BayougirlMrsS

I eat popcorn.... no problems here. i keep it to only when i go to movies. Same thing with candy. I can make one bag of m&m's last a few days. I buy the bite size candies and i keep them in my co workers desk so i only eat one every few days. Biggest problem for me is still Ice cream.... i love ice cream.... it does not matter what flavor... i will eat them all. So my solution is.... i buy the blue bell party cups and when i just HAVE to HAVE it.... i eat one cup. Then all is right in my life again....lol Tracy... every one is different. Every LB patient goes thru this journey on a different path. Just because i can eat or can't eat something does not mean it will be the same for you. For me it was trial and error... i would try and if it error ed... it would come back up... Then i learned my lesson and said... well guess i can't eat instant grits anymore... or bread, rice, pizza, etc.... Good luck with your journey and walk your path....

ok... so for me i just wanted to be thin again. In my twenty's i was a size 0 and weighted 100lbs. My husband and i got married 21 years ago and year by year... i got fatter and fatter. But i never saw myself as big as i was in the mirror... in my mind i still looked good.... then one day i was looking at pictures (husband is a photographer) and i said... who is that, then i looked again and it was ME... OMG i thought, do i really look like that. How did i let myself get so FAT.... I was not and i'm still not ... "un healthy"... never had HB, heart problems, diabetes, sleep app... ... nothing... just FAT... My first goal was to have the surgery and take charge of my life again. Then to fit in a single digit paints.... size 8 and not a size 18-20. Buy... pretty sexy panties from VS. Be able to walk up a flight a stairs with out having to stop and catch my breath. As far as seeing my toes....my boobs are too big for that...lol. I wanted to look sexy and feel my confident about my self and not hide and be ashamed of what i had let myself become. and last but defiantly not least.... i wanted a better sex life with my husband. So two years later and 80lbs gone.... Wednesday i'm going in for a TT. It's not for everyone, but after two c-sections, hysterectomy, gallbladder, and LB.... my stomach apron is bad, it get sore and irritated when i walk, and exercise and i'm tired of having to wear "girdles". I didn't go thru all the watching what i eat and exercise to still have to do that.... so going get it cut off. What would i do to stay thin.....? Every damn thing i had too. someone posted on here a while back about "self fills" and people tore her up.... if it meant me being able to stay thin.... hand me the needle and saline.... But luckily for me my son and daughter in law are RN's.... but i still go to my doctor at least once a year.... yes i still gripe about the rapping he does each time charging $235 for a fill... but i will do what i have too. Today... i woke up and weighted 143 again....

Ali, First let me say ... you are absolutely stunning. You have do obviously fa-nominal job with your band over the years and looks like you could defiantly give out of pointers. B-52 is correct with everything he said.... by the way... B52 Looking great!! Again... WOW I had to go to your profile because when i saw your picture i said..... no way this woman was ever Fat.... You must live in the gym. And running 10K. I'm still have issues with running. Can you give me some pointer on how you started and how you got to were you are now. My issue is my breast, i still have large 36FF and can't find anything to keep from hurting after i attempt to jog. It will be a while before i can start because i'm have a TT Wednesday..... excited and nervous at the same time. Keep up that great work....

C9.... i also had UHC.... my BMI was on at 40.8 for one year with no co-morbidities. approved on first letter with in a week or two. Maybe your dr. is not submitting correctly. I would try again, don't give up. I would go further up the ladder there and plead my case again and again...

Great tips..... i will keep you all posted.

So i just made my appointment for my TT for this coming Wednesday the 15th...... and boy has the anxiety hit. I have been wanting and anticipating this surgery for the past two year and now that i'm a week away... i feel like an elephant is sitting on my chest. I need advice and reassuring..... Please.... from people who has had the TT and felt like this right before.... thanks.

you all have been so encouraging...... it really means alot. How long ago did you all get your band, what was your weight lose, and sizes....As you all know i started a 223, 5'2" size 18-20. Now i'm at 145 and a size 8 fit very comfortable, but size 6 fits. Hoping to be a size 4 by the end of all this. but mostly it's about losing this apron and the rashes and soreness from the rubbing when i walk or exercise.... So Laura...Monday is your big day... Wow... 4 days out. How was the pain? How long are you going to be out of work? My doctor does not use drain tubes, so i'm hoping to be back on my 12 day. surgery on the 15th and back to work on the 27th. Did you stay overnight? Who changed the port? I would love to see pic if you feel comfortable showing one day. Thanks for the prayers......

Bridget, i will go check it out. One of my favorite bloggers to fellow is Amy.... Go read hers.. She too is a veteran banster and is awesome..... Hers is...... Once Upon A Time...In the Land of Cheese and Sunkist She has so much knowledge and is incredibly funny and inspiring..... She's also a friend on here..... under.... Makulafamy

Thanks you guys...... I really think most of the anxiety is coming from the fear of losing my job in the process. two years ago when i had my LB, on the day i went back i was laid off from the job i had for 10 years.... I was devastated. I know i would have lost it any way, but it's still in the back of my mind. Not only do i have my "regular" job here, but i also do the cleaning and the extra money i make doing that is going to pay for the TT. If i lose my reg job, i then lose the extra job ....meaning I'm ... screwed..... But, I have to put this in Gods hands and let things happen the way they are going to happen. and i will go check out that site Beach... thanks for the info.

listen to Ladybug..... and stay away from the bad stuff....i'm one of the ones that can not eat Bread, Rice... etc even in small bites. I've been that way from fill #4. I have the 14cc band and i have 10.5cc in now..... at one point i had 10.9... but the doctor said over the two year some has evaporated... humm well that's his story and he's sticking to it.... So if you break it down.... you have lost 28 in 4 months. that's an average of 7 per month and 2 per week..... you are right on track. What was your start weight. In my opinion .... the first few months are the hardest. Most of us have very little fill in our band and this is were you need SELF DISCIPLINE.....not saying you don't have that, but.... if you are still eating the "bad stuff" you need to rethink how you are using your band. Your plate should be 3/4 protein, 1/8 veggies, 1/8 carbs. But, by them time you eat your protein and then the veggies.... you probably should not even be hungry for the carbs....My nutritionist said i should eat all the protein first then veggies then carbs... I will admit that i still do eat carbs, potatoes and some pastas about once a week or so. I try and stay with the sweet potatoes and whole wheat, but not all the time it is available. I do eat crackers... 90% of the time is the Crunchmaster multi grain crackers... but that's about it. When i got it thru my thick skull that she is right.... i started losing and when i got off my ass and started really exercising.... i started really losing. So good luck

did you pay cash or debit card? if you paid with a debit card, you can pull your old bank statements and show the charges and dates. But, like Kristen said i would call the place you went to, get the directors name and number, be as sweet as pie on the phone and ask her/him if they could please print this out for you. I would even say..."i don't mind if i have to pay"..... my insurance needs this information.

girl.... don't fret.... weight watchers keep track of that... go back and see is they have the records. and i'm going to hold you accountable for future dr. appts......lol

Few things: First congrats on you up coming banding. First the doctor won't really know what size band until he gets in there. I'm 5 2 and weighed 223... i have the large 14cc band. I have very large friends that took the small band. You won't know until he/she get in there. I was in surgery for about 30 min. Surgery was on the 10 i was back at work on the 16th...and got laid off that same day... wasn't that a great welcome back... My doctor keeps all patients over night. I was glad for it. got to stay on the pain drip it was fabulous.... Went home the next day at lunch time. Write your questions down. you will forget. You will be nervous and under medication... Make sure you bring comfortable clothes to wear home. I could not wear a bra home. Socks don't forget socks. One of my regrets was not taking pictures during my process. So bring a camera and document your journey.

I started my pre op diet October 27 and had surgery Nov. 10... I was eating pretty good by Thanksgiving. wow .... that's a long time on liquids. After surgery i had a few days on liquids, then a few days mushy and then eat what i could tolerate..... Of course i didn't go out and eat a steak, but i did eat soft veggies like cooked carrots, peas and such... And FYI: Even after all the Soup on the "pre-diet" i still eat soup.... a lot. It's what i can be sure of. Wendy's chili, applebees broccoli soup, chili's' tortilla soup..... my local diner Crab soup or gumbo (with no rice).....

I really don't understand it either. I can go to Olive Garden and eat the raviolis and or the penni Pasta with no problems, but if i try to eat spaghetti.... it gets stuck and i throw it up. Something with Ice burg lettuce .... maybe its that it is the texture.. won't go down. Grits... I can eat "cooked" grits.... but not the instant packets. I never get stomach aches. When i gets stuck it feels like the terrible heartburn. And i start belching and then it just comes up. No other way to say it.

i had UHC and was not required to do the six monts diet. When you go to your seminar tonight you will probably get a packet. In that packet should be a questioner for you when you call your insurance provider. But you can call at anytime with questions. This is what you pay them for. Call and ask what are the requirements for WLS. They will look up your policy and tell you. So, now i'm going to fuss you..... no matter how you feel you should go every year for a wellness visit. Most insurance allow this and most of the time its free. good luck with your seminar and meeting with the surgeon.....

I guess i was one of the luck ones that got approved first time out. I think a lot may also be how your doctor submits your information. My dr. had me do all my visits .... heart, nutritional, pscy, Rn, gastric, sleep study, etc..... they then compiled all the results and a surgery date... and sent in all together as one packet. Couple weeks later i was approved via United Health I started my process with a free seminar in Aug. and had my surgery in Nov. My BMI was 40.8 with NO co-morbids. I would appeal..... i also would have the dr. resend everything as one packet with a surgery date Good luck.

Newme.... Of course you are getting negative feed back.... think about it.... everything has a "negative" feed back... Heck.. Aspirin has negatives.. As far as the band.... I love my band. I started at 5'2.5" and 223lbs. Today i'm two years out and i at at a steady 145lbs. My BMI went from 40.8 to 25.7 I am looking into getting a TT this month. My husband says i don't need it, but what does he know...lol I started this journey and i want to finish it. the TT will do that for me. Living in Louisiana....The 5th Fattest state in america.... i know people who have had all the types of WLS. Goods and bad with both. I have had friends who have had the GP and gained it all back, and one that is a thin as a rail and can't gain weight at all. The sleeve.... i have had two great friends that have had it and both are doing great. And of course the LB... 90% positive, The last place i worked we had about 10 people and all are dong GREAT. My sister in law is one of the people who have not lost anything... in fact she has gained weight and a cuz that had it done and has only lost a few ...BUT they don't fellow the rules and my sister in law has no fill in her band at all. She had it taken out. She loves to eat..... and my Cuz.. well she is just lazy. What i would say negative about the band... is the hassle of the fills. Going back and forth to the dr. to get fill is not fun (they don't hurt). Where with the other two... you don't have too. BUT the other two are FOREVER.... My band is not... Good luck with your choice and i wish you all the best.

Because my husband and i are home alone now that our two boys are on there own, we eat out a lot. If i make a suggestion..... I too use to have a hard time when eating out. Not anymore, what i do now is... when the server comes to take my order i tell him/her .... When you bring my food, bring a go box at the same time. At this time the server will look at you like your an alien....lol. I then put away all by what i know i should eat. I never go back to the box. Then depending on what i ordered, i have lunch for the next couple days. Hope this helps you.

Katie, You just described me less the wood burning stove...... people think i'm crazy because i'm ALWAYS freezing. I keep the heater on under my desk 365 day a year.... My feet stay cold. I live with a blanket.