RyanTheGirl

It was mentioned in our support group here to get one for NSAIDs...

I have worked (recently) in a dermatologist office- most insurances DO cover it- but they will make you try other things first (like DRYSOL-- which i actually use myself now, it's a liquid that is applied at bedtime to underarms- but dont apply it after shaving them cuz it will stiiiiiiiiiing!!). It's like fighting your insurance for a name brand drug vs. generic- have to prove the other options dont work before they will approve it. We did botox on quite a bit of people in their under-arms for hyperhydrosis. They can (depending on the dermatologist) apply numbing cream before doing the botox. It takes basically an entire vial of botox per arm (usually a patient paying out of pocket would pay $500 a vial). The downside is- it usually has to be repeated every 6 months- so it's a fight with the insurance every 6 months. Boo. Good luck, hope I helped!

It's been about 4 months since I've even really paid any attention to this website. I was soooo amped up about the whole lapband journey and everything, and it's as if my train somehow got derailed... not sure what happened, or why. In order for me to get banded, I have to quit smoking. Which I successfully did, for a whole 3 weeks... not even worth getting excited over really lol. I work in the medical field and was able to get the same kind of test they will give me to check for nicotine- after a week of no smoking, I passed it. Which made me super excited and I got the ball rolling again. My PCP wrote the letter of medical necessity, but I forgot to get a letter of medical clearance.... OF course (murphy's law) when I finally got around to calling my PCP about it, over a year had passed since my last physical- so I have to have another physical before they will write my clearance- no big deal- doing that May 9th... so I will be able to turn in my medical records, letters of clearnace from my PCP and my cardiologist, have already done the support groups, dietician, and psych appointment... so I believe they can contact my insurance after getting those. And in the mean time, I have to take a fitness class and a lapband education course (couple hour course that my surgeon requires) then I believe all my requirements are done... I wish I had the ball rolling on all of this back in January, because I probably would have been banded by now... but oh well. Everything happens for a reason I guess. Starting June 1st, I will have 2 insurances for about a month, so hopefully I will be able to have my surgery during that month so my out of pocket expenses won't kill me. Time will tell... Tomorrow is my new "quit date", gotta stick through it again. I think I need to go through the before/after pictures again and give myself a little inspiration lol!!

As a new year starts I am sure we all have a wonderful list of things we think of as "New Years Resolutions"-- or whatever... I decided that I only have one this year- to drink more water every day... This should help with weight loss since it will cut out more sodas/teas and keep me feeling "full"... Obviously losing weight is a goal of mine for the year.... I will be re-evaluating my "to-do" list from the surgeons to get the ball rolling more on the lap-band situation.... I have another Support group to go to (which, If I can be honest.. yes it's nice to get out of the house- and sometimes I have to be "forced" to do so because my depression makes it hard for me to do to so.... but it really is kind of a joke- very few people there are actully post-op, most of them are like me- there as a required pre-op...) but anyways... on my to-do list-- another suport group, the exercise class, and then the $275 program fee and lap-band education class....Oh, and the hardest, quit smoking for good. It is so frustrating to know that really, *I* am what's stopping me- if I could quit smoking, "cold turkey", then I would have months ago... but, I am doing what I can to get the quit smoking goal accomplished... and it shouldn't be too long... Last year-year and a half I probably packed on 30-40 pounds.... WTF?! I cant even begin to express how sickened I am by this... I feel like such a effing loser... I dont even want to discuss how grossed out and disappointed I am- in myself... I know the last few months I really "let myself go"-- mostly because I've been thinking about getting a lap-band-- and to do so I had to actually GAIN like 10 pounds to have the BMI that I needed... but then I kept using "I'm getting a lap band" as my excuse-- saying things like "I have to enjoy this while I can, this time next year I wont be able to eat like this anymore" or "I wont be able to eat _____________ (fill in something I shouldnt have been eating to begin with!) after I get my lapband, so I might as well eat it now!"-- who does that?! I never realized that I had a food "Addiction" until recently-- and that is a sad sad realization to have.... Stress is also at an all-time-high... Decemeber 29th, 2010 my father died in my eyes. NO- he is not LITERALLY dead... but once again, he has shown to be be worthless, judgmental, and a hypocryt. He and his wife bought my daughter (used, but still good!) bunk beds for christmas, well I wasnt able to be home when they came and were going to put them up- so they were at my house when I wasnt there... Apparently my house isn't tiddy enough for them and my "Step mom" decided that I don't live up to her standards and wasn't talking to me... Didnt talk to me, except maybe 10 words all day Wednesday (the 29th, that's when we were doing our "family christmas")... Anyway- long story short, I got into a huge arguement with my sperm donor (aka father) about all of this and I completely blew up at him- seriously? how can you expect me, a single mother, who works 2 jobs, AND goes to college to keep my house up to THEIR standards? Oh, and by the way, my grandma, his mother- fell (3rd time in a month or so) so I've been at her house any time i could to clean her house, put up her decorations, do her nursing stuff (changing her dressings- she busted up her face pretty bad and has stiches), her yardwork, and her christmas shopping... YES- MY HOUSE IS A FREAKING MESS! But that's because HE decided that he wasnt happy here and moved away- leaving ME as the only one her to take care of his mother... He's always been worthless... the first time I brought home an "F" in school was in P.E. in middle school- the first year we had to "dress out" in the locker room- in front of all the girls who already made fun of me for being the fat girl- so no, I never "dressed out", and I failed... when he saw my report card- his response? He screamed at me and constantly told me how I was nothing but a "fat lazy nigger"--- excuse me for even using that "N word"- as I HATE that word and am no way what so ever a racist or anything... and yes, he called me that (and I am white..) He's an alcoholic, and will always put himself before others... when I told him I was hoping to get a lap band, his response? "well, if it will actually work for you, maybe then you'll finally be thin like your sister"--- WHO SAYS THAT?! Well, I'm at work, so I cant give this blog the attention it deserves right now... but anyway... it's a new year, I feel every single pound that i've added the last 18 months or so... and actually- it's a good thing- it's a reminder to me that I need to get off my ass and actually start making the positive changes my life needs- with or without the lapband... it's just a tool-- I'm the one who is going to have to do the work- so I better start dress rehersal now, because there's less room for screw ups when the real deal is here! (when I actually am banded I mean) Hope you all are off to a great year!

I have yet to get my band, but I know from being a nurse that the gas pains (even in the shoulder) are normal. When you are in surgery, they pump your abdomen with gas- to kind of fill it up like a balloon, so they have "room" for your surgery without actually opening you up, and you are also on the surgery table that is slightly angled with your feet/legs elevated, so that your blood can circulate easily while you are in surgery- which can cause the gas to build up in the upper portion of your body.

I am glad to hear things are working!! Nothing worse than looking in the mirror and KNOWING you are doing what you can to make things better- yet no results! (with this situation, weight loss, etc!!!) Oracea (and any name brand medications!) is expensive- and really, I have found most of my patients dont like it lol... they CLAIM it's just as good as doxy but with lower risks of yeast infections... but whatever. ALSO- if the Acanya cream doesnt really work for you- ask about Metrogel (or even Metro Lotion even) but either way, I am glad you are loving what you see in the mirror now!

So, I am fully aware that those of us "pre-band" always dread shopping- but sometimes, SOMETIMES I actually enjoy it... Of course, that isn't the case since I gained the last 30-40 pounds... but I can still sometimes enjoy it. Last night was our work's christmas party, well kind of. First off, there are only 7 of us (including the doctor we work for) in the office- so not really a party lol. One of the other nurses I work with decided to have us over to her place for the "party" the same night her husband was having his party for work- he works for gulfstream. So I figured it might be a nice way to get out of the house since I rarely do, and maybe meet some interesting people... well, with my recent weight gain- barely anything fits! UGH! So, I decided to go shopping... Figured I could just get a new sweater or something... So, I went to Ross (hoping for something cute, and cheap- no luck) then to Catherine's (again, no luck), then to the Avenue (was able to get a sweater and a knitted "shell" type thing- but still wasnt "happy"), went to Torrid (which, aside from their prices, I normally love...) Long and short of it all- I am disgusted that I had to buy the biggest size I've ever been in, and yet STILL didnt feel at least "pretty"-- I know hoping to feel sexy or anything wasnt in the rhelm of reality- but to still not even feel pretty? What a shame.. I'm so sick of it. Trying to change things now before I have the surgery (if I ever have it!!! Still battling the nasty gross habbit of smoking... which I have to be nicotien free for at least 2 months before the surgery- so that means no patches or gum or anything if it has nicotien!) Trying to eat better and all that- but yet, at the same time- I find myself eatting things that I know I shouldnt and then using the excuse "well, I wont be able to eat this after my surgery"-- REALLY?! C'mon now Ryan.... You (I) know that this surgery isnt going to all of a sudden change my eating habbits for me- SURE, there will be things that my band won't allow me to eat or whatever... but at the same time- there will still be things that it will still allow me to eat that I know I shouldnt... I know I CAN do this- and WILL do this... just trying to fight myself and my own inner psychie that thinks that I need these things (like donuts for breakfast, or smoking!) Dear Lord- please help give me the stregnth that I need today to help me make a better tomorrow! Amen.

I am a nurse in a dermatology office- and I have never seen anyone come in with this- and we have had multipule post-banding patients (I often see that they have been banded and talk about it with them since it is something I am in the process of trying to get!!) Though hormones and things are often shifted with weight loss, i personally dont think it's because of that. We have had adults (over the age of 60!) have their first "flare" of rosacea. I have never seen the doctor I work for prescribe doxy for 3x a day though- crazy! Hopefully they don't have you on it for very long!! Did they also give you a topical? (Metrogel? Finacea?) Just curious!! The doctor I work for doesnt like to use steriods unless really necessary, and never have I seen it for rosacea, but if it worked, I am happy! Keep me posted on this, as I am very curious as to how it goes for you!

We arent supposed to eat bread because it goes straight through the band- it isnt a "getting stuck" issue. We aren't supposed to eat anything white (i.e- white bread, white rice, white pasta...) and we aren't supposed to eat anything that starts dissolving in our mouths (like bread does when we eat it- gets all moist and everything) You have to remember that the band isnt going to do the work for us- it's going to help us (once we get to our own personal "sweet spot")-- but we have to respect it- we have to know what we SHOULD and SHOULD not eat, not just what we "CAN" and "CAN'T" eat. It's a new challenege every day! I wish you the best of luck!!

You made your new turn by realizing that you needed help in gaining control over your own body again, and by taking that step and getting a lapband you were able to show yourself that you DO still care- you care about how you feel as well as how you look. You are just like me- we both have a little girl at home who is looking up to us daily- watching what we do... And yes, this includes watching what we eat. So as we go through this new path in life- a healthier path- our daughters are going to watch that- and thankfully we are changing our life while our daughters are still young and impressionable-- we can teach our daughters HEALTHY habbits before they have a chance to develope too many bad ones! We are not only giving ourselves a new chance at life- but we are giving them a second chance as well! Keep your head up girl- everything is good in the end- if it's not good, then it's not the end! Just remember that every day is a fresh beginning- leave the "oooops, I messed up" in the past, and try harder!

Congrats on the weight you have already lost! I hope the rest of your pre-op gets easier for you and wish you the best of luck with your surgery!

Congratulations! That is certainly something to be proud of!!! :bananapartyhat:

Ah... Well- honestly, I've been there, done that. It sucks, it hurts, and it's just plain ole Eff'd up... If others need someone to make them look better, then apparently what they look like to begin with isnt all that! lol!! BTW- O'Shea's is my faaaaaaaaaaaaaaavorite place in Vegas.... spent like 16 hours playing Hold 'Em when I was there..

I am actually not banded yet, but have discussed this with my doctors- I currently take Vyvance (which is XR) and was told that I could open the capsle and just stir in the powder into a small glass of water and drink it if i wasn't comfortable swollowing the pill whole.

So I went to the contest site that the developer of this site had posted (3 winners get a free lapband lol) and so this is what I sent it (had to be 600 words or less, ugh!--what can i say? I was bored, so I did it, what could it hurt?! lol!!!) I am more than just a pretty face; I am a whole person. I am a single mother, a student, a hard worker, a possitive attitude, a smile, a daughter... most of all, I am a person who is looking for a second chance at life. I have been over weight since I was 4. Every memory I have involves me being obese. Camp when I was a child? 10yo and shopping for camp clothes, size 16W... Prom dress shopping? "Sorry, they don't make that dress in your size." Wedding dress shopping? HA! Whatta joke... I have always wanted to change my weight, tried diets, taking three gym classes a day in high school, diet pills, curves, hourglass fitness, weight watchers, 1000 calorie diets, scale solutions, metobolic weight loss... you name it, I've tried it. Sure, I've been able to lose 20-30 pounds here or there, but it all comes back. When my daughter ws born, I was so excited about the fact that I had only put on about 18 pounds- over looking the fact that I was over 245 when I got pregnant to begin with. The following Friday I was in the ER- fever over 103, couldnt breathe... little did I know, I was experience Congestive Heart Failure. I had developed cardiomyopathy- my heart couldn't keep up with me being over weight, my blood supply and the baby's blood supply. My left ventrical had increased in size by over 30%. 23 years old and having heart failure?! The nurses told me to enjoy the time I had with my daughter, that no one could promise any out come- that I should say goodbye, "just in case." Just in case what? I die? Die, leaving my new precious baby girl without a mother? Obviously I recovered- my heart is going back to "normal size" and I have been taken off the medications I was on. I was told I cannot have any more children without risking my life- leaving my child motherless. I had already faced that fear of leaving her motherless once- I couldn't and WON'T do that again. My daugher is active and spirited. I need to take care of myself, physically and emotionally- and provide a POSITIVE role model for her- not one who cant even get off the couch because being over weight and always drained. My daughter deserves a mother, not a 268 pound dent in the couch. I want a lap band to help me "remodel my house"- I know the work itself is mine; that I must be accountable for my own actions and make the right decisions, but I need my "hammer" to do this "remodeling". It will be my daily reminder of the struggles I have already gone through, and reminder of the positive choices that I am making and will continue to make. It will be my "helper" in treating myself right, which in return, will help me treat my daughter right. My daughter is my reason for being, the love of my life, the warmth in my heart, and the sparkle in my eye. Losing weight to have better quality time with her has been my dreams since she was born. Being able take her to Disney and actually letting her ride the rides she wants to because I will finally be able to fit in the seats with her as well- I cant even being to express how much joy that will bring to my life, and hers too! I want to take this tool and use it the way it was meant to be used! I want to be able to tell people when they ask how I've lost weight that it has happened with hard work, proper-HEALTHY choices, and with the help of my tool, the lap-band...