Dave_NW

I "speak" both emr and epm, as part of one of the software packages we support. I also take care of PCs and related equipment. Dave

Hi Russell. Good to have you here. Have a seat and keep reading - chances are good you'll find answers to questions you didn't even know you had. Good luck with your weight loss! Dave

Historically, Tricare Prime went by BMI. There has been rumors they're changing that, but last I knew it was still that way. For the exact last word on things, you're best bet is to call them and ask. They'll quote you the regs word for word. http://www.tricare.mil/ Good luck! Dave

I think in the general, historical sense, it still applies. As regards specifics, I'd say to go with what your surgeon is telling you, since that's likely to be the most up to date information about the mechanics of things. From a practical User perspective, I'd think the daily things that are currently being posted here are good to have as real-world modern information. If you read enough posts, you'll soon get a feel for what is and isn't current information. Dave

Yes, you are definitely heading down the right path. Congratulations on everything you've done so far. I'm a year out from where you are today. (I attended the free seminar last August) And I'm down over a hundred pounds. If anyone had told me last August that I'd be sitting here this much lighter this August, I'd have said they were nuts. But it is what it is. And I'm really, really happy about it all. Good luck with all of it! dave

It's weird for me too. I've worked at my current job (IT at a hospital) for almost four years. I've met hundreds of people, and always had them treat me as a pleasant, non-threatening coworker. Comments were neutral. Now that I've lost over a hundred pounds, I'm getting flirtatious comments and thinly-veiled invitations. Women who (I presume) never thought of me as anything more than the fat guy from the IT department are now asking me out and such. There's a definite sparkle in their eye when we talk. I haven't changed my treatment of them, but suddenly it's taking on a whole deeper meaning from them. The fact that I'm married doesn't seem to faze them. It's a backhanded compliment, I know, but still kind of weird. Dave

Wow. You all went through a lot more than I did. I did all my preliminary tests back to back on the same day, in the surgeon's office. I met first with the psych guy, then a physician, then a PA to do my intake records, then the Nutritionist, and then the surgeon. By the time I was done with them, I had my recommendation all set that I was a candidate for surgery. My psych eval was about a half hour interview with the doctor, who asked me how I felt about my weight, about the surgery, and whether I felt I was prepared to make the life changes required to be successful. I guess I must have given him what he wanted because after about ten minutes we started talking about other things, my time in the military, how long he'd been a shrink, about the hospital we were in, and whatever else. I didn't fill out any forms or take any tests. At the end we stood up, he shook my hand, said, "Good luck!" and he walked out the door. It was a piece of cake. So to speak... Dave

The design is similar, but where the Allergan lapband is made of (I think) seven segments, the Realize has fewer (maybe it's three?) segments. So if the lapband makes a circle, the Realize makes more of a triangle. In practice, they are functionally the same, but I believe the Realize band accepts smaller incremental fills. There are many Realize bandsters here who are doing just fine. As a band patient, both deliver the kind of performance that results in good weight loss. If one is available and the other isn't, you can still get the results you're after. I'd say go for it. Good luck! Dave

You're still swollen from the band placement, so eating anything too fast can cause it to bounce right back up. Sipping is your new way to drink or eat anything liquid. Take your time, even if it gets cold - you can always warm it up. If warm liquids don't do it, try sipping a cold Protein shake instead. It may make the difference. Just because you're okayed for full liquids doesn't mean you're ready to eat them. And in a few days, the swelling will go down, the gas will be gone, and you can focus on the rest of things. Hang in there. It gets better. Dave

130??? That's AMAZING! Congrats to her for all that work! Dave

My surgeon put 3.2cc in my 14cc band. I didn't even notice it. I've since had five fills (I think - maybe it's four) and I'm at my sweet spot, sitting at 9cc. I also had very little bandster hell to deal with. Not sure if they're related. I think if you start with some Fluid in your band, you'll be closer to the eventual sweet spot. My surgeon said the reason he puts some fluid in the band during surgery is to firm up the band so the band doesn't move, and so the stitches heal in place better. Dave

Sorry, I misread the title of this post. I thought it said "Port POOPING!" I figured you had something going on the rest of us wanted to try. LOL! (I think I need more coffee... ) With apologies, Dave

Way to go, Keia! You're doing it, slow but sure. Good for you! I found the "losing inches, not pounds" thing was frustrating, but I stuck with it, and things eventually started moving downward again. And congratulations on those 5Ks! My knees are shot, so I can't run, but I'd love to be able to try that. Keep it up! And have fun at that reunion. Kind of scary, but exciting, too! Dave

In that case, I'd say go for it. I took Juice Plus for a couple of years, and found the quality to be excellent. I didn't know they had a chewy type now - it was capsules when I took it. Dave

If it's what I think you're referring to, juice Plus is pills containing the nutrients from a bunch of fruits or vegetables, in capsule form. Not sure that would provide you with a feeling that you had eaten fesh fruit. Dave

food passes through the band within a minute or two, so there is no chance you stretched anything after so small a meal, providing you ate at a reasonable speed. I wouldn't worry about it. You shouldn't ever feel "full" in the sense of having overeaten. You should do as you've been doing - eat your meal, and that's that. "Full" is something that if you feel it immediately after eating, you ate too much. In this case, because it was a half hour later, chances are the stuffed feeling is bloating gas from the food itself. Try next time to slow down and see if you don't feel like your appetite is gone when the food is done. If so, that is the feeling you should have - a lack of appetite. The band when properly adjusted will provide a feeling of satiety on a smaller amount of food, and you'll not be hungry for several hours. But yes, what you're feeling is probably the delayed restriction some people report several days after getting a fill. iIt's like all of a sudden somebody threw a switch, and things are different. Take your time, explore the feelings of the new sensation, and incorporate that into your daily eating routine. You'll soon get the hang of it. Everyone has a different experience with the band, but overall, it's a fantastic feeling when things start working for you. Hang in there - you're doing great! Dave

I hear you. In this case, see if you can find out if your FB friend invited everyone else she knows, too. I'll wager she sent the invite to everyone on her FB friends list - like the automatic emails that go out when you change your Internet provider. If she only sent it to you, it's because you're the fat friend she KNOWS would love to lose weight. Consider the source, and ignore it. It may not be as uncaring as you think, just clumsy of her. Don't reply to her invite. If she comes back and pesters you directly, just tell her, "Thanks for thinking of me, but I'm going to follow my own plan and see how it works for me." In a few months she'll be on to another specialized diet, while you'll be well on your way to your band journey's weight loss. People like that get tired of routine things, and she'll move on. I wouldn't take it too personally. You have better things to focus on. Good luck with your own journey! Dave

For me, the first few weeks after surgery were so filled with healing up and learning how to deal with a liquid diet (three weeks of it post-op), and whatever else, I had little time to think about me. The scale dropped by a fair number each time I stepped on it, but I knew a lot was Water weight , and so I didn't think it was real. I expected those numbers to climb again, but they never did. When I started back on solid foods, my weight loss slowed to a crawl, and I knew THAT was when the 'real" work started. But I stayed on track, worked my plan, and did what I'd learned how to do. Eventually, the weight started to drop off, and it's also gone for good. After the initial rush and excitement and fear of the unknown and anticipation leading up to surgery, it all kind of flowed together during those first weeks as the "after surgery reality check." It became absolutely, undeniably real for me the first time I went to put on a favorite shirt, and it fit like a tent. I had to check to make sure I was buttoning it right. Then I started checking the rest of my clothes, and they were ALL too big. Not just a little too big, but a LOT. Pants I could barely fasten pre-op were now so large, they slid off me while still fastened. I felt like I was a kid playing "dress up" in my father's closet. it was like being "The Incredible Shriking Man" or something in a movie. I was delighted. After sorting through, (and trying on) everything I owned, if it was too big, it went in a donation bag for Goodwill. And I had the pleasure of shopping for clothes that actually fit. Of course, as time has gone on, I've had to do it three times now, as the clothes I bought to replace the too-big stuff also became too-big. I started this in size 3X and 4X shirts. I now wear a size Large. And boy, Goodwill sure loves me... Yes, the weight loss is real. Really real. And it's AWESOME! Dave

Ok, you've lost 154 pounds so far, you got through the wedding, and you've totally enjoyed your vacation. You've given yourself a food reward for all the stresses you've been going through. Everyone here is really proud of your accomplishments, as you should be, and nobody deserves a break more than you do. BUT, the party's over. Now it's time to get back on that horse, and get back to work. The beauty of the band is how forgiving it can be, if you focus on doing what you should. You know how to do this, and you know how much better you feel when you're doing what you totally know how to do. No shame, no foul. Just go for it. And report back when you're down that ten pounds again. I figure it'll be a couple of weeks, tops. Good luck! Dave

I had a somewhat difference experience than Shirley. I had a ventral hernia right above my navel that was repaired during my band surgery, along with my hiatal hernia. (Three for one. I figured as long as they were under the hood, they may as well do a full tune up, ) They used mesh, and it's been fine. I've had no problems with it, and the hernia is staying under control. The recovery from that surgery was more difficult than my band surgery, but luckily, I recovered from both at the same time. By the time my ventral hernia had healed, I was ready to go back to work. Alan, talk to your doctor, and see if they can help you out. I look and feel much better for having had mine repaired. Dave

I know how you feel. And it does sometimes seem like there are a lot of whiners here complaining that their lives aren't perfect. I have a feeling a lot of the complaints are from people who didn't properly research the band before they had surgery, or who expect the band will magically change their lives, fix their food issues, correct their poor self esteem, and force them to stop eating badly. None of that happens automatically, and they'll end up successful only if they educate themselves and make the effort in how to make the most of their band. As you read through these forums, try to keep it in perspective, and consider the source: Just like with people you know at your job, or in your family, some folks are never happy with anything that happens to them, and they always look for someone else to fix their broken lives. In contrast, there are some people here (I include myself in this group) who try to put an encouraging spin on things, and who try to find good reasons to make the most of the experience. I take full responsibility for the success (or lack of it) of my band. I like to joke that I'm like the kid who is waist deep in horse manure in a barn, shoveling like crazy, and shouting, "There has to be a pony in here somewhere!" I was banded last December, and I've had ZERO problems. Whenever I've had a question about something related to my band, I've been able to find assistance here. I don't read the obviously negative posts, or waste time trying to make my experience anything less than it is - and that experience has been AWESOME! I feel sorry for those who post negative things, but I have to put it back on them - their experience is their responsibility. It's all about personal accountability. I hope you'll continue to participate in the forums, and contribute whatever you think is proper. This place is very big, and very busy. There is room for everyone. Good luck with your weight loss! Dave

When you know you've eaten enough, get up and leave the table. In ten or twenty minutes if you're still hungry, come back and have some more vegetables. Chances are good that at that point you won't be hungry. You need to train your eyes to listen to your stomach. Dave

Blair, congratulations on getting banded. You're embarking on a whole new you. Wishing you great success with your weight loss. However: If you're eating solids less than a week post-op without the permission of your surgeon, STOP IT! The first SIX WEEKS after surgery are about healing, NOT about eating solid food. Your stomach needs time to heal from the stitches it has in it from the surgery. Eating ANYTHING you aren't supposed to can seriously risk damaging your system, cause an infection, or even make your band slip. If you're having "pass out" feelings, you need to contact your surgeon's office for advice on what to do. To just arbitrarily start eating without permission is NOT a smart thing to do. And secondly if you're cheating already, you're setting yourself up for serious failure as a bandster. This process takes serious dedication and effort, not finding ways to cheat. Stop while you have options. Good luck! Dave

You've only been banded a short time, and you're reading a website intended for people who are having issues or who need assistance of some sort. For every post on this site from someone who is having an issue, there are literally THOUSANDS of bandsters out living their lives who are having no problems at all. Chances are good you won't have any trouble, so relax and enjoy the ride. Make the most of your band, focus on losing the weight you want to lose, and cross the "what if?" bridge when - and IF - you ever need to. Worrying about having the band removed due to problems years down the road is like telling your new boyfriend you can't keep seeing him because you might break up one day. Don't waste your energy on that sort of stuff. Good luck with your journey! Dave