Betsyjane

We humanely euthanize our pets. I want the same humane assist. And I don't want to be resussitated to be on life support. And I want my body donated to a medical school and for transplants.

I know I'm a foodaholic too. I fall off the wagon...I lie to myself about what evil foods have crept in to my diet....I can look in the mirror and not see myself accurately. I figure I will always address issues, the rest of my life. But without the band, a slip up would mean rapidly regaining all my wieght and then some. With the band, I can get it together before all of that happens. It is more forgiving. Alcoholics strive to fall off the wagon with less intensity and for shorter periods of time each time. Me too. And I've made peace with "dieting". I am on a strict "diet" of healthy food and porportions at home, and order whatever I want when I'm out, allowing the band to assist with just portion control. So I have my cake and eat it too, sort of. I also know that when I have good restriction per fluoroscope, but can eat too much, I've stretched my pouch. The time I did it, I was lucky that a few days of liquids resolved it. I'm always restricted in the morning, so I needed to stop gulping breakfast too. But if that hadn't worked and I needed a slight or complete unfill to take care of it, I'd gladly do it to re-start the restriction of the band. And finally, once a month, I go down the list of rules for the bandster life and keep a 3 day food long so I can honestly see what I've allowed to creep in. I'm making peace with the work involved...Heck, befor ethe band I was a total failure at weight stuff. Now it's just hard work. I can live with that.

Never having been to OH, I haven't had the pleasure, but...sniff...you guys make me so proud of LBT.

It can also be from artificial sweeteners....

Better Than Boullion helped me. It tastes hearty.

Yeah. I added Benefiber to my morning protein shakes for awhile. In fact, I used to add my chewable vitamin, my chewable calcium, benefiber, ice, protein shake and frozen and fresh fruit...since I didn't get around to having fruit the rest of the day. Blended that sucker and sipped on it for an hour or two each morning.

Check with your doc and get a fluoro. I had that experience....sometimes I could eat everything, and in the mornings, I could eat nothing. Turns out I was gulping lots of liquid every day until noon and had a stretched pouch so the rest of the day, I could eat too much. All stemming from a too tight band. Mine was fixed by going on liquids for 3 days and then sipping in the morning. I should have also had a slight unfill, but apparently I lost just enough stomach fat in the process that my band ceased to be too tight. Doing fine ever since. Some folks have to get a complete unfill, rest the stoma, and then start refilling. My Dr. office saw the difference in size in the stoma looking at old and current fluoro pics.

I had a minor version of this problem if I don't drink enough water. Doesn't matter how many other fluids I have....I have to have plenty of water too. Same thing happened to my mother. It's worse when I'm doing protein shakes. By the by...you probably did no damage, but it ain't fun to pass a boulder!

Well, I think I'm heading into a new phase with my band. I had a plateau for so long, and now I'm losing slowly, and I had to decide if I want to stay basically where I am, which is fine!...or if I wanted to get aggressive about losing more. I think I do. I'm not calling it a diet, but I am going to be very conscious of fat/carbs, etc. Egg white omlettes without cheese....more fish more tofu for protein....raw foods instead of processed, etc. I'm going to do it for a month and see how I do and what I think. I'm still going to allow myself to just do portion control and enjoy if I'm in a good restaurant. I think it's time. Food doesn't have as great a control on me as it used to, and if I keep my sugar/sweetener addition under wraps, I should be OK. I'm sick of shakes...actually I'm sick of sweeteners.... so I'm going off them for the month and will supplement regular food with Any Whey to get extra protein. Should be an interesting month.

Hey, congrats! Who knows what normal is. Doctors differ. Spivak moves you back to normal food within a few days anmd does a fill after 3 weeks. Most other doctors have a longer process for getting back to solids.

Her hip gave out, just like the other one did 2 years ago. Oddly, most broken hips break FIRST and cause a fall, instead of the other way around. I just got back from seeing her this morning. It was her first day to get up, and the PT people got her sitting and then standing! Amazing. She's still kind of goofy but doing better. Sorry about your back! Hope an MRI will tell the story.....

It does help. I was surprised to find that I felt I had accomplished and completed when I got full and push away form the table. And that's never been true in my life. True, it's a tool and you have to do your part, but frankly, doing my part was IMPOSSIBLE without the band. Now it's just hard work. Succeeding when working hard on weight is also new for me....and feels very powerful.

Is there any way to put a picture in the text of a reply?

WOO HOO With that kind of persistence, you'll do well with the lap band. Congratulations on being fierce. Now lets all hold hands and sing a chorus of I Get By With A Little Help FRom My Friends!!!!!!

1. Tell your insurance company your story so they know that having one approved psych doesn't give you the access they are required to give you. They need more providers. 2. Ask your insurance co. to approve someone who is out of network since THEIR guy is a mess. (Recommend someone that your lap band surgeon likes.) 3. If all else fails, go to someone your lap band Dr. knows, who will work with you on a sliding scale or give you a bit of a discount.

May be no help now, but as you lose weight, the port will end up below your bra area and be fine.

I think that's normal for anyone to want you to pay your potion up front or finance it. Most Dr.s can direct you to a financing plan......

I understand. My weight alone made me feel powerless and out of energy, so I gave up and gave in! I don't have any way to convey this to you so you can feel it, but the energy and esteem come back as the weight drops. It's worth all the energy you can muster. If you have some left, think of it this way.... Assume that the ONly person this will be important to is you...not the insurance company or anyone else. Assume that you will have to persist, prod, and mildly harrass everyone every step of the way. If that turns out not to be true, that's nice....but assume each step will require your stamina and persistence. When it gets frustrating, come to this site and bitch, but then get back to it. If someone doesn't return your call, expect to have to call 5 times a day, or ask to speak with someone who can help, or a person's supervisor. If an insurance company won't talk to you and you try multiple avenues, ask your employer to get involved...the one who pays the bills to the insurance company, and find out why they won't talk to you. Whatever it takes. However long it takes. Whatever the outcome, you'll be proud of yourself.

Cow cow, you might want to read the rest of the thread.... Indigo-The band made it poossible for me to make good choices. I never could before. Things that were impossible are just hard work now. I can live with that. TNNurse: Regarding the protein-Think about this too. Solid Protein helps you feel fuller longer. So it's perfect for the band. My Dr said to eat the protein first, then the veges, and then if there's room, eat a carb or fruit. If you really hate meats, you might want to go to the vegetarian threads and ask them how they keep that full feeling with the band. It's funny....my sugar craving is only present when I don't follow the program. If I'm getting my calories at my protein rich meals, I don't crave. If I skip calories, I want to fill in with easy old ice cream.

Some of my cravings have come back lately, but they don't seem insurmountable like they used to.....

That was fun! See you guys again soon!

Ddi you copy your ticker into the bottom of your signature on this site?

You have to have protein, but protein comes in many forms. Protein shakes. Pure tasteless protein powder (Any Whey) that can be sprinkled on things. Dairy. Soy. Meat. Beans. If you hate all forms of protein, maybe the shakes and pwoders will help.

Do you have any problems with the estrogen in soy? My Dr said that too much will open you to the same side eefects as hormone replacement. Hmmm. I never asked how much is too much. Could be one of those "10 times your body weight consumed" studies....

Everybody really is different. I can't easily do shrimp but I can do crab and lobster. Go figure.