though. I found this site: http://www.biotech-weblog.com/50226711/stomaphyxa_novel_noninvasive_weightloss_surgery.php <o:p></o:p> It gives a brief description, but at least it refers to the procedure as revisional rather than an alternative to gastric bypass or Lap Band. The other site confuses this point by not stating clearly what Stomaphyx is for, at least the parts I read. <o:p></o:p> Anyway, I was pushed this way and that on my surgery choice. I was going to do the bypass because when I started all of this it was my only option. Now though, I have decided to do the Lap Band. But my Surgeon tried to “talk me out of it”. Not in a hardcore way, but she still mentioned it and I did think about the alternative. The Dietician on the other hand seems to…gosh I don’t know. I feel like she is not really behind my choice and it discourages me. <o:p></o:p> But then I saw this Stomaphyx thing and thought if gastric bypass is the miracle cure then why do they have to go back and fix it? Is there such a high percentage of patients whose stomachs stretch and they find themselves needing a revision? The fact that it is enough of a problem that researchers and medical companies have taken the time to create a new product for it makes me think that Lap Band is the way to go. It has a built in system for restriction already. <o:p></o:p> Of course, I do not understand the product fully; there wasn’t enough information on the sites. But still it is apparent that gastric bypass is not the miracle cure some would have me believe. Lap Band takes work and apparently the bypass doesn’t lessen this “burden”. <o:p></o:p> <o:p></o:p>

The bitch is the next cubicle is eating bacon. Is it wrong to want her dead? I feel like I have to repent for the thought. I know the bacon will make me toss my cookies, but still. It smells good, real good. I have to remember the McDonalds fiasco. How long before I stopped throwing up? 45 minutes. How long until my tummy settled? 4 hours. Was it worth it? No and niether is the bacon. :sick

The bitch is the next cubicle is eating bacon. Is it wrong to want her dead? I feel like I have to repent for the thought. I know the bacon will make me toss my cookies, but still. It smells good, real good. I have to remember the McDonalds fiasco. How long before I stopped throwing up? 45 minutes. How long until my tummy settled? 4 hours. Was it worth it? No and niether is the bacon. :sick

I started the liquid diet on August 31st, 2007. As of yesterday, September 12th, I lost 14 pounds!!!! Super yay!! My only issue though is that my surgeon stated she wanted me to get to 350 before the surgery. Yesterday my Dietician stated the paperwork says 340/330. It bothers me that I wasn't told that. It pushes my potential surgery date closer to the holidays and my birthday. I was hoping to be functional by Christmas and not worrying about my body during what can be a stressful time. I wonder now if I should start my christmas shopping now. I am not sure if I will have the enegry during November and December. Anyway, 14 pounds!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

I started the liquid diet on August 31st, 2007. As of yesterday, September 12th, I lost 14 pounds!!!! Super yay!! My only issue though is that my surgeon stated she wanted me to get to 350 before the surgery. Yesterday my Dietician stated the paperwork says 340/330. It bothers me that I wasn't told that. It pushes my potential surgery date closer to the holidays and my birthday. I was hoping to be functional by Christmas and not worrying about my body during what can be a stressful time. I wonder now if I should start my christmas shopping now. I am not sure if I will have the enegry during November and December. Anyway, 14 pounds!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

I started my liquid diet last night. I was going to wait until after the Labor Day holiday, but saw that once again I was putting social eating above my health. So, I blended my first official liquid diet shake last night. I put more milk than recommended and it was the wrong thing to do. I felt sooooo bloated. I had been using Unjury, which I love and a cup of milk with that leaves me wanting to snack in about three hours. The Doc told me to get Pro-rated (www.wellements.com) and it has 27g of protien per serving and that extra 7 makes a difference to my tummy. I had a shake at 6:30 this morning and it is now 15 before 9 and I still feel full. I hope I will feel this way for a solid 6 hours, but 4 will do. My diet plan is 3 shakes a day plus a salad with protien and low-fat dressing. Getting to have the meat for dinner will help a great deal. I want to tell you my starting weight, but it has flucuated like mad in the last two weeks. 8-16-2007:Surgery Consult: 377 8-21-2007:Dietician Appt: 385 8-29-2007:Labs:381 I will go with the 381, but my period is about to start and in the past, I always bump around 10 pounds gained, but after lose all of it. My goal is 350 pre-surgery. Though, 340 would be awesome, but I am not sure how doable. Right now, I just want to lose as much weight as I can before the surgery. It will be healthier and get me closer to my goal of 170.

Thanks so much. I told them what you did, but there was still resistance. I think it bothers me so much because I feel like they are not going to support as well if I choose the band over the bypass. But that may just be my fears. I know the closer I get to the actual surgery the more concerned I am getting with the validity of my choices. I suppose it is akin to cold feet. I thought I had been preparing my mind for the lifestyle change, but I think I have some ways to go. I think my surgery will be planned for October or November. I can't imagine them keeping me on the liquid diet much longer than that. Anyway, I have to remind myself that there are those like you who are in the same boat who are doing it and having success with it and my success is a matter of me, not the dietician.

Thanks so much. I really, really needed to hear that from someone who is experiencing it. Congrats on the band btw!~panda

I am frustrated at the moment. I am starting my pre-op liquid diet next week and that alone seems a daunting task, but that is not where my frustration lies. When I went in for my first office visit my Dr. tried to talk me into the bypass over the band. She said it will help me more and she thinks I am too large for the band to help me enough (377lbs/5'10"/BMI 55). By the end of the visit she told me it was my choice, put in for the band request and told me I can change my mind and do the bypass. I agreed to look over the choice one more time. Then I go in to see the dietician and she totally shakes my faith in my ability to do this. I have been changing my mindframe about food, portions and what not, but that was not enough.the dietician spoke to me like I had no real concept of what I was doing. I have done my research, I know it will harder...etc. Have any of you had to deal with a similar situation? Are you wishing you did the bypass because it is "easier"? I am sticking with the lap band, but there is enough doubt in my mind now to make me wonder.

I am fat because I am a lazy busy body. Does that make sense? I am too large to get the appropriate exercise to lose all of the wieght, but I want to move all of the time and somehwere in there I decided snacking would take care of it. I tend to eat when I am bored or frustrated. I think the idea of seeing obesity as an addiction is helpful. I can tell myself "no" easier becasue I don't see as something that I cannot help anymore. My eating habits have much improved and I am hoping they are adequate enough to get through the WLS.

I haven't been banded yet, but I am already seeing some issues pop up. I have a friend who is overwieght and she is considering the WLS and she will talk to me about her concerns. If I bring it up to her, she snaps at me. I would understand it if I talked about it all of the time, but I don't. I am not sure why she does this other than I am very near to having the surgery and she has just started thinking about it and she may be jealous because I am ahead of her. I have another fat friend who will not talk about it at all. I told her once several months ago and all she said was "not me". I have brought it up once or twice in the last month because of the protein shake research and she changes the subject immediately. I don't know if they will stick with me through this or not.

I am not an atheist, but I was kicked out of three Sunday schools. Once for comparing communion to cannibalism, a second time for throwing the Bible to prove that they did worship it as an idol, and a third time because I wore a Prince shirt to church. I was told that I couldn't wear such things and I said, but Jesus allowed whores into the Church; I am not a whore. I am just wearing a shirt. Anyway, nice meeting you.

Hi, I am pre-op and have yet to have final approval. I've been reading the boards off and on for some time and notice a lot of issues surrounding slow weightloss and hunger. Is there anyone out there who is doing well or not having too much issue with hunger? Or is "bandster hell" going to be a part of the journey no matter what? I find myself unsure of lap band because of the level of difficulty so many seem to be having. Yet, the idea of malabsorption via gastric bypass scares me. For all of the negatives I find with the gastric bypass, they seem to have it easier. I wonder if lap band will be for me, if I am already afraid of "bandster hell". Oh, just tried unjury Protein powder today. Awesome!!!

I found this at Obesityhelp.com. I don't think there is too much of this going on, but the possibility scares me. Here is the link to the article. Even if it is not true, maybe it'll make one or two of us do a little more research before jumping in. Rip Off Report: My Choice Medical Of California, PMC Gross negligence, incompetence, fraud, false documentation, ripoff Stroudsburg Pennsylvania

I haven't been banded yet, but I was told at the seminar I went to that it was an absolute no. I haven't had soda in six months and don't miss it like I thought I would.

The approval issue has been taken care of. I have been approved for the consultation and my appointment with Dr. Machado is 8-14-2007. I did start the exercise program anyway. I don't want anyone telling me that I didn't try to follow requirements. Besides, the refferal co-ordinator suggested as such. She didn't think I had to do it, but couldn't say for sure. I do have my approval letter stuck to my fridge. I hope that is all on that end. Now, I have my consultation to look forward to. I think that will involve a psych evaluation and I will have to tell them about my gall bladder. I am assuming they will need blood work and all of that jazz. I wish I knew what they wanted, I might be able to start the process? Or not, maybe they have a special process for WLS? I don't know. I really wish the site for Dr. Machado had more information for pre-consult patients. I suppose they'd be overwhelmed with questions though. I am just happy to get this far. I hope that I will have the surgery before the end of the year. Well, if it isn't until January I can save more leave time?

The approval issue has been taken care of. I have been approved for the consultation and my appointment with Dr. Machado is 8-14-2007. I did start the exercise program anyway. I don't want anyone telling me that I didn't try to follow requirements. Besides, the refferal co-ordinator suggested as such. She didn't think I had to do it, but couldn't say for sure. I do have my approval letter stuck to my fridge. I hope that is all on that end. Now, I have my consultation to look forward to. I think that will involve a psych evaluation and I will have to tell them about my gall bladder. I am assuming they will need blood work and all of that jazz. I wish I knew what they wanted, I might be able to start the process? Or not, maybe they have a special process for WLS? I don't know. I really wish the site for Dr. Machado had more information for pre-consult patients. I suppose they'd be overwhelmed with questions though. I am just happy to get this far. I hope that I will have the surgery before the end of the year. Well, if it isn't until January I can save more leave time?

Has anyone had thier gall bladder taken out at the same time thier lap was done? If so, what was your recovery time and were there any complications?

I went to my first supervised diet appointment in February 2007. I went to my last one on July 19th,2007. I was told that was it. I would get approved or not then get my paperwork sent to my surgeon, Dr. Laura Machado. Today, I get a call. You are approved!!! I think yay!!! They give me a number to call and I am a little confused. It is the # for the main hospital that my clinic is attached to. I call the # leave a message. They call back and want to set me up for "Bariatric Screening". What? I thought I just did that? I tell them I just went through that. They tell me to call my doctor. I call and I am told that they just started a 6 month exercise program requirement in June of this year. I have to sign up for it though I will not have to wait for the 6 months to be up, because they are not going to make me wait another 6 months, etc. But I have to sign up for it, I have to go through it even though I will probably have surgery prior, if I am approved by my surgeon. I thought this was going to be easier than Kaiser who sent me to a bartiatric seminar and never told me what to do next. My doctor was against the surgery, they who machine seemed to be against just informing me about it. I left Kaiser. I had a friend who told me that if I go to her doctor, they will send me straight there,no problems. I siad no, I want to go through the screening. I want to make sure I am ready for this. I am ready. It's been three years since I have thought about it. Two years since I seriously pursued it. Six months since I changed health plans so that I could go to a local facility and and a little over a week since I finished the 6 month supervised diet. Now this? This is annoying. I am in the middle of a learning curve and becoming frustrated. I do not want to spend another summer with my skin probllems. It is getting worse and worse and I cannot for the life of me exercise without exacerbating the issue. I have exercised though. I have changed my diet. I have changed my whole outlook on food. I am ready, I have done all they initially asked. This feels like a bait and switc even though I know they are dong this to weed out all of the people who don't really need this surgery. I know this, yet... I just want to have the surgery before the holidays. I want to start the new year with the life change. I want to do it now that I am ready not when I am beaten down with redtape. I will do as they say. I will jump through all of the hoops, but by god I hope I don't suffer more than I have to.

I went to my first supervised diet appointment in February 2007. I went to my last one on July 19th,2007. I was told that was it. I would get approved or not then get my paperwork sent to my surgeon, Dr. Laura Machado. Today, I get a call. You are approved!!! I think yay!!! They give me a number to call and I am a little confused. It is the # for the main hospital that my clinic is attached to. I call the # leave a message. They call back and want to set me up for "Bariatric Screening". What? I thought I just did that? I tell them I just went through that. They tell me to call my doctor. I call and I am told that they just started a 6 month exercise program requirement in June of this year. I have to sign up for it though I will not have to wait for the 6 months to be up, because they are not going to make me wait another 6 months, etc. But I have to sign up for it, I have to go through it even though I will probably have surgery prior, if I am approved by my surgeon. I thought this was going to be easier than Kaiser who sent me to a bartiatric seminar and never told me what to do next. My doctor was against the surgery, they who machine seemed to be against just informing me about it. I left Kaiser. I had a friend who told me that if I go to her doctor, they will send me straight there,no problems. I siad no, I want to go through the screening. I want to make sure I am ready for this. I am ready. It's been three years since I have thought about it. Two years since I seriously pursued it. Six months since I changed health plans so that I could go to a local facility and and a little over a week since I finished the 6 month supervised diet. Now this? This is annoying. I am in the middle of a learning curve and becoming frustrated. I do not want to spend another summer with my skin probllems. It is getting worse and worse and I cannot for the life of me exercise without exacerbating the issue. I have exercised though. I have changed my diet. I have changed my whole outlook on food. I am ready, I have done all they initially asked. This feels like a bait and switc even though I know they are dong this to weed out all of the people who don't really need this surgery. I know this, yet... I just want to have the surgery before the holidays. I want to start the new year with the life change. I want to do it now that I am ready not when I am beaten down with redtape. I will do as they say. I will jump through all of the hoops, but by god I hope I don't suffer more than I have to.

BMI 55. current wieght 380, goal weight 170. I've not been banded yet. I am ready for the change in lifestyle, but have been reading too much on platic surgery and am a little scared that I will go through all of this and have tons of skin hanging. It seems like the ones who only have a 100 pounds to lose have trouble and since I am way bigger then I might have way more issues regarding PS.