ParrotheadCathy

DId you go to your gynecologist for your annual exam those years? I know my GYN weighs me and that would be enough.

So, make an appointment for a fill. When you get there. Make SURE they withdraw all the fluid and check the amount before they add any. My doc's staff does that every time and I think it's quite wise!

I wad banded on February 10, got my first fill March 10, and left for an 8 day cruise on March 15. I went on a zip line in Honduras!!! I hiked some mayan ruins in Belize, I went to a party in Cozumel and I went snorkeling in Grand Cayman. Plus all the activities on board (I go on a cruise every year with a group of about 500 people and we have private events on board alot). I should say that this annual cruise is a fund raiser for breast cancer research put on by the Atlanta Parrot Head Club (I am a member and former Board member) and I think we put on an excellent party! But the bottom line is just over a month out I did some strenuous things, a lot of fun things, and I had a fantastic vacation. So, get ready to have a ball!

I'm having a problem with just about anything raw except lettuce. While the raw food idea sounds good, I'm afraid I'm stuck with cooking in order to be able to eat it. Last night, I had 3 tiny bits of cole slaw and struggled with every bite. Gave up. I'd rather it be cooked and go down than be raw and cause one stuck event after another.

That's actually a common request from insurance companies. They want a doctor who is not a WLS surgeon to say that you need to lose the weight for health-related reasons and it doesn't hurt if they put there that you have struggled with your weight for X number of years. Relax. Don't worry about it.

Michelle, I can't offer any suggestions on Mexico but there are plenty of people on here who have gone to Mexico and had wonderful experiences. I defer to them and their experience. As for being fearful, here's my take. horror stories about Lap Band There are thousands upon thousands of people who never, ever go to any internet forum and post their comments and stories. People who have bad experiences are often the FIRST ones to find a place to vent. I've read a lot of stuff but no "horror" stories. Yes, some stories of complications (a few who have had their bands slip; a few ports getting flipped) but nothing horrific. The risk of complications with lap band is statistically 0.1%; with bypass it is .10%. That's a big difference. Mechelle voiced a very common concern: Scared it wont work. Most of us have had that fear. After alll, just how many diets have we been on where we didn't lose and gave up or lost a lot of pounds and then "fell off the wagon" and gained it all back with a few extra for good measure? I will tell you that I personally haven't been able to lose more than 30 pounds without falling off the wagon in quite a few years. But I'm down 52 and really haven't even thought about eating some of the crap I used to. Now, that doesn't mean I haven't eaten a little bit of birthday cake (a very little bit, just enough to get the taste) and I've snitched a few fries when I made them for my granddaughter who lives with me but I most definitely haven't gone crazy. This is a lifestyle that comes with enforcement. Your band, once you reach your sweet spot, will keep you from overeating. Yes, you will still have to make good choices, but you will have help. There are bypass patients who have eaten around their bypass surgery and regained some if not all of their weight AND GOTTEN A LAP BAND AFTER. You can eat around any surgery. "Slider foods" like ice cream and stuff has a lot of calories and can get you in a heap of trouble. But guess what? Same problem with other WLS. There is no magic in this. You have to be willing to make the lifestyle changes ... and if you choose the band, you will have a great tool. I can say that because I have the band. I can't say more than I have about bypass because I didn't have that; I've only done my research comparing the band (my choice) with GB. And I know next to nothing about the sleeve so I can't say anything definite about that.

When I was in college (psychology major), one of the things that I used doing intake at an in-patient facility was an evaluation tool that assigned points for stress levels of events. I have to say I was young (21) and never thought about stress all that much. School was my stress. But even good things cause stress! Things like Christmas, vacation, weddings. And you simply cannot avoid stress because you choose to. Some people find relief from stress through therapy, some through exercise, some through food, some through social activities with friends and some people use a bit of any or all. Having no more "babies" at home is a big change, probably the biggest for any parent. Maybe instead of worrying/stressing about that child not being at home everyday, you could find a place to volunteer? Many hospitals have a "foster grandparent" program where you go in and basically love on hospitalized children and babies. Most volunteer programs let you set your hours and duration. I personally find holding a baby or feeding a baby or playing with a young child to be very relaxing. It's a thought!

glued incisions with steri-strips over them. Port is stitched into place.

Functionally the Realize and Lap Band brands work the same, just different manufacturers. Filled vs. unfilled? I never heard that. Some doctors will put a couple of ccs of saline in bands when them place them but most don't so far as I've heard from other patients on this forum and others. I have the Lap Band brand band, and my doctor tested it by filling it completely and then draining it before he placed it. In actuality, that left .6cc of saline in the band, but that is so negligible as to make no difference at all starting out. I would consider calling the doc's office and asking about the filled vs. unfilled. But as for 1 incison versus the other, I can see where 1 bigger incision could hurt more because they doctor will have to do everything through that one spot and pull and tug more as a result. I have 1 2" incision, 2 1" incisions and 2 "poke holes". Surgery on Tuesday and back to work on Friday. No pain, took no pain meds.

Most insurance requires a BMI of 40 (with no co-morbidities) and a BMI of 37 with 2 or more co-morbidities. If you are self-pay, you can probably find somebody to operate on you but you'll have to search.

And the simple statistical FACT remains that 10% more patients have complications by Bypass compared to the 1% with the Lap Band. Bypass complications include malnutrition (results from the bypass part of the deal) and death. I was assured that the risk of death was so minimal with Lap Band but they flat cannot say that with Bypass. And I consider it an extremely radical approach to rearrange someone's insides. So there was no question for me that bypass WASN'T for me. If you feel overly pressured by this doctor, GET ANOTHER DOCTOR. My surgeon does lap band and gastric bypass. And he told me in my consultation that if he trulyl thought bypass was better for a specific patient, he would tell them

The problem I see is that when you get too tight, which can happen, some doctors are very radical in how much saline they remove. The truth is as little .2cc of saline can make a ton of difference.

Happy, a PB (Productive Burp) is what happens when you take bites that are too big and/or don't chew a bite as much as you should. I was guilty of practically inhaling some food because it had been 7 hours since I'd eaten last. You swallow and it feels like some giant wad is stuck in your esophagus. Then you start producing a lot of saliva (called "sliming" by most bandsters), and that is to pave the way for the stuck food to come back up easily. Then you don't really burp and you certainly don't heave like when you vomit ... the piece of food comes up hard and fast. On one forum, a guy thought he'd had projectile vomiting. BUT there is no stomach acid since the food never made it into your stomach, it is completely undigested food that you just swallowed and for most people who experience it, they can rest for a few minutes and then continue with their meal. It took me about 20 to feel comfortable/safe to swallow anything else. But it's not vomiting. And if you do vomit, it is either a virus, food poisoning OR something's wrong.

SlimCity...there are two manufacturers of lap bands. One is Johnson & Johnson, who makes the Realize Band. Realize is a trademark/brand name. The other is Allergan/Inamed and they make the Lap Band. That, too is actually a trademark/brand name. Your surgeon's office can tell you which one you have.

Snickers is right. IF your policy has a written exclusion for weight loss surgery, you have no room for appeal. If, on the other hand, you have been denied for some other reason, they should be able to tell you WHY. Then you can work with your doctor to submit an appeal. Usually, if you are denied and your policy does not specifically exclude WLS, the problem is that information was missing. Just remember that just because someone with UHC got approved doesn't mean you will. EVERY POLICY IS DIFFERENT. Example, I have BCBS of Georgia and so does my girlfriend. Hers covers WLS but mine has a written exclusion.

Cristy, you're healed more now and shouldn't have those symptoms with a fill.

Well, I certainly wouldn't call potato salad "mushie" or consider all that mayo a good thing. It sounds like your stomach agreed with me.

IF you have the brand name Lap Band lap band, go to www. lapbandjourney.com and sign up for their program and you can get a discount on Curves.

Happy, if it's any help, I've NEVER vomited or come even close. Only 1 PB, which is nothing like vomiting and it was entirely my fault for eating too fast and not chewing my food well enough.

They pump your abdomen full of gas when they do the surgery. Until it gets absorbed and excreted, your abdomen can feel hard. Hungry. Well, it's much too soon for mushy foods but if you aren't restricted to clear liquids, try beef broth, chicken broth, SF yogurt, SF popsicles, SF Jello. If you feel up to it, make your own chicken and beef stock....it's definitely going to taste better than the canned or boxed stuff. All you have to do is cover the chicken or inexpensive roast cut with water. Add carrots, potatoes, chopped up celery, seasonings, a bay leaf, onion....and simmer it until the chicken falls off the bones or the beef is falling apart. Strain off all the solids and drink the liquids!

Gas-X will help -- comes in dissolvable strips and the pills are pretty tiny so I just used those. Walking will help alot. And, a heating pad can help when nothing else does! Walk as much as you can even if it's in small increments. hold your arms over your head even. Just moving your body will help move the gas around. Pain medicine may avoid the pain, but doesn't do anything for the gas.

Are you taking any pain medication? I am allergic to Lortabs (hydrocode), and have the same reaction as you are describing. Switch to liquid Tylenol and take a little liquid Benadryl to alleviate the itching.

Most docs will try to get insurance approved very quickly. The doctor's office may have had experience with your insurance company too and feel they will have the approval very soon. Just roll with it and hopefully it will all work out! Your doctor wants to get you through the approval process so just hang on!

It took a month for ALL my bruising to go away. And if the area where you are experiencing a little bulge is near your port incision, that's pretty typical.

None of you are far out from surgery, and probably haven't even had your first fill. This is the toughest time! REALLY. You're feeling so much better since you're healing and you've probably made it to mushy food (which tasted so much better than it should have, LOL), and maybe even to real food. It's bandster hell, a phrase you probably have seen on here in other threads. It does get better. Keep making good choices on your food, exercise if you can or walk if you can't work out and soon it will start to happen. Good luck!