Homesteader2.5

A little history....I had perfect restriction up until December, when things became tight and I had a hard time keeping food down. Up came coffee on my way to work one morning and I decided that I needed to see my doctor. He said my allergies were swelling things up and he took out 0.1 cc. Controlling my allergies and the amount he took out made the band too loose. So I went back and had the 0.1 cc plus another 0.1 cc put back in. Things went good for a couple of weeks and then I (foolishly) changed allergy medicine. I become so restricted that even water was difficult. I immediately made and appt and had 0.25 cc taken out. Now a week later, the band is way too loose again and I feel like I have no restriction. Does anybody else experience this? And how long should I wait before I go back and get my "drop" back?

You should ask your surgeon. My surgeon encourages people to use on if they drink to fast otherwise. However, good friend of mine with a different surgeon and its forbidden. /shrug

Here is what I do to get my protein: I make a Protein frappucino every morning. I like coffee but if I drink that, then I dont have time to eat also since you cant eat and drink at the same time, so....I make a frappucino instead. It keeps me full for a least 2-3 hours. In my magic bullet: ice about a cup of milk scoop unflavored protein (Jay Robb is good) chocolate syrup (I like Hersheys Dark Chocolate) Instant coffee Splenda (been using the hazelnut flavored ones) Peanut Butter (lately I have been adding about a tablespoon for a bit of variety) New Whey 42 gram protein bullets...I like the fruit punch the best and mix it with sugar free gatorade of the same flavor. You could mix with sugar free kool-aid or crystal light and have the same effect

This might seem quite a bit harsh, but what I am getting from your posts is that you want to "have your cake and eat it too". But for most of us that is why we are so overweight to begin with....and sounds like for you too. The answer either way you look at is NO, no no no....you cannot continue to eat the way you do and still lose weight and keep it off. If you could, you would be skinny. If you are going to give a good old fashioned diet one more try then why not do it through your docto so that, just in case your insurance requires it, you can have a six month diet documented? Wouldn't hurt..... I think you are trying to find something that will lose weight for you, without any effort on your part...but I really don't think that exists. There are no surgeries, no pills, no secrets. The band still fails some people because they thought maybe it would be a cure instead of a tool. Its the same with any WLS or any diet or anything at all. It is going to require a different mind set, because if we don't change that then there really is no point at all.....we will fail.

I just saw a commercial today and Dr Wade Barker here in Dallas has a special going on for $10,500. I have seen people asking about pricing so thought I would share the info :cursing:

Does Tricare Prime (for retirees) ever approve plastic surgery? And, if so, what should I be doing now (band is in 3 weeks) to start documenting a "need"? Thanks for any info :thumbup:

Hello! Glad to hear that you are doing so well. I had a question for you....I will be banded by Dr Smith (same practice with Dr Ferrarra) on the 16th....what pre-op diet did they put you on? I don't have my pre-op appt until this coming Monday, but wanted to start preparing myself. Nice to "meet" somebody going to the same office....they seem so nice and helpful there.

Kinda what I do...I am a histotech at a Childrens hospital. 17 years later and yep! its the best job ever!:thumbup:

Well, imo, if you are already dissatisfied and you are going to be self pay...then why not find another doctor? I am going through Adam Smith in Ft Worth and his office staff seems to be very nice and helpful. I went to a seminar in Dec and I have my surgery date scheduled for March. My surgery date is so far out because I have Tricare and Dr Smith has to do surgery for Tricare patients at a different hospital. Anyway...point is, if I was going to be paying thousands of dollars for a service, I think I would shop around a bit and find a place that seemed a bit more....appreciative?

...to find out if you have been approved? I have gone to the claim status page and all that tells me is about previous doctor's visits (not the surgeon, but my PCP). Or do I have to just call them to find out? I am just being impatient and want to bug somebody and not have to wait over the entire week-end to find out!:confused:

I completely agree with this statement (took out the side effects part because I didn't happen to have any). But for me this truly was a miracle drug. I quit over a year and a half ago using it and only took it for about 2 months. I have never once had a craving, even psychological, for a smoke. I can be around other smokers and can even have a few drinks and not be bothered at all. I would highly encourage anybody to try Chantix....its well worth the expense even if you have to pay cash for it, imho :thumbup:

I went to a surgeon about a year ago and started the whole process, even getting approved by my insurance. And then I chickened out. I decided that I would wait until my husband got back from Iraq and that him and I would eat healthier and exercise together, etc. And we did. And then he retired from the military and we didn't any more. Long story short...I am the same now that I was last year, and the year before that, and the year before that and so on. The biggest difference for me this year is that I have watched six people that I know who have had it done and who have had it done very successfully. The sixth person was my dad. He was the one that finally made the decision right in my mind. So....I have my appointment with the surgeon on the sixth of January and very excited and anxious. I know that there will be inconveniences and pains and adjustments. But I guess in the end I decided that some temporary discomfort caused by eating too much was better than the long term discomfort of diabetes, or heart failure, foot and knee problems. My PCM kinda of confirmed this for me a couple of days ago by putting me on blood sugar medicine because I am now, at 36, borderline diabetic. I suppose I am one of the lucky ones though because I have tremendous support from my family, friends, coworkers and doctor. Either way, good luck in your own decision and I sincerly hope that everything works out for you.