cal

hard boiled eggs, canned tuna, salmon and any kind of fish. Frozen shrimp can be defrosted fast. i also like edamame ---frozen or fresh. i put garlic + onion powder on them. cal

The medical people will understand that prenisone (sp?) causes weight gain.you will lose what you gained. when i had to take it, it made me hungry as a horse!!! cal

i sure agree with you!!! Notice that ALL the canidates(sp?) running for office are saying they are Christians but i think they all believe in abortions, homosexual marriages etc. Even Hitler stated he was a Christian!!! lol Who wants to follow him??!!! i am glad to find this forum for us believers in Jesus. i love Him. cal

Hi All, we, ladies, from our church, did this workshop a few years ago but learned that Gwen left her church and started her own. She went off into error about the trinity and other Christian doctrine, so please prayerfully consider this. You can Google for more info on this. cal

HI, i am a popcorn lover and eat it quite often as a snack at night. i use 1 T. oil and popcorn....no butter!!! One kernel at a time and chew carefully. A good snack and low in everything but fiber! :-) cal

Hi, Has anyone had this surgery, and if so would you please share what all is involved? my "bat wings" have gotten worse and worse over the years and i probably would qualify for this surgery now....but will wait. i have trouble with clothing....blouses etc. fit except in the upper arms and i usually have to get a size larger. i live alone and am concerned about the after care with this....such as being able to bend the arms and being able to take care of toilet needs. Thanks for any info. cal---who could fly around the earth with my arms flapping wildly!

i have a 9.75 cm band with 2.1 fill. Have been filled slowly per doc. After last fill i have noticed a lot of burping and gurgling when i drink liquids..either hot or cold. i wondered if i was too tightly filled but i still eat more than i am supposed to when hungry.....in other words not getting full if i was restricted right. Any answers...suggestions, please? i am due for a fill on Monday and am concerned about it. Thanks, cal

i had a lot of stomach and bowel problems after my surgery-----when i got home after a few days. Docs finally decided i had something awful called (nic) C-Diff, which only can be diagnosed with a bowel specimen. Very contagious-----infection of the intestines. Usually treated with one of 2 antibiotics. Had to sanitize everything. Awful!!!!! cal

i eat only when i'm hungry....not just head hunger. thanks for all your replies. cal

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ This burping and gurgling is sometimes hurtful---like i have something caught from not chewing good enough---and is uncomfortible. But.......if it's from being too tight, how come i don't have much restriction when i eat? For example......last night i had 3 oz. ground veal, toms, onions and taco sauce in a "taco salad". It was a big bowl and i wasn't really full when i finished. Thanks for your imput. cal

Boy o boy do i want the "not hungry"!!!! Please mail some to me!!! i can always eat and seem to be hungry a lot.....then when i eat it is too much. Must need another fill? cal

Hi, i have Medicaid and they denied me for lap band but approved me for gastric bypass---which i didn't want. Because of my low income, i was able to get an attorney and i asked for an appeal. They overturned their original denial on the phone! i did most of the research, paper work etc. myself....cuz attorney didn't know about it. cal

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ i have Medicaid and they covered the lap band.....had to fight, tho!! They do require 6 months of supervised diets..usually your PCP. cal

i drank it post op (liquids) and liked it. Helped get some Protein in. cal

Thanks to all for sharing. i keep reading about post surgery and not being able to bend your arms. If this is correct, how does one handle toilet needs? i live alone and would need to bend my arms to take care of toilet necessities! cal

Hi, i also am unable to find out this answer. Does anyone have a CPT code for fills with and without flor? Thanks, cal

i was a normal burper before the band--whatever that means.....but when i had my last fill, the doc had me sit up and drink. i started burping Water and that is not normal for me. Doc decided it was too much fill.....took out .2cc---i drank and was fine. cal

Hi Heather, i saw Dr. Papasavous (sp?) about 3 years ago for a lap band consult. i just loved him! He was kind, informative and had a good sense of humor! At that time, he had not done a lap band procedure.....only gastric bypass....and that made me nervous! His "insurance gals" at the time were not kind or helpful. They didn't want to fight my insurance at all....just kept saying they didn't want to submit any papers cuz they would be turned down. Thus ended my time with Dr. Papa. i am glad to hear that he is now doing lap bands. He will be great! cal

Hiya! i had Dr. C. for my lapband in Nov. She is a great surgeon and explainer! Before i could go for any follow up office visits, she had her baby---girl....so i haven't seen her since!! i see Mike for fills....he's a PA and great! Even calls after a few days to check on you. They only do fills on Mondays. i had surgery at Shadyside. Will you be there or at McGee? You are in great care. cal----(female) PS. i live in Titusville, which is a long way from Pittsburgh. About 2 1/2 hrs. depending on who's driving! Wish i could find a closer doc for fills....it's an all day trip.

i can only relate what happened with my insurance. First PCP letter was not "good enuff" so he had to write another one including my six month appts. with him. Had to included my weight for the month, kind of diet i was on, (calories), what had worked for awhile and what didn't etc. i wrote out a letter with all my operations, physical problems and my PCP included these things in his letter. i also wrote my own personal letter....stating my reasons for wanting lap over gastric, meds, ANY info that would pertain to my "whys". What helped me a lot was the fact i had/have hypertension, arthritis, and had some invasive operations in the past...and didn't need anymore. cal

i have been using the liquid Splenda for 2 years now and love it. You cannot buy it here in the US over the counter because the manufacturer will not allow the pure powder or liquid to be sold here......except to big companies, bakerys etc. i always buy mine online and have also bought from sweetfreez as stated above. Ebay had some up for auction the other day. cal

Hi, Don't give up hope!!! my insurance denied me and said they would cover gastric bypass instead....which i didn't want. i had to get a lawyer to help me fight and the denial was overturned on the phone which my lawyer said was unheard of. i am a Christian and prayed specifically for this to happen If you have any past surgeries, that will also help.....it helped me! cal

i remember that post too and check out the BTB jars. Guess the poster made a mistake. Label states the amt. of Protein. cal

Hi, While chopping up raw cabbage i ate a piece and didn't chew properly. It is stuck and won't come up or go down. i tried hot Water and gagging with finger (sorry) and i still feel it there. It moved while gagging. What do i do now? (i already prayed!!) cal

Thanks for asking!!! lol i kept drinking and eating soft foods and it must have gone down becuz in the morning i was fine!!! i love raw veggies and they seem to give me the most trouble....especially carrots. Must remember to take smaller bites and chew more. cal