Health Care

[pattygreen 5]

Not to change the subject but Im having my surgery on March 3rd. Im interested to know how long everyone has been banded, are you happy, and is it working for you? thanks, I think Im done for the night.

Bob, I've been banded for 1 &1/2 years now. I needed to lose about 100 lbs., and lost 60 all together. I am 5'6" and weigh 221 right now. Although I am happy to be free from diabetic medication and am feeling much better with 60 lbs. off me, as you can imagine, I am a little disappointed that I didn't lose more. I would love to take off 40 more pounds. and weigh around 180. I can remember being very comfortable with myself at that weight. I like the fact that I can maintain this 60 lb weight loss and not gain any more again, and I am really grateful for the diabetes being under control. I am still borderline, so I have to watch the kinds of foods I eat, but I can eat anything I want. No restrictions. I try to stay away from bread and potatoes mostly, cause I can only take 2 or 3 bites of them, and I'm feeling blocked or stuffed. It took alot of getting used to a new way of feeling full. I threw up alot. It takes only one bite too many at a meal, and I would need to throw up that one bite. I still do that sometimes, but I've learned to stop eating before I got to that point now. I am sure if I put my mind to it, I would be able to lose more, because at this point, my band has done all that it can for me on its own. I will have to be disciplined to get the rest of the weight off, and the band will be my tool to do that now. I'm just happy and content where I'm at, and don't seem to care about my weight anymore like I did when I was 60 lbs heavier. I know I should work at getting more weight off, but ....Oh well, I guess I need some motivation or something.:tongue_smilie:

[LeighaMason 19]

Not to change the subject but I'm having my surgery on March 3rd. I'm interested to know how long everyone has been banded, are you happy, and is it working for you? thanks, I think I'm done for the night.

I had my surgery on 10/20/09 it is working wonderfully for me. My main problem with my weight was Portion Control, which the band is perfect for. But before the band I could (and did) eat 2 full plates of food at one sitting, the band physically stops that from happening.

This is what I attribute to my success so far. I don't drink sodas, I gave up beer forever, my husband or I cook almost every meal from scratch and we rarely eat out, I don't snack, I don't eat any processed foods, bread, or Pasta.

This is what I could do for better results. I don't exercise like I should. Sometimes when my husband has cooked something really good, I will let my food settle and go back for seconds and make myself sick. Stubborn I guess. :cool2:

Good luck with your surgery, I know you have done your homework and you will get what you want from the band. I think that is what this is about. Some people want to be in a bikini and some just want to lose some and feel better. You decide what you want to put in it and what you want to get out of it. :tongue_smilie:

[pattygreen 5]

you just reminded me of the most important thing that I could do to start wieght loss again. Exercise! I must confess, that I don't do it. I am busy with so much, and I know that is not a good excuse, but I don't have any other one.

Bob, I will pray that all goes well for you and your surgery. Patty

[Cleo's Mom 257]

No one is denying that they created some government jobs. But this country feels that MORE government jobs is not what we need. We need more private sector jobs. We also don't need temporary jobs that will only last until the job is finished or until the funds run out. We will be right back to where we were if that happens. Liberals live in the here and now and relish in it instead of looking down the road and seeing what their efforts that they are praising right now will bring them then.

It has to start somewhere. And if they create or save government jobs, that means something to those people. It puts money into the economy - these people who now have jobs spend, pay taxes, etc.. Some of these jobs might become permanent.

Now about private sector jobs: There is a jobs bill being proposed that would give tax breaks to small businesses who hire and give banks incentives to loan money to them. Let's see how many republicans vote for this after all their yapping about it.

They only got 5 republicans to vote to advance the bill to a full vote. I guess the other 36 don't want a vote on it.

And BTW, the republicans are furious that Scott Brown (Mr. 41) voted to allow this bill to move forward for a full vote. After all, we can't have a new republican senator like him vote like he actually wants to solve some of American's problems when the republican party of no's real agenda is to oppose all of Pres. Obama's agenda and hope that he fails.

Edited February 23, 2010 by Cleo's Mom

[loserbob 11]

I appreciate the responses. My surgery was supposed to be on March 3rd, they called today to inform me that they are rescheduling it for the 10th. Im a little upset but I guess this is whats meant to be. You both sound like your doing well with it. I know for me, Im in it for health first. However when I think about the procedure I try to think about a year or two down the road, buying normal sized clothes, wearing whatever I want and feeling comfortable. Thanks for the responses, its nice to hear youre still happy with it because the closer it gets for me the more doubts I have.

[pattygreen 5]

I appreciate the responses. My surgery was supposed to be on March 3rd, they called today to inform me that they are rescheduling it for the 10th. Im a little upset but I guess this is whats meant to be. You both sound like your doing well with it. I know for me, Im in it for health first. However when I think about the procedure I try to think about a year or two down the road, buying normal sized clothes, wearing whatever I want and feeling comfortable. Thanks for the responses, its nice to hear youre still happy with it because the closer it gets for me the more doubts I have.

Yes. I would do it all over again. I definitely made the right decision to have the lapband. You will be soooo happy when you can do all the things you would like to do, like buy regular sized clothes. But, like you said, your health is the best reason to do it.

[BJean 16]

patty: " It has to do with this: When money gets handed to you for free, human nature says "take it."

That is typical thinking of our congressional representatives. That's why you'll never see term limits or an insistence by them that all Americans have as good a health care plan as they have. That's why they will never ban lobbyists.

That's also why it is ridiculous to say we should "throw the bums out" because there will only be similar bums to take their places. Money corrupts and that is the way of this country - and most other countries.

We the people should use our power to force them to change the system so that they are not in a position to become so corrupt that they sell the country down the river for $$$$ to line their pockets with.

That's why deregulation is necessary. That's why you don't reward big corporations for bad behavior, at least without imposing penalties and rules.

[pattygreen 5]

patty: " It has to do with this: When money gets handed to you for free, human nature says "take it."

That is typical thinking of our congressional representatives. That's why you'll never see term limits or an insistence by them that all Americans have as good a health care plan as they have. That's why they will never ban lobbyists.

That's also why it is ridiculous to say we should "throw the bums out" because there will only be similar bums to take their places. Money corrupts and that is the way of this country - and most other countries.

We the people should use our power to force them to change the system so that they are not in a position to become so corrupt that they sell the country down the river for $$$$ to line their pockets with.

That's why deregulation is necessary. That's why you don't reward big corporations for bad behavior, at least without imposing penalties and rules.

finally, something I agree with you about.

[BJean 16]

loserbob, you probably don't want to hear my story but here goes. I've been banded since Sept '06 and I am seriously considering getting it removed and possibly getting the sleeve.

When you read about people throwing up, you need to know that it is a very painful event and that if you do it enough you can cause your band to slip. Band slippage is serious and can cause you to need surgery to fix it.

So although some people who have lost a lot of weight - all they needed to lose and more - many of them got there by having a very tight band and very little successful eating PLUS and this is a very important PLUS, they exercised without fail.

I am not telling you this to discourage you from getting the band. For every horror story, there are success stories. But you shouldn't go into this thinking that it is the snap that some would have you believe.

Although I do think that if all conditions are perfect, it definitely does work. It is just that having 100% perfect conditions is not guaranteed. And it is important that you understand that.

If you are in enough pain from being obese, nothing bad that can happen with the band is bad enough to keep you from getting it. But once you are out of the real health threat and pain of obesity by losing 40, 60 or 80 lbs., there is a chance that your weight loss will stop right there.

For me, the only way to lose weight (my knees are completely shot) was for the band to be so tight that I was in pain much of the time. Having a painful episode was not predictable. One time I could eat a bite of lettuce, the next time I could not. One time I could eat a bite of chicken, the next time the tiniest bit could become lodged and I could spend an hour in excrutiating pain. I just became tired of it and could not face one more minute of it.

So when I had emergency surgery for an ischemic collitis attack, and the restriction was removed, I had very little put back in. I have gained back about 10 lbs. of the weight I lost, but no more and I've been at this weight for many months.

Just want you to know what you're getting into. I might have dug a little deeper about alternatives if I had understood fully what having the band means.

And btw, some people consider their band their best friend. I sincerely wish that I did too.

[BJean 16]

patty, we've agreed before, but those times were few and far between considering the number of exchanges we've had at LBT. :-)

[loserbob 11]

Patty I was just reading some of the posts I wrote yesterday. Wow, they sound alot worse to me today than they were meant to be! I want to apologize about the liar, born again parts. I usually question your political views(actually, always) but i dont question, nor do I have a problem with your religious beliefs. Talking about someones integrity, morality, character on here is a little over the top! (even though I was kidding)I dont expect you to understand my sense of humor because we dont know each other. Again if you found it offensive, I do apologize.

[BJean 16]

Lb, that was very cool.

[pattygreen 5]

Patty I was just reading some of the posts I wrote yesterday. Wow, they sound alot worse to me today than they were meant to be! I want to apologize about the liar, born again parts. I usually question your political views(actually, always) but i dont question, nor do I have a problem with your religious beliefs. Talking about someones integrity, morality, character on here is a little over the top! (even though I was kidding)I dont expect you to understand my sense of humor because we dont know each other. Again if you found it offensive, I do apologize.

I was not offended, by your calling me a liar :smile2: or making fun of my being born again ,but thank you for apologizing anyway. It's sweet.

[loserbob 11]

I was just watching CNN. They had someone talking about choosing across state lines. The lady said people would save an average of 5%. She said the average New Yorker pays $6000.00. That would save $300.00 a year. Not the answer we need! She said the cost differences from state to state are, cost of living, state mandates(EXAMPLE certain states require more mandates, more coverages, NY requires prostate cancer screening to be covered, Iowa doesnt). Just a few. So you could choose what coverages you want but only save avg. 5%.

[pattygreen 5]

I was just watching CNN. They had someone talking about choosing across state lines. The lady said people would save an average of 5%. She said the average New Yorker pays $6000.00. That would save $300.00 a year. Not the answer we need! She said the cost differences from state to state are, cost of living, state mandates(EXAMPLE certain states require more mandates, more coverages, NY requires prostate cancer screening to be covered, Iowa doesnt). Just a few. So you could choose what coverages you want but only save avg. 5%.

301,139,947 (Americans) X .05 = $15,056,997.40 saved every year.

That's nothing to sneeze at! Let's start there!