asnewme1

Dear Caroliii, I took your advice and signed up at the sleevers forum in Australia- Hayley and Chrisbychic seem very welcoming, and I kind of like that it is a much smaller site than this one. I didn't see you on the lineup but maybe you are listed under a different name? Anyway I am on my way with the preop part, and I am committed to the sleeve, so now I am going to sit back and enjoy the journey. Best of luck and health to you and thanks so much for steering me to the other site.

Caroliii It is so amazing that I am in Bedford New York comparing information with someone in Australia. Australia seems to be in the forefront bariatric surgery- are they doing more sleeves than they used to? How much have you lost? Were you in a lot of pain after the surgery and if you were, then for how long? Thanks for staying.

Dear AuntLucy- What a thoughtful comment. I am hoping to be sleeved in September- mostly because it is easier to lose the weight and since I have already had the heart attack every day I walk around heavy is asking for another heart attack. And yes, I know I will have to do the work to maintain that loss, and want to be part of this website because it is part of the struggle we all will have to go through. Either immediately with the band, or later with the sleeve or bypass. In the long run we are all going to end up in the same place- needing to do the work that is necessary to keep our newly thin bodies. Good luck

Dear Caroliii, I just went to the doctor and he strongly recommended the sleeve for me and I jumped on it. The band would have been a huge improvement over my present situation (which is nothing), but the sleeve seems to be a much better and simpler choice for me. He said that Oxford is the only local insurance company that will pay for the sleeve which is why you don't hear about it so much. I would love to hear from you directly about your experiences with the sleeve. The one where they remove the stretch part of the stomach is the type he is recommending for me- I think it is called vertical sleeve gastrectomy. alteredinterior@optonline.net

I just went to the surgeon today for the first time. Spent a lot of time here researching the lap band so I was surprised to hear him tell me about the sleeve. The advantages of the vertical sleeve is that they remove the stretchy part of the stomach which sends out the grehlin signal which tells you you are hungry. Your stomach becomes a long restrictive tube. It is a much simpler procedure than the bypass. It is purely a restrictive (not a malabsorptive procedure). the surgeon prefers it to the band HOWEVER, ONLY OXFORD HEALTH INSURANCE COVERS IT. For self pay people it is more expensive than the band. But there are no fills, no slippage, no sweet spot issues. Now beginning to research it in earnest, but there are fewer people out there for this. Am going to check out the support site above.

Orea15- Great response, very inspiring, I am going to keep it on my desktop. I also am at my highest weight- about 227, 53 years old in December, brunette with the same coloring as in your picture. Out of Westchester, New York. Am going to go scramble some eggbeaters and have my 6 triscuits with a little light cream cheese and start the week off right. Will send you a friends request if you want to reach me directly. Be well

How did you lose so much weight before you even had the surgery. That is impressive.

Does anyone have a list of questions to ask at the first meeting? I know some of them but not all... -How often do will you schedule fills -How soon can you schedule surgery -Do you have a limit on how much you fill each time (just read about someone who can only get 1 cc at a time from her surgeon) Still I would like a comprehensive list. Just don't know where to find it Thanks, first visit is on Tuesday:tt2:

One cc seems mighty slow to me. What doctor are you using? Can you speak with another one who might do more than 1 cc at a time? Where do you live

Why didn't I think of that? My seminar is June 25th, and I have been worrying about whether I need a six month diet since I signed up two weeks ago. Tomorrow morning I am going to call my insurance company first thing and put this worry behind me. Thanks.

what you gained was water- it is impossible to gain a pound of fat in a day. So don't beat on yourself too much. The crackers and the cheese have sodium and you retained some extra water----nothing more than that. You will do better tomorrow.

what a great idea to go to WW and lose too much. I love it. All those times when I signed up and didn't make it past breakfast without using up my points. I am just at the beginning - informational meeting this week- but I think once I am banded I am going to join WW too.

What a great, inspiring response you wrote. It really struck a chord for me that goes a lot further than just weight issues. It encourages us to believe in ourselves and to depend on our own opinions more than others. Thanks,

Hi, I am just beginning. June 25th is my consulation with the bariatric doctor. Then the week after with my cardiologist. I have had a major heart attack and I am 230 pounds, 5'2. Not sure what the BMI for that is but it has to be a lot. So my question is does anyone out there have any experience with Oxford Insurance? I am really hoping they cover this because I will probably have to stay in the hospital longer than most of you. I am trying to get it done at Mount Sinai in NYC, Dr. Kini- Anybody familiar with him:confused:

Have had lots of major cardiac problems so I was excited when my cardiologist said he would support me if I wanted to do the lap band. But I am confused. On the support forum everyone talks about how hard it is. And my question is - is it really any easier than regular Weight Watchers? Because I have failed at that for over 30 years, so if it isn't easier after the banding I don't know if this will work. I don't drink alcohol or wine or milkshakes, and I prefer low fat ice cream, but i do like to eat alot and often. I don't eat fried foods hardly ever- bread is a big problem- I can eat a half a loaf at a sitting. Will banding help with them?

I feel encouraged. Just having surgery is a major risk for me because of my heart, so to undergo that risk and still struggle so much with weight loss would not make much sense. The best advice I can give to anybody is do it before you have a heart attack. I am overweight - about 100 pounds away from a size 4, about 70 pounds from a size 10, so you do not need to be 200 pounds overweight to have this happen to you. It might have been the phen-fen (or something like it) which I took about 18 years ago to lose weight with a somewhat shady doctor, it might have been genetics, but dragging around the 100 extra pounds couldn't have helped. Initial seminar June 25th. Dr. Kini, Mount Sinai, NYC. Have my fingers crossed all goes well.

I can't make it more than 4 hours on Weight watchers- I get so focused on points and food that by lunch I have used up my points for the day, and I am a person that doesn't like to eat early in the day normally. But the minute you tell me I can't have a lot of X, all I want is X and X and more X

Thank goodness- I was starting to panic reading some of those letters about how hard it all was- I mean I don't expect to have to nothing- I am actually looking forward to feeling better and exercising- but the way some of the letters read I was starting to think that there would never be an end to the endless yoyo cycle. Truthfully, my problem is much more quantity, as opposed to eating badly. So I am hopeful that this will be the answer. Thanks for the encouragement- and good luck to you too.

Sometimes I eat just because I am bored. Or I don't stop even when I feel full. Will the band help with any of that? when I feel really stuffed- like last night- I don't keep eating