MacMadame

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Insurance companies tend to count the following sorts of things as co-morbidities: high blood pressure, Type 2 Diabetes, high cholesterol, and sleep apnea. Things like joint problems, pain, arthritis, stress incontinence can help paint a picture of medical necessity but generally aren't considered co-morbidities. In fact, I had high blood pressure but it didn't count because it was controlled by medicine. How's that for a kick in the pants?! You need to check with your specific policy though. They all have their little subtleties.

You should probably ask this in the POST-OP Support thread: POST-Operation Lap-band Surgery Questions & Answers (NEW) - Lap Band Surgery and Lap Band Discussion Forum But I'd say, yes, it's normal to have an appetite until you get proper restriction.

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Welcome to LapBandTalk. Since you are 6-7 months out, I'd post in either General LB Surgery Discussion: General Lap-Band Surgery Discussion - Lap Band Surgery and Lap Band Discussion Forum or Lapband Complications: Lap-Band Complications - Lap Band Surgery and Lap Band Discussion Forum depending on what the issues are. There are other more special purpose boards as well, but those are a good starting place.

Someone in my support group did that and it's working very well for her. I would look for a surgeon that is experienced in revisions because doing a second WLS surgery on top of a new one is trickier than doing a virgin WLS surgery.

I mostly know people going to the Fremont, Richmond and South SF Kaisers. None of them had to have a BMI of 55 or above.

Is she going to chip in now and cover some of the costs? The thing is, people can't take advantage of you without your permission. They also aren't always going to pitch in and help without being asked. I have a *really* hard time asking for help. But sometimes you have to do it and sometimes it brings you closer to people. So I'm working on it and getting better at it.

Tongs are recommended for really high BMI people immediately after surgery because the incisions make it hard for them to stretch around to the back. It's not a DS thing though. The first time I read about using tongs was here on LBT.

I didn't have a band, but I had WLS and I was 51.

Congratulations on your approval. I had an exclusion thanks to my "wonderful" company.

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Welcome to LapBandTalk, Chris!

Swam 24 laps yesterday! I don't know how big the pool is though. They say it's Jr. Olympic size but Googles says that's not an official size. I love this gym I went to to check out. I'm trying to get the whole family to join but Mr. Mac is grumbling like crazy. It is expensive. But what's better? Going to a gym you like and spending extra money or joining one you hate, going a few times and then spending a few months worth of dues to not even go?

OH is the most negative WLS board I've ever been on. There are other WLS boards where people are much more respectful of others choices. It's not like "have other surgery types" = "disrespect and surgery wars". It's what the moderators allow and tolerate.

I had my surgery in SF. I paid cash. (Used my yearly bonus and my Health Care FSA to do it.) The Health Care FSA was like an interest free loan as I put in so much per month, but was able to take out the entire amount for the year only a few months into the year.

I understand it's about being used. But maybe asking them to contribute will turn that around. Some people won't offer ... they are happy to take advantage. But if you flat out ask, they will do what is right. It's like they have an attitude that it's okay to get away with things instead of doing the right thing.

Can the sister who is getting married help you out with gas money?

Welcome to LapBandTalk! Have you recently gotten your fill or has it been a while? Sometimes the fills loosen up, but if it's been more than a week or two and you can only eat in the evening, you may want to consider a slight unfill.

I really wanted to buy Skittles. I hate Skittles. I think they are like eating plastic. But they were out. Mini-Mac took over giving out trick or treat candy and obediently gave away handfuls and handfuls like I told her too. So Mr. Mac went and grabbed some and hid it. He really doesn't get it. He says he wants to be heathier but then he constantly does the opposite of what it takes to be healthy. Does he really need an entire bag of Reese's Cups and half a bag of Peppermint Patties? Why not just take a few pieces of each? Do it. They are all so tiresome. And repetitive.

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Welcome to LapBandTalk, Randy! Who is your surgeon?

Have your friends had WLS? Because to someone who hasn't, the amount of food we eat does seem small, especially if they are overweight themselves and used to eating huge portions. If you were continuing to lose, they might have a point, but you are maintaining, which means your total calories are about right. Now maybe you could be eating healthier -- going long times without food is bad for your blood sugar and insulin levels -- but you clearly aren't starving yourself at all, let alone to death if you are maintaining.

Send him to my house. I'll give him my last two bags.

I think if a surgery like RnY were truly reversible, that would be great. Because some people get that surgery and have health problem after health problem. Now technically it is reversible but that almost never happens. You have to be on death's door before it will even be considered. Plus sometimes the pylorus value atrophies and so you can never really go back to what you had before. But with a band, that doesn't really happen. Therefore, the only reason to take it out is that it malfunctions. So I'd rather just not put it in to begin with. With the sleeve, part of your stomach is removed permanently but your stomach is still fully functional so all those weird health problems like you can get with bypass don't happen so much. People can even live without their stomachs, if they have to. My aunt lost hers to stomach cancer, for example.