cwm812

According to my HR department, recovery from surgery is the "serious health condition". As long as a physician states that you need to time recover, they consider it FMLA. Our HR department has a committee that meets weekly to consider all the requests, so I really doubt the whole group is conspiring to commit fraud. While WLS may be considered elective, it is an effective treatment for a serious disease. I recently had elective sinus surgery, too. It was also covered by FMLA. Acadia - I really don't want to get into an argument with you, but from what I hear many HR departments (I have a friend in the HR field) do qualify WLS as FMLA. I'd hate for any of the pre-op folks reading this to think that they shouldn't submit the paperwork for time that they are entitled. Cindy

Acadia, What makes you think that this surgery isn't covered by FMLA? I work for a large employer and mine was covered. I've got all the paperwork to prove it. Cindy

Aren't you funny! My considerate husband was kind enough to only give me 2 coconut macaroons (my favorite!) I really appreciated that I could eat my treat but not have to keep trying to avoid an enormous package from the bakery. I have some self-control, but it flies out the window at the first sign of an open box of chocolate! For those of you who can just eat one piece, I am in awe of you. Cindy

I'd call your doctor. I think you're going to need a small unfill. I, too, swell after fills, but usually after 72 hrs, I'm back to normal. With one fill, it took a week, but that was mostly because I tried to eat normally too soon and then got stuck repeatedly. As you get closer to your goal, it takes really small amounts to make the difference between good restriction and an overfill. I don't know how big of a fill you got, but you may only need .1-.2 removed to make a huge difference. Cindy

I have to say that I wouldn't recommend getting unfilled for special occasions, but I did really watch when I scheduled my fills. You will see throughout the process that you are sometimes looser and sometimes tighter. There were several times when I knew that it was time for a fill, but I had a vacation or holiday coming up. I'd schedule the fill for after my vacation. I was a little looser for the trip and I could eat more, but having the fill right after I returned got me right back on track with loosing. This is kind of a happy medium between getting unfilled and expecting to be so tight that you can't eat Christmas dinner. Now that I'm at my goal, I keep my band fairly loose. I need to watch what I eat, but vacations and holidays would not be a problem. Cindy

Fluffy, I feel for you and you won't get a lecture from me. It sucks when the black cloud is over your head, but you'll get through it somehow and things will get better. They always do. The breakup has got you in a tailspin. I've been there. I broke an engagement one time and I swear, I didn't think straight for 2 months. Considering what you've been through, I think you doing ok. I know you are really trying and you are doing a lot of things really well. Take it easy on yourself for awhile. Give yourself a week, not to eat like a crazy woman, but just to take a break and not worry about things. Then pick one thing you know you can do and make sure you do it. Right now, you're trying to do everything right and it's too hard with all your other issues. The next week, pick another rule to work on. It's not hard, if you don't try to do it all at once. You will lose weight. It may take some time. Stress is really hard on everyone. Try not to get too freaked out by the variations on the scale. It will even out. One more thing...it's possible you are too tight. When I was eating how you are now (no breakfast, chili or Soup for lunch), after 2 months I went and got a slight unfill and I could eat more solid food. I lost a few pounds after that, even though I was close to my goal and probably eating more calories (I don't count them, so I don't know). I hope everything turns around for you soon. Cindy

Michelle, My story isn't much different than yours (except for the diabetes and breast cancer). I was 47 when I was banded, and I started at 350lbs. I'm now 173 and wear a size 10. I, like you, had done every diet known to mankind. I've lost enough weight to create my own family of four. I exercised...I went to the gym and I did Curves for 3 years. No matter what I did, I would always lose the weight and then gain it all back and usually another 20-30 lbs. I avoided surgery for a very long time and it wasn't until my doctor suggested the lap-band that I was even willing to consider it. After I started the process and did my research, I thought, "This procedure is less drastic than some of the diets I've been on." I didn't tell anyone (except my husband) about my plans until I was confident in my decision. I didn't want anyone else's opinion clouding my thoughts. When I was sure of what I wanted, I began to tell people and they were supportive. Anyone who thinks surgery is ever the easy way out, is crazy. Surgery is the option when nothing else works. I know plenty of people will tell you that the lap-band doesn't work for everyone, but it is sheer madness to keep trying Weight Watchers, etc time and time again when it never worked for me long term. I honestly think those kinds of programs work pretty well for people with 50 lbs to lose, but rarely for someone with more than 100. You are starting put the right way by reading the info on this site and scheduling your consultation. I wouldn't worry about the opinion of people who don't understand what it's like to spend your life trying to lose weight, only to fail every time. The people on this site get that. We have all been there. Cindy

I'm the mom of a Type I diabetic and I've been treating my son's nightime lows for years. The glucose tabs work well because they are pretty much just glucose and get absorbed right away. The best part is you can keep them right by your bed and grab a 4-5 of them without even getting up. After you start feeling a little better, you can get up and make yourself something else. If you really don't like the tabs, any kind of juice can work well. If you buy the little cans or bottles, you can keep them by your bed, too. They'll be warm, but when my son is low..he really doesn't care. You are right, soda is not an option, but you're still going to need the sugar to get your blood sugar back up. Milk does work, but it takes longer than the tabs and fruit juice. Another option is cake icing. We've never used it much, but it was always recommended by the nutritionist. If you are having a hard time eating for whatever reason, the gel cake icing can get absorbed in your cheeks and will raise your blood sugar, too. If i remember correctly, one of the tubes of icing has 15 g of carbs. On a side note...if you are able to manage your Type I diabetes, I suspect you will have great success with your band. That disease doesn't allow anyone to ignore their health or their symptoms. It makes you listen to your body. Cindy

Honestly...It's not that big a problem for me. I have no problem with therapy (been there), but I still am fat (to a degree). I think I've just really found out that nobody's body is perfect. As an obese person, I had the misguided idea that all those normally-sized people did not have fat and were thrilled with their bodies. Now that I've lost half my body weight, I realize that I need to get used to body I've got, fat or not. I'm learning to embrace what I can do and how I can live with this body, not so much what it looks like. Cindy

I guess I need to join this club, too. My name is Cindy, I'm 50 and I've been banded for 2.5 years. I love my band and I've lost over half my body weight! One more thing...I'm from Harrisburg, PA. Cindy

I really think I'm not programmed to love my body. Yeah, I lost a ton of weight and I'm wearing size 10 jeans, but I still have jiggly arms, a muffin top and thunder thighs. My hips mercifully are OK. I do look a million times better than I used to and I love being able to do so many things effortlessly, but in my head, I'm still fat. I finally understand all those thin girls at college who would complain about being fat while weighing 130lbs. I thought they were just ridiculous, but now I feel the same way. I don't want to whine about being fat, but there still is a boatload of fat on this body...Logically, I realize that I'm not 22 and this is how 50 year old women look, but it still feels like fat to me. My next goal is to decide how thin I want to be...and then adjust my attitude to fit. Cindy

Amen and then some. When I see the lists of what some people can't eat, I just shudder. For some people the band is like having your jaw wired shut. It's like they feel guilty for having weight issues and need to suffer the penalties. I'm even more amazed at the number of doctors who "prescribe" special eating styles and no-carb diets. The band should help you live a normal life. That's what I do...eat moderately, exercise moderately and I lose weight, too. This does not need to a prison sentence. Cindy

I'm thinking that your stomach is really irritated from being stuck so often. There is no way you should be getting stuck every day. I'd eat safe foods (mushies) for a couple of days and let everything settle down, and then try to assess where you are restriction-wise. If you're still getting stuck and hungry too soon, I would look at how you're eating. For me, I don't usually get stuck from eating big bites....I get stuck from eating too fast (usually because I waited too long to eat) or not mixing up my textures of food. If I eat like many people recommend on here: First the meat, then the veggies, then the carbs..I get stuck. I need to eat a bite of meat, then something else and eat varied textures. Eating salad with the meat helps greatly with this. One of the many things I've learned from my band is that the "rules" really do vary from person to person. Sometimes, it's just trial and error. And as for the hiccups, I get them, too, I think it's just your stomach letting you know it's not pleased. Cindy

That is definitely something I needed to learn throughout this process. I was where you were last summer. I could barely eat any solid food and subsisted on smoothies and chili. I lost some weight, but I knew I couldn't live like that. I had about .5 removed and then I could again and I actually lost more weight. I'm sorry that's not happening for you at the moment, but I actually think it will. Sometimes, when I change up my exercise routine, I actually gain weight for a week or so. It's sort of like my body didn't like the change. I think you are right to have your fill removed, but maybe you just needed a small unfill. At the level I am at now, I can eat bread (whole grain and toasted!), meat and veggies. I think it's a much better way to live long term. I think you can have your band and eat normally without gaining weight. The trick is to find the balance in everything. I'm still working on it, too. I know none of this helps you right now, with wanting to get into the dress for the wedding. If you have a couple of weeks, I'd stick with what you're doing. I think things will turn around. If you're in a really big hurry, your best bet is probably to go low carb. I don't think it's a good choice long term, but it does work quickly. Cindy

Honestly, I'd try to relax. You don't have a pre-op diet, so there's no need to be on liquids. I was eating real food until 12 hours before surgery. That was all my doctor required. I know many people on here think that the pre-op liquids get you read for the post=op diet, but I don't agree. After surgery, I wasn't hungry at all and liquids were no big deal. 2 weeks before surgery, I would have been miserable. There's no need to go a feeding frenzy. You are still going to eat again, but I don't think the liquids are necessary. Just follow your doctor's orders. ...and good luck with your surgery. Cindy

Wendy, Congratulations on your success. You look terrific! I have to say, I agree with you 100%. This band has changed my life and I would do it again, in a heartbeat! Cindy

Good luck to both of you. Sometimes the process takes a long time, but it is so worth it. If you have a 3 month wait, it will go quickly. It sometimes takes most of that time to arrange all the preop appointments (like EKG, psych eval.....) Cindy

Mine is easy....50%

I was banded in April 2008 and I couldn't be happier with my band. I've has a few minor problems. I've been stuck, which is never fun. For a time, I had my band too tight. I've learned that I do best with a loose band. I can eat everything (including bread) and I rarely get stuck. I am limited in quantity and that has been enough for me to maintain my 175 loss the last 4 months. I tend to eat what I want, but try to eat healthy. If I eat too much junk, I feel lousy. Too many white carbs really do a number on me. I was talking to my sister over the holidays. She is definitely anti-surgery, despite her own obesity issues. I told her that even if I had to lose my band tomorrow, I would not regret having had it. I feel great, I look good and for the first time in my life, I feel that I can maintain this weight. That is the important feature. I've always been great at losing weight, but keeping it off has been a huge problem. With the band, there is something to rely on besides myself. My doctor likes to see his long time patients every six months, just to keep up and see if there are any problems. I love knowing that if something changes, I can get an adjustment and get back on track. No other surgery offers the adjustability that you get with the band. I hope this helps. Cindy

If you are contemplating getting your band removed, I'd check with all the authorities and get an answer in writing. The way that that document (previous poster) was written it sounded like if you have ever had any weight loss surgery, you would be denied. I suspect that having the band removed wouldn't make a difference. I think that's unfair. All the surgeries aren't the same, but we're talking government regulations here. Just don't ask one recruiter and hope he's right. In my experience with my son, we got many varying answers from recruiters about medical conditions. He had a marine recruiter tell him that he could be in, that they take diabetics. I called the recruiter after my son got home from to ask further. Well, he thought it might be ok...If he could get off insulin! I explained that type 1's don't ever get off insulin. They'd be dead in a week. It was really heartbreaking for my son. He thought he finally found a way into the service, but we've tried them all and once you get past the first level recruiter, someone usually tells you that it isn't going to work.. Cindy

Katie, This has been my third Christmas with the band and I still overate and feel like a slug today. I can't really give you any pointers for avoiding the problem, but you are absolutely right...you need to get back on track. I think the first step is to get all the holiday junk out of your house. I still have a lot, but I have teens at home and it will be gone very quickly. Next, pick up the exercise. I don't know how much you exercise, but now is not the time to take a break. Last, get back to your healthy diet. The problem with eating carbs is that they always make you want more carbs. I don't plan on doing liquids, but I will cut out as many carbs as possible for a few days. For me, it's like detox. I need to get this sugar out of my system. There is one more thing that I do...I schedule an appointment with my doctor for sometime in January. Other years, I've gotten a fill, but I don't think I'll need one this time, but I figure it's my "insurance". I don't want to slide too far. It's one thing to overeat at the holidays and have to lose a few pounds in January, it is quite another to begin the descent back into obesity. So far, I've managed to have my holidays and come back in January with a nice loss by the end of the month. I'm planning on doing it this year, too. You can do it, too. We are all human and we are programmed by years of tradition to overeat at the holidays. The important part is getting back on track. It's a skill we need to learn to be successful with this new life. Just because you've slipped a little, doesn't mean that it has to be the start of something bad...it can be the start of learning how to cope with your new life. Good luck Cindy

This really does suck. I'm sorry. My 17 year old son has always wanted to be in the military, too and he can't. He's a type 1 diabetic. I questioned the recruiter about non-combat jobs and that is not an option. Everyone in the service could end up in a battle situation and they need to be prepared. My son is planning on going into criminal justice. It's not the same, but he's come to grips with it. I hope you find something that makes you happy. I think the military is losing out on many good recruits. I understand their objections. Maybe they just need a different classification for medical issues. Cindy

The crying means only one thing...you understand how big this change is. So many people go into this surgery (and others) without understanding how their life will change. They just know they want to be thin. Assuming you are successful with your band, your life will change in many ways. If you are happy with your life, this is a big chance to take. I had a good life prior to banding. I was not one of those miserable fat people, I just hated the way that my life was ruled by my weight. The surgery will be the start of many changes, but they will be good changes. I often think of how my life would have been different if I had been this size when I was 25 instead of 50. I don't know that my life would have been better, but I suspect it would have been very different. So go ahead...think about the impact of all this and cry if you need to. You are self-aware and this is a good thing. There are people who understand and will be happy to listen when you want to talk. Cindy

I am another believer in eating what you want....and that's how I lost 175 lbs. I use my head and try to eat reasonably, but I still have my treats. I'm sure that it did take me a little longer, because I sometimes eat junk, but eating like a normal person kept me going. Many times in my dieting career, I had the feeling that I was either "on the diet" or "off the diet" I can't look at the lapband that way. I look at it as a chance to be normal. The diet mentality doesn't work for me. I do lose weight, but at some point I rebel against the rules and I gain it all back. For me, it's no way to live. I know different styles work for different people, but you don't have to follow some ridiculously restrictive diet to be successful with the lapband. Cindy

I'm a fan of Miralax (and its generic equivalents). I don't have a big constipation problem. All I need is 1/2 a dose every 3 days and things keep moving smoothly. Cindy