cheri634

I was self pay for my band, and took the money out of my savings for my surgery which was in Mexico. I also had my first filll in Mexico when I went back for port revision. But, from this point forward, I will be using Fill Center USA for my fills. With my employer, I am enrolled in the IRS flexible spending account where I have tax free dollars deducted from my monthly pay for health care costs. Does anyone know if this can be used for fills? I am unable to find the answer in the IRS publications about flexible spending accounts and the website for my agency's provider has not been working for days. This inquiring mind would like to know.

Does anyone know of a doctor in Juarez who does fills under flouroscopy? I've been banded a little over a year, but have only had 2 fills, one from my original surgeon in Tijuana and the other from a Fill Center USA doctor in Austin. The Austin doctor has since lost their contract with the radiology facility (i think because of insurance shortcomings), and there is not another doctor I can find in Texas to do a fill with flouro. (oh, i also once went to the fill center usa doctor in fort worth and did not like him at all, and he did not have flouro and also took Fluid out of my band instead of putting some in.. no good explanation either... won't be going back to him) Now, I find myself in El Paso for a few weeks, so if I can find soemone in Juarez to do me a fill, that would be nice.

I understand that the flouro is not a requirement, but the one fill I had without flouro was a negative experience for me. I prefer to be able to see how the liquid is flowing. The doc without flouro wanted me to tell him how the flow was and I couldn't feel it. I apparently made a face, which was really my confusion, and he read it as me being too full and I couldn't get him to understand that I seriously could not feel it. Maybe some people are just less sensitive in that way. Anyway, because I told him I had been stuck a couple of times in the past... although I told him it had only been those two times and was not an ongoing thing....he decided I was overfilled and took out half a cc. I decided that day I'd always get my fills under flouro.

I hear ya! I have the same fears even though my surgeons have told me not to worry. I was banded in May, and when I went for my first fill July 1, my port was flipped. I was convinced it was my fault because I had gone back to the gym 2 weeks after my surgery. My doc said exercise was not likely to be the cause. And, sure enough, when they got in there for my port revision, they discovered that the port itself was defective and it wasn't my fault. Yay! Now it's fixed, and I'm feeling good and back at the gym, but I'm terrified of anything that works my abs. I've been fixated on the treadmill and bikes, and I KNOW I should be adding other elements to my workout, I just can't get myself to relax and do it.

Congratulations!! Keep up the good fight! I know it's worth it!

Yep, all the time. Ang the gut sounds are fairly loud, to me, but my hubby has only noticed a few times. Me and hubby were talking once about that play phone we used to make as a kid with a couple of cans and string, and teasing that the port under the skin connected by the tubing to the stomach is making it louder. Of course, that's just silly because the 'string' has to pulled tight for the can phone to work, but we got a giggle out of it.

55 John337 -105 SpideyMom -70 hdmdavid -75 less-of-me -58 Oliviasmommy -25 tulsarealtorGB -38 ruguay -35 Sarahbellzz -34 Jennifer75 -55 Sbush70 -48 bkmom -34 naynayto2 -40 Mamadot -54 Mamabully -41 On the Way to Thin -44 DON14 - 102 carriemc78- 61 Foxxy-21 Epresco303 - 53 cheri634 - 46 ---------------- TOTAL 1039 :smile:

Oh, I'm going to look for them again tomorrow. I ran through walmart on my lunch break and didn't find them, but I forgot about the open freezers by the meat section. It's about that time of year when we start cooking things in the oven. I'm in the hot part of Texas (i.e. hell) and we don't turn the oven at all until fall and winter.

oooh, that sounds quite good.... is this in the frozen foods? Sounds like something this picky old man I have to feed might like. Gonna look for them tomorrow! Can they be microwaved for a quick lunch, or is this a heat up the oven kinda thing?

Like Scarlett O'Hara says....Tomorrow is another day. Don't worry about it. I've had days like that too. Then, the next day I started over, and didn't look back. Life is about ups and downs, and taking care of ourselves is no different.

Yay! Love hearing all this good news! I'm having a great time too with my band. I've only had one fill so far, and I'm feeling just a wee bit of restriction, but it's enough to make be very careful. I've lost 45lbs so far and have gone from forcing myself into a tight size 26 jeans to easily sliding into a 22 and looking forward to shopping for some smaller ones soon. People are finally starting to notice, and I'm lovin it!!

hmmm... I wonder if that's what's going on with me, I hadn't thought of it until I saw this thread. I only have one fill and so far have had minimal restriction. But, since last night I've been very tight, took me 20 minutes this morning just to eat a little applesauce single, sniffling all the while. I'm going to try the mucines along with my allergy meds. I gues if it's gets severe, there isn't much that can be done other that an unfill until the swelling passes, but the cost really sucks.

I remember reading the hair loss posts on here the first few weeks after my surgery, and thinking that won't happen to me. I convinced myself that it was mass hysteria and not a real thing. But, here I am 4 months after my surgery and, as karma would have it, losing hair more and more each day. And, having thin, baby-fine hair to begin with, it's a little upsetting. But, I'm chosen not to stress too much over it because I see form the threads I've read that it will eventually stop. But, I am wondering if it's ok for me to touch up my hair color, or would I be taking a chance of exacerbating the hair loss even more? I have gone to the store to by my hair color 3 times already, and talked myself out of buying it each time. I'm like the Brett Favre of hair dye decisions.

Wow! It's like a whole new world, isn't it? Love my band, too. Congratulations on your success. Keep up the good work.

Don't be discouraged, the change in meds probably does have a lot to do with it. I also take a BP med with a diuretic in it, and if I miss taking it for just 2 days I'll pick up anywhere from 4 to 7 pounds of water weight. Also, it's possible your body is holding on to whatever it can because you're getting so few calories. Go ahead and progress your diet at your doctor prescribed and keep the faith. Things are slow going and even backward sometimes in the beginning, but a year from now you'll be a whole new person! Hang in there!

Viactiv also has a chocolate multivitamin chew. It's what I take daily. It does have 20 calories in it, and each Viactiv calcium chew also has 20 calories, so that's 60 extra calories a day for me, but I can't stand any other kind of vitamin, so I just figure it in on my food log for the day. I think you'll like them, they do not taste like vitamins at all to me.

I had exactly the same question at the exactly the same period of time after my surgery. I was approx 3 1/2 weeks out and I was at a casino 2 hours from home, and I lost track of time (as i tend to do when gambling), found myself wondering about dinner at about 2am. They had a little short order diner in the casino that was open 24 hrs and the softest thing I could see on the menu was chili. I ordered it, and it was wonderful. I was afraid to eat too much of it, but I savored every bite of what I did eat, and I had no problems with it.

I also have Realize band. My doc had me do 5 days liquid followed by 5 days mushy after fill.

Yep, you hit the nail right on the head. A mourning period for my comfort foods is exactly what I've been going through... still am to some extent. I hadn't found the words for it until you just gave them to me. Thank you!

Non-fat pumpkin spice latte.....stop teasing me.... i LOVE those! :thumbup:

Yes, this is what I read last night. But, I can't see how it addresses maintenance of the band by fills. I feel like the flouroscopy should be covered, as it is a medical diagnostic procedure, for whatever reason it is conducted, but I'm not sure about the fill itself. I'm just going to ask Fill Center about it.

I hear ya! My 'bandster hell' period was not really hellish, it was just a learning curve, not easy, but not hell either. And, I did NOT gain any weight during that time. I don't think gaining is a given, but I can see how it can happen. I agree with the previous responses about tracking your food. I credit my use of 'lose it' on my iphone and sparkpeople onlne for keeping me accountable and keeping me from getting careless and gaining. I've loved my band since day one and did not get my first fill until almost 4 months after being banded. You've got a great attitude about it, and I believe you will do great!

Don't be too nervous, it's so quick and simple, you'll be surprised. My response after cmopleting my first fill (which took all of 20 seconds) was "seriously, that's it?".

YES! It took FOREVER for anyone who didn't know about my surgery to notice my weight loss. I was walking up to the front of the building where I work one day a couple of weeks ago and the receptionist said, 'hey, you're losing weight'. I laughed and said, well it's about time someone noticed, I've been working my ass off! She laughed. Since then a couple of other people at work, both of whom had not seen me in several months, commented on it like the change looked dramatic to them. I think it's harder for people who see you daily to notice. But, when you run into someone who hasn't seen you for a while, it's immediately noticeable to them.

Sounds exactly like me. I was banded in May, and didn't get my first fill until last week. But, I've lost 40 lbs and have had several painful incidents of being stuck, mostly chicken, but once it was my first bite of a soft, flaky talapia filet. I learned to really chew, but had those stuck episodes when I'd let myself get hungry and let my appetite overrule my brain. I definitely felt the restriction, but do want more.