2muchfun

My name entry: PLATEAU BUSTERS FORUM

I had not been filled for a year and had similar feelings and thoughts as yours but scheduled a fill anyway. I'm so glad I did. I am tighter, I am eating less, I am losing more. I'm much tighter in the mornings than before but if I go slow, I can still eat eggs and ham. I saw today on another thread where they were talking about fills being an art and not science. I agree. I got a .5 fill and that sort of scared me!! But it's turned out for the good.

Your PCP should go through the appeals process. You writing a letter won't do any good. Your doctor has to document your conditions and how WLS will give you a better quality of life. Talk to your PCP or the MA in his office. Good luck.

Skinny, Fully insured does not mean the sky's the limit. There's a basic policy available and then there are riders the employer can add to the policy. Each rider has a cost associated to it and is added to the monthly premium the employee pays. Riders include: Bariatrics, DME(durable med equipment), cosmetic surgery, dental, eye care, infertility, self inflicted injuries and so on. Each employer designs a plan that is affordable and fits the patient population of the existing employees. Your "Fully insured plan" must have had the coverage you needed but it's still up to each employer to purchase the coverage it feels will fit their needs. No argument on UHS being the evil, amoral company you describe.

Hello fellow tweaker!! So I went in one month ago for a slight fill and was surprised he gave me .5 CCs. And it took about a week to really settle in. And once again I thought I had this eating routine down pat but nooooo. So, for me it's not the chewing part, it's the eating too fast and big part that seems to cause me problems. But, I'm very happy with where my band is now and working on slowing down is a meal to meal chore. I'm back in the green zone once again and loving it.

Your issue could be caused by many things. TOM, excessive sodium, stuck episodes and allergies to name a few. I guess it depends on how long this has been going on? If it's just a few days or a week you might want to ride it out to see if it takes care of itself? If not, another slight unfill is in order? One last suggestion? Most people prefer warm or hot drinks to soften/loosen up in the mornings. But if the issue is caused by inflammation, chewing on ice chips or very cold fluids might reduce some of that swelling? It's worth a try?

Did your doctor not give you instructions to not eat any solid food the first 24-48 hours? Most docs put new filled patients on a liquid diet the first 24-48 hours. The added pressure from the fill can cause some additional swelling and eating solid food so soon can only exacerbate the swelling.

Jersrose is right. Your employer chose the plan without bariatric benefits because it was most likely less money. No need to dump on UHS. But there are many states that do not offer WLS even under Obamacare. Alex posted a topic on this last year btw.

Who does the fill? A surgeon? If it's the surgeon, they usually have specific days they do surgeries and plan months in advance. If it is the surgeon you can't expect him/her to drop cases to come in for one fill. It's not cost effective. Some surgeons do other types of surgery or they teach or take time off. If it's a PA or someone else in the office I agree that you should ask to speak to the doctor to see if he will make other arrangements for you. Without full knowledge of what the doctor is doing on any given Wednesday I don't think you can lay the blame on him/her. I understand your position but no one seems to understand the doctors position??

I drink a couple of beers a week and try to make them premium beers. I'm banded and I do get inebriated quicker now than before so one is enough. And it still tastes so good after a long 30 mile bike ride!!

Having my morning Latte as I type. Yummmmm!!!

Very good idea!

Your diet is not mandated yet so it's easy to think about bailing now. Once it's a reality and your doctor mandates the diet, mentally it will be easier to follow. jmo

Sorry Colleen, but many people have a very difficult time with head hunger vs real hunger. I'm sure most people on a liquid diet are quite hungry but as we progress and get our fills, even enter the green zone, it's a challenge to avoid head hunger/cravings. Many believe they're still hungry all the time.

I agree with Pink Dahlia. You need to visit with a bariatric nutritionist. Also, remove the thought that the band is supposed to work or do anything. We have to change our entire lifestyle to allow the band to work it's magic. 90% of this journey is on you and me and anyone who has the band. That means being aware of the satiety soft stop signals and obeying them. It means eating like we should, slow, chewing a lot and eating very small bites. And never ever try to remedy a stuck episode by drinking more fluids. Good Luck.

You're in Bandster Hell. The period of time where your band is not filled to when you get the fill that gives you some satiety/restriction. Most of us went through this phase. I know I did for 4 months. Seems like you're hungrier now than before the band. Sorry, most docs or nutritionists don't warn you about this phase. Hang in there.

I'm 2.5 years out and I can eat bread as long as I eat small and chew a lot. Most of us were the same as you until we got enough fills to start to feel restriction. Some can't tolerate bread at all. Bread can ball up in your pouch and cause long stuck episodes if not eaten like a Bandster. Bread is OK in small amounts whether it's white(highly processed and no nutrition) or whole wheat(still processed but offers some fiber). Carbs, and mostly simple carbs like flour is processed in your body very rapidly and is turned into sugar causing insulin spikes. When the spike is over, the crash can make you even hungrier than before. You'll find yourself reaching for more carbs. Carbs are addictive, imo. I love em, but try to stay away from simple carbs as much as possible.

I'm only 2.5 years out and I'm still 30 lbs from my goal. But, even if I don't make it to that goal, the rewards of losing 50 lbs is so worth it. ^5 on being back on the wagon.

I have oatmeal occasionally, but it's hard to get in all the Protein we need when we only consume carbs. Also, what you put in your oatmeal is important? No sugar or very light on the sugar or maybe your fav sweetener? Applesauce. tmf

Once your band is adjusted you should be shooting for 1000-1200. Doubtful you will lose much on 1468 and definitely not at 1700.

Can you drink?

Got mine at 4 weeks.

Nearly every trip to the grocery store I see Moms with child in the little bus seat or cart, loading up with pop, punch and juice and head off for the chips isle. I'm serious. I see people with 8 litres of pop, gallon jugs of fruit punch and a couple of half gallon OJ. I think I did some of this when my kids were younger. They loved me for it. That's where the change needs to begin. I think many of us as parents thought we needed to buy our kids affection and adoration via crappy food. I agree with the article that more education is needed and I'd avoid taxing bad food.

Bread is OK in small amounts. Just don't make a habit of eating it every day. There's very little nutrition in bread and has a high glycemic value so it breaks down to sugar quite rapidly. It also takes up too large a bite of your daily 1200 cals. Better off eating Protein and veggies. But don't give it up, just try to keep it in check. I still love a good sandwich occasionally.

I always get Water. Eating out is a rare occurrence for us and getting stuck in a restaurant is the worst place of all. A few sips of water here or there isn't going to ruin your surgery but getting stuck sure can ruin your dining experience. I just don't take the chance and I don't want to jeopardize a great meal. So therefore a few well placed sips of water or wine is acceptable to me.