Tired_Old_Man

Calm down. Milk has sodium and sugar in it naturally. Your body, believe it or not runs on sugar. Sugar is to a human as gasoline is to a car. Your blood is a saline solution, meaning that it is a salt Water solution with red and white blood cells, and many other things dissolved in it. To coin a "Star Trek" phrase, without sodium and sugar, "Humans would cease to exist". The idea is not to ingest large amounts of either sugar or sodium. Modern diets which contain "fast food" and processed foods are rife with excess sugar and sodium. Ask your doctor or his nutritionist (or another nutritionist who works with bariatric surgery patients) to give you a set of guidelines for sugar and sodium intake per day.

Thank God that the "High Fructose Corn Syrup" lobbie is able to overcome you in it's battle to win over Congress.

Like the McMartins?

One of the patients in my "emotional support" group which consisted of all forms of bariatric surgery patients, was gaining weight. Anyone can defeat any of the surgeries by drinking milk-shakes all day. Moderation is the key. Milk and other sugar-laden foods should be avoided to a large extent.

I have been saying that for years. I wonder what the insurance lobby thinks about that? This week, the quarterback of the Pittsburgh Steelers was badly injured when involved in a motorcycle accident with no helmet on. If he had been unable to continue his career or had become a paraplegic, his earnings from sports would have sustained him (and his fans probably would have contributed). But for Joe Q. Average American, if he is seriously crippled by not wearing a seat-belt or motorcycle helmet, who do you think is going to take up the slack for his medical bills? It will either be increases in taxes, increases in medical insurance or increases in auto insurance rates. The American public will talk the talk about personal responsibility, but will not let them die. The other good reason for seat-belt laws is that my grandchildren buckle-up without even thinking about it. It is as automatic as closing their car door. The quarterback of the Pittsburgh Steelers was too macho to wear his motorcycle helmet, but he would never run one play in a football game without his football helmet. Why was he so macho about motorcycle helmets, but so compliant about football helmet? Training and tradition.

I will not flame. I will discuss rationally and intelligently any topic that any member feels like discussing in a like manner. I will break off my end of the conversation as soon as anyone decides not to be civil. I see no reason why any member at this forum can not be civil. You're asking me this question? Or someone else?As for "Why don't you commit a crime to take advantage of their easy life and benefits?" - because I don't need to. I generally write to no one and everyone simultaneously. That question was not addressed to you. Now back to my opinions on prisons. As I said in an earlier post: I take note note though, that both politicians on the left and on the right (including Florida's Governor Jeb BuSh and other "Red-State" governors) have come out for rehabilitating criminals. The main difference is that the "Red-State" governors only believe rehabilitation is possible if Jesus Christ is part of the program. I find that almost amusing when one looks at the results of the Massachusetts program's success rate. Do the "Red-State" governors believe that a Christian education and vocational training is good for both the prisoners (and the public that they will be released back into), but a college education without Christ is bad? The results say differently. Illiterates are most often illiterate, because they did not attend school and didn't pay attention when they did. They were also children when these transgression transpired, and many were brought up by people who were parents only in the ability to perform the sexual act. I am not saying that we should not hold them accountable for their crimes, which may have been avoided with proper parenting and proper nutrition, but I am saying to give them a second chance while doing their time. Many of the vicious attacks of criminals are caused by striking out in anger. Education and self-awareness care help relieve that anger. To not give them a second chance is to punish them twice for the sins and/or ineptness of their parents. The Massachusetts program let no one out of prison early for participating. Everyone paid his full legal debt to society. Two pieces of Iron can be coiled in a circle. When the pressure is released, one piece may stay in the circular configuration that was formed by the pressure, but the other piece, because of a different alloy makeup will spring back in a violent reaction to the pressures previously exerted on it injuring everything in it's proximity. Analogously, by education, we have the ability to transform the inmates so that they can be molded into the iron that is not going to spring back on us. I find in amusing that we can tell convicts that they better behave or else, and yet we can not stop ourselves from destroying ourselves with food. We all have our problems. Maybe we should have as much compassion for others as we would like for our own faults. Before you say, "there is no comparison, because they hurt others", weren't we hurting our loved ones who feared for our health because of our overeating. I know that my wife, son, aunts, uncles, etc. were all fearful for my future because of my heart condition, diabetes, blood pressure, cholesterol, etc. I am not crazy about paying taxes, but as the Massachusetts program proved, it will actually lower taxes to rehabilitate criminals. That is one of the arguments that the governors of the "Red-States" have been making, except that they want tax money to fund religious training.

If James Carville and Mary Matlin can be married, then I am sure you and your fiance can make it work. Note: Mary Matlin ran George Bush Sr's campaign in 1992 and James Carville ran the campaign of then Governor (and presidential candidate) Bill Clinton.

Life is how you look at it. I have never been too heavy. I have only been too short. About 18 inches too short for my weight.

When you hit bottom, the only way is up.

Your political compass Economic Left/Right: -7.13 Social Libertarian/Authoritarian: -5.69

I told people on "a need to know basis". Anyone else and I would have to kill them.

My doctor informed me that I tested negative for H. Pylori. So in about a month, I will see how my weight is doing and then decide what to do about a fill.

My doctor informed me that I tested negative for H. Pylori. So in about a month, I will see how my weight is doing and then decide what to do about a fill.

I made my first post in the wrong section. I am 61, was banded almost 4 years ago at 327 up in NY and now weight 233, but live in FL. I have been having problems with PB's since my second band adjustment and due to the lack of doctors doing Bariactric surgery in my area, I have to travel over 100 miles for all lap-band related problems. I had my band emptied yesterday because I was drowning in my own saliva while sleeping. An under the pillow wedge stopped being effective and even sleeping in a recliner didn't solve the problem. I am having an endoscopy two days from now.

Hi everyone. I just signed up today and wanted to welcome you to my computer. I guess to you, I am the newbe, but to me, you are all newbe's. I had my lap-band installed in September of 2002. I weighed 327 :hungry: prior to the surgery and am 233 now:scared:. I am 5'9" and would like to get down to 180. I would also like to hit the lottery. I came here because my daughter-in-law got tired of hearing me complain about my lap-band problems and tired of seeing me spitting up food everytime we eat together. So she figured she would find a sight for me to get some help. Nosey, ain't she? I'll post my problems in the appropriate places and I may even be able to help others by answering some questions. How come this forum doesn't have a spell-checker?

My doctor informed me that I tested negative for H. Pylori. So in about a month, I will see how my weight is doing and then decide what to do about a fill.

First a little background. While an employee, I had medical coverage. After almost 35 years, I was laid off because of 911 in 2001. I went on COBRA. I decided on Lap-Band surgery and was approved by the employee medical plan in 2002. I received follow-up care through the medical plan. In 2003, I relocated about 1400 miles and retired. I am now covered under the retirement version of the same medical plan. The benefits are the same (per the medical plan representatives). The plan dropped coverage of Morbid Obesity Surgery and all complications from such surgeries last year. Last year, I had my band tightened a few times and an endoscopy. The endoscopy and band adjustment were done by the only hospital that I could find within 150 miles that took my insurance. They are 101 miles away and insisted on the endoscopy prior to any other treatment. I was having LB's. The insurance paid for the endoscopy, but balked on paying the band adjustment that time and the following ones over the next few months. I spoke to the insurance company last week because I have been neglecting treatment because of the financial burden. Finally I got someone who would listen and she told me that even though they were no longer covering bariatric surgery or it's follow-up treatment for new surgeries, they were obligated to my follow-up care because the surgery was approved and covered prior to the change in benefits. She told me how to get the new hospital to get authorization to do my post-op follow-up coverage which must be done prior to any more Lap-Band related treatment. Before I had a chance to call the hospital to tell them what to do, I started having terrible PB and reflux problems. This past Monday morning, I called the hospital and told the bariatric nurse that I was choking on my own fluids even while sleeping sitting up. They made an emergency appointment for me to come in that afternoon just before closing. They emptied my band. By the time the procedure was finished, the clerical help had gone home for the day. I wasn't sure if I would be covered because they hadn't gotten prior authorization prior to be my post-op provider. Yesterday I had an endoscopy. I told the clerk who handles billing how to get the authorization to be my post-op provider before going for the endoscopy. I told her that I hoped the insurance company would cover Monday's band adjustment retroactively. She said that she would also get authorization for the endoscopy. I told her not to get authorization for the endoscopy because #1, the insurance rep might be wrong and follow-up care might not be coming to me and #2, there is no medical proof that the endoscopy is related to the Lap-Band. It might be any one of many reasons why I have reflux problems. She agreed About 4-5 hours later, after the endoscopy and after coming back from the induced sleep, I found out that the clerk had given the job of calling my insurance to another clerk, who is more involved with the bariatric department. I spoke to the second clerk. She said that she got authorization for the band adjustment and had also asked and received authorization for the endoscopy. I told her of my concerns. She said that she had gotten it, so we were ok. Suppose that the insurance company had said no. The doctor did a biopsy for H. Pylori. If it is H. Pylori, then the clerk put me at risk of being turned down for nothing. She had no right to make a medical conclusion that the endoscopy was Lap-Band related. Even the insurance company had not made that conclusion last year when they paid for the endoscopy, but rejected the band adjustments.

My doctor informed me that I tested negative for H. Pylori. So in about a month, I will see how my weight is doing and then decide what to do about a fill.

It is really a shame that the Massachusetts pilot program was terminated in the mid-1980's. If it wasn't we might have crime rates to compare between Massachusetts and the states with the harshest forms of incarceration. For all those who think that incarceration is much too easy on the convicts and that the convicts get things that they can't afford, I ask, "Why don't you commit a crime to take advantage of their easy life and benefits?" For those that think that harsh prisons are a deterrent to people with criminal minds, then realize that you believe that people with criminal minds think the same way as you do, but if they did think the same way as you do, they wouldn't be criminal. Giving them an education gives then a mind similar to yours and deters recidivism. As far as our judicial system being fair, I went to college with a man who founded a group that has gotten over 30 death row inmates out of prison. No! Not on technicalities, but because they were totally innocent. And let's not forget that a group of Northwestern college students got 13 of the 25 Illinois death row inmates released and found the real killers (who each confessed when confronted) for a class project in 1999 or 2000. The added cost of education for convicts is minimal compared with the total cost of incarceration. I would allow all convicts to participate. My argument about the benefits to the public was not a way of separating the inmates, but a way to prove that it is a worthwhile goal. The prison violence would go down if all, including lifers were given an education, which would be a benefit to the correctional officers. Do you think Christ would have wanted the most downtrodden of our society to be treated like animals? I believe in Love, compassion and forgiveness. I believe that is why Christ died on the cross. Do not only quote “an eye for and eye', try quoting some of the Beatitudes of Jesus.

I would assume that some bands go on tighter than others. Some bands may do little without liquid inside, while others may have a restrictive effect without liquid. It is not a matter of liquid inside or not, it is a matter of "does it restrict you from over-eating?" See if you are losing weight at a rate that satisfies the doctor. Let him decide. There is nothing to fear. Although some of us have had problems with fills, I am sure we are a small minority. Some of us had no problems until after our first or second fill, because the filing was too aggressive.

No one said being illiterate was an excuse for crime, however illiterate people commit violent crime at about 5 times the rate as literate people. Forget (for a moment) what benefits the criminals are getting. Let's only look at the benefits to the non-criminal population. #1. Less crime committed on the non-criminal population A. In a Massachusetts pilot program, x-cons who received a college education in prison only had one out of 200 commit a violent crime compared with 167 out of 200 who did not get an education in prison. That means there were at least 166 less victims among US because of the program. Benefit for US B. There may have been more than 166 less victims. If each non-educated criminal was caught on his first crime, then there were only 166 extra victims compared to not having the program, but if some committed 2 or 3 crimes, the number of victims could be 300, 400 or 500. Benefit for US. C. When someone kills me, not only am I a victim, but so is my wife, my children, my grandchildren, etc. One person killed actually incurs many victims. This could bring the number of extra victims to 2000 to 3000 or more. Benefit to US. D. Look at the cost to the tax-payer of the arrest, prosecution and incarceration of the extra 166 x-cons who were not educated in prison. It will cost about $300,000 to put the criminal back behind bars and over $30,000 per year to keep him there. That comes out to $50,000,000 to convict and $5,000,000 a year to keep them in jail. If the average sentence is 10 years, the total savings to the tax-payer for educating the 200 convicts is 100 million dollars. Benefit to US. E. Lower crime rates mean lower insurance rates for homes and cars (fire & theft). Benefit to US. #2. X-cons with educations get jobs A. They pay taxes while they work. And because they get better jobs, they pay higher taxes. Benefit to US. B. They get jobs helping prospective criminals go straight. Who knows more about stopping crime than an x-criminal. Benefit to US. #3. Intangibles A. Do you remember the stories we have seen in the last couple of years about conjoined twins. Well one of the leading doctors on these cases was a criminal in his early years. He was turned around from being a gang member who would have led a violent life of crime, hurt many victims and been a drain on the criminal justice system and instead is performing surgery bordering on the miraculous. How many more people who can make a real contribution to society are there among these uneducated people? Benefit to US. B. It makes better people out of the x-cons. History: The program I described was killed because the Republican candidate for governor used the same arguments that you have used. He was elected and killed the program. But the people who ran the program have continued to follow the x-cons who were educated and they have been a benefit to society rather than the drain that the x-cons who did not take part in the program have been. The conservatives said the program was a waste of money although they can not refute the results. But now, some states including Florida have opened faith-based prisons where convicts are given an education as long as they join the religious program. The results are similar. The conservatives there (and in other states) do not mind giving an education to criminals for free as long as they can have their souls too. In at least one state, a judge has ruled it unconstitutional to use tax-payer's money for religious training. The sponsors of the faith-based prison's educational system contend that without religion, education is worthless, but the Massachusetts pilot program showed equal results.

I Pride Myself in Figuring Out How Most Tricks Work, BUT, I Do Not Know How This Works.

I don't doubt that you are correct. They often don't take the test, if they know they won't pass. They duck out the back door and call in sick for a couple of days. I don't know what airline your husband works for or what procedures they use, but where I worked, management handled the testing notification and failure to take the test meant "goodbye" just like failure to submit to a breathtest after a car accident. Attendance was taken before test notification and if someone decided he was too sick to take the test, then he was too sick to work for my company. I have spoken to many mechanics at other airlines and it was the same way there. I was so busy one day on a major problem that I wound up getting paid overtime to take the test prior to going home.

You just did.:confused::faint: Seriously, if you mean start a new discussion, you just click on a forum and then about 1/4 to 1/3 of the way down the page on the left, there will be a bubble saying "New Thread". Click on that.

My opinion (and I imagine many will disagree with me) is that a person should use only one scale and weigh themselves at the same time of day and in the same state of dress each time they weigh themselves. My weight can fluctuate as much as 4 or five pounds during the day. Each pint (or 500ml or 1/2 litre) bottle of Water that you drink weighs over a pound. If you drink 3 bottles of water before going to the bathroom, you have added 3 pounds to your scale reading. A cup of coffee weighs about 1/2 pound. Having Breakfast with 2 cups of coffee (decaf or regular) can add 2 pounds to your scale reading. The doctors have this technique of subtracting 3 pounds from your weigh scale reading. I debated with the nurse and then emptied my pockets. I lowered my weight by 4 pounds and still had on my pants and shoes. I have a top of the line electronic scale. I brought it to my doctor's office and proved that it was within a pound of my doctor's scale. From then on, my doctor accepted my weight verbally. I have repeatedly compared my scale readings the way I walk the street and the way I normally weigh myself; with just underpants and undershirt on. There was a 7 to 8 pounds difference depending on my street garb. I weigh myself every morning as I leave the bathroom after taking care of my morning obligations (who said that I couldn't be tactful?). It is then marked into my computer on a spreadsheet. If I go away for a few days, I fill in the blanks with a proportional change everyday. Example: I go on a week long vacation and come back 7 pounds heavier. I add one pound per day in the missing cells. That is only an example (I would hope).