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Don't know how your plan works, but "bariatric therapy" here runs $1700/hour.

Hope everything is OK with your pouch and you get it back to normal. You never seemed to be complaining about being too restricted so I still wonder .... Are we on for Monday night at La Villa? Will you be back from KS by then BetsyJane? I'm still doing curves and liking it. I've strained my weak left knee so I laid off it tonight. Last night I went to Spiegel's support meeting. They had the chef from University General. He was interesting, but deals more with bariatric patients. He is on The Zone diet and passed it out to us. It doesnt gel with the band, but you can get some good ideas from it. I'm 8 months out and find I'm more willing to try things that have scared me in the past. I had the edge of a piece of toast and felt the wonderful golf ball. I was able to recover after about 15 minutes. I have also enjoyed those 100 calorie bags of popcorn. I would never have touched that a few months ago. I don't think much about the food anymore, but I still think about what I'm eating. However, I really don't have restriction so I'm not the average bandster.

Hands down the worst experience of the pre-surgery prep(see my blog). My bariatric center pretty much mandates sleep lab and cpap - in fact its almost like they go looking for any minor blip to equivocate the need for the cpap machine. I now have one and am ashamed to say that as much as I thought it was a bunch of crap, the three nights I've used it, I've awaken much more refreshed and haven't needed a nap during the day or fallen asleep while watching TV at night. Still haven't managed to wear it all night. It has a humdifier and last night I set it too high. In the middle of the night it dripped water on my upper lip and freaked me out - kinda like that scene in Alien!:biggrin:

I am thinking about having a Super Sleeve done in at Star Medica Hospital, 15 mins across the border from El Paso, Texas in Juarez, Mexico by Dr. Jose Rodriguez. The cost is $6200 for everything. Has anyone gotten the super sleeve done or know of anyone that has. OR Has anyone worked with this company or Doctor or even hospital? Can I trust them with my money and more importantly my life? Here is the Info they gave me on the super sleeve: What is super sleeve? Laparoscopic sleeve gastrectomy is not as simple as any other gastrectomy. Gastric tube size influences both the degree of weight loss and weight stability. A large sleeve predisposes to gastric dilatation (stretching) and weight regain. Inexperienced surgeons tend to create large tubes (:thumbup: or to leave back large remnants of the gastric fundus. A standardized technique with a gastric capacity less than 100 ml (A) is mandatory in order to get the patient to achieve a durable weight loss. The sleeve should be super which means a small gastric sleeve diameter and a higher degree of restriction. With the gastric capacity being restricted to 60-80gr and Ghrelin (the appetite hormone) totally suppressed, the resultant weight loss is predictable and comparable to those achieved with gastric by-pass (60-70% EWL), without any serious complication or side effects (e.g. Vitamin mal-absorption). We believe the Super Sleeve to be a very effective and safe bariatric solution even for super-obese patients.

First I want to say congrats to finding me for being able to stick with it even tho financial issues became a cross road. Missnell, I had nightmares that I was to "fat" to get it, but im usually one of the smaller individuals at the support groups. I guess I had nightmares because of my worse fear was being told I was too fat. I am under the 200 lbs mark and I am only 6 days post op!!!! I had lost 8 lbs the week before going into surgery. They didnt weigh me till after the surgery and it was at like 3am.... I had just gotten up and used the bathroom and did my little laps around the bariatric wing and they were like good you are up! let me get your weight. This was after they have been pumping me with Iv fluids alllll day and the extra gas from the procedure. so I was 201 when I got there and then I was 202 that night. I was like I have not gained a pound in 13 hours not eating or really drinking anything! The nurse was like its all the extra Water weight from the fluids, and the excess gas in my body! I was like woooooo!:biggrin: GoodLuck to everyone whos procedure is coming up! I go for my 1 week post op on wednesday!

Date of Surgery: March 17 or March 18 Where Surgery will be: NC Doctor/Center: Dr. Scott Bovard of Bovard Bariatric Center Seminar date: Didn't go to one 1st consult date: Dec 30th, 2009 2nd consult: Haven't had a second one yet. Consults and tests completed: Upper GI, lab work, EKG Tests still needed: Nutritionist and Psych test How is surgery funded? Insurance Concerns? Work, if they will be understanding as to why I will be out for 6 weeks (I'm a CNA and have a very active job) and I can retrain my brain to stop thinking I need to eat all of the time... and to realize that I'm full and that I need to stop. Reason for banding? I'm 22 and 327 pounds... I think that says it all.

Regarding getting mad and being upset…I try hard to keep these forums civil. I want everyone to be able to express their opinions, ask questions, and disagree in a way that is not offensive to anyone. I think we can all benefit by remembering to take a few breaths before answering any post, and also to remember that what you type might not be read exactly as you meant to say it. Regarding bariatric vitamins…the ones you need to take and how much you need to take depend largely on your surgery type. Like some have mentioned, the gastric band doesn’t interfere with nutrient absorption from food, so you won’t need as many supplements with the lap-band as you would with the bypass or sleeve. The supplements you need also depend on your diet. Right after and maybe for months or years after WLS, your diet will be pretty restricted – you won’t be eating much food, and you might not be eating a huge variety. That means it’ll be hard, if not impossible, to meet your nutrient needs from food – so you need supplements! Yes, it is good to have your doctor monitor your levels for life to see which supplements you need to start or continue to take, and/or if you need to change your doses. It’s also important to remember that calcium doesn’t show up on any easy test. You can get blood calcium tests done, but they don’t show how good your calcium levels are in your bones.

Afternoon Vi's.. as I type this I'm on hold trying to get my Thyroid script renewed! FUN FUN!!!!!!!!!!! TOM is due any day, and I'm getting cramps..... Reheated enchilada's eaten to fast ... did not work for me today......... I'm a barrel of laughs.... Still dreaming about christmas sugar cookies...........

Well, my 50th birthday last week gave me a "hiccup" on weightloss and this week it has surely slowed down again. However, I did lose a pound and I'm happy to see the scale move. I know the inches have come off, as I had several people at my "surprise party" last Friday make comments about me "shrinking". They hadn't seen me in a month so that was so encouraging! I did slow down on my activity level but this week, upped it again. I am also going to be seeing a doctor and will have my hormone levels checked, as I feel my metabolism is slow and that may be attributed to that and the big "M" coming on. We shall see! Found myself starting to munch here and there on things that are not going to do me any good (pretzels, tortilla chips, etc. and other crunch carbs) and although I didn't have very many, this is something I am NOT going to do. I guess as I've healed, I am feeling a bit hungrier, but I need to make that time count with something healthy going in my body, like a fruit, more protein, etc. Any ideas for a "snack" would be appreciated. I don't seem to get in enough fruits and vegetables. Also, are any of you taking a vitamin and what do you use? I am using a chewable bariatric support vitamin, along with dissolvable B12, fish oil, CoQ10, dissolvable biotin, and D3, with a chewable calcium. I feel pretty good with enough energy. I

I'm loving all my time without a paper due every dang night! I would have started school this week. I feel much better. I started the stress program thing online through Kaiser, and it was saying "quitting school may seem like a good idea but..." and I thought, "Too late!" I'll go back when I'm good and ready. I went to the gym last night and did 50 min on the elliptical before I got a phone call from our realtor. I answered the phone in the gym (I know, not allowed). We've got a counter offer for the house... apparently they're sending contracts over soon. I'm so flippin excited. Trying to stay grounded and not get my hopes up, but they're up. I still don't know which will come first, the house or my surgery! They're estimating Jan or Feb to close on the house, I feel like surgery could be the same timeline. How bad would that be: "Sorry boys I can't lift a finger.... oh, you missed a box!" hehehe I had my weight check appt today. I was worried since I've been struggling. Well, I went with the "wear a dress" thing and flip-flops (my lightest shoes). It seemed to work. I was technically down, but I'm down 1 lb since Spet 17. That can't be good! And I must have looked silly, it was 47 degrees outside when I left for my appt and I was wearing a dress and flip flops. lol. Oh, and the weight check chick was pleasant today! I was shocked. I need to email Doc Fisher and see if there's anything we can do. I doubt he'll lower my surgery goal. Maybe I'll just start coming to a few more classes in Richmond, like the bariatric lifestyles class.

Good Morn, vi's~~ Busy, busy, busy today finishing up an editing job. Then a meeting @ school & HOPEFULLY FINALLY Turkey Day grocery shopping! Tomorrow will be "super duper clean the house day" -- always fun, not! Then Weds the in-laws arrive! I'm also coordinating meals for my neighbor w/liver failure from her cancer who has mere moments to live... I pop over there a couple times a day and do whatever needs doing... dishes, put food away, tidy up... even tho there are gobs of people visiting them, no one ever seems to do these tasks, so I just do it... Who me? Take the initiative?? So if I'm not on much this week... now you know why & won't feel compelled to send out the flying monkeys!! Quick band-related question: Does reflux harm the band or cause erosion or anything?? My prescription for reflux/heartburn meds expired a couple weeks ago & dh didn't renew it (online) 'til the other day so it'll probably be another week or so and I HURT!! Water makes me hurt! It's not the "choke on it" reflux, but just the tight, burning feeling ALL THE TIME and it occurred to me that this might be bad. So I remembered that dh takes some too (diff. brand) so I popped one of his today. I get some worry like this in my head & I can't get rid of it... Make it a great day... smooches!

What I have been told (and have already started) is that I will be taking Flintstones Complete chewable vitamins (or the generic equivilent), a calcium chew, and B12. I started taking the gummy vitamins (which I could have eaten like candy, I liked them so much), but was told that those weren't okay for after the surgery because they don't have the full spectrum of vitamins and minerals needed. She told me about Bariatric Advantage, and those kinds, but just said that 2 Flinstone Completes work just as well and are much less expensive.

I chose the lap band for safety reasons. I felt it was safer and I did not want my insides cut up and moved around. To be honest I never even considered bariatrics until I heard Kaiser approved the lap band. I just don't think FOR ME it is right to change the "original design" of the stomach............ I know Kaiser made me question that a few times but in the end I always knew I was gonna go with the band........that is also what my family (that knows) supports. They all told me no RNY and they are medical people. Too many stories of RNY gone wrong. My sister is a nurse and she told me she has lots of RNY's with leaking, and serious nutritional problems come through her hospital. I am not having more kids unless I adopt. So that has nothing to do with my choice. I am done having kids!! I just couldn't go RNY and feel good about it!! Lap band I feel is a good choice for me. My only concern is that if I get laid off or move and lose kaiser it could be hard to get fills. BUt I will worry about that when if it happens!! Head hunger or the psychological addiction has to be address for any bariatric procedure to work!! I am an addiction specialist........go figure given my coke addiction.............and I can tell you I worry and focus alot more on the head addiction/psycological addiction with my drug using clients than on the physical addiction. Addiction is addiction no matter what you use and has GOT to be address for one to overcome an addiction. I wish Kaiser would focus a bit more on head hunger/psychological addictions because they will do you in........................maybe they do in the support groups I never seem to get to. If you can figure out what triggers that head hunger than your half way to resolving the issue................getting surgery is like putting a band aid on a wound but if you don't get in there and really clean the wound out the band aid won't help the infection will seep through..................that is my only compliant with Kaiser. I think we all should be REQUIRED to be in a support group and possibly counseling as well for at least a year maybe more..........lucky for me I have this group, but I have considered doing some counseling just to ensure I make this work out!! Ok just my thoughts I am rambling a bit here.........

Hey fellow wacky girls, of COURSE we feel crazy! We are losing a bunch of fat, and where is estrogen, the crazy woman hormone, stored? In fat!!! So we lose the fat and the estrogen is running around our systems like CRAZY!!! Guess what you have to do to get it out? Drink a lot LOT of water and exercise! Work it out, seriously. Best thing for depression! Swear. Trust me on this one :-) Tina & Candra, I took Wellbutrin for years and it actually made me LOSE weight . . it was kind of speedy for me! Please note Candra or Tamra or whoever it was, if you are taking the SR type you will have to get that changed by your PCP to non-SR starting the day after surgery. And if you are already being treated for depression - which I assume you are if you are on Wellbutrin - they you are A-OK to go see someone! They just want to know that you are being treated, and do not have UNtreated depression. Cognitive therapy can only help. A huge percentage of bariatric surgery pateints either are or have been treated for depression, when I asked in the Santa Rosa class all hands but 1 went up. Very very common, so no worries! Call them tomorrow. We have counselor folks here @ the Santa Rosa facility that specialize in weight loss patients, you get assigned one based on your last name that's how popular they are! Check the health class schedule for your local Kaiser too, mine has therapy classes. I want to emphasize that it is VERY IMPORTANT to have your after-surgery psychology care in place and working for you before you have the surgery. So many of my friends have suffered needlessly because they either avoided care - who can take another 2 hours a week off for visits when we are already taking all this other sick time for our appts.?? - did not seek care because they were afraid it would delay their surgery, or did not have non-SR versions of their meds so they stopped taking them. It is tragic! It only gets worse after surgery, every single person that I know that's had surgery goes through at least 1 bout with depression afterwards, myself included! Please don't put this off - and that goes for every person reading this post! Depression happens, the change is profound, it's great but it's still massive change, and change is stressful, so count on it! And add in the damn estrogen and it's a recipe for sob-city-mania! And add pending lay-offs, jeez it's a wonder any of us government workers are even sane enough to type . . . OK I am off my rant. I lost my favorite cousin to depression - suicide - as a teenager so it's a soapbox thing for me. There is so much good help out there, just no reason for anyone to suffer through the mental crap that is coming. Just sayin'

Morning all......... Pam: I agree your an example :-) Your motivating me for sure. I can't afford the program but I am trying to work my own to keep up :-) COLE: I am bringing my daughter she is 15 but sometimes that can be more work than 2!! LOL. Other people have brought their kids before. Just come. TAMRA: I say just stick with protiens and forget the liquids. You will start to go down again. Do you have restriction now? I am finding when I eat protiens I have restriction if I don't everything goes straight down. I am doing my liquids by drinking 120 ounces of water a day which makes me full so I don't eat as much. I did have some ice cream this weekend...to much but as of today no more :-) KAISER RICHMOND has an excellant rating!! I did the research and also found my way into a training power point given by Dr. Li for Bariatric surgeons. Very interesting stuff. That was from 2007 and they were already talking about doing the sleeve eventually. Sounds like the band had just been started. I was impressed and learned alot. I just wonder if Kaiser is removing bands already and that is why they are phasing them out. I know that ER had alot of band people over the winter with problems. I was not the only one they told me. So maybe that is the complications part of things??? CHRISSY: Your bad luck is a bit worse than mine!! LOL. Sorry!! I have had pneumonia four times and have scarring on my lungs. I get it very easy now if I am not careful becuase of my history. They told me pre op it could be a problem going under anthesia/or rather coming out. And it sure was I couldn't breathe at all and almost had a panic attack there too!! The nurse was great and talked me through it. Also the morphine wiped me out. I could not do that spirometer test at all......I was told that I needed to be checked for asthma!! Liz told me it seemed like something was wrong with my brething since I couldn't hold my breath long enough to do the test. LOL. I also had my lungs fill up with gunk after surgery that lasted a week or so. Now a year later more breathing problems so I think the scarring is a problem and if I can't breath I panic.............I don't know which come first the egg or the chicken.........so I am back in next week for more testing and to go through the asthma routine to see if that is where I am at. I am sure the scarring on my lungs will be brought up again but not sure how they fix that stuff or work around it. If not than we address the panic attacks. I do know stress and panic tighten your band alot :-) So no more fills for me until I figure the other part out first. But I worry if I got the sleeve I would be to tight and couldn't loosen it!! Just myluck!!! LOL. Now that would panic me and not being able to drink my water would stress me out...........LOL. Ok back to work hope everyone has a great day!!

IT'S OVER!!!! I SURVIVED!!!! The vow renewal and reception went off without a hitch! I ended up being very emotional through the ceremony...which really surprised me. It touched me to the very core, to see the sincerity in which they said their vows to one another---you felt that they meant it. I have heard them said, many, many times. Even said them myself a couple of times!!! But as much as I love Rick, I was nervous, so was doing a lot of it on auto pilot!!! The vows they said were the standard, but you felt the love in the room....it got to many of us. It made me so proud, and made me feel so incredibly lucky to be their child! My Mom was flabbergasted by the ring!! And when Holly come out to sing, it surprised them both. The cake was pretty, and moist, the punch was good----and did I mention....IT'S OVER???!!!! LOL, it was fun, and I loved having the family here, but the relief that it is done, and all went well, is overwhelming!!!! I have my parents wedding album that my Grandma had. So I went through it with my friend who is the photographer, and we recreated many of them. Put all the wedding party into the same poses as 50 years ago....that kind of thing. I will take the pictures he took, and make them an album and a disc....they will love it! I have most of it cleaned up, but will finish it tomorrow. Thanks for hanging with me while I obssessed over doing the parties!!! Terri----YES----Count me in for an exercise challenge! I am finally losing again---and want to keep it that way! I blew off my Curves this month, it has been such chaos, and I miss it! I still walk, but to me that is more of a meditation time, than an exercise time! I walk fairly fast as a general rule, whether out walking for exercise, or grocery shopping, I walk fast. But when I go out early in the morning, it clears my head, and puts me in a better frame of mind for the day!! So Lunasa, you feeling any better? I thought about you and worried off & on all day!!! Sorry Tracy another happy hysterectomy girl here. Actually the hysterectomy was not "happy" I had uterine cancer in the endometrial lining. But---do I miss what they took? NOPE...UH UH...NOT AT ALL...!!! I had serious problems for many years, with endometriosis, and other issues, PCOD, I had very irregular periods for years, wouldn't have one for months, then have the period from hell for 3 solid weeks, ended up in the ER many a time...no one wanted to really do anything about it. Then the last time I hemoraged, they routinely sent off for the pathology, and it come back with cancer cells. The tests began in earnest then, and they put me onto a mild form of oral chemo---for 6 months, prior to doing my surgery! Then my hysterectomy was supposed to take 2 hours, took 7 1/2!!! Because of all the "misplaced" endometrial tissue from all those years, and since that was where the cancer was discovered, it took hours of cleaning, and making sure it was all gone. When they got in, my ovaries, were bad as well....not cancerous, but choked off with the overgrown tissue....so it is all gone. And instead of a 6 inch scar, I have one from hip bone to hip bone, and a center vertical scar (picture a +). And you know what??? It was worth it! Then we went to infusion chemo....I lost my hair, and felt like hell for 4 months.....3 days ago marked my 5 years of being cancer free.........so I am now considered by my oncologist as free as opposed to being in remission! One of the muscles they stitched ripped loose on the inside, causing my fat belly to sag more on the left than the right. With the scar I have a tummy tuck, and muscle repair is nothing!!! And yep-----STILL WORTH IT!!!! I always envied the friends I had who knew exactly what day they would start, and could maintain a normal life during their periods, I was never that way from day one. So in my case it was Good Riddance! Well I think I have wound down enough to maybe sleep! Early breakfast with some family, then they will all head home---and I can clean up my yard!!! Thanks for all the kind wishes---and sweet words of encouragement....even you guys almost reduced me to tears! It is sure nice to have the wonderful support. Hugs to all you Purple Princesses....Talk to you tomorrow!!! Kat

Hi CowgirlJane, I know that BCBS AL does cover the sleeve. I just don't know if they cover revision after band failure especially if the original procedure was either self-pay or covered by another insurer. This remains to be seen. I am currently waiting for a call back from my bariatric surgeon and have a boatload of questions written down so hopefully things will be somewhat clearer this afternoon.

Pam, thanx for the renewed hope. I havent had my first fill yet and I'm nervous about it. Banded 7/26/07 and finding that some days are easier than others. Also finding that I dont feel full until it's too late and I have a stabbing pain under my left breast. Then I assume I have eaten too much. I'm on my way to spark people after I type this. what can I expect after my first fill?

I am scheduled for November 4 in Beaumont, TX at the Christus SETX Bariatric Center with Dr. Schrapps!!!!!!! :w00t:

​I agree with @@VSGAnn2014, you are doing fine. My bariatric team told me that Isopure counted towards my Water intake, before and after surgery. Shows how different each clinic is with their guidelines. Your daily intake is very similar to what mine looked like pre and immediate post op. Hang in there, good luck with your surgery in May...keep us posted!

guess i'm getting a little cranky! maybe just a little bitter about the 400.00 I gotta pay tomorrow to pick up my car that I never drive. i think the bariatrics people are loosing thier bedside manner! They are use to the 90% drop out rate & of the 10% that stay, 30% of those fail and they are geared towards that instead of the 10% surgery completion rate and of that 10%, 70% success rate.

So I feel like a dork, but was re-reading my bariatric book and realize I could have started full liquids today! Oh well - tomorrow will do - I am way to excited! Here is what it says, and guess I missed the "few days" part!

Hello all! I txt msg Tracy earlier and got the same news that Judy already reported.. I am worried about Haydee and all her family, and Juans. I went to a support group meeting today Bandwagon and it was good. I hadnt been since the personel change and it has grown and was pretty well organized. It was nice to have staff from my docs office there and big news.. one of the well known bariatric docs in town is now part of his practice... (Suzie this will mean something to you) Hitchcock is now with Malley's practice... (as in Hoehn and Hitchcock at Shawnee Mission Med Center) Anyway.. I've got household chores to do tomorrow.. I really need to get in the yard and prune up some of my flowering shrubs... and it REALLY NEEDS mowed. Hoping it will dry up enough to get some stuff done.. and there is also painting I need to do. Have a great evening! Keep the homelights burning Terry!

I've been told by my GP's PA and by my surgeon's nutritionist that calcium citrate is better than calcium carbonate. Apparently, calcium citrate is better absorbed and you have to take much more calcium carbonate to get the same amount of calcium in your system. Also, you're not supposed to take a calcium supplement within two hours of taking iron or a multivitamin that contains iron because the iron interferes with calcium absorption. Unfortunately, Viactiv contains calcium carbonate. I love those chews! I got some chewable supplements from a site that specializes in bariatric vitamins but when my supply is gone, I'm switching to supplements I can find at my grocery store!

I won't have my first fill until January 15th. I don't get physically hungry very often, but the head hunger has been making me crazy this weekend. Now that I look back I can see where I ate something stupid that would naturally bring on the sugar cravings. (Honey) I'm telling myself that it will pass. Not every day will be like this. Reading the success stories helps. I've made a renewed commitment to measuring and weighing what I eat instead of eyeballing it. What a surprise I had today when I started measuring. OOPS! Maybe it's no co-inky-dink that I haven't lost any weight in the past two weeks!