Chris61

I have the AP standard band 10cc and love it. Chris

Congradulations on getting off the CPAP. I had a sleep study 2 years ago and started it about a month before being banded (9/07) in Sept. of 08 I had another sleep study and was told did not need the cpap machine. Since I had problems with the CPAP I also got a dental device and had the sleep study with it and it worked well and told to just use it if I wanted to. I still use them a bit but not like I used to. I will be 2 years in Sept. Enjoying life and doing all types of things that I would have limited myself to doing before. Chris

Hope that everyone is having a great weekend and being able to bike. Chris

Nurse Melly welcome to the group and congradualtions on the amount of weight loss. Sounds like you are doing all the right things and that you have a good band. How many fills and how much do you have. The band is a great tool, however I will say that everyone is differant in how they react with the band. It is one the best things that I have done for myself. It helps to keep me in check/line. Chris

The size of the band will depend on what the doctor feels that will fit at the time of surgery. Every on is differant on how much of a fill you get. If you were to get almost that amount you would have to be very very tight. I doubt that you would be able to get it that tight with out having a lot of problems. I would talk with your doctor and ask him about the size and how much you can put in. I have the 10cc size and have about 6 cc in the band and tight. Chris

Keep in mind that there are many things that can be co -issues that we might not think of such as back, shoulder problems, Walking problems,hypertsion, and a hole host of other things. Just need to sit down and make a list of issues/problems you are having and go and talk with your doctor about these and have him write a letter. Every insurance company is differant in how they look at things. I would just make a list and have the doctor send them in and see what they have to say, Also keep inmind you can use all your doctors that you go to for tracking weight by the year. It does not have to be just one. Good luck and if you have any questions just ask. Chris

Congradulations on what you have lost so far. You are doing great. I would suggest that you not worry about what everyone else is doing or have done. Everyoine is differant. My wife and I were banded a week a part and Iam down more than here. However she has had problems and just had her galbladder out So she is hoping that she can get back on track. SOmetimnes it is hard to find the right spot.If you have any questions just ask or e-mail me. Chris

If you forward me your e-mail I will send it out to you. Chris

Sounds like you are to tight and need to have some fluid removed. Also it is not good to keep throwing up as that might cause a band to slip and/or stomach to go into another postion and cause problems like reflux and other issues. I would go in and see him/her right away. Chris

I have noticed over the last few years that some people do well with a large amount of loss and than others do not. I can say that this is the case with me and my wife and her sister. Over the last 18 months I have lost 75 lbs and they are a lot less. Now my sister-in-law had a problem with a sliped band, she had surgery a couple of weeks ago to fix that. Then my wife has had problems with her gal bladder and is going to have it taken out on Thursday. The doctor says that it is related to her weight loss. They have both progressed but not like I have done. I guess I was lucky in the fact that I did not have much medical issues and was not on insulin and other meds. I have seen a lot of people talk about and even the doctor allways asked about the foods we eat etc., if we chew chew etc. However I was wondering if the reason why a lot of people are not loosing a lot of weight and not able to get off the meds like others are is because the meds they are one causes them to not loose or even gain. Example of a drug that a lot of people talk about that caused them to gain is form the females that take the depo pervo (I think I spelled it right) caused them to gain a lot of weight. So I think I have a new theory that needs to be looked at in more detail and explain it to the people so that they understand why they are not loosing considering that they have kept a log of eating and excerise etc. Can a lot of the drugs that people are taking before surgery and/or even after surgery slow down or stop the weight from coming off? Is there drugs that people can change so that they can loose the weight and get off the drugs. Example would be the differant types of insulin, depression drugs etc. Iam going to a group meeting on Tuesday and going to ask this same question. I wonder why doctors have not talked about this issue before and after surgery? I hope that we might be able to shed some light on this. Chris

This is great. I had the same problem when driving once and then also at a meeting. Tried to make it look like I was chewing something. Hope everyone has a good weekend.

I have been lucky so far and have not had any problems. However my wife has been having problems for at least a year. The doctor said that about 35% of all people who get banded end up haveing to have it removed. She is going to have it removed next week and at the same time will make sure that here band is in good shape as well. Chris

WOW you doing great to stay with 4-5oz and I think that is why you are doing so well. I doubt that you will get a fill on Wed. since you are loosing etc. But you will have to just talk with the doctor and see what you and him/her feel is the best. There are foods that I have problems with. I can not really do steaks. I even have problems with food and then try it again and not have any problems. I guess either I ate to fast or did not chew well. Good luck with things. Chris

Sorry to here about your loss. I would just take it one day at time and deal with one issue at time. Before you know it you will be back on track. As everyone here says we are all here to help each other out. This board has been a great help to me and helping me to keep on the wagon and not fall off. Chris

My wife and I was approved in less than 30 days. Chris

I aslo had to show five years of data and I can forward you a letter that my wife and I used to get approved. Also you can get it from all your doctors and put it into one letter to the lapband doctor. It took me about 6 months to get it all togehter because I had records all over the place and not in one place. Also I had some medical records from work that I also used and was approved in no time. If you have any more questions just ask. Chris

If you would like I can forward you a letter that you can have your doctor you. This is a letter that my wife and I used to get approved. Also I would call your company and ask who the insurance broker or person is at the insurance company that can provide you with that information. Sounds like you have your co-issues with your throyid. Do you have any knee or back problems? What about high blood pressure/low blood pressure? Any problems with the blood work with sugar levels etc? It just takes some time to do a complete inventory on things. If you have any questions just ask. Chris

I would go to your regular doctor with all your past medical records and with all the items that you have from weight loss programs and have him/her put that in your medical file and then when he does his letter to the labband doctor he can add those in. I can forward you a copy of a letter that I used that showed the weights etc. Do keep in mind like everyone says each insurance is differant on how they do things along with your doctor. You might also have to a 6month deal as welll. Also another thing would be any doctor you went to even when you did not have insurance Ie: OBGYN,ER etc.. I had that problem with a couple of years but was able to use some past information. I hope that this helps you out. If you have any questions just ask. Chris

I would have them recheck the test stuff and talk with your doctor about this. Did they compare the reults from 2 years ago. Also keep in mind that while you loose weight your numbers will go down. I had a sleep study in June of 07 and another in Sept. 08 one year after being banded and my numbers were way down. The doctor was pleased. He said I do not need to use the machine and/or dental device. I still have both and use them everyonce in a while an doing well with it. If you have any questions just ask. Chris

How is everybody doing on there New Year's Goal's? For the last 2 years I have been able to loose the weight and keep it off. So Iam off to a good start for a change. Chris

I was at 40 or 41 and now down to 28. See ticker for more details. Chris

Congradulations on the large amount of weight loss in 4 months. What did you do to loose that much in such a short period of time? Who is your doctor? Skin stil dry hope it gets warmer. Chris

There is a person in the Yahoo Groups that lives over in the North Windham a suburb of Willimantic that is looking for a support group that would be close to Hartford, Ct. She see Dr. Amy Barba, but because of current conditions she is unable to get to the doctor and have here band checked for a leak and to get it fixed and a fill. I do not have many details at this time. I had told here about this site and she did not know about it. I gave here the information and told here I would post here and see if any one could help and if there was a support group in Hartford. If anyone can help please let me know and I will forward it on to here. Thanks Chris __________________

Congradulations on getting approved. I was wondering how you were doing with things. Have not heard fom you in a while. I hope the information that I sent you help get you approved a lot faster. What Hosp are you having this done at? Chris