mammanan

I am still a few months from surgery...so I can't say from personal experience.... but I have read many other posts with a similar discomfort.. I do know that if your diaphragm is irritated...like from air in your belly after surgery or a full pouch bumping up to the diaphragm... you can get something called referred pain...basically your brain mixes up the pain/ discomfort signal and refers it to your shoulder.... gives you a false message that something is wrong with your shoulder when it is really an irritated diaphragm... Hope that helps...

Tavist and Claritin are both good over the counter antihistamines that come as liquid ( and in the case of claritin.. as dissolvable tabs) ..Both are band friendly but don't contain decongestants... I think the decongestant containing form Claritin D only comes as a tablet. I love Singlular because it is a once a day med that helps asthma and allergys but also contains no decongestant. It is prescription only and the adultt dose of 10 mg is a swallowable tab ( but you could have your MD prescribe 2 of the 5mg chewables to be lap OK).. I am a pediatrician and have never had a patient object to the taste!!! The neti pot, as I understand it ,is a nasal cleansing system using a saline (salt water) solution....and should be fine to use in a 7 year old if they don't object to it... Another thought would be to talk to your MD about prescribing a nasal steroid as this might negate the need for a decongestant... Final thoughts... there are chewable children's cold and allergy meds that include decangestants... often the dose is only written for up to 12 years of age... but if you compare mgs with adult equivalent meds you can still use these as an adult.. Good Luck, Nancy

Not yet banded but I have had episodes of palpitations for years... Had the full workup ... all negative.... Hopefully the band won't make them worse... they are really annoying but I did'nt realize any the Pre menstral association until my primary MD mentioned it.... Oh great ...on more joy of being a girl:smile2:

I too was afraid at what my mom's response would be when I told her about my plans for surgery. I took the risk to tell her I was going to the informational seminar... just to get more info and then shared it all with her including how it worked, risks and how it differed from the bypass... I could tell that initally she was a bit taken back...But by the next morning, after sleeping on it, thinking about the many failed weight loss attempts I have had and how obesityy has impacted my life, she came around to being supportive.... In her words " I have prayed for years for you to find a way to manage your weight and maybe this is God's answer to that prayer". Best of luck!!!

For me, two things came together this year to make getting banding the absolute right answer. Ya see..I am a pediatrician and for years I have watched parents and patients battle weight just as I have. I also have seen the greatest long term successes with WLS ( bypass). I have a history of pulmonary emboli ( blood clots in my lungs) during my last pregnancy and the risk of gastric bypass just seemed to high for me... so I basically gave up on battling my weight any more. But then there was a friend at church who told me about Lap Band abd her success. It started the wheels turning, but I still wasn't ready .. Then this spring, I decided to talk to a therapist to help get some balance back in my life. I have this tendency to put way to much on my committment plate and let taking care of my self fall to the bottom of the to-do list... I was able to let go of some of those un-needed stressors and get out of my rut. Time to get my emotional, spiritual and physical act together.. Time for the band!!!

I am on month 2 of my 6 month supervised diet.... because my last 6 month supervised attempt was more than 2 years ago... So what I am working on with the dietician is not so much a certain number calorie diet (as even she agrees that most diets don't work) as to work on the healthy behaviors I will need after banding. So I have a daily check list which includes things such as: Eat three balanced meals daily Eat Breakfast no later than 2 hours after waking Practice chewing small amounts to applesauce consistency Eating meals without distraction ( work,driving,TV,computer) Drink 8 glasses beverage daily Avoid snaking between meals Avoid fluids with meals Take a Multivitamin Limit carbonated beverages Get a minimum of 7 hours sleep in a 24 hour period Deal with stress and emotions in ways other than eating Do some form continuous activity for 20-30 minutes five times a week And although waiting out this time is kinda hard...at least I feel I am working on something that I can be successful at and that will definitely help me after banding... Maybe talking with her about what would be helpful for you rather than just another diet ? GOOD LUCK!!! Nancy

Hi.... Loved Wausau (I did my medical residency at Marshfield Clinic) Now ( and for 18 years) living in in MN near Twin Cities. Had my first consult with the bariatric nurse yesterday...On to the psychologist Monday... One month into the designated 6 month dietician diet... working on behaviors.. cause boy do I have a lot of bad ones to change... Good Luck, Nancy

My insurance coverage requires 6 month supervised diet before surgery.. I have done this before but too long ago to get documentation... But have failed miserabley at keeping off many shorter/unsupervised attempts in the past (enough dieting and regain to be a BMI of 46) What if I lose the thirty or so lbs to bring BMI to less than 40... Do I have to regain to get the long term help ( ie band) that I need ? Anyone else been there?

TY for all the feedback What a great place for support and feedback !!! ( I think I'm gonna like it here)

Hi folks... I am just getting started.... I am a 46 year old with a BMI of 46 who has lost and over regained more times than I can count. In looking at a few recent threads... I noted that BCBS requires 6 month supervised diet... I have not made it 6 months on any program recently... but will certainly try again if I have to... my pattern is to lose some and gain it right back.... Any one working on that six month requirement.?... what if I lose down to less than BMI 40 (I am so far with out significant co - morbidities)...Would I have to put off surgery...until the inevitable gain happens again?