brookus

So glad to find this thread! I am a believer and wrestled with the same kinds of issues... am I ultimately relying on the Lord? The conclusion I have come up with is yes. God made doctors and science for our good and I should heal what ails me...which, right now is morbid obesity. I find that in giving your body to a human to do surgery requires trusting in the Lord! And I tell ya, it has been freeing to finally realize that I can't do it on my own, and that I need help. This can help. Simple as that, and I would be crazy not to seriously consider it. So, after much prayer and research, it's finally only a week away! :clap2: Woo-hoo! I have lost 14 lbs since my initial consult, which is oh so exciting! I forgot how good it feels to lose weight. I can't wait to lose more Patty - I will be praying for you! I can't imagine how bad that would be, but I am glad it sounds like you are getting some relief from the winds and smoke. Peace, Brooke

That's exactly what I have been trying to do. I am making list after list ...even a list of lists I need to make! Ha! I have really turned into my mother, now! It's comforting to have control over something at this point. Also, I am finding that the pre-op diet is keeping my busy. Must be prepared for it to go well! So, I will keep putting one step in front of the other and soon enough, Oct. 31st will be here! :clap2: Thanks for all the encouragement, guys! Brooke

Great job ... inspiring!

Mine is Remorseless ... so not true, by the way!! I feel remorse for things I didn't even do! However, with my maiden name, it's Slut For Suicide. Priceless!

Amen, sista! Get a clue, Brit Brit!!!

My surgery date is the 31st, and I just started my pre-op diet. Last week when I talked to my surgeon I asked him about the smoking thing. He said it takes at least 2-3 weeks for your lungs to start to heal and during that time you cough a lot of junk up. (which I remember from when I tried to quit before) So, he said if I haven't quit by now, not to until after you heal. He said he REALLY doesn't want me to cough a lot post-op. Of course, he added that the surgical center won't release me until my oxygen levels are where they need to be and smoking can make that difficult, so I might have to spend more time in the center. I just figured if I tried to quit smoking, stay on a low-carb diet, and prepare for life-changing surgery all at once I would probably end up on the front page of the newspaper with a headline that reads "IRATE WOMAN KILLS EVERYONE IN HER PATH!"

Thanks ... that is a wonderful prayer!

Then you know you are good hands!! Now, if I can remember that before going into total emotional meltdown mode, I've got it made ....

I don't have any advice, but I am right there with you! My surgery is 14 days away, and I am starting to get nervous, too. Every once in a while, I will think to myself, "What the heck am I doing?!?!" I chalk it up to nerves. I usually just offer up a quick prayer..... it helps calm me.

Mix away, girlfriend! Spray the Thickening Spray at your root area (where you want the volume) and smooth the Straight through your ends first, then mid-shaft, then toward the root area. Also, they have Prep and Tonic spray. They are similar to leave-in conditioners, but way lighter. The Tonic spray has Tea Tree oil in it, so it makes your scalp tingle a little ...I quite enjoy it If applied to damp hair before the styling products, it will actually even out the porosity of your hair and make the styling products work better. Do I sound like a commercial, or what?!

Hey nicnaknut ... I am being banded in Denver as well. I will be looking forward to hearing about your experience. I was supposed to have a phone consult with Dr. K yesterday, but he had to reschedule for Wednesday. :cry Oh well, I am still being banded on the 31st, so all is well. Good luck with your trip!

That last part was for those still in the land o' shedding. All that in combination with regular haircuts might help a little bit at least.

Well, this is pure speculation on my part, because I am not really sure, scientifically speaking, but ...... usually long hair is a tad dry towards the ends. This can cause tangles, and tangles cause tension on the hair strands that are tangled together. Thus when you brush to get them out, if your hair is more apt to fall out (weight loss, stress, etc...), then they are pulled out much easier. When you cut off a great amount of hair, you not only cut the dry ends off, which helps with the tangle issue, but you also alleviate some weight off the remaining hair. It is simply lighter. Now, having said all that, I really don't know why it would stop it completely, but it might have been good timing. Maybe, you happened to get it cut off when your hair loss had slowed or was slowing ... I dunno ... cool thing to have happen, though!:clap2: If your hair is going to shed, then it's going to shed, but there are some things you can do to stimulate it to grow back. What, you may ask? Make sure you are drinking plenty of Water, try not to shampoo your hair everyday, just every other day. You can try rinsing it and applying conditioner to the ends on the days you don't shampoo it. If you use a lot of products in your hair, it's nice to use a clarifying shampoo with tea tree oil in it once a week. I know Bumble&Bumble make one, and I think Paul Mitchell might, too ... very good for the circulation in your scalp ... which promotes hair growth. Prenatal Vitamins can also help with hair growth. Hope this helps!

Thanks for all your work! Brooke

OK, so, as a hairdresser, I feel compelled to post ... So many things can cause hair loss ... malnutrition is one of them, but NOT the only one. A lot of these reasons for hair loss bandsters are experiencing all at once ... rapid weight loss, anesthesia (sp?), changes in medications, stress, etc. Some people are more sensitive to changes in their bodies than others, and hair is actually a waste product. So, whatever is affecting you internally will be reflected in your hair. My suggestion? Go spend the afternoon with your hairdresser and let her give you a fabulous new haircut. It won't make your hair grow back instantly, it may not stop the shedding (of course, it may ... just ask Wasa ), but it WILL make you feel a whole heck of a lot better!! Stay strong for me ladies ... I will be right where you are in a few months, and I will need the encouragement then!

How exciting! Congrats to you :clap2: I get banded on Oct 31, and packing away my little sleep companion, "Darth Vader" for good is a major goal for me. Glad to see it can be done!

Margie - I am getting banded on Halloween, too. I guess that means no Halloween candy for us! Which is probably a good thing ... for me, at least! OregonHolly - My first name is Brooke if you want to add it to the roll call ... you have my screen name and date already. I am sooooo excited I can't stand it!! :whoo:

I have sleep apnea, and I have a CPAP. I must be really stubborn, though. I keep taking it off in my sleep. Alot of good it does me sitting on my pillow next to me! Lately, I have been taking it apart in my sleep. I have the comfort gel mask (or something like that) and there is this adjustable thing right at the bridge of your nose.... well, I seem to really have some issues with the mask because now, I wake up and it's next to me .. in 2 pieces. Lovely....

I am getting banded on October 31st ...almost too late to join the TENaciousTENS!! So happy I made it.

I found an attorney who says he thinks he can help me through the appeals process, but I am hesitant. Has anyone had any luck with the help of an attorney, and if so, who??? Thanks...

Thanks Shelby ... Walter emailed me last night and asked me to fax them my denial letter and a copy of my policy that talks about exclusions. That was quick! He wants to look it over before he offers me his services. I appreciate that! After all, if I my denial stands, I will need all the money I can get to self-pay. We shall see....

Where do you find stats like this on doctors? I need to do some research, but not sure where to start....

It is currently excluded, but was not excluded 6 months ago.

Shelby .... is Kelly Lindstrom part of obesitylaw.com? And, did you have an exclusion on your policy?

Congrats!! I can't wait to be where you are ... a surgery date set! :clap2: Good for you!