Cocoabean

Christie, Steve is just a jerk! You guys need to work on your relationship! Talk about dysfunctional. Sheesh!

My husband gets tired of my obsessions often. As it seems each new interest becomes one. But I think yours needs to be on board with this. Your eating habits are going to change, perhaps drastically. I could not imagine the stress of trying to eat around my husband knowing he was against my being banded. One stuck episode and I'd never have heard the end of it. My surgeon required me to have a support "buddy" who came to one pre-op education group meeting and one or two pre-op appointments. It didn't have to be a spouse, but if you were married, he preferred it to be your spouse. I'd say go ahead with your plans, but try not to talk about it non-stop. I think that maybe it is just a difference between men and women. Fellas, speak up if I am wrong, but women tend to talk often and long and over and over about things they are excited about. Men talk when there is action to be taken. I come here to talk band stuff. My hubby is happy for me that I am healthy and have lost the weight, but otherwise, he really doesn't want to hear it. He is supportive of me, but this is where I get my support. Know what I mean?

Oh poo! I hate computers sometimes...accidentally hit the "back" button..sheesh OK, here we go again. My husband has never had a weight problem either. He is part of the "push yourself away from the table" brigade. Off and on over the years he has tried to be my food police, which has cause a lot of strife between us. He just doesn't get it. I mean, he forgets to eat. Who does that!?!? Years ago, when I first brought up surgery (bypass), he was totally against it. I yo-yoed for years. He observed the battle. I looked into surgery again, and found out about the band. He was much more comfortable with the band. Still not happy that I needed surgery to push myself away from the table, but accepted it. As I have lost the weight and become healthier, he's stopped being my food monitor. He's so funny now. He'll say, "are you sure that's all you want?" I say, "uh, yeah, this will do me." "Ok then." He says he feels bad when I can't eat a lot knowing how much I love food. I tell him I still enjoy it. I just eat less, but eat slower so I still enjoy it as much as I used to. It's very refreshing not to have food and my weight be an issue between us. We don't constantly argue about whether or not I can possibly be hungry because he isn't. Yes, we had that argument many times. If he wasn't hungry, I shouldn't be either. If he was hungry, I was allowed to be. Now, if I am hungry, he accepts it. It's wonderful.

I was suggesting the Beans and such to add to your diet, not to replace. You had mentioned you are bored with only the pork. You can add in more protein with some beans and cheese (1 oz of cheddar has 7g of protein). Even Protein Bars. 3 TBSP of pinto beans would be 1 oz, that would be 3g of protein. 1 oz of pork tenderloin has about 7g. So, there certainly is not as much in the beans as the meat. But it could help you add some variety. But of course, follow your surgeon's orders. Hope it works out for you soon!

I've not been to that thread, I don't have shoulder pain that I think is band related, so haven't felt the need to seek it out. All my joint pains are unrelated to my band. I can only comment on the immediate post-op gas related shoulder pain. It went away as it dissipated. As you have read, there are many banded folks who have left sided pain in the shouler months after surgery that aren't associated with the gas used during the surgery. I don't think the medical community understands all of the possible reactions of the body to the band or any procedure. You may or may not have this pain. You may or may not get stuck often. You may or may not be able to eat bread. You may or may not be able to eat chicken, or steak, or shrimp. I sometimes get pain above my port. It doesn't seem to have an pattern to it. I have no idea if it is scar tissue or gas pain, or my pouch grinding something I have eaten. I just know that sometimes it hurts, sometimes it doesn't. Is there a risk you will get this shoulder pain? Yes. Is there a chance that your doctors won't be able to explain it to you? Yes. Ever since I was horribly sick last April, my blood pressure has been very low. It also drops unexpectedly--had done it a few times befor I got sick. Doctors cannot tell me why. They cannot tell me if the drops are band or weight loss related. My primary doctor thought that as I recovered from the illness that my daily pressure would return to normal, but it is still abnormally low. I have no idea if my pressure is related to my band. I don't think my decision to be banded would have changed had I known this pressure problem was coming, either. And your first post asked about who had shoulder pain and it went away. I had the post-op gas shoulder pain and it went away during my first week post-op. Thus my response. Humming Bird's pain has not gone away.

This may sound like an old story, but are you cutting your Protein into very small pieces? Like pencil eraser size? When I do that I can eat a wider variety of meats. The only meat I have constant trouble with i poultry breast. Dark meat is fine, beef is fine. Even if I chew it well, a big bite can give me problems. I also add in protein with string cheese and beans/lentils. Finding the sweet spot can be a challenge. I was overfilled ones. I could not eat without pain, but was HUNGRY. Getting a slight unfill allowed me to eat more, but I was less hungry. So I actually ate less in total.

Mine was outpatient. I could have stayed overnight on my authorization. I think up to 23 hours before it became inpatient. On my insurance my co-pays would have been different for inpatient vs. outpatient. But if I'd have had a problem, I have no doubt my surgeon could have admitted me to the inpatient floor. I was originally planning to spend the night, but as I was the second case of the day and I'd had no problems my surgeon discharged me around 5 p.m. the evening of my surgery.

Howdy. Only you can make the decision for yourself. But for me, the band has done just what you are talking about. It has taken away the obsession with food. Yes, I still fight the desire to eat the junk, and it still tastes just as yummy. But with my physical appetite under control, it is a battle on only one front. It is much easier to fight and win that way. In my band life, I do not weigh and measure my food. I do not count calories. I do not obsess over a poor choice from time to time. I could lose weight in the past, but when I got sick of the obsession it took to keep it up, the weight came back. Maintaining a loss? Yeah, THAT never happened, unless the obsession continued. My weight has been stable now since around last April when I lost a few more pounds. But basically I've been wearing the same size pants for over a year. I am not talking about elastic waisted pants, but real slacks and jeans. I am actually wearing clothing out now. THAT had never happened to me before. As to the foreign object? Yes, I am concerned about it. But I see my surgeon annually (just had an upper GI--all is well) and my primary care doctor follows me as well. He checks my bloodwork including Vitamin levels. If the band causes me problems, I'll deal with it if it happens. For me, it was a better choice than the malabsorptive issues of bypass, the only other option when I made my decision. Best wishes to you!

The pain caused by the gas used during the surgery does go away within a few days as the gas dissipates. I've never heard the swing your arms suggestion, but movement helps with the pain and with dissipating the gas. I believe this to be a common even in abdominal laparoscopic procedures of many types, not just banding. As Humming Bird said, this pain is just below the left clavical--not truly in the shoulder joint.

Hi Everybody!!! Sorry I've been MIA for a couple of days...whew! Christie!! CONGRATS!!! So happy for you. Melody, so pleased you are finding what works for you, yippee! Stacie, hang in there! Leigha, you are in my thoughts. Me? Well, work sux--like my job, fighting with another department, boo. My computer here at home has had power cord issues. Borrowing my cord from work. A new one is on the way. :rolleyes2: I might lose another molar tomorrow, upper one on the other side (I WILL lose it, just not sure if it will happen tomorrow or in a week or so). CRUUUDDDD!!! (HB, I've been a good girl since the last issue, flossing and brushing...promise! Too little, too late...wah) As to my weight? Holding steady. Had soy sauce on Sunday, got on the scale Monday night with jammies and a hoodie on. Should NOT have done that...OY! Made several trips to the toilet today getting rid of the water weight...yay! Tomorrow is a holiday (read day off for me!), thank you all you veterans for your service!

Hi Dune, I cannot say that I chug 1.5 liters in a hurry. And I guess it is a matter of one's own definition of chugging. I can drink a .75 liter bottle of water easily without stopping. I could probably do more, I've just never put it to the test since banding. I always have water nearby for continual drinking throughout the day, but do not feel the urge to drink as you do. For me, my band is not so tight that it restricts liquid from passing through. You should also read around the forum about how many people's bands are tighter in the morning, and they just don't feel like they can consume anything first thing in the morning. This is fairly common among bandsters. If not being able to drink your water in the morning is a deal breaker, reconsider your options. I don't say this to be mean, but the three major WLS procedures these days are restrictive in nature-creating a smaller stomach. Do research bypass and sleeve to see if they allow for free consumption of liquids.

I can drink water as quickly as I ever could. Immediately after surgery I was told about 1 oz. every 15 minutes. But after I returned to a full diet, I've had no problems, except for drinking too close to a meal. If I chug then, it will all come back up. Each individual is different how they react. You'll need to decide if being healthier via the band is worth the risk of only being able to drink water and not chug it. It might be a trade-off you need to make. It might not be.

GEHA brochure also states that you must get precertification. The doctors will be checking that you can withstand the surgery medically. Your surgeon may have a battery of test he wants performed to be certain of your exact health status before proceeding. So, even though you may meet the criteria stated in your plan, you still need a surgeon who agrees that the surgery will benefit you and that you are a good candidate for it. That said, if the surgeon is willing, the hospital is well qualified (or however it was worded), and the insurance turns you down...you file an appeal and fight it. It is a procedure they cover, your doctor says you need it and that it will benefit you. This forum has lots of information on appeals. I had to file and won. My medical group turned down my primary care doctor's referral to see the surgeon due to the 6 month supervised diet requirement. I gave them weight watchers records, journal records, and some other information from years gone by to show that another 6 months would make no difference. I won it. Best wishes to you!

Christie! You are a hottie with a naughty body! Woohoo! Even with my loss my calves are too big for boots. I blame it on genetics, thanks Mom! Bobbie! Welcome back! The gain must feel devastating, but you are back with medical care now, keep focused on that.

I blame it on getting older, as I have no kids. But I balme hubby from time to time, also!

I don't think you heard wrong. My nutrition class had both band and bypass people and was very generic. They said during the immeidate post-op phase I was to sip sip sip and take in about an ounce over a 15 minute period. They didn't want us stressing our stomachs in any way, and they wanted to be sure we were hydrated. As to the small bites, it was hard for me to practice. Without restriction, there were no consequences. Once I had restriction and started feeling that stuck feeling with bites that were too big, I learned quickly to take small bites and chew well. It only took a few episodes of pain for me to learn. :frown:

It depends on your Body Mass Index which is a calculation based on height and weight, not just your weight. Do can do a search for BMI Calculator to find it. Insurance requirments vary. When I had my surgery it was BMI 40 and over with no co-morbidities or BMI 35-39 with 2 co-morbidites. Now it is 35-39 with 1. If you want insurance to pay for it, you need to find out what their requirments are. If self-pay, it will be up to your surgeon to determine if you medically qualify for the band. Allergan, one band maufacturer, is studying the use of the band on BMIs as low as 30.

I am here! I've been so flippin' busy at work, my head is spinning! Stacie, will your insurance pay for the removal of your band since you are having problems? Then see if your surgeon will revise at the same time and you pay a revision fee? I saw on the Thinner Times forum where someone did this and the surgeon charged about $1100.00 to go from band to RNY while using the insurance paid for OR services. Melody, have you had blood work done recently? Maybe get your metablosim checked out. Take your food journal with you. So here's my work woes..if you dare to read In order for the government to let a contract for a service our logisitics department has to enter a Procurement Request into a specialized program. From there, another logistics person awards the contract and creates a Purchase Order. Seems pretty straight forward, right? My unit has about 60 of these contracts. The people putting them into the system keep making mistakes on them, so they have been re-done about 4 times each, sometimes more. I keep checking them over and sending them back. They come back through with the same errors, or something different. It's been very frustrating. I have killed so many trees this week :hi: Such a joy it has been.

I've also heard that if I lose more I will look sick! I mean, come on peeps, I am at the high end of a normal BMI. My weight has been stable since April or so. I am sill hearing it, and people are still asking if I am losing more. Nope, been wearing this size clothes for nearly a year and a half. The last 5-10 pounds came off over a year. I figure they are either looking for a conversations starter or perhaps my face is continuing to change. The looking sick comments - I figure that they are so used to seeing my face fat that now that it is normal they think it looks too thin. It did deflate like a balloon! :thumbup:

As to post-op care when self-pay. If you do not have coverage for the surgery, the insurance company likely will not pay for adjustments. If you have a complication, the insurance company should pay for that. I am not sure how much of a fight you would have on your hands as to where they would draw the line as to what is a complication or not. However, if money for after-care is a big issue, here is some food for thought: While most fills happen in the first year post-op, and many doctors include a year of fills in their surgery price, you might have to pay for more fills after the first year. If you went with a gastric bypass or sleeve you would not have those expenses.

The first person to notice for me commented at about 20 pounds. I was at a fairly low starting BMI. Of all people, it was the UPS driver at work that I see once a week. Are you still wearing the same clothes? I think that can play a part. Also, people just don't notice stuff like that in many instances. I have been guilty of it myself. But when I started wearing new clothes that are form fitting lost of people started commenting. Or if these are people you see every day, the changes can be so gradual as to be not noticed. My hubby could never tell I was changing. Until one day, it just caught him by surprise, and he said, "wow! Look at you!" Then there are the people who may notice but are afraid to comment--"are you losing weight?" "No, fat as ever." Akward silence.... Or, "Are you losing weight?" "Yes, going through Chemo."

Oh Oh! I have a story! I do I do! We recently had a new driveway poured. The concrete guy was in my age group, and a rough and tumble sort. Very nice though. I came home from work as he was finishing up. He and DH were having a beer (DH has a high school friend who was in the concrete business so they know some of the same people), so I got introduced and chatted for a bit. DH told me that after I left the guys said, "dude, how did and old guy like you do that? You have a HOT wife!" At 47, it isn't often I get called hot. :thumbup:

My eyes are going weird on me. I read Under Armour as "I almost always Up my Armour" as in up my Armour (brand) thyroid medicine to feel warmer. DOH! :thumbup: Back when my thyroid troubles first began, I was always freezing, even with my layer of insulation. I was on thyroid meds to suppress my thyroid from working. Levels were normal. At my highest weight I was cold. DH and I had arguments about the temperature in the car. I'd be bundled up as much as I could be (sweatshirts, jackets, and sometimes gloves), he'd be in shorts and t-shirts. I'd be freezing and he'd be warm. It was an argument with no resolution. After I had the radiation treatment to kill off my thyriod and was put on replacement doses, I was nice and toasty warm. Then since the weight loss, my thyroid levels dropped (not sure there is a weight-loss correlation to the drop in hormone level), and I was cold again. We upped the dosage, but I am still cold! This leads my endocrinologist to believe it is the weight loss causing the cold intolerance.

Nice! :wink2: You can always come here for support! Not everyone understands what we go through. Sometimes it isn't meant to be mean, people just don't think. Sorry you had to go through that.

Yes, I am a popsicle. I used to be happy with my office thermostat at 68. Now I am freezing with it at 74. My office mate was happy at 68, so we have compromised. We set it at 71 and I bundle up and have a radiant heat foot rest. I had radio-iodine treatment on my thyroid long before my surgery. My levoxyl dosage was stable. My endocrinologist recently bumped up my dosage even though my levels were within normal range hoping to help me feel warmer. It has helped somewhat, but he suspects the weight loss is the culprit not my thyroid.