GayleTX

Kat, if you'll post your surgery date on your siggy, it'll help ou get a better answer.

Iced drinks tighten me up. I always drink something warm before I eat, especially in the mornings The worst PB I ever had was trying to eat a meal after eating a snow cone!!!

As much as our surgeries cost, you would think they could spring for a new, clean needle each time!!

We are in the exact situation right now with both our mothers. They are 90 and 97. We take care of one in our home, the other in the nursing home. My mother signed over her farm to us because it's a 3 generation homestead that she feared losing to the government. His mother still has land but enough money that losing the land shouldn't be a threat. They are both paying their own expenses. There has been discussion among my MIL's heirs as to doing what your relatives are suggesting. They are not in need of the money and are not greedy, but their reasoning is.....their folks have paid huge taxes all their lives and are now paying a huge nursing home bill ---and that money subsidises the people in the next room who never paid taxes or contributed anything to the economics of the country. Their reasoning is "it's her time to get something in return." I understand that to some extent. I also know that for the past 30 years Medicare has paid a huge amount of money for her and her late husband's medical bills....probably more than they ever paid in in taxes back in their day. The 'give and take' is just not that simple in the USA economics. I know that 87 sounds old but she could live another 15 years....that money may not look like so much 15 years from now! Would they be satisfied with her 'gifting' them with the amount allowed by the IRS every year rather than just handing it over in a lump sum? That would let them have some of their inheritance to make their own retirement a little easier but would still protect their mother. There are no easy answers. I wish you all well.

That seems to be a pretty common requirement. BCBS required that of me. They accepted my dr's records that showed my weigh-in weight for office calls. I also had to fill out a form giving an overview of my weight loss attempts in my life time. The most difficult thing to document was medically supervised weight loss attempts for a 5 year period. Every doctor I ever saw mentioned my weight but very few wrote any suggestions it in their notes. I was told they would not approve me because of that one deficiency but I wrote a letter of appeal and was then approved.

Yep, I've gone from an 8W back down to a 7M. My walking shoes are slipping so they make my feet sore and I've got to get some new ones. Too bad, huh!!

Many people use a low-intrest credit card.

I finally broke down last year and bought a new coat after many years....kept putting it off - just knew I'd lose weight some day! It was end of the year clearance so never wore it. Now this year it just wraps around me. Soooo....here I am again with no coat. But you think I'm complaining? Heck, no!!! I'm too happy to have lost 100 lbs to complain about anything!!!

Vegge..... A good canned drink will usually run about $2/can because they have 20-35 grams of protein per can. Don't cheat yourself on protein!! Don't judge a drink on taste or price or how much you hear them advertised. A good bariatric drink is based on protein content, and that's what your body needs from now on. The powdered proteins used to make your own drinks are much less expensive and you can 'doctor them up' to have more variety. Again, they are not all created equal and you need to be sure you are using one that is made for bariatric patients, not body builders (i.e. low carbs, artifical sweetener is what we have to have).

BTW....a VG band is not a Vanguard band....two different animals!! LOL!! The Vanguard is something they use in Europe, but not in the US. Yes, it's confusing. I have a VG....my first fill was 3.6, so was my second. I am in need of another fill now (it's been 4 mo.).

buzz.......I have also heard that the meat tenderizer is helpful if it is a dense protein that is stuck. I used papaya enzyme myself....it's aids digrestion of protein and is somewhat helpful.

I agree.....the surgeon (whom I assume owns the practice??) probably never saw the letter. He (or whomever owns the business) should have been addressed personally. The 'hired help' in the office are no doublt protecting one another.

Sounds like it to me! I don't have a stomach cramp, but the food just backs up and comes on out. Not projectile vomiting, just more or less an 'overflow'. I seldom have food feel 'stuck' but am having some experiences with it just backing up. If I've eaten meat, it usually lasts 2-4 hrs for the episode to be over and the extra saliva (slime) I produce can amount to about 2 cups. The next day I'm sore and try to stick to liquids or mushies.

buzz....you WILL need a fill. Without a fill you might as well not have a band in. What you have now is a band inserted in your body but it hasn't been rendered operational (or turned on) yet. You may not feel hunger right now because you still have swelling from the surgery. But when that is gone down and healed, you will feel just like you did pre-band. So, yes, you will need a fill. You will probably need a few of them to get to where you need to be for proper restriction. And as you lose weight around your belly the band will loosen and it will need to be tightened again.

Welcome aboard! I, too, am a retired teacher. I retired at 56 because I was so heavy I couldn't get up and down stairs, couldn't take care of my family/home, could hardly get behind the wheel of my car. After 5 yrs of retirement, I'd gained 60 lbs, had 4 hearts stents, and was shopping for an extra-wide wheelchair. My life was over. Then I decided to have a lapband. Six months later, I'm 95 lbs lighter, take half the meds I was, walk a mile a day, and feel better than I have in my life. It has saved my life. I need to lose another 100 lb at least, but now I know I can and that I do have a future. :clap2: I wish you well for your surgery and for your future life!!

I was referred to my surgeon by my cardiologist because I had heart problems along with other health issues, so I feel that speaks well for his reputation and experience. My surgery went extremely well, I had no problems at all. Remember that your aftercare (fills) is very important so the person/office that does that part of it needs to feel comfortable for you. You don't have to use your surgeon or his staff for that service if another place is more convenient for you.

Read and research! Google websites for inamed (the manufacturer) and for labband. Look at www.obesityhelp.com....they have good info and a message board as well. Have you talked to your insurance carrier or HR dept to see if they will cover it? That might be a good place to start. ...not all policies cover it. Do I understand that the lapband surgery is new to Springfield? If so, you need to be sure and ask how many surgeries the doctor has done, how many the hospital has had, who will do the fills after the surgery. Aftercare is very important and if there is no one experienced in the area you might want to consider going elsewhere where there are experienced people. The surgery is a one-day thing and you don't have to go for fills very often so don't let distance stop you.....this is your body and your future!! Proud of you for wanting to take charge of your life at a young age....wish I could have done something at your age - it would have saved me much heartache and sadness and illness. Best wishes!!!

I haven't done anything but walk yet because arthritis and just plain ol' being heavy and outta shape.....but I'm proud to be able to walk a mile now!! I keep reading that strength training is important but maybe I can talk myself into some of that later when I get over feeling like an alien at the gym.

Hi, Bit....I'm one of the 'older girls,' myself. The exercise has been the hardest part of this...arthritis, gout, etc. I was banded end of March and I've been happy with my weight loss, but I have had a plateau about every four weeks for the whole 7 months. Right now I just came off a 12 day plateau....then I suddenly lost 3 lbs in 2 days. It's been that way all along so I try not to get discouraged. Stress will definitely tighten your band. I was dealing with some things a couple of months ago and had trouble with sticking and gagging the whole time. As soon as things settled down, I could miraculously swallow again. I also take care of my 89 yr old mother (lives with us) and never know what a day is going to bring! I'm also a retired school person (counselor). Seems like most of us spend so much of our time taking care of others that we can't take care of ourselves....part of how we got in this mess to begin with, isn't it. Hope life gets better for you, my friend.

I started wls at 350, but didn't start exercising til I got to about 310, I think. Even then all I could do was 10 difficult min. on treadmill. But I worked up to 35 minutes (1 mile!!!) in a couple of months. I couldn't believe it. I can't do much more than that now but it's because of gout, not stamina. I do floor exercises, stretching, etc. but haven't gone past that. It's the hardest part of this whole program.....hard for a little ole lady who's sat on her butt for 62 years and enjoyed every minute of it.

laurend.....same here! I'm 5'2" and need 26" inseam. I have paid a fortune having pants/skirts cut and hemmed but they never look or hang just right. And, yes, sleeves is another issue. I haven't been in a store in 6 years to try on clothes.....too frustrating and usually pointless (it makes me cry). However, my closet is getting empty as the larger sizes go out the back door and I'm getting pacicky! Hope someone can give us some good suggestions for brands that have sizes that are both short and wide!!

I named my pouch....call it Pooch, as in "gotta feed the Pooch," "Pooch can't eat that," etc. (FYI: for you city or foreign folks, pooch is a very common term for pet dogs in rural areas).

welcome, sprint! seems like there are many nurses and teachers who get to this point in our lives.....too many years of high stress and taking care of everybody but ourselves. now it's our turn!! best wishes!~

I have a 10 VG.....my first fill was 3.6, second was the same. That was in August and I'm just now beginning to feel the need of a fill again. BTW....you don't get to one spot and stay there forever....as you lose weight, you will need to go back and have the band tightened a little more ------ Unless you had your band inserted in Europe, you don't have a Vanguard; they are not used in the U.S. You may have a VG, but VG doesn't stand for Vanguard. And, yes.....it's confusing. Confusing but true. Some surgeons even get confused, I hear.

The really good tasting high Protein low carb protein supplement drinks are wonderful!! And there are some great one on the market....be sure you find some you love ASAP. It makes all the difference in the world in how well you succeed. www.bariatriceating.com carries some really good stuff. Matrix chocolate, Orange Cream Matrix, nectar fuzzy navel are my faves.