salome000

Hi all...I'm due for my band on October 1st, 2008 and would like to ask a quick favor of all of you. Would you be kind enough to throw at least one (more would be great!) piece of advice out that you wished you had when you were newly banded. I've never heard about 'sliming' or meat tenderizer or pineapple juice or hot things to 'open up'...all these things are foreign to me. I'd like to compile a list and print it out as well as post it on other sites. Tricks of the trade? How to prevent getting things stuck (and what tends to get stuck) and things you wished you'd done differently? The REAL reason behind this is I'm deathly afraid of the symptoms and problems I've read about and will go to any lengths to avoid them. You guys are terrific and much appreciated!

There's no replacing a cigarette. I quit 3 years ago by chewing Nicorette. They say you're supposed to take a piece and chew a bit then tuck it in your cheek. Honey, I chewed so many pieces at times I was blowing bubbles. While I still miss smoking, I don't miss being a smoker. You're going to have to cut out the psychological triggers...for me it was the phone and computer. I also cut out ALL alcohol. Another thing that helped was looking at smokers in their 30's and 40's. Their skin looked horrible and they stank. Trust me when I say you don't realize how much you stink until you quit smoking. My doctor also told me if you quit by 40, the body has a chance to revert to a 'nonsmoking' body. After that, no matter when you quit, you face emphysema. I wouldn't go out with my friends who still smoked and I spent a lot of time in places I had already trained my body not to smoke like the library or homes of friends who didn't smoke. Take up cross stitching or something that keeps your hands busy. Get your doctor to prescribe a low dosage of Xanax for the really bad times. Keep telling yourself you're doing it for your kids/loved ones/anyone but yourself because in the throes of a nic fit, you don't really care about yourself, just getting a cig. I smoked from 13 to 37 and I still have cravings occasionally. One thing that helped me quit is I got the kids to watch me like a hawk and tell me I'd better not smoke. Then, I'd look at them and think of them having to watch me die...it was harsh but it helped me through the bad times. I quit a thousand times...it was the 1001st time that took. Good luck...it's the hardest thing I've ever done in my life. Seriously.

Has anyone told you lately what a great help you are???? Seriously! You just answered a question I asked on another thread. I plan to weigh EVERYTHING and am delighted you gave me the ratios. Now...how often do you eat? Do you have to count calories? I don't plan to count calories because my goal is to eat stage 1 foods...meaning food that is one step away from raw/uncooked. Broiled cx and fish, steamed veggies, etc. Do protein drinks count as a meal? I'm so sorry to bombard you but October 1st is speeding toward me and I want to have a plan instead of doing what I normally do and wing it. Again...you are so appreciated~~~

acadiamom...I was so surprised that your reviewer wouldn't take pics!!! It would seem all UHC policies would be the same and I'm sorry they wouldn't take yours. My 'quick approval' was actually a year in the making. I got denied at first because I didn't have documentation of sleep apnea. It takes freaking forever to get all the appointments in, doesn't it? Make sure to call the number on the back of your card and check the status...I knew I had an approval three days before the letter. Good luck to you!!!!!

My biggest fear is throwing up. I know it sounds crazy but I'm a person who will go to any lengths NOT to throw up. I fight it like hell. I don't know if there's a phobia regarding the fear of throwing up but if there is, I've got it. I'm not afraid of the pain or procedure...it's the getting stuck thing. I'm about determined to eat nothing but watery grits and oatmeal the rest of my life...seriously. THAT'S how afraid I am. If it comes to throwing up, how is it different from the regular? Sorry for so disgusting a topic but I have to know...

The first time, when I was denied, it took the entire 30 days. The second time, approval was less than a week. You can also call the # on the back of the card and they can tell you what the status is...I found out I was approved before getting the letter! Good luck!

Wow...ya'll are so amazing! I'm not as nervous as I was before finding this site. Tell me about the meat tenderizer...does it help when things are stuck? Do things get stuck because you don't chew well enough or just the wrong foods? I can add one thing to my own thread which I hope will help those like me who haven't yet had their procedure but are well on their way. I was hit with 2k in hospital bills in advance, even though I'd met my insurance deductible. I was pretty angry, having had several back surgeries and a hysterectomy and never once being told to pay what they THOUGHT the charges were going to be. Fortunately, my husband works for LabCorp and went toe to toe with the administrators, finally getting 250 down and 87 a month for 18 months. Don't be afraid to ask...they aren't doing you any favors. Obesity is a health risk...we aren't talking a tummy tuck here...and you're entitled to fair treatment when it comes to out of pocket. The cool thing is that we were told by UH that we were allowed to take the pre approval letter and get a copy of our med records and find another doctor if we couldn't come to an agreement regarding payments. Fortunately, it hasn't come to that. That being said, I'm excited and looking forward to the procedure and by all means, keep the comments coming!

Check on the ginger tea...I'm also interested in whether going on a liquid diet (slim fast?) a week before surgery will help with gas, pain, etc. As for the band slipping after a fill..never heard of that. Are you saying to avoid fills?

You're the greatest! GasX strips on person at all times...check!

I have UH and a 36.1 BMI and I just got my approval. Here's the deal with the 5 year documentation. Just take your old pics with dates on them and that satisfies the requirement of showing you've been overweight all your life. UH shot back a quick approval because I had sleep apnea, which is considered a co-morbidity. Do you have a co-morbidity? If so, you're in. If not, they won't approve it at all.

October 1st for me! Dr. Pirello at Carolina Weight Loss in Concord, NC. I have a question, though. I'm sure it'll take awhile until we need to worry about this but we can eat 4 oz at a time. How many times a day? How many calories can be consumed before compromising the weight loss? I'm thinking 1200 but I'd like to hear from banders who are completing six months to a year