Cocoabean

Armour is short acting, at least the t4 part. That is why there is twice daily dosing. So you really don't have any fall back if you miss a dose. But if you were put on it due to conversion issues, then that is what you need. Or levoxyl and cytomel. But ti would be the same idea of NOT being able to miss a dose or three. In medicine, there is no one size fits all. Do they know why your TSH went that crazy? If it were me, I would want to know that before proceeding with surgery. If the cause is something that needs intensive treatment, that should be handled first. WLS can wait. Or, do you already know why you are Hypo, and you were non-compliant with your meds? For example, I had radiation on my thyroid, it no longer functions. If I stop taking my levoxyl, my pituitary will start screaming for thyroid hormones..the TSH goes up. And up, And UP. I don't know how long it would take to reach 96, that is pretty extreme. But if mine were that high, I would KNOW the cause if I were not taking my meds. I would want to be assured by my PCP or endocrinologist that I was OK for this surgery with my TSH that high. Did they do a full thyroid panel? It could be that the TSH is wonky, but your ACTUAL thyroid levels in your blood are normal.

For many of us it takes a couple of weeks for a fill to take full effect. Odd but true. For me, this last one took a few months. I am having a slight unfill soon. After my fill in September, I got very tight in February. It's loosened up a bit since then, but still too tight. Go Figure.

Humor doesn't always come across the boards. Throughout my banded process the only "diets" i've been on were the pre-op and the pos-op. They were horrible to get through. Otherwise I eat whatever I want in moderation unless my band won't allow it. Pre-op, you are a asked to drastically change your eating habits without the help of the band. But our surgeons ask us to do so for a reason. On another board a lady who was having RNY had her liver split in two during her surgery, it was so damaged and brittle from all the fat. Her medical condition going in was very poor. My surgeon said he could tell I followed my pre-op diet well, because my liver was small and very easy to move around. Our surgeons are operating on us to help us get healthier. The pre-op diet is a time limited event in our lives. Why not do everything you can to make the surgery as safe as possible for yourself? I recently had a complication from a non-related band procedure. It was a simple thing. In-and-out. Miss a day of work. Back on your feet the next day. I ended up with a blood infection (Sepsis) that has a 30% mortality rate. I was in the ER twice, had a fever of 103.8, and missed 3 weeks of work. What could have been done to avoid it? I don't know. But, not cheating on your pre-op can help to limit liver complications. ANYTHING you can do to limit complications is a good thing!

Yes, the slime is mucous your body creates in an attempt to help the stuck food go down. Since the stoma is blocked it cannot go into your stomach, it must come up. It sounds as though you are a bit too tight.

I would stick with the armour. It is a T3 T4 combo pill and better suited if you have trouble converting t3 to t4 on your own, They can pump t3 (levythyroxine) into you all day long, but if your body cannot convert it to t4, then you are sunk. Downfall of strictly t4 meds is they are short acting. So you have to have frequent dosing.

I didn't take them at first, either. I ended up deficient in Vitamin D, B12 and have been anemic since before my surgery. It is important to work on the habit now, while you are still eating a larger amount of nutrients. I don't think you really want to end up deficient. Lack of B12 can cause permanent neurological problems. I was fortunate my PCP checks my vitamin levels at least annually.

You are only putting yourself at risk. The pre-op diet is meant to clear your liver of fat to make the surgery safer for you. By clearing the liver, it is smaller and easier to maneuver around. The instruments they use to hold onto it don't slip off as easily, because the outer coating of fat is also gone. Keep your focus on your upcoming surgery. You can do this.

I would think they'd want that # more normal before proceeding. That makes you extremely hypothyroid. If the cause is known, then treatment and re-running the test is good. Sorry you have to wait to find out the results. You cannot see them on-line?

Sometimes, you just have to laugh and deal with it! Yesterday my approval letter to see my surgeon arrived. Didn't get a chance to call for an appointment today. Will do that next week for sure. Had the tightness been more severe and I had not gotten so sick, I would have been calling and pushing to be seen. It is VERY important to keep your fill level where it should be. Being too tight is never a good thing. And yes, bands to have minds of their own. My is named Bandit as he steals meals from me sometimes. The dirty rat.

Hi JennyBee! My last fill was in Sept of last year. Not sure of the total in my band, somewhere around 6.75 in a 10cc band...could be a bit more or less. I've lost track. My doc has the exact figure. In Feb I got very tight. After 3 weeks I called my surgeon for an appt. Insurance being what it is, they had to get prior approval. It sat on someone's desk and got forgotten. Things loosened up a couple weeks later, but I let the request stay in place. Few weeks later I got very sick. Didn't eat for a week, lost 10 lbs (only good thing to come out of it!). Missed 3 weeks of work. ER twice. Band got tight again, as it will do when I am sick. This illness was in no way related to my band. So, I called surgeon again, oh, still waiting for approval. Call insurance, it's up to your medical group. UGH! Finally got approval for the Upper GI my surgeon always runs before a fill/unfill this far out. Had that last week, it shows that food is not moving through as it should. BUT, insurance co. sent a letter denying a visit to surgeon pending more info from primary care doc. NICE. So, short story long...as I love to do Had a fill, it was fine, then got tight a few months later, now need a teensie bit out, because I am getting stuck a couple times a week, and I don't like that one bit. I don't like only eating yogurt and smoothies. Some days I can eat just fine, but it is too fine a line right now that will put me over into the stuck zone.

Stir fried tofu can be an issue if the outside is very crisp. You'll do better with it if you cut it into smaller pieces. Sometimes it doesn't chew easily and can be difficult to cut up with a fork or chop sticks (usually the only flatware served with tofu dishes I have..in Asia, Vegetarian restaurants).

It sounds a whole lot like a slipped band, but odd that the swallow didn't show it. Perhaps the unfill triggered a full on slip somehow if something has changed more since then? If it were me, I'd be going back and wanting more answers or a revision to another procedure. Do you have one of the older 4cc bands?

The minimum I've generally seen is two weeks, but give them a call. Being an experienced bandster might make a difference.

Glad you are feeling better!!

Way to go!!! Great feeling, isn't it?

Having a slight unfill is not defeat, it is just part of the banded process. It also isn't the end of fils. You'll most likely be able to go back for another fill after things calm down and you've lost a bit of weight. I am heading in for a slight unfill soon myself. Just as soon as my insurance approves the visit.

You've been banded 3 years. It hasn't worked. The band doesn't work for everyone. Don't be afraid to go to your surgeon. Before you go, journal you food, every bite and sip for two weeks. That will give your surgeon information about your caloric intake. You might need the malabsorption of bypass. Bypass often cures diabetes. It has a strong effect on metabolic systems. You do have to be committed to changing your eating habits and following the guidelines. People who have bypass that do not work hard on their new eating habits can easily regain after a couple of years. Personally, if I were having troubles with my band, I'd not hesitate to revise to another procedure...I'd work with my surgeon to decide what was the best way to go.

Approval times are all over the calendar, and it depends on what you mean. Each insurance company has a list of requirements (tests) they insist upon. Call yours or look online to find out what you have to do. They also have their own rules for how long you have to have been obese (some require proof of obesity for each of the past 5 years some require none), if you have to have been on a supervised diet for a certain period of time, like 3-6 months. Once your surgeon submits the request to the insurance company for surgery, I believe most states allow up to 30 days to respond. It took me about 2 months to complete the testing, then I had a problem with getting the psychologist to write the letter saying I was fit for surgery. That took another 2 months. After I sat on his stoop and got the letter, my surgeon submitted the request just before Thanksgiving. With all the holidays involved, it took until mid-January before I got the approval.

The saline is in the band immediately. It can take a couple of weeks for the fill to take effect for some reason. I had a fill where they pulled out all the fluid and put it back to check the amount. I could feel the bladder contract and then expand again as the syringe plunger was maneuvered. Odd sensation.

You say Protein makes you gag. What do you mean by that? Is it getting stuck? If so, you might actually be too tight. Protein is what will keep you satisfied. It should be your priority. If you cannot eat 3 oz of solid protein at a meal, you could be too tight. I lost very slowly, too. But time goes by regardless. Work on good habits, the rest will follow. Many of us are hungrier at night. It just seems to be the way of the band. Ask your nutritionist if you can plan your day to allow for a small meal in the evening. I know many surgeons say 3 meals a day and no Snacks, but I feel if 4 meals a day works better for you and gives you more control, so be it. My surgeon is ok with eating between meals if I am truly hungry and the food is planned out.

I don't think the distance is too, too far. But, how far away is your surgeon if there is a problem the next day? My surgeon's office is further than the hospital for me. The hospital is about 20 minutes, his office is about 40. If there is a problem after you are discharged, you'll most likely go to the office unless it is a severe issue.

Ditto what elcee said. I always have a huge learning curve after a fill. Each fill brings new eating rules. Experiment with sizes of bites and amount of chewing. If you are too limited, you might need a bit of Fluid removed. Keep us posted!

Time passes no matter what you do. Why not continue on? In 4 months you will either be done with the 6 month requirement or you will be 4 months older wondering if you should have finished it, and no where closer to being banded or healthier.

I feel that often we ask for our bands to be too tight in the hopes of speeding up weight loss, it doesn't work and invariably leads to problems (my layperson opinion only). It would be interesting if we could all do a barium coated meal. We might be on our way to finding the perfect fill level. Today I am having an Upper GI with a barium coated sandwich. My second, as I feel I am a little too tight, and like your client, I am unwilling to take bites that small and wait that long between as to not get stuck. Even with my best efforts, I am getting stuck once or twice a week, too often in my book. My weight is at a normal BMI and my bloodwork is all good. I do not need my band this tight. As I am 4.5 years out, my surgeon always runs an Upper GI before and adjustment to be sure all is well. I will work with my surgeon as to how much to take out. My last fill was .25cc. I think maybe .1cc will be a perfect amount to remove.