BetsyB

It sounds to me as though you have the one-bite-too-many syndrome. For me, it's as uncomfortable as being stuck. Time takes care of it, though :drool:

It depends entirely on your specific insurance policy. Mine covers banding for BMI of 35 if there are two comorbidities present. (Family history does not count--they have to be present in the patient.) Your policy may or may not consider back pain and anxiety to be comorbidities. (Mine would accept the back pain.) Pull out your policy---or pull it up online. It will spell out exactly the conditions you must meet. That way, you'll have no surprises :drool: (I wonder if your surgeon's office got preapproval before having you submit to all the preop testing; I knew before my first appointment with my surgeon that I was covered---final approval came once they submitted all the specialist clearances. Since you've already jumped through most of the hoops, it sounds as though maybe the insurance specialist at the surgeon's office already is operating under the assumption that you will be approved.)

OR schedules are really fluid--there are always emergencies and/or cancellations. These pop up unexpectedly, and just are part of the fun

Nope, not even for a second. My rate of loss has been great, and I don't have to worry about malabsorption issues.

Blarf. I threw mine out. I use Inspire and PURE proteins from bariatriceating.com. Not a fan of the Nectars--and boy, did I try to like it, 'cause those canisters are HUGE.

Several of the SSRIs are available as liquid; they do not have to remain intact until they reach the small intestine. Zoloft, Celexa, and Prozac leap to mind. They don't seem to have the same pain relief benefits as SNRIs, but depression and anxiety both do exacerbate pain, so dealing with them effectively can have a positive effect. None of the SNRIs are currently available as liquid; most are time-release, and therefore need to pass into the small intestine still intact. (Of course, if you have a band, they linger in the stomach longer than they should, the capsule dissolves, and the bioavailability--and therefore dosing--is affected. Your doctor may not have a problem with this; s/he may adjust dose accordingly. Mine didn't want me to have the variability.)

Amy, I know you won't believe it--because you're in that frustrating phase---but really, your loss is really, really good. I only lost 8-9 pounds on the preop diet. I followed it to a T, but had been low-carbing long enough that my body just wasn't shocked into a huge loss like many other peoples' bodies were. I think I lost a whole 8 pounds my first month. Look at my stats. I'm 8 months out, and over 80 down since banding. The rate picks up tremendously once you get more active postoperatively---and even more, once you get restriction. A lot of times, we don't take into account the fact that others' rates of loss are linked to their BMIs---right now, for example, I have to remind myself that I'm not going to lose the same 10-15 pounds a month I lost when my BMI was 40. I have lots less to lose! It's just not going to come off as fast. And it's okay! It still comes off. You ask, "What am I doing wrong?" Really, the only thing I can identify is comparing yourself to others. It's not a race---your progress isn't going to mirror anyone else's. What you need to do is focus on your own behavior. Make sure that your eating and activity promote loss. If you're not sure, journal on Fitday.com (or someplace similar). Make sure you're meeting your body's needs, but creating a calorie deficit sufficient to lose. If you're doing liquids, remember that many are quite salty, which can promote Fluid retention. Remind yourself that the number you see on the scale quite often does not tell the whole story. I know it's discouraging, but soon you'll really be seeing and feeling results. (If you haven't already started, take a set of measurements. Measure monthly. Even on months when the scale does not cooperate, you will be amazed at the changes in your body.)

It's not a matter of the doctor's office "not wanting" to submit paperwork for you. Your policy spells out precisely what conditions must be met in order for you to qualify for surgery, and if your doctor's insurance specialist has determined that you don't meet the criteria, there simply isn't any point in submitting the paperwork. Bariatric surgeons have staff very, very skilled at getting procedures covered; if you've been turned down, it's not because they don't want to operate on you---that's what they do, and they like to do it as often as possible. (I am sure they'd be more than happy to take you on as a self-paying patient.) Insurance contracts are very, very cut-and-dried. If you don't meet their requirements, all the arguing in the world will not change a thing. There's no sense in submitting paperwork when the criteria are not met. Have you read your insurance contract? There are different levels of coverage, so it's important that you really know what is required according to your specific plan before you get bent out of shape. If you find that you do, in fact, meet the criteria laid out in your policy, then it would be very reasonable to ask the doctor to reconsider---or to find another doctor whose staff competence you are more comfortable with. If you do not meet the criteria, the people to negotiate with are those who make benefits decisions for you. I don't know much about how the military works, but in the civilian world, this would usually mean appealing to the people in Human Resources. Making a good argument for increased coverage for bariatric surgery (reduction of comorbidities leads to less loss of time from work, fewer doctor visits, fewer prescriptions, and so on) can often result in policy changes. And policy changes are what is needed if you don't meet the criteria---because nothing else, short of paying out of pocket, will do the trick. Good luck! I hope you find that you are, indeed, covered after all. Get your hands on that policy to find out

I haven't had anyone respond particularly negatively---some have the "easy way out" misconception, but I just explain that it was a way out for me. I have had people tell me I wasn't "big enough." I don't understand this--but whatever. If I don't fit anyone's arbitrary mental image of someone fat enough to have surgery, that's okay with me. I agree your aunt probably is disgruntled because she had to self-pay while you were covered at a lower BMI. The way I'd bolster her is to tell her how terrific it is she dodged the comorbidities that made it more medically necessary for you to have the surgery when you did. As someone who battled obesity herself, she surely knows that there's no reason to keep gaining before choosing to lose---and there's even less reason if your obesity is causing health problems.

Every single day. I have a persistent, nagging personal trainer in the form of an energetic lab-shepherd, and we walk 3.5 FAST at least once, and usually twice, a day. I am in the process of bumping up distance, so that my duration of activity is longer for each walk. (What started out as hour-long walks decreased to around 40 minutes for the same distance, so I'm aiming for an hour again; not sure what distance I cover, but I suspect it's around 5 or just above.) I also try to get to the gym for resistance training on alternate days, but am spotty about that. I like doing it, but it's harder to fit in to a workday than a walk in the morning and a walk in the evening. For me, exercise is probably more important than the food choices I make. I know this will be especially true when it comes to maintenance. ETA: I have to add that my body image has improved considerably with exercise--which I was doing regularly before surgery. Really, it's what gave me the confidence to move forward with banding, and to have faith in myself. For me, the benefits go far, far beyond promoting weight loss.

With pain meds, it was never more than a 2 or 3. I've had other abdominal surgeries, and this was a breeze in comparison, but I can't join the "no pain" camp; I did have pain, and it did require medication. It was not excruciating, but it was definite surgical pain. If your doctor is skillful, a good deal of the gas used to insoufflate your abdomen will be removed before your incisions are closed, so you won't experience horrible gas pain. I was lucky in that I had almost none. Walking a lot postoperatively helps tremendously. So use whatever meds you need in order to get up and moving quickly. The pain the persisted the longest is at the port site; first, the incision is the largest. But more, it's because the port actually works to embed itself into muscle tissue, which creates gnawing twinges that really persist. They're not excruciating, but it's a nagging discomfort long after everything else resolves--it just sort of reminds you it's there from time to time. ETA: I just saw that you've taken the classes for bypass and sleeve. I am not sure how your doctor does it, but mine combines classes--his postop recommendations for bandsters are the same as they are for bypass patients (same diet, etc.) This is good for bandsters, because our rate of loss tends to be higher than the average as a result of having the same dietary restrictions.

This is so, so variable. At about 8.5 cc, I started feeling some restriction. But it's taken me 3 fills on top of that to hit what I think is my sweet spot. I actually haven't asked how much is in my band for the last few fills, so I don't know exactly how much---but they have been significantly smaller than earlier fills; I'd guess I'm around 9.5 cc, maybe 10.

It is so hard at the beginning, when you are genuinely famished. Just stick with your doctor's recommended eating plan the best you can. It's great that your doctor pushed your fill up for you; mine did the same for my second and third fills, and it made a huge difference for me.

"Stuck" episodes occur when food has dfficulty passing through the stoma (hole) between the upper pouch and the stomach below. Breathing is not affected. And normally, no medical intervention is needed, though some things (like chewing gum, which many doctors do not permit for this very reason) are particularly stubborn and may require endoscopy to remove. It's never really a huge emergency---except that you'll want it over and done with ASAP because being stuck hurts. Most foods eventually break down enough to pass through---or come up the other way. (Gum is a particular problem because it doesn't break down, and tends to conform to the shape of the stoma...really obstructing it.) Some people chew papaya enzyme tablets (available at pharmacies and health food stores) to help break down whatever is stuck; I find that if I'm stuck, putting anything else in my stomach just increases my pain. It's uncomfortable, and something to avoid whenever possible, but it does happen to most of us every now and then. And it's not the end of the world. I had my first stuck episode before I even started on solids again--one of my pain pills got stuck. No fun, but no biggie. Now I take capsules or gelcaps (they dissolve before passing through the stoma) or liquid meds. Food-wise, the only difficulties I have have been purely 'user error' issues--eating too fast, not cutting small enough pieces (I am almost guaranteed to get stuck if I eat ANYTHING off the bone--like ribs or chicken. I really need to eat with a knife and fork), not chewing thoroughly. All things that you learn to do with practice, so that the episodes become fewer and farther between. Oh--except after fills. Then, the swelling can make things more prone to sticking, so I've learned to ease back into solids much more slowly than my doctor requires. It just works better for me to give it a few more days of soft stuff....I don't irritate the stoma further, and then things are a-okay.

It happens! Once you begin to have restriction, you quickly learn that taking even one bite too many is very, very uncomfortable. You learn to listen to your body's cues---"full'' means something completely different when banded--and stop when satisfied, so that you don't cross over the line. Because crossing the line is not fun. (You also learn to serve portions that are more aligned with your body's needs---so while you may be leaving a little behind, you're not leaving a ton. Except in restaurants---where even when you order just an appetizer or Soup, you'll end up taking a meal's worth home with you.)

I know you're farther down the road, but can you take him to one of your surgeon's introductory seminars? Or to one of the preop classes/appointments with you? My husband was not enthusiastic about the prospect of banding at all--but the seminar and attending the first appointment with me put his mind at ease. (For one thing, it strongly put into perspective the relative risks of obesity and surgery.) My daughter was also nervous---but away at school. A couple of weeks before my surgery, she attended my nutrition class with me. It covered the same stuff as my initial seminar, plus a good deal more. She left feeling reassured, as well. I know you've been trying to protect him from worry, but knowledge really is power. If your fiance hears, from your surgeon, that the risks of surgery are far, far less than those of remaining obese---and really are quite minimal----his mind will be put at ease. I respect your wish to make him more comfortable, but he is quite mistaken about the "both parties" thing; it is your body, and if he is demonstrating control issues about something that is not his to control, it represents a problem to me. "Both parties must agree" is a terrific policy to apply to having babies---but not to things that have the potential to improve your health, quality of life, and lifespan. (And you can tell him unequivocally yes--you will be making decisions independently after marriage; if you want a healthy relationship, you will remain independent in many regards.) It's a shame he's flexing his control muscle so soon before your surgery date--it doesn't leave much time to explore what's really behind it. In your shoes, I'd tend to give him the benefit of the doubt and assume it's fear---and give him the information he needs to become comfortable with it. But I'd really want to explore the control and communication issues before marriage. Perhaps with a professional. The fact that you have felt the need NOT to discuss this with him--so as not to rock the boat---leaves me feeling vaguely concerned about the tenor of the relationship.

I know several who started with earlier incarnations of banding in the early- to mid-90s, and have converted to adjustable banding----so while they've had revision, they've been banded for a good 15 years.

My doctor vetoes it for the first year--primarily because he wants his patients to establish completely different eating habits. Alcohol isn't the devil. But it is liquid calories, and the body treats the calories from alcohol differently than it handles other calories; it is much more efficiently converted to body fat. That, and alcohol is a disinhibitor. Catch a buzz, and suddenly the nachos you've done a splendid job of resisting for months start beckoning---and finding their way into your mouth... For me, the issue is tolerance. I eat way less, I weigh way less, and my tolerance is zilch. So a sip or two of my husband's blood Mary (hey--it's a vegetable!) is about all I have room, or tolerance, for. I need to put other things into my stomach to ensure my good health, and the real estate is at a premium--I just don't have room for it.

I never really had any time constraints attached to eating, but I do understand the lack of interest in eating. I didn't experience it as early as you did--but I didn't have any restriction for quite a while. Your loss so far has been really good---but I would be sure that you are at least meeting your nutrient needs. Calories don't concern me as much as Protein, fat, Water, and micronutrients (Vitamins and minerals). Do your track what you eat? I use fitday.com, and this allows me to ensure that I meet my needs. If I didn't track, I would probably fall well short of my protein needs, in particular, each day. I also take a good-quality bariatric Multivitamin as "insurance," as well as a handful of other supplements (some recommended by my doctor, and some because I consistently fell short of the nutrient dietarily---again, tracking let me identify what I was missing). At this point, I wouldn't be worried about a lack of interet in food---that's pretty much what we all aim for! But I would want to make sure I was getting what my body needed to remain healthy.

I have found that, as I've pared out sugary (and most artificially-sweetened) foods, my previously overactive sweet tooth has gone into retirement. That doesn't mean that I don't sometimes have treats; I do. But they are just that, occasional treats. I now see the wisdom of my doctor's eating regimen. At first, I followed it simply because I believed (and experienced!) that it would best promote loss. But I know get it: removing certain foods from my repertoire for a period of time quashed the craving monster. And now, when I've been green-lighted to add foods back, they don't trigger craving. It's pretty darn magical--at least for me. The monster has been slain. So, I agree with the advice to get the stuff out of your house. Learn to manage your band, lose a significant percentage of your excess body weight, gain a sense of real mastery of the problem---YOU are in control! And when the time comes, you can indulge---and the strength of any cravings that result will be more manageable, because you will have great coping skills, great weight loss, and a greater sense of control under your belt.

Pull out your insurance policy; it will spell out, very specifically, what conditions must be met in order for you to qualify. My insurance required a BMI of 40 with no comorbidities, but would band from 35-39 if 2 comorbidities were present. You would qualify with my plan--but yours may be completely different. The doctor's questions about your weight history may be simply for their purposes--it's good for them to get a feel for their patients' histories so they can assess who is a good candidate (often, with heavier patients, this is to determine whether banding or bypass would be the best choice). Good luck!

No worries. Your preop diet--and the band--will take care of the weight for you.

I agree with Elfie---give it a rest before making decision.

Leg-crossing rocks! I like wrapping a regular sized bath towel around me--and having nothing protrude. (Actually, there's an 11-inch overlap--yes, I measured LOL). And being in the bathtub---with everything submerged. That's fun.

None of the above. I'm a rule-follower, but not because I'm scared. I follow the rules because I trust my doctor, and know he has good reasons for his recommendations. Now that I'm many months out of the starting gate, I do tailor things to fit my life best; my doctor knows this and is fine with it. But during the initial healing phase? I was 100 percent compliant, 100 percent of the time. (Heck, I'm still 100 percent compliant 99 percent of the time!)