June 2007 Bandsters

[insubordination 0]

I got my second fill a week ago. In the last few days, it has loosened up considerably. The first few days were really tight. I think the effect will lessen. I'm enjoying eating a slightly bigger meal but will have to get another in a week or two. I say leave it Stef unless you are PBing/refluxing.

[ja9va 0]

Thank you all regarding the benifiber! I will get to the store like Stef and hopefully this will do the trick!

Congrats to Dan, Pam (welcome!)and Holli Great Weight Loss!!!!!!!! I hope I can join the group soon. :clap2:

:confused:I agree with the recent posts regarding the size of the meals, the number of meals, the protien,,, etc. All of the docs advise seems to be different. I agree with who said that you have to do what feels right. But it is hard not to obsess.

I know I keep saying this but I really can't wait for my fill next week! Dawn what happened to you is my worst nightmare! I had to wait longer, banded on June 7, due to the nurses summer vacation, but I want to be part of the "fill" group!

Last night I ate some low fat chips, and I really did not need them. It is almost tom so I need to learn the triggers and do something else.

have a great day!!!!

[ja9va 0]

Dan/suzzie I forgot to mention my bill as well. I received a statment for the hospital in the amount of $37,000 and then from the doctor, $6000. I agree about if self pay is $13000-15000, how come this is so high???

I am sure I will get statements for a long time until it is all straightened out because they have to bill my primary before the secondary which is the insurance that approved the surgery. My husband made a file:

" Janine LB bills"! don't I feel special!

[Suzzzie. 3]

Stef = I am confused about what restriction is also. I get things stuck, and PBd for the first time last night... but I know it only happens when I don't chew well enough, or when I take too big of a bite. I notice that after a few bites I'm no longer 'hungry' but I'm not 'full' either, so I will keep eating. I'm still able to eat too much. Hopefully my 2nd fill will fix that!

[Pippz 0]

About the insurance bills... I think that they have to charge the insurance more to get more of a "market value" back from the insurance companies. My surgeon billed my insurance $6,700 and only got paid about $2,000 after "negotiations". The hospital bill was $19,000 but they only recieved $6,000. To my surprise the anastesiologist recieved almost as much as my surgeon, around $1,800. I wouldn't worry about the bills until you actually get a letter stating you owe that much, which you shouldn't. It says on my letter from cigna that all bills have been settled and so I do not owe anything more than my $500 out of pocket maximum per year.

[mjsafari 0]

Diet - didn't we all get the lapband to try and get away from this word! :grouphug: I know I did, but all this worrying about what I am eating is worse then any other diet. I found info from Dr. Ortiz's, "LapBand for Life" helpful. It really is about making good choices - lean meat, veggies, fruit, then carbs and avoiding unneeded fat (butter and mayo) and processed sugars. I started with an Atkins type diet - because I know that I can lose weight, but after reading something from the book, I think that may be the wrong approach. Basically Dr. Ortiz says - your body needs some carbs or it will rob Protein for its energy. It may not take the protein you have eaten though, since there is already processed and stored protein available in your body. I have decided to stick with the basics and not count anything, if I make good choices, eat 3 solid meals a day, minimize snacking, drink a lot of Water, and the band helps me control my portions, I think I will do well.

We can do this Junies! :confused:

[lo2us 1]

Suzzie and Stef - I had that crazy tight first fill where my doc had to take some out. I kept getting things stuck for a week and half. Then I realized I was eating too fast. I had that not hungry and not full feeling too. It's been about 4 days of nothing getting stuck so far and today is 2 weeks post 1st fill. The ladies at my support group meeting said that this is restriction we're feeling and if you have acid reflux, tend to eat just crunchy stuff that will go down, you may be too tight. From what I understand this fill is supposed to get tighter next week (week 3.) If it does and I keep getting stuck again, I'm going to try to get a slight unfill. So far right now it's okay.

Oh yeah, try sipping something hot before EVERY meal and that helps LOADS.

[vxyn1 0]

HEY ALL,

I was banded June 28,2007. I,ve lost 23 lbs and havent had a problem. My first fill will be Aug.8.

[Suzzzie. 3]

Nothing got stuck today! Yay!!

I did figure out that its always within the first 2-3 bites that I get something stuck. I sip Water before I eat and just eat slowly and I'm fine.

Tonight I went to Sweet Tomatoes with a friend and I fixed a salad smaller than I would usually eat - still only ate about 1/2 before I was feeling full!! I did have to have a few bites of their chili though for the Protein and Fiber, haha, and because its delicious!! And I had 1 bite of their low fat chocolate lava cake. I was (and still am) stuffed.

USUALLY when I go there I have a huge salad, a bowl of Soup, some chili, cornbread and a blueberry muffin, and whatever the dessert is. I can't even tell you how amazing it is to me that I ate less than 1/2 what I used to!! I didn't even bother trying the cornbread or muffins this time (and they are amazingly good!) and my friend made sad faces for me as she ate hers. Lol.

Has anyone heard from Toni?

[TexasFire 84]

Stef = I am confused about what restriction is also. I get things stuck, and PBd for the first time last night... but I know it only happens when I don't chew well enough, or when I take too big of a bite. I notice that after a few bites I'm no longer 'hungry' but I'm not 'full' either, so I will keep eating. I'm still able to eat too much. Hopefully my 2nd fill will fix that!

There are a few things I've learned about my body so far. I feel the difference between "stuck" and PBing. Although PBing is a really bad stuck that doesn't go away. Regular stuck for me is not as strong a feeling, but similar, and usually comes on slower so I know to stop, and goes away within fifteen minutes or so. PB is much more aggressive in me, and happens like you when I dont chew well enough or take too big a bite. Stuck happens every time I eat now, usually after about six bites.

The other thing that I learned about my band is that hunger goes away yet I dont feel full like you said...but that the full feeling is going to come from my chest now instead of my belly. Its weird trying to get used to that fact. We all want that after Thanksgiving full belly, but I never get it now that I have the band. When I am full, I feel it in my chest. I talked to my NUT about it and she got so excited and said, "THAT'S RIGHT! BY GEORGE, YOU'VE GOT IT!" So that is the signal I go by now. Still strange, but I follow it. As long as I'm not hungry, I'm fine.

I just need to watch the boredom snacking in the evenings. It's a pain in the butt to take time out of my workday to eat AT ALL, but when I get home at night...ALL BETS ARE OFF! LOL

Good luck with your band and your second fill, Suzzie! And try paying attention to how your chest feels instead of your belly. Maybe that will work for you, too! It's worth a shot!

[TexasFire 84]

HEY ALL,

I was banded June 28,2007. I,ve lost 23 lbs and havent had a problem. My first fill will be Aug.8.

AWESOME! Whatever you are doing, KEEP DOING IT! :eek:

[LadyHR 0]

Hi, everyone:

This site is working v e r y slow for me tonight!

Faith - thanks for the info on taking Vitamins and Calcium at the same time. I have started separating mine.

Stefanie - we appreciate your insight into the "full" feeling. I haven't had any sliming or PBing yet. Sometimes I have a little "burp" just before I feel full - I think that is my signal.

Thanks to all of you that have suggested a sit of warm liquid if something gets stuck - I am definitely putting that into my memory bank in case I need it.

I guess I have named my pouch - I heard myself say out loud to someone, "Well, I think Mini-tum is full". Mini-tum is my new buddy so I might as well name it! Ha - am I nuts?

Holli - I like the idea of adding the New Whey liquid to Water. I have been drinking them straight from the vial if I get hungry between meals. I am going to try adding them to water tomorrow - maybe it will help me get all the water in. It's a challenge.

[Holliwagz 0]

Well guys i'm happy I had a loss but it sure wasn't an 8lb loss! :-( Only 3 lbs in 10 days!! GRRRRR I was hoping for AT LEAST 5! But oh well at least I'm going in the right direction!

[Suzzzie. 3]

I guess I have named my pouch - I heard myself say out loud to someone, "Well, I think Mini-tum is full". Mini-tum is my new buddy so I might as well name it! Ha - am I nuts?

Hey Lady! I thinks naming this is fun! Before I even had my band I named it 'Stella' cause it's gonna give me my "groove" back! :eek:

[TexasFire 84]

How funny, naming your band! I named my Kreepy Krawly pool cleaner "Miguel". Miguel is my pool boy! LOL

I need to come up with a name for my band, too! Maybe Gunter...Gunter my personal trainer!