Chris61

Welcome to the group Slow and Low. I understand that you have UHC. I also have UHC Pro and was approved in less than 30 days. I can forward you a copy of the letter that I used. Have you talked to UHC to see what doctors are under your insurance program. We went to Dr. Minkin at Des Pers Hosp. UHC also is taken at DePaul as I understand. With UHC they were looking for 5 years of weights, medical issues you have, diet programs that did/did not work. If you have any questions just ask here or e-mail me at vcw61@excite.com. I will be one year in Sept. It is the best thing we have done. Chris

I Went to Dr. Minkin in St. Louis. Chris

I work in Construction Safety working on major projects. Iam in the process of finshing up the New Indy Airport. Opens to the public on 11/11/08. I also did safety on Busch Stadium in St. Louis. Was banded almost a year ago and down 60lbs. Chris

Sounds like to me you are a some what tight. You might want to get a little taken out. Here is another thing to take into mind and I have found this as a problem mainly at lunch since I eat out and that is eating to fast. Even though we think we are eating slowly etc. that might not be the case. I have had to train my self to eat slower and that has been hard to do. Chris

I am going to have an another sleep study done in Sept. This will be almost 16 months since I found out that I have sleep apnea. I was banded in Sept. of 07 and now Iam down 60lbs from my sleep study. I hope to be down another 10lbs before then. I also have not been using the machie as much. I use the machine about 3 hours a day and take the mask off. So now I have a dental applaince and doing well with it so far. Will see what the test results say in Sept. Keep in mind that sleep apena may or may no go away, denpends on a lot of issues that you might have. However they do say weight loss is the best. Chris

Hi All - Glad to see everyone is doing well so far. I used to live in Jacksonville and now in Missouri. I was banded almost a year ago on 9/19/07 and Iam down 60lbs of my high. Things are going well. Had a fill in June and will most likley get one in Sept. When I was in Jax I work on the Palm Valley abd Wonderwood connector bridges. Chris

Summer is sure going fast. Not sure where the time has gone. Speaking of time it will be one year next month since being banded and so many good things have happen with the weight loss. We are able to do a lot more things. We are going to Santa Claus, Ind Labor Day Weekend to the Water and Ride park. This hould be a lot of fun. We went to Kings Island last summer before being banded so the seats should be a lot better. Been trying to ride more but have been busy with getting things done at the New Iny Airport and get it open on the 11th Nov. and also been helping with behind the scene stuff for the New Lucas Oil Stadium which open up next week. Cannot wait for the College Fooball Season to start. Go Buckeyes!! Looks like I will do another sleep study in Sept. to see if I can be off the machine and just the dental device instead. I have notice a big change in the last year. Hope to be down 70' lbs by the 19 of Sept. which will be one year. Glad to see everyone is doing real well. Chris

Sorry to here about the set backs. COBRA is expensive. I do not really understand how your insurance works, never heard of not having enough hours to keep it and then having to go COBRA and then back to insurance. I wish you the best of luck with it. Also have not heard about paying back on the flex spending either. Keeps us informed as to what happens. Insurance is a real strange thing. I found out that if I was to get COBRA at my work it would cost 1,500.00 a month and that is with out the dental and eye program. Chris

Congradulations on getting approved. You will do just fine. I was on Clear liquids a week before surgery and then on regular liquids the following week. You will be surpised at how you can eat and feel full with liquid drinks. You can can do a lot with milk, Soup liquids. I never had a problem with the 1st week after surgery. The biggest thing is to make sure you get 60-70 grams of Protein daily and you will be just fine. Good luck and if you have any questions just ask. Chris

I have sleep apena and have had the machine for a year now. I can say that I have had the same type of problems with the mask. My settings have gone down since being banded. Iam down 60 lbs now. I am going to get another sleep study to see how we are doing with it. I also talked with the doctor and have gotton the herbest appliance and doing well with it. I still use the CPAP machine. When I had my surgery I had forgotton to take it with me and they said they had one I could use but it never got brought in for me to use. I did notice right after surgery I had a lot more air and burping with the cpap but took a while to get used to it. Chris

My wife and I had to stay overnight as well. Keep in mind the clock will start once you are in your room after surgery. My wife did not get to her room until 8 P.M. the day of her surgery and was not let go until 7:30 P.M. the next day. She was to have surgery at 3 but was pushed back until almost 5 P.M. Chris

My doc said a week. That was also the same amount of time for being off work as well. Chris

Congradulations to you and your hubby on being banded together and doing well so far. My wife and I were banded almost 11 months and we are doing great. Iam down from my high of 250 a year ago. My BP is in check. I do not seem to use the CPAP as much and the pressure levels are way down. I go for a study in Sept. Which will be a year since being banded. We are both able to do so much more on a daily basis. The wife is getting off her meds slowly. Keep up the good work. The weight will come off just fine. Chris

I was the doctor monday and doing well. Iam now in the 100's have not been here in years. I hope to be at goal by my one year with the band. Iam only 20lbs away. Still holding well with fill from last month. Looking at also having another sleep study in Sept. and hope to not have the machine and just the herbest appliance. Wife is doing well also. Chris

Iam 10 months on Sat. and doing well. I have gone from a 40-42 in pants/shorts down to a 36. Also down 60 lbs. Went camping for a week and had no problem with hiking and doing all kinds of things. This is the best thing my wife and I have done. I live in both St. Louis and Indy. Chris

Congradulations on the surgery and glad it went well for you. Chris

Congradulations on not having to use the cpap anymore. Ever since the band I have had problems with it also. However I have been using a dental device and working well. I am going for a sleep study in Aug or Sept. which would be a year for the band and 18 months on the study and see what the doc says. Also went for 9 month check up and bp and everything was in check. Had to get some new clothes and have gone from a sie of 42 down to 36. Went to see my mom and dad last week and they saw my results and told them what we both had done the band and they were happy with what we had done. Chris

For the first couple of weeks we did crush them but I would talk with your doctor about that. Also make sure that he knows what you are taking and make sure that they are on the list. I used to take incidicone(sp) for gout and now I have to use a coating before I take it. I have not had to do that for about 7 months now. I take some other pills and do not have to crush them. I might split them but that is all. Chris

Welcome to the group and good luck with everything. I have heard that Dr. Wagner is very good also. My wife and I are almost 10 months out and it is the best thing we have done. Just keep in mind slow and steady is the way to go with weight loss everyone is differant in how fast they loose. Our doctor likes to see 1-3 lbs a week. and if you average the weight loss over a period of time you will see that it falls into that range. It is the best thing that both of us have done. If you have any questions just here or e-mail. Chris

Just thought I would say Hi to all, doing fine here. I had a fill yesterday and got 1.1 cc. so now Iam up to 6.2 cc in the band. You guys are really out of my league when it comes to all the gloves, shoes etc. you are using for cycling. HP glad to see you are doing well and my ham radio call is N0HVK and iam a general class. So if we do not see you on here we can assume you are bicycle mobile then. I keep reading all the postd but just have nothing to really contribute since it has allready been said by another, no need to repeat the same thing. 73's Chris

Hope all is well with everyone. Was at the doctor last week and down a total of 50lbs. Had a fill of 1.1 cc yesterday and can notice a change. Now just have to figure out how not fill hungery all time. Chris

You can add me to your list. I think this will be great. We should also have it for banded couples and OS as well. Chris

My wife and I were banded 9 months ago. So far I have lost 50 lbs. She has lost about 40 lbs. Also her sister was banded a month later and is doing well also. It has been the best thing the three of us have done. We both saw the doctor yesterday and felt we were doing fine. He felt that the wife did not need a fill. I will get another fill next Monday. He did say that ice cream is one of the things that will put the weight on and cause you not to loose. My wife and sister-in-law are now calling me skinny. While at the regular doctor yesterday he said that my BP was good and do not need to come back until January. Then will do more bloodwork to see how things are going. He did ask about goals and I told him I was looking at about 165-170. Not going by the charts. He felt that was a good weight to shoot for. I will say it is the best thing we have done. There is a lot of NSV that have happen etc. Next week I go to see my partents and they will see the results. However they or my sisters do not know that we (I) have done the band. Good luck and keep us updated on how you are doing. Chris

Congradulations on being banded for 6 years. How much have you lost over all the years? Sounds like you have been able to keep it off. When was the last time you saw your band doctor? Have you had any x-rays or live ones done to see how your band is doing? How many cc's did you have in your band when you last saw your doctor? Like everyone else has said I would call the doctor and go in and see him. Chris

Welcome aboard, this is one of the best groups around. We are all here to help you. My wife and I was banded 9 months ago and Iam down 50 lbs. I go for a fill next week. Chris