tricia-j

I started seriously investigating it over 2 years ago and discovered that my company had an exclusion. I had to convince them to get rid of it, then wait for the new policy year to start. In the meantime I started my 6 month doctor supervised diet required the insurance. I was banded May 6, 2008. It was long process!

At my group there is a speaker/topic and then we split into LB and RNY groups to share. That seems to work pretty well.

Minute Maid Light comes in a can and it's not carbonated. I can only find the Lemonade version here but there are other yummy flavors in other parts of the country. I avoid carbonation per my doctor's orders.

I hope by now you've talked yourself into going for the fill. I too was dreading it because I knew I had gained weight after getting back to solid food. But my doctor was very kind and I'm happy to report I went for my second fill yesterday and had lost some pounds. I just wanted to suggest you might consider going to Overaters Anonymous to help you with the support you need to fight your food addition and use your band to your best benefit. Good luck and don't give up!

I'm there with you guys. But I got my 2nd fill today--and much to my surprise I was down 12 lbs. since my first one. But I was feeling like such a failure before because I knew I was eating too much and stuff I shouldn't have. But I'm just going to press on till I get to the sweet spot.

My first fill was easy. And yes, I gained weight after I started eating regular food. I still can eat about anything and can't wait for my 2nd fill next week.

Hang in there! I went in for my first fill yesterday and had gained back 15 lbs! I wanted to cry. But I'm just buckling down now and moving forward.

I'm not an alcoholic, but several of my OA friends that are also in AA have told me that they thought they could do OA using their AA meetings and sponsor, but found they really needed an OA sponsor and meetings to handle their food addiction. Good luck to you getting the support you need! Tricia

I'm in the same boat with you! My first fill is the 26th. I do have some restriction, but instead of sticking to my 3 meals a day, I just keep eating! This really has to stop.

My doctor told me to lose 25lbs. but he was perfectly satisfied when I came in 18 lbs. down.

My doctor won't fill until 7 weeks because insurance won't pay until after 6 weeks. You'd think he could wrap that into his fee but apparently not. My surgery was on 5/5 and my fill isn't until 6/26. I wish it was now but I can eat a lot of mushie food!

I was just banded on 5/5. I've lost about 35 lbs. total, pre and post-op.

Keep trying. I started at 398 lbs. at 5'8", so I think your doctor is full of it.

I'm glad to read this to. I was banded 5/5. When I first started on mushies, I could only eat a small amount. Now it seems like I could eat an endless supply of mushies! I wish my fill was sooner, but my doctor won't do one before 7 weeks because insurance won't pay for anything within 6 weeks of surgery.

Here's list of OA meetings in Shreveport from the OA website www.oa.org CityStateCountryDayTimeMeeting Place SHREVEPORTLAUSAFriday1:30PM BROADMOOR LIBRARY SHREVEPORTLAUSAFriday6:30PM ST MARY OF THE PINES CATHOLIC CHURCH SHREVEPORTLAUSAMonday5:30PM HAMILTON/S CADDO BRANCH LIBRARY SHREVEPORTLAUSASaturday11:00AM THE PROMISE HOSPITAL SHREVEPORTLAUSASunday1:30PM SUMMER GROVE UNITED METHODIST CHURCH SHREVEPORTLAUSAThursday12:00PM OAKWOOD HOME FOR WOMEN SHREVEPORTLAUSAWednesday5:30PM BROADMOOR BAPTIST CHURCH

I have found OA to be very helpful too. My OA friends have been very supportive during my surgery and recovery and I intend to continue going to meetings and using OA for support. If anyone is judgemental about the surgery at my meetings, they've kept it to themselves.

Cunning, baffling and powerful they call it in the big book. I don't really think I was mad at food, I was mad food made me fat! And mad at the cravings I couldn't control. And sometimes mad at God for picking me to have this problem.

Well, I admit I'm not sorry I don't know how to put a picture up. I guess I should remind myself that it's not like OA where people are honor bound to respect your anonymity. It doesn't get much less private than the web! I just hope that anything I post would be of use to others. I can't think of any reason anyone that isn't in the same boat would be interested.

I've been thinking about this thread and finally decided to say something. While there are many sad aspects of being fat that we all can relate to, there are some that come with being extremely large that lesser size people haven't faced yet. I haven't been "only" 75 lbs. overweight since high school. When I dieted down to 130 lbs. overweight, I felt so good, like I could live an almost normal life. At 240 lbs. overweight every day seemed to bring new indignities. For example, the weekend before surgery the wooden chair I was sitting on at scrapbooking collapsed into pieces, throwing me to the floor from which I could barely get up. I've had to ban myself from all sorts of activities (baseball park, concerts, theaters, flying) because I can't fit in the chairs--things I could do when I weighed "only" 300 lbs. My NSV this morning was wiping my own ass, without using the long handled spoon I've had to employ for some time. Where else but the 200+ board can I say that and have people really understand. So, yeah, I can understand feeling that people with much less lose don't really get all our pain. I think this board should be a place where we can admit those feelings, however ungracious they may be.

I was banded 5/5. I lost 18 lbs. pre-op and 12 lbs. post-op for a total of 30 lbs. so far.

Glad it's working for you. I've haven't been to meeting since my surgery next week, but I plan to go Sat. a.m. A lot of my OA friends have called to see how I am doing. Like you, I think the answer is going to be to stay away from my trigger foods. I don't think I'll ever be the kind of person who can have "just a little bit" and not become obsessed with eating more.

My friends and family all know but I didn't tell anyone at work except my boss and the HR person. I just don't think they need to know.

I'm doing fine. I came back to work yesterday. The pain was minimal--I haven't taken any painkillers since I left the hospital. I had my post-surgery visit this morning. I was down 12 lbs, for a total of 30 lbs. down from my highest weight. And I was approved for mushies--lets hear it for scrambled eggs! I hope some more people will start posting on this board. We superbandsters need to stick together!

One week out I've very happy with my decision. Here's hoping I get to start mushies after my doctor visit tomorrow!

I've been amazed at the number of friends and family who have told me they are looking to see how I do with it to decide whether to have it themselves. I was banded on 5/5 and hope I can live up to their dreams!