mellywelly

I had severe consipation. I tried over the counter laxative but they didn't help. I would go 4-5 days before going to the restroom. I asked my family doctor (after speaking w/ my lapband dr.) and she gave me a Rx for Zelnorm - which worked great and was taken off the market 2 months after I started taking it. The Dr. switched me to Amitiza and I love it. I use the restroom daily and I feel great. I wish I had gone to my dr. sooner because I suffered for months.

Hi, I haven't been on in quite sometime - but will any of you be attending the support group meeting at Bariatric Solutions in Findlay next Wednesday at 5:00? I was thinking about going? I called and even though I didn't have my surgery there she said I was welcome to come.

My surgery was the 1st one scheduled for a Friday AM. I stayed two nights and left on Sunday afternoon. I always have a bad reaction to anesthesia. I was given drugs to help w/ that but the pain meds also made me very sick.

Thanks - I'll check it out. There was another support group in Lima but you had to be a patient of theirs - which since I went to the Cleveland Clinic didn't apply to me. I would have to say the secret to my success is exercise. I've had the mindset since the start that the lapband is only a tool - it's not a miracle cure. I'm I was going to have to work really hard - it also helped that my sister works in the bariatric dept at the Clinic and I couldn't fail and embarrass her or myself :-) I make sure I eat my Protein and drink Water. I lost 50lbs by x-mas - eating only 1000 calories a day and exercising 5-7 times a week. My weight loss has slowed down compared to what it was but I'm still loosing 1lb a week - which my doctor is happy with. I'm eating a few more calories - probably around 1200-1400 and exercising 3-4 times a week - so I'm sure that has alot to do with my weight loss slowdown. I better get ready for work - talk to everyone later.

Hi Anne, I had my lapband placed by Dr. Schauer at the Cleveland Clinic in October. Which Dr. did you choose? How is your recovery going?

Hi everyone, My name is Melissa. I am from Ottawa - those of you from Northwest OH probably know where that is. ( 1/2 hour from Findlay). I had my band placed on 10/6/06 at the Cleveland Clinic. I wanted to go the best- my surgeon Dr. Schauer has performed thousands of surgeries and is the President of the American Bariatric Surgery Society. I've lost 86lbs since October and I feel great. I finally weigh less than 200lbs - it's been 10+ years since I could say that. Nice meeting all of you - do any of you attend a support group? Someone was trying to form one in Lima but it didn't work out - only 2 people showed.

Hi Terri, I had my surgery done in October by Dr. Schauer - at the Cleveland Clinic. I've heard great things about Dr. Chand. I've lost 86lbs and can't wait until I hit 100. If there is anything you want to know about the process please don't hesitate to ask.

I had my surgery done at the Cleveland Clinic in October 06 by Dr. Schauer. I've lost 86lbs and would highly recommend him and the hospital. I was over 3 hours away -but it was worth it.

After reading this forum I asked my Primary Care Doctor about a prescription for Zelnorm. I was suffering from severe constipation - sometimes going 4 days w/out a bowel movement. I tried laxatives and stool softners, prunes, fibersure - nothing worked. The 1st day I took Zelnorm I had a bowel movement and I've had one everyday since. It is a big relief. I highly recommend it if you are suffering from constipation like I was.

The new snack wraps at McDonalds are great. The grilled Honey Mustard has around 230 calories and ends up being a meal for me. If you go to McDonald's website and choose Bag a Meal you can see exactly how many calories/fat make up each item on the snack wrap - it's a wonderful tool. I try to limit myself to eating out once a week. Wendy's has a similar food counter on their website.

When I hit 60lbs I bought myself a 30 gig IPOD. I figured since I spend so much time at the gym the IPOD was well worth the investment. I'm looking foward to meeting my goal of 120 - 150lbs lost, who knows how I'll reward myself then. I'm sure I'll come up w/ something. I think the $ jar is an excellent idea. I'm going to start mine today.

Hi, I'm from Northwest Ohio and had my band done in October 2006 at the Cleveland Clinic by Dr. Schauer.

I want to get a medical alert. Not to sound stupid but I had my lapband surgery in October and I have no idea what "adjust. gastric band w/ abdominal port no blind NG" means? What is no blind NG? Also, I'm not sure what 'entubate with scope ONLY' means either. I want to make sure I get the correct wording on my alert. Thanks

I'm having my surgery at the Cleveland Clinic w/ Dr. Schauer..pending insurance approval, of course. He comes highly recommended. Before coming to the Cleveland Clinic he was the Director of Bariatric Surgery at the U of Pittsburgh. He has done hundreds of surgeries. I am from Northwest Ohio. I understand Bowling Green and Findlay both have bariatric centers but I chose to go to the Cleveland Clinic.

I live in Northwest Ohio but I am planning to have the procedure done at the Cleveland Clinic. I have started the process and I hope my insurance approves it. Has anyone had the lap band sugery there?

I had trouble just getting the insurance company to say it was even covered: (this is supposed to be the easy part...ie...just finding out if it is even covered. ) 1. I called Anthem ( my provider) on July 31st. The rep. told me the lap band was a covered procedure - I told her I looked everywhere in my policy and couldn't find where it stated it was or wasn't covered. She read me the verbage from my policy. I was very happy! 2. I filled out 30 pages of paperwork for a hospital in Ohio to have the procedure done. 3. I got a call from the hospital Monday (August 21,06) that they had called my insurance and it wasn't an approved procedure. 4. I called my insurance company on that Monday - this time they told me it wasn't an approved procedure. I explained that I called 3 weeks ago and I was told it was covered. The rep said she saw where it was recorded on my file that I called in July and told it was approved. She said there was also a call on August 18 where they told the hospital it wasn't approved. 5. I spoke w/ several reps that Monday and upon further investigation of my policy they discovered- in one section of my policy it states bariatric surgery is a covered benefit and then in another part of my policy it is also listed under exclusions as not being covered. 6. Hence, a 4 day ordeal began 7. No one seemed to know if it was covered or not and the supervisor wasn't sure so she had to forward it on to her supervisor. 8. I was supposed to recieve a call back and never did. 9. I called several Monday afternoon, Tuesday evening and Wednesday evening and each time they told me there was no update. 10. Finally on Thursday, August 24th I called the insurance company. I spoke w/ a rep and explained the situation. She read me the notes on my file that were dated August 21 (the original day I called and was told it wasn't covered) that there was a note on my file saying "since bariatric surgery is a non-standard covered benefit on my policy - then I have that benefit. It doesn't matter what the exclusions say. The non-standard benefits always over rule" 11. So, I waited 4 days for nothing...and the process has been delayed about a week b/c of this issue. 12. I'm very happy that this is finally cleared up and the lap band is a covered procedure - now I just have to get approved. CONCLUSION: Don't take no for an answer - especially if you know you are correct! I wonder how many other people this has happened to? I'm now waiting for the hospital to call me back so we can get the process started.

My first post...yippie. I love Starbucks. I've tried other iced coffees but I always go back to theirs. The closest Starbucks is over an hour - so it is a real treat when I do get one. I get the coffee light frap w/out whip - I believe it is around 1 gram of fat. I realize once I have the band done I won't be drinking the Starbucks ones - to much sugar. Thanks for the recipe - it sounds great.