papoose

Good luck to you. It will be well worth it.

When I started my journey, I told my Primary he said fine ( I did not referral to Bariatric Dr.) I found one that was in network with my insurance, went to his informational seminar, made an appointment with him, his office found out what I needed to do to get the surgery. My BMI was 51. I did have to see the Bariatric Dr. for 6 months for documentation needed by my insurance company. I did my 6 months, took all of my tests the Dr's office sent in all my paperwork to the insurance company and I was approved in 24 hours. I had my surgery 2 months later. So it took 8 months. Sometimes we have to wait for things to happen. Now 7 months later and 72 lbs lighter I am happy it happened. Good luck to you and you should just go through the process. The wait will all be worth it.

I have Aetna Insurance and they require 6 months of doctor visits. My first visit was in March and I didn't have my surgery until September. I went once a month and they recorded my weight. I think all insurance companies have certain requirements that you have to follow before you have the surgery. Call United and see what are there requirements before they give approval for you to have the surgery. Unless you are doing self-pay then you don't need approvals, you just follow what ever the doctor says.

Thanks, I will try that. Hope they are not greasy.

What about evening snacking? Most mornings I eat 2 eggs with cheese sometimes I have 2/3 slices of turkey bacon or I will have oatmeal (that doesn't fill me much, I am hungry again in 2 hours). Lunch is normally chicken and salad. Dinner the same meat and vegetable. I drink plenty of liquids in between. But around 8:00 p.m. I need to munch on something. Like some type of salty chips. I try and eat 100 cal. snacks. I just feel I need a little snack. I was losing real good, but now seem to be plateauing. I have lost 72 lbs in 7 months. I am also trying to exercise more. I really hate exercising. Any suggestions for that night time snacking?

I am 7 months out and every so often I have pain in the port area. Because my port is high near my rib cage I can't wear underwire bras. Playtex Secrets have some good wireless bra, they really support and lift you.

I am 7 months out and have lost 72 lbs. My last fill was Feb. 22 and I threw up for about 3 weeks after. When I was going to make an appt. with Dr. it stopped. The reason I think it happens to me is because I don't chew my food correctly or I swallow it too fast. So I have to really pay attention to how I chew my food and take smaller pieces. This a.m. I got stuck on eggs. I eat eggs just about every morning. Again I was not paying attention. I did throw up mucus. I also think that since it is allergy season that is not helping. When I sit down to eat I have to really concentrate on my chewing. Why does it take so long to get used to?

NYU is supposed to have good bariatric doctors. It's a husband and wife team. I forgot their names. Also check the major hospitals in NYC.

I have Aetna insurance and you have to do a 6 month period with the Dr. All I had to do was go once a month and get weighed. He just recorded it. He never put me on a diet. I just watched what I was eating and I did lose a few pounds. Except for when I went on vacation and gained weight. It was the month before my surgery. So then I was told to not gain anymore weight. But I was not on any specific diet or required to lose a certain amount of weight. We discussed the surgery and what happens after the surgery. Check with your dr. on that. Good luck.

I am 56. I had my surgery last year in Sept., so I was 55. It took me about 3 months to get back to normal. I was planning on staying off from work for 6 weeks, but then I was told by my doctors office he only signs off for 2 weeks. So I went back to work in 4 weeks. I have a desk job. But I commute from N.J. to N.Y., an hour ride each way. I had gas pains so bad, after 4 days back to work, I called the doctor and told him I was in so much pain. He told me to go to the Emergency room at the hospital where the surgery was done and he would meet me. I had to take car service from work to N.J. He notified the hospital's emergency room, they put me through so many different tests. Everything came out fine. They did not know the reason why I was in so much paid besides I was backed up with stool. They only gave me pain killer in the hospital. Sent me home and told me to get stool softeners. That was on a Friday, I final went to the bathroom on Saturday morning and what a relief. I felt so much better. My word to you is try and take it easy for as long as you can. If you have to work, stay out for as long as you can. Just relax as long as you can. It will get better. Now I am 7 months out and I have so much energy and have lost 70 lbs.. Sometimes I can't sit still I have to get up and move around.

My doctors office had us do a liquid diet the day before the surgery. After surgery we had to do 4 weeks of a liquid diet. Because I had to go back to work and I was starving. I called the office and the assistant in the office told me to go on mushy foods. But when I went to the doctor a week later, because I had so much pain and gas, the doctor told me I should have really waited a few more days. That your stomach is swollen and really needs the rest. At my doctor's office we don't do the mushy stage, after 4 weeks of liquid you can go right into eating your regular diet. I was a little nervous of that, so I did eat soft foods.

I feel your pain. I was banded on Sept. 22, 2010. I have lost 70 lbs. Since my last adjustment in Feb. My weight has been up and down. I feel as if I have good restriction. There are days I can't eat anything, everything seems to get stuck. Then there are days I can eat everything. I don't eat junk food. It doesn't sit well with me. The only thing I find myself eating now is low fat crackers. I used to eat almonds a lot but all of a sudden they seem to get stuck. I just feel I need to eat something crunchy. My worse time is at night - I need to chew on something while I watch tv. I know I really have to exercise, I think that is what is plateauing my weight. I don't see my dr. until May. I don't feel like I need another adjustment, I do get full fast. I know I just need to watch what I put in my mouth. So this week, since the weather is nice I am going to do some walking and eat better. Good luck to you, we will push through this struggle.

Get some papaya enzyme pills. It helps get everything out. I use it when I am stuck. Once it is all up you feel so much better. And definitely go back to liquids and mushies for a day or two. If not it will happen again. Good luck to you.

Get Papaya Enzyme. It helps me a lot when I get stuck. Sometimes it just won't come up. I chew 3 and in a few minutes it all comes out. Afterwards you should just drink warm tea or Water and eat mushies for a day or two. Or Protein drinks. Your stomach is swollen and you need let it relax. Feel better soon.

My stomach gurgles like that all the time. When I am having a stuck episode I feel the gurgling as the food is trying to move through the band. Sometimes it passes, other times it doesn't and I have to throw it up. Also if I go to long without eating I start gurgling. If you are eating fine now, it sounds just like you may have been stuck and it was passing through the band. Just to be safe maybe check with your Dr.

I thought that only happened to me. I feel that pain after doing leg presses and other thigh, hip exercises with the machines at the gym. I stagger out the gym and three days later my legs and thighs are killing. And don't let me do it 3 days in a row. It is so painful. That is why I hate exercising. When you find something to relieve the pain, please let me know.

That happens to me sometimes. I feel that I am stuck. When I feel the food trying to get through the band and the pain in my chest. I stop eating and try to rest. If it continues and I start sliming I try and make myself through it up. Once it is out I feel so much better. I also will chew 3 papaya enzymes and that seems to help it come up. I won't eat for a few hours, maybe just drink some hot tea. I let my stomach rest and then when I get hunger pains I will eat something soft. The band is very fincky, it lets you know when you are not chewing slowly or putting food in your mouth to fast. You have to take your time and eat.

I agree with vlp1968 it took me about 3 fills to get to restriction. On a good day I can go 4-5 hours without eating in between. Just hang in there and it will come.

I am 7 months out and have lost 70 lbs. Just the last two months I have been having the same problem. Especially when I don't chew my food slowly and don't let it go down properly. I tend to eat very soft foods. I also have to start my mornings with hot tea, that seems to work and then i can eat breakfast. You are all correct this band is so finicky. But I will deal with it since I am losing weight with it. I will just be very careful with what I am putting in my mouth.

you should just eat soft/mushy foods for a day or two. Drink hot tea or Water. Your stomach is probably swollen and just need to relax and rest for a day. I throw up when i don't chew my food slowly and get stuck. That is what I usually do and it works for me.

I am 7 months out, had 3 fills, only at 4.5 and since my last fill in Feb. am having the same problem. No matter what, when or how much I eat, I will get stuck and i have to throw up in order to get it out. What is up with that. Sometimes I know I don't properly chew my food. So I have really begun to pay attention to that. I just go day by day. yesterday I was fine. Today, I can barely eat. For Breakfast, I had oatmeal with fruit and apples (Mcdonalds) I added flax seeds to it. I started feeling hungry by 11:30 I ate some fruit I bought in mango, apricots (a few spoon full). 1:00 lunch - chicken salad with boiled egg - I had about 2 spoon fulls with 2 crackers and started feeling stuck. So I stopped, i was chewing small pieces, chicken was very soft (had mayonaise in it). Waited an hour had some hot tea. Just had two more crackers with chicken salad. Now I am so full - not uncomfortable. The band has a mind of its own. You just have to pay attention to it. At least I did not throw up.

FYI: If you are wearing underwire bras, that will make it hurt. About 5 months after my surgery I bought all new underwire bras and was having a lot of pain. When I went to the Dr. I told him about the pain, he told me port was close to my rib cage and the underwire of the bra was rubbing. I had to buy all new bras without the wire. Playtex Secrets have some good ones that hold you up.

I came off my BP medicines about a month after I started. I was having really bad pain in my stomach area and went to the emergency room. In the emergency room they could not read my blood pressure it was very low. The Dr. there told me to stop taking them and get a portable one machine (which I already had) and if it went over a certain amount to start taking the pills again. I am six months out and it has been fine. My bariatric doctor checks my blood pressure once a month and says it is fine. I have not been back to my primary doctor since my surgery. I guess I need to make an appointment. But make sure a Doctor tells you to stop taking them. I have also stop taking my Lyrica (for pain) all pain has stopped. It feels good not to worry about taking medicines. Now I just have to remember to take my vitamins.

I suffer also. I went to the health food store and they sold me an enzyme that breaks up the protein and acidipholouis? also. The enzyme pills are horrible tasting, they are so big you have to crush them up. My dr. told me to eat more fruits like papaya, mango (anytime of mushy fruity) and also drink a lot of work. So far it is working. Over the weekend I did not follow my schedule too good and was constipated on Sunday. But Monday a.m. I had a bowl of fruit, had 2 of those pills and then had 2 egg whites w/cheese. About 2 hours later it all came out. I feel so much better.

I wear Spanx, it holds in your stomach very good. Also smoothes out your thighs and your back. Make sure you get the high waisted kind. I wear them all the time. I don't feel I jiggle as much.