Lower BMI Bandsters!

[Bikergirl 0]

OK as all can see surgery was fine - I'm home and sipping on my liquids - pain is very managable. Got the heating pad on my port (Thanks BGB), had about 4 popsicles for flavor - tried to sip some Soup but sat it in the wrong area and my pregnant doggy got a hold of it - she loves chicken broth. So I just drunk some Water. I will post tomorrow.

[Tea Time 0]

Hey All!

As you can see I am up at midnight the night before surgery. I needed one last look at the boards. Thanks so much for the well wishes and prayers. They are much appreciated. I am not really nervous, just a little scared, but excited to start my new life. I had about an hour today that I indulged in the what ifs and self doubt, but I snapped out of it. I know this is the right decision for me. It makes me realize what brave women you are to have gone through this. It takes alot of courage to take charge of your lives. Thanks again. My surgery is at noon, I'll post again when I am an official bandster.

[tulips 0]

Thanks for the nice welcome. Biker girl, congratulations on your banding! I'll look forward to hearing your progress.

I'm trying to go through insurance -- Blue Cross Blue Shield of California. On paper their guidelines seem reasonable. I hope they are easy to deal with and approve me quickly. I haven't even been to my initial consult. I made an appointment for Wednesday, but I think I'm going to cancel. After reviewing this board I found some pretty bad things said about the Dr. I had an appointment with. Anyway, I'm going to see if I can get an appointment with someone else without doing the seminar.

I hate not knowing if/when I'm going to get this done! I'm not very patient and way too obsessive -- not a good combination!

[Oregondaisy 2,021]

Hello all,

As for drinking with the liquid stage, I didn't do it. It just makes you get hungrier faster.

I was a self pay and it was $10,000 here in Oregon. That includes 3 fills. I am going to try to spread them out, rather than being too anxious to get filled too soon.

I am still having a lot of trouble with food getting stuck. I hate it. I have a lot of questions for my dr. when I see him at the end of the month.

I am really tired of the scale not moving. It's my own fault though. I hope to drop a few more lbs now that I can start exercising again. I have weighed the same weight since I went off liquids. I gained 3 lbs on vacation and got them off again but I want to see something new, the next time Iget on the scale.< /p>

Audree, I am really sorry to hear about your grandmother. I have a good friend of mine whose father has ALS. It's really hard to see someone you love go through that.:think

Glad to hear all the new bandsters are doing well.

Good luck Tea time. Soon you'll be in bandland!

[November Lily 0]

Thanks for all the replies about Water with Soup etc on the liquid stage - Im not going to do it from today. I just had Breakfast (1 x activel) and have another hr before I can have Water - I WILL do it ha ha)

I too was a self payer and just know this is going to be the best thing I have done. So far, so good.

Sorry to hear about your grandma Audree. My prayers are with you.

Good luck Teatime

[Bikergirl 0]

You can learn alot about the doctors here - I would try to see if there is someone in your area that had a successful experience with a doctor in your area. There were two main ones in my area - 1 in network 1 out - I went to the 1 in network, not only because he was in network, but because the Lap Band is all he does. He use to do the gastric, but he prefers to do the Lap Band, says it is safer and better success rate. I belive in his work really now. I had very little gas pain and I was up and moving around last night - my incisions have tape but it's like in a row - not all over - I love him.

Thanks for the nice welcome. Biker girl, congratulations on your banding! I'll look forward to hearing your progress.

I'm trying to go through insurance -- Blue Cross Blue Shield of California. On paper their guidelines seem reasonable. I hope they are easy to deal with and approve me quickly. I haven't even been to my initial consult. I made an appointment for Wednesday, but I think I'm going to cancel. After reviewing this board I found some pretty bad things said about the Dr. I had an appointment with. Anyway, I'm going to see if I can get an appointment with someone else without doing the seminar.

I hate not knowing if/when I'm going to get this done! I'm not very patient and way too obsessive -- not a good combination!

[tulips 0]

You can learn alot about the doctors here - I would try to see if there is someone in your area that had a successful experience with a doctor in your area. There were two main ones in my area - 1 in network 1 out - I went to the 1 in network, not only because he was in network, but because the Lap Band is all he does. He use to do the gastric, but he prefers to do the Lap Band, says it is safer and better success rate. I belive in his work really now. I had very little gas pain and I was up and moving around last night - my incisions have tape but it's like in a row - not all over - I love him.

That's exactly what I've done. The Doc I want to see has his informational seminar on Monday night. It is all full, though. I called the office and left a message to see if there's any way I could get in. The next one is at the end of March. He requries attendance before he'll meet with you.

I'm not sure what I'll do if I don't get to go Monday. I am really motivated to lose NOW and if I start/continue dieting, by the end of March I'm not going to qualify anymore because of my bmi (if I qualify at all). I don't want to not lose weight before then because I'm afraid if insurance denies coverage (even with a bmi of 35 ==their minimum) then I'm that much farther from my goal. Ughhh. I hate this. I hope I hear from the doc's office soon.

[Angie38 1]

Thanks for all the motivation! You guys are an inspiration!

[BabyGotBack 0]

Hey All!

As you can see I am up at midnight the night before surgery. I needed one last look at the boards. Thanks so much for the well wishes and prayers. They are much appreciated. I am not really nervous, just a little scared, but excited to start my new life. I had about an hour today that I indulged in the what ifs and self doubt, but I snapped out of it. I know this is the right decision for me. It makes me realize what brave women you are to have gone through this. It takes alot of courage to take charge of your lives. Thanks again. My surgery is at noon, I'll post again when I am an official bandster.

My prayers are with you as I see you are right about to go into surgury.

Let us know how you are doing!!!

[BabyGotBack 0]

Hello all,

As for drinking with the liquid stage, I didn't do it. It just makes you get hungrier faster.

I was a self pay and it was $10,000 here in Oregon. That includes 3 fills. I am going to try to spread them out, rather than being too anxious to get filled too soon.

I am still having a lot of trouble with food getting stuck. I hate it. I have a lot of questions for my dr. when I see him at the end of the month.

I am really tired of the scale not moving. It's my own fault though. I hope to drop a few more lbs now that I can start exercising again. I have weighed the same weight since I went off liquids. I gained 3 lbs on vacation and got them off again but I want to see something new, the next time Iget on the scale.< /p>

Audree, I am really sorry to hear about your grandmother. I have a good friend of mine whose father has ALS. It's really hard to see someone you love go through that.:think

Glad to hear all the new bandsters are doing well.

Good luck Tea time. Soon you'll be in bandland!

I am hoping the exercise will help me too.:nervous

Lou Gerrigs is such a horrible disease. I would not wish it on my worst enemy.

[BabyGotBack 0]

Thanks for all the motivation! You guys are an inspiration!

You will love Dr. Ortiz and his staff. They are awesome!!! Our stats sound about the same!

Glad to have you here!

[Bikergirl 0]

Ok I'm 1 day post - op. I had a slimfast for Breakfast, sugar free popsicle, and my Water - I bought 10 cases of Water and I have to drink 4 bottles a day - for my 64 oz. I have had 1 1/2 so far - don't want to drink to fast and I took me a nap ( boy naps are good in the day).

Tea Time you are in bandland now - congrats!!!

[Bikergirl 0]

Got pictures: My doctor gave me 3 pictures - 2 of my band (9.75cm) and one of the xray liquid going down - did anyone else get a picture of their band?

[BabyGotBack 0]

Todays checkin

Breakfast: Gano coffee with soymilk

Lunch: 3/4 cup of carnitas (baked pork)

Liquids: 32 ounces of crystal light

Supplements: liquid Vitamins, 1 QuickSlim30, 1 Biotin

Exercise: still need to do it

I feel more restriction today. I can tell the Protein is sitting there and going down. I feel tightness in my stomach area and full feeling in my throat.

I weighed in today(offical day) and am the same. I am also premenstrual.

[BabyGotBack 0]

I got this from another thread I belong to. The woman who wrote this is extremely knowledgable.

Increase Your Chances of a Good Fill

>

> The following suggestions are good rules of thumb and will greatly

> increase your chances of getting a good fill.

>

> 1. Be sure you are very well hydrated when you come in for your

fill

> appointment. That means at least 8-10 full glasses of liquid every

> day for at least several days before the fill.

> (You really need this amount at all times anyway).

>

> Drink especially well the morning of the fill. If you're flying in,

> it can be much harder to stay hydrated, so take a drink bottle and

> drink very often! Those little "to-go" packs of Crystal Lite are

> ideal - ask the flight attendants for a refill of your Water

bottle,

> pop one in, and then you will have plenty to drink. Those little 4-

oz

> cups of liquid they give you during flight are useless.

>

> (Hint - While you're on the plane, also take home a couple of those

> white barf bags –

> good to keep one in your purse or car, both now and later,

> for "emergencies".)

>

> 2. Be sure not to have any solid foods for at least 6 hours before

> the fill. Don't eat a huge or late dinner the night before. If

you're

> having any trouble (reflux, possible slip, etc)

> please have nothing but fluids after dinner the night before.

> In some cases, food can still be in the pouch for 12 or more hours.

> ANY food in the pouch will make it impossible to give a good fill,

or

> get a good fluoro

>

> 3. Don't drink COLD fluids for an hour before the fill. That will

> shrink your stoma and give a false fluoro reading, and a poor fill.

> Room temp fluids are fine. Let the ice in your drink bottle melt

and

> hour before a fill,

> and then you'll have room-temp fluids to drink right up to the fill

> time.

>

> 4. Avoid getting a fill during a menstrual period or a few days

> before an expected one. During this time, we are usually retaining

> Water, and the fluoro will not be as accurate, and the fill will

not

> be either.

>

> 5. If at all possible, hang around for at least a few hours after a

> fill. Don't run right back home or to the plane. It takes the

normal

> swelling after a fill 1-2 hours to develop, and by that time you

> might be too tight and need to come right back.

>

> 6. If at all possible, stay overnight and catch a plane out the

> following late afternoon or evening. If you are too tight, this

will

> allow time to get a small unfill before you leave. This is not very

> convenient, but sure beats having to possibly return to TJ in a few

> days, on short notice, in pain, and at high last-minute plane

fares!

> This is "prevention!" Overfills are not common, but they DO happen,

> even under the best of conditions. Be prepared, and think about

this

> overnight stay.

>

> 7. After a fill, please have liquids only for at least 24 hrs. This

> allows the stoma to rest and heal. Then, a day of soft foods, then

> back to regular foods.

>

> 8. Review the eating and food guidelines again before every fill.

> You'll need to refine your eating more and more with higher fill

> levels, and there will be less and less room for goofs. As you

reach

> a higher fill level, you'll no longer be able to "get away" with

> things you might have before!

>

> 9. Please don't get a fill if you are having ANY trouble with the

> current level of fill. This means ANY regular pain, PB or barfing

> more than maybe once a week at the VERY most, not able to get

enough

> calories in, not able to drink enough, able to eat only soft foods

or

> fluids.

> More fill will NOT help, and will make things worse. Discuss all

> this carefully with your doc. You may even need an UNFILL, to keep

> your band and stomach safe.

>

> 10. First fills are not routinely given at 6-8 weeks - but only as

> you need them. Many people do, some do not. We'll help you decide

if

> you need a fill - just ask. There is no rush for fills. Too much

can

> very easily get you in trouble, and you end up further "behind"

than

> if you had gone slower with fills.

>

> 11. Give a fill at least 2-3 weeks to test it. Some fills

> don't "settle in" for a week or two, and sometimes more. Your

weigth

> loss is what determines how a fill is - not any feeling of

> restriction, necessarily.

>

> 12. One of the most impt things in determining if a fill is good is

> choosing proper band foods. Soft foods, liquids, junk foods,

sweets,

> etc will NEVER be well-resticted, and will never tell a thing about

> having a good fill or not. Only solid foods give useful info.

> A good test meal is 2-4 oz of solid meat or chicken - be sure it's

> soft and moist - and about 1/2 cup veggies. You should be able to

eat

> about a cup of food (no less) and this should keep you satisfied

> (NOT "FULL", but simply "satisfied, not physically hungry". for

about

> 3-4 hrs.

>

> 13. Plan regular meals. A good fill will keep you satisfied for 3-4

> hrs, but no longer. If you are hungry 5 hrs after kunch, it is not

> becuase you have an inadequate fill! Reular meals aty planned times

> are important for a number of reasons, including avoiding snacking,

> maximizing calorie burn 9which = wt loss) and normalizing

metabolism,

> which is essential for wt maintanace later on.

>

> Please remember that good fills are very elusive, even with highly-

> experienced docs and fill people. There are just too many

individual

> factors involved that the docs cannot control. Even the fluoro is

> only a clue, and not entirely accurate - for some of the reasons

> above.

>

> It usually takes 3- 5 fills to slowly and safely creep up on a good

> level, and they can be safely given a month apart.

> Trying to go faster with a bigger fill is not the solution, and the

> stomach rebels at big sudden fills. The goal of th first few fills

> is NOT to achieve a good resticrion, but to gradually get your

> stomach used to some pressure so you can tolerate a GOOD fill later.

>

> SLOW and GRADUAL is the key!

> Going slowly with fills can be frustrating, but is well worth the

> wait to avoid problems.

>

> Sandy R

> at goal x 3+ yrs