Julia_N

Haven't had surgery yet, so I still have room in my stomach. :smile: I mix up a half-liter bottle of water with a Crystal Light single or something similar, pour in a large glass and add one bullet. I put the whole thing over ice and have a "cocktail." I couldn't get down the protein on its own. Maybe downing it like a shooter would help when my stomach is smaller.

I agree, gadgetlady! My daughter has barely even had colds her entire life. Alarmingly healthy.

I like Vitamin Shoppe. It seems more like an overall health store while GNC feels like a body-builders' paradise. I found a much better selection of protein powders and liquids at VS.

When I breastfed my daughter 15 years ago, I'd always seek out a mom's lounge, like they have at Nordstrom or May Co. She never seemed to be a fussy baby that needed to be fed Right! Now! so I had time to find refuge. Strangely, the most criticism I found about breastfeeding was in women in their 60s and older. One woman said she thought it was "barbaric."

I saw "wireless bra" in the title, and I'm thinking, who needs a cell phone in her bra?

I don't think it's covered by my insurance (Aetna). I know that when I was readying receipts for my medical-cost fund reimbursement, it specifically said I could not get reimbursed for any sort of nutritional supplements.

I'm not sure what a mini bypass is, but I know my insurance doesn't cover it, while it covers all the other WLS procedures.

I got the sugar-free chocolate flavor and have mixed it into a Protein shake. It was OK, but didn't really taste as chocolaty as I'd like. Guess I'll have to put it in my coffee. Has anyone tasted the hazelnut? I've tasted some hazelnut creamers that I didn't care for, so I hope this has a better flavor. I just don't want to pay $5 to find out! :tongue:

I've seen a few clips from the Couric interview -- I'm at work without a TV when she's on. All I can say is, sheesh, didn't Palin even study for the interview? I crammed harder for my Jeopardy appearance 25 years ago. And I didn't even have all that "executive" experience running a small town.

I've heard, but don't know for sure, that Starbucks offers good benefits to its part-timers.

I'm with you, ReadySteadyGo. I found LapBandTalk right at the beginning of my research into the lap band. In the couple of months since then, I was able to finally get a surgeon's appointment and he's strongly recommending I get a bypass instead, which I'm probably going for because of several health issues. Now that I'm researching that, I find there are many issues in common with both surgeries, so both sides aren't THAT far apart. Before I came here, I had about 40 years of dieting experience, and that's pretty universal with a lot of people. If I promise to play nice, can I stay? Please? :thumbdown:

From your avatar photos, you sure don't look like twins!

Hair loss could be from not getting enough protein or you need more biotin in your diet. My doctor said vitamins and supplements are extremely important post-op.

Wow, I've never heard of this. My doctor charges me my regular co-pay for each visit, and I have to pay specialists their co-pays when I see them. In fact, as part of the agreement for my doctor accepting payment from the insurance company, I can only be charged a hospital co-pay of $500 per year. If I happen to have already paid that earlier in the year, they can't bill beyond what they accept. But that's just my insurance. Check with your insurance carrier and see if the doctor can charge you that.

I've heard this from other people, too. Personally I've been OK with levothyroxine, a generic form. Others have had real problems on meds other than Synthroid.

If the Subway sandwich maker had been more polite, we wouldn't have to have this discussion. A customer is entitled to ask for whatever he/she wants. And the restaurant has the right to say that they can't make such a special order. The server should have offered an alternative. But you're dealing with a minimum-wage person who hates his job and hopes you don't come in again so he won't have to work so hard. Corporate could have been more diplomatic in explaining its position. So many people see an overweight person and automatically want to treat them rudely. We won't be fat forever, but they'll be stupid into eternity.

It depends on the exact policy. I have Aetna PPO and I believe they wanted at least 2 co-morbidities if you were under 40 BMI. You might be close enough to 40 that they'll go ahead, and maybe you can appeal if they deny. Good luck!

It's perfectly fine to ease into exercising, especially if you're starting for almost none and just undergone surgery. Walking and housework is great exercise. I've heard that a person should get 4,000 steps a day for good health. Get a step counter -- they're pretty cheap -- and wear one as you do your daily work. I'll bet you come up pretty close to 4,000 just through your daily routine. If not, you can take a walk. As you lose weight, it'll be easier to get more exercise. I joined a gym about 5 years ago and it took a lot of effort just to get in there. I started out doing 20 minutes on the stationary bike, then started doing a few additional minutes on the elliptical machine. Within a short period, I was doing all my time on the elliptical. Don't push yourself too hard at first or you may get frustrated and want to give up. Good luck!

Thanks to everyone on this thread for being here when I needed them. I was all set to go with the band, but at my first surgery consult today, he recommended RNY because of my age (52), BMI (51.7) and number of meds I take every day, including insulin. He said insulin-dependent diabetics respond better to the bypass. So now I've got to think about what I'm going to do. I'll definitely check out the Dummies book and Thinner Times forum someone mentioned on here. Good luck to everyone!

My periods came a year apart for a few years starting before I was 50. then I started getting horrible hot flashes, so bad that I'd get tunnel vision and nausea. I thought they were low blood sugar episodes. Doc put me on hormone pills and haven't had them since. Best thing I ever did.

Howdy! I'm in Diamond Bar, just over the hill.

A year ago I went through insurance changes, so I can empathize with what you're going through. Are you absolutely sure you can't get insurance where you work? I started my current job in January, and got insurance a month later. Depends on the company. Mine had only a 30-day waiting period for new employees. If you can't get insurance until the next time there's open enrollment, you're limited in what you can get at an affordable price. Group plans can offer more than individual plans, and they can discriminate against "preexising conditions" if you previously had coverage. Talk to your company's insurance expert. He/she might have some ideas. Good luck to you!

Xgrl, you're just going to have to start sleeping with someone to find out if you have sleep apnea. :thumbup:

I've had a low thyroid since I was 23, so it's been almost 30 years. I felt really awful before I was diagnosed and I felt better within a couple of days after starting meds. The difference will be amazing.

My husband and I are both college-educated professionals who have never been on welfare and both of us lost our jobs during the GW Bush regime. I've watched our standard of living go down and retirement funds erode through the lousy economy. It's time to get the Republicans out and let someone else have a shot. McCain might have been viable a few years ago, but I'm too afraid he'll croak during his first term and I certainly don't want the Queen of Alaska as my president. Being a small-town mayor and small-state (in terms of population) governor does not necessarily give you much "executive" experience. Her degree is in journalism -- a rather worthless degree in the long run, speaking as someone who has one -- and hers wasn't even from a very good j-school.