JoannMarie

It can be so frustrating to work with the billing people AND the insurance people. The trick is finding someone who cares whether your problem is solved or not... I hope you find your sweet spot soon - it will save a lot of frustration for you.

Sue in NE - you are doing so well. 29 pounds! That is really great - you are off to a good start. Glad your insurance problems have been resolved. I had my second fill today and can tell a big difference tonight. Very satisfied with about a cup total of food, and I could eat a small amount of lettuce in a salad without having problems as some folks do. I hope this fill gives me a jump start - by my scale I lost 5 pounds in January 3 of that in the first week. I will take that and smile - but I would like to do better than that this month. 2BBanded - I am glad you finally got your date back! It's only a couple of weeks away and that time will really go fast. Best of luck to you - keep us posted.

Hi Marilyn, That's exactly what I am doing - measuring my portions. I really try to stay with that, but restriction is not great after my first fill, and I've gone over a couple of times. I'm also trying to log my food, but that gets really frustrating at times. Dr said to keep my intake at 1/2 to 1 cup per meal. I may be a little over that some meals, but mostly sticking with it. It's me, though, not the band - yet. That's okay - I know it's going to have to be me doing 75% of the work anyway. I have my 2nd fill this Friday and hope I have a bit more help from the band. I started my exercise CD last week and doing well with that. It is a Wii game called My Fitness Coach and I like it a lot. I plan to get the Wii Fit also, but the Fitness Coach was just the cost of the game and available. Wii Fit is hard to find and more expensive. I do think it will be worth the cost, though, as it has a lot of activities available. Fitness Coach is a workout program that is tailored to your own fitness level as far as time and intensity is concerned. I plan to do both programs, as they are different in the exercises available. I hope you continue to do well.

Indio - I love it. What a great letter. The next time I feel the urge to cave in - I will think of the song "Baby, Come Back" - AND I WON'T! Thanks for that funny - and very inspiring - reminder that we all need to hear.

Hi Clempier, I try to keep busy - go for a walk if weather permits, which can be an issue this time of year. Read a book or magazine. Give yourself a manicure. Call a friend on the phone. Go shopping (can be hazardous to your checkbook). I have several hobbies that involve handwork - knitting, crocheting, quilting. Those hobbies help a lot because you are keeping your hands busy and if you are knitting or sewing you are not eating. We have a new grandson due in April and he has an knitted baby afghan and several knitted hats (so far). Fabric for his quilt is on the work table ready to be cut and sewn. His big brother received a couple of knitted hats recently, and will have a new hooded sweater soon. I always have a scarf on needles - just in case I am between projects and need something to pick up and knit. (Wow - I must have a lot of cravings!!) Go to LBTalk when you have a craving. You will not only forget the craving, you will receive a lot of support and answers to questions. Draw, paint, write, make jewelry - in other words do something creative. If you don't have any hobbies like that, go take a class or find someone who knits or quilts and ask them to teach you. Knitting is not hard to learn, equipment does not have to be expensive, and yarn does not have to cost a lot either (although it can...). There are just a couple of basic stitches and you can eventually do any pattern with those stitches as you gain experience and want to try something new. In other words - get your mind (and hands) off the craving and busy with something else. I allow myself a snack in the evening because that's when I like to snack - sugar free pudding, sf fudgecicle, etc. But most evenings I get busy with something else and forget all about it. It's been working for me. Always plan your Snacks in your daily allotment of food/calories. Whatever "evil" you think you will crave the most, find a sugar free and low fat substitute to use as a snack at the time you will most crave it. Stick with your plan, using the above techniques to help you stick with it. Best of all and most effective - pray about it. p.s. I am so glad you are enjoying the book. I sure found it helpful.

WOW! $4000 for a fill??? Ddem, you would be ahead of the game if you flew to somewhere outside your area for fills and threw a little vacation in at the same time! That is only $1000 less than my surgeon charged for my SURGERY! I'm not sure what she charges for fills, as my ins is paying for them and I have not received the paperwork yet, but I think it is in the $200-$250 range. That is a lot of money for 15 minutes of time and the expertise of sticking a needle in a port.

Hope, so glad you are feeling better. You probably won't need those pain meds very long, but they sure help when you need them.

Long - I am so glad you posted those pictures. You look great, girlfriend! No wonder that hubby of yours is up at 4:00am to Celebrate with you! I know from the stories you have shared with us that he has always seen your beauty, but he must be absolutely overjoyed to see you blossom into this wonderfully confident woman right before his very eyes! Congratulations on your amazing success. You are truly changing your life and I am so happy for you. I have also decided to save at least one pair of those pre-band jeans!

Well, I'm still pretty new at all this - banded in early December - but I am finding in these few weeks that I, too, will go a week or more without a loss or a very small one --- and then drop 3-4 pounds. That has been my pattern in the past, though, so I am not surprised. In the past, though, I would be tempted to give it all up during one of those dry spells. Not anymore. I believe it is really important to keep up with fills if you are still having "real" hunger issues. As far as "head" hunger is concerned, that's a battle we will probably always be fighting to some degree. I am looking forward to my second fill next Friday and hope I will feel a little more restriction this time. I know it can take a few... Please take a look back, though. If you have lost almost 30 pounds in 3 months, you really are doing well. I don't think I have ever done that on any diet... You are going to have your band for a loooong time - it will be there to help you along. Don't be discouraged...

Sharon - I can pretty much guarantee you are not the only person who has gone through these situations! We all have our stories and they sound surprisingly similar. I am so glad I am not dealing with a work environment during this time. My heart goes out to all who are - I can certainly understand how difficult that is having been there myself not so long ago and on many previous diets. I am home most of the time, manage to stay busy with quilting and it does feel good to be back in my studio working again. I find myself watching the clock some days - wondering if it's time to fix lunch, etc. Most of those times I'm not even hungry yet, but a lifetime of eating at prescribed times does that to you. I can eat way more than I should be able to. Next fill is on Feb 6 - just a week away. So far I am able to be satisfied on about a cup per meal, but it is mostly me and a little bit of the band. We had dinner guests Sunday, and I ate more than I should have been able to (which tells me it is mostly me and not the band doing most of the work). I also ate more carbs than I normally allow myself. I realize that will happen from time to time, but 3 lbs of water weight was the result. The water weight is gone now, but I wonder if the scale will show any actual loss when I weigh in officially tomorrow (official day is Friday). I am looking forward to this next fill. I would like to feel the band is contributing a little more effort toward this project! Love it anyway! I could never be satisfied on one cup of food without knowing it is there and helping as much as it is able to right now...

Daisy - I got a kick out of your comment about drinking water without ice. DD dumped the ice a long time ago when she was working in a restaurant - She did not like the fact that some of the workers handled the ice with bare hands. She always orders water w/o ice and gets funny looks...

By all means, Hope - call your doctor about the pain. However, it sounds like the port area and could be associated with the attachment of the port to the muscle tissue. My band is the Realize band, and the port attaches with metal "clips" - at least that is how it was described to me. It took a while to heal in place and bothered me for several weeks with diminishing pain. I also felt like I had to support that area because of a pulling sensation. I can still feel it if I bend over just so or lean over a table, etc. No matter how the port is attached, it seems to cause pain for just about everybody during the first weeks. Hopefully that is what is causing your pain. It's easier to deal with if you know what it is and that it will heal and go away... God Bless!

YAY!!! IT'S TIME FOR THE HAPPY DANCE! Congratulations, Lori - we are all proud of you, happy for you - and picturing our own futures! You ARE the WOMAN!!

Hope09 - I hope you have had a successful surgery and will be back to visit with us soon. Take your pain meds if you need them, walk as much as you can, sip Water and follow doctor's orders. God Bless!

Sharons, my doc's advice was that the rule about drinking before and after eating would not begin until the mushie stage. If all you are ingesting is liquid, it's okay to drink water in a normal manner. Once you go on mushies, then you limit the water intake during and after eating. She did not have an opinion about drinking right BEFORE a meal - only during and after (60-90 minutes). I'm glad, cause I like my coffee first thing in the morning!

I'm not much help either, but is it possible you have picked up a flu bug? I don't know why you would have nausea at this point after surgery... Anyone else?

Hey Long - I'll be to hear a loud scream when you reach 100!!! I hope you know we are all waiting with you and cheering you on!

Hi Apple, It's good you are getting back to the basics. I am new to all this, just banded on Dec 4, so I probably don't have a lot of seasoned advice, but I will certainly pray for you - that you are successful in getting back on track with food and exercise. I noticed you have a ticker about Water aerobics. I think water aerobics is great, but maybe just for something new you could try adding a different exercise. The elliptical trainer or recumbant bike (or both) might give your body a little jolt of something extra. Think about adding a new exercise element to your routine without giving up your water aerobics. Just a thought. Also, there is a mentoring section on LBTalk. I go to a thread started by IndioGirl - I'm here to help... She is a great motivator, successful bandster who is great at helping the rest of us achieve our goals. Read some of the posts and just jump in - you will find a lot of support from the friends there. God Bless!

Hi Vickie, I had my first fill on Jan 9 - after checking to see how I was feeling my surgeon deadened the area of the port and all I felt was some poking and prodding as she manipulated the port to find the right spot. It absolutely did not hurt and was over in just a few minutes. She had me drink some water which went down okay, told me to have mushies the rest of the day and take it easy the next day - patted me on the back and was out the door. My restriction is pretty good, I have had no trouble with any foods and I'm able to stop eating when I am just satisfied, with no hunger between meals. My next visit is early Feb and she is planning another fill then depending on how I am doing. So far so good. I stay away from sugars most of the time - has never been a huge temptation for me, thank goodness, but I notice if I have sweets I can continue to crave them, so I just don't start that merry-go-round. I had not heard that about wine. I have had a couple of small glasses of wine since surgery. Here again, I've not been one who drinks often, but I do enjoy a nice dry wine now and then when we go out.

Apples, good to hear you are having a good vacation. So sorry about the stones, though. That is really a bummer. This is your second bout in a couple of weeks, isn't it? I hope you are done with that for good. I think Janet has the right idea - a couple of Margaritas on the beach should put on a few ounces... That's assuming DH doesn't start chasing you down the beach. He's on vacation, too! LOL (I think I need a vacation, too... that whole scenario - beach, margaritas, etc., etc. - sounds like fun... Beats 20 degrees in Kansas City!) Love ya, girlfriend,

Oh Clempier - thank you so much for your kind words. I know I had so many questions all through the process, and by the time I had the surgery I knew a lot about what to expect because I had people I could ask and recommended reading that anwered a lot of questions before I had even thought of a question like that... I am so grateful to God for leading me on this path and walking with me each day. I'm happy to help in any way I can. That's what He does - and it's a pretty good model to follow. Let me know if you like the books when you've had a chance to read them. God bless you.

There was a woman in my seminar who was 72. She asked if she was too old and they said it depended on her overall health issues and co-morbidities, but they would start the process with her and make a decision after they had reviewed her records, done testing, etc. I know many in their 60s have had LB and have successfully lost weight. If Medicare is her insurance you should check the MC website to find Centers of Excellence in your area and make a few phone calls or go with her to a seminar. People in their 70s have various types of surgeries to help them lead healthier and more productive lives (pacemakers, angioplasty, etc.). That's what LB surgery does for people - it can't hurt to ask. I have seen some 70 +'s on the 60s threads. One lady said there weren't enough active threads in the 70's area, so she was hooking up with the younger crowd. (kinda like I'm doing here...) Good luck to you and your mom.

Hope - you will be in my prayers on Sunday (will it be Sunday here???). I guess I'll start on Saturday and continue till Monday - just to be sure I'm covering the necessary day! LOL! Our daughter is married to an Army officer and they are posted in Korea now - I always have to think about what day it is for them, not to mention what time it is so I don't call them in the middle of the night! I pray you have a successful surgery and a speedy recovery. Sip water and walk. Take your pain meds when you need them (if you need them). You will be feeling better in a matter of days. I did not have a lot of pain, most people don't and some go back to work in a few days. I am retired, so my work consists of going to the sewing machine. No problem! Good luck to you.

Clempier and Hope09 - I hope the book is helpful to you! I found it to be very readable and full of helpful information. The author is a bariatric nurse and a banded patient herself, so she knows her stuff. Another book I found helpful is "The Emotional First + Aid Kit" by Cynthia L. Alexander, PsyD. It deals with all aspects of WLS, but goes into the psychological situations many patients deal with, particularly emotional eating, boredom, dealing with people who are not supportive, etc. My psychologist recommended this book and told me to buy it because I would want to refer back to it on occasion. Many books are available through the library, but these two are on my shelf for future reference. They are paperbacks, so not expensive - that's a big plus!! I bought both of them through Amazon.com. I hope things move ahead for you soon. Meanwhile, try to keep your weight under control and don't go too crazy with the "last meal" feelings you might have. I had a lot of those, but tried to keep it to a minimum of a once a week treat. I really did not need to worry about it, because there is very little I have actually given up - still enjoy food, but in much smaller quantities. I like to eat healthy anyway, and not much of a dessert eater. Good luck!

Katy - I'm so glad you are getting some reaction from your doctor. A little surprised they are waiting till early Feb for the barium swallow. Couldn't they get you in any sooner? I hope the removal of more fluid (altho wondering WHERE that came from?) will help your situation between now and Feb 5th. and - it's never too late to learn new tricks, girlfriend! I am finding my psychologist to be a great advantage for me. He works with bariatric patients all the time and is such an encouraging person with great practical ideas. I have no where near the stress levels you have in your life right now, but can certainly identify with what you are going through. I think it helps that one of my best friends is also a psychotherapist. We met through our quilting (I do all her machine quilting on her art quilts) and have become such good friends. We often go to quilting events together out of town - and I find those long drives are a great time to hash out some of the issues of life! I was surprised recently to hear her say she gets as much out of our talks as I do! I always thought she was helping me, but she shares her stresses, too, and apparently that helps her deal with her own issues. She is not my "formal" psych person, as we have a friendship relationship, but that friendship is invaluable to me. We are spending the day together this Friday to make the quilt shop and yarn shop rounds in Lawrence, KS (an hour or so away), and I've been looking forward to it all week! and to all - I received notice of a class reunion coming up next summer. My class was the second to graduate from our new high school back in the dark ages, our classes were pretty small at that time in our newly formed school. For years we have joined with the class ahead of us and the class behind us to celebrate our reunion together. Come the first weekend in August - 2009 - we will be getting together again. I am so excited to look forward to that reunion with a lot less weight accompanying me! It is nice to look ahead with that positive picture in my mind instead of dreading (or avoiding) that occasion. I hope everyone is having a great day!