Wheetsin

I wasn't offended. I just thought that if you understood more about how the band worked, then some of the things that seemed to surprise you, wouldn't be surprises. I understand totally how someone, even someone with a band, could lose "only" 80 lbs. I was trying to help you make sense of it since you seemed so completely shocked by it. BTW, I'm not one of the lucky ones. I have a slipped band. It is a profuse slip with no realistic hope of correcting itself as a smaller slip might be able to. Because of that, I'm not a candidate for having another band placed. That's why I'm here. Don't get me wrong, I wasn't "defending" the band or cheerleading for it. I worked hard with my band. I wish it was luck, maybe I'd have lost more. It helped me lose a lot of weight, and I'm still glad I did it even though it has slipped. I don't see the band as a viable long term solution. I don't know many people who are as far out from their band surgery as I am, who still have their bands. The complication stats have changed significantly from when I was banded, and I don't want to think of what they will look like in another 5 or 6 years.

He could have said it in a different way, but I don't see anything there that's harassment. Technically it's true. Once upon a time I was a director, and our VP liked to tell our staff, "Do it, or your replacement will." I'm too direct of a person to be super super high on the tact charts, but when he would say that it was painful. As for making people happy -- do you have an option to work from home? As long as you could do your work from a couch in a bathrobe, you could probably return to duties a bit sooner. Is your work such that you can "work ahead" prior to taking the time off so that your absence wouldn't impact business? Would it be possible to push your surgery out until you get PTO? Do you have any company holidays coming up that you could use to your advantage to take up some of the recovery time?

That's horrible. Definitely do not be afraid or intimidated to be your own advocate and insist on agressive investigation into what's going on. WHen you say "sick" do you mean he is throwing up? Or do you mean something else? Sick can be a LOT of things... BTW, eating a small amount of Doritos won't cause your husband to "never get there" with his weightloss. It's a game of moderation. If he can eat them, and they keep him from getting sick, then long live (small amounts of) Doritos. Honestly, nothing is horrible in moderation.

Tip: Chipotle put into a blender somehow tastes nothing like Chipotle. Gah. I have a mild allergy to latex , but it takes prolonged contact - about 15 minutes iis usually enough. If they used latex dressing, it could be a latex allergy or sensitivity. You might want to request cloth tape or fabric bandages in the future. Do you get the same reaction with bandaids? FWIW, if I leave cloth/fabric bandages on longer than a day or so, I will get a sort of "melted skin" reaction. I've been told there's probably something in the actual adhesive that I react to, but it's only on certain parts of my body. My post-op bandages - forget it, I look like a leper. Had to use regular bandaids on my ear for 2 weeks - perfectly fine. My hamds, abdomen, and feet - so far - seem to be the only areas that are bothered by whatever it is in the adhesive.

I didn't mean to duplicate your post, I typed but then was pulled away before I could submit.

FMLA only covers employers with 50+ employees, who employed through 20+ work weeks during this or the last calendar year. And you as an employee have to meet certain criteria to be covered, it is not automatic for everyone. To be covered you must: 1. work for an employer subject to FMLA rules; 2 have worked for that employer for a total of 12 months; 3. have worked at least 1,250 hours over the previous 12 months; 4. work at a location in the United States or in any territory or possession of the United States where at least 50 employees are employed by the employer within 75 miles. If the employer & employee criteria are met, then you legally must be granted unpaid leave from work (for qualifiying situations, see more below) without penalty. A lot of people confuse FMLA with STD. Keep in mind FMLA does nothing to pay you, it basically just requires your job is still open to you when you return. There are also only certain situations that qualify for FMLA. People tend to generalize this too much and assume that uncovered situations are covered. Per the gov't:

Let's clarify that support is going to look more like "here are some things to help youi make a decision" and "whatever decision you make, we will do what we can to answer your questions and help." Support is not going to look like, "You should have the surgery." That's called affirmation, not support. In some ways I'm a similar story, and in others I am not at all. We are the same height, and I am considering VSG. But I had, and have, much more weight to lose than you. I currently have AGB and lost about 175 lbs since my surgery in 2006. I got pregnant in 2008 and gained back about 60. I have since been able to maintain, and even lose a few lbs here and there, but I still need to lose another 80 - 100 lbs. Keep in mind that BMI is not everything. Well, from an insurance perspective it is, but it is not a definitive measure of health nor body fat composition. I was really fat before I had my AGB but I did not have any comorbodities. I didn't want any, and that was one of my top 3 drivers -- keeping the health I had somehow maintained. Call it luck, but I should have had them. And I knew I would if I didn't change something. And I knew I could not change it on my own. I can lose weight well -- almost as well as I can put it right back on. Are you currently at the highest weight you've ever been? If I were in your shoes, assuming you're currently at your highest weight, I think I would err more on the side of "doing it myself." It sounds like you aren't "out of control" as a lot of WLS patients are. From what you've said, you are an emotional eater and a volume eater. That's a dangerous combination, but you aren't really obese -- so something's working right. I think you might have a different degree of luck with diet if you didn't diet so much as watched what you ate, and combined your weightloss effort with some therapy for the emotional side of your eating. How was your weightloss experience then? Was it a struggle? Did it eventually become "just how things are"? What did the eating do for you as you started to gain weight back? (You were eating for some cause... was it comfort? Control?) BTW, in your attached pic you look hippy, but not fat. I got into the low 200s just before I got pregnant, and stayed there most of my first trimester. Coming out of my first trimester I hit 241 (for some reason I very clearly remember that weigh in at the OBGYN). I did not look _anywhere_ near as great/normal/shapely/whatever you want to call it as you do. What size are you wearing? Because I'm also wondering if you're focusing too much on a scale number or BMI, and not enough on overall health and body composition. You, like me, are a big girl. We're taller than most guys, let alone girls. And don't even get me started on what happens when I wear heels. That's a large frame, and a lot of bone. Remember to take things like weight & BMI with a grain of salt. (Umm, I'm not trying to sound all "I'm not fat, I'm big-boned" but it IS part of your body mass). BTW, what I said above was me putting myself in your situation, not what I think you should do. Here are a few more thoughts to consider: 1. Many people with lower BMIs get WLS, though they likely have to pay for it on their own. 2. Look at revisions done here, or any other WLS board, and you'll likely see a good number of "normal" or "near normal" people getting another WLS. I know people having WLS who are below their goal, because they have 0 confidence in their ability to do it alone. 3. Most people who are significantly overweight, or have been overweight for a long period of time, fail at independent weightloss attempts. They have more success with a full spectrum approach (diet AND exercise AND therapy AND lifestyle modification AND...). Those who are successful usually succeed in migrating their food or eating addiction to another addiction. Is one more healthy than another?

Make sure you're eating very ripe bananas (mix of tellow and brown), and not underripe (slightly green) or barely ripe (mostly bright yellow). Underripe bananas are hard to digest & can slow things down. They are also pretty high in starch which can kinda... gum you up. Do VSGers have any restrictions on natural remedies, e.g. psyllium husks? Adding them to your diet is one of the best natural remedies to constipation. If you can't do psyllium husks, something like flax seed oil will usually help. A little sugar can help too - a teaspoon or two of honey in some warm tea, for example. And be sure to consider other causes of constipation: not enough Water, being too sedintary, medications, etc.

I have a Lap-Band (the actual Lap-Band, not the Realize band, or any others that may now be out). I have never heard of anyone having to "make themselves throw up" because they swallow air. Because the stoma from the esophagus is restricted, too much food, or too big of a bite, or not enough chewing can make the food unable to pass (same applies for Water that is swallowed too soon after eating, or anything during periods of extreme restriction, etc.) and when food - or whatever - is unable to pass, it comes back up. It is not "throwing up." There is no acid, no stomach contents, etc. It is saliva, which may or may not contain bits of whatever could not pass. Many people find they can just bend over and up it comes, others have to wretch as they would when they vomit. It is colloquially called "vomiting" but that's just not accurate. When AGBers need to bring food back up, it's usually fairly painful -- that is, the "before" as your body struggles to pass the food, not "after" of bringin up. To bypass this discomfort, or at least expedite it, some people will activate their gag reflex. This is specifically against most surgeons'/programs' advice - and compliance is a variable with any WLS. I would never balk at 80 lbs in 4 years, regardless of the procedure. Maybe 80 lbs was all she needed to lose? Maybe she lost some, then gained, and now is at -80? I don't know. But to answer your question, it can be: very easily. 1. The band requires adjusting to function. It is installed empty, and through a series of post-op visits is gradually filled (which tightens it). Until an adequate amount of fill is received, there is often no restriction, e.g. no change in how much you can eat and what foods you can tolerate. I was a rare case in that my band did give me a small amount of restriction from day one, and so any fill after that was bonus (but I only had a 10cm band). It's generally at least 2 weeks before you can get your first fill, and most surgeons recommend 2 - 4 weeks between subsequent fills. My band is relatively small, holding 4ccs. Some bands hold 11ccs or more. Many patients find it can take several months to reach the "sweet spot" where the band is actually able to do its job. It often requires frequent "tweaking" long term, to get things just right. And if there is a complication, restriction may be lost completely - at which point it's like not having a band. 2. Since AGB patients haven't excised any organs, they still have their stomach and can still "hold" large quantities of food. They can still over eat, as long as the food can get through the band. Ice cream, for example, is something that most people can tolerate even when they cannot tolerate solid foods or Soups (it seems to have something to do with the cold). As long as that ice cream can get past the band, you can eat your heart out -- all what, 15 - 18 cups that the stomach can hold? That is a different level of accountability than any oher WLS I'm familiar with. Many people who have AGB still want to "own" their weightloss, and see the band as "silicone will power" in its ability to help you feel full on relatively small quantities of food. They find that having the accountability of still having to make good decisions, limit portions, be diligent about post-op visits, etc. works very well for them. Others are dissatisifed and wish they had gone a more automatic route, and others don't have much choice. I lost 175 lbs with my band, most of which came off inside of 2 years. I know many people who have lost much more - and in far shorter time periods than 4 years. Most people with lower BMIs have significant success reaching or exceeding goal weight. So if 80 lbs was an unbelievably small weightloss for your nail salon acquaintance (as your reaction would imply), then her experience is likely outside the norm. I know what the AGB stats are, but without knowing more about her situation/experience it's hard to say where she falls in them. I'm glad you feel you made the right decision with your sleeve, and hope the above info, and understanding of how AGB works, may shed some light on the rationale behind some of the things your company expressed; and may help put your reaction to her losing "only 80 lbs" into perspective -- or at least context.

I had to pay my surgeon's copay up front. I was billed for my outpatient copay later on. I should clarify that I don't have an out of pocket minimum/maximum, just copays & premiums (open ***).

I told most people when I had my AGB. I didn't "advertise" it, but I told the people in my office (I worked a remote job then, so my team was in a different state/office than I was) who I knew, saw on a daily basis, ate lunch with, etc. My immediate family knew - my aunts/uncles may know now but I really have no idea. I've changed jobs since, and my immediate team at the current job knows. I'm glad I told them about the AGB. I once had a very bad stuck episode and couldn't pass my own saliva. My surgeon was about an hour away and there was no way I could drive myself (I was having to yak about every 3 - 5 mins, and it was all congested interstate driving to get there). Since my coworkers already knew, there was nothing awkward or revealing about asking one of then to drive me. My husband & parents know I'm considering the sleeve, and are encouraging. My parents were both banded after me, and at this point they would actually prefer the sleeve but their insurance won't cover it and they can't afford it OOP. I will not tell other family (well, I'll tell my DD when she's old enough to understand). I will probably not tell anyone at my current work. For one, it is not a supportive environment. For two, I don't have the same type of personal relationships with anyone here as I had at my last place (e.g. I don't eat lunch with anyone, there's no one I do anything with outside business hours, etc.) They DO know I have AGB, so I will either tell them that something has gone wrong with it and it needs to be corrected (not inaccurate), or that I am having hernia repair. It will depend on how much time my surgeon wants me to take off.

I've had two lap procedures (AGB + gallbladder removal). My scars aren't that noticeable - just the primary that was used for insertion & removal. Maybe it would be completely invisible if I had used Mederma. I tried it a while ago for a scar on my leg. It made no difference. From researching review sites, it seemed to get comparable results to petroleum jelly -- likely from its ability to keep the area "moist" (my dermatologist recommends keeping any scar type injury moist for the first two weeks to reduce scarring, but she recommends using an antibiotic cream so you get 2 in 1). http://www.scartreatmentassociation.com/#review

Wow, you have lost about 65 lbs in not quite 3 months?? That's really... fast - I'm gonna guess you're a male Chris. Please share a bit about your routine. What's your workout routine, eating habits, etc?

Before you can eat any foods... remember... liquid in, liquid out. I see a bunch of people freaked out over "diarrhea"

Protein shakes were my staple foods for about 2 years. Here are some of my favorites: chocolate Protein powder Chocolate soymilk 1tbl natural Peanut Butter 1 pump SF peanut butter syrup (Peanut Butter Cup) (Can also make with vanilla poweder for a white chocolate peanut butter cup) Chocolate protein powder SF Khalua syrup (about 1tbl) Milk Blend with ice (Mudslide) Vanilla protein powder 1 packet Splenda 1 C low sugar (pulp free) OJ 3 tsp instant vamilla pudding Blend with ice (Orange Julius) My Starbucks substitute (I'm a green tea latte girl) Vanilla protein powder 1 C fat free half-and-half 3 tbl matcha (Green tea latte) Vanilla protein powder 3 pumps SF caramel syrup 1 C fat free half-and-half 1/2 C Cappuccino 1/8 tsp salt Blend with ice (Salted caramel iced chocolate) Chocolate protein powder 2 tbl chocolated malted milk Chocolate soy milk or almond milk (Melted chocolate malt) I'll share a list from long ago, for more inspiration:

Of those listed, tomato soup probably has the highest chance of aggravating your stomach acids (tomatoes are very acidic). "Cream ofs" are usually prescribed because of their consistency, and sometimes because of the small bits on them (unless you've been told to strain them). On the cooking side, "Cream ofs" are soups with cream in them - about .5 C per 1 C base, but that's just a guideline. So technically any soup can be a "Cream of" soup. Thinned soups just means adding more liquid than called for, to Water them down (or milk them down, or whatever!) Does that help? I don't know if the VSG diet is any different, but on the AGB diet, when you could eat "cream of" soups, you could eat any soup with creamy consistency. Any soup + blender + water/milk = creamy consistency. If your tastes are more savory, try pureeing Campbell's Bean & Bacon soup, and strain out any pieces, and add some milk or water to thin. There are lots of "Cream of" canned varieties you haven't mentioned. Shrimp, asparagus, onion, broccoli, etc. Have you tried any of those? Can you not have yogurt? Usually with bariatrics, "thick liquids" is a stage, and would normally include things like cream soups and yogurts. There are non-sweet yogurts out there (plain, or plain with a bit of honey blended in are yummy). I loooove to cook, and soups are one of my favorite things to make. What tastes do you like? I might be able to help you with some recipes.

That may be the worst band complication I've heard of. It's absolutely in the top 3. Wow. I'm glad they caught it when they did, and were able to get it taken care of. I've heard of some pretty bad erosion stories, but nothing where the band slipping has led to organ necrosis. I don't hate my band, I still have it (I'm slipped) and did well with it. But I never saw it as a "forever" solution. I kinda get booed when I say this on LBT, but I personally have no confidence in it as a long-term solution. I've known/met a LOT of people with bands, not even counting the people I "know" online. Looking at those who are 5+ years out, I'd estimate 85% have either lost their bands, or need to (a few are having problems but refuse to seek care). Probably closer to 90% - 95% would have their bands out if aftercare were being used properly.) I just don't see it having long term viability. (Of course, then is when that 1 person of 400 views adds, "I'm 5 years out and have my band still -- well yeah, me too... and...? Come talk to me in 5 more years. ) My dad had his band removed last year. No one knows exactly what happened but my belief is that is placed pressure on his vagus nerve, and over time this progressed to gastroparesis, which lead to about 5 days in the hospital with constant - and I mean constant - vomitting. At some point during the vomitting his band slipped. Of course his surgeon says "we removed it because it was slipped" and forgets to mention the "...after 5 days of profound vomitting, and 2 years of us misdiagnosing a vagus nerve issue as too much fill."

Anyone I know from LBT? I'm a long time member & mod over there. I see a few names I recognize. I was just diagnosed today with a slipped band. I'm suspecting I"ve been slipped for about 2 years now, since that's about when my "weird" symptoms started which led to the eventual diagnosis. I presented very atypically compared to your typical case of slippage - even the symptoms I did have were inconsistent so it took a while for me to realize it wasn't just me doing something wrong, and for them to realize it wasn't just me doing something wrong. But "atypical" pretty much sums up my life with the band, so there's no surprise. I've been told it's a pretty significant slip with no real chance of repositioning itself. But since my only real complication (so far, at least that I know of) is occasional nighttime reflux on occasion, I've been given the option to keep the band in and ride it out (and possibly pursue fills again, if I can tolerate them). Since the band is not in the position it's supposed to be in, I'm dubious about what that would look like long term. I was also told that my scar tissue is likely too significant for a replacement band, and that my surgeon doesn't really like to reband in the case of "mysterious" slips due to the high number of secondary failures. He suggested I consider a revision to VSG, which I had already been considering. I always like to know my plan B ahead of time. After a handful of years, it's really weird to be on the newbie side of it, struggling to find answers to my questions. Different insurance company than I had under the band, different type of commitment. It's been a long time since I was at square 1 (ok, I'm pretty good about quantity, chewing, etc... so perhaps not quite 1...) I've been here once before but it was a while ago, when I first started suspecting I was the victim of a slip, so I thought I should say a fresh "hi" and orient myself a bit.

My DD is not quite 3 so no real reactions to my weightloss (AGB). She doesn't really get "fat" yet, she just knows the can't see mommy's belly button, and that mommy's tummy sits on her "pooter" (what she calls private part areas)... she'll be in the shower with me and I will lift my (horribly saggy after losing about 175 lbs) pannus and she'll point at me and go, "Oh there it is! I see your pooter mommy! Your tummy not sitting on it anymore!" (Oh boy...) With my AGB, and the sleeve I'm considering, I do worry about her seeing my small portions and selective food choices and taking them too much to heart. It has crossed my mind that seeing mommy not eating, or eating less food then she does, might be the seeds for a future eating disorder so I'm trying hard to talk to her about how "mommy's not always hungry" or "sometimes mommy's tummy doesn't like food much" and hopefully do everything I can to help her be well-rounded with a strong sense of self and good coping mechanisms. Obesity is a hard life and it will kill me to watch her go through it. But the same is true for any extreme end of the spectrum.

Before I was FAT fat, a guy once told me he really wanted to go out with me, but I was chunkier than his type. He said, "You're awesome, and I really want to get to know you better, I REALLY do...I have for a long time... if you lose 30 lbs." Euh? (I was wearing a 14 at the time... I'm just under 5'11. I have no recollection of what I weighed then, but I never considered myself too fat as a 14). I've gotten the "pretty face." I've gotten a few, "...if only you were built differently." I've had people see a picture that's obviously me, just me before I was fat, and say "THAT CAN'T BE YOU OMMIGOD THAT DOESN'T EVEN LOOK LIKE YOU YOU LOOK SO NORMAL THERE!!!" I'm pale, red hair, hazel eyes. When Titanic first came out - I can't tell you how many people would say, "OMMIGOD you look just like Kate Winslet except... [awkward silence, glancing over my body]...yeah..." (Except "fatter" clearly being the unspoken part). Except I look nothing like her so I'm not even sure where people were headed with that. Once, at an OBGYN consultation for birth control (I wasn't tolerating BCP and wanted to see what else was viable) with my husband, the nurse who weighed me escorted us back to the room, then looked at me & my husband, patted me on the arm, and said, "Good for you, you found a very handsome man who loves you for who you are and not what you look like." Ok...?

I had my first bariatric procedure in 2006 under UHC without a rider. It was in the primary coverage indicated by the policy. My surgery (AGB) was not the only covered procedure at the time, but I can't tell you if VSG was.

Hmm, for some reasom H-M-O is being filtered out. I know they're not the best, but come on! BTW, feel free to email or private message me if you'd rather keep this type of information off the public board. (I used to work for a huge insurance company, so I might be able to help)

Some surgeons apply consultation fees toward the cost of surgery, or will give you a credit for Protein supplements they sell in the office, or something like that. Do you know if yours does something similar? Requirements like sleep studies are often done if it's a specific requirement of your insurance, or if there's a requirement for comorbidities. I beliebe a few surgeons use them as their own requirements, as well. Do you know where the requirement for them is coming from? (FWIW, a co-worker of mine had a sleep study done in Feb and he paid for it out of pocket (it was less than his deductible) - his cost was $2300). If not, find out. That will help you figure out what's going on with billing. The apparent uninvolvement of your insurance company is a little off. Some of these questions may be a bit basic - please don't take it personally. I'm not assuming you don't know how your insurance works, but rather picking up on frequent points of confusion. Are you sure you're getting a bill, and not a claim summary? So may people make this mistake that it's worth asking. Do you have an ***, PPO, open ***...? Of the following, which are part of your plan? (Probably more than one): deductible, coinsurance, out-of-pocket maximum, copay? (This might help understand the billing you're seeing)

You know - good question. There are two generally accepted causes to that feeling (I watched a show in building roller coasters the other day, so this is actually fresh in my mind). Neither of them are related to the stomach directly, so in theory you should have the same sensations. (One of the causes has to do with a physiological response to g-forces, and the other has to do with a fight/flight reaction that changes bloodflow to the stomach). I always thought it was just our stomach juices getting sloshed around. I don't know enough about physics nor Fluid dynamics to know if this is a third possibility, but it sounded right when I was 12!

I would call and ask them when the phone calls were implemented as requirements for the procedure. It probably won't matter that much since requirements are usually defined by what's in place on your date of approval (I've _heard_ of companies that enforce requirements based on dates of procedure, but have never encountered it, and I'm not completely sure it would be legal), and you aren't approved yet. But if it is a change since they relayed you the initial requirements, which did not include the phone calls, then you at least have grounds to file an appeal (sounds like you already have a few, but more will only help). Are the phone calls listed in your SPD as a requirement? That, too, will help. "Someone on the phone told me..." isn't going to hold much Water IF the requirements ARE in the SPD, but if they aren't -- there you go. (Used to work in the insurance industry - insurance companies really aren't the evil most people think they are. You just need to have the right data.)