3636millie

Ky.hen, my thoughts and prayers are with you today. Stoon, how are you doing? How is everybody doing that has been sleeved this week? Haven't heard anything (might have missed it though as can't check the board much during the week). Just know that I have been thinking of you all. Congratulations to all of you on the next phase of your weight loss journey/new life. Tiffykins, glad you are now with your sweetie. Treasure each moment. Have a great time making memories. Cajun/Attitude free, sounds like you are both doing fantastic! I am so excited for you.

Glad you are home and doing well!

Thanks Stoongal!

Please, whatever you do, DO NOT GET THE BAND. I made the mistake of getting the Band. You can go to some of my postings here and on the LapBandTalk site to see what all has happened to me. I followed all the "rules and regulations" to a "T". I swear to god, if you have a problem, it is because you don't "chew, chew, chew", etc. Doesn't matter what is going on, that is the conclusion the surgeon will jump to before even listening to what is going on with you. What a bunch of bull..... The Band should be outlawed. I am looking forward to getting this thing out of me and converting to the sleeve in December (I now have all the Fluid out of my band and am waiting for the swelling, etc to get better). It has been a very costly mistake, this band has. I can't tell you how much money I spent for the initial surgery (even though the insurance paid for alot of it-my surgeon charged a $3000.00 "support" fee not covered by insurance, he only used an anesthesiologist who does not contract with the same insurances and insisted on getting the whole amount he charged out of me, which was twice what any one else charged-I think he and the surgeon split the "profits", etc). I had many fills and unfills, surgery for lysis of adhesions around the band, etc. All total it has been around $15,000 out of pocket. And believe it or not, the insurance has paid 80%. As stated, I will ge getting the revision to the sleeve in December. I am going to Mexico to Dr. Aceves. My insurance will pay for a revision if I have it done in the U.S. but I want Dr. Aceves to do it because of his experience. I only wish I would have been smart enough to go with the sleeve in the first place. It is the same as a partial gastrectomy and it has been done for years. There are several people I know that have had the gastrectomy done for other reasons more than 20 years ago and they are "going strong." JUST TO REPEAT: PLEASE, PLEASE, PLEASE DO NOT GET THE BAND!!!!

I am so very sorry that you have had this happen. Prayers and hugs being sent your way.

Glad you are doing so well! I've been wondering about you!

Stoongal, Glad you are home and doing well! I can't wait to hear about your trip and surgery.

Thanks Cajun. I live close enough that I have been seeing Dr. Campos/Aceves for the issues with my band. Because of them, I have managed to make it this far. The original surgeons in Phoenix were the typical "American" doctors-wouldn't listen to what their patient's have to say. Believe me, patient's know their own body and when they say there is something wrong, there is something wrong. Anyway, I digress. I love Dr. Campos/Aceves. They are kind, gentle, and truely caring physicians. THEY LISTEN!!!! Every time I have went there, my friends who are surgical nurses, scrub techs, etc have went. They have all been so impressed with the Docs and the Hospital. Dr. Aceves/Campos have even offered to let us come down and observe a surgery if we can ever get the time off work to do so. That would be so awesome.

I am scheduled for 12/18/09 with Dr. Aceves for revision from band to sleeve. Believe me, I am almost counting the seconds until I get rid of this band. :scared0:

YEAH!!!!!!! :biggrin0::biggrin0::biggrin0:

Please, don't give up. I am currently banded but scheduled for the sleeve in December. Even with insurance, I ended up having to borrow almost 10,000 when I got the band as the surgeon I used had "fees" which were not covered (the "fees" included 3 years "support", etc Bull Shit). Anyway, I too felt I couldn't afford it but got a loan anyway and was worried about making the payments. HOWEVER.... I forgot that my grocery bill would be less as I was eating less. Then about 2 weeks after surgery was taken off all my medication which was costing several hundred dollars a month even with co-pay. Needless to say, from the savings I have been able to more than meet my monthly payments. In fact, instead of the 4 years to pay it off, I will be done this month which is 16 months. Have you thought about going to Mexico? That is where I am going for the sleeve. It is going to cost me $12,500 for revision from the stinking band to the sleeve. If you are just sleeve, it is cheaper. I will be borrowing all the money to have the revision. There are several loan companies who make medical loans. The one I used for the banding was Care Credit. They seem all right. They will not cover the surgery in Mexico. I am borrowing the money from family. I am still in the process of trying to have my insurance pay part of the proceedure as they will pay 70% out of network. It is alot of work but hopefully will pan out. Call your insurance (if you have it) and ask if they will pay for any part of the procedure to be done out of the country. They may do it if your physician will write a letter that the sleeve would be the best option for you and you can back his letter up with research on why the sleeve should not be considered experimental, etc etc etc. JUST DON'T GIVE UP AND DON'T SETTLE ON THE BANDING. PLEASE,PLEASE, PLEASE.....DON'T GET THE BAND.

It has Whey Protein Isolate, Citric Acid, Natral and Artificial flavors, Soy Lecithin, Sucralose, Acesulfame Potassium, FD&C Yellow #5, Yellow #6. It has no Aspartame. 1 scoop has 100 calories, 1 gm carb, 24 g protein. Hope this helps. The SoBe 0 Calorie lifewater is sweetened with PureVia (stevia). The gogi melon flavor and fuji apple pear (basically all flavors but these are my 2 favorites) are really good. The apple pear one tastes just like you are eating a fresh juicy pear. Hope this helps.

Mac, great idea!!!!! I work alot of hours during the week so weekends are really the only time I can set and enjoy this site. 1) Weekend plans: Today a group of us from work are gonna go tubing on the Colorado River (we live in Yuma AZ and by the time the Colorado gets here it isn't so deep and fast running). Tomorrow a bunch of us are gonna go see the new Jennifer Anniston movie. 2) Challenges: Dealing with some of the crazy assed Doctors I work with. My biggest challenge continues to be dealing with this crazy band. I can't wait till I become a true sleeve sister on 12/19!!!! 3) Small victory: Went 2 days without having difficulty getting Protein shakes down!!! OMG, I even had a little cream of mushroom soup!!!!!!! 4) Happy: Had state inspection at work. They liked some of policies and proceedures I had written and took copies of some of them to give to other facilities for examples. Today I am really, really happy that it is so beautiful outside. The sky is a brilliant blue. Also happy that people on this board (Mac, Vegas, OregonDaisy, Stoongirl, Cajun, Attitudefree, Tiffykins, etc, etc) are all here and such a great help to everyone.

Thanks Stoongal and Lan2K!!!!

Donna-Sorry it took me so long to answer. I work 60-80 hrs/wk so am not home much. I bought Nutria brand hempseed. It was 10 oz bag for $12.89. Where do you get yours? Do they have a web site? It seems like this is a little expensive but it did seem to help keep me from getting so hungry. It really makes my oatmeal taste good though and I want to make it a regular in my diet. Oatmeal is one of the few "real" foods that I can eat. Thanks for such a good tip!! Lan2K. I have a fruit Protein drink I drink that is really good. It is 4EverFit Tropical Mango. It can be ordered online at netrition.com. I mix it with half frozen SoBe life Water that is the almost the same flavor and some water. It isn't too bad and makes a nice change from the "chocolaty, vanilla, strawberry" flavors. There is a CranRazz flavor that I have but haven't tried it as it just came yesterday.

Stoon, I went to the local health food store and they had some of the hemp harts. They also had a Protein powder made out of hemp, peas, etc. Tried them both right away. They were really good. Had the hemp hearts in some oatmeal. Later in the day tried the Protein Powder. Yummy!!! Thanks for the tip. You rock. Good luck on your surgery on the 28th.

Oh.... Tiffy, I am so sorry. Please know I am thinking of you and wish there was something that would make it better.

Daisy, I have been thinking about what to say to you for several days. I just can't think of anything else but to say I am soooo sorry for your losses. Please remember the good times, this may help a little. It is hard but remember that Abby is probably running through a field of wild daisies chasing butterflies now. She may even be helping your father through this next stage of his new life. I am a firm believer that when we pass on from this life that we go on to something else that is bigger and better. Just take care of yourself as I'm sure that is what they would both want.

Where did you find this? Is is sweet?

Attitudefree, good luck. I will be thinking of you Monday. Keep us updated. I am so excited for you. Cajun, aren't you also scheduled soon? My thoughts are with you also as you start your new life.

Orchid, I'm not sure where you are at in your dietary process but when I was able to eat real food, I found Buffalo (Bison) burger really good. It is low in fat and higher in Protein than most other red meat. You just can't cook it to pieces so to speak because it is so lean it tends to dry out quickly when cooking. Anyway, it is something a little different and is great in chili in which the Beans also provide additional protein. Good luck on your weight loss journey!

Ohhh...........Daisy, I so totally agree.

Sorry to trouble you all but I finally have the date for my revision (12/18/09-Dr Aceves-I have insurance that would have paid for an American surgeon to do the revision but Dr. Aceves is my guy even though I will be self pay as insurance doesn't pay for out of country surgeons) and now have some questions. I know I should probably ask the surgeon but considering that some of you have undergone the revision maybe you can be of assistance so I don't have to bother him: 1) Will he go through the previous incisions from where they went for the lap band? 2) I am going for an emergency unfill as I haven't been able to eat anything and barely able to get my Protein shakes down (no, I didn't start out being too tight, my last fill was done under fluroscopy and was not even close to being "too tight". 3 weeks later BAM! Too tight. This has happened over and over again) Should I get a complete unfill or just a partial? For those who had the revision, what did you do? Get a complete unfill a couple of weeks/a month before surgery or did you go into the revision surgery with Fluid in your band? 3) I am scared shitless. I am just worried that revising to the sleeve will just be trading one set of problems for another. I have had such a horrible experience with the band. For those of you that were having horrible band issues, how did you "wrap your head around" going through another weight loss surgery without knowing the outcome? Thanks to all who post on this site. I read each posting every day and believe me, you have kept me going through this horrible band experience. Just knowing that there are other people out there that have been through the same thing makes it more bearable. .

Thanks Vegas!