JOANNE M HOLL

Yes, I was over 65 years & spoke to them on the phone. They told me the hospitals I could get coverage in our state. Must be one that has a large bariatric section. Only 3 in Minnesota! This was in 2006 and I do have supplemental insurance so I did not have any expense. They covered all the pre-op tests & etc. Which was a good procedure as several things got updated and gave me a current healthy baseline! They have given me coverage on cancerous breast removal, broken wrist and surgery on a hammer toe since then. Plus several band fills with the dye scope of the upper GI. The band check-up is once a year now. . . . My lap-band has ingenuously saved my life.

I have the Book and this is a reminder to finish reading it! I got interrupted after several chapters and put it in the bedroom bookcase when cleaning. . . . thanks for the flashback.

I had to jump through many hoops to be okayed for Lap Band placement because of age. I feel a little pressure because I was of an age that my surgeon felt hesitant to take me. (My family begged a little because of the onset of high blood pressure, boarder line diabetes, obesity & etc. for which I was taking meds.) I had my surgery at a teaching hospital and when we checked with my insurance company they were enthusiastic. Better to treat before onset of a disease rather than after.

Anyone know of older patients?

Hoffman, Minnesota (Land of the Viking Runestone, birthplace of America)

Congrats CG! You're a true role model. "It's about being healthy and getting your life back"

Good job! Your right it is about healthy not skinny......

thank you for watching if you do.

I love my new body and I love the new me.....so yes I concentrate on my grooming and dress more now than when I did 40 years ago.
Not to mention I can now wear clothes that look and fit good I never dreamed I could again.
I'm a 62 year old man, and yes I go the spa for facials.....my wife buys packages to save $$ and I will use a few.

Ah...my Grandmother always used to tell me "powder and Paint make you what you ain't." I find that to be true. Not always in a negative way either.
Sometimes dressing up your short comings or covering up the things that make you feel and look not so great aren't a bad thing. It's all in the mind set of how you look at it, and when I am feeling less then great I will try to make an extra effort to jazz up the make up or the clothing to add a little pep to my step.
When you look good you feel good...and if you don't...you can fake it till you make it!
However, on the flip side Jack I understand what you mean about covering up with food and overeating. At one point in my life I also had the idea that if I was heavy then people wouldn't look at me and make me uncomfortable.
The truth was they were still looking at me, and now some were judging me for my size too.
I had to learn to be comfortable in my own body and in my own skin no matter what it's size and shape. To love me for me and not judge myself. That is what has helped me to stop thinking that by being obese I might fade into the background.
That's just not in the cards for this little fire ball. So might as well shine as bright as can be!!!!

Well, I am somewhat motivated... I've been going to the gym and doing 40 minutes on the thread mill every day. Next I have to start logging all the calories and Protein on a daily basis. The weight isn't coming off as I had hoped, but it isn't showing any signs of going up either. I'll give it another few weeks to see if the scale starts moving in the right direction. At least I feel better after exercising!

See the journey through....you're not where you need to be, but thank goodness you're not where you used to be.....I mean 60 pounds is a nice chunk of weight. I would meet with the doctor again, maybe discuss getting a small fill, and GET BACK TO BASICS....,eat Protein, drink Water, exercise.... FINISH STRONG!!!! I did find your post encouraging to me in that you may not be losing, but you haven't gained.... Very encouraging to read this!

Yes, ive done the same thing myself. ive been banded two years now, this month. Ive lost about 2/3 of the weight that i needed to lose.. but for the last three months ive not moved at all. In fact ive put on a couple of pounds. I had to have a small amount of saline taken out last nov.
Also, i had a bad run with inflammation in the pouch which saw me end up in emergancy for two days last week. I ended up having more saline taken out. I see the dr again in six weeks. Im not happy that ive stalled, in fact gained a little. I need to get moving again.. I havent stopped to work out a strategy yet. It was only last week that i was so sick with inflammation .. i need to get serious now and do something. I cant afford to be complacent for the next six weeks, i will put on more weight.

Hi there, I remember you, too, when I first started doing my research -- one of those inspiring types! Or I just love your dog. Sixty pounds is great, and maybe it was good for your body to have some time to get used to that before you committed to the next chunk. Spring is in the air. What a great time to shed and to kick up the exercise a few notches.
A while back some one posted a list of what things weigh and for some reason I latched on to the weight of a cinder block being 33 pounds. I have lost belly weight, and I guess that's just like putting down a cinder block I've been carrying around for absolutely no reason. For years. Now I'd like to put down a second cinder block -- working on that. Let's do this thing!

I feel your frustration. I was banded in 2005. Lost down to 145 lbs. I was estatic.Then, last year I started having trouble. Reflux, vomiting, chest pain. My doc sent me for EGD and found that I had dilatation of the esophagus from being too tight with band Fluid. I was dumbfounded. Never heard of anything like that, or that it could happen! I was just thrilled being thin and not being able to pig out. So. he removed all of the fluid from my band and told me to restrict calories and carbs in my diet until the dilatation ceased. Even went so far as to say he might have to remove my band altogether. in six months I have regained 45 lbs. they have recently began refiling me. I have an appt 4/7. I am so disgusted with myself. When my band was "working" I could eat anything and not gain. I could have one cup of food and be satisfied. now i think about food constantly. I am amazed that you can regain so quickly. i know i should go on a diet, but that is what made me get banded in the first place! I couldn;t stay on a diet. i am at a loss. my life is in turmoil, because my self esteem lies in my appearance. Sadly, so. i feel like a failure.

Please be advised that the cruise to lose has been postponed until 2015. Thank you for the support but I have not had anyone who knew about this cruise in 2012 call in with a deposit so I have tabled it until 2015 and will have more detailed information. Thanks!

I am a 2011 bandster. Just after it was placed, my sweet son was called home at age 16. He had a heart condition, but his death came in a way I never imagined. We were walking wounded for over a year. The other kids, DH, and I existed. I never went back for any fills, I never followed a diet, although, I had enough restriction to not eat breads. I lost 40 pounds initially before losing Christopher. 3 years later, we are just starting to live again. Well, I got horrifically sick with a virus that Dh brought home from work. I tossed my Cookies for two days. And.....my side started hurting...and I couldn't hold fluids down. Concerned, I made myself go on a liquid diet, but I was really scared I had caused a slip to this band that I wasn't working, or using. I had regained 15 punds, too, so I didn't want to go back to my surgeon. Finally, my fear won out. There was no condemnation from him, just a genuine effort to help me. 1 upper GI series, removal of all Fluid, and just getting over the stupid virus and...I am fine. I did not hurt myself....unless I pulled a muscle wretching...today I went back and got half the fluid put back in....
I am so glad I conquered my fear of his office....I don't feel I wasted these three years, because grief is as grief does and survival is all there is...but, now, I am ready to try again...and my band and surgeon are there, just waiting for me.

You know for a while there I was having this manic sugar craving!! I had stopped eating sugar for so long...using all these "artificial" substitutes and pretty much not eating any carbs or fruits really and my body was going crazy for lack of sugar!
I actually "needed" some sugar according to my endocrinologist as my electrolytes were out of balance. Of course that didn't mean I could have cake and Cookies and ice cream though for a while there my body was craving that crap so badly all was doing what gravitating toward that! Now I am just eating what I know I should eat, having some fruit and vegies now and then, and keeping the diet filled with healthy sugars
Though a nice rum induced coma...I could probably use one of those for a weekend!!

I hear ya. I've been wrestling with the same demon for a couple of weeks now. What's odd, it was never a problem before(except Halloween).

I haven't had sugar in my diet for over a year and a half........
Fast forward to this past weekend......
I had TWO (not one, but TWO) CHUNKS of cake from our favorite bakery, a pitcher of RUM PUNCH (with several shots of EXTRA rum added to it).......... and I went right into a SUGAR COMA (that's an expression..... I didn't really go into a "coma") for the rest of the weekend. Woke up with a headache........ and NOT from a hangover.......
I'm 100% sure it was from all the DAMN SUGAR.
Thank God, I did not have the old withdrawal symptoms I used to have every time I WENT ON A DIET AND TRIED TO GET OFF THE SUGAR........
LESSON LEARNED.......... MY BODY CANNOT TOLERATE SUGAR!

@@Muñekita I saw you posted earlier that you were worried about a feeling of pressure and bloating not being not able to eat/drink Water for fear of making matters worse. Are you thinking it might have had something to do with your plication or your band?
I have a band and plication but I had them done at the same time. Reading your post in the plication forum suggested you had the plication after being banded for 7 years. You might want to give your surgeon a call and go in to have your band and plication checked out to be sure that everything is in place and working well.
I know sometimes for me when I have one of those large yawns and swallow a large amount of air I can get a bit of an air bubble for a minute but it usually passes quickly and never stops me from drinking or eating. Please do give your doctor a call and keep us updated on how your doing.

yes, i believe you can start over. I feel for you so much. I have the name of a group that will help you no end regarding the thyroid hormone replacement war... if you want it, please contact me ... chestermanjudith318@gmail.com

Well you'll have to get used to managing that anxiety it will tighten your band up all unexpectedly! :-) Don't believe it's easy but if you have a good surgeon who knows his stuff and places it well, get good regular aftercare and respect your bands rules it can just become a way of life after a few years. I read about so many people who struggle with the psychological aspects of it so much and I think all of us who have bands will get that because it does require such a big change but it is really the best thing that ever happened to me and I've never looked back. Good luck to you x

I think we all will eventually get there. Check in ever so often so we can continue being encouraged by someone who has made it.

Love this and looking forward -- after five months on here pre-surgery doing serious research by following threads, asking questions eventually and then six more months post-surgery I feel like I'm beginning to settle in and get it. I hope to be able to just come here occasionally to say hello but not to be living and breathing the band -- just having it be part of my life. There are people here who have really helped me -- you guys for starters -- and I want to give back, but I also just want to live. And I can. I'm not in a diet. I am fine now, 50 down and healthier. Yes I want to go further, can social media connections help with that? I've not been on a forum together. It's pretty interesting - to know one part of people so well without ever knowing them at all....

Nice to hear from you Terry, Glad to hear that you still check in once in awhile.
I too am not as active as I used to be, I follow a few threads.
I am also very comfortable with my band and see my dr once or twice a year. I know what I am supposed to do and hold myself totally accountable for my journey.
The band is doing what it is supposed to do and my life is pretty good.