ralheit

I was 50+ when I was banded. I'm a slow loser, but slow but sure.

I take lexapro and have no problems with it whatsoever. I used to be on zoloft, but my doctor changed me over a few years ago and I do just fine with it.

I usually have chinese once a week. I have to take it slowly and really chew up the meat, usually chicken. Sometimes it gives me a little trouble at first, then I wait awhile and finish. The fried rice goes down good, but I can't handle white rice.

This is the frist time in my adult life that my thighs aren't rubbing and my jeans aren't wearing out in the crotch. And...I can stand with my feet together comfortably and my knees aren't even smashed together anymore. It's amazing.

It took me a year after consults, 6 month diet (which didn't work), etc. and going through 2 insurance companies. You bet there is frustration and a feeling of being discouraged. But if you truly want this, you hang in there. I'm not a perfect bandster and haven't lost as well as many but I'm glad I did it and would do it again.

I've gotten used to not being able to eat bread and I'm happy with that. Bread and starches were always my biggest problem. The closest I come to bread now are wraps and those seem to go down pretty well. I treat myself to one every couple of weeks or so. But bread is a no no.

My doctor made me quite 2 months before surgery. I looked things up, although I didn't cheat, but I think some of the sites I checked said that it could be detected in your blood up to a month from when you quit. I'm not sure, it's been over a year since I looked it up. But some doctors will check your blood and if you haven't quit, they won't do the surgery. Good Luck.

QVC sells it a little cheaper than most places. I think it's around $45. Of course you still have shipping.

Did you go on liquids for 48 hours after each fill? There is always some swelling with a fill, but some of us, for whatever reason have a tendency to swell a lot more than others. If you weren't allowing time for the swelling to go down, you could have irritated it even more and caused yet more swelling. I don't know if that helps or not. I have had my band for a year and still at times can't get past a bite or two before it comes back up, but if I just wait a little while I can usually finish my meal without any trouble. I'm so sorry you are having problems, but if there is someone who can help you're likely to find them here. Dr. C, a lapband physician posts on this board and answers a lot of questions. Try and find one of his threads, or just post a thread to him and he will get back to you with some help. Good Luck

I have been a little bummed out occasionally because my loss has been slower than others. I've also stood in front of the mirror and don't see any big difference, that's why I've never posted my pics, I'm afraid everyone will say I look the same. But this week I finally went out and bought some new clothes. I was wearing tight 3X and 30-32 before my surgery (I could squeeze into 28 pants if they were really stretchy). All of the new clothes I just bought for going on interviews are 22-24's!!!:clap2: :clap2: And they fit very comfortably. I guess maybe if I took a pic and compared it to my before I should be able to see some difference anyway. Atleast my clothes say so. And....today on an interview I was led up some stairs to go to the Manager's office rather than waiting for the elevator. I almost choked. But guess what? I made it and I wasn't even huffing and puffing. My knees were a little wobbly, but I made it up and then made it down again.

I was hospitalized for almost 3 weeks after I had my band put in. It seems that I have a tendency to swell more than most, so I have had to have lots of little fills and one unfill during my first year. I was miserable and vomited alot. I had to have an NG during my hospitalization. But I've not had any really bad problems since. I do PB sometimes and feel that lump, but nothing as serious as in the first 3 or 4 weeks of being banded.

My insurance required a sleep study. Sleep apnea is one of the co-morbidities that help in getting approval.

I was on medication for years. Since the band I don't need it anymore.

I'm one year out and only down just over 50 pounds. Others have already gone over 100 pounds in their first year. I'm grateful for what I have lost also, but wish I were doing better.

I think many on here are in the same boat. Emotional eating is difficult. I've been struggling with it lately. All I can say is hang in there and hopefully everything you are trying to do for yourself will work out for the best.

I had approval in 3 weeks with BCBS but that was after fighting with another insurance company for almost a year. Welcome Greg.

I haven't had much luck with any fruit except canned.

Welcome and best of luck to you. You will find answers to all of your questions here.

Welcome. You were definately determined weren't you? Best of luck to you.

I didn't have to use my 401K for surgery, but I did have a loan on my 401K. Then after 22 years I was downsized at work. Now I have an outstanding loan that if not paid in 60 days becomes taxable income and I will have the 10% penalty added to that. It will still cost less than paying the loan off, but will kill my refund for next year.

It seems like insurance companies are really starting to make it as difficult as possible for wls approval. You would think that they would look at the benefits that will be gained and how many health issues could be avoided in the future by allowing the surgery. My insurance used to pay for my fills. Now all of a sudden they don't. I just don't get it. Obviously, they don't get it either.

I've been pretty lucky as far as family support. But it is really interesting how people just don't get obesity. They act as if it's a choice. True we may have made some bad choices in food or exercise, but people just don't want to accept tht genetics and other issues have a big part in it as well. Just do your thing and if they accept it fine, if not, oh well. You have good reasons to want to help yourself and be healthy. You have plenty of support here.

I think a lot of us understand. There are few of us who have been perfect bandsters. Emotional eating is very hard to deal with without help. I've been banded almost a year and recently, due to some things going on in my life, I have caught myself eating some really bad things. Once you are ready and get a couple more fills, you won't be able to eat all the carbs like you can now. I can't touch bread or most pastas, etc. It also took me about 5 fills before I hit good restriction. Don't give up. You're down approx. 30 pounds, that's great. Do you think you would be there if you hadn't gotten the band? We are all different. Like I said I'm out almost a year and am just over 50 pounds down. Some in a year are down nearly 100 pounds or more. You can't base your progress on others. Take care and do what you feel you need to do. But I'd wait before I jumped at having the band removed.

I don't think I have a problem so much with the shrines immediately after the incident. It's just that they are there forever and they become dirty and broken. I don't think that honors anyone. I feel that after a short time, they should be removed. Keep the memory of the person at home or in the cemetary, not on the side of the road.

I tried to explain PB'ing to my surgeon and also told him I was having first bite syndrome. He thinks I'm a nut job. He said he's never heard of these things and doesn't understand why I'm having them. So obviously, others are afraid to mention these things. I can't imagine that I'm his only patient that has had anything like this happen.