Lap_dancer

Aw Deb you poor thing. Doesn't take much to remind us how to eat. A PB will do it for sure. You know after awhile the BITE will feel like it is too much. I've spit out food on occasion because that PB pain is not something I'm eager to experience. Lucky for me my dog is more than happy to take that bite off my hands!

What a wonderful story.

Kudos again to you. Slept on this post and woke up two days later thinking about that Becky who fought the system and won!!!!!!

So glad you brought this up! I think of where I would be if I didn't have the surgery. I'm thinking probably on disability! I can't say I had buyer's remorse, I had been through so much trying to lose weight, at the time, I was ready to get in there and do it. I do think we all go through are own things pre-surgery. One thing I do not have, is regret. Patty

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Before surgery, Hybacleanse ( I think that is how you spell it, blue bottle, colored pink soap) for three days, use that on your body surgery site instead of regular soap. Liquid Tylenol is awesome for pain. I lived on French Onion Soup minus the topping for the first week. I happen to love French Onion soup and the broth was just what I needed. Other thoughts are Lipton noodle soup only empty the noodles in the trash and cook that chicken cube thingy. I graduated to Gerber graduates. Eat slow, one small baby sip at a time. Swallow, get use to that pause and then down it goes. Water water water. Room temp. You will find cold liquids tend to cramp up your stomach tightly. Things don't seem to go through the pipes as smoothly so I drink things at room temp or slightly cool. Those are things I thought to tell you right off the bat. You will mostly feel like sleeping.

Hey Friends! Dropping in to say howdy. Marcy you have a blast in the Aloha state. Lucky you. Your fill story was so funny, I laughed imagining Bob's Fill Ur Up needed a divining rod to find your port. hee hee Munchkin I love comedians. They make me laugh!! hahahaha JME smile and know it's a grand journey. I use to drink down my meals, start not drinking with meals. That was a hard one for me to break. No worries. It's all good. You are gifting yourself health. Deb, I'm a wino now. Mr. Reisling and I have dates every Friday. He makes me BLUSH. .................... Friends the physical therapy did not work. I have a TENS unit strapped to my back all of my work day and that has helped a great deal. Going in for a pre-surgical eval. for a partial penniculectomy. This would relieve the stress on my spine, probably kick start the weight loss again because some of the fat cells would be excised, also the dragging skin on my lower body would be relieved. My fill is fine. Got a lovely sensation of feeling full. No cravings, no inbetween munchies like the old days. Lost my taste for several foods which is wonderful. I remain grateful for having this surgery with no complications. Recovery was a breeze. patty

GREAT job in fighting insurance. Best of healing and I wish for you an easy recovery.

Lap Band Rockies babe. Love this doctor. VERY methodical and they do call you back. Lots of luck!

MLJAWAYS: I am the insurance diva at my house. Don't ask my husband anything he just goes to the doctor. Right now we have 'open enrollment' at my school district. Insurance options are like an ala carte menu, you gotta read those fine details, example; If I take the PPO, I have an out of pocket of $2000 before insurance kicks in, same with my husband but his is $3000 as he is considered family not employee. Per incident at hospital is $1000 before insurance kicks in, then it is 80/20%. I don't have Tricare, I have BCBSFL. I am sticking with the BCBSFL even though they don't cover LapBand (yet). Best of luck to you! Call your insurance and ask for a breakdown of what is covered. Sounds like you are good to go just get clarification on the what of it all. Glad to help you if need be, I'm the insurance diva!!

Update: Spoke with a plastic surgeon's office (one of many). They were open about insurance not covering many requests for the penni. The doctor has performed recontouring and reconstructive surgery. I have an appt. with my MD on Monday to go over the past six months, the physical therapy, etc., and to develop a plan. The plastic surgeon's office asked me to gather as much information as I could tracing my journey to present to assist them in further developing a now and then plan as well as presenting that plan to insurance for approval. Wish me luck all. Dr. S. thank you very much for your guidance. I wish you were in Florida.

Thank you so much doctor. I felt this was what I needed to do. I appreciate your assistance at this time and will send an update on my progress.

Hello Doctor Schulman: I wrote to you several months ago. I have found a plateau of weight los. To clarify, I began a peak weight of 389 pounds, at surgery weighed 352+/- and currently weigh 298. My weight has flexed from 300 - 307 flexed around this for about four months. You spoke to me about a partial stomach reduction. I bare most of my weight in my stomach. I had a consultation where a Plastic surgeon recommended another loss of 50 pounds but also stated he had only done 30 WLS patients and had complications with all. Followup to this: I had an MRI of my lower spine done. I have a compressed vertabrae, slight bulge in disc, scoliosis and mild arthritis all in the Lumbar and S region. The PT believes that the shift in body weight from losing so much from my stomach created a weight bearing area higher on my body where my spinal problems are. Trying to excercise more has brought out the increased experience of pain. Pain is exhaserbated by excercise and walking. I now wear a TENS unit each day and night tacked to my back. I have completed three months of PT with 5-10% improvement that returns once I begin my work routine which requires much walking. I am physically and mentally tapped. My weekends are flat on my back. My insurance company has given me names of "plastic surgeons" who "treat WLS patients". Such is the one that I went to who suggested I lose more to get into the % range he is comfortble working with. I am at a loss for a direction to go in at this stage. I have an appt. with my MD who knows I have more resources in WLS contacts. He will ask "what do you want to do", I feel it in my bones. Any suggestions for us? I live in the Tampa bay area. I have BCBSFL. Approval for doesn't even appear to be a problem as they are authorizing plastic surgeon visits for pre-surgical evals. After losing close to 100 and seeing I am off diabetes meds, off sleep apnea equipment, I am getting good response from my insurance. Again. Any assistance you could offer would be appreciate.

Hello friends: I'm doing great and I see you all doing well too. Life is moving forward at a great clip. I'm not dwelling on my rehab. that continues, I'm in a grand routine that is painful but I can feel the core in me growing slowly stronger. I'm getting out more. Yesterday I took the day and drove to Sarasota, Florida, the artist mecca of Florida. I met another artist online and over the months we became friends. She taught me silver precious metal work. I created this pendant for my chain to wear around my neck. It's silver but processed in chemicals to give it the hues. I have more pieces but for now, wishing you happiness a good healthy journey and wonderful surprises as we all get healthy together.

What a great story! I love it. Just go with it. It's rolling onward like this for a reason, just be open to it. GREAT story.

Deb I am so glad I stopped by here today. Congratulations on the vows and I wish you continued happiness with your partner. I'm so sad you felt you would lose friends for coming out. Dumb me thinks that doesn't happen if they are true friends.

You all are precious to me. Thank you for the kind words. Here's my little man.

Hello All: Dropping in for a quick hello. So much to tell. Sharing that my daughter came home with my son-in-law who is deploying to the middle east. What should have been a nice ten day visit resulted in much more. Son-in-law had gone out for the night with a friend and left my daughter with the baby, early the next morning I walked in on her screaming obscenities and shaking the baby who is two months old. Some of you know she is bipolar what I did not know was she has been suicidal almost daily since the birth of my grandson. I am a trained foster parent, enough said. I took over. Grandson has been checked out, he is fine. He is in our care. She cannot be left alone with him and is ordered three months of therapy/counseling. She is also on four medications, getting stabalized and feeling not better but balanced. I am wondering what the greater meaning is in this all. I had to suspend rehab on the back because the situation with the baby took priority. We have no baby furniture and such it's been an ordeal but the state and my county has some wonderful support agencies that have stepped in. It's been encouraging to see things like this in place. --- Politics. I think of Abraham Lincoln who said "A house divided cannot stand". True. With support and split support on the war, I have since learned the military does not have the financing needed for what I see as essentials. Something (Army) I was so far removed from before my daughter married a soldier. My daughter was on a birth control patch given to her by the Army doctor in August which, when she saw her OBGYN here in Florida last week she discovered, is off the market. It causes a reaction that can lead to death. The wait time for her to get mental health counseling in Texas was three weeks. She had put a gun to her head that afternoon. They have been told "Not enough resources." So she will stay here where we have resources. Care has been excellent and I see her getting better. I pity and grieve for those who are not so fortunate serving our country. The tension from all has been my break point. I've missed loads of work. My stomach has been bound up no doubt by the stress. I'm just trying to find what I can eat without vomiting. Soup! My family has been awesome. My sister and I have mended our broken relationship. She took care of the baby for me and my mother has been caring for him as well even in her 80's with arthritis and coming in and cleaning my house. So much more to tell but time to pause and be grateful for what we do have. Peace to all. Patty

Sorry to have alarmed so many. I've gotten so many PM's since my "Going to be away" post that I'll come back and clarify. First, please withdraw me from the challenge. My focus will be on healing this broken body rather than the numbers of losing pounds. The physical therapy is quite painful. I come home numb and sore. I find that adding the challenge of 'did I lose weight' is not productive for me. I know that I know that I know that I am doing the best I can for myself at this time. That the numbers do not move is no reflection on me not trying. There is just so much going on with my body right now. The medication, the last one, has me feeling fine one day and then suddenly I woke up and was soooo depressed. Last night I cried for hours. So between the meds, the scoliosis, the damage to my spine and still trying to work, I find I am so tapped. We've talked often here about stepping away from things that are not what you need at this time. So I am doing the same. I feel it necessary to come and touch base so no one worries where I am. I'm fine but sore and tired and trying to get that balance. So I'll leave it at that and I know you all understand it when I say I must FIND MY FOOTING. That's what I'm doing. I'll be back! Love to all.

friends I'm going to be away for awhile. Best to all.

Hello friend, I do experience the same problem at times. Gas-X helps. There are days when my husband enters our bedroom, raises his eyebrows:embaressed_smile: and smiles, "I think I'll go in the other room". Triggers for me: Milk, broccoli bits, also artificial sweetner drinks combined with milk base items such as cheese. For some weird reason the two ferment or something strange and off I go to helium land. *and it isn't funny when you are producing the auditory equivalent to a short applause* ............................................................................ Weighed today and I was the same as last week. 307. Med transition is down to the last one which I began switching two days ago. New feeling is divine. I'm doing so fine.

Tastes about as appealing as licking rusty nails. lHave fun! Sleepovers were so fun!! lt will go away soon! Your stomach will become less sensative as time goes on. Just a few weeks is all.

Hello All! A shout out to the new banditos. Way to go and welcome.:lovechoc: First, had a slight increase in weight early in the week so my weight start was 307. Really hovering over that same spot which is just nerve wracking. :scared2: I'm pretty confident that it has to do with these medication changes.* more on that below Those in pain: Tylenol PM liquid. Be aware it does make you sleepy but that can be good for those who are in discomfort right after banding. I take capsuled medication which, of course, disolves quickly. You can ask the pharmacist if this is an option for you and explain your new gastric status to them. Look on the outside of a bottle for gel caps. I have never had a problem with these. Physical Therapy is at three times a week and I did have a doctor's visit in there. Pain from the back is still present. Still weak. but 'whutevah' :eek: I know this too will pass. .... For those who have back trouble and no stamina yet to exercise, (me), I call this my BEDCERCIZE. You can lay on your side with a pillow between your legs folded in half. Press your thighs together, hold, count to five, release. Repeat 15 times. Lay on your back (yeah) Press your navel mentally towards the mattress holding your stomach in at the center. Tighten in. Hold, count to five, release. The trick is breathing right for this one. Breath in first, deep breath, breath out and pull in, hold. Inhale. Repeat 15 times. Roll over on your stomach, repeat the above exercise pushing the navel into the mattress (oppostive) Got a TENS unit. This is the electrical device that has tabs that stick to the areas that hurt on your back. It can deliver electrical stimulation. I clip this on to my waistband and turn it on and off throughout the day. THIS HAS HELPED SO MUCH. :tt1: MORE TO COME>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>

PAIN today. Really bad pain. Killed my appetite. I had therapy and I now have a TENS unit (the pocket battery pack with the leads and sticky tabs secured to body for electrical stimulation)...ahhhhhhhh the bliss, the joy. Three days in bed was GOOOD. I now have BUTT strengthening added to my routine. Squeeze and release, 15 times.