Dave_NW

My wedding ring is made of tungsten carbide, which can't be sized. You have to order it in the size you need. When I started losing weight my fingers quickly got much thinner than they were. After my ring fell off a few times, I ended up ordering two replacement rings, one each in the next two sizes smaller than what I was wearing. (Glad they weren't expensive rings!) I'm wearing the first one now, and it's already getting lose. I fully expect the second one should be on my hand by the end of the year. I've saved the original for sentimental reasons, and as a "just in case" thing if I ever gain weight back again. Luckily, men's wedding rings are easier to replace than a womans. Dave

I've had that, especially from well-meaning family and friends who don't know how to relate to me, now that I'm banded. I just tell everyone not to worry about me, not to cook special just for me, and that I'll find something on the table that works for me. After a couple of awkward attempts, most have relaxed around me. And when they see me eating this or that without any side effects, they get over their concern. It's not a problem anymore. Dave

I don't know what causes the sensation, but I had it too. For several weeks after surgery, EVERYTHING tasted sweet - too sweet. Every Protein shake I'd tried and liked before surgery tasted like it was loaded with sugar. It was SO weird! But also, things I liked a lot before surgery, like a good cup of coffee, tasted absolutely awful. It wa slike my tastebuds had gone crazy. After I was back on solid food again, things began to level out, coffee tasted good again, and I started getting myself back on track. Hang in there. It gets better. Dave

Pulling for you, Mandy. Good luck! Dave

I think that's because someone decided the ideal woman is supposed to look like a 12 year old boy. Dave

Stan, I'd be glad to help. I'm not an expert, but I've been working it as best I can. Send me a PM and we can compare notes. Dave

I've not had the issue, but from your description, it sounds like your band may indeed have slipped. I'd recommend having your doctor check for a slip, and take appropriate action to correct the issue. I'm told viewing your swallowing on fluoroscope can easily see if there is a problem. Good luck! Dave

When people start that sort of thing with me, I politely interrupt at the first opportunity and say, "Thanks so much for showing me your concern. But in my case, I'm not having that kind of surgery. The one I'm having is nothing as dramatic or dangerous as gastric bypass. And the best thing is that my doctor agrees with me that this is the right next step for me to get my life back under control. I'm very excited to have this surgery, and I can't wait to see where I am in six months. I intend to lose a lot of weight by then." And then I change the subject, or go into a discussion of shopping for new clothes, or whatever. Anything to distract the other person. If you're talking with your hairdresser, you can say, "So after I lose this excess weight I'll be ready for a brand new hairstyle. What do you think I should do?" And get her to be your ally, not an adversary. Being a guy, I haven't had much resistance to my surgery. Everyone I work with has been great about it, probably because I haven't asked them for their opinion about it, and certainly not their consent. I tell them what I'm doing, and make it clear this was my choice. They usually agreed with me. And now, just a few months later, some of those same coworkers are actually hitting on me. (I had another one do that just today...) It's kind of a hoot, since I haven't had that happen in a long time. Good luck! Dave

And then the next day go back to your regular eating plan. Simple. Dave

I wouldn't dream of taking away anyone's feelings about this, and I totally support your efforts. But I'd like to offer a possibly alternate viewpoint: Is it posible the people who have lost weight more easily are so excited about their weight loss, they don't realize it could be interpreted in a different way? Their enthusiasm about their loss could be seen as being smug, even if they don't intend it that way. Personal example: I've had a pretty easy time with my weight loss so far, even though I've had my own issues, and worked my butt off to get to this point. But when attending one of the follow-up group appointments at my surgeons office, I was surrounded by perfectly nice people who have had a harder time than me. One woman in particular I recall had struggled a lot, and had only lost about 20 pounds since surgery, which was the same day as mine. I kept trying to be supportive towards her when we happened to speak, but it seemed no matter what I said, it was turned around, into something that seemed to be judgmental of her efforts. The person who was conducting the meeting kept saying to her that things were to be done this or that way, and then they'd turn to me and say, "Ok Dave, now tell us how YOU did it." I was made such an example of, as the poster boy of how the band can work, it kind of deflated my own enthusiasm about my own hard work. And then I saw the one woman was quietly crying. I felt like crap, because I was almost ashamed of my own success. It was a very weird meeting, and I was delighted when it was over. I've decided I won't be attending any more of those. My point is that maybe you weren't being judged so much, as the other person just wasn't able to curb their own enthusiasm. Dave

When I had my surgery, they wrapped this binder around my midsection. It was about a foot tall, and long enough to wrap all the way around me, like a girdle. It had velcro along the two ends, so it "zipped" up to hold everything in place. I found it very easy to wear, since it reinforced things and allowed me to move more easily. I wore it for a couple of weeks. I thought everyone got one of those, but now that I think of it, it may have been due to the complex surgery I had. Not only was I banded, but they repaired a hiatal hernia and a ventral hernia at the same time. (My idea - I figured as long as they were under the hood, they may as well do a full tune up. ) The ventral hernia repair was pretty involved - they had to cut through stomach muscles, insert a mesh across the front of my lower stomach, and then stitch everything back into place. It was all laparascopic, but where most band patients end up with five or six incision sites, I have thirteen. Yikes! Dave

To my knowledge, Tricare will only pay for sleeve surgery if it's done at a military hospital. I originally was going to have sleeve surgery, but was told they wouldn't pay for it if I was using an off-base surgeon. Because of my location, I elected to have lap band instead (which WAS covered off-base.) As for paying for a second surgery, the following is taken from the Tricare website: "TRICARE covers gastric bypass, gastric stapling and gastroplasty to include vertical banded gastroplasty and laparoscopic adjustable gastric banding (Lap-Band surgery) is covered only when the beneficiary meets one of the following conditions: Is 100 pounds over ideal weight for height and bone structure and has one of these associated conditions: diabetes mellitus, hypertension, cholecystitis, narcolepsy, Pickwickian syndrome, hypothalamic disorders or severe arthritis of the weight-bearing joints Is 200 percent or more over ideal weight for height and bone structure Has had intestinal bypass or other surgery for obesity and because of complications, requires another surgery (takedown) " The key phrase is the third bullet, "because of complications, requires another surgery." That says to me they will pay for a second surgery, if complications require it. Your best bet is to contact Tricare and ask them directly. The rules change every so often, and their website may not have the latest information. Hope this helps. Good luck! Dave

I found gummy fiber chews at costco. They taste pretty good, and do the job of regularity you'd want from a fiber supplement. I've noticed if I eat the daily dosage of two chews recommended, I'm not hungry as much for awhile. So there may be some truth to what you've heard. Dave

I haven't, but being a guy, I probably don't have the same movement issues a woman would have. I'd say call your surgeon and ask if jogging is safe for you at this point. if you're cleared for it, try wearing a Spanx type shirt that restricts midsection movement and holds things in. Did they give you a midsection binder after your surgery? If so, try wearing that and see if it helps. And if even that is too much, maybe try just walking for now, and jogging after you've lost more weight. Good luck! Dave

I was banded at Swedish Hospital in Seattle by Dr. Ross McMahon. He's the head of their Bariatric Surgery Center of Excellence. Highly recommend him. Excellent surgeon, and very complete pre- and post-op services from his very qualified staff. They take a variety of insurance plans, including Tricare Prime, which was why I chose that center. The one in Everett that Ellen mentions is probably Northwest Weightloss Surgeons. They are an independent company, and I don't know if they accept insurance. (They didn't take mine, and they wanted more than $15K to do the surgery.) They have a good seminar, though, if you want information. Dave

You've heard that everyone has their own weightloss journey, and the course yours will take will be unique to you. You've only been banded a month or so, and your body is still adjusting to things. Your metabolism is still adjusting to the new foods you're giving it, and how you're eating these days. Over time, as you continue to do what you have been these past few weeks, your system will adjust to the new "normal" you're creating, and you'll be able to respond accordingly. Some of the things you used to eat won't be as appealing in the future, and you won't find yourself craving them as much. In my case, my desire to eat sugar has basically gone away. I used to eat tons of sweet things, but now I don't just desire it. On the few occasions when I've been at a birthday party or whatever, and someone has offered me a piece of cake, I've eaten a few bites, but then set it aside. If I ate too much of it, I actually felt nauseated. But I didn't shy away from the situation - I tasted the sweet dessert, and that was enough for me. As for pasta, if I want to eat pasta, I eat it. I don't eat a mountain of it, but I do have a regular-sized portion. And I may or may not finish it. I allow for it in my eating plan, and know on those days that I eat a high-starch diet, i won't expect to lose any weight. But over the next few days I can work off the excess, and things get back to (my) normal. Being banded does require you to create a new life for yourself, and a new relationship to food. Things you wanted pre-banding may not appeal to you anymore. My relationship with food now is much healthier than it used to be. I'm forced to slow down, so I taste things more. I eat less, so I make better choices about what it is I want to put in my mouth. The meals I have these days are tasty things I actually enjoy eating. And THAT is new for me. The days of shoveling it in without even a thought to how it tastes are behind me. And I can live with that. I actually enjoy eating now. Good luck going forward, and with your weight loss journey. Dave

Glad to hear you got the relief you were after. That must have been awful to go through. I can't imagine how the band would know if you were eating spicy or non-spicy food. (Picturing a guard with a turnstile like at the airport.) "Ok, you're Not Spicy. You can go through." <pause> "Hold it! You're Spicy! You stay over there till I say you can go through..." Sorry, but I don't think that's how it works. I eat spicy food all the time, and I don't even feel it. I don't even get heartburn anymore - not since they repaired my hiatal hernia. I set my goals at five and ten pounds at a time. That way I get mini-goals I can feel good about, all the while keeping a long eye on the long term goal, which is probably just out of reach. if I get within 20 pounds of my ultimate goal, i'll be happy. but I'm sure as heck gonna try and get there! Good luck with things! Dave

I eat a few ounces of Protein every 3 to 4 hours throughout the day. So that's about five or six times a day, depending on how often I feel hungry. At posted "official" main-meal times (breakfast, lunch, and dinner) I'll also eat some vegetables and a few starchy carbs. I don't "snack" in the terms of grazing on junk foods. My meals are planned, in that I expect them, and know I'll be eating at that time. That includes the between main-meal "Snacks." My surgeon knows about this, and has no issue with it. I was advised to eat this way to avoid sugar crashes, and to keep my blood sugars stabilized. I'm not diabetic, but it sure helps keep hunger cravings away. BTW, as for breakfast: After I have my one cup of morning coffee while waking up and getting ready for work, I have a ready-to-drink Protein shake in the car on my way to work. This is usually within an hour of waking up, and kick starts my metabolism with 30g of protein to work on, rather than chewing away at my muscles. About an hour later is when I eat solid food for the first time in the day, as my morning "snack." (I usually have a fried egg, slice of breakfast sausage, with a slice of cheese on top. Picture an Egg McMuffin type breakfast sandwich without the English muffin. I call it a "naked sandwich." ) I haven't had issues with being unable to eat due to my band being too tight in the morning, and I feel satsified till lunch. Eating is only a trick till you sort out how your body responds to what you're giving it. Dave

Try boosting your calories a bit, say up to 1500 a day. Try eating more Protein daily, and try reducing your carbs (or eat lower glycemic carbs.) Start your day with a Protein shake first thing, to give your metabolism a burst of protein to work on, so your blood sugars stay balanced. Eat your protein throughout the day, say a few ounces every three hours, rather than in just a few meals. Exercise more, or change up the exercise you're doing now. Get more sleep. Drink more Water. Vary your daily routine and turn things around some. Your body falls into ruts of its own, and once your metabloism is used to what you're giving it, the only way around it is to shake up what you're doing. Hope this gives you some ideas. Good luck! Dave

I'm an IT Support guy at a busy hospital. Yesterday I was working on a broken PC for a female employee who has always been pretty friendly to me. While I worked, she was telling me in great detail about her marital problems (something she shares pretty openly with anyone she feels she's friends with) and how her (soon to be EX) husband says rude things to her all the time, especially about her obesity. (She's quite heavy, and we've previously discussed my surgery and why I did it.) She was rattling along, explaining how his comments make her feel, and said, "...and as a formerly fat guy, you know what I'm talking about." Her comment struck me oddly at the time, but I didn't say anything. As I later thought about it, I realized she now sees me as NOT a "fat guy." That equals me being a "thin(ner) guy." And I got to thinking about how many other people who know me now see me as thin(ner) than I was. And that led me to thinking about how many other people I've recently met who have never met me before, so have no idea I was ever obese. And THAT put a great big wide smile on my face for the rest of the day. Dave

Way to go Joan! Congratulations! Dave

Non scale Victory. When something good happens that isn't about what the scale says. Things like compliments from others, fitting into an airline seat, crossing your legs without cutting off circulation, sitting comfortably at a restaurant booth, and such. NSV's happen when you least expect them, but they really make you feel good. Dave

You need to talk to your surgeon's team, and sort out what's going on. Gagging and vomiting is not a sign of the band working correctly. (I've lost almost 80 pounds and I have never gagged or vomited.) The band won't prevent you from eating, it only reduces your hunger. You can eat a minimal diet, but if you eat the wrong things, you may not lose weight. If your exercise only balances out the calories gained by your eating habits, then you also may not lose weight. There are a lot of reasons why your loss may be stalled, and you owe it to yourself to figure out what's going on. Good luck! Dave

If you're shopping for a surgeon, you may want to look at Dr. Ross McMahon, head of Bariatric Services at Swedish Hospital in Seattle. That's who did my surgery, and I can't say enough good things about him and his staff. Excellent experience. Dave

I very strongly suggest you contact Tricare and ask those very specific questions. You want to be sure you aren't being charged for internal costs at the surgeon's office that you're not required to pay, and that you don't end up with a whopping bill you aren't expecting. Find the Tricare office that pertains to you and call them up. They're the final word on what you should expect to pay: http://www.tricare.mil/westtsc/default.cfm Good luck! Dave