salome000

Blue eyed princess...I'm your banding twin~was banded on the first and I feel just like you do. Yesterday, I woke up with my face swollen...like a shellfish reaction...and have no idea what it is. I also coughed a little today and felt something pop a little bit under one of my bandages. My doctor is an hour and a half away and so here I sit, swollen, red face, tired, constriction in my chest, sick of protein drinks and dying for anything...I almost even bought Matzo Ball Soup! How desperate, huh? My stomach feels empty and I want to eat something...anything. But I don't. I just took 2 more benadryl and am going to bed. As for the pain meds, don't be crazy. Take those suckers. No sense in being in any more misery than necessary. Keep in touch and please, those of you further along than we are, did you feel like this? For how long?

I get it at a place called 'Unlimited Nutrition' but you can order off the net...it's cheaper!

Hi all! Today is the big day for me. I know there's several other banders for the 1st so I thought that as we Smashing Pumpkins have our surgeries, we can log in on this thread with the thumbs up or down. I'm ten hours away. Hooray! For those of you in the insurance process, keep the faith. It took me a year. I was denied initially by United Healthcare then appealed and won. Keep fighting! I'm off to become the person on the outside that I always knew I was on the inside.:thumbup:

My doc gave me an option because he said both were good. However, he said, he slightly prefers the Realize (which I go) because it was softer and the saline chamber went around the entire circle.

First of all, thank you for your good wishes...it meant so much to me! Today was the day. Waking up from the surgery was difficult...the gas (and thanks to all of you I knew EXACTLY what was hurting me) gave me fit. I got two pain shots and discovered that if I sat straight up with my legs over the edge of the bed or walked, I got some relief. My abdomen hurts...mostly from incision pain. The thing that is disappointing is how ridiculously hungry I am! I'm on the Clear liquids and can have a Protein shake (muscle milk for me) but I was so ravenous when I got home I almost dissolved a wheat cracker in my broth, just to have something sitting on my stomach. Dehydration was terrible...they stuck a wet washcloth in my mouth but that just made it worse. I finally began sipping Water (so hard...I'm used to taking huge gulps) and things have settled down enough to write this. My doctor was cool enough to take pics during surgery so I'll be sure and post them when he emails them. I know that I'll feel better with each passing day. My status 12 hours out isn't the greatest but I'm still glad I did it.

I only had to do a week and it was rough. But do what I did...I had pics taken of me in a bra and underwear. Front, side and back. I kept them in my email and looked at them when I was feeling weak. YOU CAN DO THIS! Just keep thinking of your surgery being cancelled (after you've already been cut open) because your liver is too fatty. Stay on here and we'll walk you through it!

GOOD LUCK~ The 1st of the 1st'ers'.... I'll be right behind you at 1030am EST. We'll be waiting for you!

I forgot to add that I've told everyone I'm having a tummy tuck and breast lift next year as well. I'm 40 and gunning to be the MILF I always wanted to be. HAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHA

My 9 year old and 4 year old begged me not to do this. They like it when, quote, "Mommy's soft." My mother and father both tried to talk me out of it and my mother's personal trainer offered free sessions if I'd reconsider. My husband is non-commital but is taking me to the hospital and helping some with the arrangements. A few friends have ranged from 'Why can't you do it yourself' to 'I wish I could take the easy way out too.' What do I do??? I just laugh. I told my sons that doing this would keep mommy around to babysit their children. I thanked my parents and still borrowed the 2 grand I had to have upfront from them and for my friends, I just patted them on the hand and said "I appreciate your feedback." As for my husband, he's probably cooperative because I told him if he wasn't, when I reached my goal weight I'd dump him for a doctor. That brought him around. The thing is, these things will only bother you if you're making the decision to do this for other people and not yourself. I've told tons of people about my upcoming surgery and found that most people are envious and curious..in that order. I'm not ashamed and to hell with the rest who don't like it or approve...this is for ME. For the first time in my life, I'm doing something solely for myself. YAY ME! :cursing:

I'm a huge fan of muscle milk. One carton has 34g of protein and they're low carb. They also taste fantastic. They're hellishly expensive (about 3.50 each) but when you can have that much protein and low sugar and feel like you're cheating, it's worth it.

I had someone suggest the same thing to me and you know what I said? "You did it 'naturally'? Fantastic! When do you get your medal?" In short, people who say that are jealous and bitter. There ARE no medals or prizes in the end and if my weight comes off easier than someone else who spends an hour a day in the gym running on a treadmill, then good for me. I despise people like that and I enjoy driving them crazy by not being apologetic in the least. To hell with them...it's the end result that counts. (losing weight, being healthy and modifying your life for the positive.) Not how you run the race.

I began eating a lot right after approval (and gained 9 pounds...almost had my surgery postponed) and I thought it was the 'last supper' mentality as well. However, in forcing myself to be totally honest, I realized that I was doing it on purpose. As if to jeopardize my surgery and keep myself fat because it was what I deserved. I've always been overweight...the one or two times I lost significant amounts, I didn't know what to do with myself. It was only when I was fat that I felt all was right with the world, even as I hated myself for carrying so much weight. Don't get me wrong...I'm hungry. A lot. My portions are too big and I eat the wrong things. But there's another reason most people are overweight and that's because we're emotional eaters. food always tastes good and never talks back. It's not judgmental and makes you feel great. I had to do a lot of soul searching and I'm sure the battle is a long way from being over. I've been working on behavior modifications (took up sewing to have something to do with my hands, began taking the baby out for a walk at the same time everyday so he pushes me to stick to the schedule I created) and saying to myself 'It only changes the outside. I will always be the person I am and that person is a really GOOD person.' I'm fortunate that my best friend is a psychologist and helps me in developing these behavior changes and gives me questions to ask myself and meditate on. With my surgery 5 days away, I'm still working on my mind and doing great on my pre-op. While I'm hungry a lot, I get on here to read and comment and find things to do that takes my mind off food. I've also made a list of things to do that I couldn't do while I was overweight. Big things like going hang gliding off the dunes at the Outer Banks and small things like being able to go into a regular size store and not having to dig for the largest sizes available. I'm not suggesting yours is the same as my problem...I just wanted to share. Thanks for listening and good luck!:confused:

Hi all! I'm getting banded on October 1 at 12pm. It's taken a long time to get here. My BMI is only 36.2 but I still have a good 80 pounds to drop and I just can't wait. I will say, to anyone beginning the journey, to keep the following in mind. No matter what your insurance pays, be prepared to pay out of pocket. My advice is to put away 100 a month from the start. Then, unlike me, you won't be scrambling to find 2200 bucks at the last minute (thanks Mom!). Even if you don't end up needing it, that money will go a long way on your proteins, supplements and other fairly costly program necessities. I was told to lose 5 pounds in the next week so I'm drinking the adkins, 1 steamed Healthy Choice bowl, an apple and some carrots. This is my first day and I'm so hungry but I can deal with it. I love our name and best of luck to all of us!

I have Fibromyalgia, herniated discs (I actually put back surgery on hold for this!!!) and any other condition created to make you miserable without killing you :rolleyes2: My Vicodin RX is too high to go liquid and I will have to switch to Tylenol for awhile but the idea is that getting the weight off my back and legs will lower my need for meds. I've been on these stupid pills for 8 years...can I just tell you how much I'm hoping I can throw them away for good???? Since I'm looking ahead, I'll continue to share. Once I drop my weight, I'm getting a tummy tuck, boob job and light chemical peel, along with botox and restalin. I'm determined, at 40, to become the MILF I've always dreamed of being. Then, once my husband pays for it, I'm dumping him to become someone's trophy wife. Okay...so maybe that last part is stretching it. I'm too old to be a trophy wife. HAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHA

You're too sweet! I have to tell you, I'm sitting here at work with Wheat Thins. After reading your post, I thought I'd see about chewing the 20-30 times before swallowing. I swear I was chewing saliva after the fifth chew or so. My major concern is my meds. I take 800 mg ibuprofen and vicodin (also a huge pill). I take a med called tramadol, which is a small round pill but I'm wondering how to get them down. Cutting them once isn't going to work...they're not time release so I guess I could crush them. Ever had this problem????

Good advice! Thank you! It sounded like a good idea...maybe I'll just do it 2-3 days before. I do plan a 'purge' before surgery so I'll just combine it.

Acadiamom...please keep us posted! I've got my fingers crossed for you. Of course, the approval is just the first part. I was excited until the damn hospital and doctor wanted 2500 up front...and this was AFTER I met my deductible this year and full insurance pay!

I have a question...my Dr. didn't give me a pre-op diet. Is it because I have a low BMI? (I forgot to ask him). Regardless, I'm being banded 10/1 and want to go on one just to shrink my stomach so I won't have to deal with out of control hunger after I'm banded (my willpower isn't exactly legendary). It seems the suggestions are 3 EAS or Atkins shakes and 300-400 calories lean protein. That sound right? Thanks in advance for your help!

I would have dreams where I couldn't breathe or had a hard time talking in them. Then, I would wake up gasping for air. It would only happen while I was sleeping on my back. My husband said I snored so I had an idea I had SA. I did the same thing you did and got rejected because I hadn't had a sleep study. Just a head's up...the sleep study is ROUGH! They attach all these wires to you and it's not really comfortable. I would suggest not sleeping much a night or two before because it's really difficult to sleep and that's what you're there to do. Hopefully, they will wake you around 2am to put you on the cpap...if they do, you're close to qualifying with a co-morbidity. UH wants a score of 16 and I had a 17.9 so I've got my fingers crossed for you! Let us know how it works out!

Hi all...I know this thread may be offensive to some and I apologize if it is. However, trying to meet all the requirements can be near to impossible. I've read responses to people asking for quick help to meet a certain insurance qualifier and thought we might as well acknowledge the elephant in the room and it might be helpful to share our info. :wink2: 1-I've heard of people wearing clogs to weigh and loose pants so that during height measurement, you can bend your knees slightly. If you have this done at the banding office, they're not watching you too closely and they don't have prior records of your height. 2-For the psych eval, I told the truth but concentrated on how portion control was hard because I was physically hungry all the time. 3-For sleep apnea, you have to have a pretty high number to have it considered a co-morbidity. I heard it helps to take 3 benadryl before and not say anything about it. From personal experience, it IS difficult to sleep with all those wires and mess on so maybe it's just an evening out of the playing field. 4-I heard a person say to a friend of mine (who had to fudge a few things to get insurance approval) 'I hope you're happy. It's thanks to you my insurance costs are so high.' My friend's response was great. 'When is the last time your rates were lowered or you got a rebate because you DIDN'T use your insurance? Oh...never? I rest my case.' This may be a justification but Fibromyalgia, bulging discs, bone spurs and joint pain aren't considered co-morbidities but make your life hell. So, I don't feel TOO horribly bad for thinking about 'enhancing' a result or two for a positive end. Besides...your med costs and RX costs are going to go down so your Insurace company benefits in the end, right? :crying:

Jetsy- FINALLY! The voice of reason. I have to admit, though...when I read Kuhl's line about taking care of 'insurance scammers', I blew Water through my nose. Talk about drama overkill! For the record, kuhl thinks you're 'scammers'....I say you're creative and assertive. Perhaps that's the attorney in me. Go for it! :thumbup: Back to the tips and tricks. One of my husband's co-workers was 7 pounds short of hitting the necessary 40 BMI and had to pack it on in one night. To do it, eat a banana and drink whole milk every two hours then eat a pancake or some other bread in order to hold the milk in your stomach. She registered an extra 10 the next day, sending her down the gastric bypass route. I just read on another thread that if you have a low BMI and need a co-morbidity, sleep apnea is the way to go. The user said she took several Tylenol PM and it slowed her respiration down enough to score high enough to meet her insurance company's guideline of 14. (She hit a 15). Hope this helps!

Again, I disagree. I hardly think gaining a quick ten pounds to meet a requirement makes you a 'bad' guy. How ludicrous. What I 'want' to hear isn't relevant. I began this thread to help people who were asking questions on how best to make sure the requirements were met with their insurance companies. I certainly didn't expect the white knights to come galloping in and threaten people with jail or cast dispersion on their character. I find that appalling and if that makes you a 'good guy', I'll stick with the 'bad' ones since we aren't so deluded as to think life is merely black and white. Now...the detractors have made themselves known and your disapproval has been registered. How about retiring so other people ('bad people', to you) can share our tips and tricks. When you're done attacking those on this board, I hope you ride the white horse straight into Washington and take on Bush and his cronies for this pointless war, for lying to the American public, for all but bankrupting our country and killing innocent Americans, Afghans and Iraqis. After, of course, you clear this thread of the horrible people who need a nudge to obtain a new life for themselves.

I beg to differ. My doctor grilled me on my intentions. He forbade sugar, fast food and a host of other items. He made no bones about the fact it was a lifetime contract...you don't get to pick and choose which of your promises to honor. Did you just agree with your doctor verbally but since you have no signed contract, you feel you can pretty much do all the things they tell you not to? In my world, your word IS a contract. Besides, in your earlier post, you made it very clear that lying is lying and there were no justifications. Ergo, cheating is lying and lying is fraud. And according to the other poster, gaining ten pounds to meet a weight requirement can also get you prison time. Sigh. At any rate, let's allow this thread to die down and continue our ethics debate on another. I'm sure there are people who actually want to utilize the tips and tricks and I think it's misleading to clog up the thread with our prattle.

Then we'll agree to disagree. However, if we're going to split hairs, then when we have the lap band surgery, if we cheat on our doctor ordered diets afterward, is that fraud as well? It just seems that we promised to do all sorts of things and to make all these changes, etc. So I'm assuming if you eat ANYTHING off your diet, be it a French fry or half a cookie, your pristine consciences will kick in and you'll jump on the phone to reimburse your insurance companies because you acted unethically. Right? Hey...if we're gonna ride this white horse, then let's do it. No one gets cut any slack and no one gets a buy. Crystal, I'm sorry you read contempt in my assertion that insurance companies provide bonus' to their medical personnel who deny claims. If that's not true, perhaps you should call Time and Newsweek, along with the NY Times, all who have done stories on the topic. I never said they behaved unethically. I said they look for every way possible to deny the claim. Insurance companies aren't bastions of goodwill. They are profit making entities. Period. However, if you want to argue insurance companies and ethics, I would suggest you read the cases of children denied last chance experimental treatments, people who lost everything after Katrina because State Farm worked like hell to find clauses to deny claims and the thousands of other stories out there just like these. As for me, if I can help someone with my experience or relating things I've heard, then I'll do it. Since you don't agree, we'll see you on another thread. Best Regards.

I'm sorry you disapprove, Crystal. However, I take umbrage with your accusations of 'insurance fraud' and paraphrased biblical quotes. While I personally qualified with a 36.2 BMI, people that sit on the borderline of being able to qualify should not be accused of insurance fraud by fudging a result here or there. It's not as if they were a size 6, decided they wanted a lap band, and gained 100 pounds in a short time in order to qualify. Insurance companies are programmed to behave in a fickle manner when it comes to honoring their own language and their medical personnel who receive bonus' on how many claims they're able to deny. My husband, who hasn't been to the Doctor with the exception of physicals for 20 YEARS, is charged the same premium that I am. In 10 years, I've had 3 back surgeries, chronic pain conditions, high cholesterol, 6 MRI's, a CT Scan, 2 CAT scans, 3 children and a hysterectomy. It would seem that my husband is owed a refund. I'll let you know when that check arrives. If you want to go down the straight and narrow, then who's to say that you and I aren't committing insurance fraud because we can't stop eating and we're too lazy to exercise? We didn't just 'come down with fat'; this is something we cultivated for years. Now, we ask for an expensive procedure to help us when all we had to do was put down the chips and pick up a carrot, right? The ONLY reason insurance companies pay for weight loss surgery is because, in the majority of cases, the recipient reduces their medication intake and their health improves. I don't begrudge them their guidelines but if a woman finds herself ten or twenty pounds shy of an approval after being overweight her entire life, I'll be damned if I'm going to go to the moral stomping grounds. Instead, I'll go buy a sister a box of Twinkies.